Moustache - WHY WAIT FOR NOVEMBER?

Monday August 12, 2024.

Granada to Carmona, Spain. 

On the morning we were leaving for our driving trip in Southern Spain and Portugal, we started the longish walk to get a coffee. 

And would you believe it, our first choice cafe was open again. They had obviously only closed for the weekend. 

We then caught an Uber to the Central Railway Station to pick up the car. There was a queue so we had a bit of a wait. 

When we finally got the car I asked if it had a spare tyre. 

The answer – no!

We have got Roadside Assist, so if the worst comes of it, I’ll be calling them. 

It had screen for GPS but you needed to use your own phone to get the maps. 

We set the map and headed off to Carmona. 

Most of it was on Motorways, driving at 120km per hour. 

As we approached the town we saw an amazing building perched on the side of a hill. 

Sure enough it was our Paradore. 

The hotel was commissioned in 1976 and built on the site of a 14th Century fortress and castle or Alcazar. 

Much if the old building has been preserved. 

The area has a real history. 

People have lived here for over half a million years. The higher parts, where Carmona is situated, have been occupied since the Copper Age. During the Bronze Age, around 18,000 BC, the population grew even bigger. 

We haven’t escaped the Granada heat yet, as it was still 38°C when we arrived. So we had a walk around the grounds, then went down, down, down to the pool area. 

From there we could look up at the Parador. 

Well it was built on the site of a fortress. 

We had dinner ‘In house’ and it was great. However the proportions weren’t huge so I was ‘forced’ to have desert. 

This was also excellent. 

Eating here gave me a feeling of having been here before, or déjà vu. 

But we are in Spain, not France. 

It was probably our Parador experiences from 2007 and 2012. 

 

Tuesday August 13, 2024.

Carmona, Spain. 

The temperature was a bit lower in the morning so we went wandering around the town of Carmona. 

In San Fernando Square we found Bar Plaza. 

After a bit of negotiation we manage to get a good coffee. It was the closest thing we have had yet to a Long Black. 

The square was under reconstruction so a real mess. As was a lot of the town, which was not great for photos. 

Having eaten in the Parador last night, we were hoping to eat in the town tonight. 

Now we have to find somewhere. 

We walked through the walled city and then down to the Roman Amphitheatre and Necropolis. 

The Necropolis was one of the best we’ve seen. 

This Roman Necropolis was used between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. In those days it was situated outside the city walls.

It contains a number of monumental tombs and crypts that were owned by high ranking Roman families.

The Tomb of the Elephant is one of the notable ones, with the elephant statue now situated inside the museum.

Also very interesting was the tomb of the family Sevilia.

They were obviously very wealthy people. 

Even by the afternoon the temperature was only around 30°C, a lot cooler than Granada. 

We were still hot and now hungry, after our rather long walk, so went off to find some lunch and a cool drink. 

We came across Castaño, a small bar, cafe and restaurant. The food was simple, the staff friendly and the drinks cold. 

It was then back to the hotel as it was now around 34°C. 

We would head out again once the temperature had dropped. 

We went out at 8:00pm but nobody was serving food yet. 

Well, we are in Spain. 

We had a drink in a bar and then went looking for food and again nothing. 

So in frustration we walked back to the Parador and had dinner there. 

Again the food was great. 

I’m not sure why we looked elsewhere, other than to spread our spends around the town. 

 

Wednesday August 14, 2024.

Carmona, Spain to Villa Real Santo António, Portugal. 

Breakfast was at the Parador, as we weren’t confident of getting any in town. 

A bonus was that they served espresso coffee and it wasn’t that bad. 

Today we are on the move again, this time to Portugal. 

However we have given ourselves a bit of a detour, to Dolmen de Soto, another ancient burial site. 

As Wikipedia describes it:

‘The Dolmen de Soto is a Neolithic subterranean structure in Trigueros, Andalucía, Spain. It is estimated it was built between 4,500 and 5,000 years ago and is one of about 200 neolithic ritual-burial sites in the province of Huelva.’

There was a bit of a drive to get to Dolmen de Soto, as it was out in the countryside, on farmland. 

We used the freeway for most of the journey but the last bit was a challenge. 

Google Maps got us there, whereas MapsME failed. 

This is very unusual, as they are usually the most accurate. 

We got to Villa Real Santo António in the middle of the afternoon. 

It should have been later but there was a time change. 

We are now on GMT. 

Our Paradore or Pasada, as they are known in Portugal, was situated in the centre of town right on the square, Praça Marquês de Pombal. 

Parking was an issue, so, once we’d checked in, we went and found a public parking area. 

We will leave the car there until we check out on Friday. 

The town is on the banks of the Rio Guadiana, which is the border between Spain and Portugal. 

Villa Real Santo António was founded after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. It used the same architectural and construction techniques that were employed in Lisbon after the quake.

We walked around for a while, as the temperature was much cooler, just 31°C. 

It was kept even more pleasant by a cool breeze that came off the river. 

In the back streets, near the square, we found Bistro Latté. 

They had a selection of local Portuguese Craft Beers from Senescal. 

I had a Royal IPA which was described on the bottle as: Lush and hoppy. 

And it was. 

After a bit of R&R time in our room we went out looking for dinner and ended up at A Casa Do Alexie Assado. 

The food was good but the servings were far too big for us. 

 

Thursday August 15, 2024.

Villa Real Santo António, Portugal. 

Breakfast was included with the Pasadas, so we ate in. 

We had a full day at our disposal but didn’t really have any plans. 

Most visitors were in Villa Real Santo António to go to the beach. 

You could tell by their tans. 

The most popular spot was a beach near Foz do Guadiana, a breakwater at the end of the Rio Guadiana. 

On one side they sunbathed and the other they fished. 

We had asked at reception about the best way to get there and were told that there is a tourist train. 

It departed every 40 minutes, from a stop not far from our hotel. 

Very convenient. 

Not long after we arrived at the stop, and with only a few minutes until the next train departed, a guy turned up in a black Mercedes. 

He started talking to us in Portuguese and produced a sign, also in Portuguese. 

Basically the bus wasn’t operating today. 

Bugger. 

We weren’t far from the car and went and got it out. 

I hadn’t intended to drive today but now things had changed. 

When we got the ticket out to pay for the car park it didn’t seem to work. We took it to the office and when he scanned it, we were told that it had been paid. 

Sure enough, we got out of the car park and it cost us nothing. 

We then drove around the area, visiting the beach and fishing spots and returned to town. 

By now it was lunchtime and we returned to the café that was part of our hotel. 

Apart from the fact that they had a good choice, we also got a discount, as we are members of the Pasada Club. 

After a bit of work and a siesta we returned to Latté for a pre dinner drink. 

Thea would rather we hadn’t as she thought the waiter/boss was a Grumpy Bum. 

However I couldn’t find anywhere else that served craft beer. 

This time I had a Lagunitas IPA. This is a Californian brewery that also brews its beers in Belgian. 

It was again very nice. 

Thea was also happy, as Grumpy Bum wasn’t around. 

We then went in search of somewhere for dinner and ended up at Monumental Seafood, a restaurant in Praça Marquês de Pombal, the town square. 

The boss was another Grumpy Bum. 

I guess this time in August is rather stressful for anyone in hospitality. 

 

Friday August 16, 2024.

Villa Real Santo António to Beja, Portugal. 

