Blighty, Bath and By Yon Bonny Banks

It is difficult to put into words just what the past 6 weeks have meant to me. The experiences I have been through have taught me a great deal about myself as well as the folk and the countries I have been lucky to have visited.
David flew into Pisa late on 12th August and I had trained down from Aulla to meet him and guide him back to Northern Tuscany. We had a wee trundle around the city before heading north again back to Karen's hospitality. On the route one passes Carrara which is the home of the marble used so extensively by Michelangelo, in Florence and indeed all over the world. To see the scars on these mountains where the quarries are is a reminder of how much damage we can do all in the selfish interests of our consumerism. I will certainly think twice before ever considering a marble benchtop!

We had a great time together at Settimo Cielo, David helping to clear the parking area together with Ari and Emily. More Prosecco consumed in the lovely surroundings and a fab Pizza evening created by Ari (actually not sure of the spelling, sorry). We all tried to guess whether the lovely wee jack russell, Ruby, actually was in pup to a cute stray who happened along at the wrong (right) time! Turns out she was and has had a litter of dear wee pups since I left! Oops. Had a fabulous time in Northern Tuscany and we are trying to work out how we can get a group together to return to explore the haunts Karen has discovered. Many delights on offer including trawling the antique shops for fabrics, taking a photography course with Karen who has been a professional photographer in a past life in the UK, being close to the Cinque Terre and having the advantage of Italian speaking hosts but with a complete understanding of the needs of New Zealand and British travellers.... If anyone is keen, just be in touch!!

David and I returned to the UK via Milan courtesy of Trenitalia and EasyJet and had a hassle-free departure from the relaxing lifestyle in the Med. Sad but hassle-free! Landed at Gatwick so that it was an easy journey south to catch up with friends near Lewes. Good mate from NZ, Dale, was looking after her granddaughter for a few weeks and our paths crossed in Lewes for just 24 hours! We were able to catch up with her and our hosts, the Bradleys (some of you will know Brad, ex Havelock North boy who knows more about what is happening in our town than we do!) for a drink or three and a pub lunch the following day. We actually had time to explore a little of the lovely town of Lewes and meet some of their friends at Breaky Bottom Winery where a very special champenoise style of bubbles is created along with Cassis.  Very nice, and up on the hill is Kiri Te Kanawa's South England retreat!

The sweet Maisie

We made our way north to stay with my cousin in London and took in the Jersey Boys show while there. Sue made us very welcome and we enjoyed a delicious dinner with cousin Murray and joined Sue in her dismay at a family health drama unfolding in the States with their son-in-law before we headed to Bath for the last few days of David's employment with Bath CC. It was very nice to meet up with old friends in Bath again and enjoy more of that beautiful city which feels very like home to us. Flying back to Edinburgh towards the end of August, we were able to spend time with Sarah, Simon and Maisie before we hired a car and headed down to Sheffield via Selkirk and morning tea with Jim and Mary. Always great to spend time with these two local heros and Souters through and through! "It's aye been" is a favourite saying of theirs describing why things don't need to change! We were on our way to the wedding of James Kingwell, son of David's long-suffering hosts over the summer in Bath. He married in the Peak district and we were treated to a great weekend enjoying the local hospitality and a sumptuous wedding breakfast, marquee and all! I had booked a night in a country house hotel in Yorkshire on the way back with dinner and breakfast thrown into the deal. Rowley Manor Hotel was trying very hard to get up there with the best but it had to try a little harder, poor thing. The food was absolutely superb but, oh dear, I wandered around the garden with a glass of wine, just dreaming of how it could be!! The pond had plastic bits and pieces floating in the mucky dregs and blackberry had taken over what was probably the "long herbacious border" at some time in its glorious past. What they needed was a Helpxer for a week or two!!

Saying goodbye to Sarah, Simon and wee Maisie was made easier with the knowledge that they had booked flights to New Zealand for Christmas this year!!  So looking forward to seeing them all again and having another squeeze of that wee sweetie. We are constantly asked if we will be going back to the UK again next year and while we say "Never say Never" we feel ready to enjoy more of what New Zealand has to offer and plan to hunker down next winter and enjoy our cosy home, (maybe!).

