San Juan

We spent an enjoyable San Juan on the Casares beach. It was a good job that we came so well prepared with our own picnic as there were none of the usual freebie sardines and beers, cutbacks there! It was very relaxing and great fun for the kids who enjoyed the novelty of running into the sea at midnight which wasn't too cold.

I was in Estepona the other evening walking(power walking) with a friend and noticed that the trampolines are set up conveniently next to a chiringuito where they were cooking fresh sardines. I didn't stop to check the prices but it gave me an idea for an evening out with the kids.

It is school holidays here now, although mine have been in a sports camp this week which they come home from exhausted, eat lunch and sleep for a couple of hours. I am not complaining as they are really enjoying it and so am I!

Guernica by David Boling

I have just finished reading this book which I have read cover to cover over the past four days so I will give you a quick undetailed review. Set in Guernica it begins as a love story in a romantic and patriotic sense spanning three generations of the Ansotegui family. David explains who were the Basques and Guernica before the tragedy took place. He intertwines Picasso's depiction of one of the worst atrocities in history as we witness the impact that it has on the characters.It is an excellent first novel, a hard act for him to follow and I definitely recommed it as this year's summer read.

Offers, offers, offers galore

I have never known anything like it. Spanish supermarkets have finally succumb to the world of marketing and offers. Supersol have recently been running euro offers i.e pack of 8 yoghurt for a euro where usually 4 are a euro, mind you Mercadona pack of 8 strawberry and banana are consistently only a few cents over a euro. It appears that sales are starting earlier.

I walked past Benetton and noticed that they 30% discount on selected items and Amichi have up to 50% off already, this would have been unheard of in June before when the sales ALWAYS begin in July.

I keep getting approached in the street by all kinds of phone and ADSL companies but I tend to brush them off as I can't be doing with the hassle of changing over and the risk of being left without a phoneline if it all goes wrong or paying two bill, I am sure that you can use your imagination.

So shop wisely people as I am sure that you all do. It is a buyer's market so be fussy, demanding even and don't be fobbed off!

Oliver in Gibraltar

Last night we took the girls to see Oliver Twist in the Alameda Gardens Open Air Theatre in Gibraltar. It was such a treat to conveniently drive in to Spain and be able to introduce our girls to one of English literature's greatest classics and of course to have an evening at the theatre.

Having just seen Rowan Atkinson play Fagin just last month in Theatre Royal Drury Lane,I have to say Fagin last night was excellent. In fact, the cast on the whole were very good. Other characters that stood out were Dodger for his relentless energy, stage presence and accent, Nancy with her excellent singing voice and Bill Sykes. Oliver himself played the role very close to his Drury Lane counterpart. At points the sound balance was a bit off and this was more noticeable for those sat at the back. We were lucky sat in row B that we weren't hardly affected by this although the speakers were a bit buzzy. At the end just as it reached the most poignant part of the musical it started to rain which really helped to make you feel that

I have to say Gibraltar has a lot of talent condensed into such a small space. We will definitely be buying tickets for future productions.

C Bar in Duquesa

We were out and about filming today so after hearing some good reviews we decided to try out the C Bar in Duquesa. It was reasonable priced, Justin enjoyed a really juicy burger and the place is very comfortable and contemporary furnished unlike a lot of the bars in the area that you see looking quite tired and in need of a revamp so we will definitely go back for a drink in the evenings soon.

The Price of Breakfast

On Friday Justin and I decided to treat ourselves to a cooked breakfast at a local cafe. It was admittedly a hearty breakfast but when we paid up it dawned on us just how expensive everything is, 17 euros for two breakfasts and two teas! It was good, very good but not that good considering the times we are in.

Duvets Are Out and Sheets Are In

Yes, it is officially the sheet season and all duvets are stored away but this year not in those vacuum bags because frankly they don't work, well not for me anyway. My collection of sheets was a bit miserable so I decided to invest in some new ones. I use the word invest very loosely as I wasn't looking to spend very much at all and I wasn't prepared to drive up and down for hours along the Costa del Sol neither.

So whilst killing time in Carrefour whilst the girls were in an "extra" I was delighted to find a load of sales on. The types of bargains to be had at the moment are not a normal occurrence at this time of year but at last, they have had to cave in and do some proper offers. I picked up a "juego de sabanas" and was delighted to discover that they were two for the price of one so two sets for not much more that 20 euros. Okay they aren't the best quality with a polyester mix but 100% cotton sheets in Spain still require hours of ironing which I don't do any more since I moved to a hot country. I know the Carrefour sheets aren't to everyone's taste as the prints tend to be a bit chintzy even gaudy but there is something a bit homely and retro about them peeping out over the lime green throw that I also bought for half price to brighten up my rather bland bedroom.