tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47218330803714066552024-03-06T04:54:23.419+01:00Itchy feet at fortyliving in Spain and GibraltarKatherine and Pippahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14563769395873958826noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-72056130187402861882012-01-05T18:56:00.000+01:002012-01-05T18:56:35.742+01:00All posts ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...... </span><a href="http://roughseasinthemed.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/2011-a-review/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over here now</span> </a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy new year people</span><br />
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</a></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-38031297516446442252011-12-06T06:14:00.015+01:002011-12-06T06:27:52.220+01:00(Cider with) Old Rosie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">So much for my nostalgic looks back over the previous ten years. Nothing like saying you will do something and then totally failing. Not just on this blog but on every single one. Oh well there is always December and at least it will avoid writing about Christmas.</span><br />
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</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And now for something completely different.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A couple of months ago as summer was slowly coming to its hot sunny end, I was leaving Morrisons with the Sunday shop.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As I walked across the car park, an image of a cool, dry, slightly sparkling glass of cider came into my head. I blame it on someone who shall be nameless and who has been prattling on about some trendy designer cider called Jaques.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyway I had no intention of walking back inside the shop again, one ordeal a day is more than enough so I wandered back home.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Whereupon I endlessly bleated about this totally irrational desire for a cider (which I have not drunk in like a zillion years) until patient and long-suffering Partner volunteered to traipse off to pesky Morrisons to search for that must-have cider.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There was a three for a fiver deal so he came back with a selection. Westons organic cider and Old Rosie, and Henney's Frome Valley dry cider.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">First, Old Rosie. It is utterly delicious. Dry, appley, slightly sparkly and slightly cloudy. So moreish. Also 7.3% proof so not too many more of them. Westons web site describes it as medium dry (even though the bottle calls it dry) and lightly carbonated. You get the idea.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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Westons organic - now rebadged as Wyld Wood (6.5%), and the Henney's (6%) are a drinkable alternative when there is no Old Rosie. As is Thatcher's Katy (also strong at 7.4%). Katy is another one described as medium dry, but if I can drink it, that means it is dry enough. Another nice appley flavour. The good thing about all of them is that, apart from the obligatory sulphites that you can't get away from these days, they only seem to contain apples. Unlike the bog standard and somewhat cheaper ciders.</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Westons and Henney's are made in Herefordshire and Thatchers is based in Somerset.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A couple of riveting cider facts. The UK, according to wiki, has the highest consumption of cider per head, and the biggest cider-producing companies in the world. I don't really know people who drink cider, so I was quite surprised at that. In EU terms we produce more than 60% of cider within the EU, and traditional ciders in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been awarded a special EU status - PGI, Protected Geographical Indication. Sounds a bit like not being able to call fizzy wine champagne when it isn't made in the Champagne department of France.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What else about cider? Oh yes, I had been drinking the delicious Old Rosie for some weeks when I suddenly remembered the Laurie Lee book Cider with Rosie (my review </span><a href="http://itchyfeetatforty.blogspot.com/2011/02/spanish-civil-war.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">). <br />
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What a clever name for the cider, I thought to my little self. Except it is nothing to do with the book apparently, but named after a 1921 steam engine that the firm bought - and there is a picture on the bottle too.</span><br />
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But, if the cider was introduced in 1988 .... maybe it was named after the book ?? </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Finally Spanish cider. On which there is very little to say except it is made in the north of Spain and isn't a patch on Old Rosie, or indeed any of the others I have mentioned above.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Oh and I haven't tried the Jacques cider. It is expensive, and looking at the website it seems you need to be young and blond and wear pink floaty frocks to drink it. I don't think that is quite me.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div>Editors note: Totally sick of Blogger still being a pain so unlikely to post more on here. Catch me on my wordpress roughseas blog.</div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-5754948759580985372011-11-07T12:36:00.007+01:002011-11-08T08:05:04.360+01:00Boy's Own adventure stories<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am not a fan of these type of gung-ho books.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You know the sort, where there is a tall, dark, not quite handsome, but definitely rugged hero. He invariably has piercing blue or green eyes. When he is not shooting the shit out of the baddies, he is totally irresistible to any woman within at least a 20 mile radius. He has a dry, slightly sarcastic sense of humour. He is of course mentally intelligent and physically superfit. He is moral (ish) but not to the extent that it stops him killing the baddies.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He also performs the impossible, managing to get out of the most unbelievable predicaments.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But while this sort of tale may not be my book of choice for a Sunday's (or any other day's) read, I don't turn my nose up at free books.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Our neighbour is in some informal book exchange circuit and readily passes them onto us. Saves leaving them on a bench outside, especially when it might rain.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So it was from him that we finally encountered Clive Cussler and the redoubtable Dirk Pitt (six foot something, opaline green eyes, etc etc etc). </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The plots follow the same formula, ie there is always lost treasure to start off the novel and in the opening chapter(s), we hear about how it gets lost. Then, we come right back to the present day and our American clean cut super-hero appears, to sort out the baddies, romance (aka shag) at least one woman, and natch, find the treasure from hundreds or thousands of years ago.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At 600 pages or so per novel, they at least entertain me for a couple of days, or more when I have distractions from reading. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Treasure was the first one we read, and it was a good yarn. Sahara was another good one.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IJdOa2oEsnLcauA94kznOhof2148DoLcIEWmjp3avwxDwpbR8q4Sn3CUec-Qwxtjn6jn6xabrnYNioeM_2d_RUm0cAesYqESHmas_zQz0eJWmndP7p3saqyM3SFiAXNURpn9TjwPsGXX/s1600/cc%252Bcr.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IJdOa2oEsnLcauA94kznOhof2148DoLcIEWmjp3avwxDwpbR8q4Sn3CUec-Qwxtjn6jn6xabrnYNioeM_2d_RUm0cAesYqESHmas_zQz0eJWmndP7p3saqyM3SFiAXNURpn9TjwPsGXX/s400/cc%252Bcr.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672218491432467282" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Next we got a copy of Chris Ryan's The Increment. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Like Cussler, Ryan is ex-services. However Cussler is ex American Air Force, and Ryan is ex SAS. And there is a world of difference in their novels.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Like a lot of British authors, Ryan seems to imbue a sense of bleakness and harsh realism into his tales. However fantastic (or not, I have no idea) his stories may be, there is no happily ever after. Yes, the hero comes through in the end, but there is always a price to be paid by someone, and not just the baddies. And any humour in his novels is invariably black.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Increment is a good action-packed tale. Ex-SAS man has his arm twisted to do one last undercover mission etc etc. It was good enough for me to raid the library for more novels but sadly they don't seem to have as many Ryans as they do Cusslers. I did get my hands on The Watchman which is a tale of MI5 plans to infiltrate the IRA. Excellent read.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Co-incidentally I noticed a book crossing stall in The Piazza on Saturday, and there are now four local places to leave and collect books. The only one I can remember on the list however, is Sacarello's in Irish Town. So if you don't exchange books informally with friends and work colleagues, there are now places to book cross here in Gib.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5a8NctDjf-IJrf4AOEfB_w4L65n4oFCLlmu5Mx7eztDmhUlGQ3xojqC88PNjFuV5U7HEnwgVVOG4tEa-uWeiezLbsCMEr28s8WBbc5GKGEgzlGXX2y-RE47ZiInV5yTbtxmKaAUY26dO/s1600/bookcrossing.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5a8NctDjf-IJrf4AOEfB_w4L65n4oFCLlmu5Mx7eztDmhUlGQ3xojqC88PNjFuV5U7HEnwgVVOG4tEa-uWeiezLbsCMEr28s8WBbc5GKGEgzlGXX2y-RE47ZiInV5yTbtxmKaAUY26dO/s400/bookcrossing.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672218784241102370" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px; " /></span></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Of course you could always join the library, based in John Mack Hall in Main Street.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"> </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-68009052829304637642011-11-01T09:14:00.001+01:002011-11-02T08:15:27.902+01:00Is it really ten years?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This month marks the tenth anniversary of my departure from the UK.<br /><br />That sounds slightly pretentious but I really can't think of a better way to describe it.<br /><br />So for most of November, I will be looking back over the last ten years, and musing on life, both on here and on Clouds. I may even write some more 'trip' posts on the Landy blog.<br /><br />For those of you who are newer readers, I wrote somewhere back that the idea of this blog - and the title - was to write about the somewhat momentous things that seem to happen when you reach forty.<br /><br />Or maybe because I got appallingly drunk on the delicious Agua de Valencia, that getting to forty took on a disproportionate effect on my life.<br /><br />Either way you look at it though, forty is pretty much a half way mark, more or less, depending on what fate has in store for you.<br /><br />But I never did write that many posts about Momentous Issues. This blog quickly became a sort of reportage. Life in Spain - hopefully giving people an insight, and passing on tips. Such as do make sure you have surge protectors. Apart from triple, and quadruple checking everything before you buy a house, making sure you have surge protectors is the next best piece of advice I can offer. And then I added Gib onto the mix.<br /><br />Itchy Feet became sort of a diary (although not a daily one). Pretty much what a blog was originally meant to be. The thoughtful (?) posts appeared on Clouds. <br /><br />So now, 'normal' posts are continuing over at my new blog. Yes. Another blog. But not with a different theme, I'm just really really fed up with blogger. I made the mistake of hitting on the 'try the new template' thing, and when I went back to what should have been the old version, it didn't go back to what was. So I am sick of the tiny fonts, the skewed paragraphs, the unchangeable justification, and basically most of it making blogging more difficult than it should be.<br /><br />I have tried wordpress before and quite frankly, thought it was terrible. Back when you could happily fiddle with blogger templates, and customise it happily, and it did what you wanted, wordpress was limited and offered little for me.<br /><br />It is still limited in that you can't mess around with the templates - unless you want to pay!!!!! - but there are well over a hundred to choose from, so even Ms Picky managed to find something. <br /><br />Pictures load individually, but quickly. If you like messing with HTML on the actual posts, it is pretty clear and simple (unlike blogger now for me). Anyway, it's always good to keep changing.<br /><br />So dear readers, if you wish to keep up with my riveting life, critical book reviews, and vegetarian recipes, please bookmark <a href="http://roughseasinthemed.wordpress.com/"> roughseasinthemed.wordpress.com.</a></span></span>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-83381045503523280982011-10-09T11:17:00.014+02:002011-10-31T07:59:18.987+01:00Southport Ditch<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For a place that is less than three square miles in total area, the amount of traffic in Gibraltar is, at times, unbelievable.</span></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Being a city it suffers from the usual city syndrome with everyone rushing to work in their car, dropping off the kids on the school run by car (often a 4x4), and doing the supermarket run - by car of course. Not to mention all the people who come in from Spain in their car.</span></span> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This, in spite of the regular and free bus services that cover most of the Rock.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And while a lot of the newer buildings have car parking underneath, many of us live in older blocks and have to find a space where we can. It doesn't take a Nobel Prize winner to work out that when there are blocks of flats on each side of the street, and only parking on one side of the narrow streets, there aren't going to be enough spaces for all the flat dwellers to park their vehicle outside their home.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But there are free car parks within about ten minutes walk, and that's where most of us who live in town park. Spaces are usually available early morning and evenings - but during the day, it can involve driving around the car park endlessly or just sitting and waiting for someone to leave.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Earlier this year we noticed a flurry of activity going on at the old Public Works Department down Ragged Staff Road. It </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">was </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> being demolished big time.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl55k-Pm0lS3_GFhlYQVALowQgc6UpLelXv75TXAQIDiJqxJZpLSY9SNy_1KRAGsFms0uVVWCmU15RIDPMfSqxkXxvZJwGwb8vgdfZWeaIgm4n9Je7tNmOMnP33jiG2nrJCsJYjdNLN9S/s1600/sd+tunnel+bef.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl55k-Pm0lS3_GFhlYQVALowQgc6UpLelXv75TXAQIDiJqxJZpLSY9SNy_1KRAGsFms0uVVWCmU15RIDPMfSqxkXxvZJwGwb8vgdfZWeaIgm4n9Je7tNmOMnP33jiG2nrJCsJYjdNLN9S/s400/sd+tunnel+bef.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661425659489031346" /></span></span></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmjx7CZz0xNkpF5L9ZnVKFCjvSCntNQwGUBXLIrAdBpyKN6g_2aIk2mrQGrOqYuwOLHonPbUSpZKXLElNdtafSftm00AZ9XR2Lfuuez6csY0hbz9BFr1iyAQ4xrQ-RJj0HEHf0_v8VKUl/s1600/sd+bef1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmjx7CZz0xNkpF5L9ZnVKFCjvSCntNQwGUBXLIrAdBpyKN6g_2aIk2mrQGrOqYuwOLHonPbUSpZKXLElNdtafSftm00AZ9XR2Lfuuez6csY0hbz9BFr1iyAQ4xrQ-RJj0HEHf0_v8VKUl/s400/sd+bef1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661425656253638210" /></span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Gib rumour machine swung into action. Yet more expensive apartment buildings. A car park. We asked someone who works at one of the car parks but they didn't know anything about it.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But the car park rumour was right. It seems Gib is moving into pay and display car parks with maximum lengths of stay. So it's obviously aimed at tourists and cross-border workers.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's not open yet, so I took some pix before it gets full of cars. The dark ones were taken on normal setting and reflect the actual lighting at the time, and lighter ones were on a night time setting and compensate for the dark by lightening up the pix.</span></span></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmjx7CZz0xNkpF5L9ZnVKFCjvSCntNQwGUBXLIrAdBpyKN6g_2aIk2mrQGrOqYuwOLHonPbUSpZKXLElNdtafSftm00AZ9XR2Lfuuez6csY0hbz9BFr1iyAQ4xrQ-RJj0HEHf0_v8VKUl/s1600/sd+bef1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIX2SdTCPFQZeql7xdoKC0jmgNLO4ZK5mH4XXkkNDPh-u2bO3Gv85hY1mQw9s5_da537tDbYgQF4cbgSJNUYpM8QjqRgapfFNctpUMS_Tk0PF0a5itXUe-RnqerWKVm4VOMVrF1sF7NEs0/s1600/tunneldark.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIX2SdTCPFQZeql7xdoKC0jmgNLO4ZK5mH4XXkkNDPh-u2bO3Gv85hY1mQw9s5_da537tDbYgQF4cbgSJNUYpM8QjqRgapfFNctpUMS_Tk0PF0a5itXUe-RnqerWKVm4VOMVrF1sF7NEs0/s400/tunneldark.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661425653172336402" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc4lcC74p0beKbyV41tMoDUiZXOQM5tKBToEgYQvAnef6_UdSxy22c-iUJKDw0Ycm048Q5Xp7XK0OT5B8lUsbgr5lkq8tihqibOZzt56G7ZtIgy583JgfXT9eVZblxcdvgx_nJzfQXxzl/s1600/tunnelnightsetting.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc4lcC74p0beKbyV41tMoDUiZXOQM5tKBToEgYQvAnef6_UdSxy22c-iUJKDw0Ycm048Q5Xp7XK0OT5B8lUsbgr5lkq8tihqibOZzt56G7ZtIgy583JgfXT9eVZblxcdvgx_nJzfQXxzl/s400/tunnelnightsetting.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661425648231015762" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyDGqioauVGEAIIuSHjSlS-2zTuLv01zI58GEqIZZO3Q6duGYXJYjCTv8CNHBCqdYLxQLfY4bVNcDga7SdrYU05iO3t3z3rVk4oM5gsTJZnGM4TduCDtAdpPOb-7Ysq0rOaPwqkO8jfLf/s1600/tunnel+c-up.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyDGqioauVGEAIIuSHjSlS-2zTuLv01zI58GEqIZZO3Q6duGYXJYjCTv8CNHBCqdYLxQLfY4bVNcDga7SdrYU05iO3t3z3rVk4oM5gsTJZnGM4TduCDtAdpPOb-7Ysq0rOaPwqkO8jfLf/s400/tunnel+c-up.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661422924020781730" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQo3FTSePfI9ME2hdCjlZPTVtW1hzzuy31jiioWp90yY27_-fqkpnNH5L3JUuAPYYS44tunqKdzW2Krf8qTJhYfFv_OxLvrV_vq5QdycijlQbsjGH7fKwTdvQXVAZiK6oG8MvuZqG-JvQ/s1600/steps.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQo3FTSePfI9ME2hdCjlZPTVtW1hzzuy31jiioWp90yY27_-fqkpnNH5L3JUuAPYYS44tunqKdzW2Krf8qTJhYfFv_OxLvrV_vq5QdycijlQbsjGH7fKwTdvQXVAZiK6oG8MvuZqG-JvQ/s400/steps.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661422920906960994" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcyY6Guiwng4vjQuf0LMJPvO2ynFguwJlQk5Ml5hfW-w55HMQGYZctlIlAyDylLWjCKupOQ7hyphenhyphenItZGTYQ2c1RWuNtzQaQ8NnFXGAze5J6DfO56d8dPEwKsajlwRHpQE2gW8mOmgQ_IiGH/s1600/longshot%252Btree.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcyY6Guiwng4vjQuf0LMJPvO2ynFguwJlQk5Ml5hfW-w55HMQGYZctlIlAyDylLWjCKupOQ7hyphenhyphenItZGTYQ2c1RWuNtzQaQ8NnFXGAze5J6DfO56d8dPEwKsajlwRHpQE2gW8mOmgQ_IiGH/s400/longshot%252Btree.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661422917673804210" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPivJlTG3YwiToCkfZmxLZjBY6NpfzQV8uGYO4_3rwxS6-Wu9iF5IB2ppHqabu6K_NJTycac9_RrbQ_iFF4wYETI4tjtfFbNgbD6PCxgof-3WM55pYqJAB6MuTqAYsfmSkL71kzaSNXEzG/s1600/farendplusraggedcloserup.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPivJlTG3YwiToCkfZmxLZjBY6NpfzQV8uGYO4_3rwxS6-Wu9iF5IB2ppHqabu6K_NJTycac9_RrbQ_iFF4wYETI4tjtfFbNgbD6PCxgof-3WM55pYqJAB6MuTqAYsfmSkL71kzaSNXEzG/s400/farendplusraggedcloserup.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661419720781982482" /></span></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think the Gib goverment makes some pretty crap decisions regarding development in a lot of cases, and I find a lot of the new build ugly beyond belief and totally out of proportion for such a tiny place. But I think they have made a tidy job of this car park and I love the restoration work on the old tunnel. My first fears were that they would be knocking it down, but I see a new information sign has been placed at the top of the pedestrian stairs telling us all about Southport Ditch. Of which more later when I have chance to read it.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifc7dQMRe7HwwSwSBxSKmqmV1jGA2MAv5iiFb9EO8gbmWGl6a-hevql70GICrbUxSCO1ppxAjItaDkwbfuINNuCr35OMtNqg9CGiWM6m5sD2pCYRKpTbo4CNe_EJlVw5MerzJ9DSpLAzTu/s1600/fromtopofsteps.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifc7dQMRe7HwwSwSBxSKmqmV1jGA2MAv5iiFb9EO8gbmWGl6a-hevql70GICrbUxSCO1ppxAjItaDkwbfuINNuCr35OMtNqg9CGiWM6m5sD2pCYRKpTbo4CNe_EJlVw5MerzJ9DSpLAzTu/s400/fromtopofsteps.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661419712847160818" /></span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P5E8NNMQEdt86k5E9K0gCi9vCfaeMgC8tCORUjmhw18YMTeUgfTuyj4nNLiaQD_EyzK5s3OJU07Qxt07fee8M65Dd3m1xv9C7kTIR7pQSOxdu-BWLcEUXTpKG5gmpNNVN0CJ9KIeh6O_/s1600/sditch.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P5E8NNMQEdt86k5E9K0gCi9vCfaeMgC8tCORUjmhw18YMTeUgfTuyj4nNLiaQD_EyzK5s3OJU07Qxt07fee8M65Dd3m1xv9C7kTIR7pQSOxdu-BWLcEUXTpKG5gmpNNVN0CJ9KIeh6O_/s400/sditch.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661419707032894594" /></span></span></a><br /></div></div></div></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-23464942173168355902011-10-08T19:06:00.011+02:002011-10-08T19:32:40.952+02:00Some salad suggestions<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In Spain, we always have a daily salad. It doesn't matter whether it is a light one in the evening, or a large one for our main meal at lunchtime.</span></span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I've always been a huge salad lover. When I was a kid I would love preparing salads for my parents, and we would sit down to a table spread with lots of different help-yourself salads.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There was a green salad, usually with lots of watercress. Some type of tomato salad. Beetroot salad, baby ones from a jar. A vegetable salad - say blanched cauliflower, or courgette, and grated carrot. If I did egg mayonnaise, which my father claimed not to like, more than half of it ended up on his plate. Just, whatever we had in and invariably served with some tiny new potatoes in their skins.