Tuesday, June 15, 2010
February 2010, and we can report that Gibraltar is still there.
After a v.damp and thus fairly quiet past year, we (three of us, including Sophie, our Cocker) have just spent an enjoyable week or so driving down -as you do- to Gib; overnighting just North of Seville as well as in the Lisbon hinterland (the Alentejo) en route. Spain lived entirely up to expectations. The village we stayed in was called Torre de la Reina, and while the Hotel was excellent -Geraldine particularly enjoying her first cooked breakfast in a long time- both the immediate village area and the closest two towns (between them, all three sitting on no more than a ten mile stretch of road) clearly primarily existed as dormitories for Seville itself; a further few miles distant. It WAS out of season, but the place was dull, dank and deeply depressing. G tells me that the Government has put a stop to building, and certainly there was evidence of variously (in)completed buildings in what appeared to be abandoned sites; but the hoardes of people milling around, and on street corners, really did reflect the near 20% national unemploment rate. That`s more than twice even N.I.
After a v.damp and thus fairly quiet past year, we (three of us, including Sophie, our Cocker) have just spent an enjoyable week or so driving down -as you do- to Gib; overnighting just North of Seville as well as in the Lisbon hinterland (the Alentejo) en route. Spain lived entirely up to expectations. The village we stayed in was called Torre de la Reina, and while the Hotel was excellent -Geraldine particularly enjoying her first cooked breakfast in a long time- both the immediate village area and the closest two towns (between them, all three sitting on no more than a ten mile stretch of road) clearly primarily existed as dormitories for Seville itself; a further few miles distant. It WAS out of season, but the place was dull, dank and deeply depressing. G tells me that the Government has put a stop to building, and certainly there was evidence of variously (in)completed buildings in what appeared to be abandoned sites; but the hoardes of people milling around, and on street corners, really did reflect the near 20% national unemploment rate. That`s more than twice even N.I.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hello M&G,
The pics of the bungalow show just how much work you have done. The drive is looking well.
PS. Commiserations on Portugals loss to Spain in SA.
PPS. I remember us talking once about your collection of books versus the number read 'in toto'. Was reading a blog entry about the disgraceful closure of Public Libraries in Belfast and found this quotation.....
A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it.” The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, (1892) from ‘The five orange pips’
Seems you and Arthur Conan Doyle think along the same lines!
Cheers.
Just in case you are wondering, the pics referred to are the ones you sent by email!
Just remembered my blogger password and commented to test!
Post a Comment