Monday, 28 December 2015

4 Days in Copenhagen

Faux Ice in Copenhagen
Overcast but one couldn't say gloomy.The Xmas rush is upon the city, and the shopping areas being festooned with magical Xmas lighting it looks like a scene from the movies or post cards. Well this is the land of Christmas or more correctly Santa Claus.
Canals in Christianshavn
It gets light at 8.30 with the dark spreading in again by 3.30. We were here for the shortest day, what with the overcast skies it seems to be in perpetual half light, the street lighting and decoration looking good all day and truly coming to life in the dark of evening.
The city centre was very busy with queues forming in all the popular shops that you would expect, such as Lego and toy outlets. The pedestrianised shopping streets (formed in the early 50s) make for a memorable amble through a smorgasbord of shopping opportunity.
Christmas Market. One of many.
The Krona is the currency here though Denmark is in the EU & enjoys a high standard of living, thus though we highly recommend this as a place to visit, you need to have deep pockets to enjoy your stay here. The hospitality industry performs above par and you won't be disappointed with your meals,drinks and service, but it costs. This does facilitate the claim that Danish people are the most contented nation and though we see a place continually shrouded in a darkened northern winter this is a claim well earned.
Canal & Cafe Area
We met an English expat who has been here for 30 years apart from 2 years in Nelson (small world eh) and tho visits old Blighty regularly have no intention of ever retiring back to GB. The couple have fully embraced DK and though initially struggling with the language are now fully immersed in their new home land. Language is key in any successful migration.
 
The city is truly bike friendly and a larger assortment of bikes I have never seen.
Most bikes are up right with only a very few mountain bikes for the obvious reason that aren't many mountains to be seen.
The bike lanes are fully integrated with the traffic system as a whole with its own lights etc and generally the rules are followed as with the cars and pedestrians it was a chancy business at some intersections if you tried to wing it through on coming flows.
Shopping Area

The girls and guys on their bikes dressed in their winter finery is no impediment to glamour, and the long legged Nordic beauties on their tall bikes have put the ass back into class.:):)


Restaurants too often had a line waiting to be seated but were assured by our friend Grethe that after New Year things would become very quiet.
Royal  Palace Courtyard
We were able to catch up with Grethe & Max, though Max is in a wheel chair, but Grethe guided us to a small homely eatery that they were familiar with, where we enjoyed their company and food before taking Max back to his nursing home.
The meeting was poignant as Max had a nasty fall in Nelson on their last trip out and we never got to say goodbye before he was medically evacuated back to Denmark for ongoing treatment, and he has not really recovered. Max and Grethe loved Nelson and very generously made a $20,000 donation to the Queens Gardens for ongoing planting.
Rosenborg Castle
We took the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg (5 hrs) and much to our surprise during the trip we slowed and stopped, after an incomprehensible announcement, then started slowly into a port area where we then entered the bowels of a large roll on ferry. This was unexpected, but a short chat to a fellow traveller assured us this was normal and we were in for a 40 min ferry ride to cut some time off the land only rail route. This way shaves about 2 hrs of the alternative. We left our seats and were able to spend some time in the duty free shops and lovely buffet areas. It was grey & misty outside so not conducive to a promenade on the deck or photos.
Castle Gardens
The first leg of this trip took us to Hamburg which at 3;30 pm on a wet cold afternoon held none of the magic of Copenhagen. We quickly found a small pub by the rail station and spent a relaxing 3 hours drinking wine, ale and having a typical meal of pickled cabbage, potato and sausage, which in hindsight was not actually a good idea as we were soon to embark on a another confined train trip which turned into a nightmare.
We had sleepers which share bunks with up to 6 and left at 9ish (30 mins late with interconnection problems with other arrivals). We initially got along for 2 or so hours albeit a bumpy and noisy ride at times. Then we seemed to stop and got shunted around and left over another few hrs with little communication from the guards then at 05.30 we were required to disembark and make our way to another train for another 4 hours to finally complete our journey to Amanda & Rico in sunny, pretty but cold Sursee, happy to be in familiar territory for our Xmas sojourn.

