November 23rd - 30th 2006
Written by Geoff Forster
A grey start but very mild.
We went to get some straw for the donkeys and then fed them.
Jane can't stop reading her new book and is already halfway through it.
I've been working on more graphics and the layout of our new websites which I'm finally becoming happier with.
It rained on and off, but nothing too heavy. I went upstairs to stand on the sun terrace. The valley was misty but the view down to the church was clear.
I walked up passed the donkeys with the dogs.
The skies were grey and threatened a heavy downpour.
The rain is welcome as Andalucía's reservoirs still contain only 50% of capacity. Although they are fuller now than at this time last year.
Newcastle United beat Celta Vigo of Galicía, Spain 2-1 in the UEFA Cup. A great result. It was on Channel5 but the reception breaks up on this channel, I'm not sure why this is as all the others are fine.
Later in the evening we watched an episode of 'A Touch of Frost' starring David Jason.
We started to watch a late night horror film on Film4 'Braindead' directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings). A comedy, zombie, gore fest!
Jane was watching it through her fingers, it is gory and it is really funny.
The Andalucian Rain Gods decided to intervene and it rained heavily for ten minutes.
Enough for us to lose reception and go to bed.
We'll watch out for it another night.
Another grey start but no rain at the moment.
We had a few moderate showers overnight which is good.
I fed and watered the donkeys. They looked wet. This always makes us feel that they should be inside their little stable, but they choose to stand outside.
Some heavier showers in the evening.
Jane took this photograph of our Border Collie, Sally.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Jane cooked a roast chicken dinner, which we both enjoyed.
Later in the evening we watched 'Hideous Kinky' starring Kate Winslett. Thanks to Margaret and Peter Beauchamp for bringing us the DVD's which they get free with their papers.
I watched 'The Phantom Menace' The first of the Star Wars films. Starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman.
Jane worked on the PC. She's researching artists living and working on the Costa del Sol.
A few late nights watching movies have caught up with us and we slept in!
It's been raining again, fortunately mainly during the night.
We fed the animals and walked the dogs.
I worked on the PC most of the day. Jane finished her book.
In the evening we watched X Factor.
Later we watched a strange Russian horror film 'Night Watch' starring Konstantin Khabensky. A weird vampire movie about the forces of light and darkness. Some great special effects and an unusual storyline. This is part one of a trilogy. The second part 'Day watch' has already been filmed. 'Dusk Watch' is due to follow shortly.
No photo's today as it's been a grey day.
Here are some friends Martin and Davina Green from sScarborough sent us.
The first photograph is of the Casa de Rey Moro in Ronda.
The second is of a sunrise taken from the sun terrace of the apartment in Benarrabá during their stay with us last year.
A statue in Torremolinos.
This is a Monk Parakeet. There are quite large flocks of these feral birds in pockets along the Costa del Sol.
Finally back to Ronda. This photograph was taken in the Plaza de Toros.
Thanks to Martin and Davina Green for their photographs.
Do you have any photographs that you could send us?
A beautiful day, the sun is shining, skies are blue. A few fluffy cumulus clouds are floating across the valley. Temperatures in the shade are in the 60'sF. In the sun they must be in the 70'sF.
We fed the donkeys who look good standing in the sunshine eating straw.
We took the dogs out for an hour or two along the track that starts at the bottom of our street.
Benarrabá from the trail.
Jane enjoying the fresh air and the late November sunshine.
This is the view across the Genal valley to Genalguacil.
Just as we turned this corner a Common Buzzard was scared from it's perch near the track by two Border Collies. We watched it soar down the arroyo Infiernillo towards the Rio Genal.
You can see the autumnal colours of the Sweet Chestnuts around Genalguacil.
A little further on and we can turn South to see Benarrabá stretched along a ridge of the mountainside. Bathing in the sunshine.
We stopped near this Olive grove to throw sticks for the dogs. They love it!
Genalguacil.
Jubrique.
The dogs were having a great time. We throw the stick down the hillside to try to tire them out. Border Collies run on 'Duracells'. They just keep on going.
Here's our young Border Collie, Jake.
Jake again. His paw is fine. He licks it and the fur turns pink.
