SATURDAY, SUNDAY and MONDAY.

Three more days that were much of the same. Brian started the morning by trying to buy some mussels and prawns at the newest fish shop in town – the lovely Adriana’s but gave up after two attempts because all the women ignored him, including Adriana. He says it is like the butcher shop syndrome in Oz where men are usually ignored, and according to him are seen as the cart horse to carry the purchases home. After listening to his complaints, Di and I braved the fish shop, and Brian was right, there was only one man there, and he did carry the purchases! However, I was impressed by the friendliness and courtesy of the women who were there. They all knew that I spoke and understood only a little Spanish but when another came and was told by Adriane that there were no more mussels other than the ones I had my eye on, she asked me if I was waiting to buy them, the rest told her that she should have come in earlier.

Took our purchases back home and then Ian, Diane and I, tried the remaining bars we had not been to. We decided that the best tapas were at Bar Ochoa, but have discovered that it is not open as often as all the others. Ian found some animals to photograph in the Plaza.

Ian and Diane cooked up a great lunch of seafood, and then we had to have a rest before heading out for more bar crawling, finishing off with a pizza – which was only so so. Then out to see the English wedding party at the big church – were astounded to see some of the men in really nice outfits wearing thongs! And I’m amazed at how the girls manage the cobble stone streets in those really high heels!

Brian spent most of the day working out how we could play cards with the pack that he had bought on Friday. They are Spanish but have suits that are coins, swords, cups and clubs. When we came back around midnight, he taught us all the rules. Diane reckoned he was inventing them but she came out the winner so Ian and I don’t know what she had to complain about!

SUNDAY was motor cycle racing in Spain, so while Ian spent about 6 hours glued to the TV set, and Brian went back to the card game rules, Diane and I responded to the Church bells and went in for the first half of midday Mass.

Then off to the other restaurant at the end of the Gorge – El Pato Loco (The Mad Duck). Definitely the best restaurant so far. We had a parrilla (which is a type of BBQ or grill) plus a delicious red pepper salad and then Brian and Diane had desert.

Brian went back to the card rules and we went for a walk to the thermal pools at the opposite end of town.


MONDAY

We drove down to the coast to La Herradura to give Ian and Diane a look at the coast. It was a beautiful day. We drove along the beach, and then walked down to find the restaurant recommended in the Lonely Planet. It turned out to be very good, but muy caro (very expensive) compared to the ones in Alhama.








TUESDAY


Early morning start – up at 6.30 to leave for Granada at 7.30 so that Ian and Diane could get into the Nasrid Palace, at the Alhambra at their appointed time slot of 9.30 – 10.00.


We made it but Brian found driving east into the sun a bit difficult – we went later in the day the last time and then it was not a problem. However, Sofia got us there with time to spare.


We then checked into the Hotel Alixares which Ian had found and booked into before leaving home and then Brian subsequently booked a room for us... We had intended only to leave the car there, but the man on reception changed the room numbers we had originally been allocated and allowed us to check in at 9.30 instead of waiting until 2.00pm. We were very happy because they had all their heavy camping etc luggage in the car
We explored parts of Granada we had not seen last time and met up for dinner followed by drinks on the roof top of the hotel. It would be spectacular on a night when both the Alhambra and the Albayzin are lit, but that probably only happens on weekends.


WEDNESDAY


After breakfast, Diane and I went down to the Cathedral and a wander through the Albayzin. Then back to the Hotel and off to the airport. Sofia let us down this time and it was a pretty stressful trip through Granada. There is a warning that says that she is only an aid, and on this occasion she took us through down town Granada when it would have been much easier if we had gone another way. Just goes to show that you can’t beat local knowledge.

The arrival of our first guests.

18th June 2010 


Ian and Diane arrived on Wednesday night (or I should say Thursday morning). Their flight which was due to arrive around 10.45 was delayed by 50 mins. By the time they got their luggage and cleared customs it was past midnight.

They have had a great holiday so far. Ian was absolutely wrapped about the bike races in the Isle of Man. They spent that week camping. Diane thoroughly enjoyed both the races and the camping because the campsite was so good... Then they flew to Ireland stayed in the Independent Hostels. They enjoyed the pubs and the craic. When they got to Madrid though, we got a text message from Ian saying that they were at the tapas bar at the airport and he was already loving Spain because the beer was half the price it had been in Ireland!

We had a typical Spanish tourist day yesterday. Got up late – around 10.00 am. And after doing some chores took them out to see some of the Alhama sites. The tourist guide was just opening the Convent of St Carmen Church when we got there, so they were able to go in. Then to the square for coffee and biscuits at one of the many bars; some shopping for essentials like beer and wine, back to the house for a change of shoes, and then we did the walk through the Gorge to the restaurant for a great lunch of grilled lamb, fried rabbit and salad plus a bottle of red wine.

Diane was enthusiastic about the fact that we didn’t start eating until about 3.00 and were just heading back around 6.00 and it was still broad daylight. Spain is on double daylight saving time, so getting up at 10.00 is really like getting up at 8.00 am, and so our lunch was close to when we would usually have it, but the double daylight saving means that about 20 of the 24 hours are mostly light, and the siesta is still timed to cover the hottest part of the day.

Today we started out with tea toast and fruit for breakfast on the back terrace, then down to the market where Diane bought her first pair of shoes (every girl must buy shoes in Spain) and some other bits and pieces. I saw just the thing for Therese as well. Then up to the best supermarket in town, followed by drinks in the new part of Alhama – we had two each, so had two lots of tapas which were enough to do us for lunch. Enjoyed a siesta after that and then happy hour on the roof terrace followed by dinner at home – a delicious spit roast chicken and salad, then up to the square around 10.00 for more tapas some Sangria for Diane and me, beer for Ian and a rum and coke for Brian. They have decided they really like this life and are bemoaning the fact that it will not be too long before they have to go back to work.

We are taking them to Granada on Tuesday morning where they have booked into see the Alhambra. We have booked into the same hotel, and will take them to the airport on Wednesday when they fly back to London, where they will be staying for a while before heading up to Southport for Ian’s conference...