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now a word on lettuce. I really loathe iceberg lettuce. It is totally bland and tasteless and invariably seems to be packaged in clingfilm and lies on shelves for ages. Oddly enough, it is the lettuce of choice where I live in Andalucia. So when my neighbour prepares a salad for me, that's what she uses. I've wondered if it is because it is water retentive, or that Andalucians have strange tastebuds, maybe because lots of them used to/still do smoke. Romaine lettuce isn't much better. When I was a kid it was called cos. I don't know why it was renamed but in the identity change I think it lost some of its taste.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Back in the UK, I used to grow lettuce, mizuna and rocket. In Spain, I can grow rocket, and whatever other lettuce condescends to germinate. Not much at the moment sadly although the rocket is going/growing strong. My neighbours think I am slightly odd for growing rocket as it grows wild around where we live and they clearly think it is too bitter.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The lettuce, when it grows in Spain is, four seasons, escarole, and something to do with May. I also grow baby spinach/spinach beet. So with a few leaves of all that lot, I usually have enough to put in a salad.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But when fresh greens aren't around, the basis for the salad is one of those plastic bags of greens from the supermarket. It means you can get variety, and to be honest, I think the choice of green mixtures is pretty good.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Other standbys for salad tend to be tinned sweetcorn (make - Bonduelle, maiz dulce, no sugar added), capers, olives, and occasionally, some bought cooked beetroot. I love raw grated beetroot but it takes ages to use up a whole bunch. One of the home-made salad ingredients I tend to keep in all the time is pickled onion. Not the nice tiny round ones pickled in malt vinegar that take ages before they are ready to eat, but finely sliced onion kept in wine vinegar for a few hours, preferably overnight. If you are a pickle addict, it's worth adding cucumber too.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For most salads, I try and add a 'main' feature to ring the changes. If you were a meat eater, I guess you would add chicken, or cold meats, or fish, or seafood or whatever. In our case, I use:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">fresh asparagus, preferably from as local a source as possible, I stick to Spanish asparagus</span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">fresh artichoke hearts (I've tried the tinned ones and I'm not too keen on those)</span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">fresh broad beans</span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">beans or chick peas, ie legumes</span></span></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">and occasionally mozzarella, if it is suitable for vegetarians, in Spain, Galbani from Supersol claims to tick the box</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Everything is usually cloaked in the mustard dressing that I've posted for the artichoke salad earlier.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So the photos show two different salads.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The chickpea one also has artichokes!! Must have gone over the top there. Fresh peppers, beetroot, a bag of salad and grated carrot. Grated carrot is a good one I think, one small carrot will serve for two people but adds so much extra taste. The pickled onion rings I mentioned above and some baby spinach on the top came out of the garden.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Chick peas, haricot beans, butter beans are all great in salads. Cook extra in the pressure cooker when you want to do a casserole, store the rest in the fridge and you have a main salad dish to hand. Easy.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The mozzarella salad was a classic mozzarella, tomato, capers, olive oil and salt serving. The rest of the salad was what I had in the fridge/store cupboard, because the pesky supermarket didn't have a bag of salad and I only had a tiny amount of leaves in the garden. To which I added sweetcorn, onion, beetroot and carrot. I guess it lacked basil, but it was good enough.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Overall cost of meals? Pretty cheap. The Galbani mozzarella is around €2 a bag, and I don't use it all for one meal. The sweetcorn is €2 for three small tins (sometimes it is on offer) and I use less than a tin for one meal. Cooked beetroot is around 80 cents I think and again, not all used at once. A bag of salad is roughly a euro, and I will use it for two separate meals. Carrot, tomato, capers, chick peas, olives, onion - negligible. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The same salad out? Min €5, more like €7.50. One reason why we don't eat out.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Chick pea and artichoke salad - and - a glass of water??</span></span></p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1lhN2ei-Td2F3f7ZAubdGxBQf9bflDPYms1bx0fjej5whIGEXEIywb-AMEZADCFrhmJQuHx1g9hLDsTiYFX105wxxj5aSxU5JeiO9fnQOQU-5mqtGcEj3zpelF5wiA1E7-u3lptV6GCd/s1600/cpeas+and+glassJPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1lhN2ei-Td2F3f7ZAubdGxBQf9bflDPYms1bx0fjej5whIGEXEIywb-AMEZADCFrhmJQuHx1g9hLDsTiYFX105wxxj5aSxU5JeiO9fnQOQU-5mqtGcEj3zpelF5wiA1E7-u3lptV6GCd/s400/cpeas+and+glassJPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661169402938861890" /></span></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1lhN2ei-Td2F3f7ZAubdGxBQf9bflDPYms1bx0fjej5whIGEXEIywb-AMEZADCFrhmJQuHx1g9hLDsTiYFX105wxxj5aSxU5JeiO9fnQOQU-5mqtGcEj3zpelF5wiA1E7-u3lptV6GCd/s1600/cpeas+and+glassJPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Yummy artichokes<br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52q9mFa1wDPvf3XfxsE2KJLYBfENS5nnNCn3_3IMeKVxMgbw96OiVdmM__SkvdNJmlE6wrRUYl82oDi4flHRTLR9JlUSkwwu7HNlV8lNpE8U7Kx_-vxgfCH6N5rK3ieiXC7k4gzWmK8UP/s1600/cps+2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52q9mFa1wDPvf3XfxsE2KJLYBfENS5nnNCn3_3IMeKVxMgbw96OiVdmM__SkvdNJmlE6wrRUYl82oDi4flHRTLR9JlUSkwwu7HNlV8lNpE8U7Kx_-vxgfCH6N5rK3ieiXC7k4gzWmK8UP/s400/cps+2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661169396504208002" /></span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52q9mFa1wDPvf3XfxsE2KJLYBfENS5nnNCn3_3IMeKVxMgbw96OiVdmM__SkvdNJmlE6wrRUYl82oDi4flHRTLR9JlUSkwwu7HNlV8lNpE8U7Kx_-vxgfCH6N5rK3ieiXC7k4gzWmK8UP/s1600/cps+2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Mozzarella salad with - wine vinegar and tabasco of course<br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEylS_JS8bS0RA1OQlninxWGjp_b_Vg5Vuc01Bg9UuOInxAyCVgOt_EC2ErcA9UYJcayNkLcCQlbBFgmPFMigPX0mpjH6CP0rVWXWGvUz8yolTVfeqLsRw-uWEYBrHRN1DoIK5g_ZPSHG/s1600/mozza.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEylS_JS8bS0RA1OQlninxWGjp_b_Vg5Vuc01Bg9UuOInxAyCVgOt_EC2ErcA9UYJcayNkLcCQlbBFgmPFMigPX0mpjH6CP0rVWXWGvUz8yolTVfeqLsRw-uWEYBrHRN1DoIK5g_ZPSHG/s400/mozza.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661169390084385778" /></span></span></a><br /></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-41377642918018425202011-10-04T11:02:00.005+02:002011-10-04T11:16:16.673+02:00Mushroom pate<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I bought a box of organic chestnut mushrooms and every time I looked at them they spoke to me saying 'mushroom pate'.</span></span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So I looked up endless recipes on the internet and they all seemed to be basically the same.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chop onions, mushrooms and garlic, and saute gently in olive oil and/or butter.</span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsHIK4507NOIIrsMJqwSGw0FX2QLcBGlkMhLMP5xYEU-ud8twYnMjZdvUfK1b2bsFCJA0OkCGsM7ygvva0PGKoqFv4kmAoGXvTBdYIvm85uC7wEam5hZWs-bmv1UqTCrTtBUH9m4svxe/s1600/mushies.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsHIK4507NOIIrsMJqwSGw0FX2QLcBGlkMhLMP5xYEU-ud8twYnMjZdvUfK1b2bsFCJA0OkCGsM7ygvva0PGKoqFv4kmAoGXvTBdYIvm85uC7wEam5hZWs-bmv1UqTCrTtBUH9m4svxe/s400/mushies.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659560611475596370" /></span></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsHIK4507NOIIrsMJqwSGw0FX2QLcBGlkMhLMP5xYEU-ud8twYnMjZdvUfK1b2bsFCJA0OkCGsM7ygvva0PGKoqFv4kmAoGXvTBdYIvm85uC7wEam5hZWs-bmv1UqTCrTtBUH9m4svxe/s1600/mushies.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Which I did. Add salt, pepper and herb(s) of choice. I had fresh thyme which I thought would be good. One recipe suggested tarragon which I think would also be nice.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Add white wine or dry sherry or any other alcohol of choice, and reduce.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">And that's it. When it's cool blend it. Some recipes suggested serving it warm which I thought was not a good idea. If I want warm mushrooms, they need to be sliced with onions, white wine and parsley. </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So chill the pate for a short while before you </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">dish it up,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> serve it.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Now, I did read about other stuff you can add - cream cheese, cream, yoghurt etc. I didn't really fancy any of those, but I can imagine cream cheese might make an interesting addition, especially for texture/consistency.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I used half a pound of mushrooms and there was<i> loads</i>, and I mean, <i><b>loads</b></i>, of pate. Plus, half a large onion/one small one, and one or more cloves of garlic. Two greedy people managed a huge supper and a huge brunch out of it.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Using half the amount of mushrooms would still provide an ample helping. I'm also thinking of adding some black olives to the next version. Didn't see any recipes including those, but I think it would be a good addition for both taste and texture.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Incidentally, serve with lots of fresh lemon, it really needs the lemon to provide that sharp contrast.</span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsHIK4507NOIIrsMJqwSGw0FX2QLcBGlkMhLMP5xYEU-ud8twYnMjZdvUfK1b2bsFCJA0OkCGsM7ygvva0PGKoqFv4kmAoGXvTBdYIvm85uC7wEam5hZWs-bmv1UqTCrTtBUH9m4svxe/s1600/mushies.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7h1yZjouuLoHWbNGCr6Tn5rzh-FuFeunyKUc-UDNgpUdazvmKzWnhpwmBm3YByXhdbEn2fBhBhHk-3T63hzqkDhs6YRPMhlv_38iCR0GQhGKyqsIyEWaU1_IP78N1mcQu0z47olO_33_/s1600/pate.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7h1yZjouuLoHWbNGCr6Tn5rzh-FuFeunyKUc-UDNgpUdazvmKzWnhpwmBm3YByXhdbEn2fBhBhHk-3T63hzqkDhs6YRPMhlv_38iCR0GQhGKyqsIyEWaU1_IP78N1mcQu0z47olO_33_/s400/pate.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659560395622161362" /></span></span></a><br /></div></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-9563305040639307322011-10-01T15:12:00.012+02:002011-10-02T06:44:41.693+02:00Gibraltar - a few facts<div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And following on from National Day, a few Gibfacts, for those of you who wonder where on earth it is and what life is like here.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>Basics</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First up - where it is. It's on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula and juts out dramatically into the Mediterranean. It is NOT an island, although is often mistakenly referred to as one. It's an easy mistake to make, I know, I've done it even while living here, as - with the exception of the frontier with Spain - it is surrounded by water. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssAEjrD2Lwsyq9BYgNk5TNewC9TjcuqpCKw-LPpCkanqLjhYnCVhXnkkJqCocsO0R8TnRAJO606CyWe4Jlfx46sss9tX_f-FxFNVxKI2j8AGDHF1YJ4Q1EBPNObf6v5pgAYUiVi2VW9LX/s1600/from+el+hig.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssAEjrD2Lwsyq9BYgNk5TNewC9TjcuqpCKw-LPpCkanqLjhYnCVhXnkkJqCocsO0R8TnRAJO606CyWe4Jlfx46sss9tX_f-FxFNVxKI2j8AGDHF1YJ4Q1EBPNObf6v5pgAYUiVi2VW9LX/s400/from+el+hig.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658513463891781954" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">View of Gibraltar (and in the distance, Africa) from El Higueron in Spain </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The very southernmost tip of Gibraltar, Europa Point, looks across the Strait of Gibraltar 20 miles away to Africa, and on clear days the Spanish enclave of Ceuta can be clearly seen, and behind, the high Rif mountains in Morocco.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73wL5Tfu6kP2AYMUPRr0BZan52u8FmNFKhr6ZkE8kdH-5kPP9_GuQiePsPneOyGAl2yXbQuKM8ULpFbUzQa5jcNpNyz5QPIL09jxZY5m44wPmM_v2ByiOJHFuL48woPtyUsaeDb7Mo75G/s1600/ep.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73wL5Tfu6kP2AYMUPRr0BZan52u8FmNFKhr6ZkE8kdH-5kPP9_GuQiePsPneOyGAl2yXbQuKM8ULpFbUzQa5jcNpNyz5QPIL09jxZY5m44wPmM_v2ByiOJHFuL48woPtyUsaeDb7Mo75G/s400/ep.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658513458307057090" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lighthouse at Europa Point</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gib is small, nearly three miles long, less than a mile wide, total area being around two and a quarter square miles. Most of the 30,000 population live in the lower part of Gibraltar on the western side. As such, that makes us one of the most densely populated territories in the world - and that's why nearly all of us live in small flats.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-JmxMbwpLMn8Yl79qqKBqpxWnMZOuM02tmzIuKuZS_qYFJ-tJqtxxsC0LmofhVLUYdvIyhQV-FzT2urp4fWazjV67prk-D5ouIaIKwPvA9z5Tn3eqRbnTvTgxyN32jwT6Kes3JvUE10p/s1600/gibchanges1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-JmxMbwpLMn8Yl79qqKBqpxWnMZOuM02tmzIuKuZS_qYFJ-tJqtxxsC0LmofhVLUYdvIyhQV-FzT2urp4fWazjV67prk-D5ouIaIKwPvA9z5Tn3eqRbnTvTgxyN32jwT6Kes3JvUE10p/s400/gibchanges1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658513454049479986" style="cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 400px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Taken from Insight magazine - reclamation on the western side to provide more housing</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What is it? It is currently a British Overseas Territory and part of the Commonwealth, previously a Crown Colony and part of the British Empire. We have a Governor who is the Queen's representative. </span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gib has its own government which is responsible for everything except defence and foreign policy - they fall to the British.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Our government is elected every four years (or less) and the current party in power is the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD). Despite the name it is the right of centre option and is led by Chief Minister Peter Caruana.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>History</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A little bit of potted history next. Hundreds of thousands of years ago it actually was an island, and at another point it was also connected to Africa.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Modern day Gibraltar really started when the Moors took Gibraltar in 711AD under the leadership of Berber chief, Tarik-ibn-Ziyad. The Rock became known as Jebel Tarik (Mountain of Tarik) which led to the present name of Gibraltar.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Today's obvious remains of the Moorish past are the castle on the hill - the Moorish Castle or Tower of Homage, and the beautiful baths under the present museum.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExd-NwgdSdxrj7TKAivkKZWRDouGiH2W0SFjsmU1t2EGREU5ZyAKiQVfgaHdNBprf8uNzvCVSiIW_-fJlbWgYB6QFXFs7CzSg35Z6-Z8KfGB3VwN2LSmjTka0sRhy4rb7Bols7WoCNkTu/s1600/mc.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExd-NwgdSdxrj7TKAivkKZWRDouGiH2W0SFjsmU1t2EGREU5ZyAKiQVfgaHdNBprf8uNzvCVSiIW_-fJlbWgYB6QFXFs7CzSg35Z6-Z8KfGB3VwN2LSmjTka0sRhy4rb7Bols7WoCNkTu/s400/mc.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658513455082423682" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Moorish Castle</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Four hundred years later the Spaniards and Muslims were fighting it out in Spain, and Gibraltar passed backwards and forwards between the two. But by 1462 Gib was retaken by Spain and became part of the estates of the Duke of Medina Sidonia. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, completed the reconquest of Spain when they retook Granada in 1492, and in December 1501, Gibraltar became Spanish crown property.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Some 200 years later - 1704 - Gibraltar was taken from the Spanish by an Anglo-Dutch force fighting in the War of Spanish Succession, and, has been British ever since. Not that British sovereignty has stopped Spain claiming Gib.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In 1713, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity, yet in 1727 the Spaniards besieged the Rock, but this was a relatively short siege, ending the same year.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In 1779, the Spaniards and the French joined forces and started the Great Siege which lasted for nearly four years and led to the huge development of the tunnel network within the Rock. Finally, in 1784 the war with Spain ended and the Treaty of Versailles was signed.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Moving swiftly forward to the 1960s and Franco. The subject of Gibraltar's decolonisation was put before a United Nations committee, which favoured the Spanish point of view. Spain started imposing restrictions at the frontier and it was fully closed in 1969. Franco cut off access by land and sea, and the only external communications were by air with London or by sea to Morocco. Telephone communications were also cut by Spain.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Although Franco died in 1975, the border remained closed until December 1982, when it was finally reopened for pedestrians. It was another two years however, before open access across the frontier was fully restored.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>People</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So - present day Gib. Who lives in it? Well, Gibraltarians obviously, but also lots of other nationalities. The Gibraltarian heritage is a mix of Genovese, Maltese, Portuguese, British, Spanish, and Jewish. Walking down the street however, or going to work, you will meet Indians, Moroccans, Eastern Europeans, even the odd few South Africans and Australians. Culturally and demographically Gib is an eclectic mixture.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Reflecting the diversity of people living here, there is the same broad range of religions represented in Gib. The predominant one is Roman Catholic, and other Christian denominations are present. Other religions include Judaism, Islam and Hinduism.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The official language here is English, but on the streets you will most likely hear Gibraltarians speaking Llanito which is the local language. Llanito is largely Andalucian Spanish, but includes English words, and words from other languages reflecting Gibraltar's multi-racial heritage. People will happily switch between Llanito, English and Spanish within the same conversation - and even the same sentence.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oddly enough, although Gibraltarians are fluent Spanish speakers, this doesn't extend to reading and writing. Some do read Spanish, but most of our Gibraltarian friends don't, and they certainly don't write in Spanish. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On the topic of speaking Spanish - you don't need it to live here, but it helps if you do. Apart from the fact that you can understand if someone is being rude about you, there are a lot of cross-border workers who come across from Spain every day, a lot of whom speak little, or no English. British cross-border workers who live in Spain come to work in Gib too.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>Economy</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Our currency is Gibraltar pounds. English currency is acceptable here and the rate of exchange is one Gib pound to one English pound. Shops and bars will accept euros - but note that it is a vastly inflated exchange rate.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wages in Gibraltar are higher than they are in Spain (not that they are high here compared with the UK), and the current economic situation in Spain has left a lot of people unemployed. There are still jobs in Gibraltar, not that I can find one, well, not one that suits.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tourism plays a large part in the Gibraltar economy, with cruise liners regularly stopping here - sometimes three in one day. When this happens you need to hide inside because you can't move down Main Street for tourists looking for duty free bargains - especially spirits, tobacco, and perfume.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Most of the shops in Gib are down Main Street, the side streets that run off it, or the ones that run parallel to it - to the west, Irish Town, and to the east, Engineers Lane/Governors Street. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We have some supermarkets, the Spanish franchise Coviran has branches here (Devils Tower, Waterport and Jumpers), and our biggest supermarket is Morrisons. Morrisons is something of a Mecca for ex-pats living in Andalucia and there are regular bus trips down the coast for people to shop in a Real! British! Supermarket! They invariably arrive on a Thursday which is probably the best day of the week to visit for a good choice of products. By the weekend the shelves are looking rather sad and empty, and on Monday and Tuesday, we are all waiting for the trucks to unload their goodies and for the shelves to be stocked back up again.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Unless I am buying organic veg, I tend to use my local Coviran, Moroccan or Jewish shops for fresh vegetables. For a change there is the market which is open from Monday to Saturday in the mornings. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Opening hours for shops and offices in Gib are something else again. For another post.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>The Upper Rock - and the monkeys</b></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now when our tourists have finished buying their perfume, fags and booze, they then go up to the top of the Rock to see the monkeys. Either in the cable car or by taxi although a few intrepid souls do walk it.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The upper rock is a nature reserve, and is home to some unique flora and fauna in Europe. Barbary Macaques - the famous monkeys, Barbary partridge, Gibraltar candytuft, campion, and chickweed, are only found in Europe on the Rock. There are other attractions too, St Michael's Cave, the World War II Tunnels, geocaches, lots of different walks and wonderful views. Unmissable.