March 1st - 7th 2007
Written by Geoff Forster
More good weather.
We're off to Los Alcornocales Parque Natural.
We're going to drive to El Colmenar, then take the forest road. We'll do a 'U' turn at the Cortes de la Frontera to Ubrique road and drive back by the same route.
We saw the usual Stonechats sitting posing on poles and wires.
We stopped to marvel at a beautiful meadow covered in a carpet of wild flowers and herbs.
Amongst the multitude of blooms were these Bellis. Daisies like drifts of snow.
Climbing through the Olive trees. The Winter flowering species Clematis, Clematis cirrhosa (Old man's beard) has gone to seed.
These sheep grazing the pasture, all had bells around their necks. They were making the most wonderful sound as they moved.
These cows in the same pasture had very young calves with them.
We drove through El Colmenar (Estación de Gaucín) and into the forest.
We had gone about ten minutes into the forest when we stopped for a sandwich.
There were four donkeys munching on shrubs near to where we parked.
I got out to give the friendliest, who we know as we've met these donkeys a few times before.
We were in the car eating a cheese and onion baguette when my friend decided he wanted to share our lunch.
We had to wind the windows up. We'd prepared the sandwich in the car. We'd bought bread in Gaucín on the way. The onion was strong and we both sat with stinging eyes unable to open the window because the donkeys were circling the car.
Fortunately they started playing and grooming each other and soon forgot about us.
The goats were out in large numbers eating all the plants.
We saw this fungus growing out of a Cork Oak stump. It was very beautiful.
This flower is an incredible shade of blue.
The nest of processionary caterpillars.
Here they are. They move in columns across the forest floor feeding and then returning to their nests.
This group were in big trouble. They'd formed a circle and were just going round and round.
They could do this for days ...
Their hairs cause serious skin irritations. They can kill smaller animals and cause necrosis if ingested. Best to keep dogs on leads in areas where pines grow at this time of year.
We drove to the junction and turned back into the forest.
We saw an animal like a huge stoat run across the road in front of us.
On the very tip of it's tail was tuft of black hair like a brush.
We did a quick search on Google but as yet haven't put a name to it. It was definitely from the weasel/stoat/ferret/polecat family.
The views are stunning.
In El Colmenar we stopped to photograph the avenue of trees. Pollarded Planes and an exotic mix of Palms.
On the way up to Gaucín we spotted this young donkey in a field with a mare.
Both were friendly.
Donkey's are wonderful. If we ever win the lottery ...
Back home we worked until midnight.
Then we watched the rest of 'The Hours' a moving, deep, film. The first time I watched it I thought it was cleverly directed and that the acting was superb. The second time around it is very very cleverly directed and the acting is the best that I've seen for years. Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore. Not an easy film to watch, it tackles some tough subjects. It is probably the best film that we have in our collection but it is not one that will be watched too often. 10/10.
Inspired by 'The Hours', we started to watch 'Mrs Dalloway', starring Vanessa Redgrave amongst a star studded cast, in an adaption from Virginia Woolf's classic book.
We're up early.
We're planning a shopping trip to San Luis de Sabinillas.
Great news! Our friend Colin Watts whom we met almost two years ago, is coming out for a last minute break. He wants one of our 'Special Holidays' which are proving to be very popular.
The holidays include an airport pick up, and sightseeing trips to some of Andalucia's major cities & places of interest.
Just as we were sorting the car out for the trip to the coast. thirty vultures flew low overhead.
We dashed and got the cameras and followed them up to where they had landed on a favourite perch on a rocky limestone outcrop. Something had died in the valley. Perhaps a sheep or more likely a young lamb.
We went to San Luis de Sabinillas.
A quick look into the English bookshop.
Where we met Trevor from Gaucín. Also Mike from Casares who plays clarinet in the famous New Orleans Jump Band.
The view from just below Gaucín over the valle de Genal and Guadiaro to the Campo de Gibraltar.
