Strike continues.....

It is Thursday and the Metro strike continues. Tuesday and Wednesday were a complete shutdown of the subway system. Today there is approximately 50% service. Full service will be restored for the weekend (when no one is working!) and the 50% slowdown will resume Monday and continue indefinitely. We can live with the slowdown but I have to say that the total shutdown was a real nuisance! However, it has forced all of us to be more enterprising; learning to use buses, taxis (and how much they cost!) and walking everywhere!

The boys are thrilled with Spain´s success in the World Cup and despite the metro strike attended the Big Screen presentation of the game at Bernabeu stadium. They were under strict orders to head home early and all managed to get in at a reasonable hour with great stories of celebration in the streets!

Wednesday we visited the house of Joaquin Sorrolla the famous 20th century Spanish impressionist painter with ties to Connecticut! Sorrolla´s patron, Archer Huntington, lived in Redding with his wife, sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington. Archer Huntington brought Sorrolla to New York and established the Hispanic Society of America, museum and cultural association which houses an impressive collection of Sorrolla´s work. Upon their deaths, their estate was donated to the town of Redding to be used as a park. The Hispanic Society of America is open to the public.

Summer heat continues with temperatures hovering around 38-40 degrees. Next Spain game is Saturday night (our time!)