At the beginning of each sweaty season in Andalucia, I start out with the best of intentions. This year, I say, I’m going to embrace summer. Yoga practice in the cool of the morning and a daily swim in the lovely Los Piedaos pool will send me out at dusk, lightly tanned and toned, to enjoy an evening under the stars, barefoot and clad only in the smallest amount of white linen.
What actually happens most years is that I am targeted by the first flotilla of biting things to take flight. I retire indoors and wait until the scars on my legs have faded. I never do catch up on the all-over tan, and end up looking like a dappled fawn – which would be quite cute if I were one.
Last week, on our own terrace at midnight (midnight, reader!) I got stung by a wasp. Twice. So I have spent the past few days full of venom in all senses, with people scurrying away from my bright red swollen arm and fierce scowl as fast as they can, given the heat.
A wise beautiful owl of my acquaintance (you know who you are) saw my plight and gave me some good advice, which I want to share with all my overheated friends:
1 Stop fighting the summer, and see how you can make it work for you. Work, rest and play as your energy demands and take on as little as possible.
2 Leave the midday sun to the mad dogs and Englishmen – respect the heat as Spanish people do and take a siesta as a necessity, not a luxury.
3 Just say no – to having to be somewhere or doing something that can wait for cooler weather. This isn’t the time to start clearing out my office or wardrobe, or to start training for that mini-marathon.
I’m already feeling much better thanks. So I’ll just raise a tall glass of iced tea to you all, and am going back to reading my novel.
What are your strategies for beating the heat? I’d love to know how to be even lazier right now!
Nice piece with very sensible advice. I´ve always tended to fight summer here but this year I´m doing the kinds of things you mention and finding it much easier. I need to watch out for wasps too since we´ve a few taking up residence in some cracks on our terraza. Maybe this year I´ll actually ENJOY the summer!
Posted by: Maureen Dolan | July 09, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Hi Steve, great to hear from you. Send some freeze over our way and I'll send you some withering African winds to brighten your cold season! Thanks for reading and posting on the blog.
We have a cunning plan to achieve more dissolution - we're moving to Malaga in the fall!
Posted by: Andalucinda | July 05, 2012 at 07:36 PM
Two years since I was in Andalucia (Niguelas)and i still miss it. Two friends have just returned from 5 weeks in spain and Portugal - three of those were walking the Camino beginning in granada. Talk about heat and mad dogs. They were walking in 40C+ temperatures. They loved it. It's freezing down here in Australia at the moment.
Hope you have achieved some of your New Year Dissolutions.
Posted by: Steve Capelin | July 05, 2012 at 10:09 AM