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLa-k3lS5QKrHm_qkFdnlyh6Wc-mfEvhobNx7thm4r9TO6chh8-0ak92kuWC9nAEzF15ftJe0pS-aLbUl056y2F0bNeCwE_WBRMvib4iCouCXBtJTYOAHlratI9uO6F8hiVP9Kqbly5cRQ/s1600/bm.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLa-k3lS5QKrHm_qkFdnlyh6Wc-mfEvhobNx7thm4r9TO6chh8-0ak92kuWC9nAEzF15ftJe0pS-aLbUl056y2F0bNeCwE_WBRMvib4iCouCXBtJTYOAHlratI9uO6F8hiVP9Kqbly5cRQ/s400/bm.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658513450099461442" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Barbary Macaque takes a trip downtown. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">More info about Gib on the sites below. I'll post other Gibfacts later.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.gonhs.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society</span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.gibraltar.gi/history/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gibraltar History and Politics</span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/history"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Government of Gibraltar Information Services - links for history, heritage, geography, flora and fauna amongst others</span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssAEjrD2Lwsyq9BYgNk5TNewC9TjcuqpCKw-LPpCkanqLjhYnCVhXnkkJqCocsO0R8TnRAJO606CyWe4Jlfx46sss9tX_f-FxFNVxKI2j8AGDHF1YJ4Q1EBPNObf6v5pgAYUiVi2VW9LX/s1600/from+el+hig.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExd-NwgdSdxrj7TKAivkKZWRDouGiH2W0SFjsmU1t2EGREU5ZyAKiQVfgaHdNBprf8uNzvCVSiIW_-fJlbWgYB6QFXFs7CzSg35Z6-Z8KfGB3VwN2LSmjTka0sRhy4rb7Bols7WoCNkTu/s1600/mc.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-JmxMbwpLMn8Yl79qqKBqpxWnMZOuM02tmzIuKuZS_qYFJ-tJqtxxsC0LmofhVLUYdvIyhQV-FzT2urp4fWazjV67prk-D5ouIaIKwPvA9z5Tn3eqRbnTvTgxyN32jwT6Kes3JvUE10p/s1600/gibchanges1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><br /></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-63074040898162227212011-09-28T16:16:00.021+02:002011-09-30T08:12:22.954+02:00Finca project - the kitchen<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Regular riveted readers may still be aware of the tortuous ongoing project of revamping the finca.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">With the sitting room and dining room completed earlier - and that was probably the worst half of the house - I said the next room to do was the kitchen.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When I said 'do', I didn't actually mean finish it, and make it into a perfect kitchen. Oh no. What I meant was paint it so that it looked presentable, rather than looking dusty and dirty as it had suddenly become.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When we first bought the finca many years ago, the kitchen, was well, basic. There were cracked white tiles from floor to ceiling around the sink and cooker area and not much else. There still isn't much else, but at least we got rid of the cracked white tiles.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We also got rid of the nice white sink that was - natch - cracked, and full of ants. The cooker didn't last long either, one of the burners was dodgy so it went out. The cooker, not just the burner. We have bottled gas in our village, and the idea of a dodgy burner and a full bottle of butano is no fun at all.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Once the tiles were gone, the walls were re-rendered. I say this as though it took no time at all. It took months of course. What took even longer was choosing tiles. Tiles, it seemed, had become computer generated. Or at least the design had, and, there were irritating little pixels all over the place. Probably ok if you are not short-sighted, but I needed to find the least irritating design without pesky pixels.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eventually I found some and they were duly applied. The golden rule in our village is tiles should be a metre high to prevent the damp sucking through the soft stone that our houses are built from. We stuck an extra layer of tile above the metre rule, plus the border tile on top of that.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Because tile adhesive is expensive, the way to tile in our village is to stick a blob of adhesive on each corner, and if they are feeling flush, possibly one in the middle. This is NOT a good idea. Do you know what can lurk in those nice gaps between the tiles and the wall? Yes. Dear little, and not so little, cockroaches. We knew an English couple who had a bar (don't they all?) and when they retiled the kitchen in the bar, the walls were full of cockroaches happily nesting behind the tiles in the lovely gaps. Just cover the tiles with adhesive, people. Unless you want a cockroach sanctuary of course.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tiles are expensive. Paying someone to put them would be even worse, fortunately I didn't have to do that. But, I actually reckon they are a good investment. 1) blocks the damp problem 2) Incredibly easy to clean 3) They don't need replacing as often as the walls need painting.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Onto the work. The walls above the tiles had been filled when we were attacking the dining room, so that was part of the prep done. I washed the tops of the border tiles down to remove the dust so we could cover them with masking tape. Same with the light fittings. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Next, all the pans came down to be washed and stored in the dining room while the walls were painted. We sheeted up and brushed the dust off the walls.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Then, a coat of Benjamin Moore white paint. It covered so well, that apart from touching up a couple of pan marks, we decided one coat was enough - the other two rooms all needed two, plus stain stop. Our fastest job to date. Done in a day. Dust sheets removed and pans back on the wall.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was a bit of a shock when all the other jobs have taken weeks. So - next - the bedroom. Another long job, and we will probably move into the back house to sleep so that we can work more easily.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anyway, some comments about my minimalist kitchen.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First up, the fridge is Fagor, a Spanish company and is excellent. We bought it from the shop down the road that sells seconds. They don't deliver so we had to take it home and wait 48 hours for it to settle. It had a couple of dents in the side. So did our AEG in the UK for which we got £40 off when it was delivered less than perfectly. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I can live with cheap and less than perfect these days. We still get the two year guarantee. So why pay more??</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Table with rather rusty legs and corner cabinet are both IKEA from many years ago. Legs on table may get sprayed. Corner thing was actually part of an office suite but it serves for a good spice shelf.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Plastic chairs came from my mum and dad's since the pine ones got moved to the dining room.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oh, the sink. Yeah, we'll get one of those white ceramic things one day. But for now it's a red plastic bowl stuck on top of a Black and Decker workmate. It works well enough, so, no rush. We chuck the water out on the street. Hopefully missing our neighbours. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p></span></span></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC5z43BiTKknWsrCOYh3DbNSagX4v6p9P7oUSsfVC4sxeIMPZCFQrLvqKnFmTqIFCO_SW-9K9wmo6Ik_dFSMlVpWVZJAqKyfKZunZc3hBuBhw6GFx_ZGEyu1ccKKW4LtMn6nwGdlat7WA/s1600/filler.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC5z43BiTKknWsrCOYh3DbNSagX4v6p9P7oUSsfVC4sxeIMPZCFQrLvqKnFmTqIFCO_SW-9K9wmo6Ik_dFSMlVpWVZJAqKyfKZunZc3hBuBhw6GFx_ZGEyu1ccKKW4LtMn6nwGdlat7WA/s400/filler.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657420407551579842" /></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Filled walls, pans already down</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC5z43BiTKknWsrCOYh3DbNSagX4v6p9P7oUSsfVC4sxeIMPZCFQrLvqKnFmTqIFCO_SW-9K9wmo6Ik_dFSMlVpWVZJAqKyfKZunZc3hBuBhw6GFx_ZGEyu1ccKKW4LtMn6nwGdlat7WA/s1600/filler.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau8gMDxw9oEyGtKn3zBxelIk2vF1lWkUGQPuf9cnyuFPZatQfRJnzhUMM6u8lieWFf68RyU_ZuL4ZBZNuBfTqcrB6An_atWndkbQpnSVn4EmbDcGqlkOcHwAkle0H27ie6m5-uaBsjLsB/s1600/morefiller+and+pansdown.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau8gMDxw9oEyGtKn3zBxelIk2vF1lWkUGQPuf9cnyuFPZatQfRJnzhUMM6u8lieWFf68RyU_ZuL4ZBZNuBfTqcrB6An_atWndkbQpnSVn4EmbDcGqlkOcHwAkle0H27ie6m5-uaBsjLsB/s400/morefiller+and+pansdown.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657420402089731938" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lots of pans to take down and wash, more filler on top left</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau8gMDxw9oEyGtKn3zBxelIk2vF1lWkUGQPuf9cnyuFPZatQfRJnzhUMM6u8lieWFf68RyU_ZuL4ZBZNuBfTqcrB6An_atWndkbQpnSVn4EmbDcGqlkOcHwAkle0H27ie6m5-uaBsjLsB/s1600/morefiller+and+pansdown.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNww6v1MG9xAoe-yXcjWPS5T3wPglCst0ub8Wk9F5RR21opu6u78PRveEGLlSfAN8daBetEkFHpvGVRBTfRbvra1j2acwXA0tsDEIBD6TgJvygx1BtK5aw7P7EhcbdLJfsLUNMpesUr86/s1600/sinkcorner.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNww6v1MG9xAoe-yXcjWPS5T3wPglCst0ub8Wk9F5RR21opu6u78PRveEGLlSfAN8daBetEkFHpvGVRBTfRbvra1j2acwXA0tsDEIBD6TgJvygx1BtK5aw7P7EhcbdLJfsLUNMpesUr86/s400/sinkcorner.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657420398447933378" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Copper engraved prints to take down, light fittings washed off</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNww6v1MG9xAoe-yXcjWPS5T3wPglCst0ub8Wk9F5RR21opu6u78PRveEGLlSfAN8daBetEkFHpvGVRBTfRbvra1j2acwXA0tsDEIBD6TgJvygx1BtK5aw7P7EhcbdLJfsLUNMpesUr86/s1600/sinkcorner.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4k1sVgtufWsQ2jpBTuI94jsK114Xy8RuPow1fcIDD6bSwNWTVBNA_dhRHTZbuxDr8ZLobX6iR3AYl3XoU-1oE33ZnCFyLta2vW4Nt8jnTd8LuLeI0J9bLx3HpsYY2kt5eGUL9l3orO_I/s1600/sheetingup.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4k1sVgtufWsQ2jpBTuI94jsK114Xy8RuPow1fcIDD6bSwNWTVBNA_dhRHTZbuxDr8ZLobX6iR3AYl3XoU-1oE33ZnCFyLta2vW4Nt8jnTd8LuLeI0J9bLx3HpsYY2kt5eGUL9l3orO_I/s400/sheetingup.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657419914551590418" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sheeted up - but don't disturb Pippa</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4k1sVgtufWsQ2jpBTuI94jsK114Xy8RuPow1fcIDD6bSwNWTVBNA_dhRHTZbuxDr8ZLobX6iR3AYl3XoU-1oE33ZnCFyLta2vW4Nt8jnTd8LuLeI0J9bLx3HpsYY2kt5eGUL9l3orO_I/s1600/sheetingup.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTh6NJnGr1vVjTwWoxY3BOlfrCAgM2kBZdq3VdLdFjVoC77CS9G7O5_E-96Poo_i1dNnGE6XjwDy6BQbFr-Z50YmJLy3eI0JMWoF4J6AuImtuOZkZ8DYtAEBOs4hOnJDo-FH21yF3GBOj/s1600/back+already.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTh6NJnGr1vVjTwWoxY3BOlfrCAgM2kBZdq3VdLdFjVoC77CS9G7O5_E-96Poo_i1dNnGE6XjwDy6BQbFr-Z50YmJLy3eI0JMWoF4J6AuImtuOZkZ8DYtAEBOs4hOnJDo-FH21yF3GBOj/s400/back+already.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657419914444821842" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pans already back in place - and gleaming clean</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5uvxBuuFp9v0OvTIk6H9z5GiCm21EEUt4aBqfdSvhql57xuPrxmLLGqQihEtz-SxZmXQbLDBSXHbvef7L0FSHRGi1_vBplX5vhcEH3iJH2xsZ-UYc0UTlaJpYB3NCRGvCjZuKx4LXKqx/s1600/fridge.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5uvxBuuFp9v0OvTIk6H9z5GiCm21EEUt4aBqfdSvhql57xuPrxmLLGqQihEtz-SxZmXQbLDBSXHbvef7L0FSHRGi1_vBplX5vhcEH3iJH2xsZ-UYc0UTlaJpYB3NCRGvCjZuKx4LXKqx/s400/fridge.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657424845376081154" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And round to the fridge, chattering away in the corner to itself</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTh6NJnGr1vVjTwWoxY3BOlfrCAgM2kBZdq3VdLdFjVoC77CS9G7O5_E-96Poo_i1dNnGE6XjwDy6BQbFr-Z50YmJLy3eI0JMWoF4J6AuImtuOZkZ8DYtAEBOs4hOnJDo-FH21yF3GBOj/s1600/back+already.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGX_EhOwfnQ850I5TxLBUurP4PjquPM2_qq626tBKlMMbcVubQqWxFOlwsrv0znQ5j8wNgI-MYKdBjRZTvqS5jKmldLWAmRf8Fb124Bu-xF8_G2WlqxCi6I9nR-XTjclTV-wG0DiuwM4O/s1600/picwall.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGX_EhOwfnQ850I5TxLBUurP4PjquPM2_qq626tBKlMMbcVubQqWxFOlwsrv0znQ5j8wNgI-MYKdBjRZTvqS5jKmldLWAmRf8Fb124Bu-xF8_G2WlqxCi6I9nR-XTjclTV-wG0DiuwM4O/s400/picwall.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657419912030422946" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yet more clean pans, painting, engravings - all back</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGX_EhOwfnQ850I5TxLBUurP4PjquPM2_qq626tBKlMMbcVubQqWxFOlwsrv0znQ5j8wNgI-MYKdBjRZTvqS5jKmldLWAmRf8Fb124Bu-xF8_G2WlqxCi6I9nR-XTjclTV-wG0DiuwM4O/s1600/picwall.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG-GUuE5WkXbyKbPDbNkctJHNbsi4BNRhO-BlZCzYoxeOItTjimWBB00-D2GIOhcaIS1bWodiUwwaaKC5mmbGJ1N-eqTS_SSkbpIQG593jXKfw3T9o7AP9Jg5ZHayGf92TyuQ8LEMXCCC/s1600/sinkanddoor.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG-GUuE5WkXbyKbPDbNkctJHNbsi4BNRhO-BlZCzYoxeOItTjimWBB00-D2GIOhcaIS1bWodiUwwaaKC5mmbGJ1N-eqTS_SSkbpIQG593jXKfw3T9o7AP9Jg5ZHayGf92TyuQ8LEMXCCC/s400/sinkanddoor.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657419908315464402" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Door still needs painting, solid wood, originally from our neighbours</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Also, note the feature stone arch above the doorway</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG-GUuE5WkXbyKbPDbNkctJHNbsi4BNRhO-BlZCzYoxeOItTjimWBB00-D2GIOhcaIS1bWodiUwwaaKC5mmbGJ1N-eqTS_SSkbpIQG593jXKfw3T9o7AP9Jg5ZHayGf92TyuQ8LEMXCCC/s1600/sinkanddoor.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjNdyNvMpOn9bPs_RNP3jRJng6oj5-ok9VRV_XJqTYfkO5ZOtSmuQAPqwYJUezbCAUyMnwgF98LkPVjaQwJuSqYc122eDLDks02Qnz1QRXOF1sihTGgbWaI3hVi36Q5fT-1vqW7Nzmy18/s1600/salad.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjNdyNvMpOn9bPs_RNP3jRJng6oj5-ok9VRV_XJqTYfkO5ZOtSmuQAPqwYJUezbCAUyMnwgF98LkPVjaQwJuSqYc122eDLDks02Qnz1QRXOF1sihTGgbWaI3hVi36Q5fT-1vqW7Nzmy18/s400/salad.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657419899641116962" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Always need a food piccy. Mozzarella and tomato salad with capers</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Recipe to follow</span></span></div></div></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-56439647686793118572011-09-10T15:44:00.045+02:002011-09-12T13:35:07.261+02:00Gibraltar National Day 2011<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwVMb9hwOhBa7HVorj6nFAO6pSstBFdpyES1lvMRp-906ZIyihEjX1oS14cXRgPqVowwGG34pB_XyipIdRV3gm_vT7RheXBXNo_Vwo3CVP-ia3NcCYdXufwgX2clE9tUKHincE1DAdLom/s1600/not+here.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF73omPFuN7nrS6_cRS08MGipiII5WOKkwFVKtOc3rccaBtk5-yUeqCrp5KqLzTLXU1_ACiOaCfrQEqIW2nTm7999wFZG206UC_g3bpEO3H4L84sbFMtdhWOHSoG2MJn-z6DrlTjDTCeDH/s1600/natanth.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF73omPFuN7nrS6_cRS08MGipiII5WOKkwFVKtOc3rccaBtk5-yUeqCrp5KqLzTLXU1_ACiOaCfrQEqIW2nTm7999wFZG206UC_g3bpEO3H4L84sbFMtdhWOHSoG2MJn-z6DrlTjDTCeDH/s200/natanth.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650737325973959474" /></span></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF73omPFuN7nrS6_cRS08MGipiII5WOKkwFVKtOc3rccaBtk5-yUeqCrp5KqLzTLXU1_ACiOaCfrQEqIW2nTm7999wFZG206UC_g3bpEO3H4L84sbFMtdhWOHSoG2MJn-z6DrlTjDTCeDH/s1600/natanth.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MPBugOJL7vWnldJgjP48d3gY76mNIgx-9d-9HPVUGuZe2pxEC8tZgPWzTgYSlHa0DTmhMtdfI7i9Otp1FoFA3gHyShYqMATDBFJMV02zi3fg1THZIR-52N9_8Tdq4zdTC0d5mh9NI3Zl/s1600/long.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uPiZGeaVVTlXykbIVaB2PsZ0Im0kb1sl8R0o6Wl8iS8Qat6ddW95WiRH7SRtsHeWln138zmLC3ZbQrRTQLYd9b45BNATP3qWSCzirTi1w21ICT06MKTbDRQMYm5pTjo_mzJUy-E8o9lS/s1600/kb1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F5lFBllR0Cbmj7wGWM28fo3Z5pwXDrcoBDp7llVsRfCDQi8y1a-n7wruiXpyjt5JapVUcXR6t2sq2oktS0qMI2mfCqa1fcxw-qdPPNSMIdCH-1QyIU0N8iDlVII_MoDzXlZ4aMAzI4WD/s1600/kb2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Mr_IhLLpcVptHVrUq8VfjmuQFwvj_8OypEpMEmOiciR8eVPJk4pNKoKSQYrMg_0Imulk33rMKWG2C4pAiYj2fUrr8cdwaSkKBkCcLiV-NQY6k9rQFN_6uPjny02PitqafYdyGUxzCee7/s1600/looking+busy.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwhMeB0UIRHy5c0edl6UNJIKXNY3Hxp_rMHuFuJPQAh348WDL5vgdROTCtH2dVytFXPj7JjrjO-57R60xK4UZp0zYKwBJZ4EDuDruM_aeulQTLTRfGaSf9ft-7f3AbSkw5CPdlJg5mYaI/s1600/listening+to+the+mayor.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /></span></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well, it's that time of year in Gibraltar when, if, you aren't wearing red and white that you look rather odd.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Red and white are the Gib colours and today is National Day. It is party, party, party from first thing to early tomorrow morning. Not for oldies like us of course. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What to wear? Well, courtesy of The Paint Shop in Europort we had acquired two new free red T-shirts. Very good. I had - too late - searched the shops for some new white shorts and failed miserably.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I went out this morning and decided it was TOO HOT for trousers. I glared at my offending creamy white ones and decided to turn them into shorts. Have scissors, needle and white cotton - will make shorts.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Partner skulked off for a couple of hours work but came back before the big hour at 1pm wearing his Gib T-shirt. We were set to go.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Long trousers.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MPBugOJL7vWnldJgjP48d3gY76mNIgx-9d-9HPVUGuZe2pxEC8tZgPWzTgYSlHa0DTmhMtdfI7i9Otp1FoFA3gHyShYqMATDBFJMV02zi3fg1THZIR-52N9_8Tdq4zdTC0d5mh9NI3Zl/s1600/long.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MPBugOJL7vWnldJgjP48d3gY76mNIgx-9d-9HPVUGuZe2pxEC8tZgPWzTgYSlHa0DTmhMtdfI7i9Otp1FoFA3gHyShYqMATDBFJMV02zi3fg1THZIR-52N9_8Tdq4zdTC0d5mh9NI3Zl/s200/long.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650737321643181250" style="cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And now made into shorts.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And free T-shirt.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KheGIxeE3zRhWhZgEGwr3F3e8T6dWVyjvnhgFnF2E90XMpD03TvDeCHtc3SE_CS7sijCbv2MHwIlHKVLTjLXjz1Ym4u_JHIkCbA4xM4uQnhPKKesZZBN0Wc8GbFFFp5j2wng-QUi3MIX/s1600/short.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KheGIxeE3zRhWhZgEGwr3F3e8T6dWVyjvnhgFnF2E90XMpD03TvDeCHtc3SE_CS7sijCbv2MHwIlHKVLTjLXjz1Ym4u_JHIkCbA4xM4uQnhPKKesZZBN0Wc8GbFFFp5j2wng-QUi3MIX/s200/short.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650734594594706578" style="cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px; " /></span></span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />There I am..<br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6yCHpkeUWoFsKwHVHrg77J-A1LYbsIfM1kJ0gYDrY5anotT92ZXEIuDBAOBEFa9vtk3u3ZQOX2qat1JeFrK2nNnuaxycybb8VoDT7xSwx8MN9G8eJHZ5s-XfiKxvqIUGjyPGUCBi-9Sf/s1600/thereiam.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6yCHpkeUWoFsKwHVHrg77J-A1LYbsIfM1kJ0gYDrY5anotT92ZXEIuDBAOBEFa9vtk3u3ZQOX2qat1JeFrK2nNnuaxycybb8VoDT7xSwx8MN9G8eJHZ5s-XfiKxvqIUGjyPGUCBi-9Sf/s400/thereiam.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650758715732779090" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Partying on in the car park.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pR-QqFcPRTWlyr49VznbpMIsXxRb3iXuu-QisE3rh9AHMOT0jK11ZPn9lkKBslR9NC-1AkvoExMbt01otqe8Q4-zt_WWytF5SkWwi9lci3d6s_AcZl8mNTeY4EAFxC0a1f9eXdo1QT2k/s1600/carpark.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pR-QqFcPRTWlyr49VznbpMIsXxRb3iXuu-QisE3rh9AHMOT0jK11ZPn9lkKBslR9NC-1AkvoExMbt01otqe8Q4-zt_WWytF5SkWwi9lci3d6s_AcZl8mNTeY4EAFxC0a1f9eXdo1QT2k/s200/carpark.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650734587567078098" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And in King's Bastion.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uPiZGeaVVTlXykbIVaB2PsZ0Im0kb1sl8R0o6Wl8iS8Qat6ddW95WiRH7SRtsHeWln138zmLC3ZbQrRTQLYd9b45BNATP3qWSCzirTi1w21ICT06MKTbDRQMYm5pTjo_mzJUy-E8o9lS/s1600/kb1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uPiZGeaVVTlXykbIVaB2PsZ0Im0kb1sl8R0o6Wl8iS8Qat6ddW95WiRH7SRtsHeWln138zmLC3ZbQrRTQLYd9b45BNATP3qWSCzirTi1w21ICT06MKTbDRQMYm5pTjo_mzJUy-E8o9lS/s200/kb1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650734588975668674" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F5lFBllR0Cbmj7wGWM28fo3Z5pwXDrcoBDp7llVsRfCDQi8y1a-n7wruiXpyjt5JapVUcXR6t2sq2oktS0qMI2mfCqa1fcxw-qdPPNSMIdCH-1QyIU0N8iDlVII_MoDzXlZ4aMAzI4WD/s1600/kb2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F5lFBllR0Cbmj7wGWM28fo3Z5pwXDrcoBDp7llVsRfCDQi8y1a-n7wruiXpyjt5JapVUcXR6t2sq2oktS0qMI2mfCqa1fcxw-qdPPNSMIdCH-1QyIU0N8iDlVII_MoDzXlZ4aMAzI4WD/s200/kb2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650734583729829698" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Now, can we sneak in here? Unlikely.</span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwVMb9hwOhBa7HVorj6nFAO6pSstBFdpyES1lvMRp-906ZIyihEjX1oS14cXRgPqVowwGG34pB_XyipIdRV3gm_vT7RheXBXNo_Vwo3CVP-ia3NcCYdXufwgX2clE9tUKHincE1DAdLom/s1600/not+here.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwVMb9hwOhBa7HVorj6nFAO6pSstBFdpyES1lvMRp-906ZIyihEjX1oS14cXRgPqVowwGG34pB_XyipIdRV3gm_vT7RheXBXNo_Vwo3CVP-ia3NcCYdXufwgX2clE9tUKHincE1DAdLom/s200/not+here.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650740075642375682" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">How about this side?</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Mr_IhLLpcVptHVrUq8VfjmuQFwvj_8OypEpMEmOiciR8eVPJk4pNKoKSQYrMg_0Imulk33rMKWG2C4pAiYj2fUrr8cdwaSkKBkCcLiV-NQY6k9rQFN_6uPjny02PitqafYdyGUxzCee7/s1600/looking+busy.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Mr_IhLLpcVptHVrUq8VfjmuQFwvj_8OypEpMEmOiciR8eVPJk4pNKoKSQYrMg_0Imulk33rMKWG2C4pAiYj2fUrr8cdwaSkKBkCcLiV-NQY6k9rQFN_6uPjny02PitqafYdyGUxzCee7/s200/looking+busy.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650733491650650322" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Oh, yes, there is someone with a Paint Shop T-shirt - I know him!!</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcBaqaM4LJmHP2lxeqrbQkViq5Is7FEtVQCKVoftHSLIh2Yx8qWMp8XVYvHYuQM9AvcCtkkz13Lxhk26jP1A3sH4q6yVl_qLKaKqLJcbC-_FYQWxKwdHyteZ8TM7cxwicF6Yn3lDDebOu/s1600/ah+-+follow+that+T-shirt.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcBaqaM4LJmHP2lxeqrbQkViq5Is7FEtVQCKVoftHSLIh2Yx8qWMp8XVYvHYuQM9AvcCtkkz13Lxhk26jP1A3sH4q6yVl_qLKaKqLJcbC-_FYQWxKwdHyteZ8TM7cxwicF6Yn3lDDebOu/s200/ah+-+follow+that+T-shirt.