Wood Fired Spanish Food - Wonderful!

I recently spent another few days in La Union.  The weather was mixed, with rain on two days, but it was sunny and bright for the rest of the time.

Sandy and Dianne's friends, Mateo and Veni, kindly invited me for lunch at their home.  Delicious open wood fired chicken and lamb, (pollos asados), home made bread, (sobrasada), and wonderful amounts of wine were consumed.  I was so honoured to have been invited into their home.  I tried my very best with my Spanish, and even though I am a total novice compared with Sandy and Dianne, I really enjoyed listening and trying to converse in Spanish, and I was so pleased to have had the opportunity to do that in a Spanish home.  Thank you Mateo, Veni, Sandy and Dianne.

On a totally different note, it does now appear that the lovely San Javier Murcia airport will definitely be moving to Corvera, 30kms away.  On a good note, Corvera's airport is brand new and can manage over 3 million passengers a year.  There will be good transport links and the new airport will be closer to the beaches around Puerto Mazarron and Bolnuevo.  I have always loved San Javier Murcia Airport, so let's see how I like Corvera Airport in the months to come.  I know my journey to La Union will be longer, but I will keep you posted on the new airport, its facilities and proximity.

General Best Selling Books For This Christmas

Roman Soldiers And More Food!

It was another fiesta week in Cartagena on my last visit, with men walking around dressed as Roman soldiers, and a lovely buzz throughout the city. 

As seems to be a wonderful recurrent theme, there was much eating and merriment, so here goes with my next round of places to visit in Cartagena and La Union, Murcia, with links to the restaurants mentioned.

Firstly, I went to an Indian Restaurant called Omkara in Cartagena with my friends, Sandy and Dianne. Had an offering of chicken madras and peshwari nan and wine, all for 20 euros, about the same price as the UK. Lovely food and staff, and I will definitely be going back again.

Still in Cartagena, I saw amazing cakes at Confiterias Marin and really unusual, but wonderful tapas at El Pincho De Castilla.  A truly gorgeous place, with hams hanging from the ceiling. I  had walked past this place on a number of occasions, but had never ventured inside. So pleased that I had been taken in to take a look.

Saw this lovely car in Cartagena, which wouldn't look out of place in Chicago!  Isn't it gorgeous?!

Going back nearer to home, I ventured up to the Calle Mayor one evening to have medallones de solimillo a la pimienta at one of my favourites in La Union, that being Cafe Mayor at 7.5 euros, including a glass of wine. This dish of pork covered in a pepper sauce literally melted in the mouth!

Rounded off the week with sausages and mash at Mel and Maria's, before flying back to the UK the next day.

On a separate note, I now have a copy of an English/Spanish mass book, so I can at least try to respond where I should in mass. Really happy about that.

Another lovely week. To be continued.....

Tip: Ryanair are changing their on board baggage terms and conditions again in November. Check on their website for more clarity on these changes.

Food Glorious Food!

After a week of lovely weather and seeing great friends, I seem to have done rather a lot of eating on my last trip out to La Union, Murcia and I am not complaining!  Here is a round up of the places I visited:-

Within two hours of arriving, I was dining at Los Churrascos in El Algar with my friends, Sandy and Dianne.  A beautiful restaurant within a 10 minute bus ride from La Union.  Although not cheap for this region at €30 a head, this price was for 3 courses, 2 bottles of wine and beers, and the food was top quality and divine.  One of the best restaurants I have ever visited.  We also saw the cyclists from the La Vuelta Cycling Race come past later in the day – a bit like the Spanish version of the Tour De France!!  It was a fantastic afternoon - great company and lovely places visited.

I was also introduced to a Chinese café in Cartagena just opposite the bus stop where I get off.  Three courses, wine and coffee for €8!  I was then shown by Sandy and Dianne where the Historical Military Museum and the Roman Amphitheatre were.  Amazing. I must have a better look at them on my next trip.  The Military Museum is free to look around too!

Rounded off the trip to Cartagena by dropping into the bar of the Los Habaneros Hotel on the way to catching the No.10 back to La Union.  A lovely hotel that is really good value to stay at.

The last day of my most recent trip saw me helping to celebrate another friend's Birthday, Linda, at Sierra Minera in La Union. I have been here before. Their Menu del Dia for €10 is amazing.  Every starter consisted of some sort of salad or fish, on this occasion, and as I don’t like either, they gave me an enormous plate of ham and melon – yum!!

Another fantastic trip. Can’t wait to come back again in a few weeks’ time.