After breakfast, again at the hotel, we got on the road to Beja. 

The car was starting to get low on fuel so I went looking for a petrol station. 

There was one on the way out of Vila Real de Santo António but it didn’t display any prices. 

While we were on the road there were no petrol stations to be seen. 

It was only when we got lost, in a tiny village, that I saw a sign. We followed it and sure enough it was there. 

It only had two pumps and was a pay as you go, self service. 

We just put enough fuel in the tank to get it above half full and were on our way again. 

I don’t think I sighted another petrol station until we were nearly into Beja. 

Getting to our accommodation, the Pousada de Säo Francisco, was easy and it had parking. 

I even got a spot in the shade, which was great at it was now 37°C. 

I don’t think the car will move for the next few days. 

We were too early to check In so went and had a snack by the pool. Then in the evening, once it was cooler, we had a wander around the local area.

The Pousadas seem to go by at least two names. 

The one that the hotel chain, who runs them, calls them and the name of the convent in which they are housed. 

This one is called Hotel Pousada Convento Beja, while its historical name is Pousada de Säo Francisco. Which means that it is a hotel located in the old Convent of San Francisco, a restored 13th Century Franciscan Convent, in the centre of Beja.

That night dinner was at the hotel restaurant. 

It wasn’t too bad but the head waiter was constantly trying to up-sell everything, a bit like the car rental companies. 

 

Saturday August 17, 2024.

Beja, Portugal. 

It was a latish start to the day. Our breakfast wasn’t until after 9:00. 

However that seemed to be the trend, as most people didn’t appear until after we arrived. 

As part of our breakfast, we both had a Portuguese Tart.

Well, we are in Portugal after all. 

Breakfast was included, as it is with all the Pousadas. 

I then did a bit of housekeeping (washing) before we ventured out. 

At Arroz Doce we had a great coffee. 

Since our trip in 2022, we have always found that Portuguese coffee is consistently amongst the best in Europe. 

As with the area of Granada where we last stayed, Vila Real de Santo António, in Beja, is not a big holiday resort. It caters for the locals not tourists. 

Many of the cafes, restaurants and even some of the sights are closed for the Summer break. 

We are here for three nights, so it’s going to be interesting to find a dinner spot tonight. 

Another interesting thing about Beja, is that most places won’t accept payment by card, they only want cash. 

The temperature was already 35°C and it was only 10:00. 

It was a slow walk through the streets of Beja, looking for some of the sites we had highlighted to see. 

So many of them were shut. 

We got to Beja Castle around midday and found that it was shutting at 12:30hrs. 

So was the the Museum Jorge Vieira, which is a contemporary art gallery, dedicated to the named artist. 

As everything was now shut we went and had an early lunch. 

Cantingo de Castelo, as the name suggests, was just opposite the castle, so we had a snack and a beer there. 

Yes, even Thea had an ale.

A cold beer, on a hot day, is always very refreshing. 

The location was also very pleasant, under the shadows of a large tree and beneath the castle walls. 

Portugal has a rather large African community. This has been evident in the wait staff at so many places we have visited. 

In Praça da Repuúlica or Republic Square, there is a very prominent Migrant Support Centre. 

After lunch we returned to the castle grounds and then visited the Museum Jorge Vieira. 

Jorge Vieira (1922-1998) was a Portugese Surrealist sculptor and considered one of the best during the 1950’s.

Between 1954 and 1956 he attended the Slade School of Fine Arts in London. There, both Henry Moore and Reg Butler were his teachers.

It was an amazingly small gallery with, what I’m guessing, is a very tiny example of his work. 

However it was free. 

The temperature in Baja was now 38°C, so we returned to the coolness of our hotel room.  

Siesta time again. 

When we went out to find some dinner the temperature was still 36°C. 

I think we will be eating inside tonight. 

Dinner was at a local restaurant in the middle of town. 

It was quite good but didn’t have half of the things advertised on the menu. 

When we asked for the bill we found that we could pay by card. 

Most places, apart from our Pousada, only took cash. 

The meal was only €40 (A$65) so very reasonable. 

 

Sunday August 18, 2024.

Beja, Portugal. 

The temperature was only 23°C at breakfast time but was forecast to get up to 35°C. 

I think we will do our exploring in the morning. 

We went looking for a coffee first but found that the cafe we went to yesterday, Arroz Doce, was closed. 

It is Sunday after all, so it was then over the street to Luiz da Rocha. 

Next was the Visigothic Museum.

And, again, it was free entry. 

This museum is set up in the Igreja de Santo Amaro Church, one of the oldest, still standing, buildings in Portugal. Some parts of the church date back to the 6th Century when it was a Visigoth temple.

Next was Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Beja or The Great Hospital of Our Lady of Piety, which was established in 1490. 

Free entry again. 

This was becoming a rather inexpensive day.

All around Beja is street art depicting red Carnations. 

We wondered what they signified. Then we came across one with the words: ‘Beja Cidade Anti Fascista’ next to the Carnation. 

The Carnation Revolution was a coup by military officers to overthrow the the authoritarian Estado Novo Government on April 25th. 1974.

The Carnation Revolution got its name from the fact that almost no shots were fired, and also from restaurant worker, Celeste Caeiro, who offered carnations to soldiers, when the population took to the streets to celebrate the end of the dictatorship.

The temperature was rising so we slowly walked back to the Pousada and had some lunch. 

It was now 34°C, so we sought some shade under a leafy pergola. 

Then it was back to our room while it was hot. 

We had booked the hotel restaurant for dinner, as nothing seemed to be open on a Sunday. 

 

Monday August 19, 2024.

Beja to Vila Viçosa, Portugal. 

After breakfast we returned to Arroz Doce for coffee. 

We were on the move again today to another Pousada. This one was in Vila Viçosa and only about one and a half hours away. 

Thea wanted to buy buttons for the top she was knitting for Hayden and Andrea’s new baby. 

Finding buttons in Portugal could be an interesting exercise. 

The logical starting point was the Beja Retail Park, that was just out of town. 

No buttons there. 

We stopped for a bit of lunch, about 30 minutes from Vila Viçosa and there, next to a cafe, was a Chinese Two Dollar shop. 

Sure enough, they had buttons. 

We reached our Pousada right on 3pm, so were able to check in. 

The Pousadas, like the Paradors, are all very similar. 

Once you’ve been in one, you know your way around the next one. 

It was again 37°C, so we decided to enjoy the cool of our room for a while. 

We were staying in the Pousada Convento de Vila Viçosa, also named as Pousada D. João IV. 

The Pousadas do seem to go by a few names. 

The convent is now over 500 years old, being established in 1514. 

It was a very rich convent, with many of the nuns coming from Portuguese Nobility. 

Some of these nuns had private apartments and even brought along their maids. 

It was turned into a Pousada in 1997. 

At 7pm it was still 34°C but there was a cool breeze. 

We had booked dinner at the Pousada restaurant, as we didn’t have time, or the inclination, to go in search of anywhere in town – especially in the heat. 

That can wait until tomorrow. 

Dinner at the Pousada was great, even though getting a good beer was difficult. 

They don’t seem to have that right yet. 

I had Black Pork with Potatoes and Sausage. This was grilled pork ribs, with the bone removed. That was accompanied by a slice of sausage, which was sandwiched between two slices of potato and then deep fried. 

It may sound weird but it was great. 

It all sat on a bed of Spinach. 

It was one of the best meals I have had in a few days. 

Thea had Lamb Chops with Mash – well Thea does love her Mash. 

Next to us was an interesting couple with their 7 year old daughter. 

She was one of the brightest kids I’ve ever met. 

The mom was Polish, the stepfather Egyptian and the young girl spoke flawless English. 

They lived in Lisbon. 

She could name dates from history and animals from around the world, including Australia. 

 

Tuesday August 20, 2024.

Vila Viçosa, Portugal. 

It was forecast to be a high of 38°C again today, so we decided to do our touring in the morning. 

At breakfast it was only 24°C. 

And, as expected, the complimentary breakfast was a repeat of the one we had at the Pousada in Beja. 

Marble is everywhere in this hotel and there’s a reason. 

Vila Viçosa is famous for its marble with more than 150 quarries in the area. So much so that you can actually take a tour of some of the quarries. 

It’s called ‘Industrial Tourism’. 

At 12:30pm the temperature was up to 32°C, real feel 36°C. 

Time to find some shade. 

We had a snack at A Fiborna, a small cafe near the castle and next to Craft BBS, a craft beer bar with a good line up of draught beer on tap. 

We will definitely return there this evening for a pre dinner beverage. 

We went looking for postcards to send to the grandkids, but there weren’t any. 

This really isn’t a big tourist destination, so hence the lack of postcards or souvenirs. 

In the middle of the afternoon we went to visit the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa. 

When we arrived we were told that you could only see it as part of a group tour, the tour was only in Portuguese and no photos were allowed. 

It was a very one dimensional visit, with nothing to recall it at the end. 

We did wonder what the message was to the Portuguese speaking audience. 

It was however, a magnificent palace, lavishly decorated and, obviously paid homage to the Portuguese Royal Family. 

The palace was the home of the House of Braganza (1640–1910). 

They were the last in line before their overthrow. 

The Portuguese Monarchs ruled from 1139 until the creation of the Portuguese republic in 1910.

After our less than inspiring visit to the palace we returned to our Pousada, which was just next door. 

It was still 37°C outside, so we would wait a bit before venturing out again. 

At round 7pm we headed down to try Craft BBS. 

It wasn’t just a craft beer bar, with 10 beers on tap, but also a craft gin bar with about 8 gins on tap. 

Thea was very happy. 

I had a Libata IPA Weissbeer, which was unfiltered and an interesting brew. 

Thea had a Cicerone Classico. 

Just around the corner was O Paco Duco Vila Vicosa, a restaurant that served big portions of ok food. 

As in Spain, people don’t eat their evening meal until late and people were still arriving at 10:00pm.

 

Wednesday August 21, 2024.

Vila Viçosa, Portugal to Zafra, Spain. 

After another hotel breakfast we returned to Cafe A Fiborna, for our morning coffee. 

Again payment was cash only but who could complain when our two, Double Espressos were only €1.80 (A$3). 

And again they were great. 

As we drove out of town Thea was still hunting for post cards, so we stopped in at the Tourist Office. 

Even they didn’t have any. 

I think Vila Viçosa is suffering.

Their marble industry is the backbone of the community and the desire for the stone may be in decline. 

It’s a great area but tourism certainly isn’t on everyone’s mind in Vila Viçosa. 

Off back into Spain again today. 

With the time change we gained an hour and could check into our Parador at 3:00pm. 

it was now 37°C, (Real feel 39°C) so we weren’t going anywhere for a while. 

The Parador of Zafra is built within the Castle and Fort of Zafra. 

Again there are huge open spaces within the hotel and our room was also spacious. 

Being built in an old castle our ceiling was as high as the the room was wide. 

We had a snack for lunch, as it was now 4:00pm. 

This time change can really throw you. 

The Spanish Paradores are a wonderful exercise in branding. 

Everything carries their logo. 

In the rooms, bed linen, towels, soaps, toilet paper and shampoos. 

In the restaurant, crockery, glasses, serviettes, placemats and even condiments. 

And in the bar, beermats which naturally were added to my collection. 

In the evening when the temperature had cooled, a bit, we ventured out again. 

At 6:45pm, the main square, near our Parador, was empty. 

We started to just walk around, primarily looking for a place to have dinner. 

Come 7:00pm people started to venture out. 

All the restaurants were still empty but the bars started to come to life. 

I did do a search for Craft Beer, but nothing came up. 

Reading reports about the demise of the Craft Beer industry in Australia, and noting how few places serve it in Europe, I’m really concerned. 

The big breweries seem to have achieved their goal and destroyed the small ones. 

Down near Plaza de España we found a bar, Salon Romero, all they had was variations of Cruzcampo. 

Unsurprisingly this is Spain’s number one brewery. 

We then had dinner at Meraki, a restaurant in Plaza Grande. The food and outlook was great but the service poor. 

You can’t have everything!

 

Thursday August 22, 2024.

Zafra, Spain. 

The Paradores don’t offer a complimentary breakfast, like the Pousadas in Portugal, so we went out. 

Back in Plaza Grande, Thea had seen La Chamba, a Pasteleria, or pastry shop. 

Perfect for a Croissant, Orange Juice and a coffee, our go to breakfast. 

We wanted to explore our Parador, which is regarded as one of the main sights of Zafra. 

The Ducal Palace of Zafra, the building that our Paradores was set in, was founded in 1443 and became a historical, artistic monument in 1931 and now belongs to the National Treasury.

It was only 34°C and not as hot as yesterday. 

We went for some lunch at Salon Romero, where we had a drink last night. 

Tapas was the order of the day but we ended up with far too much. 

I watched as a table of four young men enjoyed a ‘long lunch’. 

Then at around 4:00pm one of them left and, I guessed, returned to work. 

It did remind me if my life in advertising in 70’s and 80’s. 

Those were the days. 

As part of our stay we get a complimentary drink in the hotel bar, so that’s where we will start our evening activities. 

Just around the corner was Huerta Honda. 

Surprisingly with that name it wasn’t Japanese but very traditional Spanish. 

It was a local restaurant, so local in fact that it didn’t have an English menu. 

They needed to send us an interpreter. 

But it was ‘posh’ and most of the ladies were frocked up and they all carried handbags, just like QEII. 

Again, the bar at Huerta Honda only had three draught beers on tap. 

Even in your average Aussie country pub you will have twice that number.  

It was a good meal and very simple. Also the service was far better than last night. 

I won’t be forced to go onto Google and whinge. 

 

Friday August 23, 2024.

Zafra to Antequera, Spain. 

Breakfast was back at Chamba, where we were yesterday. 

Today we had Tomato on Toast. 

It was very nice and like the Croissants from yesterday, the servings were huge. 

We even got the order right for our coffee and had two, very good, Double Espresso’s. 

Before departing for Antequera we had final walk around the old area if Zafra, where we came across a beautifully tiled pharmacy. 

The tiling was very traditional but done in 1990. 

Paradores usual have their check-outs at noon. 

This really does give you some morning time to prepare and even do a little sightseeing. 

We really did feel like Royalty staying in this ancient palace. 

The locations are one of the real benefits to staying in the Paradores. 

It was a 3 hour to get to Antequera and we arrived about 3:30pm. It was still hot, about 36°C, with very little breeze to ease the heat. 

The town is north of Málaga and west of Granada, so very much inland. 

