Accies in Cantoria, Almeria, Espana...

In October 2011, the Effra Academicals travelled out to southern Spain to take on a couple of teams known to the O.A. ('Original Accie'), Ian 'The Gaffer' Holmes who lives out there in a lovely village called Cantoria.





You can see the picturesque setting amid the moody Andalucian mountains for yourselves.



We had a great weekend, even if the football din't exactly go as dreamt the night before in various bedrooms in and around London - and one in Durham.

We got beat a couple of times, and drew once, scoring only once too (I missed some presentable chances I have to admit, but laid on the pass for our only goal, thus missing out on thr honour of scoring for the Accies in a third country...)


Here is some footage, such as it is. Andrea has many, many qualities but cinematography remains elusive! ;-)




But the night out afterwards was top, starting in one of Ian's favourite bars with a pool table (Yedra). Ian and Andrea's wonderful daughter Bella did the honours admirably and adorably with the cue chalk and triangle - then made us all feel sore and old with an eye-watering splits...!







Full marks to the English chef at the Cafe Bar Cantaria for some yum tapas on the Saturday night:



We then continued on into the night, at various other bars (for a small village they've kept their bar culture alive better than most English equivalents):

































































The day after, I stayed on and Ian and Andrea and Bella took me down to the coast to a couple of great villages, where we watched the already-legendary '1-6', and immortalised this great moment for all posterity - or until the tide came in, or the wind picked up, whichever came first...


... and Bella came to enjoy the 'Dietz flip', already a firm favourite with The Monkey, and now a cross-cultural phenomenon: