November 21, 2013

Throwback Thursday: The Sunday Shade

In the interests of improving this blog, I have been working through old entries and discovering that they are so oddly formatted, it's easier to just repost them and makes a nice series for throwback Thursdays. 
This short tale was crafted way back in the summer of 2010 when I was a lonely girl living in Spain. I would visit my old love (who for some sickening reason I refer to as my 'love cat' and while he worked hard, I would scour the streets for inspiration.
It also marks a time where this blog started to turn from reviews into a more story-based concept.

Well yes, I know. I know I have been away for a while.
Truth be told, this Cafe Cat is still at the receiving end of transport difficulties.
This weekend I managed to make it to Pamplona again and felt utterly defeated that I hadn't made it to Toro or Salamanca for more material.

However, my Love Cat suggested another cafe here that he had discovered and then he promptly presented me with a new camera! 

(Sweet work, Mr Love Cat)

So off I went in hunt of the cafe...
BUT
Has anyone else ever tried to follow the Love Cat's vague directions? No? Well let me tell you... when someone says "Go diagonally across the main square (no specification of which direction), at some point you will find another square and then on one of the streets there is an old Farmacia that is actually a cafe." you basically WON'T find said cafe. 

There are a LOT of little streets in Pamplona, Love Cat, but nevermind.

SO

This leads me to an entirely different entry. Yes yes, I may be the Cafe Cat, but there are no rules here, people.

Plus, it is also pretty central to the focus of this blog.

May I present to thee 'The Sunday Shade'... Featuring hot little kitties of Pamplona...

It was an early start. The sunlight poured through the open window as the Cafe Cat and the Love Cat stirred from their slumber. Having indulged in a little croissant and some sweet coffee, the two cats set off into the city.

The Love Cat went to make sweet treats for the people of Pamplona, while the Cafe Cat set off in the direction of the Farmacia Cafe to take pictures for her blog.

She came across many Farmacias on her journey, but they all sold topical creams and nothing that even vaguely resembled a steaming mug of goodness.

Feeling slightly defeated she stopped for quick refreshment.
She continued along her travels, brushing the crumbs from her mouth.

The sights and smells of Sunday Pamplona wafted past her... fresh bread and coffee, and in the distance she could hear the sound of a saxophone dancing into a cool, narrow street and a man singing merrily.
As she approached the window she caught sight of this rather handsome little fellow, who was obviously enjoying the music.
She greeted him jovially and he bowed his head with kindness before disappearing into shadows, for he was terribly shy.

As she meandered aimlessly through the narrow lanes, she so wished that the Love Cat were with her but, nevertheless, she warmly appreciated the sun that was high in the sky and the peace that the solitude brought to her mind.

As the minutes passed, the sun shone down on her in bright, relentless beams of happiness and she was soon seeking the coolness of the shade. There appeared to her a long passage, which led into the shadows. One which she was unsure that she would be allowed to tread, for fear of passing into private territory.

Regardless of these thoughts, she slowly wandered along the path, hearing the distant clanks of a busy kitchen, catching the early smells of lunch and listening to the raucous laughter of a Spanish family, high up in the buildings that towered over her.

As she came to the dimly lit end she could sense that she was not alone and thought she could make a face out in the shadows.
She came closer but dared not make any sudden moves.

"Excuse me?" She said. "Would you be so kind as to let me sit with you for a while? It's just that I am terribly hot and I need to rest."

There was no reply.

Gingerly, she sat on the bench and, as her eyes grew accustomed to the light, she now certainly saw a startled little face peering at her.
"Hello." she said.

But the little one did not reply, his eyes only widened as he regarded her silently.

And so she sat. Very quietly. And watched as two more little ones appeared and stared up into the sky, not daring to look in her direction.
The time ticked slowly by.

Finally, the smallest of the three trotted up to her and at first he didn't say anything. He just regarded her with a gentle look.
After a few moments, he quite calmly said "Good day miss, thank you ever so much for visiting us. We hope you have enjoyed your stay but we must ask you politely to leave. The matters of the alley cat are quite private and we cannot be seen to be associating with outsiders."

He saw the sad look on her face and added bashfully

"Please miss, if the queen were to see you here, she would be displeased with us. You must go now."

He bowed his head and averted his gaze.
She was sad to leave, as the shade has been so sweet and the cats so pretty. She had always thought she had an affinity with the feline world, but today had learned differently. There were no kindred spirits for her in Pamplona.

Wandering out of the shadows, she made her way to a grassy stretch and spent the rest of the afternoon under the big blue sky, alone and thoughtful amongst the green blades.
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