Here’s a quick round-up of the trip to the Fan’s Club launch party on March 21st 2009. Representing BatiFans.com were Gareth & Michaela…
Michaela and myself decided – at a couple of days’ notice – to do a “day trip” to Alvaro’s new fanclub launch party in Talavera de la Reina, which is in Castille la Mancha, off to the southwest of Madrid.
Michaela came down to London on Friday night; and we set off at 3am Saturday for Heathrow. We got into Madrid sometime towards 10 and headed off to Talavera de la Reina, getting there at midday.
We got changed and freshened up and grabbed a taxi off to the venue at the east of town where there was a marquee all set up, and the fiesta was getting underway.
People came and went all day (estimates are at around 600) and there was a great atmosphere, with hot sun and cold beers and lovely tapas – and a superb mix of meeting friends old and new.
We chatted with a couple of the new Directiva guys (though they were of course very busy) and caught up with other people we had met on previous visits.
Everyone thought we were complete nutters and it took a hell of a lot of explaining and convincing to say we’d flown over that very morning just to be there.
Soon after 7pm Bati arrived. He was mobbed by fans and press, and had an extensive photoshoot with his new diablo mascot (the mascot also did a lot of photos with many of the fans too).
We had a chat with him about how his collarbone was, and how happy he was with Estoril – he said that he had a few problems getting comfortable and confident with it on the first day, but that on day two he felt really happy with things. All in all, he said, he was feeling good about things and the collarbone was 100% fine now.
At the end of the evening there was a short presentation of Alvaro with the new guys, basically an introduction of the new Directiva to all present, a couple of speeches form the Directiva and from Alvaro thanking everyone and looking to the new season and to the future, and a big cheer from all present…
Before he went, Alvaro came over to have a further chat – and we talked about the new Fan’s Club, and he said that it was sad that the Peña ended, but that this new start was good and that it was all very positive, and he hoped that we liked it all and that we were all “together” (which of course we are!) and looking to the future. he thanked us again for coming – and checked once again that it was true that we came simply for the day! Then we said our goodbyes and had our hugs. We wished him the very best from everyone on the BatiFans.com forum, told him to look after his collarbone and to look out for the BatiFans flag – and that we were all totally with him.
He passed on thanks to all of the BatiFans forum members – he really appreciates the support.
After that, we said all our goodbyes to everybody else and decided that as we were in Talavera it would be criminal not to go to the Bar Los Tinajones (the old fanclub bar) for a dinner of their tapas and nice cold Mahou at 11pm…
Then it was bedtime – we’d had a 19 hour day that was extremely tiring and exciting – and we were exhausted. In the morning we then headed back to the airport very very happy, and spent the flight chilling out totally and drinking to a very brilliantly stupid but wonderful trip.
Many thanks to Cesar, David and the rest of the new guys, along with Alvaro and his family and friends who as always made us very very welcome and very special.
Till the next time…
