Women in Spain Editor

Tarifa

2011-07-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

It has to be said I love Tarifa. I won't step foot in the sea here but I will totally immerse my body in the water in Tarifa, where the Atlantic meets the mediteranean sea. There is a very different feel on the Costa de la Luz, vast, raw and most definitely more exposed to the elements predominantly the wind. They say that there is a high suicide rate in Tarifa. People go mad in the end due to the wind. My girls love the wind there as they can do bodyboarding there as the waves are so big. Today the sky was full of the kites attached to the surfers. There were literally hundreds. I'm not sure I could live in Tarfa. It must get bleak during the winter especially during the rainy period.

Geox in La Canada - Last Time I Buy There!!!

2011-05-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

One of my daughters suffers with sweaty feet and I have always found that cheaper trainers don´t help the problems. When I bought a pair of Geox trainers at a very silly price in Marbella,I believed their claims based on all their research and technology. I was so convinced by all the blurb about their technology plastered all over the walls in their shop in La Cañada that I reckless and uncharacteristically tossed the receipt in the bin pretty much as soon as I had bought them. Roll on two weeks and Justin asked me "Didn´t you buy her new trainers?" My reply was yes and that she was wearing them. Well, he was horrified at the state of them to say the least. The front trim had peeled off and they could not longer be tightened where the velcro had peeled off.

I took them back to the store unfortunately without the receipt. I didn´t expect a refund, an exchange would have been a bonus but I expected them at least to take an interest given that they pride themselves on their technology and research. They told me I was lying that I had bought them recently and suggested that they had been worn in the campo. What???

I remained calm and polite despite their accusations and I suggested that perhaps that could send them to their engineers on my behalf which they just smirked at. In the end, I gave up but I emailed Geox customer service to explain what had happened and could that help me in anyway. I didn´t even receive an acknowledgement of my email. Useless!

Napolitanas in Mercadona

2011-05-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

I forgot how delicious these were as Justin and I scoffed a tray or three big ones this morning. They are so chocolaty and perfect with a big mug of coffee for a breakfast treat at home. I have been a bit put off having breakfast out recently after a bad experience in a cafe last week. I don´t know what possessed me to take the lid of my breakfast roll but to my horror there was a hair inside. I brought it to the staff´s attention who did not apologise or look at all embarrassed but didn´t charge me for the roll or the coffee that went alongside it!

Iffy Weather

2011-05-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I was lucky enough to spend Easter in sunny England. I enjoyed the beach at Brighton and some good days out including Legoland in Windsor. The only problem is everywhere gets so busy and when you come back here it feels deserted. Hence, restaurants etc have such a tough time, there just isn´t the volume of people. In the south east of England I am sure that pretty sure that any restaurant etc could work as there are just so many people and also because customer service is really very good in general in comparison. I found again that people working in shops such as Marks and Spencer etc seem so much busier and keen than here. Many staff were ladies into their sixties that seemed very young and active and very much present in the workplace compared to here. So, just some thoughts and comparisons having spent a couple of weeks back in England.

Shortsightedness

2011-03-23T03:14:00.001-07:00

It baffles me that people still operate with this mentality of ripping someone off to make a quick buck here and now. What about tomorrow and the next day? You only get away with it once. You can probably guess that today I was lied to and ripped off. It cannot be denied that there is a culture of picardía here but it amazes me that people don´t learn that it just doesn´t work. Today I was lied to about plums. The guy promised me that they were sweet and they weren´t. Oh well big deal but he also charged me over three euros for a very small amount. He is the fool as I just won´t go back there.....Well, I thought I wouldn´t go back there until I decided to have it out with him.

Whilst I was in there saying my piece a woman told me to go back to my own country if I didn´t like it...a predictable response. I did feel a bit ganged up on but I felt like I had to tell him that I knew what his game was. We finished up amicably agreeing to differ. He had argued his case complaining about supplier prices. I argued my point about first impressions. Hmm maybe I will go back there to see if next time he will offer me a better deal on the plums.

Rain rain go away

2011-03-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

Yes the monsoon is upon us. I had booked a weekend away ages ago and I hadn´t anticipated that it would be so wet but we went anyway. We drove to Caceres in Extremadura last Friday, had a walk around, got very wet and went to our hotel room. We stayed at the Alameda Palacete, a charming little, eclectic hotel which would be perfect in the summer when you could do with a bit more insulating. The next morning we had a good look around the old town of Caceres which is a UNESCO world heritage centre. It is a blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renassiance styles due to hundreds of years of battles between Moors and Christians.

On the Saturday afternoon we started to make our journey home and stopped for the evening in the Huelva town of Aracena. Luckily the rain held off for the morning so that we could enjoy the castle and then the famous caves. All in all we enjoyed a great weekend away despite the weather and I would thoroughly recommend both places. Where to next????

I Cannot Believe...

2011-02-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

If I have gone on about this a lot recently then forgive me but the weather is AMAZING!!!!!Today has been glorious and as I drove along the coast road, I felt so happy to be here in the sunshine, even the cows looked happy!!This is my perfect weather sunny but not too hot, perfect spring weather!

Horrible Bugs

2011-02-23T02:05:00.000-08:00

Yes the title says it all, there are horrible bugs going around at the moment and I seem to have caught one of them. I feel exhausted, shivery, achy but not quite ill enough to lie in bed. I have intentions to do things but I have zero energy. I have to go to work this afternoon and deal with a rabble of boisterous, noisy children, oh dear.......

New Food In Mercadona

2011-02-21T11:55:00.001-08:00

Ooh it´s so exciting when Mercadona brings out some new products,well, it is for me anyway. Well today I discovered that they are now doing fresh quiches in the bakery section. They actually look too delicious and I think they could be quite dangerous to get into. There are also some new rustic bread rolls which I will be trying tomorrow morning for breakfast, something to jump out of bed for! They have brought out a range of noodles in chicken or prawn flavours. I also spotted sundried tomatoes in the fruit and veg section. And finally, there is a new packet of quality lomo which has worn a prize according to the gold medal on the packet.

Cold today

2011-02-19T10:34:00.001-08:00

It was pretty nippy today. To be honest I am a bit fed up of winter clothes and long to throw on a t shirt and shorts and skip out the front door! I am sure I will change my mind once the heat arrives. January and February are funny months but they have flown by and March is just around the corner.

Justin has started to paint the front of the house which seems to constantly need redoing.

I popped into the party shop in Pueblo Nuevo for a nosy today, I think it is called Soto Fiesta. It is really impressive and they have all kinds of cute gifts, fancy dress clothes, cupcake making things, pretty cake stands etc. They also make some stunning cakes to order. I cannot believe I haven´t been in there before and the prices weren´t too silly neither. There was a lovely little cake "piggy bank" which would be a lovely gift for a little girl and I think it was just under five euros. They also have lots of gift wrap and cards. I quite fancy one of the funky doormats that they have at 25 euros. I looked in Leroy Merlin and they are only a fiver cheaper for less original designs.

Weather Set To Change

2011-02-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the sunny days whilst they last, rumour has it that the weather is set to change with lots of rain forecasted for Sunday.

Marks and Spencer

2011-02-09T04:58:00.000-08:00

After my positive bra experience I trundled back to Marbella Marks and Spencer to see what there was left from the sale. I was delighted to discover loads left in my size at rock bottom prices. I spent about sixty euros in underwear and I came out with a carrier bag overflowing. I now have enough undies and bras to last me until 2020( providing I don´t put on weight)!! I also bought some lovely flattering for pear shapes jeans from their Per Una range for just ten euros. Of course, I bought some goodies, biscuits, chocolate muffins and jam.