Monday, 14 December 2015

Casa Bliss weeks 7&8 - Two months here

Valle Dabdalajis - a mecca for hang gliders etc
Well settled in Alora at Casa Bliss having been here  2 months now. Doesn't time fly when you're busy!
We're probably working too hard and not getting out enough, however we're happily occupied and its a nice place to stop and assess directions.
Last weekend was a holiday weekend with Mon & Tues being public hols . Tuesday being the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, and these holidays are taken seriously, not just viewed as we (I) do, as a  day off, though we ourselves carried on working. However it is serious stuff with different activities to mark the feast days, quite religious, needless to say apart from restaurants all else shuts as we learnt on the Sunday having dropped Rosy at the Airport (she has returned to London to be with her family for Christmas). We moved on to the large format hardware (similar to Mega Mitre10), which was locked up on
Lunch time
Saturday evening for the next 3 days, Go figure!!! I would've thought it would be a huge trading opportunity.
When we got back to the store on the Thursday after the Dentist it was trading well, I must say that building materials, hardware, tools etc through out our travels seem to be very reasonably priced not to mention the types of gear available, IE prehung doors and premade windows complete with roll down shutters (the norm) all sizes and colours straight from the showroom floor. The bathroom display areas also stunning with huge arrays of lovely vanities and showers etc. Amazing from my point of view. I enjoy looking through these stores and thinking what I could do were these products available in NZ!!
Antiquera with the sleeping giant in the background
We are catching the local trains to get to the Dentist, it is easily the best option for time and money, good to see an effective service running well, I also get to look around which is good as it does take slightly more concentration to drive here ,what with every one (except me on occasion) on the wrong side of the road, Have recently heard from our friend Mark who has just completed a bike trip in India and seems we should be grateful that the traffic here at least is consistent.
Entrance into the Dolmen
Last weekend we also took advantage of our staff car (Jeep Cherokee) and went to Antiquera, a town about 40 mins from here which has the 3 Neolithic Dolmens in the immediate vicinity. These are ancient burial mounds using megalithic rocks to form a simple corridor structure, then buried, the oldest and biggest being 5000 years old. All at the precise angles to catch the winter solstice rising over a distant mountain peak. This is all amazing stuff and when you see how they were built (at the interpretive visitor centre), the biggest rock at over 180 tons, you are left in awe as to how they organised the work and why?? This raises so many imponderable questions that will never be answered as there is no record apart from the structures.
The size of these slabs - the biggest over 180T
Bigger rocks than Stonehenge
These people the "Neos" were the first of settled civilisation IE as opposed to nomadic people and to think, they just got settled then they built these Dolmens is a curiosity to say the least.
Spain also is a curiosity (for us anyway), the country indeed Europe is old and very close to the start of civilisation, yet in many instances you feel that modernity has bypassed large parts of the country. The cities are fairly normal but with failings such as like.... wheel chair friendly is not a goer here. You can hardly walk round some footpaths let alone consider a disabled walker or wheelchair.
On top of the Dolmen with the
entrance facing the mythical giant
