Stressful or what!!

Unsure about pre booking an Uber, that worked out great, thankfully.. then the awful line for checked luggage!?! What in hell is that all about, I haven't checked a bag since.. oh! June lol But that was scan the passport, tick the boxes, wrap the label drop the bag handle and go, two minutes.. well maybe five, but very easy.

There were no conveyor belts working in the Ryanair section, so only three desks open and three people moving cases manually...

But not mine!?! Apparently mine was extra size bag? Not!! Had to line up further along and drop there, where the poor customer service man was in a right pickle! He ran the bags through the x-ray machine.. and two came back and he had to get them opened and test them for drugs!

Two too many, it caused a helluva hold up! Thankfully mine cleared immediately, I'm glad, I didn't want him pawing through my clothes! And unmentionables! Lol

Going through security, scanned my boarding code, then faced with two arrows, everyone ahead of me taking the left line, I took the right, only to have to stop while a guy was making people use both lanes further down.. I said he'd scuppered my plans by doing so, he said he didn't know why people were only using one lane! Ha! 

Then I was into departures, got a coffee, looked for a book, couldn't see one I wanted.. bought some random pjs, quick toilet break, back to books.. then I sat down and nearly freaked out.. my gate was boarding already!! And the furthest away! Practically knocked people out of my way!! Heck! I never do that!!

Then, in the line just before passport check woman behind said to her child about this TUI flight!! I had a mild case of panic at that point! Lol 

Now about to take off!

Bring me my coffee now please! And preferably a valium! Coffee and my cake almost an hour before everyone else's as I had pre ordered... What a brilliant idea I always take advantage of, not sure why others don't.. 

So, just coffee and a strange waffle thing! I only ate one.. was a lot more filling than I anticipated!

Flight has gone quickly and gently... Mid twenties rising to low thirties expected today... I am already in shorts on the plane..

M.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

Joseph Campbell

Viveros Guzmán, in Alhaurín De La Torre... 

Wonderful coffee, wonderful pastries! Mmm wish I could carry them all back to England with me! 

Had coffee here yesterday, Monday.. apart from coffee and cake, they have a massive selection to buy of loose tea and coffee beans, fresh vegetables and fruits, jars full of the most beautiful tasty items! And flavored spirits! 

A selection of scrumptious, yummy, lush amazing stuffs!

Lols, you'd think I would want it all! You would be correct in your assumption!

Enjoyed a coffee with the best pecan pastry that exists, anywhere! Yes! 

And yes, nuts are on my avoid list according to the diverticular disease! 

But you know, if I don't try some things on my avoid list, I'll be missing out on good foods too! So... Mheh! It is what it is eh! 

M.

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.

Henry Ward Beecher - 1813-1887 - American Minister

Okay, so don't know what happened last night.. sat with friend, we'd got a beer each.. just talking and relaxed.. I'm looking around and said how strange but I'd never noticed that clock before!! High up above the tree from where we sat, my friend said she hadn't either.. we commented on it's strange look, like it was only half out of the building.. time wasn't right either.. 

I've been seeing this view since '89.. so seriously worried about my normal noticing things like I do! 

When we walked along..

We saw what in fact it actually was/is!!

I don't know if it was the suggestion by me of a clock.. but we both saw a clock, both saw Roman numerals.. both saw Art Deco!

The power of suggestion? 

We were in hysterics walking back, literally bent over laughing crying! People looked at us like we were crazy! 

It might not have been a clock, but funny how I hadn't noticed the strangeness of it before!

 

This last week isn't dissimilar.. I took a few photographs of some knife throwing practice (!?) and looking beyond to the left and mostly level with the knife.. that tree there between roads... It looks like a figurehead of a ship! 

Well, to me anyways..

No bizarre sights here.. just a moment yesterday on the terrace, warmer up there than in the house.. 

I had a doctors appointment today, but cancelled, my lack of doctor type Spanish so severely lacking, I decided my tendonitis could wait.. I have a stone making me sick today.. but no infection.. hey ho! 

M.

Well friends, I've been, correction am sick with a damn cough virus thing, not covid, tested for it.. and I'm glad of that, because this has made me too sick to move much out the bed for three solid days, day four I went out for air.. 8am for half an hour, came home and spent rest of the day not moving.. 