I had to go to Gib today and I have to admit that the sales weren´t as good as Marks in Marbella, in fact some things were still full price there, cheeky! I did treat myself to a couple of pairs of spring/summer shoes as I find it so difficult to get good quality, COMFORTABLE shoes to fit my wide feet in Spain without having to spend a fortune and I cam out with these:

Boat shoes but in navy, might get the cream too or is that greedy??

and these in black

sandals

Am I getting old or is it okay to love Marks and Spencers?

I also have my eye on:

Linen trousers in both black and white!!

shirt

shirt to wear with navy or black leggings

They also had some lovely, smart white jeans which I cannot seem to find on the site. I really love their basics!

I popped into Next and they had loads of jeans which looked lovely but didn´t have time to try, trying on is so boring.

Santander in Sabinillas

2011-01-26T02:48:00.000-08:00

Can that woman behind the counter be any more miserable, rude and ignorant? The number of people on paro and they employ such a misery guts. You say anything and she smirks or makes a sarcastic comment.Rant over!

Marks and Spencer in La Cañada

2011-01-25T13:21:00.001-08:00

I see that there is a post about my bra fitting escapade on Nueva Andalucia Life. Yes it is true that I was sporting the four chest effect for quite some time until my good friend took it upon herself to get me a proper fitting bra. Thank heavens for Marks and Sparks in La Cañada as I am afraid Carrefour´s own brand wasn´t doing me any favours. I was measured and fitted properly and now I feel great. In fact, a few people have asked me if I have lost weight. Nope, it´s all the magic of the good fitting bra!

Plastic Bags

2011-01-22T01:25:00.001-08:00

Stock up on plastic bags if you are planning a trip to Spain soon as more and more supermarkets are charging for them. As from 1st February there will no longer be free plastic bags in Mercadona.

I can´t believe it...

2011-01-17T05:44:00.000-08:00

The sun continues to shine but I wonder for how long. Delicate tummy at the moment but it doesn't stop me from eating and "testing" it. Can´t think where it has come from. I enjoyed a lovely roast at the Irish pub in Sotogrande yesterday but I still think that Fox´s in Sabi´s roast has the edge!

Still Sunny

2011-01-14T01:09:00.000-08:00

What a difference compared with this time last year. The sun is shining bright and it feels like Spring has arrived early. It really does motivate you to get things done! I think I will be having a good sort out now. Let´s see how long before I get bored!

New Kitty!

2011-01-13T00:27:00.000-08:00

The title speaks for itself, we have taken in a little kitty from the street. She is tiny, very pretty and really friendly. We have named her Lizzy. She´s a greedy little thing. Hopefully the two cats will get along. Romeo and Paris were such good mates.

The Sun Again!

2011-01-12T03:02:00.000-08:00

Okay I know this is two posts about the weather in one day but I cannot help but go on about how uplifting the sunshine is. I said sunshine not heat. I am not a big fan of July and August, far too hot for me but I do live the winter sunshine, that's really what it´s all about it. It just gives you a spring on your step and motivates you to get on with your projects i.e painting over green walls. Do you have any New Year Resolutions? I think of new ones everyday. Here are my latest:

Do your best but not to the detriment of your health and sanity.

Stop buying unnecessarily!! Hence I haven ´t been to the sales. For the first time in my life ever. Bargains are a retail myth.False economy. Isn´t it better to have one pair of shoes that you love than three pairs of okay ones because they were half price and half of Marbella have had their sweaty tootsies in them!!!That´s what I mean by the time stuff reaches the sales it has lost its crisp, fresh, newness, has been man handled by sticky fingers and looks like all the other junk that you have.

Oh here´s another resolution:

Detox and Dejunk!

Lovely Winter Weather

2011-01-12T00:47:00.001-08:00

I have to say we have been pretty lucky so far. Compared to last year January has been glorious. This is what we expect on the Costa Del Sol in winter, crisp but sunny mornings that make you want to spring out of bed and go for a walk. If it keeps us like this until summer we will be very lucky.

Why Painting is Such A Palaver

2011-01-11T03:07:00.001-08:00

So back in May I had the bright idea of painting my lounge green. The logic behind it was that we had taken in a very snotty cat and his snot was smeared all over the walls.So, I thought that green might camouflage. Sadly, he was run over at the end of last year and I was left with the green walls as a constant reminder of his death. So I decided that I would get them painted back again in a neutral colour. I chose a colour to be mixed in a local paint shop and could they get the shade right???No, it was supposed to be a very light cream and it just kept coming out white. The quality of the paint is very poor and thin and I think it is going to need about four coats to look decent. Rule of thumb, always buy branded, ready mixed paints and don´t ever paint your walls in colour as you can guarantee you will tire of the colour!!

Clean Air

2011-01-04T03:21:00.000-08:00

We have just taken advantage of the girls staying at a friends house to get out for breakfast. There was something different about this morning, something missing but missing in a good way. The absence of stale smoke was refreshing but the bar inside was oh so quiet. We had a brief chat with Andres the bar owner who said that people are coming in, having their coffee and fleeing out the door. But I don´t believe that he will see a big drop in takings as he pointed out most of the smokers would come in and loiter over one coffee taking up chair and table space for at least half an hour. Time will tell but I believe that people will adapt just as they have in Italy, Greece i.e other "smoking" countries.

The Heat is Back!!!

2010-12-09T04:06:00.001-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to put away all those tshirts and flip flops, the heat is back on. I had to swap my polo neck today for a tshirt and light cardi as I was sweltering!!

Primark Algeciras

2010-12-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Since we were out and about at Media Markt in Los BarriosI thought I would take advantage of our proximity to Primark in Algeciras. Well, the household bits were quite good and I picked up a new pair of snuggly throws in a very Christmassy red for just five euros each. I also decided to give our bed a bit of a revamp for 16 euros for a new double duvet cover set and matching sparkly cushions at just 4 euros each. So for the grand total of 34 euros the house is feeling a bit spoilt! As for the clothes, well the prices have gone up which doesn´t really justify the quality. You really have to have patience and a discerning eye when looking for clothes in Primark not to mention the desire to see yourself in your underwear in the world´s most unflattering lights and mirrors. Trying on clothes before you buy in Primark is a must as sizes are so inconsistent and if you don´t live on the doorstep you need to get it right. And frankly, I just can´t be bothered anymore to faff around in an uncomfortable, hot stuffy changing room. I have to say Primark was the only shop that was packed in the shopping centre and the queues were huge. People were going crazy for the kids pyjamas, throws etc. I have to say I was quite tempted by one of those blankets that you actually wear and a leopard print foot muff, not to mention the fleece babygrows for kids that go up to teen sizes but I resisted!

My Beautiful Cat Was Run Over

2010-11-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the title says it all. On Friday I found him lying in the middle of the road right outside my front door in a pool of blood. It was exactly a year ago that we found him as a kitten scrounging in a chiringuito. Friendly and sociable from day one he jumped into my arms and we took him home. He lived with us happily for a year where we treated him like a king and he enjoyed a short, sweet life.

He loved and trusted everyone and was simply a fluffy ball of love. Someone killed him with a car and drove off leaving him for dead. Whether it was an accident that the driver regrets or whether the driver made no effort to avoid his death I will never know and thinking about it can´t bring him back.

November and it´s still warm

2010-11-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

No signs of autumn/winter yet. The mornings are crisp and the evenings are chilly but come lunch time and it is roasting!! Anyone coming out on holiday could certainly spend the afternoons sat in the sunshine. In fact, it is that time of year again when it is warmer outdoors than in. But after six and half years of living here the novelty wears off and you just don´t fancy sitting outdoors. Quite looking forward to it getting cold and cozy actually.

The Spanish are wearing their jeans, boots and longsleeved tops but they even look uncomfortable come mid afternoon. Needless to say that there are lots of sniffles and sore throats about at the moment.