Al Settimo Cielo

Seventh Heaven (Al Settimo Cielo) is the name of the house here up a narrow and rutted lane in the woodland.  It is the culmination of a dream for Karen, Jim and Karen's two daughters. 26 year old Emily lives here too in the apartment under the main house, with Zeus her Italian breed, sheep-herding dog. She speaks fluent Italian and also understands the local dialect so is able to act as interpreter and teacher of both English and Italian.Wouldn't it be great to run a week of Italian language, photography and/or heirloom sewing classes with an Interpreter to guide, scouring the antique shops for fabulous fabrics etc?!  Karen and Emily have such talent and the house lends itself perfectly as a venue. My mind is running away!

Today (Saturday) has not been one of the best. Weatherwise, perfect after a night of rain on Thursday to soak the parched earth, but the rooster has gone missing! He was strutting around with his girls this morning and then just wasn't there when Em went to put them away in their house tonight! Maybe a fox? a wolf? or a viper? who knows, just isn't there anymore. Then to cap off a bad day, Zeus got the cheese straws Em had just baked!  They were on one of Karen's beautiful blue China cake stands and that is now in tiny pieces! He is in disgrace having already done similarly with a piece of the Cornish Blue ware earlier in the week. Karen has been in England since last Saturday as her mother has been very ill and is still in hospital. We are looking forward to having Karen back tonight, but in the meantime I have been sewing up a storm, using her beautiful fine linen to create some slip dresses for her to layer with shirts and skirts. What a project- now I really am in Seventh Heaven! I have always said if I could spend my time between gardening and sewing, I would be very happy. And here I am.

Happy too because David is coming over on Monday for 3 days! We will travel by train together from Pisa to here and then again to Milan to fly back to Blighty together on Thursday for the last of my planned break. Seemed just too  good an opportunity to miss and as he is now so practised with a Weedeater...! There are plenty of jobs to do here, the vege garden was my first project and apart from the chickens scratching up most of the potatoes and eating every ripe tomato, it is looking very nice! Note to self, large plots of land need large amounts of work to keep neat! Have tamed 2 wisteria and now they look as though they will romp up the pergola as intended. The first one I attacked a week ago and already it has sprouted some new spurs with flower buds on! Stand back!

On Tuesday I was able to train down to the Cinque Terre and join David's cousin Grant Fickling and his wife, Robyn to walk part of this area between 2 of the villages. I met them as they came off this first stage between Monterosso and Vernazza (2 hours) at 11 am and it was already extremely hot! Mad Dogs  and all that, we started out on the next 2 hour walk at around 1pm. Searing heat and climb, climb, climb. Almost the anniversary of conquering the Ben last year and it took me right back! The trouble with hiking is that unless one goes slowly and remembers to stop and look around, all one sees is the ground in front!  The towns are quaint and the colours of the houses in the 5 towns are stunning. There were thousands of visitors at this time of year as all clever Mediterranean dwellers take their holidays July or August - too hot to work!  Sadly, in my view, the much lauded beach at Monterosso was covered with sun loungers and umbrellas for hire, much like the French Riviera without the sand! Bikinis and bulges en masse. Give me Waimarama any day. The track between the remaining 2 towns was closed for maintenance (looked like slips) so on Wednesday we took the boat and visited them. I have now completed that song, Trains and Boats and Planes that Fickles used to play on his guitar. So good to catch up with them.

For the 2 nights I had booked a hotel in La Spezia, to the south of the last of the 5 towns so I was able to join the local promenade of families enjoying the cooler evenings. It is really nice to see families out together in the evenings with babies and grannies enjoying each others company and not too bothered about sleep times. The children take a nap during the afternoon as is the norm with adults too as most of the shops shut for siesta. Wise people. The market was fair buzzing in the morning as the women were out gathering supplies to cook for the rest of the day.