This is the last stop before we return to Granada on Sunday. 

The main town centre of Antequera is about a 25 minute walk from our Parador, so we won’t be venturing out just yet.

This Parador certainly breaks with the tradition of the ones we have stayed at recently. To start with, it’s modern and decorated in a very contemporary way. 

As we walked into town, later in the afternoon, we were greeted by very loud music and lots of people, all dressed up. 

Especially the ladies, who many of them, were wearing traditional flamenco costumes.  

It was the Real Feirai or Royal Fair.

Everyone was out and either walking the streets or in the many bars that lined the main streets. 

We chose a bar, Casa Pepe Fox. 

The Personal face fan is alive and well and living in Spain, they were everywhere and mainly carried by the ladies

The temperature was now to 28°C but the ladies kept their fans active. 

Another sign of the big brewery dominance is the lack of beer mats.

They don’t need to spend on marketing because they own the market. 

Dinner was great at Casa Fox and it wasn’t expensive, only costing A$75. 

I had pork that was very similar to what Hayden makes. 

Mine was good, his is definitely better. 

 

Saturday August 24, 2024.

Antequera, Spain. 

We walked into town to get breakfast and then explore the area. 

This needed to be done before the temperature got too hot. 

It was already 26°C and going to get up to 34°C. 

Where we had breakfast was called La Canasta and it was at the front of a supermarket. 

Even though the temperature was on the rise we walked up the hill to the Alcazaba de Antequera. This is an old Moorish fortress that was built over Roman ruins  in the 14th Century. This was to counter the Christian advance that was coming from the north.

At the fort we got a Senior’s concession and an Audio Guide. 

This was great, as we could take our time. 

There was lots of climbing up and down stairs, exacerbated by the hot stone structure. The story was partly told through the voice of Prince Don Fernando, whose name appeared in the history books as Don Fernando of Antequera.

After clambering over the fort, for nearly two hours, we slowly descended the hill and went looking for a snack lunch. 

Cafe Marengo looked ok and there was room inside. It wasn’t air conditioned but the fans kept it cooler. 

Croquettes was my choice for the snack. I do love them and who knows when I’ll have them again. 

At 3:30pm it was 36°C again, so time to retreat back to the Parador. 

We will be eating in the Parador tonight as the city is getting crowded again and we need an early start tomorrow. 

The Vuelta a España, the major Spanish bicycle race of the Summer, comes to Granada tomorrow. 

It will be ending at the Alhambra and roads around Hayden and Andrea’ place might be closed. 

We will now be dropping the car off earlier than planned. 

 

Sunday August 25, 2024.

Antequera to Granada, Spain. 

As mentioned it was an early start as we wanted to get to Granada before the Vuelta a España came through and disrupted the traffic. 

It was just over one hour and most of it was on the motorway. 

Enterprise Rentals was understaffed again so we just dropped off the car and returned the keys to the office. 

We had travelled over 3,500 km in hire cars over the last three months, driving on both sides of the road.

Then we got a taxi to H&A’s and were there by just after 11:00am. 

They had just finished breakfast when we arrived. 

Around 5:30pm we looked out of the living room window to see the cyclists from the Vuelta pass.

They were a fair distance down, on the street below, bit to was two hot to climb don the hill. 

They passed right by the apartment block that we stayed in, before this last adventure. 

They seemed to come by in small groups not one large peloton. 

I think they were feeling the 37°C Granada heat. 

 

Monday August 26, 2024.

Granada, Spain. 

Our task over the next two days was to look after Brianna. 

Hayden and Andrea were back at work, so we needed to keep her out of their hair. 

We took the number 9 bus into Granada and this in itself was an adventure for Brianna.

It was a downhill walk to get to the bus stop, which was good as the temperature was rising.

After coffee at Despiertoo, one of Hayden’s favourites, we went to Plaza de los Lobos, or Wolf Park. 

Judging by the size of some of the dogs wandering around, I’m not surprised by the name. 

We then asked Brianna what she would like to do next. 

“Ice cream please” was the answer. 

Heladería Dolcemasco, was only a few minutes away so we headed there. 

It was just next to Trinity Square or Plaza de la Trinidad, so we went there to eat the ice cream in the shade.

It was now getting hotter and we took the 35 bus back up the hill, above H&A’s, which meant that we had only had to walk down.

You certainly don’t want to be walking uphill in these temperatures.

 

Tuesday August 27, 2024.

Granada, Spain. 

Today we took Brianna to the Granada Science Park, which is a member of the European Network of Science Centres.

It’s a large area, covering over 70,000 square metres and is divided into different scientific disciplines.

She seemed to enjoy herself but was overcome when we came across the Bio Domo, a section devoted to live animals, with a variety of different species. 

There were fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. And much, to Brianna’s delight, a group of Ring Tailed Lemurs. 

She has one at home called Pepe but had never seen a live one. 

Pepe has been around for a long time and was originally given to Hayden in 2007. 

He donated to a ‘Save the Lemur’ fund and then got Pepe in return for his contribution. 

It was his travel companion on his many adventures. 

After the park we returned to H&A’s and started to prepare ourselves for the flight home tomorrow. 

It was going to be a long day. 

 

Wednesday August 28, 2024.

Granada, Spain to Melbourne, Australia via Barcelona and Doha. 

We had an early start to the trip home. 

Up at 6:30am, Taxi to the airport at 7:30am. 

“It’s been an absolute pleasure.”

This phrase, is spoken by the very English announcer on the Vueling flights we have taken on this trip. 

It will be a lasting memory of this time in Europe. 

As we flew into Barcelona, we figured it might be the last time we would hear it for a while. 

There was a 5.5 hour layover in Barcelona, before we boarded our flight to Doha. 

Plenty of time to check in and have some lunch. 

It was then just over 6 hours to Doha. 

Another layover in Doha, this one 3.5 hours. 

Then it was the long flight back to Melbourne, 12.5 hours. 

The schedule on the Qatar flight was a bit haphazard, as there were no real meal breaks and they seemed to want to keep us in the dark for most of the flight – literally, as the blinds had to remain closed.

Admittedly we were flying to the east and into the sun. And we had left Doha at 3:00am. 

However there was no opportunity to get our body into the correct circadian rhythm.

They didn’t regulate the eating and sleeping times to allow us to settle into a Melbourne time zone. We will  have to do that on home territory.

 

 

 

 

H&A’s from Thursday June 13 to Thursday June 20, 2024.

We will be spending the next few days with Hayden, Andrea and Brianna and playing them as they come. 

Basically because we don’t have anything planned.

But first we had to organise some shopping which were mainly electrical goods. 

I needed a new Power Bank, as my current one has all but died and badly overheats. 

Not a good sign. 

Thea needed a new USB, for storage and a Memory Card for her camera. 

As Friday was cleaning day in the house, we had to be out by 11:00hrs.

Before shopping we had a walk around Granada. 

Our first impressions of Granada, was how different it was, compared to Italy and Greece. 

Especially when it came to the quality of life for it people. 

Granada was clean, orderly and relaxed and the average person was better dressed.

There weren’t the uninhabited buildings, graffiti and abundance of street people that we saw in those two countries. 

We had coffee at Kona, Hayden’s favourite. He not only has a coffee here but also buys his ground coffee from the same place. 

We then headed to El Corte Inglés to look for what we needed. 

