Crochet progress

I have completed my Sweetpea crochet along, and absolutely love it. I managed to make a border just fiddling with a hook and the little wool I had left from making the blanket. I hope to make another when I get home and find out what wool I already have [and what I need to buy!]. Photos taken at the front and back of our rented house.

A seaside walk and lunch

We walked another stretch alongside the Mar Menor, the weather was just right, nice and sunny, no wind and about 16 degrees.  There is always some interesting graffiti to see, this was near a boating club.
We followed this with a meal at The Penny Farthing in Las Alcazares, very nice fish and chips. Such large portions I did not to justice to mine.

Feb 12th

Where have the last few days gone? I ate something I shouldn’t have and had four days of not being able to leave the house [or toilet]. Chris managed to get me something from the pharmacy and everything is back in working order again!
Today we went for a drive north of Murcia to see the almond blossom which is wonderful at this time of year. It is rather an overcast day inland and this does nothing for the photos but it was a most enjoyable trip, keeping mostly to the smaller roads and seeing the sights.

Hottest day so far

Screen shot says it all

The Castle for lunch

Met Pauline and Brian at The Castle n San Miguel for lunch. What a wonderful setting plus the sun was shining. We all had Menu of the day, my choice, mixed prawn and crab starter, followed by Sole and fries with apple strudel for dessert, all for £8 [E8.95] excellent, we will return.

Lunch and a movie

We again went to the Dog House yesterday for lunch and both had a delicious pie, figured you’d seen enough of me eating so no photo!
The wind has dropped and the sky does not have a single cloud in it, so the 20 degree heat meant it was time for an afternoon sunbathe.
The local cinema shows English films on Saturday and Tuesdays so we decided to go and see Olivia Coleman in The Favourite.  Time stated for the start of the film is 4pm and unlike the cinemas at home where you seem to have endless adverts before the actual start of the film, bang on the dot the film started, no adverts.
It was an interesting film shown with Spanish sub titles. I knew little about Queen Anne and her life.

Salinas de San Pedro

Not so warm today, but the wind has dropped so feels more pleasant. We decided to take a stroll along the causeway at Salinas de San Pedro after lunch.
This area of the Mar Menor is famous for it’s healthy mud, and in the warmer months people can me seen covering their whole bodies in the black mud, letting it dry and then washing it off. This is not something I have ever fancied doing I hasten to say.

Sunday lunch

Pauline and Brian joined us for Sunday lunch at The Dog House in Dolores.
A large plate of Roast dinners were chosen, 2 lamb, 1 pork and 1 beef... they were all excellent and came with big jugs of gravy and lots of fresh veg.

Pauline and Brian at the end of the meal, too busy eating to take photos of the actual meal!

Early morning stroll

We took an early, well if you call 10.30am early!, stroll along the coast at Playa del Espejo in Los Alcazares this morning. The sun was shining and hardly a cloud in the sky.
We came upon an interesting statue of a fisherman hauling in two mermaids riding on seahorses.

It is forecast windy this afternoon, and when the wind blows around here it is hard to stand up straight! Yesterday we were caught in a rainfall and the streets just cannot cope with it and everywhere floods. In fact they are worried about the sand on the beaches being washed away due to the flooding.

On the way back we spotted an interesting graffiti wall of a young boy being held out to dry. There are many such murals in the Los Alcazares area. Another beach scene took my eye.

Blue skies, sea and sand

This statue is in the middle of the beach

Fisherman hauling two mermaids riding on seahorses

Los Alcazares and the clouds are moving in.

I just love this graffiti, it looks so real

This is the complete side of a large building

Ikea Murcia

We [no I better make that ‘I’] decided it would be fun to go to Ikea in Murcia as I had to have a trolley... dosn’t everyone buy something stupid on holiday?  One of the crochet facebook groups I belong to was becoming obsessed with them for their wool and patterns. I did a little research and Ikea in England Uk sell them for £50 but Ikea Spain sell them for E39.99 that’s £35 a saving of £15!
Plus it will be ideal for me at home.

We set off about 10am for the 45 minute drive along the main roads, bought the trolley and a few other things, plus had a lovely lunch. Ikea UK could do with some Spanish style!

In no hurry to get back Chris put in the SatNav the shortest route back to the villa, and it was a wonderful drive through the hills, past little Fincas and lots of orange and lemon groves laden with fruit. It took just over the hour but was so worth it. We miss so much driving motorways.

Temperature upto 22 today but Chris put the trolley together before going out to sunbathe.
Now where is all my wool...

Approaching Ikea Murcia Spain

Yummy lamb shank for me, meatballs for CJ
and as treat the most delicious carrot cake to follow

Windy roads through pretty countryside

Putting the trolley together

Tuesday 29th January

Slowly recovering from the cold bugs we have both been suffering with. Today was the day of going out and enjoying this holiday.
We started with a trip to Los Alcazares street market, always a fun thing to do, with traders selling just about everything you could wish for. We had not visited this market before and were surprised how large it was.  Everywhere seems to have murals painted on outside walls, guess its better than graffiti. The school where we parked was no exception.

A quick Lidl shop for a few odds and ends, home to unload and then out for lunch at
The Dog House, Dolores de Pacheco, about 10 minutes from where we are staying. We were the only patrons and the food was delicious. Chris had steak and kidney pie, I had Steak and ale pie. It turns out the Welsh couple that own it only bought it in November and were just feeling their feet in a new adventure.  We were so impressed we booked for Sunday lunch.