As I near the end of the Med adventure, I am reflecting. It has been a time I am so fortunate to have spent experiencing so many items on the list!

Thank you, David for accommodating my wishes.

Slipping into Switzerland

I mentioned earlier about Covoiturage being a shared ride service in France and the proposed ride was confirmed from Mulhouse (Moolose if you are French) to Riomaggiore, one of the Cinque Terre towns. On Monday 29th Manon took Le Kevin and me the hour's drive to Mulhouse in intermittent rain, down through the clouds from the mountains. We left behind the "weathervane house" across the valley, never having witnessed the little man or lady (or even a cuckoo) popping out.
Having met  up with Julian, the driver, and his girlfriend, Ying, we were on our way via Basel to collect another passenger. What an interesting drive south down through Switzerland and into Italy. Borders are virtually non existant nowadays in the EU, we only stopped at Swiss Border Patrol for Julian to purchase a sticker that paid for all the tolls on the motorways in Switzerland for an entire year. France is revenue collecting every time one leaves the motorway with toll booths everywhere. Something to remember when planning to drive long distances in France in particular. I think it cost Manon around €80 for our long trip, in tolls alone. However, we had a great trip via many tunnels (one is 17k long!) and some spectacular scenery, mostly viewed through heavy rain until we came down towards Milan. The clouds were black and threatening on both sides and behind us when coming down the valley but before us was clear blue sky. Summer had returned to welcome us to Italy.

Julian and Ying realised that we were very close to my destination of Aulla, just off the highway, and very kindly offered to drop me there at the Stazione where Karen, my next host was to meet me.  This saved me a train fare and I could not have asked for a more competent and courteous driver. Big fan of car sharing!  Great system.  I was able to phone Karen from the call box and she collected me very soon after. The nice young man at the station shop actually gave me 50 Euro cents for the phone! How kind people are! Of course I then felt obliged to buy something from him so I now have an Italian Sudoku book, fortunately numbers are numbers so no language problems there.

Karen drove me to their beautiful new house in the woodland high in the mountains behind the Cinque Terre, to give a reference for those lucky enough to have visited northern Tuscany. They are amazed that so many New Zealanders know about the 5 towns and have visited. Karen is a very talented photographer and she has also collected vintage laces and fabrics to enhance their home. A lovely example is the fine linen embroidered sheets being used as a curtain in my room and elsewhere in the house. I also have my own shower room attached to the bedroom - what a luxury! Lucky me. We have so many common interests we have difficulty actually stopping the chat to get work done! They have even been owned by a Scottie dog!
I shall enjoy the cool breeze lifting the curtain this evening as I forget the 35 degrees we had today to accompany my efforts in harvesting the lavender and shaping the bushes that surround the house. The chickens are safely away, the dogs in their baskets, and the cats outside. All peaceful apart from the band playing in a lower village for some fiesta.
Ciao!

Oh Mon Dieu!

Well that sounds more French than OMG doesnt it? We are now in Liebvillers having completed the cross country trek from La Verrie. The plumber didnt come as promised, the truck was almost bottoming out and we had to leave plenty behind for Manon and Eric to collect on their next visit.But we are here and today is now Saturday!

Let me recoup the last few days! We had Tuesday off! As a special treat, we met up with some cousins and went to a theme park. Not your usual, mes amis, Oh no! This has been given the World's Best title and there is not a Mickey Mouse to be seen. The place is called Puy du Fou and the website www.puydufou.com gives some idea. I dont know how many times I found myself using "Wow!" but it is cerainly spectacular! All historical tableaus even a Colloseum replica which "entertained" with Christians v Romans, chariot races (4 chariots each with 4 horses!) racing around the arena and a poor Christian martyr girl tied to a stake while EIGHT freaking huge lions roamed around her! Everything is done wirh such professionalism and incredible mechanisation of the enormous props (including a full sized Chateau). Enough, I know, but how lucky was I to be treated. We shot home (half an hour to La Verrie) for dinner of delicious crepes and back to the Parc for the equally spectacular night show ON and IN the lake! Fire and fountains, ballet and wonderful classical music. So special, thank you Manon and Eric for such a wonderful and generous treat!

