Tag Archives: summer

summertime dreaming

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in sevilla, spain, summer, travel, trips

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I think it was while I was watching Rick Stein’s latest programme on Spain that I first got the idea of taking a train trip across the top of the country. And talking with Ricardo yesterday brought it all back as he is from Galicia and our conversation had turned to travel. So I asked Ricardo for some ideas of where to stop and it turned out that we will have to dedicate at least a few hours to this topic once my plans firm up a little.

The first concern will be money, of course. But if Peter continues working as much as he has been then he should be able to take some time off and come travelling, and we both should be able to keep the house going in August without working fulltime. But my main concern is the cats. I reckon this trip will take at least ten days, and there is no way I can leave Azar – even with a cat sitter checking in – for that long. So I will start looking for someone (Jessica, are you reading this?) who might want to come and stay here while we’re gone. Of course the beginning of August isn’t the best time to visit Sevilla, but I’m sure someone wouldn’t mind free accommodation in exchange for cat sitting.

Next, how to go? I was thinking by train because, well, I like trains. But Ricardo said that taking buses between stop-offs might be easier (and cheaper) as there are more bus routes. So this would mean flying Sevilla-Santiago and later flying home from San Sebastian. Another option is to find a friend with a car who also fancies this summer adventure…

And so, it’s all up in the air and depending on many, many things, but it’s very exciting to think about. I’ve never had a summer holiday like this before.

Have you got any summer travel plans?

summer returns

07 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in sevilla, spain, summer, weather

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Last Friday afternoon I took a taxi from the hospital to the Plaza Alfalfa, a square near my house, so that I could pick up the various drugs I needed at the pharmacy there. While inside the skies opened and this very unsummerlike scene left me stranded while Nog raced home to get umbrellas so I could get home as soon as possible without getting soaked through.

All that week up until Sunday the weather was lovely and fresh, with a couple of rainstorms to clean the air. But this week The Heat is back. At the moment the thermometer reads 32º in my livingroom but I refuse to turn on the airconditioning because another thing waiting for me when I got home was a 173€ electricity bill for August (!!!). I’m still in shock. That is just for one month! And I only used the aircon for maybe three hours a day in August. So for the rest of the summer I’m just going to sweat it out and look forward to the cooler weather to arrive. Though I could do without another rainy winter…

malaga apartment revisited

09 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in holidays, Malaga, spain, summer, travel, trips

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[click to enlarge]

This is the third summer I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to stay at Manolo’s fabulous apartment with views of both the sea and the port. Though this is now my fifth visit as I was here twice last summer and also had that wonderful Málaga Christmas trip with Peter and Jessica. The biggest difference this visit is that Manolo has totally redone the place, and it looks even more fabulous.  If you compare the collage above to these old pics you’ll see what I mean. No more orange walls and heavy curtains. It’s all fresh white and cream tones, with much improved pictures on the walls and pretty lamps. Much more “minimalist”, which of course is totally my style.

I’m also really glad that I bought this little bodum french press for the trip as it makes the perfect amount of coffee for a perfect wee brekky. I’m just finishing my coffee now as I write this and wondering what I’m going to do today. It suddenly seems like I’ve gone on holiday by mistake as I found out yesterday evening that the vineyard tour has to be postponed until Friday morning. Also not sure about getting out to the bodega with Victoria before that to get some work done as she now has to go to out of town. So I may have to change my 5pm train on Friday to a later one.

But what to do now until Friday morning? Well, I’ve got work to do on the social media stuff that I can do while relaxing here in my “second home”. And of course there is plenty to see and do in Málaga. It’s just weird suddenly having all this extra time here on my own. I think I quite like the idea!

Going to call home now to check on Azar, then a shower and then out to see where the day takes me… hasta pronto!

made it!

08 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by in animals & pets, cats, holidays, Malaga, travel, trips

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But I almost didn’t! I mean, just look at this little guy…

That was Azar last night. He clearly knew this wasn’t just laundry being sorted and that I was getting ready to GO AWAY. And with his continuing health issues (this past weekend was a bit dodgy) I seriously considered postponing until at least Tuesday. But in the end I decided to go this morning because the real issue wasn’t that he’d be okay today and tomorrow, but for the rest of the week. I had to leave at 10.15 to catch my train and – bless that little sweetheart – at 10 o’clock Azar went to the box and had a very healthy looking BM, which made me almost weep with joy and relief. And so I was able to leave with a light heart and feeling very optimistic that Azar is going to be just fine this week, under the care of Nog and vet Yolanda.

As usual I was a nervous wreck about packing and leaving, and not just because of Azar. Personally, I think I need to travel more so I get over this “leaving anxiety” thing. And if I did travel more often I’d have a selection of small travel toiletries and whatnots always ready to go, so that I didn’t have to ransack the bathroom and then still end up having to buy stuff when I arrived.

The other thing about staying at Manolo’s is that I always bring my own sheets and towels, which really fills up a suitcase! So even though I’m only going to be gone for four nights, it looks like I’m going away for a month. Anyhow, Nog came to the train station with me this morning and saw me off. The plan was that Manolo had left a set of keys inside the apartment and I was to ask the doorman to let me in, but Manolo warned me that he might be gone for lunch when I arrived. Well, the train got in at 1.35 and I got to the apartment just before 2 o’clock, so thought I would surely catch the doorman before I left. No such luck. Turns out his break is from 1-5pm! So I went upstairs and luckily the neighbours were in and were happy to look after my luggage while I went out for lunch.

After that I had quite a long wait at this total dive of a place on the beach, as you can see…

La Moraga 

Afterwards I stopped at the supermarket for a few supplies, got the doorman to let me in, picked up my bags from next door…and got settled in! Made the bed, hung up my clothes, got my kitchen stuff organised, took a shower, set up my “office”, and I have been happily ensconced here ever since. Feet up, sea breeze blowing in through the balcony doors and windows, listening to music on my “travel iPod deck”. And dammit, I feel happy. I really really really needed to do this.

More mañana. Manolo’s place looks amazing! It’s been renovated since last time I was here and is so light and fresh looking. Not sure what I’ll do this evening, though I’m thinking I’ll just stay in and have an early night as I only got about 3 hours sleep last night worrying about Azar. Oh, and that massive mofo cockroach that Loki cornered at 3am also didn’t do any wonders for the ol’ sleep department. Really looking forward to falling asleep to the sound of the waves tonight, which is the next best sound to a cat purring…

travelling companion

03 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Malaga, travel, trips, work

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I am so excited!

After sorting out Azar health issues with my vet Yolanda this afternoon I felt secure enough to go out and buy my train ticket for Málaga. I’ll be spending Monday to Friday there next week mostly working, but also with some time off to dip my toes in the Mediterranean.

Once again I’ll be staying at my friend Manolo’s apartment, which I am told has undergone a total makeover since my last visit – stay tuned for new photos! And I’ve organised a vineyard visit with some very cool and interesting people – more on that later.

And so after getting the train ticket I went to the Corte Inglés to get some “old geezer” cat food for Azar (this will tide him over until his blood test results come back) and on the way out I spotted these adorable 2-3 cup bodum french press coffee makers… and well, how could I spend almost a week in Málaga without decent coffee? It was ON SPECIAL OFFER too! Because I always takes sheets and towels with me when I stay at Manolo’s there’s never any question of travelling light. I’ll also have the laptop with me and a few groceries from home, so what’s an extra coffee maker? Last time I was forced to drink instant coffee… never again!

What can’t you live without when you travel?