El Cambio de Tercio ...

Well you've all heard about this place many times.  Rafa and the Spanish players' favourite restaurant when they're in old London town - El Cambio de Tercio.  Readers of this blog may remember that I've mentioned it before as we've eaten here a couple of times ... most notably in 2010, when Feli stopped right by our table to chat to the staff as he was leaving, and his jeans clad bottom was right near my head.  *faint*  But I hardly even mention it ... :-/

Anyhow, we'd decided that our end-of-year get-together should happen in the South this year as we've been in Manchester on the past couple of occasions - and the best laid plans and all that - we'd originally intended to spend a day at the O2, hopefully watch some Rafa-practice, have something to eat and couple of drinkies.  So when that didn't become possible, we decided to head off to Rafa's restaurant ... and here it is.  Spot the little "private" room at the back with the curtain ... ???  

... we kind of suspect that's where a "special party" may go.  ;)

Anyhow, starters ... croquettes and sardines.

Mains ... meat and fish.

Desert ... and no, I didn't have two!  *huff*  El Dracula above ...

... and this is some mojito thingy ...

Complimentary sweet nibbles at the end ... and see that pristine, white tablecloth? Guess who dropped a chocolate bomb all over it, Rafan??

Here's Abel ... busy at work today rather than watching Rafa from the players' box at Wimbledon, or taking in the views on the terrace at Monte Carlo (which was where he was the last time we saw him. ;) )

And so a fabulous day was had by us all.  We talked and talked ... devised a solution for World Peace and then solved the Euro crisis *cough*, but the most prophetic statement that was made yesterday was this ...

"I miss the tennis"

I do.  Lots.  And it's got me thinking.  You see, as Rafa fans we seem to be tarred with the same brush and many generalisations heaped upon us.  Like we're silly, squealing, teenage girls who, of course, "... know nothing about tennis".  Now Rafa has an enormous fan-base and a very wide appeal, but it is my experience that a great proportion of Rafa's fans are, yes - female, but a mass of us are middle-aged and we have many, many years of following the game of tennis between us.  We've seen decades come and go, we've seen a variety of Champions pass before us.  We've seen serve and volley played with wooden racquets, to one-shot serve tennis and the rise of dominant baseline play.  And whilst we find Rafa eminently physically appealing and I am proud to make my blog an hommage to that ... brace yourselves for this lurkers ... but we do also actually like the way he plays the game.  

If it were enough to support and follow a tennis player simply because of his looks, then why haven't I fallen over myself to follow Feli Lopez across the tour?  Why haven't I sat there with my heart in my mouth in utter angst when I'm trying to book tickets, or spent hundreds of pounds in going to see him play?  I like Rafa's tennis and I love the way he plays the game.  So when someone says, "I miss the tennis", I totally agree.  I miss the way Rafa plays his forehand, those running down-the-line shots.  Watching a ball fire off the court in a totally unexpected place because of the amount of spin he can put on it.  I miss the passion, the intensity and the drama.  I simply miss watching Rafa play the game that I've been fascinated with and enjoyed since being a little girl.  And there you have it - we miss his tennis.

But in amongst of all this, we gather now not just as fans, but as friends.  We come together to laugh and enjoy and toast all that is Rafa.  We don't sit behind our keyboards obsessing and ranting about a player we can't stand ... or even more ridiculous - his fans ... like continuing to obsess about and follow me, an anonymous individual, because of what I do here or because I'm a Rafa fan.  No, we come together to share the joy that is supporting this fine tennis player.  And whilst we haven't had his tennis lately, we've had each other.  So hats off to you ladies for a great day yesterday. And let's hope that the next time we gather together, it will be because we're standing courtside.  Watching Rafa ... AND his tennis.