It was Groundhog Day as far as practicing…we were on court before 8am and the only ones there for a while. Afterwards I did my core/shoulders workout and stretched, then took my racquets etc back to the apartment. Vicki had a match at 10:30 (semis). Below are two of the courts complete with brushes to line the courts and a hose to water it. Mats are used to sweep.
I was into the semis but the other quarters in my division were yet to be played, so I went to scout. I watched the match I was to play the winner of for a short while (a player I had previously beaten this year won the match in three sets); then I watched the #2 seed in the 70s, at bit of Vicki’s match (she won 60 60) and quite a bit of Barbora Nowak’s match (over three hours and she lost to a French lady, Marie).
I had lunch, then decided to go downtown…but then read all the stores closed from about 2-5 pm so I went to the giant Carrefour market I’d seen instead. It was a massive megamart, like a huge Walmart or Target but with a bigger grocery component. I found Vicki the pillowcase (European size) she was looking for (about $11 for two) and bought some pure pistachio butter, 82% chocolate with almonds and raspberries among other things. I wandered around looking at stuff for a long time, plus I didn’t know where anything was. Similar to other megastores I’ve seen in Spain, there was a wall of Iberico legs of ham, a full pastry, fish, meat department, and aisles of tinned fish, olive oil, wine.
I took the bus back, then gathered up my stuff to go to the club for a good shower. The one at our apartment would barely fit a child, and the warm water is a mere drizzle, whereas at the club the showers have great water pressure and plenty of hot water (and a hair dryer).
I play the semis tomorrow at 1:30 (around when rain is possible); Vicki plays singles at 10:30 and doubles at 3pm.