Holiday in Spain Feb 2007

The area we went to was Los Alcazares on the Mar Menor.
Mar Menor (Little Sea) is a unique area located on the east coast of Spain, within the region of Murcia, just above the city of Cartagena. Few regions have the good fortune to have both a saltwater lake and a Mediterranean shore. The region of Murcia has both and the salt water lake with an area of 170sq.km is known as Mar Menor, the largest salt water lake in Europe. Mar Menor is part of the Costa Calida.

We stayed with some friends, Doug & Brenda, in their house which is very nice, in the Spanish style with marble floors and staircases. It is on three floors with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms so we had plenty of room. We were lucky enough to be taken around quite a lot to see local areas.

Fountain outside the house

Sea Front at Los Alcazares

Sun Feb 25th

We arrived at East Midland airport in plenty of time and had to wait for check in to open. Flight took off on time, 1730, we were warned of turbulence but it was a very smooth flight and we arrived half an hour early, 2045. Doug & Brenda were at Murcia Airport to meet us and took us to their house.

Mon 26th

After a late breakfast we walked to the sea front and had a drink at “Encarnacion"

Encarnacion courtyard

a very old café/restaurant. It was very hot and we had not taken any summer clothes so went to Retail Park to try and get some sandals. We also went to Camping Mar Menor which is a camp site on the Mar Menor, looked like a nice place to spend some winter months in the future. Bren got us a meal and we had a good natter before bed.

Tue 27th

A late start again, and hot and sunny. Walked to local market which is in the streets around D&B’s house. The market was very colourful and full of Peruvian and Moroccan looking people. I managed to get a couple of cheap pairs of sandals 3 each and some light trousers for the same price. I also managed to buy some nice net panels, for the window at home, for a reasonable price, the sort of material we don’t seem to get at home. Went back for lunch and then V read & R Suduko’d in the sun for a while. In afternoon went to look around Polaris World garden centre.

Wed 28th

Late start again went to Torrevieja which is on the Mediterranean Sea, stopped at “Nautila” a café/restaurant which was full of Brits. It was another hot day. We went on to Pilar de la Horadada for a super Chinese meal for 4.95 each, this included Sangria to start, half a bottle of wine 3 courses and schnapps to finish. Drove on to Santiago de la Ribera and walked along the front. Back for supper and bed.

Thurs March 1st

Got up late again and after a morning not doing much but walk down to the sea we went over to La Manga and the camp site there.

Camping La Manga

D & B’s friend ran a line dancing class there. Joined in and enjoyed it, very strange to be dancing in hot sun with palm trees and the sea in the background. Evening meal and bed.

Fri Mar 2nd


Drove to Roche where D & B are keeping an eye on a friend’s house. We drove through La Union where there were squalid, very dilapidated apartment blocks being occupied by what appeared to be illegal immigrants. Nice old house being done up by D & B’s friends in a small village but huge apartment blocks being erected all around them. Picked oranges off their trees, it was very hot again. Went on to another shopping complex where we walked round a couple of Do it yourself stores and then went to a Chinese Wok Buffet restaurant, again it was a very good meal. In the evening we had a walk around the local area looking around the “grockle” shops.

Sat Mar 3rd

B & D got up at 0600 to go to a car boot sale. Another beautiful sunny day. We walked along the sea front and watched a dredger dredging sand out of the Mar Menor and putting it back on the beach. Apparently it is washed in each winter and has to be dredged out again each spring. Stopped for a drink then bought a rucksack to take extra stuff we’d bought home. We then went back to the house. V & B walked to local supermarket for supplies. Meal and bed.

Sun Mar 4th

We went to Almoradi where Doug’s brother has just taken possession of an apartment. We walked round the town and there were cycle races going on around the town. The town square was very impressive with ancient Lemon trees all shaped in huge circles to provide shade. When the races ended everyone collected for prize giving which was announced by very loud fireworks going off. We called for a drink and sticky bun then went back to Geoff’s apartment and had some lunch with them. Back for evening meal, chat and bed.

