Spain

 Spain Trip - Saturday 10th September 2022 (Our Deborah's Birthday). 4am at Janet and Terry's house, suitcases in the car (only allowed 20kg which is 44lbs our first weigh in was 77lbs yikes). Manchester airport parking booked as 'meet and greet' and the barrier wouldn't open - pressed the button and a voice said 'you're not booked in mate' re-read the number plate and he thought it was N should be M, ok and we were in section pink. Dropped the keys off, short walk to terminal 3 Ryanair to Corvera (RMU) to Murcia. Janet frisked and shoes taken off her because she bleeped. 

Wow it was hot while we waited for our taxi - straight to the door of the villa No. 40 Eucalypto Drive, Caleia Mar Menor Golf and Spa Resort, Torre Pacheco. Lovely place, settled in and sat with our feet in the pool ready to sort out 1st option for tea. Route 66 American Diner. Very nice.

Sunday - big shop. Stayed by the rather chilly pool,  'it's alright once you're in'. Struggled to get the TV to work so Geoff (the villa owner) arranged for his cousin Christine to come round to sort it plus another guy who was a tech guy. About an hour later they had fixed it and so Colin could watch Formula 1. Terry cooked salmon and fried rice, lovely.

Monday - made arrangements to meet Nigel and Tina in Benidorm. On route Janet not getting any message back from Tina. I made sure Terry had his sunglasses up, lights on going through tunnels and off again once out (this happened in 2004 Spain trip), eventually we had to just say I concur to each other. Arrives in Benidorm to hundreds of cars all looking for somewhere to park, Colin says just pull up behind the police car so that we can get our bearings and Janet calls out of the window 'ola Tina' as they are sat in the cafe we pulled up next to. Janet and Terry found a car park nearby that was free for the day! Janet stood in the space before any one could take it. (Colin's parking Angel came on holiday with us). 

Nigel and Tina had found a lovely place to have lunch, it was a bit of a walk and red hot, but the place was lovely and fabulous food. 

Colin did his heroic act, as an older couple walked out the lady had left her hand bag on the back of her chair and he chased after them to return it to them. Gracias.

Nigel and Tina showed us their hotel and they had got an extra 3 days for £20. The reason Tina didn't message back was because Janet had left our villa when she tried contacting her and had no wifi! Amazing that we found them. When we got back to the villa Terry made us a paella. Fab.

Tuesday - Los Alcazares. We went for a walk along the front and kept seeing seahorse signs, we found out that it meant SOS Mar Menor, in 2019 all the fish in the lagoon died due to contaminated water. It is a unique salt water lagoon that is divided from the Mediterranean by a strip of land known as La Manga. We could see this across the water and we nicknamed it stone henge. My shoes disintegrated! We went onto the small pier for a cocktail and drinks, when Terry ordered a coke the waiter said 'Ahh bambino' which we carried on for the rest of the day. We found a small shop and bought some lemons in order to make a rum punch, when I announced I had never had one before Janet and Terry were shocked as they thought I had talked about it in the past. In 1996 Yvonne and Frank had got married in the June in Barbados and talked about the rum punch out there so I said before I got married I could do with a rum punch!

That night we went to the Shamrock bar and restaurant and Colin shocked us all and ordered a Guinness!! Wish we had a camera ready for our faces. Who is this guy, he doesn't drink. Also during the day he was drinking coffee!

Wednesday - Murcia, quite a large city, we found underground parking. 

Managed to buy a new pair of shoes from Ulanka!

We actually walked 6 miles this day. There was a fish sculpture in the river. Beautiful Cathedral. Fabulous outside bars and cafe's.

Lovely photo of Janet and Terry on the oldest bridge in Murcia. Ahh.

 Me and Colin in a Flower pot. When I showed Stuart our holiday photos he laughed his head off at this photo and called us Bill & Ben the flowerpot men. When we got home Terry mad Pasta Carbonara.

Thursday - Cartagena (we thought this place was off the movie Romancing the Stone but it might have been Mexico). We did lots here we walked along the front naval base area and saw a massive brass sculpture of a naked man (and bits) crouched which represented people dealing with terrorism, when Colin had his photo taken next to it and leant on it it was boiling hot. 

El Zulo Sculpture in Cartagena, Spain

Along the harbor in Plaza Del Puerto de Cartagena is this dramatic bronze sculpture of a man sitting with his head buried between his knees. His nakedness represents everyone’s vulnerability to terrorism. The two ton, 19.5 foot statue is the work of Spanish sculptor Víctor Ochoa. The former architect turned artist specializes in very large monuments like this one dedicated to the victims of terrorism.