Full Marks in Spain

2010-09-22T02:25:00.000-07:00

Good news for those plagued by nits, Full Marks is now available in Spain. Of course, there are lots of alternatives already available in Spain but I think that you will all agree that is good to be able to use something that we have all tried and tested.

Armed Robbery in Carrefour

2010-09-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

I don´t wish to frighten people and I don´t know if this will become a common occurrence (hopefully a one off) but there was an armed robbery in Carrefour in Estepona today. You can read about it here:

http://www.theresident.es/estepona/two-injured-during-armed-robbery-at-carrefour

Zara is Officially Online

2010-09-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

You can now officially order from Zara online as from today!!

Hurrah La Vuelta Al Cole

2010-09-02T03:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, it´s countdown, just eight days to go until they go back to school!!! Time to start again from scratch because after three months of holidays they have forgotten absolutely everything!!

BriCor Versus Leroy Merlin

2010-08-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled upon the new BriCor shop in Los Barrios and I have to say what a treat! There is a lovely, shiny little coffee shop and a children´s play area which is free for the first hour. It really does appeal to the female clientele as there are loads of vases, gift related products, picture frames etc, There is even a great arts and crafts section which is great for people who enjoy making necklaces, scrap booking etc. I think Leroy Merlin may have to up their game.

Bacon In Mollete

2010-08-22T07:35:00.001-07:00

We had the Mercadona bacon in a mollete and I have to say it was delicious. In fact, it would be lovely as part of an English breakfast!

I have decided that this week in a bid to constantly improve my Spanish I am going to buy a TV series from Carrefour to watch in the evenings.I am happy to watch Spanish television but the lengthy commercial breaks are soul destroying and make me lose interest.

Mercadona Packed at Half Nine

2010-08-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

I know there is a trend happening, I keep posting about Mercadona, oh dear surely it must get better than this. Well, this morning I just happened to be hanging out at my favourite supermarket and I realised that everyone was speaking a foreign language...castellano! I realised that I am so used to listening to andaluces that when I hear a Madrileño speaking it sounds foreign and actually like they are putting it on.

They will all be heading off home very soon as August draws to a close.

I also spotted that Mercadona are doing bacon now, I bought a packet and may try it between two slices of bread tomorrow morning. I have also been informed that Lidl have an unbeatable offer on bacon at the moment.

Mercadona Just Gets Better and Better

2010-08-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

The title says it all. Nowadays, I get excited before a Mercadona trip because they seem to bringing out new lines every week! This week I discovered:

oven bags with herbs for chicken which come in a box of two. They are so easy and clean to use. Just pop the chicken in the bag and away you go.

Not only do they now do a frozen fajita mix, they have also brought out sachets of fajita and burrito seasoning which are half the price of the branded stuff.

I also bought their new aloe vera face cream which if I remember rightly was just a couple of euros and it is great and a great replacement for the expensive clinique I was using before, although I was given it for free! But this stuff is great and can be used as a day or night cream.

I think Mercadona is the best supermarket in terms of price, quality, cleanliness and the queues and layout. Plus the stores are air conditioned at the perfect temperature, just right for keeping out of the sun and not burning your electricity at home!! All they need now is a little bar in every store.

Will keep you posted with any new finds.

Zara online

2010-08-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

Apparently Zara are finally launching online shopping on 2nd September!

Rain in July!!

2010-07-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

This is a first, I have never seen in rain here in July before, although people are telling me that it does happen.

Last week we spent a few days in Italy, taking advantage of some cheap Ryan air flights from Malaga to Bologna. Our flights were just three euros each each way with no taxes or online check-in to pay. The only charge as such was to pay with the card. So, for the four of us the total was 64 euros to fly to Italy and back!! We had a great time in Italy but we did overdo it trying to see too much. We visited Bologna, Ferrari museum in Modena, family in Modena, Modena city centre, Florence, Pisa, Venice and the Lamborghini museum in Santa Agata in less than five days. We were pretty exhausted by the end of it and I ended up with tonsillitis on the final couple of days. Thankfully Italian chemists are very well equipped and willing to sell you anything!!

Waiting For The Sales

2010-06-17T01:19:00.000-07:00

It is the time of year where we are all putting off buying anything else for the summer as we wait for the sales to commence in July. I notice that the sales are already starting in the UK and Clarks shoes have some really good sales with lots of children´s trainers with 50% off. El Corte Ingles stock Clarks shoes but they put a ridiculous mark up on them as they are being marketed as a luxury brand, a a far cry from the dowdy image that we once had of them when I was a child.

Talking of Corte Ingles I popped in there the other day. Yes, it is a pretty fab department store, if you are an all under one roof kind of person. Some of the prices are outrageous. You can see that the price for this sticker maker is just under twenty euros:

http://www.tomy.co.uk/products/cella-fashion/

I paid twelve euros for it on sale in Carrefour in April. Well, Corte Ingles are charging SIXTY euros for it!!Just where do they get their prices from!!! This also happened at Christmas when I paid thirteen euros for a magazine making kit for one of my daughters and Corte Ingles were charging thirty five euros for the identical product.

Zara has loos!!

2010-06-17T01:16:00.000-07:00

How many times have you been in a Zara store and had to rush out to desperately look for a loo in a coffee shop or similar. Well, there is no need because if you ask the sales assistant with your most desperate face, they will lend you the key to their toilets. I really didn´t expect this, you certainly wouldn´t get this in Next or Top Shop in the UK. Correct me if I am mistaken, do high street stores generally let you use their loos.

Ruta de La Plata in Estepona

2010-05-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the dedication of Jo of Nueva Andalucia Blog spot I have decided to commit to my blog once again. I thought that I would let you all in on a bit of a find. It is a fab tapas bar in Estepona called Ruta de La Plata. There is one of the best selection of tapas I have ever seen, their montaditos are best and best of all it is cheap and our bill never seems to be higher than forty euros regardless of how many people we have in our party.

Grim weekend

2010-03-22T01:53:00.000-07:00

After another weekend of yucky weather I am pleased to announce that the sun is out! We ventured off to Gibraltar yesterday afternoon to catch the showing of Alice in Wonderland only to find that both cinemas were fully booked!!! That was the only showing of the day so a bit of a disappointment but they did half an hour of ice skating and then we spent seventy pounds in Morrisons and came out with just three carriers bags!!!

Rain Bore

2010-03-08T04:41:00.000-08:00

I haven´t posted for ages because I have been resisting boring you all about rain but sorry here it goes...It has been raining now for three months!!!That is not to say that there hasn´t been any sunshine but whereas before the rain would be quickly followed by a long sunny spell, those sunny days are now very few and very far between.

Sierra Nevada

2010-01-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend in the Sierra Nevada. If you haven´t been and you live in a four hour radius, then why not? It is incredible! The girls did a couple of hours of lessons and were away, totally fearless and loving every second of it. They mastered it so quickly and were soon venturing down the slope like pros. It is not cheap though, we managed to spend a lot of money and we stayed in a self catering apartment. I am wondering what we have started though, as they are asking when can they go back for some more practice. I think that a day trip can be doable providing you leave early enough in the morning and that is what we are looking to do before the season ends.

A Belated Happy New Year

2010-01-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

It´s been a while since the last post. There hasn´t been a lot going on apart from the obvious Christmas stuff and of course, the rain which is relentless at the moment. Over the Christmas period we managed to snatch three opportunities to go out on our bikes. As soon as the rain stopped the sun came out in full force for the little time it was out. We spent the 6th January up Estepona mountain with friends.

The post Christmas period can drag. This is why it is important to make plans. We have a trip to Sierra Nevada planned soon and don´t forget Semana Blanca is coming up soon for those that live in the Malaga region. This year we want to see more of Spain beyond Andalucia. We plan to do this in the summer by investing in a tent and taking in some of the north and possibly France.