Tip of the week:  When booking flights, book them really early in the year.  You will pay probably about 50% to 75% of what they will bump up to if you leave the booking to nearer the day of when you want to travel.

To be continued……..

Steeped In History

I thought you might like a little history on the place where I stay, La Union. La Union is a village located between Cartagena and La Manga del Mar Menor. The motorway is 10 minutes away and the airport of San Javier is about 20 minutes away.

Now when you think of Spain you think of sun, sangria, sea. Right? Well yes and no because La Union is well known for its former mines, the slag heaps of which still remain. Mining has shaped the local community, and added to the strange landscape of greys, blues, yellows and pinks. This all makes for a different kind of landscape.

Over the past 3000 years many riches have been mined here, sphalerite, pyrite, lead, zinc, silver and blue flurospar, to name but a few. It is said that mining took place here pre-Roman times.

The mines brought many people to the area to form La Union, aptly named for the merging of three small villages.

There is an impressive Tourist Office in the centre of La Union, which is a lovely building:-

I often walk past this building in the evening when wandering up to the Calle Mayor.

There are many eating places in La Union, shops, banks, many buses and trains to take you on cheap journeys out and about, glorious weather and friendly locals. What's not to like!!

The Joy Of Television!

It has been nearly three months since I took the lease on my apartment, and I have at last got a lovely television in my place! Hurrah! We have even managed to link it up to the satellite dish already provided on the terrace, and hey presto, English television! I no longer have a silence when I wake up in the morning, as I have something to listen to in the background. Even though I love the sounds of the birds when I wake up, it is still nice to have a familiar voice to listen to occasionally.

This isn't my television, but you get the gist!!

Out comes the remote to watch old favourites like Minder, The Professionals and Wheel of Fortune!!

It isn't long though before I realise that I miss hearing Spanish being spoken and I get ready and go down the Panaderia to mix with the locals. I am getting the best of both worlds!

I Was Hit By A Toy Plane!

I had a lovely week away recently at my apartment in La Union, including discovering new places around the marina in Cartagena, one of which was a place called Valor Restaurant near to the Town Hall and marina. It looks like lots of people come off the cruise ships and gravitate to this place, and I don't blame them! Churros, chocolate and coffee to die for!

I also found more wonderful places around the marina. I tend to come into Cartagena most days on the bus or train for a few hours out of the apartment and to people watch.

As the wonderful weather continued, I also went out to lunch on Sunday with friends, Sandy, Dianne, Donna and Paul to Borsalino, a wonderful French restaurant right on the beach in La Manga. We caught the Number 20 bus from La Union, for the princely sum of two euros, and fifty minutes later we were sat at our table enjoying a feast of lovely food and fine wine. If you look at the picture below, you will see how close to the beach we were. I was sat there enjoying a sip of wine, when all of a sudden a large, plastic plane came flying towards me, hitting me in the face! A small boy had thrown it to his friend, and the wind must have sent it flying over the wall towards our table! Wine glasses were smashed, my face was slightly bruised, and the poor boy's father came over and insisted the little boy said "lo siento" to apologise to me. Poor boy!

I love it here!

Next time - the joys of now having a television!

New Friends And Line Dancing!

I had a lovely day with my new friends, Maria and Linda, when we went to eat at Penny Farthing's in Los Alcazares, Av. Rio Nalon 18, 30710 Los Alcazares, Murcia. Serving traditionally British food, it is a real find on this touristy strip. We then went to line dancing above The Arches, Av Justo Quesada, 30710, Los Alcazares, Murcia.

The ladies day out was rounded off by a visit to Sweet Pea Garden Centre, Calle Fragata, 30710 Los Alcazares - oh my! What a find! This is a new garden centre, with a coffee area where you can have homemade cakes, coffee or a lovely big glass of wine! Kelly and Antonio made us totally welcome. I loved it!

The previous day I hadn't been seen for a whole day and night, and one of the local residents checked up on me the next day to make sure I was okay. That was so nice! There is a real sense of community in La Union. Even the locals are waving at me now!

Locals are even stopping their cars and asking me for directions now if they are lost! Hasta luego!!

I've Been To Spanish School!

After having breakfast at the local Panaderia with friends, I was invited to attend the local Spanish School to see the artwork that the children had produced. It was totally lovely. They had been studying Around The World In 80 Days, along with other books by Jules Verne, and they proudly showed off their artwork to waiting parents and me! Such lovely children and teachers. I so enjoyed it.

I had such a fab start to the week that I even managed to get my washing machine to work when I knee'ed the washing machine door! Result, it worked!

