Celebrating the 70's - A chronicle of time and temperature

  Thursday 19 th september 2024 Alan and Cherete have decided on a hop-on-hop-off bus today and departed early. Lady P is deep in research for the end of our trip. We now have a pet sit in Bari, Italy for a week in October and other train bookings are only now being opened for December. Dinner tonight is a wander along the adjacent street for tapas and wine. Excellent on both accounts, with the sardine tapa a standout. Friday 20 th September 2024 We all retraced the Food Tour route this morning, starting at Moega for the little Prenao Chorizo – doughy balls filled with chorizo sausage. Then, noticing Lady P’s symptoms of no morning coffee YET!!, we ducked across the road to Gonzales for a very good coffee, juice and chocolate. The real destination, open at 12.30 pm, was la Venencia Sherry Bar. This 100 year old joint just serves sherry - and four Olorosos later at least Flashy was happy. Casa Alberto’s, another 100+ year old restaurant, was the lunch stop for Flashy and Lady P and

  Tuesday 17 th September 2024 Despite a confusing entry into the railway station next morning, we caught the 300 kmh (well, most of the way) train to Madrid. The only frustration being the lack of wifi so we had to talk to each other and watch the scenery. Flashy’s ankle is still playing up so we caught a taxi from the station to our accommodation, which was a blessing on two fronts. It took us along the beautiful main boulevard, past the museums and new building before arriving in the old town. We are in a residential neighbourhood with many near by bars and restaurants in a newly renovated two bedroom apartment. After a quick visit to the small supermarket three doors down, we chilled the Cava and awaited the arrival of Alan and Cherete Harton. Once they arrived and settled in, we went for a neighbourhood stroll, indulging, as you do, tapas and more of those gigantic gin and tonics. Wednesday 18 th September 2024 Moving slowly and only having a cup of tea this morning as we de

  Sunday 15 th September 2024 A lunch booking awaits us today. This is Pollitena Restaurant a 24 seat, upstairs, eat what momma cooked today sort of place, recommended by Jen and Alyssa. Well done girls. Monday 16 th September 2024 The long drive to Santiago de Compostela started early, with the TomTom taking us the inland route. A-roads all the way and very boring. We did however arrive at the airport long term parking exactly at 5 pm, which was our booking time. Then the airport shuttle appeared and took us to the terminal where bus 6 was ready to depart (with us) to town for €1.00 each. A short walk to our pension on the 6 th floor for the overnight. A walk around the neighbourhood for a couple of drinks and tapas, then to the cathedral to check out where exactly Lady P   will finish her Camino walk. Galician beer and tapa The Cathedral where her walk will  finish

  Saturday 14 September 2024 We had a walking tour with San Sebastian Greeters booked for 10.0 am and noted that a café, well recommended by Alyssa and Jen – Simona Specialty Coffee Club, was open for breakfast. Their specialty is 65-degree, slow cooked eggs. This means nice runny yolks, but sloppy undercooked whites. Flashy’s Turkish eggs – poached in yoghurt and garlic oil with sourdough toast were, apart from not hot enough, pretty good. Lady P’s Bennies were average. Good coffee though. Our greeter was a 75 year old woman who has walked the long (800k+) Camino twice. So, she was a sprightly old chook who took us through her neighbourhood, which was not the tourist strip. After two and a bit hours, we had walked enough and retired to the same pintxos bar as last night for more sustenance. We’ve just about had all their menu by now.  Back at our BnB room, Lady P’s having a siesta and Flashy has finally found a sherry (manzinalla) in the Abba Hotel next door. Dinner was booked for 8

  Friday 13 th September 2024 The A10 to Bordeaux was not too busy and while the morning was only 10C, the sky was blue and behind glass it was a gorgeous day. Just south of Bayonne, we stopped at a beautiful seaside town of Saint Jean de Luz. A bit like Sorrento and very up market shops. Lunch was a ham and cheese roll and chips. Except here it is jamon et fromage baguette avec frittes and the best baguette ever; a perfect amount of smoky ham and slices of Emmental and for once, proper, crisp and hot frittes. This fortified us for the short drive into Donostia San Sebastian. We were to meet Ely, our host for the BnB and Lady P parked the car in a red zone while Flashy was dispatched to wait at the door of number 6 for someone he’d never met, to say “Hola, eres Ely?” Well, on walking to the apartment block he spied a twenty something in a very short leopard print skirt hurrying towards him. Attractive, he thinks. A hooker maybe? She glides past, hopefully not thinking who’s that d