The towns still have very old, very humble dwellings and in the country side very, very humble dwellings, one suspects with little plumbing or other mod cons. This is not to say there aren't very nice homes also scattered amongst the country side as well. Spain has a very high proportion of second home owners and we suspect its rural dwellers getting work and apartments in the cities and retaining land and dwellings in the country.
Lovely autumn tints reminding us of
Central Otago 
At the weekend the hills come alive with olive harvesting on otherwise vacant holdings, we watch as the trees are vigorously shaken to dislodge the fruit often with a mechanical branch shaker similar in appearance to a scrub cutter. The harvest is obviously worthwhile still as the vacant houses fill up with family over the weekend and spend the time shaking the trees then trailering away their hard earned spoils.
The country has greened as mentioned in previous blogs and looks like spring to our eyes, the dazzling array of flowers the wild bougainvillea is stunning. As the shortest day approaches we are finally seeing autumn tints in the trees, reminding us in some ways of central Otago with the rocky arid scapes dotted with old stone buildings.
Goats foraging amongst the olives
Next door to us is a goat farm....This is a real goat farm in the sense a goat herder possibly in his late sixties tends them all day every day.They all have bells round their necks and you can always locate them simply by listening carefully, they come back to the pens late in the afternoon creating a cacophony of bells and the herder yelling and heckling them. He really yells at them often for extended periods for who knows what misdemeanours They walk the district amongst the olives and road verges foraging for feed. About 60 goats with many kids for the purpose of milking. A  milk tanker calls daily to collect the milk. When the other couple were here Dawn went to him and purchased a litre of fresh milk which tasted much as cows milk and a round of fresh goats feta. This was not as we have at home, think because the cheese at home is normally cured in brine, however it was nice texture but bland. I ended up lightly frying it and having it cold with salad or as a filler in a sandwich. The restaurant down the road has a speciality dish Roast Suckling Kid which Sheryl is keen to try before we move on..... goat is often on the menus here.
Another project completed
As in Italy there is little sign of livestock, apart from the local goats, on the train we saw a small herd of sheep on a small dirt run being fed waste citrus and undoubtedly they wander with a herder during the day amongst the olives and citrus while the grass is flush. This area is known as a pork raising area but yet to spot a pig so assume they're all pen raised. Don't know....Certainly in the shops there is no shortage of cured pork in any form you desire. The large legs are always on display with their special stands and carving gear to slice wafer thin cuts to order, and as for salamis and cured meats, truly  vast array of gnarly grotesque but somewhat alluring sausage.
From this
The Kitchen we renovated is largely finished bar the final dust out and must say am reasonably happy with the outcome, is great what can be achieved with a hacksaw blade, hammer, Swiss Army Knife and some kiwi cunning. In truth its not a sophisticated kitchen, being a rustic cottage food prep area but in keeping with the tenure of the place. Again fun to be able to do at our own pace ,like wise the paving areas now largely done an dusted.
To this!
Kitchen in Rose Cottage
Thinking in the new year once we have finished sprucing our cottage up we'll look for some thing else possibly in Portugal.
We fly to Copenhagen Thursday, to have 4 days with a lovely Danish couple that used to come out to Nelson for our summers, Max & Grethe. The cold temperatures will be a bit of a shock for us. Then onto Switzerland (Sursee) to Amanda & Rico's for Christmas with their two children Luna & Caio. Maybe a white one!

