April 12th: No Brexit yet (Phew!) but an organised "B-R-Exit" as Bob and Ruth left the Canaries!

It was a bit of a relief that departure didn't coincide - even though we were travelling completely within Schengen and would not have to cross a border until the next day at the Pyrenees. It was a well-worn trail: super-cheap Vueling flight to Barcelona, hotel shuttle to and from the usual overnight hotel, coach to Girona airport and the on-demand lift to pick up Yvette from the parking lot. Greyrocks looked at the meteo and decided to stick with sandals and shorts/cropped trousers, and that turned out to be OK, even waiting for the shuttle. Not much of interest happened during the migration, other than being intrigued by the large number of young boys roaming around the hotel and airport, and later discovering that Barca was hosting the "World Cup" for soccer academies.

Our Montpelier apartment was booked from the Sunday, so we stayed at a point about half-way: the resort of Valras Plage, which we vaguely remembered as a day-trip destination from Agde. It was fairly bright and warm, but with a very strong and cold wind. On arrival in the town we realised just how popular it is, and this was a sunny Palm Sunday. We stayed in a well-located and charming small hotel, which was desperately difficult to find. (Thank you, Mr Google!) and had a chance to walk down to the river mouth and marina, then have our first French meal close by in a restaurant that had been open only a couple of days.

The House of Cards

Inside eclectic Bar Bouganville

Here we are in Montpellier, having spent  two weeks here, and with one to go! April is coming to and end, so in haste Greyrocks puts on record a few things that happened whilst we were still in Corralejo before we left! Then progress can be made on events here - including the brief visit by offspring!

It had not been the best carnival thanks to weather (cold evenings and some rain) and the emotions fostered by Brexit (suspicion, reticence, fear and anger!), but we had some social functions in the period thereafter that lifted spirits. We went to a Quiz Night at Rogues' Gallery hosted and organised by Elaine to raise money for her local cancer support charity. We were in a team with Elaine's sister-in-law and a friend, and we didn't disgrace ourselves, and had fun, but were up against some serious competition. Nonetheless we won three prizes in the raffle: a bottle of fizz, an ornament which we gave to a good home and a voucher for cocktails at a long-established bar in the "cobbled street". Some evenings later we redeemed them (and repeated at our expense) on some  strawberry daiquiris - being the cocktail of choice at present for Greyrocks after Goa!

So much better these days!

Elaine and Andrew were central to "jollies" in these few weeks, having invited us for dinner, included Ruth in the Ladies That Lunch crew that started at El Anzuelo - thriving under new management - and joined our "leaving party" at the same place. Greyrocks also attended the 80th birthday party for Dave at Rosie O'Grady's, which was a great do, where music was largely provided by Chris and Ronnie. That prompted a last minute evening at Robin's Nest, which is also much improved since the last occasion about 5 years ago!


We fitted in several trips to the spa for swimming - often followed by Argentinian delights at La Bolada, and we usually had a couple of hours on Sunday at Rogues' for Ronnie and (usually) Niamh playing and inviting guests. On two occasions Niamh was replaced by Chel - introducing us to another Corralejo's troupe of musicians. The jam sessions on Friday at Paradise returned to normality after the demolition chaos.

So what is the reference to "cards"? First Greyrocks had three incidents. The credit card blocked after Ruth messed up with the PIN was taken to UK via Goa in the hope of using an ATM at an airport on our way home, but there were no suitable ones so it had to be sent securely to UK and returned similarly - a process that took three weeks but worked to everyone's relief.


Then as a new deadline was announced for Brexit and it was our date of departure thoughts turned to the EHIC. We reckoned if our membership of the Spanish system was shown we would be covered throughout the EU as we have been until the exit lunacy, so we decided to get Spanish EHICs. We wrestled with the relevant website but got refusals by email, we tried phoning but that failed too, so we cadged a lift early one morning and were at the Puerto del Rosario Social Security Office when it opened. We had every bit of documentation we could think of with us and were ready for a long wait, but a nice man said it could be done on the spot as we were travelling soon. He just wanted evidence of our flight. Had we not got anything on our smartphones? He said if we printed something and came back it could be done, so we went into our usual hotel to ask about a locutorio  and he said he would do it . Back to the office, a three minute wait and we went to the desk and had barely sat down when we were asked if we worked in Spain, because if not as our pensions are from UK we can only have UK cards! Back to the drawing board! Half a day in "the smoke" , and we were going to have to find ours anyway even if expired! We never did locate them in Fuerteventura, but after the flight they turned up in an obscure place and had expired, but only just!

The Canarian Health Service operates very efficiently for appointments and prescriptions with the Tarjeta Sanitaria. Suddenly one day we couldn't find Bob's and needed it for the summer's bulk medications. Unfortunately the local Health Centre is not quite as efficient, so it was a long wait to report the loss and get a photocopied replacement which then had to be taken to be laminated in a print shop. (It was Ruth's second encounter in a week with the receptionist as she had accompanied our neighbour there to negotiate about hospital appointments and had a significant linguistic victory!) On departure day Ruth sat waiting and looked at some recently disturbed cables and there it was on the floor: the wretched card!

