Cheers! Ziveli! Salud!

Multiculturalism is great, but a real strain on both the brain and the liver. It’s 14th January, and therefore New Year’s day according to my wife, who’s roots wander back to Eastern Europe. Still running on the Julian calendar, she celebrated the orthodox Christmas on 7th January. The day previously, the 6th, we naturally bowed to local Tenerife (and Spanish) custom, by observing the fiesta of Three Kings Day. We had barely recovered from the Gregorian New year’s day on the 1st of January… or rather the excesses of the 31st. And of course there was the traditional Christmas and boxing day on the 25th and 26th of December.

So between the period from, say Christmas Eve (the ‘normal’ one on the 24th), till now … just 3 weeks… we have managed to empty over 25 bottles of wine (including a few Cavas and Champagnes), 2 bottles of Vodka, 2 Baileys, 2 Brandy, half a bottle of Scotch and half a bottle of Arehucas (local rum). Oh yes and a heap of beer, and a bottle of Amaretto. That’s the (rather diligent) work of three adults – my wife, her sister and I. And that still doesn’t really cover it, because we have been out to meals and sunk wines and liqueurs at each one, we’ve been out dancing (innumerable vodka redbulls), and we’ve propped up the odd bar every now and then. We have been thoroughly marinated.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not boasting. Calculating this lot is quite frankly, shocking. I am eagerly awaiting the teetotal period that can legitimately start tomorrow. No more fiestas with compulsory drinking until… well I’m not that sure, but for a while at least. And with that in mind, I am off down to the supermarcado for a couple more bottles of wine in order to toast on the Julian year and the impending dry patch!