Month: March 2015

Up and out early in an even brighter day than yesterday.  J took us for a walk around the local area and then home to meet with H & N who were driving up from London.

We were hoping to go out to a local restaurant for lunch, but when we arrived there, we found it locked up.  We weren’t the only ones to be disappointed as there were cars leaving the place as we got there.  However, thinking on our feet again, or on S’s feet, it was decided we’d buy some stuff in and have lunch at home.  I think it was the better choice in the end.  After H & N headed home, we went for another walk through the fields and beside the river on a right-of-way.  We also visited Valioso the big white horse.  S and I were not too sure about being beside these big horses, but J & Sim assured us that all would be well, and it was.

Dinner tonight was part of meat feast bought yesterday and it was excellent.

Top row (Click to load the original):

1. Apple blossom.
2. Jaggy things.
3. White horse – Not Valioso Sim, sorry.  It’s Blue.
4. Bramble leaf – NOTE! Bramble, not blackberry.  Seen on a walk around Astwick with my son and his wife.  Lovely sunshine after dull Saturday.  365/081

Ill divided house.  Two thirds black and only one third brick.  Very pretty.  Looked like a jigsaw puzzle box or a biscuit tin lid.

Still catching up after our visit ‘darn sarf’ as Ray would say.

The day started with brilliant sun shining in our window this morning.  Looking out over the livery area with three or four horses in the fields.  After breakfast, J & S took us to Chapham’s butchers in Baldock to do their meat shopping , Chapmans.  It really is a carnivore’s delight.  I decided on the spot that we would visit on Monday before the drive north.

Back to the house to deposit the meat in the freezer and then off to Grafham Reservoir for a walk.  The day hadn’t brightened very much, but we were off to Grafham  By the time we got to Grafham it was quite cool and windy.  Had a bracing walk half way round the lake and then back again.  Watched a couple of blokes fishing and catching some nice looking trout, but it would have been a cold day for them all.

At night we went to Korean restaurant, Gangnam Stevenage for dinner.  Very interesting and tasty dinner.  I had Korean Orange Juice as my drink, which tasted like er … diluting orange juice.  Possible safer though than Aloe Vera Juice.

Looks like an alien spaceship, but it’s the pumping station at Grafham reservoir.

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It must have been the solar eclipse that addled my brain, it must have.  After risking damaging my retinal taking some shots of the eclipse with the 300mm end of my tele lens, I packed the car for the journey to visit my son and his wife in their new house in Astwick which is in deepest Englishland.  It was only after travelling about 50 miles, I had this scary feeling that I’d left the camera at home.  I remembered packing the tripod, but did I also pack the camera bag?  Stopped at Abington services and my fears were realised.  No camera.  I couldn’t stand being separated from my beloved D7000 for a whole weekend.  Nothing would do but I head back, pick up the camera and head south again.  At least I didn’t feel as bad as the poor soul in the car behind me who had a police car with blue light flashing behind him.

Next problem was at Penrith where there were dire warnings about lengthy delays on the A66.  Not to worry, we’ll just carry on down the M6 and cut across country when we get a chance.  This we did thanks to some excellent map reading by Scamp in the navigator’s seat.  However, this made us even later as it added a few miles and an hour to an already late schedule.  Arrived at the house at about 8.00pm to a lovely supper of sea bass and salad.  Then off to bed to see what the next day would bring.  At least I’d be able to photograph it.

Almost at totality the clouds thinned for a moment to reveal the best view of the eclipse we got, even if it was through the trees. Birds were going crazy, getting ready to roost and it became very dark.

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It started out as such a nice day, but then after a dissatisfying phone call to attempt to clarify part of my pension, the day had become gloomier.  I went in to Glasgow to do some window shopping and get my hair cut.  When I was parking, I managed to scrape the front wing of my car on a concrete pillar.  The haircut went really well though, but I ended up as usual with jaggy hairs down the back of my neck and that was really uncomfortable.  Window shopping is great.  It costs nothing, but gives you the feeling that you’re getting something.  You just don’t get to take it home.  Do you really need it?  Anyway, the rest is explained under the photo of the day.

