A VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 9^th/ AUGUST 2019.

I was up very early this morning, after another very hot and sleepless night, after freshening up I then did my usual ‘Blood/Glucose’ reading and then my ‘Insulin’ injection, before setting off on my travels down to Sabinillas for our weekly shopping, my first port of call was at the main ‘Medical Centre ‘ to make an appointment with the ‘Practise Nurse’ as I needed some more ‘Blood& Glucose’ reading strips, I got one later at 10 - 50 am.

I then called into the ‘Nautilus Cafeteria Bar’ for a fresh orange juice as ‘ ‘ItZabar’ is closed for a few days, next I hit the crowds at ‘ Mercadona’ – before I called into the ‘Ferrateria’ for some spot lights, next stopping at the ‘ English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers, It was then time to shoot along to the far end of the promenade to the local market for our fresh flowers and wall plants, before coming back up the hill, where the local ‘Muscatel’ Grapes are now on sale!

I unloaded back at the house, with Brenda’s help, she had taken ‘ Chico’ out for his first walk of the day earlier, ‘Chispa’ was waiting in the street, I then headed back down to Sabinillas for my appointment with the ‘Practise Nurse’ – at the moment the town is crazy/mad, with no parking, I went early to give me time to find a spot, I was very lucky and found a spot in the street next to the main ‘Medical Centre’ – more luck as the first three patients, with the nurse didn’t arrive, so I went straight in!

The problem is that the prescription only covers one strip a day, so I have had a couple of double tests, meaning that I’m out of strips early, she gave me a small amount to keep me going, every other day, until my prescription kicks back in!  After checking my readings she reminded me about the new regime, no bread, no fruit or sugar, minimal food etc. Watch this space.

Next week we are busy in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’ as ‘Sunny’ is due to arrive on Sunday, until next Thursday, little ‘ Miss Bella’ is back with us on Monday/ Tuesday as usual and of course ‘ Chico’ is still with us, no doubt ‘Chispa’ will be calling in & out all the time!

On next Thursday lunchtime our friends, from the Isle of Man, Vic, Sue and their son Ben, with their friends are coming across for a ‘Tapas’ lunch with us in the village, then on Friday lunchtime Brenda has an appointment at the ‘Dermatology Department ‘ at the ‘Costa Del Sol Hospital’- meaning that I will have to do our weekly shopping on Saturday morning!

The sun was out very early and was blinding above the Mediterranean, the sky was blue & clear, with just a few patchy clouds in the distance, there is a slight breeze, making it a little cooler in the shade, by lunchtime it will reach 36 degs+ tomorrow the same, then from Sunday as the breeze pick up, it’s dropping a little, into the start of next week, when it will be hovering in the high 20s, still overnight in the low 20s, before next weekend when it will be back up into the mid 30s during the day. Watch this space.

Over in Liverpool yesterday a new cruise liner, the “ Megallan “ was berthed at the Pier Head, see below.

This evening the ‘Premier League ‘ football kicks off with Liverpool at home to Norwich City.

We have been given the night-off again so we are going back along to ‘ Bar Castillo’ for a ‘Fish/Tapas’ supper, sat outside in the shade, taking in the cooler evening air, with nice cold drinks, as the ‘World’ passes us by!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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" NOCHE DEL EMBRUJO " ON SATURDAY EVENING IN SUNNY MANILVA;

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A BREEZY AND VERY HOT & SUNNY MANILVA ON FRIDAY AT THE START OF THE ' FERIA SANTA ANA' WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 26^th/ JULY 2019.  “ FERIA SANTA ANA “

I was up early this morning and after a quick freshen up I shot off on my travels, down to Sabinillas, through the vine fields, that are nearly ready for picking, with the sun blinding the busy roads, I stopped at ‘ItZabar’ for toasted tea cakes, for a change, with tea, before facing a ‘ Mad’ ‘Mercadona’ for our weekly shopping, next I called into the ‘ English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers, before going along to the far end of the promenade to the local market, for our fresh flowers and a wall plant, then shooting back up the hill to unload back at the house.

The ‘ Charanga’ Band came up our street, as I was going out, playing loud music and letting off ‘ Rockets’ to wake the village up! The ‘Council’ workmen had already washed and cleaned ‘ Calle Mar’ ready for this evening’s festivities, there is Mass down at the ‘Santa Ana Church’ before a parade of the statue, led by the ‘Manilva Brass Band’ – before a speech by a ‘Manilva Patron’ Pepe, to salute the village and officially open the ‘Feria Santa Ana’!

Two bands on the stages then start playing, one at a time, before the celebrity act on the main stage at mid-night –a famous ‘ Flamenco ‘ singer,  'Joana Jimenez'  - the music then carries onto the wee small hours, along with all the stalls and both the fairgrounds.