"House of Cards" also references the old British TV series about shenanigans at Westminster. What could be more apt? You couldn't make it up! We sent this link to friends in UK and the rest of Europe! It is all near to collapse!

Give us the Gilets Jaunes anytime!

Santé

Down but not out!

Well:  - as we approached the UK House of Commons' third vote on May's ludicrous Brexit proposal  we were out and about in Corralejo - and without access to a news bulletin. We watched Spanish TV news and it gave us the result but using the the verb rechazar which defeated us, as did a series of double negatives in the subtitles. Bob had to leap on the bike and go home to sort this out! So, as expected, we get a stay of execution!
We caught up with each other at Paradise - a renamed establishment in the refurbished Hoplaco Gardens area, where on Friday afternoons there is now a jamming session that has replaced the old Pescaditos event. Greyrocks enjoys it, and it is generally poplar with players and punters alike. 

On this occasion it really was only fit for players! They were huddled in the roofed area playing for each other, as the demolition of the aged apartment block on the street reached a critical point, and the noise and dust was barely tolerable in the outside drinking area. Great company as ever, but not a place to linger!

By today it is just a compacted heap of rubble (the apartment block. that is:- not the bar, and watching the UK go that way is only funny if you aren't a Brit ex-pat in Europe!

Note: rechazar translates as "reject"

March 23rd 2019: A day of two rather different marches

On Saturday afternoon Greyrocks was glued to various UK channels and websites to follow the progress of two aspects of a cause very dear to the heart: the swelling number of signatures to the petition to revoke Article 50, and the million-plus strong march through London. We had both signed the former days earlier, and we were there in spirit at the latter, and indeed in live contact with "fellow-traveller" friends who were there in person, or - like us - just too far away! We really need these confirmations that our home country is not the xenophobic and regressive place that the referendum result suggested: particularly being - it seems - surrounded by Brexiteers: both tourist and ex-pat!! We reached 7 pm feeling a lot better.

(There are wonderful photos of banners, placards and personal adornment on the New European's site)

We were then off to witness another parade, for it was the big night for Corralejo's carnival. The two events are not unrelated. The theme this year was "Cities of the World", and until a week before the plan for a costume - which Ruth at least has always donned - was to pay homage to "Bruselas" with  blue and gold clothes and a specially-created hat rather like this one worn by Lizzie Windsor!. The hat had been bought at the Chinese shop, and the stencils for stars partly made. Then we reflected on the poisonous atmosphere between the two Brit factions and decided against it.

The bodged offering of some Indian clothes a la Mumbai was so weak most people didn't notice. making it the most unimaginative  of the eleven Greyrocks has done over the years, Another casualty of Brexit!

Nonetheless we enjoyed the evening - with the main part of the parade viewed as usual from the inside of American Burger. The floats conveying the various "queens" were as beautiful as ever, but barely "on theme", and after that something had gone wrong at the top of the street as there were enormous gaps between floats, and there was very little interesting going on upon them (only on on-board barbecue, for example). Eventually we decided it must have finished unceremoniously and left! Out on the streets there was plenty of fancy costume, but mostly general purpose, plus a lot of Mexicans. We dropped in at Blue Rock where - as usual - Claire and Jules really had made an effort and were "Turning Japanese".

On Sunday we had a very good supper at Marquesina - in part for the view there would be of "The Funeral of the Sardine" with its attendant fireworks. All pretty good this year and now "The Carnival is Over".

Also on Sunday at the Rogues' music session a drunken German tried to engage a group of Brits over Brexit. Whoops!

A Bumpy Journey Home

Not the finest in the fleet!

Today we received from BA a dismissive response to our complaint, so it's weapons drawn and time to catch up with this blog where we had hoped to record a victory. Resolving this may take some time!

We left Palolem by taxi at 4 am, so the road was clear and we arrived at the airport in good time, but had to mingle for entry with passengers for at least two Russian charter flights, so ended up with no long wait. There isn't much to say about Dabolim airport these days. It is a lot better than it was! Our Air India domestic flight was pretty full, the "breakfast" was a joke, and we were seated behind an Israeli new age family, which was a bit of a challenge to the patience! In Mumbai everything was easy and having reached the BA check-in we were offered the chance to be processed early. This was in very welcome contrast with an appalling experience last year, but we eschewed it as we had a cunning plan involving a bottle of wine in hold luggage and a discreet carrier bag! We killed time and then cadged paper cups, opened the wine and killed some more! At check-in we waltzed up to an empty desk and were away in five minutes. The clerk didn't seem to understand why we were amazed. So far, so good, BA!

One last Kingfisher - at a price!

