Sunday, December 2, 2012

Nina & John visit from Tuscon

Like Norman & Angelo were to Stuart, Nina & John were people I'd never met before. Stuart had told me so much about them and what lovely people they were. Nina and I had already become email and Facebook buddies and I was really looking forward to meeting them when they came to us from Austria on their way back to the USA. They were both every bit as lovely as Stuart described them. Nina is an amazing cook too and prepared us killer blue cheese burgers one night while she was with us!

We had been anticipating and planning their visit for quite a while as Nina had expressed a wish to go to the Alhambra in Granada. So we booked in early June for the late September visit! They now limit the numbers going around at any one time so pre-booking is essential. We also decided to make a trip to Cordoba to round out the trip too. As you can see there are lots of pictures here from Granada, Cordoba and around the area we live - so enjoy!!

Nina with John bringing up the rear, arrive at Almeria airport.
Nina with John bringing up the rear, arrive at Almeria airport.













































































More catch ups! Angelo & Norman visited us from Milano!

We are blessed with some wonderful friends. Some of the people who visited us this year have been long time friends of one or the other of us and have then become friends of both of us. In this case Angelo & Norman have been long time friends of mine and I had visited them in Italy twice in recent years. Two wonderful people with big hearts and they have always made me feel so welcome in Italy. So it was a joy to have them visit us in our new home and for Stuart to get to know them and think as highly of them as I do!

The now obligatory airport arrival shot!
The now obligatory airport arrival shot!

In Nijar on the way home we stopped at some ceramics shops and Angelo saw this!
In Nijar on the way home we stopped at some ceramics shops and Angelo saw this!

In Cafe Zio down at Mojácar Playa for lunch
In Cafe Zio down at Mojácar Playa for lunch

Relaxing on the patio
Relaxing on the patio

Norman and Cliff in the pool
Norman and Cliff in the pool

Cliff treading water
Cliff treading water
Angelo celebrates his 53 birthday with us!
Angelo celebrates his 53 birthday with us!

Some happy relaxed visitors, Angelo's birthday meal at La Montana.
Some happy relaxed visitors, Angelo's birthday meal at La Montana.
Death by chocolate for his birthday dessert :)
Death by chocolate for his birthday dessert :)

Los Genoveses beach near San José, Cabo De Gata, beautiful!
Los Genoveses beach near San José, Cabo De Gata, beautiful! 
Los Genoveses beach near San José, Cabo De Gata, beautiful!
Los Genoveses beach near San José, Cabo De Gata, beautiful!
A small panorama of the beach at Los Genoveses
A small panorama of the beach at Los Genoveses
Salon Norman is open, hair and beard trimming!
Salon Norman is open, hair and beard trimming!


Another day and we are in the pool!
Another day and we are in the pool!

Enjoying a lovely meal, Cliff, Norman, Angelo & Stuart (l - r)
Enjoying a lovely meal, Cliff, Norman, Angelo & Stuart (l - r)


The water babies....I think they liked the pool!
The water babies....I think they liked the pool!

Angelo bought the bear as a present for our garden!
Angelo bought the bear as a present for our garden!


Angelo made great use of his timer function on his camera!
Angelo made great use of his timer function on his camera!

Norman testing out one of our inflatables!
Norman testing out one of our inflatables!

Told you they liked the pool!
Told you they liked the pool! 


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

David & Paul came a visiting! Birthday celebrations too!

When Stuart was visiting the UK over Christmas and New Year 2011/12 we went to stay with friends of mine in North Wales. A wonderful Anglo/American couple of David (from Colwyn Bay, North Wales) and Paul (from Pittsburgh , USA) who showed us a wonderful time and helped us see in the New Year in a wonderful homely environment. While there Stuart got word that he had a buyer on his house so they got to share our excitement that our journey to Spain had begun!

We were really pleased that David was able to arrange to have some time away to come and visit us early in September and they were here to celebrate Stuart's 70th birthday with us too!

David & Paul arriving at Murcia airport
David & Paul arriving at Murcia airport

Celebrating Stuart's birthday at Tio Tomas, Turre.
Celebrating Stuart's birthday at Tio Tomas, Turre.
David enjoying the coastline on the way to Aguilas
David enjoying the coastline on the way to Aguilas

David & Paul proving they are water bears!
David & Paul proving they are water bears!

To say they liked the pool is an understatement!
To say they liked the pool is an understatement!

David and Paul on the patio.
David and Paul on the patio.

David getting Paul to "smile" while on the computer!
David getting Paul to "smile" while on the computer!

David enjoys his pipe on Aguilas promenade
David enjoys his pipe on Aguilas promenade

Paul waits while Stuart takes pictures at Aguilas.
Paul waits while Stuart takes pictures at Aguilas.

