2024 April 17th - 1st - May 22nd: Spain, UK, France Lisbon 👍

My rooftop view of Al Hambra
from my Airbnb in Granada

2024 April 17th - May 22nd Europe

Dateline: 2024 May 24th, Toronto, Ontario

This trips travelling map in Spain

Spain, UK and France

May - April 2024

Madrid newr my Airbnb

I love the European take on social

Royal Palace square

Central Madrid with the ubiquitous café scene

The royal palace. A popular tourist spot no less

No snow or freezing temperatures here

A massive amount of Stradivari
in the royal vaults

It's not exactly ancient
Or particularly interesting
come to that

Or even worth exploring

But if you are in Madrid

Why not check out the European lifestyle

El  Retiro park, behind the Prada
(A great few hours of culture here)

Tapas el Centro

Amazing Tapas market
in Madrid. Everything here
is Tapas

And then to Granada by train

I navigate the trains and busses

And move in. Note table of Tapas goodies, plus stunning view, and sunshine

This religious thing is
incredibly exasperating
The local cathedral

The access to the old city is very strict,
and very crowded

There's no tickets for the 
Alhambra 

Of course, just Gonzo travelling
has it drawbacks

So I content myself with
a grand wander around

There's a fair amount of the old citadel still
accessible

At the local restaurant opposite the Al Hambra
Fresh cod. No, my cooking can't match it

From the other side of the valley
Quite the viewing spot 

I've decided that Spain has much better
croissants than France

This trips travelling map in UK 

Newt picks me up at Bristol airport, next day I'm off to David and Susan's, mates from long back in Saudi Arabia), in Bournemouth

April in UK is quite a challenge, which is why
I haven't lived there for nearly 50 years. Ugh!

My, post (dreadful) haircut - see below with Newt

Up, appallingly early for a cheap flight to Bezier
Here at a wonderful family restaurant en route

To the Alexanders
I'm glad Newt was driving, I was a total wreck

And a very familiar view of the grounds of Club Shem Paradisio

All expats at tea time

Indulging in local pursuits

For what is now, our regular cafe and croissants

And a view from the hills

And down to Ste Antonin

And of course, the obligatory 

And I get down to my
chores like the mowing

Farewells as the Newts depart

And clean up the carport
(Every time)

Keeping an eye on Alex

And I try to spruce up the Chateau, pre sale

With the occasional break for the great French lifestyle, with great haircut

Breakfast of (past?) champions

The vineyard has been taken over
The new vigneron has sheep to be
housed somewhere

All the Joire of Vivre, plus
the magic of Marmite

Back to the basics
Coffee with a view
(in a cool May)

Peter has obviously lost his mojo
The grass is almost a metre high in
the paddock this year

There are many many worse ways to contemplate your retirement

OK, so there I am fixing bits of the house, pre viewing for sale.
Peter is fixated on cleaning up "antique tools", and is using the drill to clean them. I ask to borrow the machine for 5 minutes, so Peter heads downtown to buy another. Upon returning, and 10 minutes after starting to use it, he heads back down to the store to buy a "spare"

I still do a regular bike ride into Gaillac, with the
equally regular shot of the house from the road

I look out from my table
of content and wonder
if I'll ever be back here

I'm still, for some unknown reason, accessorial
chef

Many many years of
practice have perfected
my outlook here

The final full moon over Club Shem

I'm stranded in Lisbon due to a
problem with the plane

Of course, it's my problem to fix

So, knowing Lisbon somewhat

I do another grand tour, hear along the shore

Having travelled
previously, I enjoy my
breakfast and stock
up with quality snacks
for the flight back to YYZ

And a beer at the local market (really good)

But I'm told I'll get recompensed for my inconveniences

No, SATA never refunded me my lost booking amounts

Move along, nothing to see here, go about your business

Your Correspondent