Spain update February 2025
2025. And all the misery starts again, there is no end in sight…
Wednesday the 22nd of January 2025
After the arrival of Dirk B on the 7th of January and the departure of the gentlemen-drivers and their passengers on the 9th of January, the goodbye did not feel lonely because this time I was not left alone because Lola and Titabah kept me company. They took their responsibility seriously because the following 3 days and nights they kept an eye on things… Lola slept as usual in her extra-large donut in the room and Titabah had decided to sleep in my bed. You never knew that she would have to raise the alarm if there were thieves, she apparently thought. During the 1700 km long journey I was briefed as always about the progress and at 3:00h in the morning Dirk called with the happy message that they had arrived safely in Hof Rosa Canina (H.R.C.) and that everything was okay. The arrival team was there and this time Martine, Sonja, Nensie and Big Dirk were on duty. A few hours later he phoned out of De Pinte to say that after a nap he was leaving for H.R.C. again to clean the van and to receive the vet. In the evening, I got an extensive report of the day, he made his “supper” and then went to bed for a well-deserved night’s rest. On Saturday he left again at 8:00h and around 10:30h I got a phone call saying that the entire team was ready. A few hours later I got a video call during the usual “after party” that everything had gone well, and I got thrown kisses and New Year’s wishes from all the present employees. This time the reason to celebrate was the New Year and, as always, a few birthdays. I was happy again that it was over, and Dirk had confirmed that all adopters had left happily with their “new” housemate. Together with their new companion towards the future. And I hoped it would be forever.
At that thought I sent an urgent prayer to heaven on the spot, who knows Spain with its many churches and saints was closer to heaven than Belgium besides Madrid is located on a plateau so… On closer inspection I doubted the goodwill of the Spanish saints because galgos would be the least of their worries. That became apparent the day of the adoption and a few days before that. It is incomprehensible how short-lived the enthusiasm of some people was. Once the long-awaited dog was there and did not do exactly what they thought he/she should do, the patience and love quickly ran out and the dog must be returned with a false argument. Why not? He could not say that what he was accused of was not true, right? In any case Tigre was returned after barely 2 months from where he was adopted, to Dirk's annoyance on the adoption day… Why?? Because they were afraid of him. Gyda was given up shortly after the previous adoption day because she was too quiet. Docky, the poor boy whose late owner had died, was fortunately taken in by a colleague of his owner who also informed us of the drama. Fortunately, he was adopted a few days later by another colleague of the suddenly deceased. Unfortunately, that does not apply to all dumped ones whose future is sometimes hindered by the stories that their ex-owners spread on FB and other media to cover up their lack of patience and love. There was at least a bright spot, Paco had left with Yolanda and was allowed to wait there for a family. In the meantime, the stopover at Yolanda’s and Luc's has become a permanent residence because they could no longer give him up because of being too well-behaved...
After the adoption day Dirk returned with Luc d’Artagnan from Yolanda to De Pinte where they left the next day after a short night at 5:00h for a 1700 km drive to Calypo where I was waiting together with Lola and Titabah. After several phone calls with the status on the road and the progress they were making, they arrived at Casa Belgica 17 hours later after a long day for all involved. This to the great enthusiasm and a sigh of relief from the three ladies who were waiting for them… After a day’s rest Luc took the plane back to Belgium. We left for Belgium on Friday the 17th of January for the 22nd beach walk in Koksijde, 22 years!!! The years flew by, I founded GINB when I was 50 and remembered everything as if it were yesterday and between now and 3 weeks, I will be 79!!! It is unbelievable that, if nothing happens, GINB will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and I will celebrate my 80th birthday. We will see… Anyway, we stayed overnight near the airport, took the first flight to “Bruselas”, landed in the rain, rented a car and drove to Ghent where we first did some shopping for the beach walk and ourselves before we went home, sigh… I knew that it would be tiring days because in addition to the walk all the membership cards must be prepared before we leave again, Dirk’s hobbyhorse. That meant that the enclosed letters had to be copied and folded and put in envelopes etc. because everything must be sent from Belgium because it was much more expensive from Spain and would take much longer for them to arrive at their destination and that was not possible because we were much too grateful for the memberships…
We know from experience that it takes a long time to travel from Spain, because I recently received a birthday card from mm Seynaeve (thank you) that was sent last year, unbelievable but not unusual… and then consider that there are perhaps 10 flights a day from Madrid to Brussels. Anyway, Saturday the 19th of January we drove to Koksijde where our staff welcomed us and they had already started dragging the chairs and tables that were being set up and decorated for the 194 guests we were allowed to receive the next day. It had been since before Corona that there had been so many registrations, and then to think that in the first few years we usually had around 200 to 300 participants and once even 700 for which we had to put up an extra tent. In the meantime, times have changed, people travel more, they do not want to miss anything, they are preoccupied with their PC or are addicted to their iPhone etc…. Fortunately, there are still committed animal and galgo lovers who feel connected, and we can still count on our loyal adopters for whom the beach walk, just like for ourselves, is a tradition. I have known a few adopters for more than 25 years; I even have one who adopted his first dog in 1996!! Next year, as I said, it will be 30 years of GINB and a party with a capital F for those who want to come. We will see, I am not worried. In the afternoon we all traditionally had lunch together and admired our work in the meantime. After dinner it was time for the "finishing touch" of the tombola prizes and then we had to leave because Buffalo and Martine were going to do the walk and hang the arrows and during their absence the room must be closed.