Day five, Saturday? I walked into town but came home and slept for two hours.. 

Yesterday? Didn't go out just stayed sick.. 

And now I am out, standing by my car for air and collecting a colleague who feels mostly the same as me! 

This is, must be the worse a cough has ever in my life made me feel, so why I am eternally thankful it's not covid, my lungs can't take this attack as it is.

I got cough meds from farmacia.. I think it's helped, not sure.. and drinking lemon honey and ginger, chucking in some chilli flakes now also, just for the helluva it! 

Well, home from work, luckily a short day, coughing my way through, talking makes it so much worse! But me and silent don't walk hand in hand! 

Still, it's only a cough and will pass..

Other people are not so lucky, a friend today isn't good, but hopefully will be home and okay this evening! 

Someone else we know is in ICU.. 

And yesterday I made the mistake of checking on someone I have known since 1994, and working in Mercedes.. him and his wife lived out here, before me, in Alhaurín also as it happens. But moved back to the UK .. I found out he passed September 2022... So that's five friends passed last year. Two in their 50's three in their 80's.. but still...No time is really the right time. 

Also, I found randomly, someone I supported back in 2018 died in 2019... very young at only 72.. 

Okay amigos.. stay well! Or at least try.. trying is difficult I know... 

Oh just remembered another photograph, it's borrowed... One moment..

This is very very good.

M.

Halloween 2020 Hunters Moon

Our new regulations as they stand today..

Yes we are in the yellow sector..

And here in the UK emergency talks later with regards to a full on lockdown, again.

Feels like the end of the world as we knew it, brings all the distopian ideas, films, books.. into a reality none of us could ever have envisioned.

And I just want to get home.

Don't want to be here feeling like this, it's worse being away from home at times like this.

Bit of a nothing Blog.. but needed to share how I feel.. 

And I'm not alone in this, I know.. I mean about these times we're all in together.. not my Blog!

Was ending here.. but it's Halloween, and a full moon today, Hunters Moon..

The moon photograph above is probably the best photo of the moon I have ever taken, taken December 3rd 2017 from my brother's home in California...

This purloined piece of art.. just because I've always liked it.. 

I jokingly told the lady I am supporting I would be out tonight on my broomstick.. she said not to leave her at home, so I said I'd hitch on my sidecar to my broom.. and we can fly like that! 

We had this conversation yesterday, and today she brought it up again, so tonight we shall fly towards the moon a while, me on my broomstick, her on her sidecar.. 

Wish I could pen this picture in my mind to paper.. what a sight!

Happy Halloween peoples across the world.. 

TTFN

Marian

Bay of Roses

The night before, still in France, we had to move the van, as did everyone, due to a severe weather warning..

Great skies, and some rain, but nothing like the rain driving here and then last night..

Extremely high winds.. and as you can see the sea joined the land with vengeance!

The Solana above... Only taken because of the name.. The Benidorm series...

The paseo maritimo impassable on foot.. or at least without wellies!

One night only here in Bay of Roses...

TTFN
Marian

españa

On the journey yesterday, leaving France and coming home to Spain..

Bumped, almost, into an aircraft being hauled!! Not something one sees every day!

I remember seeing airplane wings on the road down to Gibraltar earlier on in the year!

And here! españa! Viva españa! Home home home...

TTFN
Marian

Back home in Spain..
Looking at new views in a new perspective.

And feeling peaceful and happy, and able to breathe and.. just be..

That's it, that's all.. that all is everything..

TTFN
Marian

School of Buddhists...

This morning we went to the local garden centre, had a coffee and then continued down to the coast, Calahonda, again also, another coffee and quick visit to see if friends were home, unfortunately they were out... So onwards to Aki and bought some wood!  Then Mercadona and home!  Bench started, and now nap time!  Well, its Spain and its allowed!  Especially getting up at the ungodly hour of 3:45am to get Franco's son back to the airport!

As earlier mentioned on Facebook, photograph taken below... looks like a school of Buddhists, and most of them with their hands over their ears!!

TTFN
Marian

VidBlog

Don't freak out on me!  My first VidBlog!

