Still on holiday

 

I am back in the UK but still on holiday, I've been making the most of the time off , and doing lot of things, of which sleeping has been a top priority.

I have done all the holiday washing, the clothes are all put away and I have managed to tidy the house, due to large amounts of precipitation since I got back, I have not been able to mow the  lawn which by now must have tigers roaming in it.

Yesterday I walked down to pick up my new bike, a very swanky  'step through'.

I walked from my house to the nature reserve where I met the most wonderful Border terrier called Burt, at 10 years old he was just starting to slow down a little.

I carried on my walk along the old railway line which had been part of The Clarence line transporting coal to Port Clarence, if you fancy reading more here is the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Railway

Today is full on busy as I have things to drop at the local charity, the post office and have two collection to be picked up at my house before I head off on a spur of the moment trip to Headingley ( my first and last this year) and it appears that just like last years trip I will be disappointed by the weather.

Huge thanks to those who have had a hand in this.

There may even be a champagne tasting tonight.

Ahhhh this time last week I was tasting champagne at the airport before getting onto my flight.

Happy Tuesday

And just like that

 

Its over! By the time you read this I will be en route to the airport ( god knows what joys that will entail)

However the last full day was put to good use as I was once again on the beach before the sunbed man and spent the day in the company of the lovely Cherie and Jack ( AKA Patsy, just don't ask!!). 

After my run in with the  lovely Marie Therese ( the French lady )I thought  my Franglais was behind me, but hell no!

We were joined on the beach by 15 Frenchmen on a stag do, and somehow we got talking to them, well I say we, I was somehow made the intermediary. I'm not sure that my French to English translation was correct but we had a cracking time. 

I wandered back towards my hotel  and thought that just for once I would venture into an English pub for a bite to eat...............only to be openly insulted by the 'lady' that owned it. As I left her husband chased me and said he was sorry she didn't think I was English!!!!! What the funkety funk is that all about! Its obviously OK to be rude to people that you don't think are English! I was equally rude telling him to make sure in future he gets a muzzle for his old dog!!!

I then went to the lovely typical little Spanish bar that was run by a Chinese couple (!), I had popped in here most days and they  referred to as 'Large San Miquel' well it beats what the old dog called me.

I am sad to be leaving, I have had the best time and sadly didn't have time to do a few things that I wanted, but hey it just means that I have to come back.

I finished my tour of 'bubbles' last night with a bottle of champagne. Well why not!

And now I am heading home and preparing for another week of R & R ( I really should decorate), before new adventures.

Have a lovely Saturday.

Tarragona its been a blast I will return.

Beach day

 

So as predicted the sun came out and I headed to the beach after breakfast, I even beat the sunbed man! now that is real sunbathing commitment, and I am committed to getting a suntan. I have my various factors  and I am going to  use them.

About 10 mins after  I arrived, a lovely couple from Dublin tipped up next to me, they introduced themselves and were great company. Poor Jack ( the husband) was in charge of the bags whilst Cherie ( the wife) and I went swimming, we rotated this  so that they could have a swim together, The cautiousness  being that there are  lot of  'looky looky' men around at the moment Upside of that, I'm trying to decide on a 'Relax' watch  or a 'Tig Heuer'.

The sun shone all day and by 8pm  it was still blazing down on my balcony, I was settling in for Cava time, my daily testing of different cavas. You have no idea the groundwork I am doing for you all if you head out to Spain this summer.

A funny thing happened by the elevators when I came back from the beach.

Myself and another lady were both waiting, and waiting and waiting  and she looked at me and said   'quele etages etes vous', I replied ' troisieme etage', she then started speaking to me in French and I responded ( not that well), she realised that I was English ( of course she did, me  with the 'allo allo' accent and all), and then started to tell me that having not being abroad for over 2 years she was speaking to the staff at the hotel,  in 'Spangais' I laughed and said I was doing the same , part Spanish, part French. ( go figure that one)

She introduced herself and as the elevator had come and gone whilst we were laughing,  we went to have a drink in the bar, ( cava of course). We spoke in Franglais and had a lovely half hour. Just laughing and talking. She comes from near Limoges and is here for a month!!!

It was lovely to see so many smiling faces ( even the mobility scooter brigade), the sun has that effect.

I have only a couple of days left as this was a short break, but I can honestly say I would come back in a heartbeat, a lovely hotel and a lovely resort.

I have to say again a huge thanks to Dale who once again found me the perfect hotel and sorted everything out for me.

And now I am off for another day slow roasting myself on the beach

Have a good one

and breathe!

 

Day 1 real.

I went to sample breakfast( this to me is the bench mark of hotel excellence and although the cooked type was not as good as The Center Plaza in Reykjavik, it was very good,  there were also a selection of breads, preserves, pastries and massive selection of cold meats and cheese, I was in positive food heaven................then I went to the next food station! Cava, chilled for breakfast, well that is a 5 *  right there. I hadn't even got to the fruit and granola station.

