Caminito Del Rey - The Kings Walk, El Chorro, Ardales...

 Fantastic! Amazing... and there the opening to the beginning of the walk! After searching for years to gain access to the narrow old walkway, as it became closed to the public by other means...  We began the walk from the lakes at Ardales, by the restaurant El Kiosk, take the tunnel there and follow the new signs... it was about a fifty minute walk, taken at leisure, through beautiful scenery as yet unseen by us after about fifteen minutes.  We had walked previously through some of the forest there, we had taken the lower walk, the medium walk, but never this walk!

The mountain above, incredible beauty I must have taken about ten pictures of it!

We came to the sign in office and at 10:15am showed our bar coded printed tickets and walked through into a small area, with our hard hats and hair nets in place, we were given strict direction as to not to interfere with either flora nor fauna, to leave nothing and take nothing... but pictures!

To respect the area and its beauty and power....
That we could take our time, and to walk to the end and get either the bus back or a lift!

I wanted to get a better view of the area below... not easy to see what I saw when actually there!


Perspective is hard to get in a photo... the one on the left is just looking down... but how far? Its a long long drop down!  I luckily, don't get vertigo much, had an inner ear thing... Labyrinthitis, a few years ago, and oddly had a bit of it the day before this!!  But a friend of mine in Spain gave me an answer to it, which a doctor did not, and I can get it fixed myself now!  Thankfully!

We were looking forward to seeing the bridge we walked over years ago too... and we were not disappointed!

You can no longer walk over it, and 'they' have fixed a metal support beneath, a wire runs next to one side as a hand rail maybe for workers?

But to think we crossed this!  Tony was with us that day, he and Franco walked along the old Kings Walk over the broken concrete... ugh!!! While I stood and took photos!! LOL, I did walk along the walk, in the other, safer direction!

 Here to the right you can the new walk passing up and over the one one, we are glad they left some of it, to ooooh and arhhhh at and remember how it was... Near the bridge beneath.... there is a plaque marking respect for some of those who have died walking the walk over the years...

Walkers would have walked over the waterway there, now we cross on a new suspension bridge, no more than ten at a time, and it bounces! lots!! Metal you can see through and a guard stands there to make sure no one uses it as a swing or trampoline no doubt!!









"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
William Shakespeare, The Tempest

TTFN
Marian

Blog App

Pippa!

Well, why didn't I download this Blog App before? Who knows, done now!

Today I took a few items to the local thrift shop, I had carried a few heavy bags into the shop already, having to park a couple of streets away, saw a random stranger and asked him to help me, he did... And I carried the last lot myself, pausing at one point while the pile of books slid from my grasp!

I returned the good deed elsewhere an hour later, taking in a neighbours delivery item for the mailman; and their front door key, unconventionally, for these days, left in the door, unlocked!

Been a beautiful day today, very warm, sun still shining now as it dips itself behind the mountain...

I'm at work, pausing for a cup of tea, ginger and lemon! Leave the bag in too long with these things and it blows your taste buds apart!

Got a couple of hours to pack tomorrow after work, and off 'home' to Spain Thursday! Can't wait! We've got temporary sims for the trip, which means we can use the internet, as if here, they say... Mmmm not sure, I'm used to GiffGaffs all you can eat, just a shame it can't be used abroad; there is a limit, on this one, not sure how long it will take to reach!

Don't show pip but I took a photo of the little dog here earlier, here it is! 

I have actually had to edit all this, the app didn't work, as in the photos didn't load, the writing had no line spacings as I had added, furthermore... It didn't publish the post!

TTFN
Marian

Drawing Challenge - Grass

Today had to be the day I accomplished the Grass challenge, as challenged by VERONICA...

I haven't stopped today, up by six thirty, it's eight thirty now, and time to set my photo art in place!

I took time out to take advantage of the beautiful sun we are having just now, phone in hand to snap some grass... Found our lawn seriously bereft off a decent blade to show the world... So have used my right of artist licence! Lol... Hmmmm anyway! you say!

Sat there in the sun on the steps high up in the garden I spied this little busy bee, near to the newly flowering forget-me-not flowers... And here he is, preserved forevermore happy in the heat...

I've been filing more photos away in some more plastic sleeves which arrived today, I still do not have enough, I threw some away, photos that is, sad and painful, again, but some pics are more than doubled up.

Going to clear through all of the so far filed photos and clear more, I have to, I must have about 1500!!!

Also been trying to learn more about an invitation I have, belonged to my great grandfather, its an invitation to a ball at the guildhall in London, to celebrate the opening of the Great Exhibition, with Queen Victoria in 1851, it was printed by the makers De La Rue... Very important company, then as now...

Now I'm beat... Hope my almost grass is grassy enough amiga!?!

TTFN
Marian

Bit of a throw back photo above... to 1980... !  Er, yes that was, is... me, time has made some improvements I think!! At least from this photo anyway... I needed a break from house clearance, and wanted to put some nice family photos on here, instead I came across this one... will go back now and see what else I can find in my 'family folder'!!

Note: I'll have you know that wonderful 1980's suede coat spent a night on Telly Savalas's bed!

