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Tuesday April 8th 2008

Lots of overnight rain. It was still pouring down as we set off for Gibraltar.
Jane has some tax forms to fill in, so I said go with her, and meet up later to help sort it all out ...

A wet and quiet Main Street.


I walked down Bomb House Lane, where you'd guess one of the 'original' buildings is no more ...

I went to the museum, I was going to go in, but a 'No Photography Allowed' sign put me off. What do they have in there that's so precious? In Spain photography is allowed in every museum and church we've visited. It's never a problem. The sign went on to say I needed written permission, so I might write and request to be allowed to take my camera in. This building was nearby.

I walked around by the tourism office. The flags were soggy but still flying.

The outside was well presented with lots of plants and flowers.
Nearby is the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral. It's facade is surprisingly (fake) Moorish, the building isn't in a stunning Gothic style and is 'functional' (I'm being polite).

The door was open so I had a quick look around.
A lovely tapestry near the altar.
This is the back of the cathedral from Main Street.
I met up with Jane and we sorted out her tax return.
We were walking passed the Governor's residence, when the changing of the sentry ceremony was taking place. This is the cold and wet 'old sentry'.
There's a guard room opposite the residence. A Corporal and the new sentry marched out.
A Policeman stopped the traffic as they crossed the road. The old sentry reported all was well and that there had been no problemas. They then marched back to the guard house, where hopefully the old sentry got a cup of hot tea, but you never know, perhaps he had to polish his boots and sharpen his bayonet for his next tour of duty?
Despite the rain I had a good day. Stopping in 'The Star' for a pint of 'Old Speckled Hen'. The Star is a 'Spurs' pub. I had my Newcastle United jacket on, nobody said anything as we'd just stuffed the 'Spuds' 1-4 at White Hart Lane ... the pint tasted even better.
We crossed the border fairly quickly and shopped at Lidl's in San Luis de Sabinillas. We drove up the Río Manilva road, but had to turn back near the Roman Oasis restaurante as the road is closed. (A sign further down the road would have been a good idea).
We got back to Benarrabá safely, it had rained most of the day.
It poured down all evening. It was too dark and too dangerous to drive into the campo in the bad conditions (in a Renault Clio), so I'll go to the donkeys tomorrow with double rations.

We had a Caballa and Horse Radish sandwich. A strange mix but it really works! Try it.
Caballa is a fish that tastes like tuna, but comes in boneless fillets.
We prefer it to tuna as you know its from one fish and not mush from the bottom of machine in a tuna processing factory. You buy it in tins (near the tuna and sardines). You can buy extra large tins for around 5€ that have really large fillets.(Special Offer - 3.49€ Super Genal Algatocín) Smaller tins are around 70 centimos.

Later we watched 'Shoot em Up'. Directed by Michael Davis. With Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and Monica Bellucci.
Ridiculous send up. Well made, great action and expensive but silly stunts. Watch it if you like movies with an invincible bulletproof hero taking on and beating hundreds of baddies. The 'baddies' all wear black leather jackets, jumpers, trousers, boots and socks (it always helps).