A little further away from the village and Mount Porón comes into shot.
Standing on the same spot but turning 180° to look North up the Genal Valley.
We've photographed this unusual branch of an Olive tree before. It is a lovely piece of wood. Lots of 'eyes' and faces in this one if you look for a while.
A typical view of the track that we walk on. Cut out of the mountain side and lined with trees. Mainly Holm and Cork Oaks but interspersed with various fruit and nut trees. A walkers paradise.
Horse head ...?
Finally a lovely view of Benarrabá through an Oak tree.
We got home in time for the kick off at St James' Park. Newcastle United beat Portsmouth 1-0. It should have been more.
We had some delicious 'home made' chicken soup.
Later we watched 'The 13th Warrior' a strange fantasy film about an arab emissary played by Antonio Banderas. Who joined up with a group of Vikings to fight mythical monsters (men in bear costumes). The special effects of the Viking long boat crossing a stormy ocean looked as if they'd been done in a bathtub with a watering can. A poor film.
Another lovely day. We spent the morning around the house.
In the afternoon I took the dogs out for a walk up the track behind the apartment.
The path forks not far up the mountainside and I took the left hand track up to near the road.
The path has fences and bushes running along either side. In places wild blackberry bushes grow over the fence and send shoots down, making walking along the track very difficult.
It's worth the short climb because the views are excellent.
Benarrabá. Genalguacil is the village on the other side of the Genal Valley.
This is Genalguacil taken from Benarrabá with lots of zoom.
Recent rains followed by some great sunny spells have helped ripen and swell the Olives.
Hopefully this year will bring a bumper crop.
Some of the olives from a tree near the donkeys are bigger than black grapes.
Our donkeys Domingo and Rosie.
The ground is still moist. Lots of different mushrooms are growing.
I found about twenty but they didn't look like any I've seen being eaten, so I left them.
Later in the evening I walked down to Café Bar Guayacán to see Yolanda.
One of our neighbours has a house for sale in the village. He wants me to do an web page for it. I wanted Yolanda to translate for us to make sure that I got all the important facts right.
Back home we had our evening meal.
Later Jane wanted to go out. We went back down to see Flora and Yolanda.
Back home again we watched 'Very Bad Things' starring Christian Slater and Cameron Diaz.
A black comedy. It was very funny.
We're up early and out with the donkeys.
We took them for a walk through the village and down the track towards the spring, El Chorruelo.
The lane is quite shaded in places and is covered in vincas / periwinkles.
This is the first and only periwinkle which we saw that was in flower.
The donkeys enjoyed munching on the green plants that are shooting up along the verges.
Here's Rosie our burra.
Domingo.
When I got home and checked the photo's I was surprised to see this one!
I'm not sure what happened ... often when the dogs and donkeys move I get blurred shots. This is a reverse of this with the subject still and the background in motion.
It's quite a striking photo. Although it makes me a little queasy looking at it for too long.
Rosie and Jane.
Rosie looks well, she's getting quite a lot of hair on her head. Her forehead was quite bald in places when we bought her. We didn't expect her coat to improve this much.
A pretty part of the mountainside. A mix of Orange trees and Sweet Chestnuts.
There was some cloud cover and the sun was white shining through with a diffuse light.
Back home we went for straw for the donkeys.
Later I went out with the dogs and collected some black olives from a few wild Olive trees in the campo. I'll mix these in with the donkeys food over the next few days.
They are too acidic for human consumption without soaking them for a few weeks but the donkeys don't seem to mind.
Rosie loves oranges she'll even eat just the peel.
Another busy day on the PC as well. More graphics for the new websites. A long way to go but each day I get a bit more done. We're hoping to launch them next spring.
I also did a page for a property that has come up for sale in the village.
Our neighbour approached me and said that he had a townhouse he was putting on the market. Jane and I went with him and took some photo's and I've made a webpage.
It's the first property for sale in the village that is in good condition since we bought ours.
So a rare chance to buy in the village.
I put a link on yesterday's blog and there's already been considerable interest overnight!
(Since Sold)
We cooked a Tandoori style chicken curry with green peppers, lentils and chick peas. More 'Spandia' fusion cooking ...?