Above my great grandfather, John Picton Nelson... Born in Somerset, wish I could find his parents to add to our tree, we're kind of stuck with how to go further back now, I know the little hamlet he was born in, but no more, maybe a trip to Taunton to where they keep the records me thinks... soon!

Above is a little mix of pics I did a couple of years ago, the photos are a mix of ages, but show my brother, whose birthday it happens to be today! top left, me top right and sons beneath... they look exactly like their dad and exactly like me, which is strange, as we don't look like each other!!! lol

Okay, that's better!

Why the sadness... I did the wrong thing and opened up my old toy trunk, its mostly, mainly my toys, from the year dot!  Or at least from my first birthday, mmmmm! nearly but not quite the same thing!

Its filled with dolls and soft toys and a few books, I was doing really well, Bobby and Bubbles, the twins, eyes missing, bodies wracked with age!!! Some soft toys no longer soft but hollow, or crunchy [neither in any way a good feeling], then a doll with teeth, always startling to see, her legs gone moldy and an arm missing now... I was doing really well, all of above hit the floor, my tiny tears still hanging on with my Tressy and patch dolls!... then, I picked up a doll my mom had called Muriel, her name, the hair still wonderful and flowing dark and full, arms okay, then the legs... moldy and her eyes!! gone totally white and sightless, and that's it, and that's it again writing it down!!  They're all back in their trunk, every single one of them...

I'd been doing so well, suitcases cleared out, random randomness sorted forever, either binned or boxed to pass on; a huge amount of clothes are bagged up, some I have kept for far too long, the last dress I wore when I was pregnant with the boys!  Do I need this anymore! NO I don't, its a summer dress, it would fit, but if I haven't worn it in the last 33 years, I think that two year keep or throw option for clothing is long gone!!

Someone is coming for my mom's books later... I hope she loves them too...

TTFN
Marian

The Key

I have a sad heart... my vinyl album collection of 60 items has just left the house... my growing years David Cassidy, the first NOW, Ginger Baker Gurvitz Army, Rainbow, Motown, Stevie Wonder, Pop Pop and more Pop!  A very random motley crew of albums, some were missing already... The theme tune to my life story, heart is pounding and eyes wet...

Books next, well started the other day of course, but having trouble letting go of some, and keep putting them on the wrong piles and have to start again, opening wounds and changing my mind, constantly!  Going to check out the few I have to put to one side, see if there is any point to on-line selling of said books, if not down the shop they'll go... I have taken out 'horror, shock, OMG'.... pages from some of the books, I have to keep named pages, why? ---- ---- ------ ----- --- fill in the blanks please, because I don't truly know myself why anymore...

And! Something new! A drawing challenge ready for today? Veronica's challenge! The Key... this whole week has been a key.... Key to locking old doors, Keys to opening new ones, Keys to clearing out and organizing what seems to be tangible actual items, but means I am clearing out and organizing thoughts and feelings too... huh!?! hahahahahaha!!! Who the hell do I think I'm kidding! Not me forsure...

So The Key... below a key! LOL.... picture adjusted slightly...

And within showing its true colors... Mmmmmm, meant to get a bottle of wine today and forgot!!! No work mañana!  Although maybe not a great idea to add wine to the chocolate!! DeChoxed for March, (did I mention this before!!??)  beginning on the first day of Lent, ending yesterday, six weeks in total.... and after the huge amount of chocolate I have eaten since getting back from work at four yesterday afternoon, its wonder I don't have stomachache! [can't write that, or say it out loud without thinking of that episode of  'Everybody Loves Raymond' where he says stom-ach-ache by mistake!

See, hidden cork screw! Hic!

And above a beautiful combination, the watch is my oldest sons, my grandfathers, but the fob chain is mine for now, not sure weather to keep or pass on... sell in other words, its from India, the time of the British Raj... ..sterling silver and so beautiful, it looks nice as a bracelet, which is where it could continue its days upon my wrist!

TTFN

Marian

Had a great day yesterday in Cardiff with a good friend, I had a Krispy Kreme doughnut with a latte as soon as we arrived! Strawberries and kreme.... Of course! Sadly with a wheat intolerance and no gluton free... She could only have a coffee...

This beautiful bed of yellow African Viotets... With a smattering of red ones!

Stunning displays in a small park in the middle of the shopping area...

We found a most wonderful shop, oddly, never attracted by any sort of taxidermy before... A beautiful hare drew us into the shop, lots of weird stuff, poor little critters adorned in tiaras or tutu's! Hats or part of furniture with only their heads or feet to see!! Ugh!... But!  There was an amazing array of weird wonderful things! From the 50's 60's 70's... A real treasure trove of interesting pieces, and briming with possibilities! I took one idea home with me... I started it as soon as I got in yesterday, need to finish it tomorrow! Work today!

I had to have a play with that photo above...

Mmmm...  s'okay...

Going through more of the books now, quickly deciding all the Rider Haggard books, un named, no attachment therefore, then I find one signed by my grandfather's god father... A gift, and now I have to keep this one, some very old and not held by binding are still interesting, and I have an idea who would appreciate these! And when she is back in this country will be posted to her, post haste... Hopefully she knows who I mean!

TTFN
Marian