Monday, 30 November 2015

Casa Bliss Week 5&6 -Work, sight seeing & a trip to the Dentist

Fuengirola - reminded us of the Nelson sculpture
Six weeks have flown since arriving at Casa Bliss. We have kept ourselves busy with further maintenance around the property. The days are certainly shorter as we quickly head toward the shortest day in December.
New gummies first outing
Oiling the flagstones
Our days start around 10 when the sun is up and over the hill, and we normally finish up before 5 so we can enjoy a drink before the sun sets. The temperatures are still in the 20's during the days, lovely blue skies, but definitely cooling down at night - we have started wearing track pants in the evenings, but still in our shorts during the day.
Trying to keep up with the weeds!
Rosie, our host, talked to Bill about the benefits of the dentist she goes to at Fuengirola, an hour and a half away by train. Fuengirola is a lovely seaside town, with a lot of English tourists, and English operators in some of the businesses.  The biggest benefit being the cost, and as we haven't stayed anywhere long enough for Bill to get his dental work done, now seemed a good time while we are based here. So last week we caught the train through to Fuengirola for the day.
Fuengirola groomed beach - 5 km long
We left home on our bikes at 7.30am, just as it was getting light. It was a bit of a shock as it was only 5 degrees and we were still in shorts and sandals. My poor toes and fingers almost dropped off. At least the carriages were heated.
Locals find the winter cold
while tourists sunbath
Bill had his consultation with the dentist and made an appointment for the following week to get a root canal done that had luckily so far given him very little grief, which was to be followed up by a crown.
Tuesdays are market day, and it is a large one they host in the township, so we spent the next couple of hours walking around them. I managed to get another handbag (one can never have too many handbags!) and a jersey for these cooler evenings. Bill's saving all his money for his teeth!!
Novel BBQ outside a
restaurant
We then wandered along the beach looking for somewhere to eat - and what do we do in Spain! Find an Italian restaurant and had a lovely pasta meal. Delicious :)
Lots of English tourists were wandering along the beach front in shorts & T-shirts. There were still sun loungers set up along the beach, where some brave soles were sunbathing in bikini's. I only got the photo of the poor guy who puts the loungers out, as he was working with his hoody on right beside the sunbathers. He must think the English are mad!
BBQ Pits on the beach -
Other BBQ's forbidden  
It was a lovely groomed beach, no sign of the usual rubbish that has been littering the beaches here in Spain, tourism must still be big at this time of the year. We walked as far south as the Castillo Sohail castle, built in 956AD and renovated in 2000 so it is now a useful cultural and tourist event centre. Unfortunately it wasn't open for us to look through at the time of day we arrived. Hopefully another day we will make it.
By the time we walked back to the train station, it was after 5 and got back to Alora Station at 7.30pm and pitch black. Well almost, thankfully there was a full moon and
with our high vis vests, motorists were able to spot us without running us down. Once again my toes and fingers froze on the ride home, but at least my new jersey had a scarf that kept my head warm.
We have been able to get out and check a couple of local sights such as the restaurant
View across to Alora from the Mirador Cafe
(The Mirador) up the road on top of a hill with a drive way steeper than our Nelson one. We left our bikes at the bottom as it would have been too hard to push them up, when it wasn't necessary. Had a lovely pizza with local wine while looking out across to Alora. And we had the day in Coin with Rosie lending her car, so we could have a look around another white washed town  tucked into the hills about 40 minutes away. We had a disappointing lunch there, but the setting was lovely. I love the Plaza's (Squares)  that all the towns have where the locals get together to meet up. Coin, like
The main Plaza in Coin
many other Spanish towns, was ruled by the Moors, before the Christians took it back in the 1400's, so has lots of narrow streets making up the towns heart, which are wonderful to walk through as they are too narrow for traffic.
Although the temps are cold at night, we did manage a quick swim a week ago in the pool that has been repaired and filled once again. Like I say a quick one
Lovely narrow streets of Coin
length of the pool was enough before hypothermia kicked in. The plants and shrubs all look so healthy here, like in spring flush, but of course its autumn ( next week being winter). With the rains that we had when we first arrived and very little since but lots of sun, grass and weeds are flourishing. But it has been ideal conditions for me to get on with painting and Bill creating a new patio area where Rosie said the grass dies over summer
Bill in safety footwear
(You thought he would have learnt)
when it is too hot for it to survive. He has been waiting on the installation of a window above the kitchen he has been renovating, so he can then complete it. Hopefully early next week.
Finished patio area
With less than a month to go till Christmas we have been making plans for a Swiss Christmas this year with my lovely Niece and her family in Sursee. Amanda has promised me a white one, so hope she can organise that for me :) We also have friends in Copenhagen to see on our way through, so will fly up to Denmark for 4 days and then train down to Switzerland. Hopefully it should be a fun one with Amanda & Rico's 9 and 6 year olds getting into the Christmas spirit
Hard to beat a cook up on the
BBQ  for lunch
like our kids use to till they ruined it by asking the "is he real?" question as they look you directly in the eye! Just hope we have enough warm clothing. Ah well if not, guess we will have to buy some.