A bit of a haze looking down towards Gibraltar. The African coastline was just visible to the left.
The Sierra de Crestellina.
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Gaucín
We called into the shop behind the venta near the Crestellina to buy goat's cheese and a kilo of expensive, stale bread from the panadería.
We got back home mid-afternoon.
Phoned Colin to find out his flight times. He arrives late tomorrow.
We worked all evening before watching the rest of 'Mrs Dalloway'.
What a beautiful day an absolute scorcher.
Jane worked cleaning the apartment whilst I worked on the computer.
We drove out to the donkeys, walking the last steep bit.
Dolly and Molly the two sheep belonging to John and Chris came to see us.
Molly's foot is better now and she's walking perfectly.
They came quite close to us. A first! We put down some seed for them before the donkeys arrived.
We filled some water bottles up from the natural spring at El Choruello.
I watched the Tyne - Tees derby between Newcastle United and Middlesboro'. A 0-0 draw.
We drove to Malaga airport and met Colin and Julie.
A lovely mild evening.
The sun was setting behind us as we drove along the Costa de Sol a lovely sky.
A quick coffee in the airport, their flight was early.
It was good to see Colin again and to meet Julie.
We had a safe journey home. Outside Guayacan, Yolanda and Diego were looking up at the moon which was nearly eclipsed.
We took Colin and Julie to the apartment. It's Julies birthday at midnight (4th March) We watched the eclipse from the sun terrace. Excellent timing, it was perfectly eclipsed on the stroke of midnight.
Another scorching hot day.
Blue skies and a gentle mountain breeze. Life in Andalucía is perfect.
We walked with Colin and Julie to see the donkeys.
Here's Colin and Julie.
A beautiful day. We enjoyed our walk. We waited for the donkeys to plod up the steep hill.
You can't rush a donkey, so Colin and Julie had a seat.
Colin watches Rosie munching some small herbs.
With the donkeys fed, we set off back up the steep hill to Benarrabá.
Back home I caught up with some post and sorted out some photographs.
We've had a few e-mails lately about some of the animals we've mentioned.
Michael Orton wrote about the lizard. He thinks it may be an Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lipida).
Having looked at some photo's via Google. I think it is an Ocellated Skink (Chalcides ocellatus).
Friends, John and Chris, and also friend Carole Beetham wrote about the critter we saw in the Alcornocales.
We're still no sure about this one. It was a lot bigger than a UK stoat. We've seen Meloncilla before and unless there is a huge colour variation it wasn't one of these. But the size and body shape are right.
The most striking feature was the tip of it's tail which had a black tuft on the final 2cm.
Colin and Julie had invited us to the Restaurante Kábilas to celebrate Julie's birthday.
Here's Julie with her birthday cake.
We had a great evening.
Feliz Cumpleaños Julie.
We walked home. The sky was full of stars. With little air or light pollution the Milky Way is visible.
Jane and I watched 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' the old Ealing Studios classic.
Starring Dennis Price, Valerie Hobson, Joan Greenwood and Sir Alec Guinness, who plays all eight members of the D'Ascoyne family.
More beautiful weather.
We're off to Gibraltar today with Colin and Julie.
We set off at 10:00h.
The roads were quiet but the skies were full of birds of prey.
We saw lots of Common Buzzards and Griffon Vultures.
Also many Lesser Kestrels.
We also saw quite a few Red and Black Kites circling in wheeling patterns. The migration from Africa is well underway. We saw one Common Buzzard feeding in the ditch at the side of the road. It must have been really hungry as they are not usually this bold.
The White Storks were on their nests as we passed near Estación de San Roque.
We arrived in La Linea. Parked near the sea front where there is no pay and display.
We crossed the border. Caught the No9 bus to the town centre.
We headed straight to The Clipper. A bar where they do an excellent full English breakfast.
Jane and Julie had fish and chips.
Refreshed and refueled we walked up to Main Street. Which was quite busy.