Taking in the amazing views from the Bedar miners memorial.
Taking in the amazing views from the Bedar miners memorial.

Picking fresh figs from the garden.
Picking fresh figs from the garden.

A summer of visitors! The Dons.....

Stuart had long talked about his friends from back in America and this summer we were lucky to be able to host two lots for visits. The first ones to come to see us flew down from Barcelona after having cruised around the Med and it was an all to short visit as they were delightful lovely people. Don J & Don W (hence The Dons) live in North Carolina and are two of the sweetest lovely guys! Don W loved the pool and was like a water baby! We sincerely hope they will come back and visit us again soon, and for a longer visit!


Don W, Cliff, & Don J in El Almejero Garrucha
Don W, Cliff, & Don J in El Almejero Garrucha

 Don J and Stuart in El Almejero fish restaurant, Garrucha
 Don J and Stuart in El Almejero fish restaurant, Garrucha

Stuart & Don W ponder what to order at El Almejero
Stuart & Don W ponder what to order at El Almejero
Don J and Stuart in El Almejero fish restaurant, Garrucha
 Don J and Stuart in El Almejero fish restaurant, Garrucha

Stuart and Don W are happy now as they had made their choices!
Stuart and Don W are happy now as they had made their choices!

Excuse the blurry pic, Don W & Don J checking in at Almeria airport for the flight back to Barcelona and then home.
Excuse the blurry pic, Don W & Don J checking in at Almeria airport for the flight back to Barcelona and then home.





Bedar on Fire and our house warming - August 25th & 26th!

Our first summer in the house saw a number of milestones some wonderful some not so. This was one of those not so nice experiences. As a townie I had never experienced anything like this so I was quite scared and nervous about the possibilities of our hill being overcome with flames! Ironically we had scheduled our house warming party for the Sunday afternoon. Little did we know that it would literally involve so much heat!



Here is another video uploaded to YouTube that shows the fires from a much more intimate perspective! These shots were taken across the Bedar road on the hills around there.


Amazingly the combined efforts of the army, local fire fighters, the helicopters and planes managed to get the fire under control and it was largely out within 24 hours. They had to keep damping down as the ground could have smouldering under the surface but thankfully we got away far easier than the Marbella area a few days later!

We were able to still have our house warming party once they reopened the road up to Bedar later in the afternoon and we were happy to be able to relax and feel safe!

Chris & Jean (our closest neighbours) talking with Peter and his partner David in the foreground.
Chris & Jean (our closest neighbours) talking with Peter and his partner David (from near Valencia) in the foreground.

Annie (one of the previous owners) talking with James & Alan.
Annie (one of the previous owners) talking with James & Alan.

David (from near Valencia), Stephen, Alan & James enjoying food, drink and conversation on the patio.
David (from near Valencia), Stephen, Alan & James enjoying food, drink and conversation on the patio.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

July 28th, Bedar Fiesta!

All Spanish towns hold Fiestas at different times of the year. Usually they are to celebrate a religious figure and they usually last for sometimes as long as 3 or 4 days. The Bedar one is a relatively new Fiesta and no one seems to know what it is held for....but it is one hell of a party!

This is a video I put together of the recent one using still pictures, video, music & voice over it really doesn't do it justice!!







Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Spanish driving license update

After studying the 254 page driving manual, I sat for the theory part of the license exam.  There were thirty multiple-choice questions and you cannot miss more than  10% and pass the test.  Most first time takers do not do so.  I consider myself fortunate in only missing 2 questions. So I passed.  I had a number of moped and motorcycle questions of which I was not certain of the answers.  So I might have missed a few of those.

To pass the driving portion of the test, you must practice on a car from your driving school and use it for the evaluation.  None of the driving schools within a 50 mile radius of here, have automatic cars.  They are not considered macho enough for Spaniards.  As you know, our Hyundai is automatic.  So last Monday, I rented a bottom of the line 5-speed shift car to practice with for a few days.  Cliff, who is an excellent driver in both shift and automatic cars and those with right hand or left hand drive, drove the rental to a semi-deserted warehouse area for me to practice.  First, I just shifted the gears with the clutch without the engine on.  Soon I started to drive it and to our amazement, actually drove it reasonably well.  I did not stall it or do any herky-jerky movements.  I was so confident that I drove it back towards home including on the expressway.  I did pull over to where we had left our car so that Cliff could drive the rental up the hill and the winding one-lane roads to our house.  The next morning I drove the shift car by myself up and down the hills and to the center of a nearby town.  Again, I drove it home without incident.  Hopefully, this practice will stand me in good stead when I take the driving lessons at the auto school and on the exam.

This Sunday we are having an open house and invited friends and acquaintances to join us.