Thursday, 19 November 2015

Casa Bliss - Week 4 - The Rock and Relish with a touch of Vegemite

At last - Vegemite / Marmite
Cream Honey & Relishes
We need Vegemite!
Tomatoes on toast just don't cut the mustard with out Vegemite or indeed Marmite.
Its been over 3 months now.
Gibraltar seemed the only option and surprise surprise!! its only 1 .5hrs drive away, so on our way we went.
The Poms with a quick eye for a good spot, if history records it correctly, were just sailing around filling in time after a failed campaign elsewhere, spotted the Rock under the rule of the Spanish (who had only recently wrested it back from the Moors) and said "We'll ave that" and "got it" they did, much to the annoyance of the Spanish to this day.
The Rock of Gibraltar
The Cloudmaker
The weather was obviously a major selling point for the English as the Rock, sticking out in the middle of the sea, creates with the prevailing easterly wind  a perfect cloud,  producing its own gloomy weather shielding the town from the sun. "Home sweet home"
Looking back into Spain from Gibraltar
The runway dividing the two countries 
The Rock is certainly a place not to be missed with a population of 33000 a very compact mini England sporting many reminders of home, and an abundant supply of eager workers from across the border to do all the work, much to the Spanish Governments chagrin.The large service community crosses the frontier daily to service the five million annual tourist throng, getting special passes etc but it wasn't beyond the Spanish G to make this hard on their "own" causing return queues of up to 6 hours this last summer in a stated effort to reduce cigarette smuggling.
Southern most tip looking at the Mosque
A reminder of it's Islamic past.
{According to figures from Spanish government officials, the amount of tobacco brought into Gibraltar has continued to rise in recent years, from 110m packs of cigarettes in 2012 to 117m packs in 2013. The figures, they argue, are excessive for the 30,000 or so inhabitants of Gibraltar. "Every resident of Gibraltar, including children who are nursing, would have to smoke nine packs of cigarettes each day," one government source said.} (Lifted that from a wiki report on the border hold ups)
It probably should be noted the Poms are selling the cheapest cigs in Europe here, cheaper than at home in Old Blighty, and would seem that much of it goes across the border with the daily commute of Spanish workers. Go figure!!!
The cycleway each day to Gibraltar
Any way its a very niggly relationship at the border with both sides having complained to the EU on many occasions. Thankfully the border was smooth while we were there with only a cursory nod from both sides as we crossed. On the 3 occasions, the British always looking at passports but the Spanish not the least bit interested!!.
The Hispanic residents of Gib.born there of Spanish parents who have been able to get residency, are well looked after by Her Majesties Government. With free schooling including Uni back in GB plus airfares, free health and a housing deal to good to be true. We were led to believe this is also a niggle for the Spanish Powers
Barbary Apes -Mum & baby
The Rock is full of siege and warfare stories, its one of those places packed solid with history but in truth not a lot of bricks and mortar dating back too far, the oldest bits (an old Moorish Castle) dating back to 711 but little else remaining of any real vintage.