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650733485231011906" style="cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px; " /></span></span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Party party party</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwT2kTkMiqIDAf_GSe-glOtCtqbOBXin7dgAagdgi7Xu6R2CWHpWs0Aepi_FcoZEehvTiCxr6DwLNRzWwnyqm0jaLVPw1bqfLX8V-IiOiX864gJY_2Ha8qKHCRVOtLqSfrpoXUdQzjJUXJ/s1600/yay+gibraltar.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwT2kTkMiqIDAf_GSe-glOtCtqbOBXin7dgAagdgi7Xu6R2CWHpWs0Aepi_FcoZEehvTiCxr6DwLNRzWwnyqm0jaLVPw1bqfLX8V-IiOiX864gJY_2Ha8qKHCRVOtLqSfrpoXUdQzjJUXJ/s200/yay+gibraltar.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650733482513600002" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Listening to the mayor's speech - Kaiane Aldorino was given the freedom of the city for her achievement in winning Miss World.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwhMeB0UIRHy5c0edl6UNJIKXNY3Hxp_rMHuFuJPQAh348WDL5vgdROTCtH2dVytFXPj7JjrjO-57R60xK4UZp0zYKwBJZ4EDuDruM_aeulQTLTRfGaSf9ft-7f3AbSkw5CPdlJg5mYaI/s1600/listening+to+the+mayor.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwhMeB0UIRHy5c0edl6UNJIKXNY3Hxp_rMHuFuJPQAh348WDL5vgdROTCtH2dVytFXPj7JjrjO-57R60xK4UZp0zYKwBJZ4EDuDruM_aeulQTLTRfGaSf9ft-7f3AbSkw5CPdlJg5mYaI/s200/listening+to+the+mayor.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650733475274504450" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Releasing the balloons at 1pm. The 30,000 red and white balloons represent our population.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc067ygd9gqcyqs_D-n3KbYVwKKRHY94NckeZKMxF8i2GXYgd6k-0GSksnwF7AMpXDb-Db8qF-bplBAP2CG169UpS2CwnTrCqZDA4tZyO_2CFK4tFADxJbWN1hC8cbQN94thqkHVFS1Og/s1600/ballons.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc067ygd9gqcyqs_D-n3KbYVwKKRHY94NckeZKMxF8i2GXYgd6k-0GSksnwF7AMpXDb-Db8qF-bplBAP2CG169UpS2CwnTrCqZDA4tZyO_2CFK4tFADxJbWN1hC8cbQN94thqkHVFS1Og/s200/ballons.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650733470485476002" style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></span></span></a></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And - here is the declaration that we all listened to just before 1pm.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">On this, our National Day, we, the People of Gibraltar, here gathered as a community:</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Remember and celebrate past generations of Gibraltarians and others, who, by their efforts, sacrifices and determination made today's Gibraltar possible;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Celebrate and honour our country as a success, and the community that flourishes within it, and we express firm resolution to resist and overcome the challenges that we may face in the future, as all previous generations have done;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">3. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Declare our enduring commitment to a society based on, and upholding the highest principles of human rights, democracy and social justice;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">4. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Express our collective solidarity with those people in our community, and outside Gibraltar, who are economically, socially or personally vulnerable and in need of support;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">5. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Declare our openness to friendly relations and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect with all countries and peoples that share or respect our values as a community;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">6. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Acknowledge our obligation to future generations of Gibraltarians to care for our environment, and to assure the political, social and economic prosperity and success of Gibraltar in the future;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">7. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Celebrate inalienable right as a people to determine the future of Gibraltar, our homeland, in accordance only with our wishes, rights and aspirations;</span></span></i></b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And finally, on this, Gibraltar National Day, we send greetings to all Gibraltarians around the world, and we greet and thank all friends of Gibraltar in Britain and elsewhere.</span></span></i></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And - when he got to number five - the woman next to us said - except for Spain. Because, she is right. Hands off Spain. Just lay off with your claim to Gibraltar. If Gibraltarians wanted to be Spanish they would have voted for that and they would have Spanish flags all over the place today. They don't. Gibraltar is an independent British Overseas Territory. </span></span></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="padding: 11.0px 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px; border-collapse: collapse"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width: 1373.0px; padding: 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px 11.0px"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 20.0px; padding: 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px 11.0px"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">a</span></span></i></b></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 20.0px; padding: 0.0px 11.0px 0.0px 11.0px"> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: right; line-height: 19.0px; font: 35.0px Times New Roman; color: #b2b9ed; min-height: 40.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b></b><br /></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div></div>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-3465264592941906502011-09-04T19:33:00.012+02:002011-09-12T13:36:46.566+02:00Vernacular architectureAlthough we live only a few minutes from the coast on the infamous tourist trap of the Costa Del Sol, there is nothing in our village or on our coastal strip that screams of Brits (or anyone else) On Holiday.<br /><br />Walking around the beach on our usual stroll the other day, I thought I would take a few photos of the local domestic architecture.<br /><br />There are a few key points to note here:<br /><br />1) We live in a predominantly agricultural community.<br /><br />This does not mean that people have huge fincas with acres of olives and all the rest of it - like we all watch on A Place In The Sun.<br /><br />What it actually means is that most people live in the village and rent ground annually to grow their crops. A few lucky ones, slightly outside the village, have a bit of ground with their houses. These are the houses that most of the pix reflect.<br /><br />They also invariably happen to be on the main road, not something your average Brit would choose, but it rarely bothers Spaniards.<br /><br />And of course, in the village, there isn't enough space to have large plots of ground with your house.<br /><br />2) A lot of the older houses were built out of soft stone from the local quarry. Looks great, incredibly thick walls, and - somewhat porous. Still, it's nice to have a stone house. Dread to think of the cost of that little cute stone cottage in the UK near the coast.<br /><br />3) Houses when first built tended to have square rooms, maybe - but not always - an entrance hall, and to either side of the front door, a sitting room, and a kitchen, with one or two bedrooms behind. These were the posher houses. Poorer people had two rooms. One to sleep in and one to do everything else in. Cooking happened outside or wherever. Bathrooms didn't happen. Neither did glass windows, or electricity or mains water or.... etc.<br /><br />There might have been a shady patio outside the bedrooms and/or a corral for the animals. And from this basic houseplan has developed today's village homes.<br /><br />4) Spanish houses are rarely 'original'.<br /><br />Spaniards have a positive mania for 'reforming' their houses to the latest ghastly fashion. Reforming basically means, either totally gutting or knocking down and starting again, all with single skin brieze block.<br /><br />And - as they have to provide for their children - a nice looking single storey cottage will suddenly develop a floor above for their daughter/son plus offspring to live in.<br /><br />Or the tiny bit of ground they do have, will sprout a single storey two room house, rapidly followed by the upper storey extension a couple of years later.<br /><br />No mortgages for a lot of families where we live. The families just pitch in to provide a small bit of space for a young couple to start off their life together. But - would you want to live on the back of your parents?<br /><br /><br /><br />These photos, as far as I know, don't reflect that syndrome - well not over the last ten years, although some do have either a roof terrace, or in one case, a - rare - two storey house that looks older than most of the current reforms. I've tried to show some of the houses that haven't been reformed beyond belief in order to provide homes for little Maria or little José.<br /><br />So, off on our trip.<br /><br />I like this house. If only it wasn't on the main road! The guy went to work in Malaga, the place belonged to his parents, and when he had finished his working life in the city, he moved back to the family home. He was lucky and managed to buy a cheap plot of land next to the house so regularly grows potatoes as a cash crop. He also has a similar sized decent plot right behind his house. He has a good sized stable, and a patio and the inevitable few outhouses. Next to the house is the track to the beach. As I say, not a bad house at all.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNFq1C1tPwePP5kl-ts_oTlz3Q2rQidZpURaLnzoqrY5w2cvdStu_KWuUVR1o66FhsnI5oWABTG74KyAAOEvP4eT8ly97uLFx-yzVI2urdfp8rEnRW1V6iGC0KdhB-gi1Z9zBHxeYo60x/s1600/m+man.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNFq1C1tPwePP5kl-ts_oTlz3Q2rQidZpURaLnzoqrY5w2cvdStu_KWuUVR1o66FhsnI5oWABTG74KyAAOEvP4eT8ly97uLFx-yzVI2urdfp8rEnRW1V6iGC0KdhB-gi1Z9zBHxeYo60x/s200/m+man.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648564471396650946" /></a><br /><br />And from the other angle, the same house.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5umeU-ia06FKktsBwsKfK_G7rb3x4EVx5l6C-nF8iTP3733ygVLjfKyV2stX5jwL3n64xVL7DtE_ScKf4rBjUiEeyuogsKzDrv05MfndEnQ_2DI8k47SjwmZs0M9AURz1S7V_V7chf2u/s1600/m+man+other+angle.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5umeU-ia06FKktsBwsKfK_G7rb3x4EVx5l6C-nF8iTP3733ygVLjfKyV2stX5jwL3n64xVL7DtE_ScKf4rBjUiEeyuogsKzDrv05MfndEnQ_2DI8k47SjwmZs0M9AURz1S7V_V7chf2u/s200/m+man+other+angle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648564473406735890" /></a><br /><br /><br />This guy has a house in the village and this nice place here, surrounded by ground too. Hmm, not without a peseta or so.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_imk_boPutQX2XxM9rF_evYXHZmDu871DWqXOKESsV9ocIV5-FTr2bhKbOzSmz63IIWGlPpvaubtca_nidEMLJ_APKR4kw7JB9RdtU-WHUXv4KRvx6oOaWJGR-EFos5rYpGgFK-NCZlEw/s1600/m%2527s.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_imk_boPutQX2XxM9rF_evYXHZmDu871DWqXOKESsV9ocIV5-FTr2bhKbOzSmz63IIWGlPpvaubtca_nidEMLJ_APKR4kw7JB9RdtU-WHUXv4KRvx6oOaWJGR-EFos5rYpGgFK-NCZlEw/s200/m%2527s.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648561476772412610" /></a><br /><br />A single storey house - where the buildings have surreptitiously crept up the back and the railings signify the roof terrace.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpKG7QJSpQrmJFEfaZPP2fVy47cub8xPRTn10viCx2oupA4hX6NCvbMMO_n4MxCbVrh0Dwg8gfVb17gsZig2v2NCyrmRl1DQbJfegQVvyT5OvC6YLmUgmVOnmu_6VkHbOF-F8UxskiolU/s1600/single+storey+.....JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpKG7QJSpQrmJFEfaZPP2fVy47cub8xPRTn10viCx2oupA4hX6NCvbMMO_n4MxCbVrh0Dwg8gfVb17gsZig2v2NCyrmRl1DQbJfegQVvyT5OvC6YLmUgmVOnmu_6VkHbOF-F8UxskiolU/s200/single+storey+.....JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648561474339234194" /></a><br /><br />A good example of a classic double-fronted single storey house.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDNvh4tSROTYOUO1H9i4MZV7O-h3oCuWvzmtvsTQ-8vvH5Hbylnp5MyuZCP8bElkiutS-Q5Zzw4jLxpw5EhiIGujup8nXExalQhiwMxg4HrylEMb1E5FoRq6pU08AbbS235CS1oy47uJG/s1600/doublefront+single.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDNvh4tSROTYOUO1H9i4MZV7O-h3oCuWvzmtvsTQ-8vvH5Hbylnp5MyuZCP8bElkiutS-Q5Zzw4jLxpw5EhiIGujup8nXExalQhiwMxg4HrylEMb1E5FoRq6pU08AbbS235CS1oy47uJG/s200/doublefront+single.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648561468441765474" /></a><br /><br />A rare older two storey house - but see the work just above the roof of the house next to it? The two storied house matches in well, but the work on the side gives it away as one that was raised a storey some time ago.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL92s5bLyfy9AeJS4W7bf9eE3hDfCpYi0BsMiBv18EPjjdHgVRj1Y_O1304R7lty2mMujUj2LJD7HzywpNViOd5Fpq6unsayLJMaM-TJkzJ_VdoKlffzjCIiTVLFo-1y1oZ4ctKPxYzbb/s1600/built+up+plus+roof+space.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL92s5bLyfy9AeJS4W7bf9eE3hDfCpYi0BsMiBv18EPjjdHgVRj1Y_O1304R7lty2mMujUj2LJD7HzywpNViOd5Fpq6unsayLJMaM-TJkzJ_VdoKlffzjCIiTVLFo-1y1oZ4ctKPxYzbb/s200/built+up+plus+roof+space.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648561465913988130" /></a><br /><br />This one has been revamped recently and looks quite striking. The words over the door refer to peones - workers.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn_yEHis3eT7kfW07_7j1NoEXhOsAXzmU6j-dooaE3uhWLcmM0jZhEMNIstBARjiXReemguiYEfndcG0P15QDwB8b9ymLYyVVG-s_SQwDuVJMDsywKuij3bKJhcPZlK_wqD-U3-eANQee/s1600/peones.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn_yEHis3eT7kfW07_7j1NoEXhOsAXzmU6j-dooaE3uhWLcmM0jZhEMNIstBARjiXReemguiYEfndcG0P15QDwB8b9ymLYyVVG-s_SQwDuVJMDsywKuij3bKJhcPZlK_wqD-U3-eANQee/s200/peones.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648561461898530514" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-57163333215069366722011-08-20T19:41:00.013+02:002011-08-20T20:32:07.317+02:00Finca renovation - Part WhateverThe last two weeks have seen another blitz on the finca renovation project.
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<br />Part of the problem is that we have too much stuff. Not only do we have too much furniture for a small house, we managed to bring every single bag of paper insecurity with us to Spain so our cupboards were crammed full of papers dating back some 20 years.
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<br />After all, when I started in journalism, on my first day, I was told I MUST keep all my old shorthand notebooks. It turned out the company had an injunction against it by an unmentionable firm, due to some rather sloppy reporting and editing, so it was decreed ever afterwards that all notebooks should be kept for centuries.
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<br />I followed this faithfully in my private life until this last fortnight when I chucked away half my life in a desperate attempt to gain decent living space.
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<br />Anyway, project dining room - cupboards and bookshelves emptied - temporarily housed in sitting room.
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<br />Walls needed repainting big time. A combination of neglect (working in Gib), humidity, and dust, had left them looking very sad and dilapidated. Still, have painter as partner and it was all soon as good as new. Took less time to paint the walls than it did to sort the wretched papers, and dust off all the books.
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<br />The window frames and shutters were washed down with sugar soap, they had a zillion coats of varnish on when we first put them in, and they looked as good as new after their sparkling treatment.
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<br />All the furniture was washed down too, and then polished off with beeswax.
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<br />Sheeted up and ready to go
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_iOS0hZQwyGALBy2V9XtiWZ_1IlSImh4U2WM6MdB11L-0lDMsx5h9ZCQ05WEJPjkE-ui2tqkDV-5DhNTaw5Jo7nepnbdyS4g5ePi8LZo3VITRyLWndPml6rELYUmGVV03lfD7iaelcaa/s1600/sheetedup.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_iOS0hZQwyGALBy2V9XtiWZ_1IlSImh4U2WM6MdB11L-0lDMsx5h9ZCQ05WEJPjkE-ui2tqkDV-5DhNTaw5Jo7nepnbdyS4g5ePi8LZo3VITRyLWndPml6rELYUmGVV03lfD7iaelcaa/s200/sheetedup.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999855273309858" /></a>
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<br />Bookshelf emptied and sitting room full of transposed <strike>junk</strike> books and papers
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNEpotFqp11h1_dIHAJR3XodRoiP455myFfvKJJWeb4PqsGpLWAl77tJpakx4s0TcUobYcR-7WMcXD5zG0dPnA6qCKK36qV_N4VYbv6d4KNKdrlOR721uCs27z3aT1Nk35LmUjlf2_L46/s1600/emptybsbusysr.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNEpotFqp11h1_dIHAJR3XodRoiP455myFfvKJJWeb4PqsGpLWAl77tJpakx4s0TcUobYcR-7WMcXD5zG0dPnA6qCKK36qV_N4VYbv6d4KNKdrlOR721uCs27z3aT1Nk35LmUjlf2_L46/s200/emptybsbusysr.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999311595895346" /></a>
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<br />A closer look at some of the books piled up all over the sofa - poor dog had nowhere to lie
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArpcuqF5PHg1HGErEJjcTlQMl-fk73hsLVli6_VQU4_TLhwubWhG12WIVj5enMf6S0LPr1g-9zjr4W8oas6QUHYo9PVlUy1MCaS3E1oTVKRl1Zo5kRjGgroeU3PJDe-ZUgdM57h5X3y-U/s1600/boksinsr.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArpcuqF5PHg1HGErEJjcTlQMl-fk73hsLVli6_VQU4_TLhwubWhG12WIVj5enMf6S0LPr1g-9zjr4W8oas6QUHYo9PVlUy1MCaS3E1oTVKRl1Zo5kRjGgroeU3PJDe-ZUgdM57h5X3y-U/s200/boksinsr.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999304988409442" /></a>
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<br />But a quick wave of the magic wand (only took a week) and the books have mysteriously disappeared from the sitting room ...
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMiUuwhDq123SmTdiESU7-0sLJmTO-3frGUB_N7w2hNIctFPM_iMXM2e7eypTCOjsLIad7CJpDIvLmsF6k5yDzI1Qzhjx9SlBdSOFUt1oOWRme0Tz7BLC_T5wv5tbdR67RCkPbsuVaPL-/s1600/clearofbooks.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMiUuwhDq123SmTdiESU7-0sLJmTO-3frGUB_N7w2hNIctFPM_iMXM2e7eypTCOjsLIad7CJpDIvLmsF6k5yDzI1Qzhjx9SlBdSOFUt1oOWRme0Tz7BLC_T5wv5tbdR67RCkPbsuVaPL-/s200/clearofbooks.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999303506926178" /></a>
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<br />... and are back on their shelves
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER9cei8TEyANZbVub3RkgipSX4skwqZyjT1tkFGZKX4WLByPNI50az2yvh7ubSUzkGWXHyZFxWhqZzqMENSyTj4agx0AH5JpKBo9yDN7jxbdeQP-lGMfJ7qXCFCvhjMEkCMvPzkEFxk7F/s1600/booksback.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER9cei8TEyANZbVub3RkgipSX4skwqZyjT1tkFGZKX4WLByPNI50az2yvh7ubSUzkGWXHyZFxWhqZzqMENSyTj4agx0AH5JpKBo9yDN7jxbdeQP-lGMfJ7qXCFCvhjMEkCMvPzkEFxk7F/s200/booksback.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999291050884450" /></a>
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<br />Paintings back, desk clean and tidy, and shutters looking like new
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2HfcQjnUtre_6XMMbUw3g-rNGMXephSu5JqaXdSzR9WbGNjvJJNgfv1DxtIuOUJ7DJCtsjUiNnRVQqnmJrwPbWV_SSI2injjitdVJhuom4HQLhZ0J9kO_WmgJiOIfrLoUMJ6FDV7QDG0/s1600/deskpixclean.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2HfcQjnUtre_6XMMbUw3g-rNGMXephSu5JqaXdSzR9WbGNjvJJNgfv1DxtIuOUJ7DJCtsjUiNnRVQqnmJrwPbWV_SSI2injjitdVJhuom4HQLhZ0J9kO_WmgJiOIfrLoUMJ6FDV7QDG0/s200/deskpixclean.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642999296973919442" /></a>
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<br />Finally, we ate at our dining room table for the first time in rather too many years than I care to remember - it had become habit just to drop things on there until it was piled high with junk.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kwbImAzntV0L1CWikJxT4HCRYG-wxLD7RoY8_zoMtBwdQE6yfFDxM_OSS6V_Wl-KxYpbvi0WaRi_wqN1Kr0CUwuo6gJLLFe_hBEB1-_RRhVJVJTz4I4fTQQ9hJf8bx_ma0S7Flzyunxg/s1600/table.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kwbImAzntV0L1CWikJxT4HCRYG-wxLD7RoY8_zoMtBwdQE6yfFDxM_OSS6V_Wl-KxYpbvi0WaRi_wqN1Kr0CUwuo6gJLLFe_hBEB1-_RRhVJVJTz4I4fTQQ9hJf8bx_ma0S7Flzyunxg/s200/table.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642995432585004722" /></a>
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<br />And when we weren't working on the dining room we decided to give the terrace garden a good hose down. Moving nearly 100 plantpots from one side to the other and back again isn't a lot of fun.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHlhCVXNpODP-NTHSxOoFLpR21OiOTGAUBPBxiomjh1UGpaIPKFUfgckSM9xbXpw7c-JajAEOJ-xbrOs1EaTvV50XEl-468M-fzsaGUmydiyBz6xGrRz3-FUawPkvTlzvIwTkO5Zs4DA6/s1600/garden.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHlhCVXNpODP-NTHSxOoFLpR21OiOTGAUBPBxiomjh1UGpaIPKFUfgckSM9xbXpw7c-JajAEOJ-xbrOs1EaTvV50XEl-468M-fzsaGUmydiyBz6xGrRz3-FUawPkvTlzvIwTkO5Zs4DA6/s200/garden.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642995427662792114" /></a>
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<br />But there were some bright moments.
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<br />Tea kept us going (this one is Assam).
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWGj6Jn7OyQI7LsBvSQEIo31OurAu2aouNevdyXgOaU1mD-PJ-y9qZ61sLkvh_jLP7m0kySutF5CeVYX9OzgaD_dtircLzYSvDCk87n-sOtd2n1fZ5cZInGWEvDVbhCeUJQl0S9ODAFM7/s1600/assam.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWGj6Jn7OyQI7LsBvSQEIo31OurAu2aouNevdyXgOaU1mD-PJ-y9qZ61sLkvh_jLP7m0kySutF5CeVYX9OzgaD_dtircLzYSvDCk87n-sOtd2n1fZ5cZInGWEvDVbhCeUJQl0S9ODAFM7/s200/assam.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642995424875444194" /></a>
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<br />Next doors helped too - one day they cooked us tortilla and made a salad for our lunch.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3gJvJ0FSR6HAqtt3J9fXwL7xVBPXytk2uU3SZjRVgr5eYPQ275C6rz70IYqOSLIthhWiL7tOOscEAz0262MWtEDoL8UbHTfm5tHpeVzW5OC0DIF2yxnOxnvr37RNYVrkcoe24KztW59w/s1600/lunch.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3gJvJ0FSR6HAqtt3J9fXwL7xVBPXytk2uU3SZjRVgr5eYPQ275C6rz70IYqOSLIthhWiL7tOOscEAz0262MWtEDoL8UbHTfm5tHpeVzW5OC0DIF2yxnOxnvr37RNYVrkcoe24KztW59w/s200/lunch.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642995417454745442" /></a>
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<br />And after a hard day's work, we usually chilled out with some sort of salad mix - here with olive pate and vegetarian slices.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWnj6XI0Ot7e-Qgb6Vc4O8wQT7YhsP647yfo0WaKCKHgw09Z5q1ANDczpZk_Rn_ZxWl03qrbXLrWFINrSsYeI0u4K3uQiEWp4C68OPLpcuuaqjPSwrcMm2ZL2x0RlnF45ERrIG8y7r-VE/s1600/supper.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWnj6XI0Ot7e-Qgb6Vc4O8wQT7YhsP647yfo0WaKCKHgw09Z5q1ANDczpZk_Rn_ZxWl03qrbXLrWFINrSsYeI0u4K3uQiEWp4C68OPLpcuuaqjPSwrcMm2ZL2x0RlnF45ERrIG8y7r-VE/s200/supper.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642995414530298258" /></a>
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<br />Next installment - the kitchen.