The choice was limited and expensive so we contacted Hayden for some local advice. 

We finished up at Wayland Computers. 

Here we managed to get everything we needed and it was much, much cheaper than El Corte Inglés. 

Out next trip is to Switzerland, on Thursday, to catch up with Denis and Martine. 

So planning will be needed for that. 

But before that we had to attend Brianna’s end of year concert at her school, Patosuca. 

It was a bit like her judo night, a shambles but a lot of fun. 

Brianna was suffering the ‘End of year blues’ and this was evident in her behaviour. 

She realised that the school term was at an end and now she would be in a form of day care. 

This was made harder for her by the fact that her normal teacher, a favourite, wasn’t going to be looking after her. 

She would be on leave. 

Now Brianna would have to get used to a new person. 

Our last few days was spent getting ready for our next adventure. 

We needed to consider what we packed, as we were heading to Switzerland tomorrow and the weather would be much cooler there. 

Having recently walked into Granada and back, when the temperature was in the mid 30°Cs, we now decided to stay inside.

This was a silly idea, as the temperature had dropped to the mid 20°Cs.

Tomorrow would be an early start, as our plane was due to depart at 09:25 hrs. 

 

Thursday June 20, 2024.

Granada, Spain, to Geneva, via Barcelona and then to Lausanne and finally Arnex-sur-Orbe, Switzerland. 

We got to the airport earlier than expected, due to a very efficient taxi driver. 

Thea went looking for a stamp, as she had a post card to send to Aida in Australia, this one was from Brianna. 

I’m afraid the postal system is dead. Not just in Australia but around the world. 

We couldn’t get a stamp, let alone find a Post Office in Greece now it’s the same in Spain. 

The only country, we have visited on this trip, that seem to have solved the post card issue is Italy. 

There postage for post cards is handled by a private company, who provide their own stamps and letter boxes. 

We were on another Vueling flight to Barcelona and we had seats 4A and 4B, very close to the front. 

This is good in one respect as you get to disembark quickly but it has its issues. 

So many people, who are sitting in the rear of the plane, put their cabin luggage in the front.

This left no space for our luggage. 

Vueling have done so well in organising the disembarkation, by only allowing five rows at a time to leave. 

Now they need to address the way people stow their luggage. 

On our previous flight I discovery that the Maps App works while you are airborne, so long as you are over land. 

This is great to see your flight, especially considering that airlines like Vueling don’t have any onboard flight monitoring. 

The next stage of our trip to see Denis and Martine was a flight from Barcelona to Geneva, then a train to Lausanne. Here we will meet Denis and then travel, again by train, to Arnex sur Orbe. 

What a luxury to have a train station at an airport. 

It’s a shame that successive governments, since the 1960’s, have failed to pull their fingers from their arses and make it happen in Melbourne. 

 

Friday June 21, 2024.

Arnex-sur-Orbe, with a side trip to Lusanne, Switzerland. 

Having had a latish night chatting we had a late start to the day. Also the clouds were threatening rain. 

Coffee was at the local corner store, that’s also a supermarket and Post Office. 

Yes the Swiss still have a postal system.

Then we had a stroll around the village and past Marine’s old house. This is a beautiful old building that’s been home to the Morel’s since 1604.

As the weather had turned a bit nasty, it was decided to visit Platform 10. 

This is an art gallery right opposite the Lausanne railway station. 

It consists of a series of contemporary buildings that hold a variety of exhibits. 

The current theme was Surrealism. 

The exhibition had art from the early days of the movement, in the 1920s’, to more contemporary works. 

In the main gallery there were Surrealist paintings, drawings, photography, sculptures, print making and film. 

We then moved to Photo Ellis, a gallery devoted to photography. 

The main feature there was an exhibition of the works of Man Ray (1890 – 1976). 

Born Emmanuel Radnitzky, Man Ray was an American artist and a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements.

He spent most of his life in Paris and considered himself as primarily a painter, however his photo skills were also highly regarded.

 

Saturday June 22, 2024.

Arnex-sur-Orbe, Switzerland. 

Today was Arnex’s Festival of the Quarter. 

At the start of Summer, each part of the town, have a neighbourhood get together. 

Just two doors up from Denis and Martin’s place is a barn that has been converted into a reception venue and the owner opened it up for this gathering. 

People bring a plate of food and the local wine makers provide the booze. 

There is a small fee to pay but it’s very reasonable. 

It’s a great opportunity for everyone in the area to congregate and catch up. 

Of course we missed out on 98% of the conversations, as they were in French. 

But there were a few people who had enough English to chat to. 

It was a very interesting event and gave us a great opportunity to get involved in the lives of Swiss village people. 

It wasn’t a great day, weather wise, so spending it indoors was a bonus. 

 

Sunday June 23, 2024.

Arnex-sur-Orbe, Switzerland. to Annecy, France. 

Heading to France today, as Denis and Martine had arranged a few days in the French town of Annecy.

To get there, Denis took us on a scenic route that passed Les Ponts de La Caille Charles Albert Bridge and the Les Usses Gorge.

Once we arrived in Annecy we had lunch at La Cuisine des Amis. This is a very traditional restaurant right on the main street of the old town.

In Annecy, we struck the tourists again. Which is not surprising, as this beautiful alpine town, in southeastern France, is where Lake Annecy feeds into the Thiou River.

There was a bit of a muck up getting the keys to our Airbnb, as we couldn’t find the ‘Lock box’, that was strapped to a near by fence.

Once we found our Airbnb and settled in, we again concluded, that the their standards are far less than they were a few years ago. 

Businesses have taken over their running and they are never tested to see if they work. 

It was a Sunday when we arrived, so most places were shut.

We did find L’Authentic for dinner and then, much to my delight, Captain Pub, for a nightcap. This is a very funky venue in the old part of town.

Craft Beer is alive and thriving in Annecy and thanks to my daughter in law, Steph, I was alerted to it. 

Cold bottled craft beer was available in small street stalls and many restaurants, while Caption Pub served a big range of excellent draught beers.

At Captain Pub I showed my interest in beer mats and came away with half a dozen of them. 

The last part of the night was spent working, as I been sent an unexpected job late in the day that was urgent.

 

Monday June 24, 2024.

Annecy, France. 

Breakfast was at the Airbnb as Denis and Martine had brought all we needed from home. 

We then headed off to the Plateau des Glières. 

During the Second World war this area was an important site for the French Resistance.

In 1944 the British dropped arms for the local fighters in the area. It was then used as a base of operations against the German rear guard, while awaiting the allied landing.

While we were at the Plateau des Glières we had coffee at Auberge des Glières with a wonderful view of the Alps, cows and fir trees. 

The Olympic flame came through the area yesterday. It was on the way to Paris, in preparation for the forth coming Olympic Games

In the valley is a monument to the Resistance fighters.

One of the two leaders in this area was Tom Morel (1915 – 1944), possibly a relative of Martine’s family.

He was killed in action after a commando raid.

We had a picnic lunch lunch overlooking the Resistance Monument, which was very fitting.

Then it was back to Annecy and a pre dinner drink at Captain Pub.

Dinner was at Le Chalet, on the Le Thiou River and rather good it was as well

So far it’s been the trip of elevators.  Our Airbnb had one and it was rather slow and very small.

We were on the sixth floor of the building and it seemed to take forever, when we needed to make an ascent or decent.

 

Tuesday June 25, 2024.