I started off taking this shot to capture the chimney pots on top of the building in the middle of the frame. I only had my iPhone with me and the chimney pots got a bit lost, so I dipped the image in a bucket of Photoshop and this was the result. Thanks to Kazoot (Mr K) on Flickr for giving me the idea for a grungy photo.

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After a dodgy morning, my cold was improving.  Had lunch at Cotton House Chinese restaurant.  Went for a walk round St Mo’s in the afternoon and got some shots.

One of the first flowers in spring.  It’s coming!

Mallard duck on the boardwalk of St Mo’s.  Almost a monochrome, but not quite.

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I liked the strong silhouettes of the two birds.

Dull day.  Cold is a bit better, but I’m still sneezing and my nose is still running.  Didn’t manage to get out today apart from a visit to Tesco.

A bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale. A gift from my niece. Thanks Shona.

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Today we walked to the bottom of the road and turned right. Walked to Puerto del Carmen. We tried to find the area we were in the last time we came to Lanzerote, but couldn’t find it. The whole place seems to have changed a lot. When we were walking there we could see a dark band just above the horizon that we think must be Sahara sand. We had a beer each in an Irish pub, then had lunch in a great wee Chinese/Japanese/Thai restaurant. I think mine was Kong Ho chicken. Scamp had Pineapple Chicken, served in a pineapple. Spoke to Norwegian? couple who told us to order one main course and share it because the portions were quite big. Wanted to explain that we were just greedy! What drew us to this restaurant was the way the bloke slid the window panels along on tracks and stacked them at the side. Very clever. While we were there I watched a girl at a public call box scamming punters for money, claiming her money had run out. She must have hit on over a dozen in the time we were thee, then she moved on.

On the way back, we had another beer in a café half way along the road. I think we both needed it. Got postcards at the Spar and another bottle of Campo Viejo. When we got to the apartment we found that someone had stuck a piece of chrome steel to the bathroom floor with silicone to help keep the water from flooding the bathroom. I don’t think it will last long because it’s just silicone that’s holding it, nothing structural. However, it it works until Sunday, then it will be someone else’s problem. Not the best designed hotel in the world. Mad wee Frenchman is still here. Screaming and shouting. I think he’s a retard, either that or some sort of alternative comedian.

Entertainment tonight was a bought-in trio of juggler, and two acrobats. They were dire. The acrobats were boring and the juggler kept dropping his clubs and balls.

Just a little picturesque postcard shot of Puerto del Carmen.

I don’t know if this tumbleweed was a design hazard in the crazy golf, but that and the fact that the hole was filled in with greenery would make putting difficult.

Another of Lanzarote’s ladybirds taking a walk along the sunbed.

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I don’t know the significance of the padlocks on the railings.  They seem to be a fashion statement these days.

Today we went to the bottom of the road and turned left, heading for Aricife. Walked as far as the airport then watched and photographed a few planes coming in to land and taking off. Very noisy and also very busy. Lots of people cycling along a real cycle path. Four wheeled ‘Flintstones’ pedal powered car things too. Walked back and shared a pizza for lunch at a restaurant just off the promenade. When we got back we lay by the square pool for a while then I got itchy feet and went for another walk along the wilderness road. Managed to get some shots of a Brimstone butterfly and saw what I think were locusts. Bigger than grasshoppers and with wings. Managed to break my sunglasses, the good ones, trying to avoid a spider web. Broke the spider web too! On the way back I bought a bottle of wine and clothes pegs at the Spar at the bottom of the road. Wine was Campo Viejo and clothes pegs are to hold the beach towels to the seats/ sunbeds.

Didn’t need to use the Jimmy Sinclair thing as the managers had all deigned to speak to us. They must have known.

There is an annoying wee French man who has appeared. He’s about my age with a white beard and he keeps shouting really loudly and laughing as if he’s just discovered how to, and is practising it. Maybe he has Tourettes. Well, it is a French type name! Just thought you’d like to remember him.