Bar Rejection and Bad Translation

2009-12-16T04:52:00.000-08:00

Three of us mums from school went out for a pre Christmas drink last night only to discover that the bars began to close up at ten and we had only just left the house at nine. We walked into one restaurant on the front requesting a drink and they as good as frog marched out of the door, in fact they looked most annoyed that we had interrupted what seemed to be the owner´s soiree!

So where did we end up? In a kebab shop sat at the table with our cokes and wine and clutching our bellies as we rolled around laughing at the bizzarely translated menu. I know it is a little rude as I am sure my English to Spanish efforts would leave a lot to be desired but I draw the line at a salad with a "hand grenade" in it and "toots bread". For those of you who know Spanish you will know that toots is a literal translation from pita ( as in tooting a horn) but I still haven´t worked the hand grenade out yet!

Christmas Shopping

2009-12-16T04:23:00.000-08:00

Shoppers are out in droves despite the rain doing their Christmas shopping. In Carrefour many shelves are left empty as shoppers are stacking their trolleys with toys. This supermarket has come laong way over the past five years in terms of books and DVDs. Whereas before they stocked a handfu of books now they have a fantastic selection including many of the English bestsellers.

Catch Up

2009-12-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

It has been a while folks, I realise but I have been travelling Scandinavia with kids in tow. I found lots of free Ryan Air flights so we ended up visiting a few different countries including Germany, Sweden, Norway and Belgium. So, there was lots of getting on and off planes, five in total but it was great fun. It was really a trip of a lifetime and the girls loved it and were really good carrying their own luggage etc. They love travelling and I really hope they let us go backpacking with them when they are older like we let them come "inter planeing" with us!

We saw some amazing sights including the Vasa ship in Stockholm, we are now big Swedish children´s literature fans as we have discovered some great Astrid Lingren characters. I have always been a Pippi Longstocking fan but we met so many new characters on our travels so I am looking for translations of Rona the Robber´s daughter, Karlson etc as I can´t see myself learning Swedish in the near future.

Whilst travelling we noticed that all the other tourists were Spanish. In fact the only other tourists were Spanish. We heard Spanish everywhere we went. I suppose living in a warm climate with access to beaches means that you can enjoy more sightseing city break holidays the rest of the year.

Electric Toothbrush

2009-11-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

I have just treated myself to the Mercadona's own brand of Electric toothbrush and I have to say I am very impressed. I am quite partial to a bit of home dentistry and this little kit with it´s floss connection is ideal. I noticed that they ahd an Oral B one but at half the price I snapped up the cheaper one and I am delighted with the results already. My mouth feels great, a bit like that just stepped out of a salon sensation only it is rather a case of just hopping of the dentist chair feeling!

Slow Cooker

2009-11-24T04:11:00.001-08:00

Today is the first day that I have used my wonderful new slow cooker that I brought back from the UK. I am not sure if you can buy them in Spain but it was a bargaanious fifteen pounds from Argos and with my dad´s nectar points just two pounds so I don´t think that I will find it cheaper than that anywhere. I cannot believe that I didn´t get one before, where have I been? So easy! Economical! Great tasting food! I have a beef casserole cooking right now and it is said to be much cheaper than using a regular cooking so that should cut electricity bills this winter!

Finding Kitties

2009-11-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

We went out for lunch at the lovely La Sal beach bar in Casares Costa one afternoon last week. After a tasty seafood feast we spotted the cutest little kitty hanging about. We took him home, got him checked out at the vet and he has settled in really well with our other cat Paris. There are so many strays around. They can be hard to get hold of but this one jumped straight into my arms and seems to love domestic life i.e sleeping in my bed and eating me out of house and home! I am taking him to the vet on Wednesday for his injections. The poor little mite has a cold so he is on a course of antibiotics. If you are thinking of getting a pet I recommend rescuing a stray cat. Cats make the best pets and don´t need training or walking.

Play Equipment

2009-11-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

In response to Lucy Ann´s comment I have to agree that we do have fab play equipment here. The exercise equipment in red and yellow is aimed at older people to encourage them to get out and exercise. I am afraid I have no idea who the supplier is, I can have a look on the apparatus next time I am at the park to see if there is a name.

Sorry been away or a bit

2009-11-06T04:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have been away for a bit relishing the cooler weather. It is windy but so refreshing. If you wrap up a bit you can go out for lovely comfortable walks and enjoy the gorgeous bright blue sky and the light that seems to bounce off the walls. I do love the winter in Spain, summer is too hot for me as I am not a sunbather so I really appreciate it when it cools down.

A new toy shop has opened in Estepona. It is brave to open a new business in the current climate but I can actually see them doing very well as there aren´t really many toy shops in the area apart from Carrefour. It is called Alexander´s and is off the main square where the boutiquey kinds of shops are. They have a fair selection of boys and girls toys including Lego and the prices seem reasonable for Spain.

Mince Pies in The Sun

2009-10-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

It is still hot, in fact, the temperature reached 28 degrees according to my car this morning. Supersol have minice pies and polverones on the shelves and it just feels wrong when it is still so hot. The spanish are still in short sleeves, usually a sure sign that yes it really is hot! I don´t think that we are getting autumn this year and fear that we will nose dive into the depths of winter!

I just don´t get it!

2009-10-23T04:16:00.000-07:00

Okay so I go into the gift shop with the intention of buying a present for my friend´s daughter.It´s her ninth birthday. I am prepared to spend around thirty euros. I see a cute pair of satin slippers and a bag that matches catches my eye. I then notice that the slippers have stains on them. I ask the lady behind the counter if she has another pair explaining that they are for a present so I wnt them to be in perfect condition. What does she do? She shakes her head. Okaay I think, do you want my custom or not? Do I not look like I´m serious, do I have to prove myself to be treated like a customer ?So I find an alternative pair of slippers that do not match the bag but they look soft and cosy. They look great but the size is wrong. So I ask if they have a bigger size. She does the head shake thing and at this point I think why does this feel like hard work. Is there not a crisis at the moment? I am not getting anywhere, she obviously doesn´t want o make a sale so, I give up, exasperated.

The next day I go to another gift shop where I have to say they couldn´t have been more helpful. So guess where I will be going back to for presents in the future and with christmas coming up?

Bad Chocolate!

2009-10-22T04:02:00.000-07:00

Now in this house we love chocolate, we usually wait until the kids are in bed and then we get the stash out. It has taken a few years to wean ourselves off cadburys and onto some of the supermarket own brands or milka. Personally, i like Mercadona Kit Kat copies but Justin insists on the real thing. I also like Hacendado mint choc which reminds me of Fry´s Chocolate cream.

When Justin nipped out to stock up the other night just before SuperSol was due to close I knew that he would return with a bar of Cadburys. Over the past few months I have been happy with all the choc that I have picked up with my shopping in Mercadona but he likes Cadbury´s when he can. We sat down to enjoy an episode of our current favourite sitcom Grey´s Anatomy, an american medical drama/sitcome about a load of young surgeons. There is a fair amount of blood and gore but it doesn´t put us off the chocolate.

Well, tea is made and as I hastily unveil the Cadbuy´s whole nut I quickly realise that something is wrong...very wrong. It was the texture, rough, not silky smooth and the colour, it was mottled with white instead of that rich chocolatey brown. Needless to say the taste was a huge disappoint to the extent that I don´t think that I can risk Cadbury´s from Super Sol again. I can guess that this was the effect of sitting on a shelf during really hot temperatures and possibly being thrown in a fridge to cool down. So, it is back to Mercadona for me where the choc turnover is high so less risk of it sitting for long periods at the wrong temperature.