I went into Cartagena on the local bus, looked around the Lidl, which was just like my one back in the UK - hurrah! Also visited Cartagena Train Station, a beautiful building, with trains going to Murcia, Barcelona and Madrid.

Afterwards, caught the baby train as I cal it back to La Union, and found a much quicker way to get back to the apartment via the Mercado Publico. Had to stop for a drink on the way back as it was so hot! I have found another favourite drink - tinto de verano, a summer wine.

I have now started Spanish lessons, whilst in Spain, to brush up on my Spanish. I am really enjoying it. Hasta Luego!

My First Menu Del Dia!

I had my first introduction to Menu Del Dia in March, 2018 when I had a three course
meal, with wine for ten euros! I visited Cafeteria Sierra Minera with my new found
friends, where I feasted on a delicious selection of cooked meats for starter, pork chop
with home made chips for main, and chocolate pudding for after, all washed down
with wine! Brilliant! I learnt that the Spanish love to share their food with each
other. Sounds like a good thing to me!

People walker slower, eat slower, but unfortunately they do not talk more
slowly!

I feel free here. Free to just sit and enjoy a coffee and some tapas.
There is no rush.

You always have to ask for the bill because the waiters would never
intrude upon you by bringing the bill before you asking for it.

No-one knows how to relax and enjoy life quite the Spanish and that's
why I love it. Me gusta!

Coming up - my more adventurous way of travelling to Spain....

My First Week

My first week went by in a flash, and I learnt how to converse with the local shopkeepers

for my food shopping and say “Hola” to every passing stranger! It's nice that everyone

says "Hola" to this 55 year old strange woman!!

I discovered that the Number 10 bus goes to Cartagena, as does the “baby train” as I call

it from the little local train station in La Union. The bus costs 1 euro, 25 each way for the

25 minute trip - a bargain, with the train costing 2 euros, 70 for a return trip, the train

journey being about 12 minutes each way.

Tuesday was the day for the local market in La Union along Calle Mayor.  I loved the

sights and sounds of the market, the colours, and the general hustle and bustle of the stalls.

I bought so much that I forgot how I was going to carry the goods I had bought in the

twenty minute walk back to my apartment in the heat! Time to puchase one of those

"shoppers" on wheels!

I found food to be much cheaper than in the UK for most items, including delicious

baguettes or "barra" for as little as 43 cents.

I learnt that you take your life in your hands as a pedestrian in Spain and I had to

constantly remind myself to look the opposite way for oncoming traffic. Cars don't

automatically stop at crossings - frightening!

Next blog - making new friends and my first Menu Del Dia meal.

.

My Next Challenge

My next challenge upon arriving in Spain was how to find a mobile phone shop where I could purchase a Spanish SIM card and internet modem. I practiced "Me gusteria una tarjeta SIM espanol con internet" until I was blue in the face, and with limited Spanish and a little help from Google translate, I left the shop with my Spanish telephone number and internet modem, with a big grin on my face at my achievement. The only thing I needed to do now was translate the instructions in Spanish and get my internet working! With perseverance I managed that too! Result!

Over the next few days I worked out bus and rail timetables to the local town of Cartagena and I was out every day walking the streets of this port city and naval base in the Murcia region of Southeast Spain. I visited shops, cafes and bars and generally people watched in the sun.

To be continued.....

You Are Never Too Old To Set Another Goal

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” C S Lewis

As the plane touched down in San Javier, Murcia airport on the 27th February, 2018,  I couldn’t believe that my dream of having a holiday place in Spain had become a reality.

For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to have a bolt hole in Spain where I could just relax and savour the Spanish way of life. Now I had it. My lovely little two bedroomed apartment in La Union on the Costa Calida was waiting for me and I couldn’t wait to make it my own. I had purposely picked a town where very little English was spoken, which meant that my knowledge of Spanish had to improve pretty quickly! “Habla usted Ingles?” fell on very deaf ears!

The local panaderia, El Garbanzal, was my saviour in those first tentative days in a new place. Open very early in the morning, baking the most delicious delicacies,and open until late at night. It was the place for me to take a book, immerse myself in listening to Spanish being spoken all around me, and get to know the locals.

I didn’t realise how cold the nights could be in February, and after taking to my bed on that first night, in pyjamas, jumper, socks and a hat, I seriously had to think how I was going to buy the necessary quilts, pillows, etc., for a good night’s sleep in subsequent nights!. Why oh why didn’t I bring a hot water bottle with me?! Out came the phrase books and notebook for me to practice how to ask for a quilt in Spanish! The next day, I managed to visit the local retail park, and lo and behold, quilts and pillows were purchased, much to my delight!

To be continued.........