But is has tunnels and caves ,always guaranteed to perk a males interest. The caves are......well caveish and St. Michael's Cave ......big.......well biggish. The tunnels have a combined length over 35 miles which is more than the Rocks roading network. These two things effectively turning the Rock into a giant lump of Swiss Cheese
St Michael's Cave where concerts are held
The island being so limited space wise, there are cars parked up every where. Some have been for a very long time, I'm guessing not easy to dispose of and am sure Spain not being overly cooperative in helping to dispose of the highly subsided cars being shipped in.!!!! Water has been a constant issue, alleviated by huge power hungry desalination plants, yes this outpost of Britain, cost the taxpayer dearly unless you are one of the lucky few who live there.
The airport is on the isthmus at the frontier and due to space the main road crosses the runway, but with only a few flights daily it is lived with albeit the manpower required to police this is huge. A quick count of 10 police at any one time patrolling there to close the road etc. this is right on the border so its all very serious stuff. Police, pistols, machine guns, fast cars and not many smiles:(
Over the frontier back into Spain, it is almost 3rd world poor. The Spanish have tried to cash in with the 5 million tourists visits a year as a huge lot do come over the border. With flying in and lots of cruise ships, they have put huge parking areas and big retail precincts but sadly tourists don't stop, the local retailers must tear their hair out, many kiosks and stores showing signs of never having been occupied.
Our lovely anniversary lunch
We spent 3 days nosing round The Rock. Filling in our first day with a relaxed amble through the High street sporting duty free shops for liquor cigs and electronics. To be honest we did not think any thing was cheap except the ciggys, so didn't do any thing for us, but a lovely lunch was found on the marina for our 31st Anniversary. Fairly quiet that end of town, well suited for us. We went on back to camp via the supermarket (an English franchise) and picked up some supplies that could be carried, again not overly economical.
The newly developed Marina
We were domiciled in a camp 20 mins bike ride from Gibraltar as the island is so tight there is no camp and indeed camper vans are not permitted. After day one we were thankful for this as the place is far busier than such a small area should be. The next day saw us back again and taking a 90min taxi tour of the major attractions. This is the most popular method of seeing the area. We saw the Monkeys, the caves and the tunnels plus spectacular views, which freaked S out a bit as the Rock at the top is a razorback and not suited to those of S's disposition. It was also neat to look over to North Africa where you can visit easily from Gib or Spain as there are two cities/ports occupied by Spain, for historical reasons, much to the Africans Chagrin, sound familiar????
Not quite sure whats in here!!
Our final day we skirted town proper and nosied round the water front, on our bikes to the southern most point or Europa Point again with views of Africa and bristling with WW2 gun emplacements and some pre WW1 cannon which was all to our liking. Again, steeped in history.
All in all a nice few days safely away from the sun but worth a visit and of course we got vegemite and marmite.
Roll on breakfast.
Life is good.