Girl put in cage in back of van

2009-10-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

My friend rang me in a panic this morning saying that she had witnessed a little girl being put into a huge cage for dogs in the back of a Fiat van. It unnerved her, her gut told her something wasn´t right so she called the emergency 112 number who were unhelpful and unccoperative to say the least. They fobbed her off saying that it wasn´t an emergency and didn´t even hang around long enough at the end of the phone to take down the number plate which she very wisely recorded on her phone. So, we went to the local police, who were very helpful and sent out a car straight away. It was refreshing to be taken seriously because as a foreigner it is not always easy even when you can speak the language. If you see something suspicious don´t ever let your lack of spanish language stand in your way, you can make yourself understood and you have more chance by physically going into a police station and getting your point across.

Puente Weekend in Chiclana

2009-10-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

We spent the long weekend in Sancti Petri in Chiclana. Sancti Petri is a self contained resort where everything is withing walking distance i.e shops, bars and the beach. There are cycle routes everywhere so take your bike with you, unlike us who forgot! The beaches there are vast with beautiful white flour like sand. The sea was warm and it was difficult to believe that we were jumping the waves and up to our necks in sea water in mid october.

Use Your Library and Save money in Spain!

2009-09-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

"Crisis" and all that means you have to cut costs where you can. For childrens´ books I recommend you check out your local library. If your children are anything like mine, once they hve read a book a couple of times, they are usually ready to move onto the next one especially books that are part of a series. Both my children have library tickets at the local library where there is a pretty good choice of books for their age group including "Pablo Diablo"which is a translation of the English "Horrid Henry", "Kika Superbruja" series of which there was a fantastic film adaptation at the cinema this year and Junie B. Jones. There are also Geronimo Stilton books including the special ones with the "smelly" pages.

The library is also a good place to take your children to do their homework or read because there are no distractions such as TV and the prescence of the librarian tends to make children behave and do as their told!

Ardales

2009-09-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

We went on an expedition to El Chorro gorge on Saturday. El Chorro and the surrounding scenery is spectacular and well worth a trip to, as is the Mozarabic church in Bobastro. We were also pleasantly surprised to find that we could eat at prices that are very much history along the coast. Four of us, two adults and two greedy children stuffed ourselves on numerous raciones, we all had a soft drink each and a large bottle of water and it totalled to a whopping 19 euros! I was quite taken aback as I have grown used to mentally calculating the bill whilst ordering and I had predicted a figure at least double that especially for the amount of food that we had ordered, I was a bit nervous.

Back to School

2009-09-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

At long last, the children are back at school. It take a week or so to get organised as parents have to buy all the books and material, plus label each and every item! Also, it is gradually starting to cool down which I am very pleased about. I really like September and October in Spain as the weather allows you to do all the things that you just can´t do in July and August like walk outside during the day!

I know where to escape from the heat!

2009-09-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

We drove up to the top of Estepona mountain yesterday where to our surprise and delight it was cold, windy and raining. It felt like the Yorkshire Dales, complete contrast to the sticky, hot coast. I think I might have to set up camp there next August!

Back From Blighty

2009-08-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

I got back from the UK last night after three weeks away from Spain, my longest stint away in five years. The weather was perfect with the temperatures comfortable enough to go for long walks during the day and enjoy a nice long sweatless sleep at night.

It goes without saying that I had a mooch through the last of the sales and had a mini haul in Monsoon´s 70% off sale which surprisingly was full of good stuff and not the dregs that you would expect at such bargain prices. I managed to catch a Marks and Spencer sale and stocked up on a some cut price summer shorts and imperative undies. I am not quite sure how I am going to fit into my new clobber as I got into the habit of Sainsbury´s Big Breakfast whilst there in the morning, not to mention some fish and chip suppers and roasts.

Back to the heat and longing for autumn as the children are desperate for a bit of education and I would like to get into comfortable walking again.

Harry Potter in Los Barrios Cinema

2009-07-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

I hve just got in from watching Harry Potter in the complex in Los Barrios in Version Original (English). I don´t think people realise that they don´t have to go all the way to Marbella so I am letting you know. Here is the site:

UGC Pronto

Stuffy, Shoes and Other Stuff

2009-07-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

It is so stuffy today, I think that it is Levante, when will I get the hang of the winds?

I took the girls to Merkat in Los Barrios for some new sandals. One pair of sandals does not last the whole summer and because I have two to buy for at a time it can work out expensive. I popped into a shop in Estepona last week where they didn´t have any sandals for less than forty euros and since the shop assistant started ranting at me when I touched his precious display I thought no way am I handing you eighty euros, these days you have to kiss butt for that kind of money so I am not spending in your shop if you are going to make me feel like an inconvenience! I managed to find some nice comfy ones for twenty four euros but they were the cheapest, most were around the thirty euro mark. If you consider that they don´t actually measure the feet and the shop is all self service, it actually makes Clarks in the UK seem like good value.

Takila Ofisial!!!!

2009-07-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Look at the title, it is very badly mispelt, well this was the huge sign on the roundabout in Estepona pointing to the ticket office (bit like the Leicester Square one, that kind of idea) that has just opened up. It doesn´t inspire me to buy tickets from them I have to say!

San Juan

2009-06-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-06T00:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-28T05:55:00.000-07:00

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.

Shopping Warning

2009-05-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to remind people that sometimes getting refunds in Spain is not as easy as it has become in the UK. I bought a dress last week, not expensive, just a cotton summer one for about 35 euros from a high street chain store in Estepona. However, I have the feeling that they might be a franchise. Anyway, it turned out that the dress was too big and the size smaller was too small. I took the unworn dress back to the shop with the receipt in the bag. I was given two options, return it for something else or accept a vale (credit note).

Now that is fine for me as I live here and eventually I would hope that I could find something else in the shop to replace it. However, I did ask for a cash refund as I spoke to a lawyer/friend who informed me that a full refund was my right given that it was within the fifteen day period, unworn and I had my receipt. I pushed for it and eventually she asked her manager permission to refund the money which he did.

It Is Officially The Ice Cream Season

2009-05-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

Mercadona have a better range than ever. It seems that there is double the choice that there was last year with magnum copies, cookies and cream, stracciatella, chocolate brownie and so on. Since I have no self control whatsoever and I never know when I have had enough I have stocked the freezer with the mini versions but no doubt I will end up eating two at a time instead of one to make up for it.

Wiped Out After the Weekend

2009-05-18T02:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning we were up and out early, ready to catch the coach at quarter to 9 to make our way to Jerez. Well, you may have been to many ferias but you have never experienced a feria until you go to the one in Jerez. It is completely awe inspiring, the horses, the costumes, it is immense. There is no point in me even beginning to describe it as you should see it for yourself as nothing comes close to it, hence why it is one of the biggest in the world. For horse fans, it is a must see and even if you if you aren't you can't help but me transfixed but the majesticness of these huge animals.

On Sunday morning, as if we hadn't been horsed out enough, we were up early again as our girls had the very first riding competition at Cheryl's stables. It has all of a sudden become really warm and it was roasting inland. I wonder if this is it now for the summer or could it cool down again before the "big heat".

Back from Blighty!

2009-05-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

Just back from a week in Blighty where I spent time with my gorgy six month old nephew. I came very close to taking him back to Spain with me so I could buy one of those funky bright pushchairs that all the Spanish mums have and parade him up and down in the summer evenings!

The first few days were bright and sunny in England and then it turned a bit grey and chilly. So, it's great to be back and the sky seems bluer than ever and the light how it bounces off the whitewashing buildings is so uplifting! I actually felt quite claustrophobic in the land locked London area.

I did notice how cheap everything is in the UK but I didn't really make the most of it apart from some Clarks trainers and sandals for the girls which are at least half the price of Spain, maybe even a third of the price. I treated myself to some Clarks sandals which fit my broad feet like a dream. The girls were thoroughly spoilt with loads of clothes from their nan, their grandad and their aunty so that saves me a small fortune on expensive Spanish clothes. Although, Spanish children's clothes are very pretty, they can be very pricey!