Annecy, France. 

After breakfast we went to visit the street market, that was very close to our Airbnb. 

But before that we dropped in for a coffee at the aptly named ‘Coffee Shop’. 

This was a skiing based establishment with seats made from skis and even a Tele Cabin was used as a coffee booth. 

We were eating in tonight, so went shopping for dinner at the market

The next task was buying train tickets from Annecy to Geneva, which was part of our trip to Genova in Italy. 

What a disaster. 

At the railway station we waited 25 minutes in a queue to get to speak to a staff member. 

There were six counters but only two were open. 

Once we finally did speak to someone, we were told that you could only book your seat for the train three hours before departure. 

But she couldn’t do it, as it had to be done via a machine in the foyer or online. 

Thea practiced for another 25 minutes on the machine and got nowhere. 

It was decided to try the online option. 

That was done later in the evening and turned out to be just as much of a stuff up. 

How anyone travels by train in France is a miracle. 

Finally, with the help of Martine, Thea booked the tickets on Swiss Rail. 

Trust the Swiss to get it right. 

The weather was threatening for tomorrow, so we decided to do the lake cruise that afternoon, while it was still ok. 

It was overcast but warm.

So warm in fact that I had to change into shorts, while we were back at the Airbnb for lunch. 

This was the first time since we had left Granada. 

When we arrived at the wharf, the one hour cruise was booked out, so we were forced to take the one that lasted one and a half hours. 

The commentary was obviously informative and rather amusing, judging by the audience’s reaction and laughter. 

Pity it was only in French. 

The change in weather was evident by the growing cloud cover and it got darker and darker. 

Which was not great for the snaps. 

After the cruise Denis, Martine and Thea had an ice cream and then we returned to Captain Pub. 

This is becoming a habit. 

Again I had their draught, Brooklyn Pulp Art, IPA. 

And again it didn’t disappoint. 

Then the rain came down and the downpour drove everyone into the pub. 

It was suddenly crowded. 

Captain Pub is a traditional Irish pub, in the old part of Annecy, that’s been operation for over 15 years.

We were eating in the Airbnb tonight, as we had purchased everything at the market. 

This gave us a real opportunity to test just how usable the apartment was. 

It failed dismally. 

No frying pan for our sausage, no lifters to handle them and very little implements to serve the meal. 

I must admit, the idea of Airbnb was a good one when it started but now they are failing on all levels. 

You used to hire a place that was lived in and therefore practical. Now they are run purely for profit and no one ever tests their usability. 

 

Wednesday June 26, 2024.

Annecy, France. 

It was our last day in Annecy with Denis and Martine. 

After a coffee at Brasserie du Théâtre, which was the best so far, we went our own separate ways. We returned and spent time wandering around the old town area. 

This was also our last photo opportunity, as we were off very early tomorrow, heading to Genova. 

Lunch was back at our rooms, as there was food that needed to be finished before we left. 

In the afternoon we visited Musée-Château d’Annecy. The Château was originally built in the 12th Century and then rebuilt in the 16th Century.

It was then bought by the town and turned into a museum in 1957.

Within it there is a mixture of exhibits, from the Middle Ages to Contemporary. There was also a temporary exhibition of ancient Peruvian artefacts. 

The rain was threatening, so we returned to Captain Pub – again. 

The midges were also there again, hovering just outside.

Dinner at Brasserie du Théâtre, where we had our morning coffee. 

When we got home I had a bit more work to do but it didn’t keep me up that late. Which was good considering we had to be on a train at 6:45am the next morning. 

 

Thursday June 27, 2024.

Annecy, France to Genova, Italy via Geneva and Milan. 

As planned we were up very early and on the train to Geneva at 6:45am. 

At one and a half hours, it was the shortest trip of the day. 

Our breakfast, at the station, cost Ch27 ($45) and a pee cost Ch1.50 ($2.50)

Switzerland is bloody expensive 

Due to works on the Alpine tunnel we were forced to get a bus to Milan, not the train, which would have been easier and shorter.

On the bus we had our choice of seats. It was a big, double decker, bugger and relatively comfortable. 

Which was good as we were here for about 6 hours. 

It also had WiFi, which was good as I had a bit more work to do.

After the bus, we then had to get a train in Milan, which would be another 2 hours of sitting. 

Our bus was late coming into Milan, due to a motorway accident, so we missed the connection for the train to Genova. 

There was only a 30 minute changeover so missing it was very much on the cards. 

We had to queue up at the Trenitalia counter and the line was out the door. 

This is going to be a very long day. 

Dinner was now at the railway station in Milan and not in the streets of Genova, as planned. 

We finally checked into our hotel, The Best Western Metropoli, and went for a walk. 

We were both buggered from the early start and sitting on our bums all day so we got an early night. 

Luckily we were in Genova for three nights, so had some time to explore. 

 

Friday June 28, 2024.

Genova, Italy. 

Genova is an important city from Thea’s past. 

She worked here at Marconi in 1972, not long before she met Denis and me. 

Just being in Genova again brought back so many memories for her. 

This trip is certainly turning out to be an adventure into our past as well as the present day. 

Our accommodation, the Best Western Hotel Metropoli, was very good. It was central to all things and well serviced.

There was even a good coffee shop and breakfast spot right under the hotel.

To get a great view of the city we took the Castelletto Levante. This lift, built in 1910, connects the town to the hills surrounding Genova.

Genova is a port city and capital of the Liguria region of Italy. Being a port city it has played an important role in maritime trade over the centuries.

It is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been inhabited since the fifth or fourth millennium BC.

Dogs are everywhere and many of them are larger than you would expect, considering that most of them live in the confined space of an apartments. And most of them are totally under control and well exercised. Plus, there is less poo on the streets than you might find back home. 

Bravo Italy – woof. 

The main form of transport around the city was by bus. However most of them were diesel, even thought there were cables for electric driven trolley busses everywhere.

I only saw one fully electric bus, that wasn’t a trolley but I didn’t see many of those either. 

In the afternoon we took a Metro ride and then a walk to the Lanterna. This lighthouse was constructed in 1128 with the oil lamp first being lit in 1326.

It is the main light serving the Port of Genova.

The lighthouse tower is a landmark and can be seen from across the city.

I wondered why there was so much security in the area and then realised it was also a Marine Military base. 

We had a Beer O’Clock drink at Barceló a bar in the colonnades overlooking Piazza De Ferrari. 

While we’re having our drink, a street parade/demonstration passed thought the square. 

It was in support of the fact that, on June 30, 1960, the people of Genova drove the neo-fascist Italian party out of the city. 

The revolt was led by the unions and then joined by a range of local university students, teachers and city workers.

They all united to drive out the neo-fascist party.

Dinner was also in the square, at Cafè del Teatro and it was a disaster. 

This was a great looking restaurant, right on Piazza De Ferrari, with a lot of outdoor seating.

That was the good part.

The waiters, when they turned up, were rude and the food and drinks took an eternity to arrive. At one point I had to go to the bar and ask where our food was.

That night I took great pleasure in writing a damming review and it was interesting to see that I wasn’t the only one.

 

Saturday June 29, 2024.

Genova, Italy. 

The day was expected to be warm, around 27°C. 

It’s not a hot as Granada but Genova is a very enclosed city and the temperature is exacerbated by the narrow streets and tall stone buildings.  