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<br />roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-49380432709040726032011-08-07T08:50:00.002+02:002011-08-07T08:56:07.968+02:00VroooooomWe were too idle to wander down to the lunchtime rally of Harley Davidsons in Casemates yesterday.<br /><br />It was the sixth international rally with hundreds of bikes gathering in Gib.<br /><br />For the first time, the bikers left the square for a tour around the Rock - so we didn't need to go and see the rally - it virtually came past our front door.<br /><br />The unmistakeable sound of not one but hundreds of Harleys came roaring up Main Street (the wrong way !!) so I shot out to get a few pix.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2seMG6Yw1d9FybfphSlhQgGHE4dKI7qtm4aE7hJ1I1frarvKLA15kLyDmqBiThVe64Y7m7j-KBFHan-SwjggrnhLMhcTWUCxKQgvWkQ6-i5pnUHdFxuzlpzZmboHgLVS05Qq24O2BKl5/s1600/1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2seMG6Yw1d9FybfphSlhQgGHE4dKI7qtm4aE7hJ1I1frarvKLA15kLyDmqBiThVe64Y7m7j-KBFHan-SwjggrnhLMhcTWUCxKQgvWkQ6-i5pnUHdFxuzlpzZmboHgLVS05Qq24O2BKl5/s200/1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638003661862814098" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_U3m2mq7hNASd3AtQMfuKjr6PITOzl_K1Lw5IvKFetuVA5sJXkIfNc_q1KE1DYaaQvbzFyI0AB6Y4BV6viVnl8nXYZPOl0V1TBGgxNf5lqaAeAIZae1hixZTXh331rHUB70-FXBRPUsE/s1600/2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_U3m2mq7hNASd3AtQMfuKjr6PITOzl_K1Lw5IvKFetuVA5sJXkIfNc_q1KE1DYaaQvbzFyI0AB6Y4BV6viVnl8nXYZPOl0V1TBGgxNf5lqaAeAIZae1hixZTXh331rHUB70-FXBRPUsE/s200/2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638003656651238098" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjWwt0XQEwYbuO3USAs3YFgQA9za32lFTeILFjjvtWK-jo9qZnw41ig5ajzGeaKEHKFVpbjVr5uWpe7Mag6BLblLRyrX3SGu8FLEfusUkv3YnAdMfONSdI2_Szer5d74DJwGnoJmpEDdI/s1600/3.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjWwt0XQEwYbuO3USAs3YFgQA9za32lFTeILFjjvtWK-jo9qZnw41ig5ajzGeaKEHKFVpbjVr5uWpe7Mag6BLblLRyrX3SGu8FLEfusUkv3YnAdMfONSdI2_Szer5d74DJwGnoJmpEDdI/s200/3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638003653891477538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQfFowpAWBpCv8k8A-Ly6xT6FuxlZZ4AqNt9vNOmmT_Gq9AIZb68T_HQ4zh2m5eSaESlQcHdbHgBT_B3TODMYLznfnEuIzFnrPnHMtdNc7MVicXKRyuCeq1qaCTLfAga9EBQ8QQBOz6nP/s1600/4.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQfFowpAWBpCv8k8A-Ly6xT6FuxlZZ4AqNt9vNOmmT_Gq9AIZb68T_HQ4zh2m5eSaESlQcHdbHgBT_B3TODMYLznfnEuIzFnrPnHMtdNc7MVicXKRyuCeq1qaCTLfAga9EBQ8QQBOz6nP/s200/4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638003649304649714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nk2BvJw186Mh9vT_wQD2fPROy0Mp54-WtCHA60ulUdKt9wXhrS0_OmYZNBCVZw-HzTi5r9DFfWK8d82UBO58WA7nZLvGN9ZlvHW-lc-T8ZOwUhQTWuBv-vx-fSjCqfByhdOLmCTLzpI0/s1600/5.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nk2BvJw186Mh9vT_wQD2fPROy0Mp54-WtCHA60ulUdKt9wXhrS0_OmYZNBCVZw-HzTi5r9DFfWK8d82UBO58WA7nZLvGN9ZlvHW-lc-T8ZOwUhQTWuBv-vx-fSjCqfByhdOLmCTLzpI0/s200/5.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638003646315162930" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-89506947444159586632011-08-06T09:41:00.004+02:002011-08-06T09:53:45.192+02:00APC - a caching taleFlushed with the success of our First To Find, <a href="http://itchyfeetatforty.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-first.html">here</a>, in spite of going via a rubbish dump, and Partner falling down a tree hole, we set off to hunt down another one which had been up for a month with no record of a find.<br /><br />We figured we should be in with a good chance unless someone had found it just before we arrived. Unlikely. We set off bright and early before it got too hot and too busy on the roads.<br /><br />The cache was located near to Lake Vinuela. This is the main water supply for the Costa del Sol east of Málaga, and was created in the 1980s when the valley of the River Guaro was flooded. It takes a really bad drought for the water level to drop in Vinuela, and it holds up to 170 million cubic metres of water whatever that signifies.<br /><br />I don't like Lake Vinuela. It is outstandingly beautiful and outstandingly spooky. The water always looks cold and chilling, and deep. Very deep. Readers of this blog will know that I happily swim in the deep water of the Med near our village - but I wouldn't dip my big toe in Vinuela.<br /><br />Anyway we drove past Vinuela - and away from it - in search of the cache. We had to turn off the main road - but which turn to take? When we thought we had spotted the correct turn-off, we drove slightly further on, turned round and headed off up the side road. As the road got narrower, and higher, and more vertiginous, I looked at the GPS and realised we were heading away from the cache. Ooops. A quick turn around in someone's drive was called for.<br /><br />We parked up in a rather nice olive grove, said 'Hola, buenas dias,' to some workies and set off down the track. Nope. Wrong again. <br /><br />Sigh. This was meant to be an easy drive-in cache. I gazed at the GPS. We were a kilometre away and heading in the wrong direction. It was just after 8am, so we decided to walk down the road rather than getting in the Landy again.<br /><br />It was a pleasant morning and there was no traffic. We met a dog walker looking very British with two dogs on a lead. (Spanish people in the country never lead up their dogs). 'Morning,' said Partner in his best British ex-pat voice. 'Morning' she replied in the same tone of voice, and smiled Britishly.<br /><br />We got to the cache location. We looked all around and about. For ages. It had to be there. Somewhere. But where? Of course. Hidden in a glass jar, in one of those holes for a meter box, just above a drain. Great. What was in there? Nada. Apart from the log book - which had been finally signed by someone about 12 hours previously. Damn!! It sits there for more than a month with no locals finding it, and it finally gets found the evening before we visit by a holidaymaker from Germany. Oh well, can't find them all first.<br /><br />One of my friends refers to some caches as APCs. Another Pointless Cache. In his words: 'APCs are typically a magnetic nano on a waste bin in a lay-by with no views or anything of significance, beauty or anything whatsoever!!' <br /><br />I have to say this was an APC. Not quite according to his description but it certainly struck me as pointless. It would even have been pointless had we been FTF. The views are ok but it's hard to go anywhere in La Axarquía and not have good views. And certainly hiding it just above a mosquito-ridden drain ranks with a nano on a waste bin in a lay-by in my opinion. It would have been better hidden under the rocks by the olive tree over the road.<br /><br />The walk was good though. Had we actually managed to drive right up to it, it would have been even more pointless. Still I guess it is unlikely to be vandalised, unlike the caches we have hidden in local beauty spots. <br /><br />Looking towards the northern ridge <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYRLoi8V6CRfZ9_aHVdItacGzTCqbNVKkpeDpBMSU-HVca8F_tlLdBPpzwCb1xpDJ-iY5pik11XUqBtbKhgidvgGoDHmNEAxd3ODrSFa1eoe8TfXh5K6NbGucVRzZghD8JNoiY8mAXsQs/s1600/1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYRLoi8V6CRfZ9_aHVdItacGzTCqbNVKkpeDpBMSU-HVca8F_tlLdBPpzwCb1xpDJ-iY5pik11XUqBtbKhgidvgGoDHmNEAxd3ODrSFa1eoe8TfXh5K6NbGucVRzZghD8JNoiY8mAXsQs/s200/1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637645455540613410" /></a><br /><br />Looking towards Comares, the white village perched on the top of the hill<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB0fBWdgPbgPPFmribbiIWr-NpHd-3Wt_fkKeZiVMEOq7wpw6N9R9n5tRNAcDkEtBAKirUA1WYoqayX1Rbnkg9VaVNh2xlr17myhh8ExjgQ5_AEFiQwuVfpt6vsVHSfrh_0zPPbcf8rD7/s1600/2comares.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB0fBWdgPbgPPFmribbiIWr-NpHd-3Wt_fkKeZiVMEOq7wpw6N9R9n5tRNAcDkEtBAKirUA1WYoqayX1Rbnkg9VaVNh2xlr17myhh8ExjgQ5_AEFiQwuVfpt6vsVHSfrh_0zPPbcf8rD7/s200/2comares.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637645453367219842" /></a><br /><br />Looking - er - in the other direction??<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdz0qTYy9FL9vjZXQac_xeaWMTGWHTZ0xIenBSSWdOEhDPKMLbosKPnJm1mzbuGHbL1T8xJgR1DYGS5kHuSGuLJNyGu0gPj9qKwIlVla2ONaTrxq8RL_RVkmlCuOocmoBEh9lN0hHeR1AZ/s1600/3.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdz0qTYy9FL9vjZXQac_xeaWMTGWHTZ0xIenBSSWdOEhDPKMLbosKPnJm1mzbuGHbL1T8xJgR1DYGS5kHuSGuLJNyGu0gPj9qKwIlVla2ONaTrxq8RL_RVkmlCuOocmoBEh9lN0hHeR1AZ/s200/3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637645444604381874" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-75048301874523470722011-08-03T15:49:00.008+02:002011-08-03T21:39:38.797+02:00Making bread and - pizza! pizza! pizza!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9dTaJXO7bGMY8eGzincO8ahSXs2TzI5AEak-39khG5OASMI-hATENg4RJBK5xU4clOuSpo90oPp2qFnO9wieqnrnSQKKXxn1JGwQFxk78novmVsuQc8TW84eH-ObQ_M8LCnNkj6gtVmQ/s1600/bbcsport"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9dTaJXO7bGMY8eGzincO8ahSXs2TzI5AEak-39khG5OASMI-hATENg4RJBK5xU4clOuSpo90oPp2qFnO9wieqnrnSQKKXxn1JGwQFxk78novmVsuQc8TW84eH-ObQ_M8LCnNkj6gtVmQ/s400/bbcsport" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636627218842784034" /></a><br /><br />Shortcrust pastry - tick.<br /><br />Puff pastry - tick.<br /><br />Omelettes - tick.<br /><br />Soufflees - tick.<br /><br />Hollandaise sauce - tick.<br /><br />Mayo - well this post isn't about mayo.<br /><br />Bread though - I needed to tick bread off the list.<br /><br />Naturally I started with croissants. I have to say that if you haven't made bread before, possibly croissants are not the most sensible place to start. I thought they were 'cos they sounded like the puff pastry stuff with a bit of yeast chucked in.<br /><br />They were terrible. Disastrous. Inedible. I left yeast alone for many years.<br /><br />Bread-making did not happen again until marital bliss involved my partner making wholemeal loaves for a good few years. <br /><br />Even more years later, I was still annoyed by this failure to tick bread off the list. I had a week off work. I bought a bread book. (Actually I bought two but one was better than the other). Most importantly I had a Rayburn. I figured the problem had not been letting the stuff rise or prove or whatever for long enough.<br /><br />I determined that I would cook bread every single day until I had produced at least one decent loaf. And dear reader, I did, and I produced more than one.<br /><br />In fact, I don't know where I went wrong before, it is so easy!!<br /><br />Anyway, I have to recommend making your own pizza. Seriously. By the time you have rung up the pizza place, got them to deliver some soggy stuff with not really the topping that you want - or you have wandered up to collect your own slightly less soggy pizza - you could have made your own for less than half the price. <br /><br />Should say - cost of flour (Allinsons) less than 50p. Cost of dried yeast (also Allinsons) - minimal - a 125g container costs 70 or 80p. I used to use fresh yeast but haven't found any in Gib. People living in Spain can buy it from Mercadona for around 30/35 cents. That reminds me, I started to decrease the recommended amount of yeast, you can usually manage with less. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients/quantities courtesy of Paola Gavin - Italian Vegetarian Cookery</span><br /><br />1/2 oz of dried yeast, I use two teaspoons<br />8oz water<br />14oz flour<br />2 tablespoons of olive oil, I pour in what feels like enough<br /><br />Add yeast to water and let dissolve until it looks nice and cloudy and yeastyish<br /><br />Add olive oil to yeast and water<br /><br />Add liquid to approx 8oz of flour<br /><br />Mix well, then add more flour to wherever you are going to knead and put (soft and wet) dough on there to start the kneading<br /><br />Keep adding flour until it is springy but still soft without being wet<br /><br />Then add to bowl to rise for max one hour (in warm weather or a warm place, half an hour may be enough)<br /><br />Cover with clean tea towel<br /><br />When risen, knock back, and roll out to pizza shape of choice, I prefer squarish - my tins are square .....<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tips:</span><br /><br />I use a mix of wholemeal and white strong flour, probably more white as it gives a crispier base<br /><br />Add a drop of olive oil to the bowl before you put the dough in to rise<br /><br />Another drop for the tin or tray you are going to cook it in<br /><br />Cooking time in hot oven? About 15 mins. See? Half an hour or so to rise, 15 mins to cook, and it's ready. DO NOT forget to put it on a cooling tray immediately to ensure the base stays crisp.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Topping:<br /></span><br />I used to use a tomato based sauce, but I have recently decided it is far more successful to just chuck a load of stuff on top like they do in pizza places. <br /><br />So instead of sauce - chop up as many tomatoes as you want and cover base (I need to buy some puree to smear over too), add onion, garlic, hot chillies of your choice, olives, capers - and anything else you want.<br /><br />I really dislike cheese on my pizza nowadays, I like a hot sharp and tasty veg pizza. But if you like cheese, and whatever else, go ahead, add it.<br /><br />As my partner said - 'I can manage without cheese on my pizza, I can't manage without olives'.roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-77799428289532994342011-07-24T07:54:00.007+02:002011-07-24T08:17:22.599+02:00The virgin goes to seaMid-July is the time for fishing villages in Andalucia to honour the patron saint of the sea - the Virgin del Carmen.<br /><br />She spends most of the year locked away in the church, but in our village on the Sunday nearest to July 16, she gets taken down, dusted off, and borne away for a boat ride around the bay.<br /><br />Although the centre of our pueblo is about ten minutes walk from the beach, there is still a community down there, presumably once totally fishing-based, of around 100 or more houses. And some of the people in the pueblo still have boats too, although these days, they are more likely to be used for sport rather than fishing.<br /><br />So on this special day, come early evening, the virgin is put on her 'trono' (translated as throne, but it is really a float) surrounded with flowers and taken out of the church.<br /><br />All the bearers and people in the procession are dressed in the traditional red, white and blue colours of the marineros (sailors), and wear espadrilles.<br /><br />When we first arrived in the village, quite a lot of the procession went barefoot - for atonement or humility I suppose. Times have moved on, and everyone seemed to be shod this year.<br /><br />Times have moved on in another way too. Some years ago, the bearers were all men (after all it is a religious <span style="font-style:italic;">brother</span>hood) but now women shoulder the weight too. And this year, there were women at the front of the various sections holding symbols and flags. <br /><br />Once out of church, they parade down the main street, and then make their way to the beach. We might be ten minutes walk away but this takes them well over an hour. It would do, because apart from the fact that they walk the long way round so that everyone gets to see them and the traffic on the main road is held up, they stop virtually every five minutes for a rest and a drink of agua, while the priest solemnly intones his bell.<br /><br />As dusk approaches, they reach the beach. The virgin is carefully installed in the boat, and off she goes for a gentle ride. Surprisingly she goes out for some time and for quite a way. Hopefully she doesn't fall in the sea, although some of our neighbours told us that the one in Nerja once did. <br /><br />Once back safely on shore, the procession resumes and winds its way round the shorter loop back home. By now it's dark and late and everyone is carrying candles to light the return journey.<br /><br />The first time we went to watch the procession we didn't follow it round the beach. It seemed too intrusive for a pair of new foreigners in the village to join in what seemed like a large family gathering.<br /><br />But the next year, we did wander down the beach, and it was quite an impressive event.<br /><br />This year when I went down to take photos at the start, I got lots of Holas and Buenas, and even Buenas Tardes from a few. Guess we are part of the fixtures and fittings now.<br /><br />Although the annual <a href="http://itchyfeetatforty.blogspot.com/2008/05/romeria.html">Romeria</a> in May is far more flamboyant, I like the solemnity and simplicity of this procession. <br /><br />The only thing I have seen that lets it down was at the night-time return to church which I watched one year. When the virgen had been taken inside to spend another boring year gazing down at everyone from her perch, there was almost a fight outside as people grabbed as many of the free flowers from the float as they could get their hands on. Didn't seem quite right really. <br /><br />Onto the photos.<br /><br />The beginning of the procession with the local youth band. The young girl at the front is carrying one of the local penants. Bet she had armache at the end of the night. In front of her is an older woman carrying a religious banner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tPbE-IbWef5KExm3rY3Gq_hDnXk4ffDeIzk202wLjdO8qU-wtOhZvUIGQS4p21-fp9tWW1laduREVwcDf1zNl4F9ZMptz2UCWFKYxUL5YKwnOSYbj1x8uw99t0D6l6UEANwNs0CZkhZY/s1600/start"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tPbE-IbWef5KExm3rY3Gq_hDnXk4ffDeIzk202wLjdO8qU-wtOhZvUIGQS4p21-fp9tWW1laduREVwcDf1zNl4F9ZMptz2UCWFKYxUL5YKwnOSYbj1x8uw99t0D6l6UEANwNs0CZkhZY/s400/start" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794163621928226" /></a><br /><br />One of the beautiful religious flags and a staff signal the arrival of the virgin. She is approaching down the street in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaWcTH9fToK7tjszvqy9bsqfXTz2R8Axu2KkJ3TkwCs_-JyZ7rFOYeytLFRLBesMaeoBBTTHzVMONBaVkDUeG8LSnd-2Gv0lPXndqsAEAKVRybOqAn11pfpRfZjIIMyPJPSJJRpvN0sP8/s1600/approach.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaWcTH9fToK7tjszvqy9bsqfXTz2R8Axu2KkJ3TkwCs_-JyZ7rFOYeytLFRLBesMaeoBBTTHzVMONBaVkDUeG8LSnd-2Gv0lPXndqsAEAKVRybOqAn11pfpRfZjIIMyPJPSJJRpvN0sP8/s400/approach.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794157566900482" /></a><br /><br />The throne-bearers take the first rest, a few hundred metres from the church. It's at the main crossroads in the village so is a good place for everyone to meet up and join the procession if they didn't start at the church.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDms-0ZB0n0YhgP33rNCKTwPZIK0KfvO_rf9huHdPS5hPurSFtb9YMWPPf68XzKU2m4yqnRvAv9g91E2iFT1aweKN3neKnUDICC3Cie5kKmoM6iyJptA3T4J7Nl7H6BqUesQakEtob6dNh/s1600/rest.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDms-0ZB0n0YhgP33rNCKTwPZIK0KfvO_rf9huHdPS5hPurSFtb9YMWPPf68XzKU2m4yqnRvAv9g91E2iFT1aweKN3neKnUDICC3Cie5kKmoM6iyJptA3T4J7Nl7H6BqUesQakEtob6dNh/s400/rest.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794155076135858" /></a><br /><br />A close-up of the glorious lilies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uMs8M9LyGeXkEvA6nUAk_vqpXoy9n9XJ6L14UFAhTtdPmvh16b2wzRWTMX4wVf-3jMGfqqjY0fVHbM4RrqKZqXngrSAeX00UumDNEKJz8d_wd6HHr_E-_zu63-fIE5Mq5CeEijRPtW0R/s1600/lilies.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uMs8M9LyGeXkEvA6nUAk_vqpXoy9n9XJ6L14UFAhTtdPmvh16b2wzRWTMX4wVf-3jMGfqqjY0fVHbM4RrqKZqXngrSAeX00UumDNEKJz8d_wd6HHr_E-_zu63-fIE5Mq5CeEijRPtW0R/s400/lilies.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794150776829634" /></a><br /><br />Ready to move on again. Note the circus in the background. Can't imagine their takings were too high that night. Who is going to pay to visit the circus when they can join in the annual walk to the beach for free with all their friends and family? Bad timing on the part of the circus methinks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMvziM0cYdWphwzCSy2B_s78CqQBka9R9Yl5liRVt3Q4wwFWxt3F7DlU512CiBfc-dnURoncZSZfQJNSfK1cB_hOpQui7PWdB_jK_88luYhqHrmqgLrldXmXNmlYbJaTQNCdh_bRmJGv2/s1600/circus.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMvziM0cYdWphwzCSy2B_s78CqQBka9R9Yl5liRVt3Q4wwFWxt3F7DlU512CiBfc-dnURoncZSZfQJNSfK1cB_hOpQui7PWdB_jK_88luYhqHrmqgLrldXmXNmlYbJaTQNCdh_bRmJGv2/s400/circus.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632794150717942274" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-15998554877696187862011-06-09T15:28:00.011+02:002011-06-10T09:53:34.024+02:00Get on the bus, Gus - in GibToday I got on the bus. Haven't been on the bus for ages because normally I walk around everywhere in Gib.<br /><br />But guess what? at the last Bank Holiday weekend (end of May) it was all change on the buses in Gib.<br /><br />New routes, new numbers - and - free. Yes, that's right. Free. With the exception of the bus that travels between the frontier and town, the buses in town are now free. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOaRnXLlCcERqOssXpLOxrNqloSWtx2DumZ9SxDnXPsxn82aAB-JhQRPnoWvGSee2zCAB4PDJOmYap-Mt72HFGbseg3qA0OVx83VKTso8Y6ROnDFD-pV0Zcol56fJeUBosCVLLAyPxms-/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOaRnXLlCcERqOssXpLOxrNqloSWtx2DumZ9SxDnXPsxn82aAB-JhQRPnoWvGSee2zCAB4PDJOmYap-Mt72HFGbseg3qA0OVx83VKTso8Y6ROnDFD-pV0Zcol56fJeUBosCVLLAyPxms-/s400/IMG_0148.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616224035526036338" /></a><br /><br />And for months now, we have been watching the installation of rather nice new bus stops. Just as well, one of our local ones had so many holes in the side there wasn't much point standing 'inside' in the wind or the rain.<br /><br />Out with the old ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z8CivOedKQCNyyXNz0z9yR3R5d3sDU8xLPqJmcuNr_YshEEPweZxT4ygy0-sYacrsQGLx-UZcAPBxOWFnKifRK8wl7KeVp6iWTazGAdwrkPln7o_1fxeqxUlH2mBzUop3I6_VZ0AfOzh/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z8CivOedKQCNyyXNz0z9yR3R5d3sDU8xLPqJmcuNr_YshEEPweZxT4ygy0-sYacrsQGLx-UZcAPBxOWFnKifRK8wl7KeVp6iWTazGAdwrkPln7o_1fxeqxUlH2mBzUop3I6_VZ0AfOzh/s400/IMG_0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616214385903081842" /></a><br /><br />... And in with the new<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCb98BRWy_n4yGdCecSDJSv2PU4_ecdN1lrGmnHeMRUW9ffS-kskzmNGEOkcqcVL5QplcQlk_saezy6nEyt63wYLXzl4vKC4MCAIZ0Na4cjqNFvJAFMh95dgjurL2Ba203t45-LHrDNVs/s1600/IMG_9619.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCb98BRWy_n4yGdCecSDJSv2PU4_ecdN1lrGmnHeMRUW9ffS-kskzmNGEOkcqcVL5QplcQlk_saezy6nEyt63wYLXzl4vKC4MCAIZ0Na4cjqNFvJAFMh95dgjurL2Ba203t45-LHrDNVs/s400/IMG_9619.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616214377409689922" /></a><br /><br />Well, it was always a busy bus route from Morrisons back home and today it hadn't changed. Totally full. Took even longer sitting around in Market Place for no obvious reason. Still, free is good.<br /><br />Quick summary of new bus routes and a link below to the official poster:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/images/stories/PDF/transport/Bus_Shelters.pdf">New bus routes</a><br /><br />Route 1<br />Starts at Market Place, goes along Queensway via Reclamation Road, past Trafalgar and up the back to the Moorish Castle. Back down a similar route via Waterport.<br /><br />Route 2<br />Market Place via Line Wall to Europa Point and back via South Barracks Road and Rosia Road.<br /><br />Route 3<br />Market Place via Line Wall to South Barracks Road. This is basically half of the old number four route, it just no longer goes to the eastern side.<br /><br />Route 4<br />Does go up the east side. Europort, then Devils Tower Road, to Sir Herbert Miles, ie just before the re-opened tunnel.<br /><br />Route 5<br />Goes from the frontier, via Market Place, to Reclamation Road, and back again. This service is to PAY.<br /><br />What happens if you go to Morrisons? Virtually every bus service stops there - only one that doesn't is number 2.<br /><br />The price used to be cheap, 60p single, so being free doesn't make that much difference if you don't use it much. The new single price on the number 5 frontier Market Place service has shot up to £1.<br /><br />So why do we have free bus services? Well because it encourages people to use public transport and not their cars in a small congested area? How about because we have a general election this year? Free bus services were mentioned in the manifesto four years ago by the GDP. It's taken until now to implement them. That's probably because the GDP thinks people wouldn't remember freebies if they were implemented earlier. They are probably right.<br /><br />The general election is probably also why we have all these lovely new health parks and kiddy playgrounds and .. and .. and .. the sudden flurry of activity at Europa Point with the new beautification project ie tourist attractions. There maybe more that I haven't notice.<br /><br />Or am I just being cynical?<br /><br />Still, the free bus service was nice today when I had a bad knee and heavy shopping. Otherwise I would have walked. Bad knee, heavy shopping and all. Hardly contributing to less car use in Gib am I? I never use a car in Gib anyway.<br /><br />And, if the idea is to reduce vehicle use in Gib, and ease parking - why charge on the frontier route? Because won't that encourage people to continue driving into Gib? And continuing to clog up the car parks? Until the free parking changes? And it ain't free any more and charges are introduced?roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-82697909461557018212011-06-06T11:08:00.010+02:002011-06-06T15:09:11.843+02:00Cooking with legumes/pulses. Two dalsDried peas and beans are not part of the UK staple diet.<br /><br />About the only thing that comes remotely near that is mushy peas. Invariably Batchelors with those two strange round tablets to chuck in the soaking water overnight.<br /><br />We had mushy peas with fish and chips, and we had pea and ham soup. I didn't like the nasty salty ham and I guess by the time you had added the tablets to the peas it was even saltier.<br /><br />A bit later my mother discovered lentils and made lots of lentil soup. That was ok. But otherwise - pulses? They are for poor people aren't they?<br /><br />So when I first decided to cut out meat from my diet, I needed to get that most important protein. After all, westerners can't live without huge amounts of protein can they? I bought a Rose Elliott cookbook which was the basis of my pulse cooking for ages.<br /><br />We also bought a pressure cooker. These are obligatory in every home in Spain. Every household has one to my knowledge, because, guess what? Garbanzos (chick peas), lentejas (lentils), and alubia (any sort of other bean!) are standard fare for the main meal of the day.<br /><br />Not only that, but Spaniards will cheerfully describe their meal of lentils or garbanzos or beans as 'muy rico' - delicious. And then go into raptures about it and how and what everyone exactly puts in to make it so delicious.<br /><br />The only time I have ever heard anyone waxing lyrically in the UK about pea and ham soup has been when there has been far more ham than peas in the soup.<br /><br />But where I live in Spain, while it's not very poor area, it's not a rich one either. Many people make their living from the land, and we all try and eat cheaply. Pulses are filling, nutritional and - tasty.<br /><br />There is not the same obsession with meat that I saw in the UK. Yesterday I stood in the supermarket in Gib and looked at the stuff bought by the guy behind me. Nearly £11 on two rather puny pieces of prime sirloin steak. My god!! I ring my hands when I pay £4 something for a pack of seitan and consider it a luxury. And next, he put down two even tinier pieces of salmon fillet for £5. They didn't even look worth buying they were so miniscule.<br /><br />How many bags of different pulses could I buy from my local shop for that sort of money? And how many meals could I make? Lots is the answer.<br /><br />I've mentioned the Spanish use of chick peas, lentils and beans, and because they use them so often, they are never stale or hard. I am equally lucky here in Gib with a couple of Indian shops which have every pulse and spice under the sun, more or less.<br /><br />I decided it was time to embark on some of the promising recipes in my fave Indian cookbook - Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian Cookery. I bought a whole new load of different goodies to prepare: <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Punjabi Five Jewel Creamed Lentils - Panch Ratan Dal</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyG3M2jTWGA-A6uX_a4MgYjwvySWHeL8LrPxfIwn356oCTEohwFq0k-E3XNGMIWhM3vtIRHyMgAFvNuCDJFlWtBV16UNLjV4gvohqqi0SqLIV6rS7zSoMzB0z6EHUh7xxLKFkZ_i39f3D/s1600/legumes.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyG3M2jTWGA-A6uX_a4MgYjwvySWHeL8LrPxfIwn356oCTEohwFq0k-E3XNGMIWhM3vtIRHyMgAFvNuCDJFlWtBV16UNLjV4gvohqqi0SqLIV6rS7zSoMzB0z6EHUh7xxLKFkZ_i39f3D/s400/legumes.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615032412630951650" /></a><br /><br />There are five different types of lentil in the recipe and the five spices/seasonings are onion, garlic, coriander, ginger and chillies. Ms Sahni doesn't include fresh chillies in the recipe as it also includes cayenne but at least tells us we can add some if we like a hot taste. We do and I did.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ingredients</span><br /><br />Yellow split peas - or yellow lentils and Indian yellow split peas<br />Split white gram beans - urad dal<br />Split yellow mung beans - moong dal<br />Red lentils - masar dal<br /><br />Turmeric<br />Salt<br />Oil<br />Onions<br />Garlic<br />Ginger<br />Tomatoes<br />Green chillies<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Spice perfumed butter</span><br /><br />Cumin seeds<br />Cayenne<br />Paprika<br />Fresh coriander/cilantro<br /><br />I've not given quantities but basically, add however many of the pulses in whatever proportion you like for a decent meal. Say anywhere between six and ten ounces in total?<br /><br />I didn't soak this lot overnight, but I did stick them in the pressure cooker. Next time I would probably soak them for an hour or two and cook normally to retain better texture.<br /><br />Wash the pulses and cook them with the turmeric. When nearly finished add salt. (This is why I don't understand the marrowfat peas thing with sodium bicarb tablets - in this and other Indian recipes the salt goes in near the end of the cooking). <br /><br />Cook onions, garlic, ginger, chillies and toms in frying pan and then add to dal.<br /><br />For the spice perfumed butter - cook cumin seeds in oil and then add cayenne and paprika. Add to dal and stir slightly. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve.<br /><br />And yesterday I tried:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">White Gram Beans Laced with Onion Butter</span><br /><br />White gram beans - 7oz approx<br />Cardamom pods - 2 black or 4 green<br />Bay leaves (2)<br />Turmeric<br />Salt<br />(Soya) milk<br />Water<br /><br />(half and half milk/water)<br /><br />Wash, and soak gram beans. Book said for two hours so I soaked for one in boiling water. Worked perfectly well.<br /><br />Cook with above ingredients for around an hour, or until ready.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Spice perfumed butter</span><br /><br />Oil<br />Onion - 1<br />Garlic<br />Ginger<br />Cloves<br />Garam masala<br />Black peppercorns - cracked.<br /><br />OK. I missed out the cloves. Eight seemed vastly excessive and I have a garam masala with lots of cloves in anyway.<br /><br />Otherwise, fry onion, add garlic, ginger (and cloves), then when ready add garam masala and cracked peppercorns to sizzle for a few seconds, and pour over dal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMvAz2m7k8xHszJLme5erZbkBtBOYyTh5BNaTyuzBfqAtGAZu-V4Dr53SyE6_9vM98KUU_E-zCQcucOkpHRmnjMJ-NglU9ITId9oFQPhDiWmZfYJIVHq0_lAGsHzQ2eRpxQkw1ztxRlI7/s1600/tea.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMvAz2m7k8xHszJLme5erZbkBtBOYyTh5BNaTyuzBfqAtGAZu-V4Dr53SyE6_9vM98KUU_E-zCQcucOkpHRmnjMJ-NglU9ITId9oFQPhDiWmZfYJIVHq0_lAGsHzQ2eRpxQkw1ztxRlI7/s400/tea.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615032408230816866" /></a><br /><br />I served it with basmati rice and:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fragrant Tomato-Onion Sauce</span><br /><br />Oil<br />Black mustard seeds<br />Asafoetida<br />Cayenne<br />Onions<br />Tomatoes<br />Green chillies<br />Salt<br /><br />Add mustard seeds to hot oil. Put lid on pan as the seeds spatter. When they have calmed down, add asafoetida and cayenne. Then add the onions, and stir until they are wilted. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until of suitably saucy consistency. Turn off heat and let rest for half an hour. Apparently it keeps well in the fridge for a day. Not here it doesn't - never got anywhere near the fridge.<br /><br />Worked out great for breakfast too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ls1ssoTUS-Iht3Gl0MfErD5uxKMw9QSBJBS7myu8e2BffnhsqGgpraRyBYny7dRF3T2mjlA71gG0BA1Jxec10zcpSC9Z0OlRy51Tk7egLgMsX_V3t0t4ItWSIIvDtl7JDQy7vF1G7vhN/s1600/brekkies.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ls1ssoTUS-Iht3Gl0MfErD5uxKMw9QSBJBS7myu8e2BffnhsqGgpraRyBYny7dRF3T2mjlA71gG0BA1Jxec10zcpSC9Z0OlRy51Tk7egLgMsX_V3t0t4ItWSIIvDtl7JDQy7vF1G7vhN/s400/brekkies.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615035594000893970" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Top tips</span><br /><br />If you do decide you want to eat more pulses - for whatever reason - do buy a pressure cooker, and buy dried pulses, preferably from a shop that has a quick turnover. <br /><br />Buying beans in cans and jars means you will often have additives. Dried ones don't.<br /><br />Adding dill to beans eg white haricot beans or butter beans aids in cooking and digestibility. And tastes nice too.roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-5282547032976877322011-06-05T16:06:00.013+02:002011-06-06T02:21:08.349+02:00Another firstI've got a couple of friends to thank for this post. The first sent me the cache info in an email to my mobile when it came up as a new cache and I had no internet access, and the second was chatting this morning about caches and blogs - which reminded me I hadn't posted this up.<br /><br />So there I was, idly lying on the bed as usual flicking through emails and using up too much saldo, when the geocaching newsletter came up with a new cache about 20kms from us. Hey! Could be another first to find.<br /><br />We left it for a couple of days but decided to go for it on the Sunday. If someone else had found it first, well, no matter. Our fault for hanging around.<br /><br />The trouble with just getting the info over an email is - you don't get the little map thing or driving directions, so you have to guess how to get there. Especially difficult when there is nothing remotely resembling an OS map in Spain.<br /><br />But, we had a river as something to aim for, so off we went. It didn't help that there was no GPS signal all the way there. We crossed what look like 'the' river - no name on the bridge - and then couldn't turn right. We ended up doing a merry few miles detour to come back on ourselves. <br /><br />Once off the main road it wasn't too difficult to keep heading towards the river. GPS still not working. We found a nice dead end street, parked up and got out to see if it would finally find some satellites.<br /><br />Partner walked to the end of the street and spotted the viaduct. This was one of the other features mentioned that was near the cache. It's a viaduct we regularly travel over that invariably makes me feel nauseous. On bad vertigo days I can't even look out of the window as we go across. It looked even worse from the ground up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcOmcN004cup9IQQSqZ_xVozjd6FG_Dx3CTymi34sU5Kp2KqEqT1n_JX8eHsmJndLDDzk4gVil11IWjuvs3CtfJDFMb7TtdnmDEu50Ttbf3-DEIr9j0GaME1oRZzCiGrav53tD9hJKHlH/s1600/vaiduct.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcOmcN004cup9IQQSqZ_xVozjd6FG_Dx3CTymi34sU5Kp2KqEqT1n_JX8eHsmJndLDDzk4gVil11IWjuvs3CtfJDFMb7TtdnmDEu50Ttbf3-DEIr9j0GaME1oRZzCiGrav53tD9hJKHlH/s400/vaiduct.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614739863895150898" /></a><br /><br />We set off down the track which wasn't particularly impressive as it seemed to be an unofficial council rubbish dump. In fact a council truck came down, reversed round and sat there happily doing nothing. Once past the rubbish we traipsed uphill and came upon a strange building - and - more rubbish. <br /><br />This is not the sort of place people hide caches. Caches, for the most part are hidden in nice scenic places. And the ones who had hidden this one, had also hidden two extremely other good ones elsewhere in beautiful locations. Not rubbish dumps.<br /><br />We gazed down at the river, which by now was well below us. I looked at the GPS. 'It's over there.' I said. 'On the other side of the river.' I was NOT scrambling down the sheer river bank which was more like a cliff.<br /><br />'We'll just walk down the road to where we can get down to the river and then walk up the bed,' he said. Yeah. Right. Heard these bright ideas before. I was busy practicing saying 'You just go and do it yourself darling while I wait in the Landy' when I heard some strange grunts.<br /><br />He was rolling over and over on the pavement in a little ball, grunting away. While I had been busy walking in the middle of the road (in the shade) looking at the GPS, he had sensibly been walking on the pavement. This is not a regular occurence, it is invariably the other way round. Being unused to pavements he had completely missed a ginormous hole that previously homed a rather large tree. He tripped over the edging, fell down the hole, rolled out and over onto the pavement. <br /><br />I panicked and thought we should go home. Rubbish dumps and injuries weren't good omens. He got annoyed. 'I've nearly broken an arm and a leg to try and find this cache. We'll find it.'<br /><br />But we agreed to drive to the other side of the river. A long walk is fine, but not through boring houses and streets. And of course when we arrived, it was a perfect cache spot. Parking, picnic tables, pretty riverside scenery, no rubbish dumps.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oyERxeAaliGAcxUtDuE-xb55AZ4164KQ0BH0fmxJouIs8PnuFNq5Q7s2ngLgmnieQs12EU5kRsb6SKtox3EtaoHIXRJ52Umqd12uSTa6se3porb2sFALsmuVWzkU0BWdnbS5vyM_Oz_S/s1600/riverbed.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oyERxeAaliGAcxUtDuE-xb55AZ4164KQ0BH0fmxJouIs8PnuFNq5Q7s2ngLgmnieQs12EU5kRsb6SKtox3EtaoHIXRJ52Umqd12uSTa6se3porb2sFALsmuVWzkU0BWdnbS5vyM_Oz_S/s400/riverbed.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614737667604413154" /></a><br /><br />We (he) found it pretty quickly. As I took photos up and down the river, I noticed there was a track down from the high bank on the other side. Oh well. It was prettier on the cache side. <br /><br />And we could never have walked up the river bed - ie never have climbed up the waterfall!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5EAx7BHxXbwhyphenhyphen2W19XjEPEeHHx_2zhw23WDxLVyX0yDINfbPbRD7UD4mC7I3hWDI-SF0viu1rZNAUU34XKtCVcrCcUMZTr2Rh252g3rSKLfGPYKWl_7bq4oqAemLfxV5MIt8STPW1V4Z/s1600/waterfall.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5EAx7BHxXbwhyphenhyphen2W19XjEPEeHHx_2zhw23WDxLVyX0yDINfbPbRD7UD4mC7I3hWDI-SF0viu1rZNAUU34XKtCVcrCcUMZTr2Rh252g3rSKLfGPYKWl_7bq4oqAemLfxV5MIt8STPW1V4Z/s400/waterfall.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614737665978529714" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmbuHwT4HIFYbZDyV0CXbrsosuxZLCx_VKig1vpaX_cgicWyKTd5cx2LauxryXLSHI1Ex30XPGMGKEIcX7WcbIFcx5FA-xfaK9_FN8M2I6cu84z-0w0dY02A28zhQCej5NYHNE2j3LcDa/s1600/morewaterall.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmbuHwT4HIFYbZDyV0CXbrsosuxZLCx_VKig1vpaX_cgicWyKTd5cx2LauxryXLSHI1Ex30XPGMGKEIcX7WcbIFcx5FA-xfaK9_FN8M2I6cu84z-0w0dY02A28zhQCej5NYHNE2j3LcDa/s400/morewaterall.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614737655370826898" /></a><br /><br />And a couple of mobile pix - sorry - of a lovely cache up at Alcaidesa. Well worth a trip for anyone who comes down to the Gib area.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQahfKU1WeNp-n3KFYa6obSl0JeGSom34bFNjUqn35DFnpZJWH5RmP-wu5yGxyoznVbcwPK9aEwNa7FSYPW-pwHJO_MCEGWFHtYdBi3S0r4oEkdB9Xgv_kjMmMHZFmgmaZ22wz1rCtY2NX/s1600/alc1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQahfKU1WeNp-n3KFYa6obSl0JeGSom34bFNjUqn35DFnpZJWH5RmP-wu5yGxyoznVbcwPK9aEwNa7FSYPW-pwHJO_MCEGWFHtYdBi3S0r4oEkdB9Xgv_kjMmMHZFmgmaZ22wz1rCtY2NX/s400/alc1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614737652648726754" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGw_rUZCP0EIBVi0IHiNDLlFd8pDux72jnMetfk6a8VESbrd5z3H0wp3sAl7T9G0G6nXt_HJUkALiw82ZLTdDE-0buBBnw7zMucXoJrW7rWtstb7wKbCI0Iwmriu8yBvLiTTwRKcLmyuC/s1600/alc2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGw_rUZCP0EIBVi0IHiNDLlFd8pDux72jnMetfk6a8VESbrd5z3H0wp3sAl7T9G0G6nXt_HJUkALiw82ZLTdDE-0buBBnw7zMucXoJrW7rWtstb7wKbCI0Iwmriu8yBvLiTTwRKcLmyuC/s400/alc2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614737647677198402" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-58590160833082135752011-06-02T13:11:00.006+02:002011-06-02T13:59:03.391+02:00Royal Gun Salute - 2 June 2011 - GibraltarToday we wandered down to the dockyard to watch the 21 gun salute for the accession to the throne of HM Queen Elizabeth II.<br /><br />It's easy, living in a place like Gib, to get blasé about these sort of events. It's five or ten minutes walk away from us, the dockyard is a spectacular setting, tickets are free, and the Governor of Gibraltar did the honours today. It's not the only salute, there are also the royal birthdays and maybe a few others, so if you miss one there is always another one to watch in a few months' time.<br /><br />Sir Adrian Johns, Governor of Gibraltar<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNnXhOBo4xGHJwO3xT_RmEPaQAuzH1ApWV_XeDfFm-827RZj5aV09r2ZyK7Qkv4vg2MVu-eNlf3V5s1VHBkA53aORvWtchEHu-fA_CuMi2OLNASb3_bL6h3tRJ3NOAY3bn0cqqhSwKc-_/s1600/adrian.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNnXhOBo4xGHJwO3xT_RmEPaQAuzH1ApWV_XeDfFm-827RZj5aV09r2ZyK7Qkv4vg2MVu-eNlf3V5s1VHBkA53aORvWtchEHu-fA_CuMi2OLNASb3_bL6h3tRJ3NOAY3bn0cqqhSwKc-_/s400/adrian.