Now the World Cup is over Montejaque's Carolyn Emmett, writing from South Africa, turns her attention to... wrinkles!

“If God had to give a woman wrinkles, He might at least have put them on the soles of her feet.” Anne “Ninon” de L’Enclos (1620-1705)

Carolyn Emmett, Montejaque's correspondent in South Africa sends her last report from South Africa on the Spain v the Netherlands game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final on July 11.

MY Dutch girlfriend, Kinie, was embarrassed by the tactics of her team ... nine yellow cards in total (two to the same player, in overtime, which therefore earned him a ‘red’ and a ‘sending off’). How come only three players on the Netherlands team could behave themselves? I think both Spain and Holland were a bit wary of each other at Sunday night’s final, but it seemed the Dutch wanted to bring dirty tactics to the game – and the Spanish team rose above them.

Carolyn Emmett, Montejaque's correspondent in South Africa previews the Spain v the Netherlands game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.

THE following is a report on what is likely to happen this evening ... when I have tickets to go to a ‘fan park’ to watch the game on big-screen TVs and to savour the atmosphere of the ‘live’ game ... at 10% of the cost! Based on the BLEACHER REPORT, it’s a pretty good interpretation of what may happen...   
 

Carolyn Emmett, Montejaque's correspondent in South Africa reports on the Spain v Germany Game from the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

I WAS invited by my German girlfriend, Renate, to watch the match at her home on this action-packed Wednesday evening. We had dinner first, at 7:00 p.m., and then sat down in front of a wide-screen TV to watch the game at 8:30.  Interestingly enough, the dinner was Spanish – lamb cooked in manzanilla. I thought she’d at least have made an Eisbein mit Sauerkraut!

MARCH
The Migration – Yes it happened! The first week saw the arrival of flocks of up to 50 Black Kites and Honey Buzzards flying over the valley on route to the plains of central Spain. Usually the migrants circle the valley for a few hours spiralling on thermals to gain height. Short Toed and Banellis Eagles also arrived in this week but remained in the area. Hoopoes also arrived and could be seen on the wooded slopes surrounding the valley. From the 21st onwards small flocks of Bee Eaters began to arrive, eventually joining together so that by the month end one large flock of around 80 birds cruised around the valley.

APRIL
Cuckoos and Nightingales: Two unmistakable sounds arrived in the first week. Cuckoos in the daytime and the clear melody of the Nightingale all night. The Short Toed Banellis and now the Booted Eagles can be seen. Frequently now their calling and aerobatic displays showing signs of pairing and courtship. The swallows and Martins seem to be increasing in numbers daily and is a battle to keep them out of the house as they inspect for prospective nest sites.

MAY
Apart from the Bea Eater colony cruising up and down the valley and the Swallows and Martins swooping over the river at dusk and dawn everything is quiet. Most birds have gone to nest.

JUNE
Swallow fledglings on the power lines assorted Finch, Shrike and Blackbird chicks everywhere. A successful hatching this year. The Nightingales stopped singing mid month. Perhaps its their turn to nest. No more melody till next year.

I have so neglected this blog over recent months but a gentle reminder from our web manager, Karl, has done the trick! So, what have I been up to? Well, I took on a contract to teach a Year 3 group in a delightful little school in San Pedro de Alcantara and that has kept me busy... very busy. It’s called Calpe International School and it is tiny. I have seven children in my class... made up of Russian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Columbian, Mexican and English. Very interesting.

THE Spanish Prime Minister’s second surname is Zapatero, which means shoemaker or cobbler (just like the seven-times Formula 1 motor-racing champion from Germany, Michael Schumacher, incidentally).

Carolyn Emmett, Montejaque's correspondent in South Africa reports on the England v Germany Games from the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

I watched the big match on TV in Hyde Park, Johannesburg: no queues for beer, and the nearest loo only 12 feet away from my recliner! Although I didn’t attend this game ‘in person’, I could easily imagine the vibe – the commentator remarked that at least 70% of the fans were English, and the occasional bursts of ‘God Save The Queen’ throughout the game seemed to confirm this. (At one point, the anthem even drowned out the vuvuzelas; it seems the English can be as patriotic as the Americans, although we don’t need to put our hands on our hearts at the same time as we’re singing. In fact, we’re usually waving a couple of bottles of beer, so we don’t have a free hand anyway!)