There is a street Via Venti Settembre XX (The Twentieth of September Street) that Thea wants to rediscover, so we will do that first. 

We intended that the rest of the day will be spent exploring the local museums and palaces. 

However that didn’t happen.

But first breakfast and a coffee. 

We returned to Caffetetteria du Greta, the tiny café that’s under our hotel. 

Today they still had some plain croissants left. 

These were much better that the jam ones from yesterday. 

What they also have is fresh orange juice and a good coffee. 

The coffee was Tober, another Genovese special. 

A longish walk up and down Via Venti Settembre XX and then a light lunch at Foocaccia. 

It was intended to be a light lunch, as Thea and I decided to share a pizza. 

It was so rich, that I think we need to walk a bit more afterwards to burn it off. 

After a bit of a ’Nanna Nap’ we headed down into Via Garibaldi Gia Strada Nuovo.

The intention was to visit the grand houses, that line either side of this very well-to-do street.

We visited one and found it difficult to work out where to go to see the rest.

So we changed plans and went walking in the much cheaper side of town.

It was far more interesting.

This was the real Genova, with a very different ethnic mix to what was near our hotel. 

We even discovered where the ‘Ladies of the Night’ hang out. 

Well some of them at least. 

We had done a fair bit of walking and the temperature was still in the high 20s, so we went for a pre dinner drink at Britannia Pub. 

Yes, another English pub in Europe, this one established in 1974. 

Why did the Brits ever leave the EU, the pub concept alone is their entry into a huge marketing opportunity. 

At the pub, I naturally had an IPA, this one was from Vetra, an Italian brewery.

It was a very traditional brew, with a strong palate and without the fruitiness of the new world brews. 

It was still very good. 

Not wanting much for dinner, we went to the far side of Piazza De Ferrari. 

There we found Caffè Balilla, established in 1934, it was perfect. 

We both had a salad. 

It still came with three proteins, cheese, eggs and tuna. 

Well, this is Italy. 

Our flight tomorrow wasn’t leaving until 14:40 hrs (2:40pm) so we still had time to see a bit more. 

Luckily the hotel check out time wasn’t until midday, which kept everything rather relaxed. 

 

Sunday June 30, 2024.

Genova, Italy to Barcelona, Spain. 

On the move again today. 

This time to Barcelona. 

We have passed through Barcelona four times since our journeys started back in May.

This will be the first time that we actually leave the airport and visit the city. 

A city that we are very fond of. 

Our hotel is Genova has been great. Wonderful location, helpful staff and comfortable, if not a little cramped, room. 

The only drawback is the street noise from the square, Piazza Fontane Marose, that’s right below us. 

Buses, trucks, motorcycles, garbage collectors and emergency vehicles. They all made a contribution and so did the midnight to dawn revellers. 

Lifts are another issue, but we have struck that everywhere on our travels. The one in this hotel was just slow and we seemed to wait an eternity for it to arrive.

We had breakfast at the same cafe, Caffetetteria du Greta, that we have visited over our stay in Genova. 

And the same, heavily tattooed, guy was there with his three legged dog. 

He has been there every morning, this time he was having a rather large glass of white wine. 

It was a bit too early for us to join him. 

After breakfast we went for a walk into a new area and found the park, Villetta Di Negro. This elevated green space gives you great views of the city and was just a short walk from our hotel.

It looked like a storm was on the way so we headed back to around the hotel. 

It never eventuated.

We did a bit more walking, until it was time to checkout of the hotel and go to the airport. 

After another relaxed Vueling flight to Barcelona we got a train into the city and then a taxi to our accommodation, the SERHS Carlit Boutique Hotel. 

It was a little out of the centre but still easy to get around. 

It had been a great few days in Genova. 

Over the years we had tried to get there few times before, but failed. 

I’m glad we made it this time, it sure brought back a lot of memories for Thea. 

Plus it was an interesting journey through Renaissance Italy and the discovery of The New World by Christopher Columbus, who was originally from Genova. 

We soon discovered after walking around the area near or hotel in Barcelona, that we were in the Asian district. 

It was very Philippine. 

After a bit of walking from our hotel we ended up very close to Arc de Triomf.  There we discovered La Triunfal, which was, naturally staffed by people who originally would have come from the Philippines. 

We decided on a meal of Tapas and found that we just kept on ordering more. 

It was rather good if not a little expensive. 

But they did give us a Lemoncello at the end, which was rather special. 

 

Monday July 1, 2024.

Barcelona, Spain. 

Rain was forecast for Barcelona and it didn’t disappoint. 

It pelted down. 

I had a bit of work, so we stayed inside until I’d finished and then we prepared to head out into the deluge, which was still making its presence felt. 

Just next to our hotel was a small cafe, Viatger, and they had all that we needed to start the day. 

Croissants, Orange Juice and Coffee. 

Breakfast sorted and half the price it would have cost us in the hotel. 

We then caught the Metro into the city. 

The rain was still coming down and as we came out of the station we were surrounded by the local hawkers, trying to sell us umbrellas and plastic ponchos. 

They are opportunists!

To escape the rain we visited the department store, El Corte Inglés and afterwards walked down La Rambla to the statue of Christopher Columbus and then back into the Raval area. 

By this time the rain had stopped and it started to warm up again. 

It was also now very humid. 

Near Rambla Raval we found Café Moderno 1916 and had a lightish lunch. 

We then headed off to rediscover the other side of La Rambla. 

Here we did a bit of shopping. 

A duck for Ronan, elephant for Thea’s collection, a turtle for Brianna plus two Tees, one for Ev and one for me. 

I also bought a pair of shoes. 

It was always my intention to buy a new pair as I had brought over an old pair and intended to throw those out, once I got the new ones. 

Our final destination was Barcelona Cathedral.

Thea believed that we had never been inside, so €18 later, we had. 

Once inside I felt sure that we had been there before. 

It was now getting on towards 19:00hrs, so time to bring the walking to an end. 

Well at least for the time being. 

We then found Ølgot, a craft beer bar that we had visited a couple of times before. 

Dinner was at Arume, another restaurant that we had also visited in the past. 

This was Thea’s choice and a favourite of hers. 

It’s a busy restaurant and very well run. We hadn’t booked, so had to sit at the bar and that was fun. 

We almost became part of the place. We saw meals and drinks come and go and in the odd case rejected and then served again. 

 

Tuesday July 2, 2024.

Barcelona, Spain. 

The rain has well and true stopped and the sky was blue. 

A much better weather day in Barcelona. 

We went next door to Viatger again for breakfast. 

This was going to be yet another day of reliving old times, from back in 2012. 

We were getting the train to Badalona and intended to walk the pedestrian street and then have lunch at one of the sea side restaurants. 

However we walked a little further south than we intended and ended up at the pier. There we met up with the The d’Anís del Mono Monkey again. 

La Guinqueta, which is on the Badalona Rambla, turned out to be the chosen place for lunch. 

It wasn’t far from the railway line and we were constantly reminded of this by the passing trains. 

Lunch was great and again I was surprised by how late the Spaniards eat. We didn’t leave until 16:00hrs and people were still coming in for lunch. 

Then we stupidly decided to walk further north, to Montgat. This was our closest station in 2012. 

That walk was another hour, but at least it helped to walk off some of our lunch. 

The whole afternoon certainly brought back some wonderful old memories. 

It was then back on the train to return to Barcelona. 

