Author: Franco

A Fated Journey

Our winter escape to Spain last year had been reasonably successful so we thought we’d go for a repeat performance. Our outbound ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao was booked for midday, Wednesday 19th December. After another medical procedure (just for

Posted in 2018-2019 Winter

All Hallows’

It’s come around again, my most reviled night of the year. A bit of harmless dressing up in costume is fine – kids’ve loved to do so since time immemorial – but I detest the “trick or treat” nonsense that

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

Autumn Orchid

Aim for Xàbia/Jávea and miss, was my instruction. Whilst on our spring visit to Spain early this year we had called into the Visitor Centre at the Parc Natural del Montgó. In addition to a large relief model of the

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

A Bernia Blow

We’ve suffered a day or two with some heavy rain. There is a good deal of sunshine in our little Costa Blanca corner of Spain but when it rains often does so heavily. ‘T was Monday and the fearless leader

Posted in Uncategorised

Damp Squib

I am delighted to report that the remaining days of the Jalón fiesta went off like a damp squib. That is, it was literally occasionally damp and, though we believe there was more music each night, we were saved from

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

***Kin’ Fiestas

I’ve never really been a party animal. I used to be something of a music animal but even in my youth, it had to be my music on my terms. Even if the music in question was the best Led

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

Between the Rains

Surprisingly the sun reappeared today. Following yesterday’s late afternoon thrash I didn’t know how muddy it might be underfoot but we decided to have a run out to the marjal de Pego-Oliva to see who/what might be around. Besides, it

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

[Nice one, David.] I’m getting too old for 03:15 alarms. I’m certainly getting too old to awake at 02:30 waiting for said alarm. We got up early, bleary-eyed after just three hours sleep and prepared to fly back to Spain.

Posted in 2018-10 Spain

Grasping the Nettle

For a bit of variety, we began by visiting our third high altitude Auvergne lake in three days, this one Lac Montcineyre at an altitude approaching 1200m/3900ft. If nothing else we’d be on more roads showing us more of the

Posted in 2018 France

Emerald City

Our second day high in a brilliantly sunny Auvergne and what a glorious region it is in such weather. There are a staggering amount of walking routes all around us with breath-taking scenery to be enjoyed. Yesterday we spent a

Posted in 2018 France