The Sahara

Every now and then we have 'dirty rain' in Barcelona when the sand of the Sahara desert arrives over the city borne in great balloons of air and coincides with a huge precipitation resulting in the town being painted red overnight! I thought it might be on the cards last night when Mum had requested a stroll down Las Ramblas at 10 o'clock and I noticed the temperature had risen to over 20c indicating that something was arriving from below the Med. But, honestly, I have never seen it so 'dirty' as when I looked out on our patio early this morning! And, of course, I had an unexpected two hours work hosing and scrubbing the patio, balcony, top terrace and balustrades to make sure the 'red' didn't settle inextricably into every nook and cranny of plaster and tile work. Not the best way to spend Mum's last hours here before heading back to Scotland...she has arrived safely via her local supermarket and, I think, missing us as we do her.