After a bit of a break and a snooze for me, we headed out to find some dinner. 

It had to be light after our ‘looooong’ lunch. 

La Foga wasn’t far from the hotel and seemed to have a good menu. 

However the food lacked flavour. I get the feeling that most of it was either frozen, old stock, or just not good quality. 

However I did find another craft beer, a Complot IPA. 

I have had this local beer before and it’s rather good. 

 

Wednesday July 3, 2024.

Barcelona to Granada, Spain. 

We returned to Viatger for breakfast. 

The name means ‘Traveller’ in Catalan, which was rather apt considering where we had come from.

It’s been very handy to have a place right next door to our hotel. Everything has been good here, apart from the coffee. 

That could do with some improvement.

It was then back to our room and we checked out and left our bags in reception. 

We are returning to Granada this afternoon, so there still a bit of time left to do some more sightseeing. 

So we walked down to Gracia, the area where Hayden once lived, in Carrer del Progrés. 

The building was still there but huge changes had been made to the apartment area where he lived. 

We then went to where he first lived, in Gracia in Carrer de Vic. 

Nothing had changed there at all. 

On our walk we came across La Pedrera – Casa Milà, by Antoni Gaudí. 

This was our only contact, this trip, with the ‘Master Architect of Barcelona’. 

A bit more walking around and back to the hotel and then off to the airport. 

It had been a great couple of days in the city that holds so many fond memories for us and for the family. 

As per usual the Vueling flight went without a hitch. It was a few minutes late but that wasn’t an issue. 

We got a taxi at the airport and, in trepidation, I showed him H&A’s address. 

“Ok” he said and we were on our way. 

He barely looked at the map and got us there without a hitch. 

What a turn around from the last bumbling idiot we had. 

September 20 to 26, 2022. Berlin, Germany. 

Hayden and Andrea’s. 

We had nothing really planned for this, the final stage in Berlin. 

The first week would be spent at H&As then after that we had rented an apartment, just around the corner. 

Getting to rekindle our friendship with Brianna was top of mind. 

They were moving to their new home in Granada in November, so we were there to help out as much as possible. 

The weather was cooler, so now eating outside wasn’t possible. 

As Hayden and Andrea were working Monday to Friday and Brianna was at Kita, we were free to come and go. 

That is until Brianna came home at 4pm, then it was our turn to keep her occupied. 

Our weekday morning ritual was to wave goodby to Hayden and Brianna and then prepare our breakfast. 

This was usually followed by a walk down to The Barn Coffee Roasters. 

There they made a very acceptable Long Black. 

On our first visit to Berlin this trip, we were regarded as regulars, so much so that they offered me a Loyalty Card. 

September 26 to October 11, 2022. Berlin, Germany. 

Limehome Berlin. 

As I have mentioned our new accommodation wasn’t far from Hayden and Andrea’s place. So it was relatively easy to wheel our luggage there, even over the rough cobblestone paving of the Berlin footpaths. 

Limehome was a comfortable, if little crowded, room with a kitchenette and a good view over Prenzlauer Allee. 

Once we settled in and discovered what was in the place, we went out and shopped. 

We were going to be self catering for the next two weeks – well mostly. 

That night we popped into our favourite German restaurant, Metzer Eck, just for old times sake. 

The weather has turned cold and it was threatening rain so we figured we had better eat inside. 

When we walked in, we were treated like old friends and immediately given a table. It was only after we had been there a while and people were being turned away, that we realised it was booked out. 

We then looked at the sign on our table, which read: ‘Reserved for friends’

We did feel special.

Metzer Eck has a proud history in Berlin. 

This family owned bar and restaurant has been on the same corner of Straẞburger and Metzer Strasse for over 110 years.

It was opened by a housemaid, Clara Vahlenstein, in 1913, after she had a lottery win.

It was then known as Vahlenstein’s Distille and was a restaurant come pub and very popular in the area.

The pub survived the First World War, the Depression and the Third Reich.

After the clean up from the Second World War it was given it was given its current name, Metzer Eck.

In 1951 Clara Vahlenstein died and the business passed to her daughter, Charlotte. In 1957 Charlotte’s daughter Bärbel joined the business.

In 2000, Bärbel son Horst Falkner, the great-grandson of the founder, took over the restaurant with his wife Sylvia.

After a short illness, Horst died in 2007, leaving the business to Sylvia, who is still running it today.

It’s certainly not a flashy place, its just a good, honest Berlin restaurant that specialises in excellent, yet simple, German fair.

Living right on one of the busiest streets in Berlin, we were constantly reminded of the city by the ubiquitous sound of emergency vehicles racing past. 

In Berlin these sirens greet you when you arrive and farewell you on departure. 

As I have mentioned before, even Brianna can mimic the sound of a Berlin siren.

When we were wandering around at the start of our first visit to Berlin, we came across a cafe called ‘Daisies’. We wondered if it was owned by the Daisy who ran the Coffee Room next door to Hayden and Andrea’s apartment. 

Daisies was down in Mitte and one day we decided to go and check it out. 

The woman who owned it might have been Daisy but she certainly wasn’t the one we knew.

Our Daisy was very English, while this one was very Chinese. 

Unfortunately coffee wasn’t worth the walk. 

However the area was.

This part of Berlin looks more like a small German village square than part of the capital city.

Einstein Kaffee is a chain of coffee shops in Germany. They became our go-to place when the more specialist places weren’t available.

The coffee was good, staff friendly and there was always a place to sit.

As common as the emergency vehicles sirens are in Berlin, is the pedestrian crossing Amplelmann or ‘Little traffic light man’.

These characters were developed in East Berlin in 1961 by traffic psychologist, Karl Peglau (1927-2009)

They are now everywhere in Berlin and not just on the eastern side of the city.

Another observation about Berlin, is just how slow building construction is.

When we last visited Hayden and Andrea, in 2019, the block opposite their apartment was a building site – it still is and doesn’t look as though it will be finished any time soon.

In 2019 and again now, in 2022, we visited Kaschk by BRŁØ. It’s a coffee and craft beer cafe. 

Good coffee in the morning and good beer at night – what more do you need.

We certainly were leaving Berlin with more luggage than when we arrived. 

So a lot of our last days were spent trying to squeeze it all into our suitcases. 

We were up early on our final day and got a taxi to the airport. 

Our trip home was firstly Berlin to Barcelona, on Vueling and then Barcelona to Dubai and then Dubai to Melbourne, with Emirates. 

All in all it was about 22 hours in the air and 5 hours waiting. 

That’s a very long time sitting on your bum.

In summery it’s been a strange trip. 

The highlights being, time with Hayden and Andrea and watching Brianna grow and mature, two weeks in Portugal with Ev, Steph and Aida and having the entire family together in Granada for Brianna’s third birthday. 

The travelling has also been interesting and, in many respects, an eye opener. 

The open support of Germany towards Ukraine and growing distrust and dislike of Russia.  

Seeing Portugal again after so many years and traversing England, Scotland, Ireland (both north and south) and Wales. 

The shock of the continuing troubles in Northern Ireland and the surprise in the prosperity that’s over the border to the south.

And of course the continuing decline of England. 

The sad state of their economy and their disfunctional government. 

All this was tempered by Thea’s unfortunate illness and hospitalisation in Barcelona, which resulted in us missing out on Cam and Fran’s wedding in Italy.