Mon Mar 5th

After breakfast went to San Pedro del Pinatar and walked along a causeway at Lo Pagan. This is a long spit of land bordering salt flats that stretches out to almost meet the end of the strip at La Manga We called at a local bar at Dos Mars for a drink then went back to the Chinese restaurant at Pilar de la Horadada and met Geoff and Jackie for a meal. They came back to the house to get changed as they were on the way to the airport. Brenda’s friend Barbara arrived to stay for a few days.

The long walk back

Tue 6th

Doug’s birthday. Went round the local market again then V & R walked to sea front, quite a bit cooler and cloudy for the first time. Went to local Chinese restaurant but Doug was a bit under the weather so did not come with us. We finished our packing, a big squeeze to get everything in! We seemed to have collected quite a few extra things. Doug &Brenda took us to the airport for the flight at 2140. Took of in good time and it was a reasonable flight and landed at East Midlands, collected the car and drove home, arriving about 0130.

Trip To Slimbridge

TRIP TO SLIMBRIDGE FEB 2007

This was our first trip out in our new van. The van is a replacement for the one we bought last year, we had such a bad damp problem with it and Brownhills were taking so long to get it sorted (3 months or more) that after a lot of wrangling they provided us with a replacement. It is the same model, Autotrail Scout, but 18months newer.
We were planning to go the previous week but 4” of snow stopped us.

Fri. Feb 16th

We started off at 10.30 in heavy rain, in rained continuously until we got to Gloucester where it eased off. It took almost an hour to get through Gloucester and we arrived at the Tudor Caravan Park about 1.15. After setting up the van we took a walk along the Gloucester-Sharpness canal which ran behind the site. It was not raining but everywhere was very muddy. We had a meal in the Tudor Arms pub before an early night.

Sat 17th

After breakfast, cooked by Rich as usual, we cycled down the lane to the Wildfowl Trust Centre. It was very interesting and we saw numerous varieties of ducks and geese. There were a lot in the centre that had their wings clipped and were permanent residents there were also lots of Flamingo looking very colourful.
There were also hides where we spent a lot of time watching the over wintering wildfowl, we also saw huge flocks of Lapwing circling in a most dramatic manner.
The weather was damp, misty and cold all day but the rain managed to keep off.

Sun 18th

After breakfast we packed up and set off for home. The weather improved and we had some sunshine.

Trip to Germany Jan 2007

Trip to Germany Jan 2007

My 65th birthday came and with it retirement. Having decided to do as much travelling as possible whilst we are still fit enough we arranged to visit Wyn & Karen our son & daughter-in-law. Wyn is in the army and is stationed in Germany.

Mon 22nd

Up at 0215 to drive to Wilmslow and the airport car park. Got the shuttle to the Manchester airport and booked in. Flight scheduled for 0800 but took off 0820. Arrived in Paderborn 1030 local time. Wyn was at airport to meet us and took us to his house. We were very tired and as Wyn had to go into work for an exam took the opportunity to have a nap. When Karen & Wyn came home from work we had a Chinese takeaway and an early night.

Tue 23rd

Got up quite late and after breakfast took a train into the town centre of Gutersloh. We enquired about trains to Berlin for Thursday and were told that if we booked two days in advance we could get concessions making the price 256 euros not 488, decided to go on Friday and booked tickets.
Had a walk round the town which has some nice old buildings





















R & W went in “Alex” for a beer while V had a look round C & A. Went to “Media Mart” and bought an electric tin opener.
Karen fetched chicken for tea. We played a silly game on TV (50” Plasma Screen!!)


Wed 24th

Got up late weather bright and sunny, took the dogs for a walk round local woods.
In the evening went to “Greco’s”, a local Greek restaurant, for a meal.


Thurs25th

Karen off work today. Went to look around KraftMarkt/Hobby Shop which was a huge garden centre type place. Went on to Bielefeld. Had a wander round town and called at “Knigge”, a lovely old fashioned café ,for wonderful cakes, pastries and hot chocolate.




















