April 16th - 22nd 2007
Written by Geoff Forster
A lovely morning as we set off to take Donald and Margaret on a trip out to Gibraltar.
We set off at 10:00h.
The campo is beautifully green after the rains. Contrasted with the yellow Broom in full flower. Lots of wild flowers in the verges. A huge patch of Margarita type daisies on the way down to Gibralmedina and the start of the poppies.
This is Jimena de la Frontera taken from the moving car.
We had a coffee in Venta Carrasco, a favourite stopping point. A very Spanish style bar which we love.
Opposite was one of the first White Storks nests in the area. One of the Storks was in an nearby field hunting for food.
Refreshed we carried on the journey to Gibraltar.
We parked in La Linea. Almost on the beach at Santa Barbara. Passed the 'Pay and Display' section, parking is free after the last roundabout.
Gibraltar from the beach near the border. There was a cloud hanging over the rock. Caused by the easterly wind called the Levanter.
I'd walked across a sandy rubble strewn waste ground to get to the edge of the beach to take the photograph above.
Looking around there were beautiful small flowers everywhere. A few different vetches and some lovely daisies. I think they are a variety of Mesanbranthyum.
This brightly coloured succulent was present in large numbers.
We crossed the border and caught the number 9 bus across the runway to the shopping centre.
We had fish and chips and a cup of tea. Before splitting up. Jane's foot is limiting her to the nearby shops ... . Donald and Margaret went to the tourist information office before heading up Main Street to the cable car and the Apes den. I went straight to the Alameda Botanical Gardens for some peace and tranquility.
I had over three hours to wander slowly around the gardens. A rare chance to use the camera and look for some good angles and shots. The sky was cloudy but light levels were good in most parts of the garden.
Here are a few of my 'arty farty' shots and some of the best angles that I found during my visit to the Alameda Botanical Gardens.
I met Jane and we went into a café for tea. Later we met Donald and Margaret who'd had a good time with the Barbary apes. We caught the number nine bus back to the border. Crossed without any problems and drove straight home.
We're up and out by 10:00h. We're taking Donald and Margaret to Gaucín. They are going to walk back along the PR-A 243 route.
We had a coffee with them before we drove back.
I spent the day working. This included going through some of the photographs I took yesterday in Gibraltar.
I went for a walk up the track at the side of the apartment with the dogs, Mota de Oro often comes with us, but today we were joined not just by 'Motty' but also by Sophie our Siamese.
The campo is green and growing quickly. There are huge patches of colour in places but occasionally there is just one tiny flower and it stands out so well against the green backdrop.
Cranesbill.
Donald and Margaret made a day of their walk, stopping on route for a picnic lunch.
They have kindly invited us to dinner this evening.
We're all off to Restaurante Fuentecilla in nearby Algatocín.
There was one other customer who was just finishing as we ordered. So we had the restaurante to ourselves. Needless to say service was excellent.
Donald and Margaret Rich.
A couple of Jane, she hasn't appeared too much lately.
Donald had the swordfish. Portions are generous.
Margaret had chicken, Jane and I both had, solomillo de cerdo, en salsa Roquefort, a favourite.
We enjoyed our evening. Thanks to Donald and Margaret for inviting us to join them.
Back home we watched 'The Incredible's' a Pixar studios animation. One of their best.
We're off out today with Donald and Margaret. We drove to Cortes de la Frontera where we had a stroll around the pueblo.
There were a lot of House Martins nesting around the Ayuntamiento.
The Fuente. Always a good flow from this perfectly placed natural spring right in the centre of Cortes de la Frontera.
We had a coffee then set off for a drive through the Alcornocales forest.
We hadn't been in the forest long when Jane spotted this Cirl Bunting sitting on a rock on the drivers side of the car.
Not a bad photograph considering it was taken through the glass in the side window.
Cirl Buntings are striking birds. I always think they look like sparrows with face paint.
We stopped halfway through the forest for a stroll.
This ant like bug is very colourful.
We walked on and heard the sound of fast flowing water.
Down in an arroyo was a small waterfall and series of pools.
I went down to explore.
This is a yellow Rock Rose. Not as common as the white, pink and gum Cystus. However it is the most common Cystus to be found in the UK
Not a huge amount of wildlife to be seen today.
We did see cows, goats, horses and this donkeyroaming free in the trees.
We had tapas in El Colmenar / Estación de Gaucín.
I forgot to note the name, but from memory I think that it was the bar/restaurante Rincon de Cani.
The atmosphere was good and the 'Montaditos' were excellent.Then we drove up to Gaucín through some beautiful countryside.
The other day Donald and Margaret had completed the Gaucín to Benarrabá PR-A 243 official signposted walk.
At one point about half an hour out of Gaucín the signed trail seems to vanish. We stopped to try and find the route.
If anyone has information on where the route goes after passing near the new bullring can you kindly drop us a line. Do you cross the road to the sign? Then where?
We think the 'right of way' may have been fenced off?
I walked down one track in an attempt to find a marker post. Instead of a post I was rewarded by finding a glade full of lupins. These are different to the usual blue lupins we've been seeing. This variety is stronger and blue and white.
A lovely drive.
In the evening we watched 'The Gangs of New York' A Martin Scorsese film which as a rule is a good sign.
It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz and Liam Neeson. An interesting film, entertaining but missing something ...? The slums weren't squalid enough and the poor were too clean and looked too well fed?
We're up early and off to Málaga airport. Donald and Margaret have a noon flight back to the UK.
We've had some really good times together, trips to the donkey sanctuary and Gibraltar. Then yesterdays drive through the Alcornocales.
We've also had quite a few coffees and tapas together plus a lovely meal the other night.
It's always sad to see people leave at the end of a holiday.
The drive to Málaga was uneventful.
We got there in good time for Donald and Margaret to check in and we said a quick farewell near the departures terminal.
Jane and I drove to San Luis de Sabinillas to do some shopping.
We then drove up away from the Costa del Sol into the tranquility and beauty of the mountains.
Back in Benarrabá we spent the afternoon working.
Later we went down to Bar Andrés Sánchez for a drink.
We met Verónica, Andrés girlfriend from Peru. Verónica used to look at the blog to see photographs of the people and pueblo. Now she's living here, which is really good news.
I'm afraid I'm not feeling too well. Some glands in my neck seem enlarged and I've got a really bad headache. Plus very sore eyes.
Jane's foot is still sore so we haven't been out of the house all weekend.
Fortunately the donkeys are being fed by John and Chris whom we saw on Sunday afternoon before they returned to he UK. Thanks to them, not just for feeding the donkeys, but for a big bag of oranges and some jamón and cheese!
Sunday evening - I'm feeling a little brighter. I watched 'Kill Bill Vol 1' starring Uma Thurman.
Hope to be feeling better tomorrow.
Sorry if you haven't had replies to e-mails ...
Before I was hit by this virus/bug we chatted to our neighbour Carmen and her mother Maria.
They'd been up the track near the apartment picking herbs.
Sara, Carmen's daughter has an internet connection at college in Ronda, so these photographs are for her.
Maria had some wild garlic. Ajetes.
Carmen had an armful of a herb you fry with eggs. This was a new one for us. We'll have to get some and try it. Also I'll get the name from her. She did say, but my memory failed me (again!).
