Leonardo and Martha. A nice couple we met on our holiday? "Nice" would be pushing it... Two of the fiercest "named storms" of the season; unfortunately they both visited Andalusia in the same week while we were there.
We arrived on a pleasant, breezy, quite sunny weekend and enjoyed sitting in the sunshine - but after that it went all grey and blustery and showery with sunny intervals, and by Tuesday we had proper rain (and bought a brolly). One morning we had sleet hitting our balcony! Friday (The Madam's birthday) was particularly schizophrenic - on my way down to our regular beach bar Palm 5, the rainstorm was horizontal and I could hardly keep the brolly up, yet by 2pm we had nary a cloud in the sky, and basked in the sunshine until the sun went down! To finish things off "nicely", as we waited for our evening flight yesterday we were huddled at the back of the bar terrace, freezing, and watching the Palm 5 staff fighting to get one of the windbreak roller blinds back into place as Martha had blown its hooks out of their mounts.
We were concerned about our flight taking off in such a "hurricane", but all went well (we even landed in Luton Airport twenty minutes early). Bizarrely, by the time we were having our first British pint at the Wetherspoons at Kings Cross St Pancras, we were warmer sat at their outside tables at 11pm than we had been at lunchtime on the Costa del "Sol"...
We still had a fabulous holiday, regardless! We felt really welcomed wherever we went, had loads of laughs, ate some great food, caught a bit of sunshine on our skin - and burned the candle at both ends with post-siesta nights in the La Nogilera gay area in Torremolinos (as is our wont). [And we're booked to go again at the beginning of May, so there's that to look forward to...]
But what did we miss while we were away? Not a lot, truth be told. The Winter (yawn) Olympics are on in Italy, apparently; sacked former ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson is a bogeyman again, and Prime Minister Starmer's under pressure again; no amount of false posturing from the orange moron in the White House has prevented that evil cunt Putin from bombing Ukraine; among the amazing treasures uncovered during ongoing works on the HS2 rail route are a Neanderthal hand axe, a set of 19th Century gold dentures, a Roman gladiator "good luck" tag, and a gold "three lions" pendant from the 13th-14th Century; and finally - a man had to be rescued from a tree on the Isle of Wight, where he was sheltering from being attacked by an angry cow.
[click any pic to embiggen]
Oh - and tennis totty Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam. New balls, please...
No doubt what you're asking, dear reader is - did we bring anything back with us to share? Of course. A triple-bill, no less!
Spain's Eurovision entrant in 2024, doing what she does...
...a proper Spanish number (ish)...
...and finally, my fave!
Is it good to be home? ¡Ni hablar!
Glad you had a good time, despite weather being iffy.
ReplyDeleteWe're made of stern stuff, dear Dinah - it would take more than a mere couple of major storm fronts to ruin our enjoyment of a holiday in Spain! Jx
DeleteThose last three words in your reply to dinah, sum it all up: "holiday in spain." Y'all know how to make the best of any and every situation, sweetpea! xoxo
ReplyDeleteLife's too short not to, Savvy! Jx
DeleteGlad you both got back fine and rested! Weather be nice or not, a get-away is always a good thing. I have adored Lapili! I was thinking of posting the same video coming up soon. And I don't follow sports, but Carolos Alcaraz could give me a grand slam, or the other way around...I'm not one to quibble over such minor details.....
ReplyDeleteAnd please do wish the Madam a Happy Belated Birthday for me dear!
DeleteJust to be "out of the loop" of the general humdrum is what makes holidays so valuable - and despite the cruddy weather, it was still warmer, and there was significantly more light, than in London!
DeleteWe love "Fatty Fairy", too (needless to say) - have fun with it on your blog, dear.
Speaking of fun, I'd love to watch Señor Alcaraz's double-handed forehand, ball toss and serve! I imagine he might produce quite a volley... Jx
I shall pass your birthday wishes on (if he doesn't read them here first)! Jx
DeleteI was so sorry thinking about you guys in the dreary weather. But I’m glad you go to see some blue skies and sunshine and were able to relax anyway. Happy birthday month to the Madam. (It’s raining.)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mitchell! We gathered before we left that our week wouldn't exactly be tropical. It is February, after all - and we have had some bloody bleak weather on the Costa previously at this time of year - but at least this time there were still quite a few bars and restaurants open along the paseo every day, and we made the most of every opportunity to eat, drink and be merry, whatever the weather! Roll on May... Jx
DeleteIt's a schizophrenic selection
ReplyDeleteWe thank you! Jx
DeleteWelcome home! The weather is being a horror all over, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteYou look like you enjoyed your time away, and you have May to look forward to.
Yes, it was warmish yesterday so I sent Mr Blue out in the garden to tidy up my view.
Sx
It's not bad at all here in London today - a bit of sun trying to poke through the greyness. I need to get out there this week to "tidy up my view" too - the foxes have been causing mayhem in our absence (digging and shitting everywhere), and I need to continue the task of "banishing death" (cutting back anything brown or frostbitten off the plants, to let their Spring growth have a chance to shine). Rain permitting. Jx
DeleteThe sun shines on the righteous; well it shone on my birthday and that was like a little miracle but I never want to see the likes of Leonardo or Martha ever again.
ReplyDeleteThank you Maddie and Mitchell for your kind birthday wishes.
It was a fabulous holiday and now the countdown to our return to Spain in May Begins.
The devil looks after his own, more like 😍. It was a faboo holiday, even if Leonardo and Martha did their best to try and spoil it...
DeleteRoll on May, indeed! Jx
Oops! I missed the birthday greeting!Never mind, just pour yourself a belated drink!
ReplyDeleteHe has, Dinah, never worry about that... Jx
DeleteOh, you're back! And still on holiday, to boot.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear - and see - that you got some sun while you were away. We wouldn't want that array of smashing blouses* to have been packed in vain.
* Except the ones from Primarni, naturally.
No Primani blouses were visible in these photos, Mr DeVice, so you can breathe easy... Jx
DeleteGlad you were able to carry on despite the storms! I'm a few days late but hopefully you're both still enjoying the holidays for a few more days at least! Happy Belated Birthday wishes to the Madam! I've got one more day before flying off so early the roosters won't even be awake.
ReplyDeleteI certainly tried to make the most of what was mainly a miserable, grey and rainy extra week off (today in particular, as it was our first sunny day so I was able to get out into the garden), but Madam Arcati unfortunately returned to work on Tuesday...
DeleteFlying off? Pray tell... Jx