 

We booked onto the bus tour which would take us around the roman sites and places of interest also the amphitheatre museum, the panoramic tower and castle all included for 12 euros each.

We could see these spears from miles away not realising how tall they really are seeing Terry next to them shows this. They are on the top of the castle. 

We went up this tower in a lift and along the gantry to get to the castle. Colin said 'where's he going' about a guy at the top of the lift and he turned around a said 'I'm trying to get my Mother down who is in a wheelchair' we didn't realise he was a brit. Oops.

The Amphitheatre was superb, first of all we toured around the museum seeing excavated rocks behind glass. I was corrected by the guide that I thought it was a mosaic it was actually a painted floor that they had found all the parts of it and stuck it back together.  There were columns of inscription that they had recovered and made the parts that were missing. There was a small model of the amphitheatre and Janet said that's it, that's all you are going to see. I thought we would see a bit of a theatre then we walked through a tunnel entrance and then out into this enormous Amphitheatre in the scorching heat it was amazing, me and Colin are on that photo. Terry did his Friends Romans Countrymen bit on the stage.

Even Janet said that was brilliant, Terry nearly fell over. We walked 5 miles on this day.

Friday - decided to have a bit of a quiet day in the pool and sun bathing. Terry and Colin tried to get the BBQ to work but something not working right and they chatted to Geoff (the villa owner) to see if he could help. Never mind the BBQ was cooked indoors and was still fabulous.

Saturday - Cabo de Palos we walked up to the lighthouse and saw divers going out to the wrecks. There was a lady at the top (Alejandra) explaining about the marine ecology and rare sea plants that had restricted areas in the sea that were monitored. Then we drove along La Manga 21 km long and this is what we had seen across from Los Alcazares. We stopped off at a market for a nosy. 

Photo by Alex Kazachok.

Sunday - San Pedro del Pinatar. This is the opposite end of La Manga and was very blustery, there were lots of kite surfers in the sea. We ventured into a bar/restaurant for a drink and was pushed into the bottom corner and not served for quite a while. Then 2 drinks turned up and not the other two! Janet was giving the waiters 'the paddington stare' and eventually we were served. Poor service, we think it was because we didn't order food. We stumbled across a protected wildlife reserve of salt flat water with flamingos in - wow. We loved these kind of adventures where we found things by chance. 

We did miss Las Charcas which I only found when we got back to UK it is the Mud Baths (Banos de lodo) which are good for arthritic joints. 

Monday - Janet and Terry go off on adventure to visit friends Jaci and Ian near Almeria . Me and colin have a quiet day in the pool and then watched all of The Queen's funeral. Sad but fantastic pomp and pageantry only us brits can do.

Tuesday - Torrevieja again a lovely town to visit. 

First we walk up to a viewing spot on the edge of a cliff - the drop off! Why not just serve me up with some chips (finding nemo). 

There were water holes in the rocks so the sea gushed out of them for 

Janet to pose next to.

We spotted Instagram girls posing on the beach so Colin had a go next to a palm tree! He was actually standing in the shade of the tree it was that hot.

At Pilar de la Horadada there was a market there. Also some very interesting information about how they quarried the stone here in roman times, after accurate measuring they chiseled out a gap and fit some wood in so that when the tide came in the sea swelled the wood and cracked the stone.   

The best part was of course ordering Grande Beers por favor. 

We also visited Gaurdamar del Segura and ventured into the Mediterranean Sea for a paddle after doing the Dudley Moore run on the hot tiles to the shaded ones.

Wednesday - Today we ventured towards Cartagena to a shopping mall called The Mall Espacio Mediteranio Categinia. But Spain are on an economy drive and the mall was not really as cool as we thought it would be. So we arranged to meet up in an hour for a drink. Unfortunately I had a vertigo issue where I could hardly stand up and was very hot, also very worried. Colin managed to get me to the McDonalds cafe for a coffee and a calm down. Managed to get back to the car and back to the villa. Terry was booked in to play an 18 hole golf course nearby. When he came home he fixed the BBQ and made tea for us all, in the dark.

Thursday - Last day. Finished packing and clearing up the villa. We went back to Los Alcazares to look around the town and a bit of last minute shopping.

Managed to find an SOS Mar Menor T-Shirt and we stopped off for an ice cream and coffees.

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All photos by Penny Green / Colin Green / Terry Daneliuk and Janet Daneliuk

Taxi arrived at 5:30pm back to Corvera Airport.

Total 64.4 Miles Completed 411.8 Miles we are now in Burton Ferry, Milford Haven.