  Sunday 8 th to Thursday 12 th September 2024 Lots of activity this week in preparation for our road trip to Spain on Friday. The last of the yard jobs has been completed with cutting and poisoning of blackberries, mowing the vast estate lawns, the final section of dog fence completed and just when you thought it was finished and that cold Heineken was awaiting, someone said that two more trees needed cutting down.  Luckily, they were single trunk little ones and could be done with a bowsaw. They were however, on the neighbouring farmers boundary and the job involved a quick mount of the fence, some frenetic sawing and a quick jump back over the fence. Flashy rewarded himself with a two Heinekens after that. Wednesday saw Lady P shopping for the last of her needs for the Camino, with little and light bags and bottles. We got fuel and are now only to clean the house and eat out the fridge. And there’s not much there!

  Saturday 7 th September 2024 Off to Saint Jean d’ Angeley market today for what will probably be our last visit. While having a coffee in our regular bar, a group of Roman soldiers marched past. Shields, swords, helmets – the full kit, led by a centurion. That’s a bit strange. They haven’t been here since good old Julius in 52 BC. Our interest was piqued, so we headed to the town square where we found the Romans as part of a large gathering of all the associations and clubs of St Jean d’Angeley, including it appears, the historical re-enactment mob. Certainly an active community. It reminded us a bit of Mornington 40 years ago. In between light showers we finished our estate duties with some shrub removal and painting the gate. Flashy is still trying to burn the apple tree stump. He’s now experimenting with bags of charcoal. Apparently, this burns hotter than wood.

  Friday 6 th September 2024 Up early and off to Cognac today. It’s only 50 mins down the road and a nice drive mainly through the countryside. Cognac appears to be a nice town but it was drizzling rain all day so a bit hard to really appreciate the place. Flashy had booked a tour of a distillery. Not any distillery, or even one of the big four houses. He was taken by the name of Fanny Fougerat who owns and distils under her own name. I bet you’ve never heard of Fanny Fougerat Cognac, eh? It's a small house selling about 15,000 bottles a year and operates two beautiful pot stills in a little village on the outskirts of Cognac. Flashy was the only customer, so had a personalised, hour long talk, walk and tasting of six different Cognacs, from the fresh, light two year old to the Reserve 22 year old version. Fanny had very good English and was happy to have an amateur distiller pester her with questions. On the way out of Cognac market, we spotted a barber. Well, he was really a h

  Wednesday 4 September 2024 The Ogilvy family had given Lady P a river cruise for her birthday and after much meteorological advice, today was the day to take it. So, we planned to drive the half hour to Port D’Envaux and to Guinguette Buvette’s Boat Hire, to pick up a 16’ aluminum electric boat. All going to plan, as we departed at 10.00 am and headed for Taillebourg nearby, where we had a very average coffee on the banks of la Charente River. This was excused however, when we walked a short distance to the local boulangerie and bought two baguettes, an éclair, a chocolate gateaux, a brioche loaf and two croissants. The latter consumed overlooking the river for a late breakfast. Then it was a short drive to Port d’Envaux and our electric boat. Here in France, there are many bureaucratic infringements on your life but not so today. There was no requirement for a life jacket, no boat licence, no request for identification. We could have been Albanian people smugglers for all they car

  Sunday 1 September 2024 We have been away 244 days and so far have been fairly happy with the budget. Our daily allowance, based on the net available from pensions less holding costs back home, is €113. This is for basic food and beverages, getting around and entertainment. The rest, such as clothing, major travel, doctors, medicines and any accommodation, air travel, major road trips, the car lease and the expensive La Chaine and birthday celebrations, comes from savings. The review has been prompted by the planned expenses and travel in the next four months that don’t involve pet sitting or free accommodation and possibly some serious F&B research involving Andrew and Christopher. So, where are we at? The daily living is running at €103 and the rest at €90. Given all we have done, this is pretty good and only possible by 82% of the time being free accommodation through home exchange and pet sitting. Monday 2 September 2024 More planning and booking for the October to December