Crazy chick that I am! Its this Facebook 'live' thing everyone seems to be doing, and I don't!  I don't know most of the people on my fb any more, and of course I know all of you!!!

I am very confused as to how to turn it off at the end, this is the end of a 27 second vid! Not the longest, I promise future vids will be longer, and only from interesting places, not the safety of my sofa! Because, really, what is the point of that!?!

A trip to Mijas Pueblo today could have been more interesting but I chick-chick-chickened out on that!

So here are some photographs instead!

An insects view from beneath this beautiful flower...

A birds eye view of this human rock climber!

Small frog who I am sure was in the exact same spot last time we were here!

Tiny lizard soaking up the sun before getting frightened away by my phone...

Y al final.... the stairs up from the plaza [still in reform], the beautiful blue flower pots matching the beautiful blue beyond...

It was very windy up in Mijas today, stood in certain spots one could be blown right over!  We had coffee in the little bar up near the famous steps and the small church, lots of tourists about which is great, the roads are closed all over the place, but still accessible by car into the big car park, so no problems for anyone wanting to visit right now; we did see lots of people seemingly lost in their cars [driving!!!], but then, they could have been lost anyway regardless of the roads!

And we are still trying to work out where a new road that has recently appeared starts and finishes, so next time, we will try to find it, and end up lost no doubt! Hmmmm, maybe that is what those people today had been doing, all has become crystal clear... as mud!

Tapas in the bar on the way home and now... home!

And now I must 'publish' or the vidblog will be lost!

TTFN

Marian

This morning we, Franco Pipster and I had our walk about the local area, then headed off out in the car, we went to Mijas Pueblo, they have been working on the lower plaza for some time now, seems to be at the stage where it looks like it will never be finished... the stage that comes just before the... Wow! its done por fin!  If I start dropping more Spanish into my sentences its because I seem to be actually understanding people speaking Spanish! lol er yes, long time coming, and maybe after being back in the UK and back to work after a week I

might not again! Feels like I have past a threshold, thats been my problem in learning Spanish really, I remember what I read, what I see, I can spell every word I can speak... I just don't seem to have 'the ear' for it! Like I am deaf to the Spanish language... until this week, just in random passing, hearing people speak amongst themselves I know what their saying! Cool!


Anyway!  We had a coffee down near the 'new' parque, and then

walked up to the upper plaza, where there were a group of Flamenco dancers and singers performing, it was lovely, seemed very impromptu, although there was a wooden floor put down, they were just very relaxed and going with the flow... great to watch and listen too... We sat a while and did so, before walking around the gardens, as we always do, always have and will always...  A fantastic view across the Med to Africa, the mountains over there clearer than my camera has made out!

 You could see miles of the African coastline, all the way along, from Gibraltor to Malaga... Fantastic!  Then in the little pond a great noise of small toads, probably calling for a mate, and this little chap here got more than he bargained for when a dog jumped in!! Not sure who was the more shocked, him, me or the dogs owners!!!  Then Franco saw this wonderful butterfly, it was huge!  Beautiful... there used to be 100's of butterflies in these gardens, and over the years they had gone.

But now they're back! and so wonderful to watch... As was this great locust!  He was huge!  He seemed a bit sluggish!  He was actually walking step by step towards the edge of the wall, when he reached it he tried a jump and landed with a thud, almost!  on the path beneath, and so he didn't get squished Franco picked him up and put him in the grass!

There were beautiful freesia everywhere too, gorgeous, flowers everywhere, spring has sprung and summer has followed on its wing... the swifts, swallows? Whichever, I can't remember again which

is which, but they are visiting here again, by our house sweeping and performing aero-acrobatics!

The car park in Mijas Pueblo is only a Euro now, which is great, brings people into town instead of forcing people out!  So the place was buzzing, I love Mijas... we didn't eat in the town though today, we stopped in a little road-side bar on the road home, we got in just in time we had almost the last table!  and for just over €10 we had four tapas, a

coffee, a glass of white wine and a Pepsi!  The tapas were of good size too, I had paella and meatballs, not together, two separate tapas, both came with bread and there was a spare rib in the paella along with shrimp and chicken...!  Franco had spare ribs and curry tapas!  We sat outside, watching the world go by, which meant only a few cars, bikes and bicycles! a view down over Voltocado...  where Pippa was born and down to the Fuengirola coastline...  Sat in the sun and appreciated how very very lucky we are indeed!