Edinburgh

Booked back in January a 2 night stay at Spylaw Bank House, Colinton - 4.6 miles from Edinburgh Castle. Booked Edinburgh Military Tattoo Friday 26th August 2022 at 9pm.

Friday - Set off from Longridge at 10am, managed to avoid a huge traffic delay at Lancaster, managed to get off the M6 then back on further up - found out later that it was 6 hours before they opened the road.

Stopped off at Moffat for our packed lunch and a walk around the town which we did 2 years ago when we went to Scotland with Janet and Terry. Quick photo outside The Balmoral Hotel!

Arrived at our B&B at 1:50pm. It was a very old house (quirky), the owner David gave us a tour and we had a wonderful bedroom with a very high bed! The key to the room was a massive one which David asked us not to take out of the building as it would cost a couple of hundred pounds to replace.

We had to get the No.44 bus into Edinburgh and advised to get off at the furthest stop on Princes' Street. Raining so another quick photo op of The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh - would have loved to go in but felt scruffy. Sadly the binmen were on strike and there was rubbish everywhere and a slight stink. Such a shame for a beautiful City. We put on our poncho's to try and keep dry, not sure how to describe what we looked like!

Found where the tour buses were and booked on £15 each. Over an hour with a brilliant guide Johnny giving a knowledgeable account of the City and advice for the best places to eat (The Bee Hive) and where to go to get into the Tattoo later that night.

When we got to the castle for entrance into the Tattoo there wasn't too long a queue and a bit of rain (ponchos on again). Very organised, got a programme (£10 a bit steep) and straight to our seats. 

Photo by Penny Green.

Dot on 9:30pm the Typhoon did a fly past over the castle and then The Military Tattoo began. Wow all the Scots Bagpipe Bands marched in together - goose bump moment. Then 50 Highland girl dancers came in all smiling (even though they had already done an earlier show) and one of the dances they spun around and changed the colours of the skirts, amazing to see. 

An American Military Gun Precision (USAF Honor Guard Drill Team) were spinning rifles with bayonets on and one man walked through them spinning. The place was silent until they finished, uproar in cheers.

Aztec Warriors / Banda Mexican / New Zealand Kiwi's (only when we watched it on TV a week later did we see that all the members arranged to spell out KIWI that could only be seen from above). Electro Bagpipes and then my favourite Top Secret Swiss Drum Corps, they were fabulous, managed to video a small clip with lit up drum sticks before my phone ran out of battery, amazing. Then fireworks and the finale with all the cast. Brilliant, well worth the money and the wait. We ran for the bus (alright walked quickly) and chatted to a couple from The Netherlands at the bus stop while waiting for the No. 44 back to Colinton. Because it was after midnight we had to look out for our bus stop and got off, so did this couple who had been at the Tattoo, then they walked down the driveway and into our B&B! That means that they booked tickets to the Tattoo and booked into Spylaw Bank House at the same time as us and we had breakfast with them the following morning (a fabulous fry up from David) - what a co-incidence! 

Saturday - We went back into Edinburgh on the No. 44 bus again and went to do part 2 of the bus tour because yesterday it was restricted around the Castle and the Royal Mile due to the Tattoo, and our tickets were for 24 hours. We really did miss quite a lot, a very sunny today and absolutely packed. We decided to do the Portrait Museum (not too busy), as we had heard that there was one of Billy Connelly which we would have liked to see but it was no longer there. We were going to get a cake and a coffee in there but the prices were extortionate. Got a butty and a drink from Sainsbury's and sat in the park. 

Back to the B&B for a rest, kept sliding off the bed trying to get into it and had to clamber up by my knees (very elegant). 

That evening we could use the car to get to Falkirk, first to see the famous Falkirk wheel. Absolutely fabulous piece of engineering, you can watch it operating on youtube. 

Photo by Penny Green

Then we went to see the amazing sculptures called The Kelpies. Both fantastic to see, we waited until dusk to see them light up. Really lovely, so glad we went. Then Colin treated me to a famous Scottish meal - McDonalds (love their coffee). My phone only just had enough battery left to get us back to Colinton on Google Maps. 

Photo by Colin Green

Packed up early and had another fabulous fry up ready for the trip home. The A1 to Berwick-upon-Tweed which is on the border and actually classed as England (not sure if they like that). 

We drove through a gate in the wall but the tide was out and it stunk! So quick exit out of there and we ended up going over a 1 way bridge and back onto the A1 - we checked the tide timetable for Holy Island causeway, safe until 2:30pm. There was a massive pay & display car park but charged £5 for 3 hours (rip off)! Had a lovely walk around and saw Lindisfarne castle ahead but lots of tourists all going that way so we headed for the Abbey. An ambulance came onto the island and up to the castle - some incident! Took some photos and saw the war memorial and will check out on Find A Grave if they are listed. 