All the other stuff - immigration, security, tediously complicated route through duty-free shop, eye-wateringly expensive beer  and lengthy boarding passed off without mishap and we settled in to our special seats - for which we had paid GBP 100 extra. They were the "twin" pair at the back, so no neighbours, near galley and loo, and a great place to spend ten hours or so watching films and TV! The expectation was that the selection would be better than on Qatar coming out! On came the safety film and Bob had nothing on his screen! Nor did he for the whole flight! Unlike the treatment six years previously when - unlikely as this might seem - the same had happened he had to manage without. No offer of a seat move, no champagne, and just a bit of sympathy from one crew member in the closing stages of the flight and some better wine! We were also given a case number - which as we see today was a complete waste of time and effort!

The flight was not improved by being both extended in time and extremely bumpy. It was Day 2 of the stand-off between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, and Pakistani airspace was closed, so the usual route up over the Caspian Sea and into Central Europe was not possible.  Instead we headed over the Arabian Sea, Egypt and the Med. Whether the re-routing itself or some other cause is to blame barely matters: we had the worst and longest-lasting turbulence we have known - complete with spilt coffee and wine. Still, we made it to Heathrow over an hour late, but were still able to catch our coach round to Gatwick - and it wasn't too silly to be in cropped trousers and sandals. We spent a very comfortable night at the Premier Inn, caught some rain crossing the road to the terminal, and had an uneventful flight back to Fraggle Rock with Easyjet. Dave met us as usual and told us of the great weather there had been in our absence.

This week it's Carnaval time in Corralejo! Bring on the clowns:- such as those in BA Customer Relations!

Exit pre-Brexit and at last a "touchdown"!

Talpona Beach

The last ten days in Goa were notable for the weather. Those in the know said it was more like March than the second half of February, as the days would warm up to levels like 38C, then the evenings turn chilly and the nights humid. Greyrocks made a day-trip to Agonda, which made a change, and feeling that we hadn't done enough strolling at the south end of Palolem beach set off on a very hot day to walk - at the optimal tide time - to the Sundowner bar with its glorious view, Having waded waist-deep across the river and manoeuvered round the rocks we discovered it was closed for a wedding! So we never did get there! But we did get to see a beach new to us, when the six of us (as in Beer O'Clock and The office) were invited for coffee at the "new" home of The Nest's Mohan and Ellie, which is not far from Talpona Beach. we were all enchanted by their house (in Portuguese colonial style), their garden and their plans. Rather less fun was the rapid descent of a large coconut which just grazed the arm of Harvey, making that the second close encounter of the coconut kind in a fortnight! We then went to the beach itself where there are two shack restaurants, and no beds or umbrellas, and we had an absurdly cheap and fresh lunch. As with Galgibag further down the coast it is only a matter of time before this lovely little spot is developed!

Beer O'Clock happened almost every evening and the setting of the sun was watched with interest! Bets (suitably small in size) were sometimes even made as to whether the base of the sun would be seen to touch the horizon. For many weeks it never did - being obscured by the layer of "pollution" that is a regular feature, and then on Greyrocks' penultimate evening it did, Was this a sign that we could now depart?

In the final few days we were lucky to be offered spice shopping in Chaudi by our restaurateur friends and the package was one of the few things we brought back, having a loathing for the haggling entailed in clothes and gift shopping!
It was a truly great holiday, and some advance plan were made for 2020.

Movies: Goalposts ahoy!

Last year: ten movies in two different venues. This year: fewer but..

Over the years the DVD has almost died! This means a change of merchandise for our friend Harry, who still discreetly does his thing on the beach, but with other stuff (like Valentines roses!) and that any bar can consider showing a rip-off film projected onto a sheet! We have a new entrant in TATWAS and they do much better than that! We know the owner and she has encouraged us to visit - both for films and live music, It is an outstanding venue for either. Newly opened this season with stunning decor. good food and well-trained staff  it should do well, but is a little of the beaten track and not well-publicised! Our first evening was to see the Goa-Ts, with Irish guest set, and plenty of dancing. But it has shown films at least weekly since then and the sound and screen are great!

Meanwhile. El Diablo next door to our rooms picks all the right films, but suffers from intrusive noise and other tech problems, and Steak House shows a lot of films - including classics - but is tricky to reach, Rockit also shows films, but we have never been! So here is the summary matched to the Oscars which happened in our last few days:

Not bad for free and good food alongside!

The story of the showing of The Favourite is worth sharing:

We turned up at the appointed hour and there was a small crowd of people including a Brit couple eating. We ordered food and soon Simon addressed the audience by saying that someone had deleted the copy and we could choose to watch some other film or wait for a new download, which he optimistically said would take about twenty minutes! We all opted for the latter, so he set off the process on the laptop, which was right next to us, and he started to show YouTube comedy sketches to amuse us. His selection was not far off Greyrocks' list of favourites, but clearly not to everyone's taste and as the download speed reduced and the wait extended folk left until only five or so were left. This included a German-speaking regular, to whom Simon made an apology as he played the famous bit from Fawlty Towers! We kept asking between clips for a status report on the download, and it wasn't good news, but another sketch was played ,,,,The film eventually started around 100 minutes late, which meant tiredness, excessive wine and the growing noise from bars and street conspired to detract from the brilliance of the film, and Greyrocks will have to watch it again!