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613584872642163250" /></a><br /><br />Free tickets<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bMkTL-E353_ZejfaPwLAkd6DCwdoZCQFpYLmZ_JfWlgdAsgXII0Bkb6u0xWj-3zd9rkgEriWQmtZqixHO1xEfURykGmhQc3sCRqHyH1R2spp19Wkc8KVQiDUAmB1sYqEP06gzvXjvupA/s1600/ticket.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bMkTL-E353_ZejfaPwLAkd6DCwdoZCQFpYLmZ_JfWlgdAsgXII0Bkb6u0xWj-3zd9rkgEriWQmtZqixHO1xEfURykGmhQc3sCRqHyH1R2spp19Wkc8KVQiDUAmB1sYqEP06gzvXjvupA/s400/ticket.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613585559411730082" /></a><br /><br />This was the first time Partner had attended, he's always been working before. Like me, the first time I attended a royal salute, and like someone I spoke to back then, he was surprised how few people were there. The salute today was fired by Headquarter Company (Thomson’s Battery) of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.<br /><br />Stepping out before the guns are fired<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YlLylo7GXYOHlUl61Nor5W2dTXuRGH92AZnxxENFHoq0WJE8s5ocnLH_flTssQPOL0VH9saWxev6Fln1XMLC5hMcDxOV2cdRslFljk4viUwm_oV25Z19bIuHiTrx6hEoklrfyX9iePAR/s1600/stepping+out.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YlLylo7GXYOHlUl61Nor5W2dTXuRGH92AZnxxENFHoq0WJE8s5ocnLH_flTssQPOL0VH9saWxev6Fln1XMLC5hMcDxOV2cdRslFljk4viUwm_oV25Z19bIuHiTrx6hEoklrfyX9iePAR/s400/stepping+out.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613584904347509106" /></a><br /><br />No 1 gun firing<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJxTpnNshkI08fKwgu_TfCX4n3ulkM3KNiOogbkP978z_-fcOyLA9YExWh4ytDDdMGO28Besc66RLlcKQbsNL6CrArkrFAnKyAcVnU3zCz9-_sphuPDH-Tt4pmBN9wq4eRMOP1ghZI9qw/s1600/no1gun.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJxTpnNshkI08fKwgu_TfCX4n3ulkM3KNiOogbkP978z_-fcOyLA9YExWh4ytDDdMGO28Besc66RLlcKQbsNL6CrArkrFAnKyAcVnU3zCz9-_sphuPDH-Tt4pmBN9wq4eRMOP1ghZI9qw/s400/no1gun.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613584896399855618" /></a><br /><br />But nevertheless it was a good event. A few of the great and the good (?) of Gibraltar got front row treatment and the rest of us stood up to watch. I was mildly impressed with our Governor, Sir Adrian Johns, who seemed to take a lot of time speaking to all the members of the Gibraltar Regiment taking part in the ceremony. Not just a handshake, but a little bit more of a chat.<br /><br />And when everything had finished, he thanked the members of the GibReg for taking part and marking the accession to the throne. Nice touch Sir Adrian. Score high on the PR-ometer from me.<br /><br />All lined up<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vrIcqqzq4dvEFwCqJW1U8eejBqJ4dzKPQWFjX8W_GCpGpiE8zLSKFtW102X64uv5l8rXlwDJIPB8WMfkqzEdyoWF5_4pBAZ_R4Q8d_Am1Fa0YbdO2wbwqfv_mh3EBIlI0Ka52P9GgrOk/s1600/adrian+and+stroops.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vrIcqqzq4dvEFwCqJW1U8eejBqJ4dzKPQWFjX8W_GCpGpiE8zLSKFtW102X64uv5l8rXlwDJIPB8WMfkqzEdyoWF5_4pBAZ_R4Q8d_Am1Fa0YbdO2wbwqfv_mh3EBIlI0Ka52P9GgrOk/s400/adrian+and+stroops.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613584889009024146" /></a><br /><br />No more chat for now<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8ePdUAs5k2ncMRLeCYcpQU8OcTjQ05-oFsffuihawODuZx5EH2-Lch1VoNE767xsr80Ugtm8rSYHFKump16s5ASj1yakdjLFeGq41UmfC1ufIS7wUG6lX6j9z9YvOx1-Z61oUiyc_205/s1600/completing+the+chat.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8ePdUAs5k2ncMRLeCYcpQU8OcTjQ05-oFsffuihawODuZx5EH2-Lch1VoNE767xsr80Ugtm8rSYHFKump16s5ASj1yakdjLFeGq41UmfC1ufIS7wUG6lX6j9z9YvOx1-Z61oUiyc_205/s400/completing+the+chat.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613584881906422738" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-13178914071256302342011-05-08T15:23:00.005+02:002011-05-08T16:35:39.245+02:00Cycling in Spain - and stuff ....Living in a mild climate next to the sunny Mediterranean, cycling is a year-round activity.<br /><br />At weekends the clubs are out dashing up and down the coast road for miles and miles. During the week, people with time off, or the idle not-so-rich like us, get to go out in their ones, twos or threes.<br /><br />Chillin' (and cyclin')<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y16oRaGS8Htz-dgOXEgxYZYGvkUMfXM2EnCeE_dGB-j81esBfKVZtJLsUxQf-OJ9imNiN0GIpyJF__CFCUwiFcolZW1AdR4FjeLdRmqNXw8hHMa47R-hXPi78SWiUZQUMXOK5QgZths9/s1600/cycl.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y16oRaGS8Htz-dgOXEgxYZYGvkUMfXM2EnCeE_dGB-j81esBfKVZtJLsUxQf-OJ9imNiN0GIpyJF__CFCUwiFcolZW1AdR4FjeLdRmqNXw8hHMa47R-hXPi78SWiUZQUMXOK5QgZths9/s400/cycl.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604343039630266418" /></a><br /><br />It's more than five, or six or seven, or something, years since we started cycling - again. When I say again, I mean Partner, as my cycling in my youth was limited to round and round the garden and up and down the drive. With the exception of university - where I cycled part-way around Sefton Park, and Amsterdam when I nearly ended up in the canal due to a lack of skill with back-peddling in order to brake - my road cycling has been zilch. Oh, there was the tandem with Partner, but most of that was done on an old railway line along the east coast in the UK.<br /><br /><a href="http://itchyfeetatforty.blogspot.com/2007/03/good-day-for-bikes.html">Here</a> is the link to the start of the torture machines entering my life.<br /><br />The bikes rescued from the skip were perfect and we cycled happily along tracks and I graduated to the road. We cycled further and further in each direction.<br /><br />One day I was struggling back home and a road cycling group whizzed past. 'Venga con nosotros!' they said - 'Come with us!' <br /><br />'Ojala,' I said wearily. 'If only.'<br /><br />But months and months and years and years brought results, and one day we set off for a town 20 or so kms up the coast. Flat tyre within the first few kms. Partner pumped it up and I cycled like mad until it went down again. We did this about three times until we got to the first town where we could either buy a new inner tube or fix the existing one and check it with water. Can't remember now - I just remember cycling like mad to get to town!!<br /><br />Well, lo and behold, further up the coast - there was another puncture. When we got to our destination - yes, yet another one. We had stopped for a drink at a bar so went back to ask for some water to fix the third puncture. Once sorted, we sat and ate our cheap-skate sandwiches brought from home while looking at the sea.<br /><br />I should say that a group of cyclists had offered to help when we (aka him) were sorting the puncture. We said no thanks. This was the incredibly famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Kelly_(cyclist)">Sean Kelly</a> and some members of an Irish cycling club (Banbridge? - it began with B anyway) who were staying in the area and taking blind people out on tandems.<br /><br />Now, pay attention. Because although we shot past them as they cruised idly down the non-cycling promenade - they overtook us on the road. But!! We beat them!! Yes, we beat Sean Kelly and clubmates back into town :) But only because we knew the short cuts. Still, I need to say that, because it has to be one of my most famous cycling achievements ever. <br /><br />In fact, as you do, I was looking things up on the internet today, and it seems you can go cycling with Sean Kelly in Majorca for lots of euros. I don't think so. Because after we joined up again and had a laugh about us beating them, we cycled happily down the promenade together. Cyclists can be nice people with no side. Even when they are world famous.<br /><br />Which brings me to last week. The cycling is not going too good. My pal Sean would def beat me now. That horrid green slime that Partner insisted on sticking in the tyres to avoid punctures doesn't help. It drags me back, I swear it.<br /><br />But I bounded personfully on the bike, full of enthusiasm and fitness after my GibGym exercises (no not Gib Gin, that is another story). Off we sailed - or cycled - down the railway track, the going was good - and downhill.<br /><br />We joined the road. The road is long and endless. My poor little legs struggled to push the wheels round. Nasty bike didn't want to go anywhere. Nasty wheels would not go round. I kept stopping and moaning about the slime.<br /><br />I checked the brakes weren't sticking. I spun the front wheel. Good as gold. I was about to spin the back wheel ... 'I did all that,' said Really Fit and Fast Cycling Partner Laughing His Arse Off. 'You won't get a puncture with the slime in there.'<br /><br />I got back on. Reluctantly. Bumpety bumpety bump went the back wheel. I jumped off in a flurry. Looked at the back wheel and it was absolutely rotto. The tyre was totally flat. No puncture with the horrid green slime???????<br /><br />We weren't far from home. We argued on the side of the road and walked the bikes home.<br /><br />As the cycle ride had not turned out too well, we climbed in the Landy to go geocaching.<br /><br />This was a very nice drive. Great directions to the cache - we normally get lost trying to drive to this fortress, and - good co-ordinates. As it clearly wasn't my day, I left the glory of finding the cache to someone else.<br /><br />He found it!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo4aZAjBepmgz6XlrFcLHjfgN65W1OmKBNvvcRv4c4I5TWfaVypkTxh9ApyW0BNFJ-llAvRzkL5MjpAuB3Q-7AeX0inDS5kABccIkFpXr-Z8kVe8ZxG5JqqmIbNWf07zNgI0HgnXbax0D/s1600/find.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo4aZAjBepmgz6XlrFcLHjfgN65W1OmKBNvvcRv4c4I5TWfaVypkTxh9ApyW0BNFJ-llAvRzkL5MjpAuB3Q-7AeX0inDS5kABccIkFpXr-Z8kVe8ZxG5JqqmIbNWf07zNgI0HgnXbax0D/s400/find.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604343049495806242" /></a><br /><br />The tower<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKlmjVWuJ0dy57ZYtF-HzOWzLUW0J6Gwj7y_mJKm_TkHQZ8hagusZ79PQN_ehq0N4o7weEFjB2BuUVl0quR0bP5vcxfBrv3TxnFKon0YO-m8LKPjMgltYybboKS2P1y_XhvkALTYZ3Yy6/s1600/torre1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKlmjVWuJ0dy57ZYtF-HzOWzLUW0J6Gwj7y_mJKm_TkHQZ8hagusZ79PQN_ehq0N4o7weEFjB2BuUVl0quR0bP5vcxfBrv3TxnFKon0YO-m8LKPjMgltYybboKS2P1y_XhvkALTYZ3Yy6/s400/torre1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604343054536501074" /></a><br /><br />Arabic archway<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3_F2fED_apI3VaymsRqLXoXCd5tO_HON9u3_mSZaCqRIeOL6XoiGthdMWCFZTOtRG2K2AiuWoeD-0GAbziFf9sA1wC0VYg3jbBdr9UNwc7xvrKU0EP-p5B_hMWYq6rohCeC-bLaXrzkd/s1600/arch.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3_F2fED_apI3VaymsRqLXoXCd5tO_HON9u3_mSZaCqRIeOL6XoiGthdMWCFZTOtRG2K2AiuWoeD-0GAbziFf9sA1wC0VYg3jbBdr9UNwc7xvrKU0EP-p5B_hMWYq6rohCeC-bLaXrzkd/s400/arch.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604343045893007042" /></a><br /><br />Approaching La Fortaleza<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74LAZz_Nr1r_2bQfObZ2__DL1b_xQ6fs3RHlpOE66bg6dEWjqBvFjbDjFShTJfeqfDnpWCX06eS4fwk9bRGl9ouo8JBQald2SKDe0MY3H2AN2hV67F7WjfGKX5vhQHWRIBDttLQDgWrgy/s1600/torre2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 325px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74LAZz_Nr1r_2bQfObZ2__DL1b_xQ6fs3RHlpOE66bg6dEWjqBvFjbDjFShTJfeqfDnpWCX06eS4fwk9bRGl9ouo8JBQald2SKDe0MY3H2AN2hV67F7WjfGKX5vhQHWRIBDttLQDgWrgy/s400/torre2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604343060108614770" /></a><br /><br />Then we went to look at the new Holy Week (Semana Santa) museum. It was closed, they were still bringing back all the images - idols? - following the processions over the Easter holiday. Maybe next time. Still, a good cache, and all in all a good morning.<br /><br />The church of Santa Maria - now home to the Holy Week museum<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuBVd7aZp-CCcyhStfCw39N7_h0DuPS5R_d6GJhWMkvcOpSvhyXP4YTl_9V3hVwmuDY1BgyG3ehDf5rEXfCawS5PopGm0PxM9jFJPZd5tnCfhzX74flqV1zFtHkW6eaqXM_VrqH-b_znU/s1600/museo.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuBVd7aZp-CCcyhStfCw39N7_h0DuPS5R_d6GJhWMkvcOpSvhyXP4YTl_9V3hVwmuDY1BgyG3ehDf5rEXfCawS5PopGm0PxM9jFJPZd5tnCfhzX74flqV1zFtHkW6eaqXM_VrqH-b_znU/s400/museo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604349362936590930" /></a><br /><br />Might even manage to get rid of that horrid slime out of my tyres soon - it soooo slows me down. And clearly doesn't prevent punctures at all.roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-57240176820239699852011-04-24T17:48:00.010+02:002011-04-24T18:36:57.455+02:00All Indian - vegetarian Easter SundayI trotted out to one of our local shops today to buy a bottle of sparkling water. As luck had it, a particularly well-stocked Indian shop was open so I raided the shelves.<br /><br />First a bag of channa dal to make a spicy dal mix with onions and tomatoes.<br /><br />Next pappadams. I bought a bag flavoured with cumin. <br /><br />Then, I wondered if I could find a jar of chutney without added sugar. I've made chutneys before, usually a mango one, but as I didn't have any mangoes in, it seemed a good opportunity to try a bought one.<br /><br />The first jar I picked up listed sugar as the main ingredient. It got put down very quickly. I headed for the savoury pickles instead, chilli, hot lime, vegetable ones or hot ones. They didn't list sugar in the ingredients, probably because there was enough sweetness from the fruit in the pickles. I looked at the three jars I had selected and reluctantly put two back. I settled for <a href="http://www.pataks.co.uk/products/mixed-pickle.aspx">mixed pickle.</a> Check out the Patak web site for recipes and products. I was pretty impressed by it which is a rare occurence. It's well-designed, easy to use, and very informative. The ingredients of each product are listed, and there is a guide as to how hot the product is. The mixed pickle was very hot apparently.<br /><br />Back home I flicked through my excellent Indian book - Classic Indian Vegetarian Cookery by Julie Sahni - and settled on a coriander chutney.<br /><br />So here we go.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pappadams</span><br />Listed ingredients in the pappadams: urid flour, cumin, asafoetida, salt, sodium bicarb as raising agent, oil, and other spices.<br /><br /> Instructions for cooking are: 1) fry quickly in hot oil 2) microwave 3) cook over hot flame. Well as 2) and 3) are out here that left 1). But I've fried them before and not been happy with the result. A bit of lateral thinking and I figured the equivalent of a hot flame could be a hot grill.<br /><br />Quickly grilled pappadams<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL39YAbaQX6RrJbjyT0s2IDu805J7e0TA_kp_kw63wOwFAlF7tVjNvamu3gotHoWIIucvl5DDrUf83x4dmoFZe19WQSCrxwIXlOjd3799hq5oOTTe_m6NzxMTgQE96dNn9u8nwW66dUPD/s1600/papad.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL39YAbaQX6RrJbjyT0s2IDu805J7e0TA_kp_kw63wOwFAlF7tVjNvamu3gotHoWIIucvl5DDrUf83x4dmoFZe19WQSCrxwIXlOjd3799hq5oOTTe_m6NzxMTgQE96dNn9u8nwW66dUPD/s400/papad.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599179250879797490" /></a><br /><br />And there they are. Quite perfect. Served as a starter with the bought pickle and the home-made chutney. (I'd had to try the pickle before we ate of course. Excellent.) <br /><br />Served with pickle and chutney<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk26Ei0l0fvzM6bG5TdR3PKXUBxWjRjcDD0RRoTHrs1HTppBONNMbAfgBxv9_MM8iTEJyBdip0sF3sSNQvFtliw6k0mqaWNsjpAGrnCvspjc0KCoEEPoyoCORw2_bRy7spiTlcCYYqK0i/s1600/papsandchut.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk26Ei0l0fvzM6bG5TdR3PKXUBxWjRjcDD0RRoTHrs1HTppBONNMbAfgBxv9_MM8iTEJyBdip0sF3sSNQvFtliw6k0mqaWNsjpAGrnCvspjc0KCoEEPoyoCORw2_bRy7spiTlcCYYqK0i/s400/papsandchut.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599179237465732226" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Coriander chutney</span><br />Add large bunch of coriander leaves to blender container, plus green chillies to taste, some salt, a couple of slices of ginger, lemon juice or white wine vinegar, and 3-4 fl ozs of water. Mint leaves are optional and luckily I found a few in with my coriander bunch.<br /><br />Chutney ingredients<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGSkExZTMgUJ_SPPXveI_hdM5U1IJ1sajF8RmYkxP7s3Qzm6wFCnun81U2iGJUUYt4sIzYvvv22SONSUEqCbd3974EEyVOOswmSMQpukun_uK3qUi3xfmwf7jpBtDM_BQtWfD0A3XjnBl/s1600/coriander.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGSkExZTMgUJ_SPPXveI_hdM5U1IJ1sajF8RmYkxP7s3Qzm6wFCnun81U2iGJUUYt4sIzYvvv22SONSUEqCbd3974EEyVOOswmSMQpukun_uK3qUi3xfmwf7jpBtDM_BQtWfD0A3XjnBl/s400/coriander.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599179246297100562" /></a><br /><br />Whizz up and that's it. Takes no time at all. Next time I would use more vinegar and less water, but that's because we like vinegar here. I suppose it's similar to mint sauce with coriander added.<br /><br />It keeps for a couple of days in the fridge.<br /><br />Finished chutney<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVzEA2kGvbsYqSyPhFOQzcIEpQZ0ocDfTGbf2zaT2wjbs5zDdl7AgmZcHUYbz7cNZJjcDwWu6w7reHMFD3ys9heZQtp1iaOhkHbw6zToWQXJ_t9SIK6s43JechQaFzDcPvUbMEosgoUzf/s1600/chut.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVzEA2kGvbsYqSyPhFOQzcIEpQZ0ocDfTGbf2zaT2wjbs5zDdl7AgmZcHUYbz7cNZJjcDwWu6w7reHMFD3ys9heZQtp1iaOhkHbw6zToWQXJ_t9SIK6s43JechQaFzDcPvUbMEosgoUzf/s400/chut.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599179239095008978" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spice-perfumed dal</span><br />Add lentils or channa dal or whatever to water, with a teaspoon of turmeric, and as many green chillies as you like. Let simmer away merrily while you get on with everything else. Channa dal takes longer than lentils but has more texture when finished.<br /><br />Dal under way<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxnHcWIm_JBWUAQaYFJ429DRk-9mLl3kbQPdjJyWN8WPz4e4FDKNTGZvmc7dAqqCkbZruF36hmqII8aTBHQToHqnGB8lPc5rxHVCYNu5Hf0uZtwss_XKvSyq2K7cYiyQpx5GGMcxfgnvt/s1600/dal1.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxnHcWIm_JBWUAQaYFJ429DRk-9mLl3kbQPdjJyWN8WPz4e4FDKNTGZvmc7dAqqCkbZruF36hmqII8aTBHQToHqnGB8lPc5rxHVCYNu5Hf0uZtwss_XKvSyq2K7cYiyQpx5GGMcxfgnvt/s400/dal1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599178557909356258" /></a><br /><br />Prepare the onion and tomato mix. Chop them all finely. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpM5p_KSt9otk9JnZPce2lWQxEFZmjTkr3v3fU_B2WwjnqX16DF_zVX2fiCimDvOo2BAvLZJzP0DYZEh1qkRQ0vrpwuH-4qkHH0ajJUxhUTLAxzJ5dahakIX_ZgdvCiH6gWljNsb5-1J2/s1600/sauceprep.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpM5p_KSt9otk9JnZPce2lWQxEFZmjTkr3v3fU_B2WwjnqX16DF_zVX2fiCimDvOo2BAvLZJzP0DYZEh1qkRQ0vrpwuH-4qkHH0ajJUxhUTLAxzJ5dahakIX_ZgdvCiH6gWljNsb5-1J2/s400/sauceprep.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599178553879667570" /></a><br /><br />Add onions to frying pan with oil (I use olive). When golden add tomatoes and grated ginger. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmVG0JYTgjay7_zEsL_IOlbXMKA6t6oHo7xtcArC-YWv4kz_QUM4LtwQqtgvjauQjMUQD54OjKxHqrhzMLKjCeSY1VpAmJxa6om4OvG0Q7NMmKV50bC7D1V6Oxq2m2IdyE4PPchEU-_de/s1600/tomon.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmVG0JYTgjay7_zEsL_IOlbXMKA6t6oHo7xtcArC-YWv4kz_QUM4LtwQqtgvjauQjMUQD54OjKxHqrhzMLKjCeSY1VpAmJxa6om4OvG0Q7NMmKV50bC7D1V6Oxq2m2IdyE4PPchEU-_de/s400/tomon.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599178550610177330" /></a><br /><br />When soft and pulpy, add to dal mix.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AnzsW7wydfDikWdSxN1nddFdlx3L3rW1CJcF7au5BCZf3ablMfzv4u6dmB4lD7Q8dPA2H5q6kWq6QBigH8YeMERuTz2XYQ7wSZVveOI7EmcvkjAri0cvRxKb6pv2ETRAOREqWuv7MLG7/s1600/dal2.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AnzsW7wydfDikWdSxN1nddFdlx3L3rW1CJcF7au5BCZf3ablMfzv4u6dmB4lD7Q8dPA2H5q6kWq6QBigH8YeMERuTz2XYQ7wSZVveOI7EmcvkjAri0cvRxKb6pv2ETRAOREqWuv7MLG7/s400/dal2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599178541533958674" /></a><br /><br />For spice perfumed butter, ie oil in my case, put oil in frying pan, heat, and add panch phoron to pan. This is a mix of seeds: fennel, fenugreek, black onion, mustard and cumin in equal proportions. Add around a tablespoon in total. Mustard seeds splatter so cover with a lid.<br /><br />After not long at all, ie when cumin seeds are darkening, add a couple of bay leaves and some dried red chlllies. When they darken, turn off the heat, and add garlic if you are using it. Let garlic sizzle and then add the mixture to the dal.<br /><br />For me, it is the addition of the ginger in the onion and tomato mix and the panch phoron that really lift this recipe so that it has so many sublime flavours.<br /><br />The finished dal - not just another bowl of lentils at all<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJhS4QtvB70h4uehmUOayA2VBnStELF1Kbcaqt4O0TEdwBMvvxL47YiFgKciSiTmA86RTNehU5oEbF_QoI8zM_smKCq8ulCP81VeYMDUfP4e3NCW8RhkxGthl6i1I8ZjaQR97_a5MoaEP/s1600/dal3.