We watched 'Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares' A funny programme if your not offended by swearing.
Later we watched an Australian film 'The Idiot Box' starring Ben Mendelsohn and Jeremy Sims about two out of work young lads who plan a bank robbery. The ending was predictable, not a very good movie.
We're up early, walking dogs and feeding donkeys.
The sun is shining, it's going to be a lovely day.
We're going to San Luis de Sabinillas. Jane has an appointment to get her hair styled.
She's spent the last two weeks going through hair magazines asking me 'Do you like this one' or ''Do you think this will suit me' ... it's a relief the day is here. She's picked three cuts and colours that she likes ... all are blonde, so watch this space for a new look Jane.
We headed to Gaucín. Firstly to the bank and Post Office. Secondly to the vets. It's his fortnightly surgery. We need more worming tablets for the cats.
After Gaucín we headed down from the mountains towards the coast.
We stopped halfway down to take a few photographs.
This is the lower Genal Valley as the Rio Genal meanders to it's confluence with the Rio Guadiaro.
The river is four or five metres wide. Although it is never more than half a metre deep at this point.
We crossed the Rio Genal and headed to the coast we stopped again to look back up at Gaucín perched on a ridge of El Hacho.
We got to San Luis de Sabinillas with time to spare before Jane's appointment in 'Visage'.
We had a 'Big King' meal in Burger King.
We walked up to 'Visage' and I told Jane to be brave and go for it!
I headed down to the beach to take some photographs and to walk in the glorious afternoon sunshine.
The beach was nearly deserted. Surprising on such a beautiful afternoon.
There were a few Sanderlings feeding on the tide line. They are fun to watch as they run up and down the beach. It looks like they don't like getting their feet wet, as they try to stay as close to the edge of the incoming wave, without letting the water touch them
San Luis de Sabinillas beach.
I watched this small fishing boat coming in to shore.
Firstly a cable is attached to the prow.
Next a wooden block with a central groove is placed under the keel.
This is the trickiest part as the boat has to be bounced onto the block (which wants to float)
A man at to top of the beach starts taking up any slack on the cable before slowly winching the boat up the beach.
A succession of blocks are placed under the boat so that it never touches the sand.
Three blocks were needed in all. The back block gets recycled to the front and so on up the beach until the boat is above the tide line. A three man team were involved in getting the boat on shore. I later saw a boat being beached by just two people.
The catch was octopus. About ten in all.
This one was stuck to the boat. It took some pulling off.
I carried on walking up the beach. I took a few photographs of Yellow Legged Gulls. They look quite like Herring Gulls but are silent compared to their noisy cousins which we used to get in Ramsgate.
Further up the beach I met Brian and Barbara from near Wigan, Lancashire.
They have an apartment above Puerto de la Duquesa.
We chatted for a few minutes about how much better life was in Spain compared to the UK.
I walked along to the marina at Puerto de la Duquesa.
I walked back to San Luis de Sabinillas. Jane had been in for over an hour and a half.
The stylist had persuaded Jane not to go blonde ... after a fortnight of looking through the magazines she's not going to get the look that she wanted. I was disappointed for her.
Come back in an hour they said ...
I walked back down towards the beach.
There were a few Christmas decorations appearing.
This is outside the church that Anne-Marie photographed for us the other day.
Back on the beach ... another long walk. More Sanderlings.
Hibiscus flower.
A Banana plant in flower and the start of the bunch developing.
One of my favourite plants, the Bird of Paradise.
Another quick stroll on the beach ..
I went for a coffee in Café Plaza. I'd never been in before. It is British run. I had the milkiest coffee I've had during my time in Spain, in the biggest cup. There were bigger mugs if you wanted a larger cup! Good value if you like your coffee like this.
I could see Jane was still getting her hair blow dried so I wandered around for a few minutes.
Finally my mobile rang. She'd been in for over three hours.
She didn't look anything like the photo in the magazine. I must say that I'd been quite looking forward to seeing Jane with a well styled blonde cut.
Jane likes her new look so that's all that matters.
We headed back up towards the mountains. The sun was getting low in the West as we passed Casares.