In the evening we went to a Chinese Buffet Restaurant which was super

Fri 26th

Up at 6am to get train into Gutersloh, bitterly cold morning. Train to Minden then changed again onto Berlin train. Had booked seats in smoking (for K & W) a bit unfortunate as it was half of a carriage where everyone from all over the train came to smoke (will know better next time!) Scenery not very interesting, miles of flat farmland with a few towns, as we got nearer Berlin we saw at least two run down, almost deserted, vast railway marshalling yards, also quite a few deserted towns, we assumed it was the old border between East and West Germany. Not much wildlife to see, a few cows, very few birds but V did see two separate groups of deer.Arrived in Berlin 1120, at their grand new railway station built in time for the World Cup 2006.





















Wyn prepares to face the weather



We went to the information desk and bought a ticket that allowed us to travel on all buses and trains until 0300 next day. 14euros 80c for the 4 of us. Got a train out to the Zoo Bahnhof and walked to The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. The damaged tower is a symbol of Berlin's resolve to rebuild the city after the war and a constant reminder of the destruction of war.













W e then went on to the Elephant entrance of the Zoo & decided not to go in as the animals would probably all be inside out of the weather

















We walked on down to the Tiergarten which was a royal hunting estate turned into a park. We then walked down a long avenue towards the Siegessäule a Victory column built to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Prusso-Danish war of 1864. The 8.3m (25ft) gilded figure at the top was added after further Prussian victories in wars against Austria and France. It was moved in 1938 from in front of the Reichstag by the Nazi government to its current location at the Grosser Stern.


There was a bitterly cold wind driving at us and it was starting to snow so we stopped at a little café on the edge of the Tiergarten for a hot drink. We walked on to the Bellevue Railway Station. We got a train to Friedrichstrasse Station which took us through the main station and out the other side. We then walked to the Reichstag














The Reichstag was built at the end of the 19th century as the parliament (Bundestag) building; it was damaged by fire in 1933 and further damaged when the allies entered Berlin after the war. After unification the Bundestag was moved back to Berlin from Bonn and the current dome constructed.























We walked on to the Brandenburg Gate but by now it was snowing quite hard and it was driving so we didn’t linger.


We walked on to the Holocaust memorial








Holocaust Memorial

Eisenman’s design is quite unique and has drawn both praise and criticism. Occupying about 205,000 square feet (19,000 square meters) of space near the Brandenburg Gate and just a short distance from where the ruins of Hitler’s bunker is buried, the Berlin Holocaust Memorial is made up of 2,711 gray stone slabs that bear no markings, such as names or dates.

The slabs undulate in a wave-like pattern. Each is a five-sided monolith, individually unique in shape and size. Some are only ankle high while others tower over visitors. Eisenman hoped to create a feeling of groundlessness and instability; a sense of disorientation. Most will agree that he succeeded.
Visitors may walk through the memorial in any direction as there is no set pattern to the stones. The architect has said that he hopes it will merely become a natural part of the city, blending in with its background; used for shortcuts on the way home from work or a place of peace and quiet on a chaotic day.






We carried on walking to Friedrichstrasse looking for Checkpoint Charlie. The weather got so bad that when someone thrust a leaflet in our hands advertising an Italian restaurant we made for it. We sat and had a reasonable meal for 9.50 euros watching the snow get thicker all the time. When we finished our meal we decided to get back to the Friedrichstrasse station and back to the main station. R & W had a drink while V & K looked at a couple of shops then caught the train back. Changed at Minden but once at Gutersloh had to get a taxi, got home about 1040.








Sat 27th

Did not do a lot, went out to “Media Mart” and supermarket, also booked table at “Gasthof Gropper a local pub.

Went for meal in evening to “Gasthof Gropper" , which was very nice, there was a function going on which appeared to be an ambulance service get together with a lot of hilarity and a fake casualty on a stretcher.


Sun 28th

Stayed in all day as raining. Karen did Sunday roast and we had an early night.

Mon 29th

Up at 0400 to get to airport. Wyn took us and we booked in. The flight took off early and we landed at 0710, reclaimed car and set off home. When we got to Shrewsbury we went for a snack at Morrison’s, got a few groceries and home.

Hello

This is just a test run. I want to do a blog of our travels but am not sure how to go about it.

The picture is of our Autotrail Scout/Smart Car Combo that we will be travelling in.