Overnight the breeze has got up, the sky has cleared and this morning it’s started warm and sunny, with patchy clouds forecast later, by this afternoon reaching 30 degs+ - with a light breeze keeping it a little cooler in the shade, over the weekend temperatures dropping a little, next week is still looking very hot & sunny, hovering in the high 20s to start, then going back up to 33 degs+ by next Friday and over next weekend, watch this space.

Over in the “ Tour de France “ today’s ‘ Stage 19’ goes from ‘ Saint-Jean-De- Maurinne to Tignes, in the Alps, over 127 kms, with six climbs, shorter than yesterday, but a lot harder, finishing with a hill top finish! Watch this space.

Yesterday evening I went along to ‘ Bar Castillo’ and got a nice table, in the shade, Brenda came along later, after ‘ Scruffy’ had been picked up, he’s back this afternoon, for a few hours.

The ‘Manilva Brass Band’ led by Fernando, came along ‘Calle Mar’ parading the new ‘Queens’ – who were then crowned on the main stage, before dancing to celebrate. See above.


See below;

The ‘ Manilva Brass Band’ then performed their concert, with Spanish classics and Pop songs, including a selection of ‘Queen ‘ tracks, ‘Mambo 5’ and ‘Ob La Di Ob La Da’ – finishing with, as an encore, of a version of  ‘Granada’! The ‘Mayor’- Mario, invited us to join him on the front reserved seats, as honoured guests, to watch and listen to the concert, I sang along to the ‘English’ songs, much to amusement of the village crowds sat behind us!

See the selection of pictures above,  including the Band on the second stage, that played on until 1-30 am! – before we walked home down our flood-lit street!

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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A ' FRESH ' AND VERY SUNNY MANILVA AT THE START OF A ' HELLUVA' WEEKEND.

FRIDAY 31^st / MAY 2019.

I was up very early again this morning to welcome back little princess ‘ Reina’ for the day, she shot onto her duvet, as usual, I then had a quick freshen up and shot off on my travels down to Sabinillas for our weekly shopping, as ‘ItZabar’ is on holiday, I popped along to a local Bar for my tostado & tea before ‘ Mercadona opened, which was busier than normal, I called into the ‘English Bookshop’ for the local newspapers and a birthday card, watch out it could be you?!

I next called into the main ‘ White Goods’ shop ‘ Muebles Bernardo Muñoz ‘ – who are always very helpful and pleasant, for a new ‘ Stack-Fan’ for the bedroom. It was then time to go along to the far end of the promenade to the local market for our fresh flowers & wall plants, finally I stopped at ‘ Super Sol’- which is being refurbished and is a total mess, the ‘ Manager’ showed me around with my list of the ‘English’ essentials!  

The sun was out first thing as I shot down through the very green vine fields, with the ‘Mediterranean’ sparking in the morning sunshine, the clouds had  cleared and the sky was bright blue, as the breeze had got up, by this afternoon it’s due to reach 25 degs+ - overnight hovering on the 16/17 degs mark, over the weekend it’s going a little warmer as the breeze drops, next week starting on Monday/Tuesday it will be 29/30 degs+ - staying in the high 20s for the rest of the week and then going hotter next weekend, watch this space.

See below the green vine fields in the valley below the village.

Over in Liverpool yesterday the “ Crown Princess’ berthed at the Pier Head, the pictures below were taken from ‘ A Ferry Across The Mersey “!

This evening Lee is joining us for supper, we are having ‘Fillets of Hake ‘ coated in my special recipe ‘ Cruzcampo Beer Batter ‘ – shallow fried in Vegetable Oil, until crisp & golden, served with lots of Lemon Wedges and Homemade ‘ Tartar’ sauce, with ‘ Mushy Peas ‘ and ‘ Triple’ cooked ‘ Chips’ – a small section of light ‘Tapas’ to start and ‘ Chocolate Profiteroles’ with local Strawberries for ‘Pud’!

Tomorrow evening we have now arranged to go out with Kevin & Caroline for supper, as it’s our last chance before they go home to Brighton, as from Sunday we have ‘Lolo’ joining us in ‘ Doggy World Heaven’  for her three week holiday. I have booked a table at the  “ Kinnaree Thai Restaurant ‘ overlooking the ‘ Puerto de la Duquesa Marina’ – we are going down in a taxi and on the way collecting the folks from their apartment in Sabinillas, watch this space.

Sadly the last time at 'Kokomo'! 

This afternoon and tomorrow we will be watching the ‘Giro d’Italia’ as the next two stages are in the ‘ Dolomites’ with a colossal stage on Saturday, with five consecutive climbs! The Race finishes on Sunday in Verona with unusually, for a ‘Grand Tour’ - a 17 kms individual time trial?!  

We are having an ‘at home’ day, taking things easy and relaxing, we will catch up with all the news & weather reports later, as well as all the ‘Quiz Shows’ that we follow, this evening we will watch the final ( 5?!) Semi Final of “ Britain’s Got Talent’- then later channel hopping.

Thoughts for the Day;  See above.

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