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Casa Bliss Week 3 - Finding Jesus

Out the front of our cottage
Another beautiful evening with Bill telling me one of his stories!
Three weeks have slipped Blissfully past as we are surely getting Casa Bliss into a saleable condition or simply ready for next season. Our days are as busy as we deem fit but usually a leisurely start at 10ish then stopping at 5ish to catch a wine in the evening sun, often our main meal being a late lunch with a chapter of our books. Am enjoying reading again and with Micheal Kings History of NZ on my tablet is proving informative about our own country as we try to get our head around this one....
If I mentioned the barking dogs at Montemiletto well the dogs here are dynamite.
Hmmmm not really sure!
There are stray dogs wandering at all times (thankfully mostly smaller breeds and non threatening). Many are semi cared for by locals, they remain tied up but alone all day and night and when one starts howling the whole district just lights up with incessant barking which can and does happen randomly at all hours, thank goodness our double glazing alleviates much of the nocturnal noise. The mad English man up the road with 11 cats and 24 dogs at home feeds another 12 strays locally,(the cats have there own room he told me),it seems he gets some funding to be able to afford this through an animal welfare group which also funds some neutering. Needless to say the streets in town need to be consistently watched for "packages".
Water also is an issue. The area is reticulated but many locals rurally and in town seem to still get water, presumably for drinking, from the many public taps which we assume is not the reticulated supply but from springs?? The reticulated water is chlorinated but soapy almost salty. Not overly pleasant. The preponderance of water sold at the supermarket is uncarbonated water but in Italy carbonated was more popular. We buy 5L  container for 50  or 60 euro cents (double that for NZ dollars). and carbonated (which S seems to have developed a taste for) at about 40 c for 1.5 L which is about twice what we paid in Italy.
The flowers have all perked up after the rains
Arriving here and as we commented earlier, the country was certainly brown and arid and had been since the spring rains not eventuating, portending a poor olive harvest later, but the autumn rains, which we have seen, have transformed the country, with the green literally coming up overnight. The flowers particularly Bougainvillea wild on the road sides are stunning. All the barren paddocks now green with grass changes the countryside. More like Springs flush!
The road here from the "main" road of 1200 meters is a good example of regional politics. It urgently needs work and if it rains again heavily  (likely over  winter) it will disappear into the down hill neighbours.This wont be addressed, it seems, till it actually happens and locals often will get work done to improve their own situation as there is no money or the will from council to help. The road is a mix of tar seal, bitumen, and concrete. According to our host the road outside your place etc depends on your connections. Only the Spanish appear to have concrete and culverts.....
Olive harvest is starting and buy all accounts will go through till march but not sure if they hit the same tree later as there is some fruit left on after the initial harvest.
Its a matter of "sacudiendo la mierda del arbol" and making sure the tarpaulin is well placed to receive the crop as it is thrashed off the tree. Each tree yielding  12 -15 kilos and this then realising 1 or 2 litres of oil, is a labour of love often, however it appears with last season being poor as also this years production, that prices may be good for the growers, not so good for the consumer. We are looking forward to getting the real oil whilst here, being in the heart of the largest olive oil producing area in the world. (yes that surprised us as well). It seems that most of the export oil here is shipped directly to Italy relabelled, often remixed then on sold for a good margin. The loose talk is the Spanish don't market as well as they could or should and as such lose some of the value!!!to be picked up by the savvy Italians.
Bill looking out over Pizarra - I wasn't going out there.
Every knoll, nob, hillock, or lookout through out Europe has a cross or religious shrine and so it came to pass that we took a walk up to Jesus, as S so aptly put it, a good walk up to the top of Monte Pizarra - a nice lookout over nearby Pizarra town, in our area here in Andalusia.
JC in the distance
Happy to report that the track proper was clean of rubbish, not so the picnic area at the start or indeed the roads here, once more being badly littered. The track I would liken to the Centre of NZ track in Nelson but 4 times the distance with a return walk time of 2 hrs but 3 hrs with sight seeing etc.  Jesus was being  well patronised this Sunday, all of us enjoying the wide views and balmy weather.
Sheryl and JC amongst the clouds
on the knob
Interesting as this place was under the Moors (Islam) for 7 centuries indeed them being largely responsible for the introduction of the domestic olive, citrus from the East and the water technology to sustain it in the dry times, but apart from some Moorish names and ruins little else remains in the Spanish Culture that we can detect.
Bill makes me go into places I am not happy about!


There are a few places to visit whilst here and later this week will head to Gibraltar to source some Vegemite (I do miss it, tomatoes on toast don't work without it) and look across the 27km  to Africa. Apparently you can often see refugees practising the sprint swim marathon (sorry in poor taste).  I would also like to do the El Chorro Gorge (note I said "I") not sure how its going to work as we need to source a ticket, (hens teeth) and then arrange transport......If you Google El Chorro you will see why Sheryl is not coming with me, however I understand the walkway is now uber safe but still high.
English not being such a popular language in Southern Spain, it's always intriguing how the locals get round the issue. Once you establish you don't speak or comprehend they will then speak huge volumes of more Spanish at you, I guess hoping that a miraculous intervention will help you understand. To date sadly this intervention has not manifested itself upon us and we are left none the wiser!!!!
Kiwi Cafe Pizarra
No English & no
clues from the waitress.
At least they don't do what we do and just repeat it louder then louder again!!!
There are many English expats here, and from the loose talk again, many don't return home often as it is always not that easy for them to do so for whatever reason!!!!Ronny Biggs comes to mind. There is certainly a cross section of English here. If not exactly a colonisation, it can smack of colonialism with the locals getting short shrift on occasion. But handy contacts were made at the local pub so I could borrow a grinder to cut tiles. He just happened to have one in his van!