Yes, we are back from another marvellous, fun-packed week in the (slightly breezy) sunshine of the lovely resort of Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol - tanned and gorgeous as ever!
We made the trip especially to join the celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of our favourite and most regular beach bar, Palm 5, a tribute to its owner Arnold, and to the loveliest crew of staff you'll find anywhere - Rita, Kim, Danny, Sophie and the rest. There was a party on the Saturday evening we arrived and, despite being somewhat shell-shocked (as we were after two consecutive nights out at the theatre and a long day travelling), we had a whale of a time, especially as some familiar faces had also made the effort to be there, including former team members Manon (who now has her own bar Miluca along the paseo, which we also always visit), the lovely Andy (who was there with Arnold right at the outset when we first visited nineteen years ago), and the fantabulosa Cinzia [with us in the top photo] (who, by the end of her stay, had agreed to return to Palm 5 as manager!).
With all that, and great food, booze, visits to our night-time haunts in La Nogilera in Torremolinos Chessa Bar and Vida, booze, more great food, wallowing in the sun-terrace of another favourite bar The Dizzy Donkey, a Flamenco evening, and booze on top, we had a great holiday!
But what did we miss while we were away?
- New mitre, old dictatorship news: There's a new Pope, apparently.
- 'Tis the season news: The BBC Proms 2025 lineup was announced just before we left, and tickets go on sale this week. I haven't looked at it thoroughly, to be honest, but somehow I doubt we'll be buying tickets - especially since our fave event Proms in the Park is now defunct. Here's the trailer, for your delectation:
- Slow news: A tortoise that went missing nine months ago has been found - just a mile from his home!
- A salutary tale: Don't volunteer to be a nude model for an art student!
- Old cocks cause arguments news: A professor at Oxford University says there are 93 depictions of male genitalia in the Bayeux Tapestry, while an expert on Anglo-Saxon nudity claims he has found an extra phallus. Cock-spotting? A hobby I understand.
Speaking of which: we missed celebrating the 50th birthday of sex god David Beckham...
...and that of Enrique Iglesias, as well as the 70ths of Donatella Versace and Anne-Sofie von Otter, the 60ths of Rob Brydon and Linda Evangelista and Lily Allen's 40th - and the 99th birthday of the "national treasure" Sir David Attenborough! We also missed the chance to bid a fond farewell to the faboo Ruth Buzzi, of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In fame...
Whew.
To finish, here's a piece of music that was played at the Palm 5 party - we love it!
Is it good to be back?
NO!!!
FOOTNOTE:
I haven't forgotten that it's a Tacky Music Monday - nor the fact that it's the Eurovision Song Contest (and our accompanying party, of course) this weekend.
Blending the two perfectly - this!
Subwoolfer - Give That Wolf A BananaOh, I cannot wait to see if anyone this year can top that!
Sorry you had to go home. Glad you had such a good time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to have to leave, too - but at least the weather in London is lovely and warm to greet us on our return! One day, Mitchell, we will make the effort to meet up with you and SG. One day... Jx
DeleteWe’d love that!
Delete¡Salud!!!! ¡Bienvenidos de nuevo, muchachos!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely time!!! Like myself, they must know you at the Palms... the "or just drink part"!!!! And the Cock-spotting? A hobby? For me, more a sport really.
I have life modeled for several artist friends. Thanks heavens plaster was never involved.
¡Gracias, guapo!
DeleteKnow us at Palm 5?! We have been at that bar far longer than any of the current staff - and Arnold (and Andy) agreed that we were probably the longest-serving of all customers who still keep coming back there... I expected a medal, but hey ho.
That bar, being right on the paseo and the beach, is a prime site for cock (or at least totty-) -spotting, I can tell you! Jx
In that case they should give you on the house lifelong drinks!!!!! Or do they already? Of course, I suspect you two may drink like I...so that could bankrupt the joint.
DeleteI wish. We did have a few drinkies "on the house" while we were there - and the party itself had a free bar, which we took full advantage of! To be honest, we just love being there (and it's the Costa del Sol, so - to us, anyhow - booze is cheap), and will cheerfully spend all day in Palm 5, just basking and people-watching, gazing at the Mediterranean... And drinking, of course 😎. Jx
DeleteWait just a darn minute, you're saying Donatella Versace and I are the SAME AGE? She looks like she has facelifts older than me.
ReplyDeletePatsy Stone on Donatella Versace: "Liver sausage in a wig."
DeleteI think you're wearing a bit better than that! Jx
Welcome home! Glad that you had a fab time and brought the sunshine back with you, for a change!
ReplyDeleteEurovision this weekend? How do you rate our chances? I'm not sure I like our entry - which might mean it's a winner!
Sx
I'm not sure about how well Remember Monday will do - it's such a bizarre song. I didn't like it when I first heard it, but I cannot deny, it keeps popping up in my head, so that says something! "What. The. Hell. Just. HAPPENED?!"
DeleteWe'll see what the fickle Europeans make of it... Jx
Ah, Madam Palm and her 5 lovely daughters. Fancy you frequenting a place like that? (You can thank The League of Gentlemen for putting that in my head)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back (even though you don't want to be)! Do you have enough booze in your pantry to slowly wean yourself off your holiday measures?
P.S. I remember being entranced by David Beckham when I first saw him in Gay Times or Attitude back in the day - and before Posh had snapped him up!
"Madam Palm" could have been my nickname, dear, in a previous life. I wouldn't mind giving Becks a helping hand...
DeleteNever fear - Dolores Delargo Towers is never short of booze! If the cider ran out, we have enough bottles of gin in our sideboard to kill a horse. Jx
It was an amazing holiday and that Dusty track is fab.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Flamenco night might be a bit awful but it was fab and I got a Paella cooking master class to boot.
Hoorah for holidays!! Jx
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