Warm Weather and Cornish Pasties

Just to remind some of you that I was born and bred in Britain, I have to start by mentioning the weather! It's been fab here lately; surprisingly warm and sunny for mid October... Who'd have thought it eh? (ok, well, meteorologists perhaps.

This is really another one of those quickies, to keep you all updated on what's what down here in Devon.

I'm loving the PGCE course! All is going well and I'm particularly enjoying the media element - basically it couldn't be better.

For those of you who know her, we're off to visit Kay 1 (k1), in Cornwall this weekend, it'll be great to catch up with her after two and a half years or so.

Will add more photos soon-ish!!!

At least my tardiness in all this shows I'm being a model student! *about time?*

TTFN

K xxx

Congratulations Darren & Caroline

This message comes a little belated, but as they say, better late than never...

During our time in Spain, our main purpose for being there, was to go to my brother's wedding in Gibraltar. I could write for days about how wonderful it was and that it was probably the best wedding I've been to for numerous reasons - but I'll keep it simple!

Reasons why it was probably the best wedding in the world:

1) I had to use my passport to get into the wedding! (Passing into Gibraltar from the Spanish mainland requires going through British customs as it's a British Territory).

2) There weren't loads of unfamiliar faces of cousins ten times removed who I had to pretend I recognised from the last family wedding I went to (not that I'm criticising that - If you like a big wedding with all the family, that's lovely - for me it's too much!)

3) The service didn't last three hours, my bum didn't get numb and I didn't start to count how many oversized hats were being worn by the guests.

4) We were in a foreign country!!!! (That might have been number one, if it wasn't for the fact that I may have seemed shallow!)

5) We got to eat some amazing food - Tapas at lunch including these yummy filled roasted mushrooms, sushi and a lush gazpacho (I've never seen so many plates of food!) and an equally mouth-watering dinner, with copious amounts of alcohol to wash it down in case at any point you stopped salivating!

6) I got to laugh at my brother's misdemeanours over the years and mum and dad got to finally find out about some of them.

7) The evening reception setting in the mountains around a restaurant and pool was just incredible.

8) They took the time to get everyone an personalised pocket mirror or card holder, which had their initials engraved on it. I can't justify them with my description, but they were a lovely favour to take away.

9) And this definitely would be number one, only it goes without saying - I got to see my brother marry an amazing, kind and beautiful (not to mention patient, I'm sure) woman! Caroline, you're a star!

And there you have it! So as usual, I still seem to have made something which was meant to be brief contain 9 points, although I suppose it could have been 20!

When Darren eventually manages to give me my photos of the wedding, I'll upload some of them on to here - I'm pretty proud of some of them!

So, once again D & C "NICE ONE!"

The hotel we stayed at in Mijas for Darren's wedding

From the mountains to the coast

View from our balcony

Lost in Navigation

After leaving the marshlands and islands of the midwest coast of France we headed south towards Spain - one thing I should point out here is that we almost managed to make it to Spain a few days earlier, when Stuart's GPS took us on a ticky-tour of the villages and fields of the whole of Poitou Charentes... It was a classic comedy moment, when after having spent 20 mintures combing the entire 9 streets of the village, looking for the pub, (which Sarah's sister had told us they were next to), we admitted defeat and stopped to ask the locals. Whilst Ben, Sarah and I sat in the Parisian plated Peugeot, trying not to look like French "townies", Stuart proceeded to explain that we'd arrived here by GPS and didn't have a map to find the village pub, therefore, would they be so kind as to point us in the right direction...

As the characteristic gesticulation began, I sat in the car musing to the others, that "wouldn't it be funny if we were in completely the wrong department and the locals were cursing Stuart for being an "imbécile Parisian", for it was "common knowledge that this village was full of tee-totallers... Sacré Bleu!!!"" We watched as the conversation ended cordially and Stuart walked back to the car. As he shut the door and a nervous grin appeared on his face - "we're in the wrong department, apparently there is no pub in this village."

Well two out of three wasn't bad - I never did find out if they were tee-total. After setting the GPS for the correct location, (in the neighbouring department) which was about 40 minutes drive, Stuart proceeded to explain that he had simply thought that it made sense to set the location for the Charentes Maritime department, since we were going to be near La Rochelle - and La Rochelle as everybody knew... Was in Charentes Maritime.

Leaving the locals behind we waved, like Parisians (however they wave - after all better to be thought a stupid Parisian, than an idiotic Roast Beef!), and headed off into the sunset, with the aid of the once again revered GPS, at least we did until we hit a "deviation" or diversion and the confused navigator collapsed on us after trying to chase it's own tail.

Several circles later and with the tension evapourating, we finally arrived at the BBQ prepared for us in the Vendee village, by Sarah's sister and brother-in-law. No doubt the locals here were thinking, "aha zee Ingleesh, zat explains why zere BBQ is bien cuit!"

La Alhambra, Granada, Spain

  

Looking at part of the Moorish Palace

  

Palace and grounds of the Alhambra

  

Wisteria draped over the warm buildings

  

Shadows from the afternoon sun

  

Amazing detailed interior - La Alhambra

  

View from an archway

  

The Three Amigos

  

Ripples from Koi

  

Water garden

  

A courtyard of the Alhambra Palace

  

Intricate design work of the palace interior

  

Moorish decor

  

Words could not describe...

  

Ben and I in a courtyard

  

Ornate ceilings

  

Pillars of the palace

  

Stuart from an alcove

  

Mediterranean colours

  

View of hills from the Alhambra

  

Granada suburbs

  

Tranquility

  

Orange trees in courtyard

  

Fountain in a courtyard