I also stocked up on the bargain, excellent quality bikinis which they have in Primark, damn wish I had bought more now as I feel a day at the beach is in order this weekend.

So, even though Spain isn't the bargain paradise that it once was, it is great to be able to pack up a picnic and sit on the beach or plan a barbeque at the weekend safe in the knowledge that it won't be a wash out!

Madrid

2009-04-12T02:20:00.000-07:00

We went to Madrid for a few days last week. We decided to drive because we weighed it up and worked out that with the drive to the airport, waiting and the plane journey and everything it would take about the same time. It tok us nearly six hours to get there. Once you leave Andalucia, you drive for three hours without seeing anything at all, no people, villages, life, nothing.

I liked Madrid but not as much as Barcelona. We did the Madrid must do's such as El Prado, El Parque Retiro where we rowed on the lake and just to give the girls something to look forward whilst trawling through endless Goyas, Parque Warner which was cool. We managed to get photos with all the characters including Bugs Bunny and Tweety Pie. We had a little hospital incident whilst we were there and thankfully it was just around the corner from the hotel but nothing too serious, just an infection which resulted in a minor procedure involving a doctor,a six year old's ear lobe and a knife! Quite gruesome really.

We stopped off in Jaen on the way back where a kind stanger handed us a typical Easter cake which they eat in the region. The Santa Catalina cathedral was impressive. It was a hot day, I dread to imagine how hot it gets there in August.

Marzo Falso

2009-03-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

We are well into March and a quarter of the way into the year already. Where does the time go? The Spanish say that in March you cannot fiarse in the weather, meaning you cannot depend on it, hence the expression Marzo Falso. However, inspired by any glimmer of sun I bought a pair of new summer sandals from Arpe in Estepona. They weren't too expensive at 30 euros and they are really well made. I actually managed to get sun burnt on the beach last Sunday. The girls were off horse riding with their friend so Justin and I siezed the opportunity of some free time and headed for the beach. To our surprise we weren't the only ones soaking up the rays and no they weren't fellow guiris. In actual fact there were a few young spanish couples in swimwear making the most of the spring sunshine. It is quite unusual to see the spanish on the beach before San Juan at the end of June which is the kind of official date to start eating ice cream and sitting on the beach. Speaking of ice creams we even treated ourselves to one of those.

I have to say we are feeling quite tired at the moment as we have been burning the candle at both ends lately. We were out both Friday night and Saturday nights. We have been really spoilt by our friends as not only did their friend's mum take them off last Sunday to go horseriding but they stayed at another friends' house on Friday night. We still got up at the unearthly hour of eight on a saturday morning, force of habit I suppose!Incidentally, if anyone is interested in horseriding let me know and I can post the details.

I have also started flamenco lessons if anyone is interested in classes, just let me know. However, a friend and I hope to share private lessons with the teacher as her prices are reasonable and I just can't make it to the required two nights a week what with children, cooking and other responsibilities.

Anyway, off to prepare for the week. Have a good week everyone.

Rain and Cafe Teatro

2009-03-03T04:02:00.000-08:00

Rain predicted for the rest of the week, great! For those of you in the Estepona area, I thought that I would introduce to you El Escenario. I haven't been there myself but parents might be interested to know that on some Friday evenings they do children's theatre. They don't appear to have put March schedule on yet but I guess they will in the next few days.

Miserable Weather

2009-03-02T04:17:00.000-08:00

Well the title says it all, what more can I say.

On Friday the girls finished their campo de baloncesto, so we went to the cinema with some friends to see Beverley Hills Chihuahua, a really cute film for kids or dog loving adults alike.

Saturday was Andalucia Day and that was celebrated in our town in the pabellon where there were all kinds of show going on and ham and cheese tasting. That evening we went out sans enfants or should I say sin ninos to a lovely restaurant on the casares road called Arroyo-Hondo. It was our friends that suggested we eat there and we were most pleasantly surprised. There is a fab menu and very good service so we will definitely be going again!

Yesterday we made the most of the sunny morning and went to the park in Estepona where we bumped into our neighbours who invited us back for some lunch. We remained the rest of the day at their house where we passed the time playing scrabble and tabu. I have to say I lost miserably but I was the only first language English speaker in the group so I think that they should have made allowances for me, don't you?

Join The Library

2009-02-26T04:18:00.000-08:00

I used to love the library as a child. A bus trip into town and a couple of hours later I would be back at home with as many books as I could carry. I read for days on end and often had two or three books on the go at a time. A couple of years ago I had a look at our local library and was quite disappointed by the sorrow state that it was in and the pitiful choice that was on offer for both children and adults. However, about a week ago one of the grandmothers from the school mentioned that her grandson goes to the library every afternoon and I naturally wondered what was enticing him. So I took the girls and to my surprise, they seem to have invested a great deal of money in new books and lots of them, most importantly (in my very biased opinion) in children's books. The girls were spoilt for choice. I spoke to a an avid reader friend in England who complained that books are dying out in libraries to be replaced with computers. That is not the case here. Although I strongly advocate the use of IT for adults and children alike and sometimes feel that there isn't enough multimedia going on in the Spanish classroom, I can't help being a bit traditional and sentimental about the importance of books in a library.

The library is also a great place to head for if you are learning Spanish. You can start off with children's books that have self explanatory illustrations and progress to reading parallel texts in Spanish and English.

So have a look at your local library. We can take out eight books per person. I am not sure if there is a system of ordering or checking to see if libraries stock certain books as our library has only just started using a computerised barcode method as opposed to the old fashioned brown tickets.

Lovely Weather Again!

2009-02-24T01:07:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we went on a mission for a cordless microphone and we are still no further forward. We started in Algeciras, an unlikely shopping destination that I love. Shopping centres around the traditional high street with the big names such as Corte Ingles, a three storey Zara and lots of shoe shops. There are also lots of side streets with all kinds of shops including a childrens outlet shop selling good brands at cheap prices. I also discovered a shoe shop with really good quality shoes such as Lelly Kelly sandals for children at just 20 euros compared with double that price in Estepona and Marbella. There are lots of bars of the stand up variety but not spit and sawdust. In fact, they have interesting tiles and posters on the walls and overall presentation was very impressive.There are lots of places that would be good place to go for copas in the evening but maybe sin ninos as they are quite cramped inside. I really recommend Algeciras for its authenticity and lack of exposure to the masses. Try it!

That night we went out for a curry with a view to go to Cadiz carnival the next day to film. Not a good move. I mean the curry and the company were fab but the next day the inevitable happened and we were reluctant to stray from home until at least mid morning when we decided to make the most of the beautiful sunshine. We opted for a day out at Parque de Las Palomas in Benalmadena. If you have never been, you must. It covers a huge area, the gardes are well tended and there is lots for children to see and do including two adventure parks, a lake with ducks and peacocks, chickens and rabbits hiding in the hedges. It was full of couples, groups of friends and families with their picnics and ball games. It was so warm and whilst the spanish still ha their tights on the tourists were really feeling the heat many of them wearing what most spanish would only consider acceptable in Auguest.

Lovely weather

2009-02-13T04:17:00.000-08:00

Well the title says it all, the weather is beautiful at the moment and perfect for getting out and about sight seeing which you cannot do in the middle of summer. Hopefully this weekend will take a trip out somewhere. There is so much to see in Spain and we have barely scratched the surface of it. This year our plan is to get out of Andalucia and discover Extremadura, Valencia, Madrid and Toledo.

We are off to a children's birthday party this afternoon so I popped into Carrefour for a present. I usually find that you can't go wrong with a DVD. I then met a friend for a coffee who told me about her knew job introducing businesses to a lifelong learning programme for their staff that is on offer in Andalucia so I will be bringing you the scoop on that soon.