TTFN
Marian

Wonderful day in Ronda yesterday, after so many trips by car we thought a trip by train would be really great!  As aforementioned we had checked out the train times and got there in plenty of time, got a coffee first in nearby bar... When we got onto the platform two guys got off the Malaga train, they needed to get to Malaga airport and had inadvertently got the wrong train, they needed to be on a plane in an hour!  They walked into Cartama Estacion to get a cab, wonder if they made it...

The lookout from near the band stand at Ronda, view from the Parador

I tried to take photos that I had not before!  Bit difficult after going to Ronda for 28 years now!  I don't think I had been there since mom passed away... not sure... It was her birthday on Sunday...

The train journey was lovely, took loads of photos... as did most of the people on the train! At one point, we stopped at Bobadilla, a strange, very old station, seems to be out in the middle of nowhere!

 

Blossoms and cactus fruit... best served cold!

 ...And pulled out the way we had come in, so spent the last part of journey going backwards!  Most people moved seats, seeing as there were plenty of free ones, probably not the case in high season! and on the way back Franco and I swapped seats so I did the last part of the journey in reverse!  I don't think I used to like to travel backwards but don't mind it now! Which is pretty good seeing as the amount of train journeys I now have to make are leaving me going backwards most of the time!

           

View from the Parador, looking down at a faraway house and looking up at a hotel balcony...

It was a festival in Ronda, unbeknownst to us!  So 90% of the shops were closed! Dammit!! But, one shop was open, one I have been going into since our first visit there... A shop that sells all sorts of bits and pieces, toys at the back, kitchenalia to the left, and gadgets all over the place! Wonderful shop, full of so many things I have always wanted but didn't know it until I walked in!

    

Weather vein on an old palace and a bullfighter outside the Ronda Bull Ring

I bought a little gadget for my camera or phone, not actually supposed to be for such a use, but I will use it for photography!

Great visual effects with new gadget!

The lack of shopping opportunity also didn't stop me buying a bag, I needed a new one! Of course! Who doesn't??  By travel bag is shot, so bought a replacement!

We had tapas in a great tapas bar... a few cups of coffee, and a far bit of walking, the journey was great, train comfortable, all good, except, I have never watch watched while in Ronda before! Although I knew we had plenty of time I was worried about missing the train home!

Tapas!

TTFN

Marian

Oh dear, what happened to last last Blog post of mine?? Thats the problem blogging using my phone, or Kindle was it?  Must use my lap top next time, I can use my phones internet to do so!

Well, I left my work placement and went to see Barry and his family, spent a wonderful five days and five nights with them all, my gorgeous wonderful granddaughter... She cried when I left the flat to go buy some bits!  she watched my every move around the room, and each morning, came crawling... or walking, pushing the door open to me, with her beautiful smile... 23 steps was the record when I was there!  Probably already surpassed!

Had a good visit with them all, went into the city a couple of times, Baz took us all out for dinner on the last evening, and on the Friday I caught the bus to East Midlands airport... Its what I would call, old school, recently updated, and really nice, small, relaxing, easy to negotiate... after Stansted with about a million people on my last return flight home, this was wonderful!

On my last couple of days with Baz I started to get a cold, probably picked up on one of three train journeys it took me to get to Nottingham!  And not sure how it stayed in its early stages, because the day after I got home it hit me like a hammer, couldn't move, my head felt like it was full of cement, my body just wouldn't coordinate at all, although I carried on carrying on, as I always do, I felt like crapola with a capital C.  I've been home over a week and still feel bad, but better, trying not to cough, but at night is when its hardest not to...

We have been out and about as I say, after Franco's Spanish course on Thursday we got in the car and went for a good drive about, we took a route to Cartama Estacion, checked out the train times... We're going to Ronda tomorrow!  Then we drove through a couple of small towns we didn't know existed until the other month when the bus brought us through them!  We kept driving, more because there was nowhere to stop to park... very busy, it was lunch time... So we came back around and onto the main road again and headed up to Casarabonela, we hadn't been there since my birthday back in 2010, had a coffee and came home...