The Sierra de Crestellina is an impressive mountain in ordinary light but bathed in an orange light it was stunning.
We stopped for a coffee in Venta la Laguna.
Another large coffee but this Spanish bar made it a lot stronger.
The sun was setting.
We drove up through Gaucín and took the last two photographs after the sun had set from near the junction of the A369 turn off for Benarrabá.
We'd had a good day.
We fed the donkeys by torchlight. Walked the dogs before settling down to watch a couple of films.
The first 'Black Thunder' starring Michael Dudikoff is about a prototype fighter jet being stolen. So not a very original plot. (Firefox starring Clint Eastwood is slightly better). A no brainer action flick.
The second 'The Craic' starring Jimeon McKeown and Alan McKee is well worth watching. A little slow to get going but it's a really funny film. Catch it on the Movies4Men channel.
You can see Jane's new hairstyle on tomorrows blog ...
We're up early.
It's a pleasant dry day with lots of cumulus floating overhead. A little cooler than yesterday.
We're off to Cortes de la Frontera to meet up with Mary Beker.
Mary's an estate agent. We bought our house from her. It'll be good to see her again.
This is Mary with her son Tom. We had a photo of her other son Robin and her granddaughter Lucy on November 3rd's blog.
November 3rd 2006 Blog
This is Mary outside her office.
We went for a coffee in Bar La Fuente.
We had a good laugh about her experiences in Spain. Mary's lived here for over twenty years and knew Benarrabá well when she first arrived. It was very interesting. Times have moved on thankfully and the houses now have toilets!
The Bar la Fuente used to be run by a British couple and called Bar Phat.
It is now run by Pilar and Arturo.
The coffee was great and the tapas menu looked delicious. Lomo curry and chicken curry amongst other culinary delights.
Here's Gabriel, Arturo and Pilar.
The bar is nicely decorated and the welcome friendly. If you are in Cortes de la Frontera, the bar is near the fountain, between the bullring and the church.
We said goodbye to Mary, hopefully we'll see her again very soon.
We drove through the Alcornocales.
Not far into the forest we spotted these two cows.
We thought that they were going to charge each other. It turned out that they were really friends and headed off into the forest together as we drove passed them.
We didn't see many animals today.
The highlight was two donkeys which we hadn't seen before.
The one on the left looked more like a horse. It is a donkey, check out those big ears. The other looked like a pot bellied version of our Domingo. Neither looked in tip top condition.
I got out to stroke them but they weren't too keen on this idea and trotted off into the forest.
At the highest point of the forest road, the trees open out and there's an amazing view of the southern edge of the Sierra de Libar.
We stopped for a quick walk before driving through El Colmenar - Estación de Gaucín.
Not many birds around. We saw a Kestrel, Crag Martins, lots of Stonechats and a Robin.
We stopped on the way up to Gaucín to look back at El Colmenar.
A little further North is the start of the southern edge of the Sierra de Ubrique.
We went to Gaucín to see Ray Taylor.
Ray has three male puppies that he needs to find good homes for.
The pups are beautiful.
How can you resist ... ???
If anyone can give a good home to one or more of these gorgeous puppies please contact Ray and Maggie Taylor.
Tel: 951168122 - Ray
Tel: 952154508 - Maggie
We noticed a beautiful donkey near Ray's house.
This is Esther the burra.
Here's Esther the burra with Jane (check out the hair!).
We met Dick and Denise who live next door to Ray and Maggie. They very kindly showed us their new extension that is being built by some of the lads from Benarrabá. It was good to meet them. They are friends of Peter and Clarissa our new neighbours in Benarrabá.
We also met Phil a builder from Leeds who now lives in Cortes de la Frontera.
So a good day for meeting old friends and new.
This is Cortes de la Frontera from Gaucín.
Back in Benarrabá we fed the donkeys, dogs and cats.
I spent the evening working on the PC.
Newcastle United are playing Eintracht Frankfurt in Frankfurt. The beer festival is on! I hope that the lads have something to celebrate. Although I'm sure that they'll make the most of it win, lose or draw.
We drew 0-0 so we win the group. This means we avoid being drawn against a team dropping into the competition from the Champions League.