So, we said goodbye to everyone and drove to Nieuwpoort where we slept. During the drive I went over everything again and the thought that Marianne, the next day after the loss of her boyfriend and a few sad years had returned, made me incredibly happy. The next day we were already in the hall at 10:00h for the big day, hopefully January the 19th would bring us luck. It was indeed “a day to remember” there were many participants, many galgos, acquaintances, interested parties etc. It was pleasantly busy and there was a pleasant atmosphere during which I chatted and chatted and chatted even more with the participants, petted the dogs and in the meantime saw that our GINB shop, Warm & Cosy and the Bar were well visited, and the service was smooth. When it was time for the succulent spaghetti everyone rushed to the “food bar” and its perfect service. After enjoying lunch, it was time to group together and Peter van Tricht, for many years GINB’s “house photographer”, took the traditional group photo and gave the signal to leave for the beautiful walk that would follow. When I came back into the half-empty room shivering from the cold it was an excellent moment for the co-workers to enjoy the delicious spaghetti from our brand-new local caterer. In the meantime, Inge, Jordi and Jean and his brother had already started preparing the pancakes in the kitchen. An hour and a half later, the walkers were back, and the room was once again filled with satisfied, blushing walkers and their dogs. As soon as everyone had taken their place, the “waitresses” were overwhelmed by orders and the “thirst” plates went up at all the tables. The delicious pancakes were an enormous success, just like spaghetti, and then the tombola was also allowed to share in the success.
As always on the beach walk, the first prize was a work of art by ODILE KINARD worth 1,500 euros, and the winner was a lucky adopter A. Huys.
Once the tombola was over, the hall slowly emptied, and we could start cleaning up. After a joint effort, we enjoyed a glass of bubbles with our fantastic staff and left happily and satisfied after saying goodbye to De Pinte where hundreds of envelopes were waiting to be filled, sealed, and “stamped”. The job was done on Monday, and everything was sent by post before we left for Brussels. After a busy week, we were faced with an overcrowded highway on our way to Zaventem. Once we arrived, we first must return the rental car, then spend the night at the airport and leave the next day on the first flight to Spain. When we arrived in Madrid on Tuesday, after yet another turbulent flight, it was pouring with rain, and it would remain that way for the next week and a half.
Once home Dirk went to get the dogs from the boarding house and I went to take care of the luggage. After an hour and a half Dirk was back with our exuberant dog children, when their enthusiasm had diminished Dirk sat down at his PC and started his bookkeeping. I was exhausted and when I saw his work ethic, I felt even more exhausted than I already was. The days that followed I must pay the price for the trip to Belgium, my reserve was completely used up. When I told Dirk that I was getting old he replied that it had nothing to do with age but that it was because of the bad, wet, icy weather… A week later I am as good as my “old self” again, partly because today is Sunday the 2nd of February, and the Dia del Galgo protest/demonstration is taking place in Ghent!! We cannot be there but as a consolation we can follow everything on our PCs, and we are regularly briefed by regional manager Natascha. There is a large turnout, Peter van Tricht is interviewed… All reasons to be happy and especially grateful for the many adopters who walk along with their galgos, the many sympathizers and not to forget our employees who keep everything on track and of course the press who gave us the necessary attention. For which my sincere thanks.