The Price of Shoes in Spain

2009-02-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

I remember a time when we all used to go wild for the shoes in Spain. They were all leather, really well made and really cheap. I would like to know what went wrong. En route to my pilates class there are a few shoe shops and I often poke my head in to see what they have. I have to say I am often disappointed especially when I compare what is on offer with the UK high street today.

I picked up a pair of sandals today, laughing to myself and having a guess that they would be some ridiculous price like twenty five euros. They looked cheap, there were blobs of glue on them and they were plastic. To my horror, when I checked the price they were forty five euros! Now I would much prefer to support local businesses but with prices like this I have no choice but to buy my sandals in Clarks or Marks and Spencers in the UK where they are in actual fact cheaper and better quality.

My New Finds

2009-02-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

We made the most of the couple of hours of decent weather on Saturday to try out an urban walk that I found on the internet. We started as suggested in Plaza de Las Flores where we had lunch to set us off in good stead for the long walk ahead of us. Well, I have to say that we were delighted to discover all kinds of places that after nearly five years of living in the area we never knew existed including a huge cultural centre, three huge parks with ponds and grass areas for picnics and all kind of interesting looking bars especially "Ruta de la Plata". We finished off, an hour and half later, exhausted at Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop just before Calle Terraza.

For all you learners of Spanish or those who would like your children to learn spanish, have a look at this website:

Cervantes

Los Pitufos y Erase Una Vez

2009-01-28T04:53:00.000-08:00

At the hairdresser's where I take my daughters, the hairdresser is always very jovial. We always chat about trivia and we were chuckling the other day at the thought of going to a bar in another part of Spain and ordering a pitufo. You see in this particular part of Andalucia, the name pitufo is used for not only those cute little blue cartoon characters, yes you've guessed it, the smurfs, but it is also a small roll. Now going back to the smurf version of the pitufos, unlike us fickle Brits, the Spanish are very loyal to their cartoon characters and they enjoy much greater longevity than their British counterparts. For example, Sesame Street characters are still very popular amongst Spanish pre-schoolers. Ask the average British three year old who Big Bird is and they are more likely to point at a picture of Fern Britton, no disrespect to Fern, she is my fave!

But all these characters they we all knew and loved during our childhood are still alive and kicking in Spanish kids culture. That is why it didn't surprise me to discover that Imaginarium toyshop have a collectable set of smurfs in store, clever marketing, get the kids by tapping into the nostalgia of the parents.It used to be the other way around but today's thirty somethings have an irrestible yearning to indulge their inner child whenever possible. If parents are honest, they are just buying the kids what they would love to play with!

Now I too am guilty of exactly this. I have quite gotten into something which only spanish adults will relate to but I feel that we missed out on in the UK. It is called Erase Una Vez. I have been popping in out of the local newsagents to make sure that they have the latest edition of the book and DVD set and of course, my children quite enjoy it too. Have a look on youtube at Erase Una Vez and you will see what I am going on about.

Finally, I have literally just stumbled across this educational website aimed at primary level children (I think, I haven't looked at it properly). Here is the link:

http://www.yosipuedo.gov/kidszone/kidszone4.html

Glorious Sunshine

2009-01-28T04:47:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that the day is dazzlingly bright and I actually had to strip off today to keep my cool as I walked to my car after pilates. However, we must make the most of this glorious sunshine whilst it lasts as a lady at pilates warned me that there is a storm brewing which should reach us by Friday. Ooh, it feels like spring has sprung but don't get carried away!

Books, Ear Piercing, Hair cuts and TV

2009-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

My twin daughters had their ears pierced today, a little late in Spain at almost seven years old. In Spain, they do it in the farmacia. A young pharmacist did it and he was great, really calm and did it in seconds.

Caught up in the excitement of it all, they then decided that they would like their hair cut so we dropped into a back street hairdressers, one of the ones that still use those hair dryers that you sit under. They both have their hairs cut at a very manageable chin length and are over the moon with their new image.

I also nipped into Carrefour and found that they had lots of English book titles on offer at just 2,90 each. So, I snapped up The Visible World , The True History of Paradise (by the same author of The Pirate's Daughter) and the Private Lives of Pippa Lee. They also had The House At Riverton by Kate Morton and Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann which I am kicking myself for not getting when I see that it twice the price in Waterstones.When you see cheap, good books in Spain, you have to snap them up. I think that under 3 euros is a very reasonable price when they are often more expensive in the second hand bookshops that are around here and three times the price in English bookshops in Spain.

Finally, at Eye on Spain, we have launched The Siesta Show an online tv show which will air daily. We will be covering all kinds of topics related to Spain so tune in!

Soup

2009-01-19T05:00:00.001-08:00

I thought that I would just tell you about this lovely soup that I have just had. It's new to the product range in Mercadona. I often find Spanish shop bought soup to be very watery and you need to add fideos to it but this one has a lovely consistency.They come in huge sachets with enough for one portion in each one. There are two flavours, in my local Mercadona, Crema de Puerro y Patata (leek and potato) and Crema de Pollo con Verduras (Chicken and Veg). I have just had the chicken and veg for lunch and it was really warming and filling. I can't remember the price, will check. They are called "Platos de Cuchara".

I also forgot to mention that on Saturday we went to a new Italian restaurant that has opened in Palmones in Los Barrios area.I can't remember the exact name but it is next to the cinema. It would be a good evening out to combine a pizza and cinema as they always have loads of films on. I had cannelloni and the portion was a bit small for a hungry girl like me. The children's menu is good for six euros and included chips, pizza, drink and dessert.

Rainy Monday

2009-01-19T02:56:00.000-08:00

After a glorious weekend of sunshine, the rain is back.It was drizzly this morning but I didn't let it stop me from walking, in fact I quite like the drizzle mist in my face as I remind myself that in just a few months time it will be too hot to even contemplate walking as a from of exercise. It is a bearable cold which if you wrap up warm enough you can still get out to enjoy the fresh air and exercise.

We made the most of the summery weekend by getting out in it. On Saturday morning the girls and I parked the car in Estepona port and walked into town to have a mooch around the shops and pick up a birthday present. The Moroccan shop along the main road opposite the park is a great place for children to take their pocket money. I picked up a children's picture book version of Lazarillo de Tormes which is a classic in Spanish literature. The author of the book is unknown probably for his own safety as the book openly criticises the church. It is book that most children will cover at some point throughout their education as it was the start of a new genre in literature called the picaresque novel.

We noticed in Estepona, that everyone appears to have been given a puppy for Christmas. There are just so many and I really hope that they are not just for Christmas as the saying goes. Most of these pooches were wearing clothes. There was a pug in a pink hoody, a shi tzu (sp?) in a red and white gingham number with a huge pelmet, just to name a couple.

Yesterday, we went roller blading along the paseo in Sabinillas. I was pleased to say that it was buzzing with people having coffee and walking up and down. We left at around lunchtime when the restaurant seemed to be filling up.

We finished off the weekend at a birthday party and it was over ready for another week!

Learning Spanish

2009-01-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hi one of my readers has brought this great learning Spanish tool to my attention. It is really up to date with its interactive features and you won't even realise you are studying. Wow how methods of learning languages have moved on from my days of pouring over 501 verbs. It doesn't need to be painful. Have a look here:

Learn Spanish

The sun is shining

2009-01-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

What started out as a very cold morning has turned out to be a lovely bright day. I must get a load in the machine to make the most of it.

I have decided that I need to watch more spanish tv in the evenings to increase my vocabulary and improve my listening in Spanish. The problem is I don't mind watching the light hearted trashy telenovelas but Justin can't stand them. The frequently occurring adverts are also quite irritating because you just can't get into anything so I think the next step is to start watching some of my box sets i.e Friends, Desperate Housewives, films etc in the dubbed Spanish version.