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJhS4QtvB70h4uehmUOayA2VBnStELF1Kbcaqt4O0TEdwBMvvxL47YiFgKciSiTmA86RTNehU5oEbF_QoI8zM_smKCq8ulCP81VeYMDUfP4e3NCW8RhkxGthl6i1I8ZjaQR97_a5MoaEP/s400/dal3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599178536731491666" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spicy potatoes</span><br />Boil potatoes, my recipe book says in skins and then peel when tender but still firm. Slice, and place in bowl with some general curry powder/garam masala. Turn them to ensure they are evenly coated and after they have cooled down, saute them. Can serve them at any temperature.<br /><br /><br />Couple of comments.<br /><br />The pickle and the chutney went down faster than I expected. I thought the pickle was expensive at £3.50 but it is delicious and there is no junk in it. The coriander chutney worked out far cheaper.<br /><br />Cost of rest of today's purchases, all of which were only about half used, if that:<br /><br />Channa dal - around £1<br />Pappadams - around £1<br />Coriander plus three green chillies - £1roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-53684186275032314602011-04-16T11:14:00.005+02:002011-04-16T11:26:14.614+02:00Spanish round-upA quick photoshoot of our time in Spain.<br /><br />Let's start with the winter jasmine - in its full glory. It looks so delicate and abundant and smells delightful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tIOIX-ah8E4GWhI0W-e8EMbyjJVQRljIE8l6WcFNj_3wUfvl_OLfwxv8McmJ8catf-tjpf29PX5WDJO0oE6Aj_qifmcBTxmInlaudYgTGa2mo-FlI68ktVSoN86Kt3P6R3G5nLw3XSAP/s1600/jas.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tIOIX-ah8E4GWhI0W-e8EMbyjJVQRljIE8l6WcFNj_3wUfvl_OLfwxv8McmJ8catf-tjpf29PX5WDJO0oE6Aj_qifmcBTxmInlaudYgTGa2mo-FlI68ktVSoN86Kt3P6R3G5nLw3XSAP/s400/jas.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596109080381295106" /></a><br /><br />But not to Adelina next door. 'Me molesta,' she said. 'Are you going to cut it down?'<br /><br />Er no Adelina, it only flowers for a few weeks a year and we like it. We didn't even plant it, the previous owner did. It's a bit like the smell of our neighbours' washing which gets hung out on the terrace, it isn't exactly my favourite but it isn't there all the time, just like the jasmine.<br /><br />Now, where was I before I got distracted? Oh yes. The locust. I need JB and his mum or anyone else to tell me if this flying monster is a locust.<br /><br />'Mire el cigarrón! Matalo!' said José when he spotted it on the olive tree. He says that about most things. <br /><br />We didn't kill it. I picked it up and took it over to show Adelina but she nearly had a heart attack. It was even worse than the jasmine.<br /><br />I let it go and it sat on the step. Then it jumped to the gate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqevMVtcxuXLAuWUUt4IZW9gcEqfRm4utmbPS5qzLXtXIilqGl4_bpFFgo3J9dEXzUtU6r_LRJoHleLZt6QQTiCRuWCbHlmXplqTw2TqF2wXdV6GSfzCRbZS2kHliAeZIo8BjNKVd5781W/s1600/locust.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqevMVtcxuXLAuWUUt4IZW9gcEqfRm4utmbPS5qzLXtXIilqGl4_bpFFgo3J9dEXzUtU6r_LRJoHleLZt6QQTiCRuWCbHlmXplqTw2TqF2wXdV6GSfzCRbZS2kHliAeZIo8BjNKVd5781W/s400/locust.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596109072422457506" /></a><br /><br />When we got back to Gib and the internet we looked it up and figured it was a locust. Hope I have some plants left when I get back!<br /><br />Although, if it wants to eat the spider plants it can. They are nothing but weeds I have discovered. Plant them in the ground and their wretched tuberous roots take over the place. This is clearly why the Spanish plant them in twee little plant pots. They are pretty drought resistant too, presumably storing all the water in those invasive fat tubers, so they need little attention. That was one of the reasons why I had the bright idea to stick some in the walled garden. Until I discovered how far they spread once they got hooked in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FAV3hCinosF7uVFwXRme_wUasL8JRGR2d_5FwiMTuK-r-qpyrvbfR3jj2NVi7-lXwOnjDAAUkqjz7pkdneKCTfgPkrigaekowgR1z19WoKujCTzxwBoO9o9gu3Syd3gZoheWv7US7Nlw/s1600/spiders.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FAV3hCinosF7uVFwXRme_wUasL8JRGR2d_5FwiMTuK-r-qpyrvbfR3jj2NVi7-lXwOnjDAAUkqjz7pkdneKCTfgPkrigaekowgR1z19WoKujCTzxwBoO9o9gu3Syd3gZoheWv7US7Nlw/s400/spiders.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596109067582935810" /></a><br /><br />Marguerites are also weeds in my opinion. They provide a good splash of colour for a large part of the year - until they default back to white of course - and if you don't cut off the millions of dead heads, they reseed all over the place. So all the little seedings came out too. I don't want a garden full of big daisies. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp866K2BFluhzPAl9ydvcGD9EZYlx9R6tFaevLApu-9KHQ-7NZRm71ymWp73fsanaBQl4NQvoQBRztuJ64ImGlJVSXP42ctVIPxkRmT5mEyqZp5pP5-2q3cRvdejc_-lEz2EUGyy76jvW/s1600/margs.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp866K2BFluhzPAl9ydvcGD9EZYlx9R6tFaevLApu-9KHQ-7NZRm71ymWp73fsanaBQl4NQvoQBRztuJ64ImGlJVSXP42ctVIPxkRmT5mEyqZp5pP5-2q3cRvdejc_-lEz2EUGyy76jvW/s400/margs.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596109058957993538" /></a><br /><br />We had our usual walk around the beach and gazed at the lovely finca which is everyone's dream buy for around £40,000. It's owned by a Scandinavian embassy - I don't think they would be selling it for £40,000 somehow even in these times of recession.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO7StK5JjWKshXvpWSpA-qQ36RGQ2Affke6IsQ5ocmjf7jMwIBr2SCu0gnju9IUHr9_cZtdP011el9mLxgnWRdwYXOJ6oJ9u6schmEofLML6HRlr865CYhQiI2IqV6w37ToBSbSuZUU4e/s1600/beachfinca.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO7StK5JjWKshXvpWSpA-qQ36RGQ2Affke6IsQ5ocmjf7jMwIBr2SCu0gnju9IUHr9_cZtdP011el9mLxgnWRdwYXOJ6oJ9u6schmEofLML6HRlr865CYhQiI2IqV6w37ToBSbSuZUU4e/s400/beachfinca.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596108149674431474" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PB0BtvUqOb3oliymSNXcDbrot6VZTgSOextxcSX3vUD_YG6NGXwKrFL1G9HGQJqtSYlEwvRtSK541ot7UfNH14MEnenHq3_T7ABKvFdkm_rnMnwrJSTncF52cpyGR9HFnVWU9J1FdK5_/s1600/sea.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PB0BtvUqOb3oliymSNXcDbrot6VZTgSOextxcSX3vUD_YG6NGXwKrFL1G9HGQJqtSYlEwvRtSK541ot7UfNH14MEnenHq3_T7ABKvFdkm_rnMnwrJSTncF52cpyGR9HFnVWU9J1FdK5_/s400/sea.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596108155312466674" /></a><br /><br />And we finished the sitting room. Finally. Rehung the paintings (Turner prints) and the mirror.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcj34bXArX-Gl3geH7tO4QxdvXM1oY3pwyGxc-oEWtbrr11aMDLEzzLnEHQHeGEOarNVF1IkNklcsGjn-SMhz71Y31W6JZWy0aQo3IW18tJQB9VA14N7X1GaHgJRbYwVbWMp0pa6Gh8VFk/s1600/turner.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcj34bXArX-Gl3geH7tO4QxdvXM1oY3pwyGxc-oEWtbrr11aMDLEzzLnEHQHeGEOarNVF1IkNklcsGjn-SMhz71Y31W6JZWy0aQo3IW18tJQB9VA14N7X1GaHgJRbYwVbWMp0pa6Gh8VFk/s400/turner.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596108137654507090" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps0iRUDMLMZCG3i9GRnCu5yJQDYfVAig0mevbrtTd2j2L0SZgIQaqSxHFEO8MrwLlXFk3LS_Vef4oN8PCoZ1rNfZEooXIbfPsXY09dbRpfhQbZTBLnxvA2FUShVktLCNDyTH4N-a-NrDN/s1600/mirror.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps0iRUDMLMZCG3i9GRnCu5yJQDYfVAig0mevbrtTd2j2L0SZgIQaqSxHFEO8MrwLlXFk3LS_Vef4oN8PCoZ1rNfZEooXIbfPsXY09dbRpfhQbZTBLnxvA2FUShVktLCNDyTH4N-a-NrDN/s400/mirror.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596108131696310546" /></a><br /><br />Some food - looks like another paella....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC9fLbhgCeasdHozJc8jfzEOpEW86jGQfTYMiO30uwibMeaVza8dKiAUhdZg_CxvfMq2uhvJNwa9DrelJNQUpDuZZ7wIqcXMqRU_7mCoWq91ZV0VgstVgQy5Nyi3qKN3JtSmaKn06oQ0s/s1600/paella.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC9fLbhgCeasdHozJc8jfzEOpEW86jGQfTYMiO30uwibMeaVza8dKiAUhdZg_CxvfMq2uhvJNwa9DrelJNQUpDuZZ7wIqcXMqRU_7mCoWq91ZV0VgstVgQy5Nyi3qKN3JtSmaKn06oQ0s/s400/paella.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596108126859820002" /></a>roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-63357372528118239882011-04-04T16:55:00.015+02:002011-04-04T22:09:06.306+02:00Good news, bad newsThe first dog walk of the day yesterday brought some good news. A dog-walking friend who has been unemployed for a few weeks, maybe a month or more, had finally found a new job. Excellent. We were both really pleased for her.<br /><br />Similarly, the next dog walk brought more employment news. In this case, a small, but still a job, for us. <br /><br />I'd not gone on the second dog walk. I'd been faffing around on the computer and wondered why it seemed to be wobbling. I clicked on the casing to make sure it wasn't coming loose. I checked the cables at the back which sometimes catch in the hinge of the screen (it's a laptop).<br /><br />Then I picked up the computer to look underneath - there must be something small hidden on the top of the makeshift desk that was making it move. Nothing. I glanced at the base of the computer as I was putting it down again. <br /><br />The battery was sticking half out of its slot. I gazed at it horrified. Precious Hal was poorly again. I dived for the skimpy First Aid instruction manual. Turn off, disconnect cables and wait ten mins. <br /><br />Turned off, disconnected and waited. I paced up and down the flat for ten mins. Poor poor Hal. His insides could be eaten away by battery fluid even as I waited.<br /><br />Started trying to slide the catch things. The catch for the side of the battery that was still in place slid beautifully. The catch for the side that was sticking half out - did nothing. Immovable. <br /><br />No! No! No! More expensive recovery at the Apple Shop. Boooooo. Hoooooo.<br /><br />Partner came in wanting to chat about the small job. I dragged him to look at poor Hal. I gazed at him (Partner, not Hal) with sad green eyes. Beseechingly. I hoped.<br /><br />He pedantically put on his glasses, pushed me out of the way, and said something dismissive about manual dexterity skills, or lack of in my case. Cheek. The battery flipped out. Bloated, expanded, and presumably knackered. No wonder the battery light thing had been messing around and the fan had been working overtime ....<br /><br />OK, so far, three bits of good news - well the battery was retrieved from Hal which was good, and as I never move the lappy, I don't actually need the battery. Also took the one out of the HP reserve lappy as well just in case that decided to take a turn for the worse. Now for the bad news. Sad news is more appropriate I guess.<br /><br />All was restored to calm in Gibflat. Later in the evening, after sleeping through most of Quantum of Solace, I flicked onto FB. One of the recent posts puzzled me. It was from someone I had met some six or seven months ago when she visited Spain. <br /><br />We'd 'met' on FB via a mutual (virtual for me) friend, and we'd shared some laughs and silly games. It had been fun, and she seemed like a warm, caring, witty, and friendly person.<br /><br />When she announced last year that she was coming to Andalucía, I asked, out of interest where she was coming. It turned out to be not too far from us. She was coming with a friend who I didn't virtually know, but I said, if they had time it might be nice to meet up.<br /><br />First Friend, let's call her F for first, agreed, but like lots of meet-ups no more was said. But then, suddenly, she was here in Spain, and we agreed a day and a time at their small private hotel.<br /><br />We drove up and up into the hills where they were staying. F came out to meet us. I won't forget her face, lovely smile and arms wide open to greet us.<br /><br />I should say that these two women had given up a day's excursion just to stay at the hotel to meet us. Even worse, although they thought they had missed the beach day which they could live with, there was a change of plan and they had ended up missing a national park day. Much worse. Still feel guilty about that now.<br /><br />So we sat down inside their hotel. It was a lovely peaceful tranquil place. Reformed, but not over the top, and just, comfortable and a pleasant place to chat with - new - friends. <br /><br />Second Friend, we'll call her S for second, came down to meet us shortly afterwards. Bearing in mind we hadn't even corresponded via FB, she too had a lovely smile and a warm welcome for us. Later we moved outside as the weather cleared up and chatted and gazed at the beautiful mountain views.<br /><br />Er, rather cloudy mountain views here<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhWcPzh5QYJ9x9NXC8kJcNCWdwxE7j_OGoWeLB1xanqvQZajoqoutbY4LCedtWMzmOfl3HZjrQRFidcehqklwE0yNRpwqrukxFGv3vJIWTv_-0OELQuyD96129KWvDkd6r-uOQrutbugc/s1600/mountains.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhWcPzh5QYJ9x9NXC8kJcNCWdwxE7j_OGoWeLB1xanqvQZajoqoutbY4LCedtWMzmOfl3HZjrQRFidcehqklwE0yNRpwqrukxFGv3vJIWTv_-0OELQuyD96129KWvDkd6r-uOQrutbugc/s400/mountains.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591742475697744978" /></a><br /><br />These sort of situations are fraught with potential difficulties. We didn't find any. Both women were friendly, good company, and there seemed to be loads to talk about. I've spent a harder few hours with people I have known far better.<br /><br />We left at their lunchtime, having spent - on our part - a super few hours. Apart from anything else, we had left the dog behind and it was at least an hour's drive back, so time to go home.<br /><br />While I was puzzling over the strange post on FB last night, by Friend F, I noticed a PM pop up from her. S had died that day in hospital and F wanted to let us know. I thought that was so kind. They had given up a day of their holiday to meet us, a vague couple from the internet, and F still thought to let us know.<br /><br />Even more sadly, like everyone else who knew S, I had sent birthday greetings from us both on Saturday in advance of her birthday on Sunday so she could read them in hospital. Her Facebook page was full of birthday greetings on Saturday from so many people wishing her well and hoping she would soon be out, and they continued well into Sunday. And then, later on Sunday, the comments changed. Into condolences. Yes, she died on her birthday. From cancer that had metastacised from her original one. Aged 37.<br /><br />So - S - my memories of you? A friendly person, with a lovely smile, and a translucent skin, that made you look almost ethereal. And never a bad word or complaint or moan or anything about the hell you must have been going through.<br /><br />Thank you for taking the time out of your too short life and your holiday to meet us. Hasta la proxima, guapa.roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721833080371406655.post-40407463682606895512011-04-02T14:56:00.009+02:002011-04-02T22:14:06.957+02:00Book reviews - Cold Mountain, Book of Negroes and, othersWithout any further ado, here are some reviews of books I have been reading over the past few weeks.<br /><br /><br />First up <span style="font-weight:bold;">Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier, (1997)</span>, a historical novel set towards the end of the American Civil War.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrPrA4D8JxzYC09uJKyOSETW8irch96Z2sTpl-tZZq44lPbtS6bsuaiOttMHtmOlu1dgO662C0pfnLMlbtj6TU8Z41oXmJpZx75zt0INEOw48zZ_NScR9xMnEKZLcf7wC6fXti02c3rQB/s1600/coldm%252C.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrPrA4D8JxzYC09uJKyOSETW8irch96Z2sTpl-tZZq44lPbtS6bsuaiOttMHtmOlu1dgO662C0pfnLMlbtj6TU8Z41oXmJpZx75zt0INEOw48zZ_NScR9xMnEKZLcf7wC6fXti02c3rQB/s400/coldm%252C.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590971734871563346" /></a><br /><br />There isn't really a plot. Confederate soldier wounded in war leaves hospital and walks home to find the woman he loved when the war started. Meanwhile she is struggling to survive on the family farm after the death of her father.<br /><br />I'd picked this book up and put it down a few times at the library, but eventually I decided to give it a go.<br /><br />The chapters alternate, for the most part, telling the story of the two people. One chapter is him walking home and the adventures that befall him on the way, the other is the woman gradually learning to live off the land with the help of a new friend.<br /><br />If that sounds dull (and probably the blurb on the back of the book did too, hence me not taking it from the library originally) - it wasn't.<br /><br />It was well-written, thoughtful, imaginative, and so visual. I read all the way through the book with vivid pictures in my head of both characters and their situations.<br /><br />There was however, a sense of impending gloom over the book. Would the couple find each other again? Would he even get home to her? At one point he was shot and buried alive. <br /><br />I recommend this book whole-heartedly, and I won't reveal the ending. I found it slightly twee, but apart from that, it was excellent.<br /><br /><br />Next one - <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (2007)</span>. I thought this was a superb read (I don't often say that). <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJzNdLWrFdNEhxrmR81JYLS5n0kuy9ZaFauK3YX4ZeIu8uuk52ldqAup4vcNvBFL7E_bhNZGyfZBDXbU4v0Q6EFbQy9M_HUsPu2ETldnZ57psaXKAFfd7XX2HGbRbaZ1syCnZB1EbSfzK/s1600/bon.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJzNdLWrFdNEhxrmR81JYLS5n0kuy9ZaFauK3YX4ZeIu8uuk52ldqAup4vcNvBFL7E_bhNZGyfZBDXbU4v0Q6EFbQy9M_HUsPu2ETldnZ57psaXKAFfd7XX2HGbRbaZ1syCnZB1EbSfzK/s400/bon.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590971729431530194" /></a><br /><br />In a nutshell, it is a story about slavery. An African child is stolen and shipped to America where she changes owners, moves to Nova Scotia, then back to Africa and ends her life in London.<br /><br />But it is the graphic descriptions of what tortuous conditions the slaves suffered that make this book. In a way it was embarrassing to read - to think that people could abuse each other so much. And yet it continues today in different forms. <br /><br />I think the scene that impacted on me most was when the slaves were walking across Africa in the coffle - naked - and this girl started her first period. Menstrual blood dripping down her legs for everyone to see. Can you imagine that? I can and it makes me feel sick even now. Then there was the woman who gave birth while on the forced march. <br /><br />Naturally, once this poor kid was esconced in slavery in America, she was raped by some white plantation owner. The child to her black lover was stolen from her. The list goes on.<br /><br />Only let down? A bit like Cold Mountain. An unrealistic and unlikely ending. But as an eye-opener into slavery it was briliant. And again, extremely well-written. Another strong recommend.<br /><br />A couple of rather more lightweight books now.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Letters from a Fainthearted Feminist - Jill Tweedie (1982</span>). Gosh! Was it really so long ago.<br /><br />I remember hearing about this years ago - nearly 30 in fact - but never got around to reading the columns in the Guardian or the published book until last week. Also a bit horrified to discover she is no longer alive, dying just turned 60 from motor neurone disease.<br /><br />So what to say? Well, it was an easy read, and an enjoyable one. It's a short book, unlike the other two, so can be finished in a quick session. Some of it was witty and funny, some not. It's hard to write witty funny prose at the best of times, let alone when dealing with the complexities of feminism.<br /><br />Towards the end it seemed to fade off. Or maybe I did. Either way, it's worth a read. For lefty feminists it's a gentle poke at some of the things we hold dear. No idea how non-lefty non-feminists will find it. But it's short enough for you to try it.<br /><br />And the last one? Gulp. Never let it be said my reading taste is not catholic. So to speak.<br /><br />Here goes ... <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Clematis Tree by Ann Widdecombe (2000)</span>.<br /><br />Well the short review is that I don't recommend it. That doesn't mean it is unreadable, but I would certainly recommend the above three first. And a whole load of others.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2000/apr/20/1 <br />">Here</a> is a summary of some reviews that will save me repeating the same stuff ad infinitum.<br /><br />The plot (?) is child becomes brain-damaged and parents have relationship problems. <br /><br />Religious figures abound of course. Not just Catholic nuns, but also C of E clergy and Jewish family (the rabbi doesn't seem to get a mention). <br /><br />Euthanasia, abortion, guilt - oh! so! much! guilt! Read it if you want. I've wasted enough time writing about it.<br /><br />What is it with politicians that makes them think becoming an elected member of parliament means they also become a novelist at the same time? Huh?<br /><br />Just remembered, terrible style. That's what really griped. Not sure whether it was precious, precocious, or pretentious. But it jarred.<br /><br />I wonder if she has written about animal rights? Opposing fox-hunting seems to have been one of her few attributes. I digress. But should you read this Ann, try another topic next time. Or less topics in one novel in fact.<br /><br />I'm saving Homage to Catalonia for another post :)roughseasinthemedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362795583263821176noreply@blogger.com1