                                                                                      Snipped copy from Google Maps

We carried on down the A1 past Bamburgh Castle and down to Alnwick (Harry Potter Castle) but just went into the town and had a scone and a budweiser for one of us! and a tea. Then 'Kerrys' banana ice cream for Colin and Blueberry for me. Lovely.

Now we start to cross the country to get over to the West, this was on small B roads to Rothbury then Otterburn - we were following a small blue car  and couldn't overtake as he/she kept moving into the middle of the road - finally we got a chance and sped off over the moors, they couldn't see us for dust. Next head to Corbridge but the sign said Edinburgh (we've just come from there), turn around but the next sign said Jedburgh which is North (wrong way turn around again), it was the Edinburgh way and then a turn off, back on track - who was in front of us - the little blue car ahhh!!! Anyway we got past them again and we turned off to Haltwhistle and followed Hadrians Wall (what is remaining). We stopped off at the car park known as The Sill and saw an extensive part of the wall.

Photo by Penny Green

Next headed to Brampton an area where Colin's 'Green family' are from and onto Carlisle then M6 home.

Total 16.5 miles Completed 347.4 miles and we are now in Gowerton, Swansea.

From 25th July to 18th August 2022

Well what a last couple of months we've had! 

27th July - George's post-op for his eye operation was positive news but his eyes have deteriorated again and he is now waiting for a date for another operation, this time both eyes.  He felt that this was going to happen as he could feel his eyes slowly getting worse. 

29th July - Was supposed to pick up Janet and meet Dad at Lake Fairhaven in Lytham with the staff from the care home. Motorway mayhem, roads packed in all directions no matter how I tried to get somewhere the roads were blocked. I eventually got to Myerscough and was going to go by the back roads to Blackpool but would have taken me ages. Had to head back home. 

Photo by Terry Daneliuk

Janet and Terry stepped in, phew! Even though Dad had a black eye from a fall. He said "you should see the other guy". 

Photo by Janet Daneliuk

30th July - Decided to go on my own to Chorley Flower Show - would have preferred Chelsea but hey ho! Bit of rain on and off - not a great collection of flower displays. Lots of people selling flowers and plants. Bumped into The Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle, well I saw him there. Bought loads of fudge. Another tick off my 60 things to do in my 60th year.

31st July - Penny and Colin walked around the reservoir ticking off another 3 miles. Watched Formula 1, Commonwealth Games and The Lionesses England's Women's team beating Germany 2 - 1 in the Euro Cup - wow the girls have brought it home. 

3rd August both me and Colin have toothache! Next day my face was swollen back to emergency dentist for more anti-biotics - hospital appointment still not come through from February, booked in for 18th August for tooth extraction. 

(Next month the same thing happens for Colin, Friday 23rd September 5 injections and face swollen out)!

5th August - Visiting Dad, quite chatty and when Colin started saying 'we're off to see ...' Dad quickly chirped in 'the wizard'. Janet asked if we could get Terry's Adidas Baseball Cap back - no we can't find it ha ha.

Photo by Penny Green

8th August - Managed to slice my thumb open trying to cut the stalks with a bread knife on some beautiful sunflowers given to me by my sister Janet.

10 August - bought a dishwasher off an honest man in Blackpool who spotted Colin's wallet on the floor of his garage where it had fallen out of his pocket.

11 August 2022 - never before have we had a RED weather warning about the heatwave. George going into work half an hour earlier and finishing earlier due to the heat. Arthur and Sandra took us both out for a meal at the White Bull at Alston as a thank you for looking after their house and plants.

14 August - met up with our son Mark and 2 of our Grandchildren at Beacon Fell walking a total of 5 miles. Lovely time. Then dashed off to Blackpool to see the Airshow just as The Red Arrows flew over Blackpool Tower.....Fab.....

Photo courtesy of Lancashire Evening Post

15th August - Drew's Birthday! Visited Stuart and took him out on his mobility scooter which he loves. Twice around the fountain on Avenham Park. Another 3 miles in. Visited Janet and Terry for lunch to make arrangements for our upcoming holiday.

18th August - Finally tooth extraction, I was very brave and didn't even get a sticker. What a relief.

Total 34.4 miles Completed 330. 9 miles and we are now in Rhossili Beach, Swansea.

Photo from The Independent Newspaper naming Rhossili Bay in Wales as the best beach in Europe.