Going backwards

2009-01-13T01:28:00.001-08:00

For those of you around the Estepona way, you may have noticed that the Mango store has been closed for a few weeks and there is a sign on the window saying "cerrado por reformas". A little bird informs me that this was a franchise and rent, staff haven't been paid so it has been closed down. I don't know if this is true but I certainly hope it reopens because I see a major, quality store such as Mango an asset to the town.The store was always busy and I am sure there are a lot of disappointed women in the Estepona area as it was so convenient to pop into Mango and pick up a new top. Shoppers would also investigate other shops nearby that they wouldn't otherwise think to pass by such as the nearby shoe shops and perfume shops.

It was also a landmark even for those who didn't shop in Mango. We would say "the notary office next door to Mango"or "meet you at the coffee shop opposite Mango".

I had a chat about it with the receptionist at the pilates centre that I go to. She expressed her concerns that the area is going backwards rather than forwards. It isn't the only shop that has closed in Estepona. I have spotted a handful of clothes shops that have closed down. It is the more expensive shops selling designer clothes that seem to be hit hardest as people can't pay the prices anymore.

However, ice cream lovers, I have noticed that the Ben and Jerry Ice cream shop has moved to a more prominent position along the main street in Estepona, you know the street where Mango is!

Christmas is officially over

2009-01-09T08:13:00.001-08:00

It's safe to come out now as Christmas which began on Christmas Eve finally ended on the 7th and began for me on the 8th when they all returned to school. Seriously, considering it was almost three weeks of school holidays, the girls were very good and they happily let me do the sales in both La Canada and Miramar shopping centres. Despite the rain, I managed to keep them entertained, cheaply too, by taking them swimming at the leisure centre, out for bike rides, a trip up Estepona mountain, feeding the fish at the port and a bowling trip.

We did the three kings procession, although this year I didn't bother with the token gifts as I have done in previous years because they received more than enough for Christmas.

Enough of Christmas. Thursday, we had to go to Algeciras. I really like Algeciras town centre for its authenticity, good range of shops all laid conveniently along the high street and the variety of bars and coffee shops. I was surprised to see for the first time ever in Spain, a lollipop man helping the children across the road at two o'clock (home time if they don't stay for comedor).

I also popped into Zara whilst I was there (it had to be done). It is a big store with Zara home upstairs. I have to comment on how restrained everyone was during the sales period unlike in the UK where it can get a bit fisticuffs when two women make a dive for the same top that they have been hankering over until it was reduced.

Anyway, it is lovely day today so we are off out to enjoy the sunshine.

Blog dreams

2008-12-18T02:41:00.000-08:00

I had a dream that I should blog something but I cannot remember what so please forgive me. Pointless information for you I know!

We attended the school christmas show today which I watched, stood on a wall, on an incline, through some heavily slatted windows as like every year they couldnt fit all the parents in the hall!When will it ever occur to them to do it in year groups.

I have had a flu tupe of bug that has been impossible to shift and I am not a colds and flu person so wrap up warm if you are. It is seriously cold but they are predicting a warm and dry winter. Despite the cold, it is generally bright and a blue sky instantly lifts your spirits in the morning despite the abscence of central heating on rising!

I braved a trip to La Canada shopping centre which is sales galore, marketed as Rebajas de Navidad. Come on be honest with us and tell it like it is! There have never been rebajas de Navidad these are Rebajas de Crisis! Rumour has it that the official sales are going to begin on the 3rd January before Los Reyes when traditionally they begin on the day after, the 7th.

If you fancy a night out for New Years Eve I see that the Kempinski, sorry if I have spelt it wrong are selling tickets for somewhere in the region of 400 hundred euros each adult. I choose not to comment!All I can say is what, why and who and sorry that my keyboard is broken so excuse the poor punctuation!

Marks and Spencer in Spain

2008-12-05T02:25:00.000-08:00

Marks and Spencer will deliver to Spain for a tenner. I think that you will agree that you won't get a flight as cheap as that. I haven't tried it myself as our post is a tad on the unreliable side. Here is the link:

International Delivery

Death By Chorizo

2008-12-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

We had lunch today at the bar across the road. I was recommended the chorizo roll which I have to say has pretty much finished me off for the day. There was a lot of chorizo in the roll and it was very fried and heavy. I am just waiting for a heart attack now.

It's so cold!

2008-12-03T05:38:00.000-08:00

It is so cold that my hands are numb and my nose is icy. It would probably help if I put more clothes on but I just can't get used to dressing for the cold in Spain, I guess that I am out of practice. I went to the new Mercadona today on the road to Estepona. It is really spacious and quiet. I only took out one card with me and no cash and the card wouldn't swipe. The girl behind the desk suggested that I needed a new card but it had worked only about an hour beforehand in Estepona!

I notice that there are reductions like I have never ever seen in Spain during the build up to Christmas. I mean it isn't like in the UK where we have got used to seeing 20% off signs and promotional days in department stores during December. In Spain, there has never been a drop in prices before the 7th January when the winter sales begin. This is a definite sign of the times.

In Leroy Merlin there are all kinds of discounts on offer from heaters to rugs. All the Christmas decorations are buy three get one more free and in Carrefour they are buy two get one more free. If anyone has seen the front of our house you can see that we went a little crazy with the Leroy Merlin offer. As if those offers weren't enough, we were also given a 15% off voucher which could be used on certain days. Needless to say I did return and took the discount on a nice new fluffy rug for the living room. One of my neighbours was telling me about the great deals on furniture in Imperial in La Canada. They managed to bag themselves a couple of distressed leather recliners for just 75 euros each!

Bazaars and Bright Blue Skies

2008-11-26T05:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is cold today and I spoke to some Spanish ladies at the gym who are finding it unbearable but I find it quite pleasant. It is still bright outside for most of the day and the sky remains blue despite the drop in temperatures. In the morning you can still go for a walk along the seafront and feel invigorated at the end of it. It is two thirty now but it is still daylight and the day still feels quite long and unrushed.

I think I may have mentioned before about the number of shops that I see closing down at the moment. It seems that for every shop that I see closing there is a chinese bazaar opening. Some of them sell all kinds of things from stationary to sponges but the quality is often really bad and you end up buying a load of stuff that you don-t even need. Also, there are lots of chinese clothes shops opening. The clothes come from the warehouses in Malaga.They are priced cheaply but they probably won-t last you more than a season. The reason behind the opening of these shops can only be that in an economic crisis we should all feel compelled to buy tat instead of quality that is more likely to see us through until the end. I suppose parents who are really struggling will buy children christmas presents from the chinese shops but the standards are so low I find it worrying from a safety point of view and think that they would be better off looking for quality toys at car boot sales or charity shops.

That-s not to say that everything that they sell in the bazaars is bad, you can be lucky but I have bought things that fall apart or break easily and then I end up buying the more expensive alternative. I find that the quality of stock is usually a bit better in the euro shops or the moroccan owned shops.

In the UK charity shops are experiencing a boom in trade as people are looking for quality at cut price rather than having to continually buy from cheaper shops like Primark. Having said that, Primark quality is still far superior than the chinese clothes shops that are opening and the prices are similar.

Día del niño

2008-11-21T02:09:00.000-08:00

My children informed me yesterday that it was Dia del Niño (Universal Children's Day). I found it quite ironic that it should happen to fall around the same time as this survey in the UK. Imagine growing up in a country where you are regarded as vermin!

Lovely Oranges!

2008-11-19T04:27:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine has kindly shared some of her oranges that are grown locally around here. Wow they are delicious and kind of pregnant as they come with a cute little surprise baby orange inside, a bit like an egg with two yolks or a pepper with a baby one inside.Oranges can be a pain to peel and that puts people off but these ones peel really easily.

Fruit, the ultimate in fast food, with its own biodegradable packaging!