We've visited the La Trocha twice, today we weren't going to, but then changed our minds, its been such lovely weather, warmer than normal, even for here... Franco and went to the flea market in Fuengirola yesterday and were very over dressed in our coats and boots, the tourists were in shorts and t-shirts, some in Torremolinos... were topless later on in the day!  The men I hasten to add!  And it wasn't a pretty picture, so none included!

We have been to the garden and bought earth for plants that have been living in too little of the stuff and now showing signs of it!  I bought bird food yesterday, left it out for the birds and it was still there today, I have moved it about, and not a bit has been taken, plenty of birds!  I seriously don't think they know its for them!  No birds tables, here... no bird feeders! The bird food seems to be the sort you put in bird cages... So not sure how to go about getting them to know it is for them!!  Its only the birds by the bars that know to pick up what humans drop!

We have been to town a load of times, even one evening!  We were going to go to a British bar right at the end of town, they had a band on, then we thought, maybe it wouldn't be a good thing to go there for the first time not knowing anyone... so we decided on a bar in the middle of town, another British bar, but... we decided on a Dutch bar instead!  We are so not used to British bars, but we want to expand our friends and contacts here... Maybe next weekend...

The view this morning, I had taken Pipster out for a walk, and came home, I was sat on the terrace drinking a cup of tea, watching the sun come up, so far it was only on Las Delicias...

And when we were out for a walk yesterday afternoon, Pip was very intrigued by the cat on a lead, the cat was huge, I kept trying to take sneaky pics when we having a coffee in the bar, but had to wait until we were over the road, and then just blatantly take a photo!

I caught this reflective view of life in Casarabonela before our coffees arrived!

This week, we have Ronda tomorrow, and some friends are due out who live down on the coast at Calahonda, and another friend who will staying down at Torremulle... We will enjoy his singing if he puts on a show down there!

TTFN
Marian

Malaga or bust!

Some randomness today... Like I never usually am!!!  Above a plant, one of many in Mijas Pueblo gardens... The years and years and even more years I have seen this flowering plant, and never once seen fruit on it! The fruit looks like blackberries... I didn't try it, although we did observe a woman eating one...

Yesterday we went to Malaga for the day, and the whole day it turned out to be, including the nearly €17.00 car park cost!!!  We went because a Star Wars exhibition was a the port, followed in the afternoon by the legion in the main plaza... We didn't get to see the finale, we should have known better that they wouldn't be on time I guess... But because we were later than we could have been we bumped into friends and had coffees, so that was nice...

We saw lots of storm troopers, and lots of characters from the movies, apart from my favorite... no Chewbacca... sadly....  We saw a bride and groom, they had photos taken with every one!!  They were there when we were in the morning, and just walking about four hours when we came back into the port for ice cream... they must have been shattered!!!

There were ships in the port to see, I bundled up those above... well, so it seems, at the back a big huge ship from Italy the Splendida.. then a smaller liner before it... the older sailing boat in the foreground... there should be a fast large yacht in there too if you look closely!

I think I have some pictures of a navy boat somewhere?? And below is a ferry!

The day was warm enough but very overcast, we were lucky really, 20% chance of rain... We went on the wheel too, it seems so big from afar, but up close compared with the London Eye, it was small!  It was also movable!!  Unlike the London Eye this one is temporary! The pods were small, about six or seven foot by about five I guess, a bench either side to sit and a little leg room in between, you could rest your feet on the bench quite easily...

But it was good fun, and we were on our own in the pod, they spaced people out nicely, I am guessing when its busy that's a different matter!  Not too bad views considering the misty skies...

More pics from here tomorrow, or soon....

Big mural of a girl on this building...

After about six twirls on the wheel, which was also great... we went for lunch at Roy's!!  A great little port side café, very well priced and great food!

We had ice cream later too... while we were doing the tourist thing!

Waiting for the parade (that we missed), I started to get a bit chilly, and started spending too much time in the shops!  They're winter collections of warm fluffy knits became more and more appealing the cooler I got!!!

TTFN
Marian