We split up arranging to meet back up at The Clipper in a couple of hours.
Colin and Julie went shopping.
Jane and I walked to the Botanical Gardens.
This flower was gorgeous. It looked like it was growing from a bulb.
Cystus. Rock Rose. Soon they will be in bloom all over Andalucia.
A variety of Candytuft.
There are lots of cats in the gardens.
We nearly always come to the Alameda. It is a very relaxing and tranquil place.
A type of Aloe Vera.
Freesia.
Bird of Paradise.
Lots of colourful borders.
A Yellow Legged Gull resting in a tree.
A shady spot with rills of running water.
Lantara camara, this is the true plant. There are many cultivars of differing colours.
Pansy. Always bright and cheerful.
An emblem on the iron gates.
The gardens like Gibraltar are littered with old cannons.
The Aloe Vera has nearly finished flowering.
A Chiffchaff.
This photograph was very over exposed. I've never seen this bird before, which is why I include the terrible photograph. (Sorry)
It was charcoal grey with a matt black head. It had a bright orange cheek.
I'm not sure if it's in any of my European bird books. It may well be a visitor from nearby Africa.
A very beautiful bird. The light levels vary so much in the gardens, from deep shade to bright sunlight just by moving the camera a few feet. I was really annoyed with myself for messing up this shot.
The Gibraltar Crest.
This Jasmine had an incredible fragrance.
We met back up with Colin and Julie.
They'd enjoyed some retail therapy.
We left Gibraltar around 17:30h
Called into Carrefours and Lidl's for a bit of shopping.
I spotted this strange vehicle in the car park.
A small caravan welded onto the back of a truck. Lovely paint job.
We got back to Benarrabá at around 20:00h. A long day.
We all went to Café Bar Guayacán for tapas. Which as usual was excellent.
Jane and I watched'Snakes on a Plane'. Which is about snakes on a plane ... absolute rubbish.
Starring Samuel L. Jackson who should have known better.
More great weather. Colin and Julie are topping up their tans.
I spent all morning catching up with the blog and sorting out the Gibraltar photographs.
Later Colin and Julie went exploring the maze of twisting streets in the lower part of Benarrabá.
They did well finding the church, a few shops and the bars.
I worked all day on the websites which are progressing.
We went to Café Bar Guayacán to see Yolanda. We had some great tapas. Pork and chicken pieces in different salsas plus garlic prawns and garlic mushrooms.
We had a really enjoyable evening. Colin and Julie both enjoyed the good atmosphere and food in Guayacán. If you're in the area you should come to Benarrabá for tapas.
When our guest's Ann and Bryon Blackwell were staying with us. They were out and about around Benarraba quite a bit during their four week holiday.
Bryon was taken by the cute dogs he came across around the village. He took a few photographs of these 'local characters'. He somehow missed our three Border Collies but they feature enough!
Here are Bryon's Andalucian Dogs.
A big thanks to Bryon. Great photographs.
Up early again.
I worked on the blog and new websites.
We went to Gaucín to the vets. Sophie needs her stitch removed.
We stood in the queue for thirty minutes before seeing the Vet.
It seemed we'd wasted our journey and time as the little monkey had removed the stitch herself.
The wound has healed so no problema.
Colin and Julie explored Benarrabá and the tapas bars.
We worked again in the afternoon.
Jane was busy on her notebook, researching various locations for future visits.
In the evening we walked down to Bar Barroso for some jamón ibérico. The jamón in this bar is excellent. The best in the area. The pigs are raised on acorns on the hills around Benarrabá. The jamóns are cured on the premises. The taste is incredible.
We walked a few metres to Bar Andrés Sánchez. Where we had spicy kebabs and a plateful of mushrooms. A good evening.
Stats from February show another rise in daily visitors to the website. Just under 1200 visitors a day.
Jane and I watched the beginning of 'Steel Magnolias' starring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah and Olympia Dukakis.
A few funny moments but pretty slow stuff, definitely one for the ladies.