Tonight was MTV show in the hotel and it was just as good as usual. Scamp was up on stage at the end. Videoed that part.

   
Top to bottom, left to right:

1. I had to crawl across the lava rocks to get this shot, but I’m not complaining, because it’s what I wanted. I think it’s a Painted Lady.
2. At first I thought this was a Brimstone butterfly, but now I think it’s a Sulphur because of the shape of the wings.
3. It looks as if spider webs are as popular on Lanzarote as it is here.
4. While I was out walking, I was overtaken by two groups of runners who raced off into the distance.  By the look of things, they had a long way to go.  365/70
5. I don’t know what this poor lady had done, but the crowd were showing no mercy.  They continued throwing coloured stones at her for over half an hour.  Luckily, as you can see, their aim wasn’t that good and the lady remained uninjured.
6. This pair were moving at a more ambulatory pace, but still too much energy being expended.

Today we had breakfast and went to sit by the square pool, you know the one behind the outdoor stage. I thought about swimming, but the water looked a bit cold. Slightly more cloud in the morning but that was alright as it was really too hot yesterday. Scamp decided we’d go to the Spanish restaurant tonight and we booked it after lunch. Dinner was free, but we had to pay for wine which seemed fair.

After lunch we sat by the square pool again for a while and then I went for a walk along the wilderness road. It really was a wilderness. After I passed the underpass / bridge at the dual carriageway, I headed for an arayo, at least I think that’s what it’s called. A dried up riverbed. I think it’s being used as a general tip with loads of breezeblock and broken tiles in it. Lots of jaggy wee sticky willies. Very uncomfortable to walk on with sandals. If I go back, I’ll wear shoes. Saw a few lizards, a lot of butterflies and a couple of moths – all photographed. By the time I was coming back, it was getting overcast and quite cool.

Got back and found Scamp having coffee by the main pool.

Annoyance of the day. None of the managers, the ones with black suits, white shirts and black ties, none of them speak to you. Tomorrow I do the Jimmy Sinclair thing and speak to them, then if they don’t speak back, I’ll pull them up.

Went to the Spanish place for dinner. Nice cheap bottle of wine and a reasonable dinner although there was a lot of meat in it which didn’t suit Scamp.

Went to a magic show at night in the outside theatre. Very good and we both enjoyed it.

When I saw this wee orange spot on a stone, I knew I’d seen something like it before, but couldn’t remember what or where.  It was only after looking at it carefully with the camera, I remembered it was a ladybird pupa and I’d seen one like it in my son’s garden.  Despite the large numbers of ladybirds on the island, this was the only pupa I saw.

I have no idea what this bush is. This was a typical bunch of seeds. In a way, they reminded me of broom seed pods which twist and fire out the seeds like these seemed to do. I liked the texture and colour of the seed heads.

365/069

We woke to sunshine!

Had breakfast. Complained to reception again that the air con still isn’t working. Apparently someone will look at it. It’s in the book now – whatever that means. Got a safe key and found out that our room appears to be registered to someone else. Getting suspicious now after finding out that the key didn’t work yesterday. Are we in the wrong room?

Anyway, went to the Blue Bar which is a strange name as it doesn’t have a bar, and it’s not blue. Perhaps it too is on winter setting. Hot. Swam in the small pool there and returned again after lunch.

Went for a walk away from the airport this time along the beach for miles and miles. Windy and not too warm. Came back and Scamp flooded the bathroom this time. Reported it to reception. They sent someone to mop up the mess, but not sure they’ve done much else. Time will tell. Scamp is not pleased.

Watched Irish dancing show at night. Quite excellent. One drink before bed. Listened to dire singer/keyboard player in lounge before making a hasty exit.

On the edge of the Puerto del Carmen.  Before it becomes too touristy.

It looks like a puzzle. How do you fit all these little apartments together, but still ensure that everyone has a sunny balcony with a bit of a view? I blame AutoCad.

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