2009, August, Nerja

Nerja, second week.

Traveling with kids is a learning experience.  I now realize that in order to be happy, your kids need to be happy otherwise a slow steady whine slips out and they chime in unison....

But, if you have hot weather, a crystal clear blue pool and a few inflated pool toys, water hose, cups, sponges, brooms, diving board, you can read a book at the pool side for 4 hours in the sun.   

So far the highlights of the trips:  The never ending Spanish Sun, Barcelona and its many attractions. the beach of Nerja, the beach side Paella Barbacoa, the Alhambra.   The Nerja Caves, the Spanish treats and ice cream, frequent, Mediterranean climate, views are incredible, Tibidabo and reading this book called the the Shadow of the Wind which is about a mystery in Barcelona in the 30's.

My Spanish is coming along and I am starting to read the newspapers in Spanish. They are all fascinated with our president and also the torture of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.   But alas, we are now in Basque country.  "The language that is unlike any other in Europe", they boast.   Amy thinks it is a variation of Greek.

This is also where ETA is strong, Two police were just exploded by ETA in Majorca (an Island south of Barcelona, not Basque country) and yesterday they just confiscated 500 lbs of explosives in France by ETA operatives.    The source of the frustration is like the IRA/nationalism.     The feel for the loss of the language, culture.  

But this is repeated in many parts of world as we are slowly becoming one, all enjoying the wonders of fresh tomatoes,  good coffee, Hip Hop music and the wonders of good dental Hygiene.   From what I see, the dental Hygiene maybe a big part of their complaint.  

Here, 'the Bar' is king for lunch, dinner and even breakfast.  People seem to live on coffee, cigarettes and wine with the occasional bread and a slab of fish of cured ham.  Very odd seeing someone have a glass a of wine with the morning paper....  

Okay. So many of you have heard of Lawton's broken Arm.  My biggest fear is that a child would get sick in Spain (Jordan is approaching appendix age) and we have had quite a few dental mishaps the last year.

We it happened, Lawton broke his arm.  The Spanish love to relax, but sometimes they are too tired to complete some basic tasks and they will cut some corners.   The 3 legged stool is a good example of this.  Many of you have not ever seen a three legged stool that is because they have been largely illegal in the  US for almost 200 years (ever since the Germans started to come to America).

The reason is, they tip over just when you do not want them to tip over.  Usually with a plate full of food and a bowl (Gazpacho for example) or when you are standing on it to reach something high like:  flowers for you mom).  

We did not see Lawton fall, but seem to have the classic FOOSH or fall on outstretched hand.   Lawton is known to cry quickly with bruises and bumps, but is quick to console.

Not this time, and he was very tender on his distal radius.  Fortunately it was not deformed or displaced and is likely what we call a 'Buckle Fracture' where the bone behaves more like plastic and fatigues, wrinkles rather than cracks all the way through.

Mama bear Amy lobbied for immediate trip to emergency room at 930pm to see a specialists in Emergency Care and probably a splint after xrays.   I argued that he had received #1 (might not be found anyway at local ER given the poorly applied splints I had been witnessing in Nerja) and probably did not need #2 or #3 immediately.

We agreed to see if his pain resolved with a heavy dose of ibuprofen, which it did. 

he went to sleep and tried to get out of bed, pushing off with his left hand, then screeching in pain.  My fears exactly were confirmed when I then gave a little push on top of the wrist, screaming "Why would you push on my broken arm, you dummy!"

Well, we needed to get to the airport and this could wait, he would need to be carefully with it.  Except he was sitting next to a smart, 8 year old brother for the 2 hour car ride and when Jordan wanted to hurt Lawton, he would not strike for the left wrist.    I think this is a Friedland gene by the way.. Amy is aghast to say the least, 'Where does he get this from'.....

Well we checked our baggage and I saw a pharmacy in the airport.   Maybe they have a metal wrist splint (or if I am really lucky-maybe they would have casting materials).

This was a pharmacy that seemed to specialize in anti wrinkle creams.  This is understandable given the unbearable Andalusian sun.   

In Spanish, "Hi, I am a doctor from USA and my son has a little broken arm and I need to put on a cast, do you have materials for this or splint metal or otherwise?"

