Home again

Our second night in France was spent on the outskirts of Rouen in a motel. We decided to go for a meal at the Buffalo Resturant, enroute there we passed a crowd demonstrating in the middle of a roundabout [ they were there last September when we drove this way ] I asked our waiter what they were demonstrating for as there were no signs or placards, he just shrugged his shoulders and said they were demonstrating for more or less everything !!!!

We arrived at the Eurotunnel for our journey through the tunnel at 9am, 2 hours before our due time and were pleased to be offered a crossing at 10.20am [an hour earlier than booked ]. Then the long wait, it was the end of half term and the place was heaving with traffic, plus we were called to go through their new car X-ray machine which held us up even longer. Needless to say we did not make it to the 10.20 crossing but managed the 10.35am. Must remember to not travel on the end of holiday dates.

3480 miles in total averaging 49.5 mpg in my Volkswagen Golf.

We have not stopped since getting home. Chris pasted and I wallpapered our bedroom, he is now painting the wallpaper. The new carpet arrives on Monday and the new furniture on Tuesday. Upstairs looks like a tip, it is hard to find anything. It will be so nice when it is completed.

I think this brings us up to date on our merry go round of a life!

On our way home Day 1

Left Roda at 7.20am to drive over the Pyrenees into Pau France for our first of two nights in France.
Arrived 4.45pm, so a long day in the car.  As usual  we are staying at The Victoria Garden Hotel which has a small kitchen in the room. To save having to go out after a long day I brought a couple of microwave meals with us and we had an early night after dining on them.

There was a lot of snow on the mountains and hundreds of people skiing and enjoying them, we reached a temperature of 22C by the time we were in France.

Our last day in Spain

Today is a our last day in Spain before heading to France for a couple of nights on the way home.
After a quick lunch we walked along the Mar Menor sea front for a final goodbye and the local Red Arrows came out and gave us a display.

Feve to Cartagena 2

For some reason blogger would not let me add these photos, I will sort them out when I get home.

Feve to Cartagena

Had a great but tiring day yesterday. We caught the 10.20 Feve train in Los Nietos, only ones on it until the first stop! Costing E1.45 each it is great value to travel through some interesting countryside on the 30 minute journey to Cartagena.

We wandered through the old city back streets and were amazed how many building have been gutted and only there facades still exists propped up by endless scaffolding. One facade we saw was for sale on its own.  Many of the old buildings have had paintings added to them.

Our destination The Roman Theatre, not so easy to find the entrance which seemed to be a couple of streets away in the Mvseo Teatromano de Cartagena. Once found it was interesting getting back to the Roman Theatre through a series of displays and tunnels under the church of Santa Maria.

We stopped for hot chocolate, coffee and cake on the way back, rather expensive we thought but very nice carrot cake. Refreshed we wander along more back streets to a church that had its door open and was quite a surprise with its modern and old interior, could not find the name of the church anywhere!

1pm we caught the little train back to Los Nietos.

An early morning walk around the block

As we are going out for lunch we decided to go for an early [OK it’s 10am!] walk around the block. There always so many interesting flowers I thought I would capture a few in photos. I have no idea what they are... just pretty. The gardeners keep the Roda Golf Complex really ship shape and each street seems to have a different variety of flowers and shrubs, plus of course a lot of topiary.

A sea visit

We are now on wind down for going home at the end of the week. Yesterday I managed to get to church where Elder Alcock from the USA translated the speakers for me. I am always amazed how these young lads can listen to what is being said in Spanish and instantly translate it to English. A couple of people recognised me from a previous visit and came to say Buenos Dias which was very nice. One lady from Peru greeted me like a long lost friend.
After the service I picked Chris up and we went to The Dog Kennel for traditional Sunday lunch.

It has turned very windy and not quite as warm as earlier in the month, we decided to go and see the flamingos that gather in the salt flats and we were disappointed not a flamingo in sight. This is the first time they have not been there. We wandered along the coast of the Mediterranean where small round balls of what appears to be coir seem to collect. There were a lot of interesting jellyfish also along the shore line.

Socks, socks and more socks

I seem to be on a sock craze at the moment and have three pairs on the go. There were four pairs but I completed one pair.
All three pairs are knitted on 2.5mm needles with Regia Pairfect sock wool designed by Arne and Carlos. At the Monet one red and one blue/green pair have one sock completed. Hope to complete them all before the end of the holiday.

Graffiti or is it art?

Los Alcazares has a number of buildings that have been decorated with wonderful paintings.  It is so nice to see almost derelict walls turned into something so nice.  Three of my favourites are...

Saturday

Our first stop this morning was to visit the local market at Los Narejos, where the Main Street is blocked off and stalls selling everything from fruit to underwear line the street. It is always fun to watch the traders and people shopping.

After lunch we travelled along the coast road to Los Nietos to watch the windsurfers busy in the sunny breeze and walk along the promenade to see the pretty seats clad in mosaics in the shape of seahorses. A number of houses were also decorated from top to toe with mosaics.

La Union Mines

Decided today to visit the Mines at La Union, one is now open to the public with English guide on Tuesday and Thursday 10am and 12pm. Booking needed if you want an English speaking guide.
In the car park we viewed a short film again one for the Spanish and one for the English speakers, there were eight of us and about 28 Spanish.

A little train took us up the hill side to the opening of the tunnel, and as we were a small group we taken in first and had extra time, the guide was really good and explained everything to us. Google La Union Mines to read more.

At the entrance we had to wear hairnets and hard hats! Before setting off to the different levels of the mine, with a slight sulphur smell. The whole experience took about 90 mins and was well worth it.