Any chance of me losing any weight whist here is now firmly out of the window. Photos will follow as I forgot to take my phone down with me.

I then took the walk in the drizzle to the beach, a 3 minute bimble past a parade of shops and cafes ( spotted a nice handbag). Flip flops kicked off and straight on to the beach and into the sea ( only splodging ).

I suddenly got a little bit tearful,  2 years ago now, we were locked down, unsure what was happening and not sure where, what or who was safe to be with, the thought of splodging in the Med was  a distant memory then and to be honest we were mostly just focusing on coming out the other side of something that we didn't fully understand.

I  realised how very lucky I am  to be here on the beach with my feet in the sea. 

For me now, in light of the last few months as well as the last couple of years, it is time to put my best foot forward and move on.

So back to the holiday.

As I said yesterday, the hotel is newly refurbed and  the large open bars and reception area make a perfect place for blogging and drinking coffee. walls of windows  as well as white interiors make the whole place look ( and it is ) spacious and bright, even on a dull rainy day.

Outside  my room there is a tree which is a regular meeting place for birds, their song is cheery and even at 6am, lovely to hear. There is some road noise but mainly small cars on a side road. There are lots of bars and restaurants around, but as we are not fully into the  main holiday season it is very quiet in the evening.

For me this is the perfect time of year to be away, not too many children, not too many young adults, although I have suffered a couple of altercations with mobility scooters! 

The sun finally came out at midday, and I nearly ran down to the beach, sunbed sorted and there I lay, soaking up the rays whilst keeping one eye open for Greenpeace coming to roll me back out to sea.

My evening was spent listening to Yorkshire T20 'ont wireless' ( well the laptop) and drinking Cordorniu Gran Cremant, I am trying a different cava every evening, for research purposes only you understand!

 I was also keeping an eye on TLJL.

TLML and TLDL were both at the game

Sadly it was not Kents night.

My hair continues to curl  and I continue to be amazed.

Now I am off for cava and breakfast, seriously it's proper research and someone has to do this. 

then I am off to the beach to roast myself ( yes I have sun protection)

Until tomorrow 

a little break

 

Well I am on my travels again, I've had both  a strange and exhilarating start to the year, and as such I felt the need to throw in  a quick break before I begin m next life instalment , and so here I am in Spain.

Monday saw a stop over at hotel at the airport, 3am alarm call, and then champagne at 5am, well doesn't everyone!?

So flight to Spain, with turbulence worse than going into Keflavic in March, just no sitting on the tarmac for 45 mins.......... although we did have standing on the tarmac for 15 mins before a good 5-10 minute walk to the terminal at the 'bijou' Reus airport.

Jet 2 need to get their act together here, it was a bit of a shambles but 1.45min later I was on a mini bus being whisked to my hotel.

It was thundering and pouring when I arrived so I decided to head to the roof  top pool for a swim.

Ahhh there I go, diving in  with my strawberry blonde  locks floating behind me, looking every inch the mermaid, although for those in the roof top bar it must have looked like an out take from 'Free Willy'. Come on I'm not the only one that the last 2 years has not been kind to!!

Dry off and quick change and off to the 'Supermercado' ,cava in my trolley and I was very happy.

The rain was not letting up so I open the door to the balcony let the cool air in and had a siesta, how very civilized.

The rain continued well into the evening, so cava on the balcony and  reading my book.

I'm on holiday, I'm without my partner in wine who is with TLJL.

I am however loving it.

Today is anther day and I am off to the beach to sizzle in the sun. ( hopefully)

And the hotel, well, refurbed in 2019 just in time for the global lockdown. It is absolutely stunning, both inside and out. 2 pools, jacuzzi and a gym ( if that's your thing!) fresh and clean throughout. The rooms ae spacious and clean, the bathrooms are how I envision my downstairs one at home when I can get a reliable plumber!.

I'm about to sample breakfast and you can tell a hotel by the breakfast. Whether the sun comes out or not I am here to have a rest and that's just what I intend to do ( a full 8 hours sleep last night started that ball rolling)

Have a great Wednesday everyone, I know I will.

another Bank holiday

Long weekends seem to be what April was made of, not that I am complaining. Its been a busy one which included a girly night out in Hexham, Micky Bell sitting and a relaxing spa evening, just  what I needed.

I can tell though, that this week will be filled with housework ( of which I have done none), work and the  small business.  All of which will get done in time for a spot of glamping at the weekend, ahhhh a  weekend of peace and quiet and being off grid!

It was great to  keep tabs on the cricket over the weekend, I would have been there but sadly as Micky Bell is not allowed in at Headingley, was a none starter.

I was super proud  ( and yes I know I don't sponsor him any more) of Matty's performance, a maiden first class half century and an amazing C & B, to name two parts of his game.

It really is great to see him playing  so well

I was very sad not to get to see TLJL, but I will try to see him play before the end of the season.

And we are in May already, its been  a funny old year for me so far. Onward and upward!!!!

And with that I am off to do some work.