Female pharmacists (only females in the pharmacy in Spain by the way), hair pulled back, full length white jacket), "No, you need an orthopedic specialists for that".  

Me, "Too bad.  Hey, what is that in your closet behind the counter, next to the gauze roll?"

Pharmacists, "Oh this, I don't know, would you like to see it?"

Me, "Claro".   which means, of course!

I almost peed my pants.  one roll of 2" and one roll of 4" plaster casting materials, dated from Franco times around 1950s.  Almost there.  "Give me that gauze roll and I need some scissors".  

"Amy, Do you have a Tshirt that I could cut up for padding?".  She had just checked all of our clothes but I did have a pair of CLEAN underwear, in my back pack. (I always travel with clean underwear).     I think my mom told me something like that when I was young.

Close inspection of my underwear revealed that it appears to come from the same textile factory that makes the arm, stockinette material used under casts.  PERFECT and unbelievable luck!

"Da Me un scissors!"  Give me those scissors!".   I cut out the elastic bands only the cotton material was left.

I carefull rolled this on, padding the boney prominences where one can get a pressure sore and then the gauze padding and then the folded over 4" plaster casting roll that was wetted with aqua sin gas.  Jordan and Amy were my eager helpers, Nurse Amy was an able assistant and (meticulously? neurotically?) insured there were no wrinkles or other possible sources of discomfort in the wrapped undies and gauze before the hard casting material was applied. 

I felt like McGuiver right there, between the Spanish airport security and a pharmacy that functions as a way to sell much needed anti wrinkle cream.  I even asked the pharmacists, "have you seen the show, McGuiver?".  "CLARO!" Of course she had and she and Amy where having a ball!  Lawton, not so much... but before you know it, Lawton has a perfect short arm cast on his left wrist (and two packs of gum - his choice).   Much better than the poorly applied splints that where seen on the walking wounded Brits that had found there way to the Local ER after too much Sangria and the tile/concrete steps that are not to code (too short of treads and too tall risers).

We went through security as the cast was curing, still wet.   I winked at Amy, "And now you get the Xray you wanted".  

I started to lift Lawton up on the belt that leads into the Xray machine...   Amy was not amused.  This is not what she had in mind and she has been an incredible trooper from the very beginning.   This is WAY out of her comfort zone (even if this is well within her husbands comfort zone probably taken care of this problem 500 times).

After this whole ordeal, we went through the security and they took our 9 year old old Rioja and our 25 year old Rioja that were gifts from our Spanish friends.  "Could be liquids nitrogen bombs"

We were famished and Amy had not eaten all day from all the stress and was a little grumpy.   She met me in line of a cafeteria, "what looks good?" she asked.  "This stew looks good" I said, "it has tomatoes, eggplant, peppers".   "No thanks she said abruptly, I want this one" and walked away irritated after a day of 'Eric's world...'

She was in no mood for a discussion which is too bad because she just ordered a stew that had chunks of Chorrizo sausage floating in chunks of Tripe, liver and pancreas" and I don't think it was from a fluffy white sheep either.     Here, the PIG is king and the saying is that all is utilized except the 'oinker' and they were not joking.   

I thought this is going to be very interesting.   Sure enough, "Amy began to realize that her stew was definitely a SAVORY stew".    I asked, "How is the stomach?"   with a smile on my face.  I was not talking about HER stomach either...  "I knew you like meat, but this is a NEW revelation - Organ MEATS!"   This opens up a whole new chapter in our Cuisine.  Maybe we try  the Brains next.... 

tonight, I will make it up to her and take her to some of the hottest and hippest restaurants in all of the world, the Tapas restaurants in San Sebastian.

When one travels some of the most memorable experiences are not the ones seen on glossy marketing travel guides but rather some of the unplanned events that one endures or experiences.  Nothing is all bad and nothing is all good.   Even Lawton's broken arm has a bright side.

It looks like this might be the best way to cure Lawton of his confused left handed writing (he throws right).  He did his Kumon this morning with his right hand and the writing is much better that with his left!

I will send the email from Nerja in a couple of days, it is lengthy...

Eric