Wednesday was back to old clothes and cleaning cloths as the huge truck was loaded and the trailer also readied for the journey east. We all arrived here in the most beautiful Heidi country by evening on Thursday, met by Manons father (Papi Michel) to drive the last few kilometres. I have been communicating haltingly with my petit peu French but surprisingly I can make myself understood! Today Papi Michel shouted us all to the big bbq in the village community hall (a beautifully restored and renovated barn) with the main event being a sanglier shot by a local hunter. These wild boars do dreadful damage to agricultural enterprises and this one weighed 40 kilos. I had a discussion with the hunter (all in French with much gesticulating!) about how pig hunters get their beast in NZ. They dont use dogs here, they just shoot the pig. So many in the forests apparently and quite delicious too!

Time to explain about the French approach to meals! Today we started with an aperatif (bubbles with Cassis if preferred) and olives and crisps, When we were called "a table" we were served salads eg cucumber, beetroot, carrot, tabouleh, then when we had been plied with plenty of that and wines to accompany, the bbq'd wild pork came out, and kept coming and coming. More salads were added, and pasta and the ever present bread to wipe plates clean between courses. We spent heaps of time imbibing and chatting at the long table and then the green salad appeared with the cheese course! Beautiful rounds of Camembert (cost around $6 only) . More wine (you will be pleased to know, David, that I alternated with Perrier water) and onto what I thought was dessert but it was the melon preceding the gateaux for dessert  proper and coffee to follow and if one had room, beer to top it all off that had been home brewed. We started at 12 and finished at 5.The format of the courses is pretty typical of the meal at home, just not quite as lengthy.
Anyone game to help me host a French lunch back home?And while I think about it, following on from the last posting, French Fries arent even a French invention!

I am lying down now to recover.

Ooh La La

Manon kindly updated the look of the blog for me and you will see that it is now more aptly named BlaBlaBlack. It takes me all my time to get the words down without the fancy stuff but we now have photos added to the old posts too so check that out!
Yesterday a cupboard was opened that I didn't know existed and lo and behold another collection! Le Creuset cookware in all shapes and sizes. Yes, it is used, mostly in winter for slow cooking and yes it is expensive here in France too but wily Eric seeks out garage sales, clever man, and nabs the bargains!
We are eating this elephant efficiently and I am astonished at the networks available to hook into here. There is a thriving System d'Echange Locale which is a Green Dollars scheme and folk have been coming to pack over the past couple of days. It looks also as though I am going to get a ride from Liebvillers to near my next assignment on Monday week via Covoiturage which is a shared ride system. Drivers get ratings from passengers who have travelled with them so is quite transparent and reassuring. I have looked it up and we also do it in NZ! Well, who knew that?! For €44 I get to ride 700km in a red Alpha Romeo with a young man and his girlfriend. They can drop me in Rio Maggiori which is part of the Cinque Terra where I was keen to visit.
For those who know them, David's 42nd cousin, Grant Fickling and Robyn, his wife, are to be in the area of Northern Tuscany at the same time as I am, so I am working on an Italian Family catchup. Smacks a bit of the Sopranos? No violin cases to be seen though.
I get ahead of myself however! Today I frenchplaited Coline's hair and that took me back a bit! It has dawned on me how many "French" references we use. Not just the plaits, but French bread, (which my hosts found very funny as it is just bread here!), French toast, French Provincial furniture (which is ridiculous really as it is just any old furniture which is worn and/or rusty), French blue, and of course the letters? What the.....?!
I also picked the raspberries, gooseberries and mulberries today and made a kind of "fool" for dessert tonight. We are trying to eat the supplies so there is less to pack and transport so it is making for interesting meals. I think Jamie Oliver would be impressed with our inventiveness. Having been given many oversized zucchini we have tried zucchini gazpacho, Ratatouile and tonight the not so popular stuffed alternative,
Enough, enough! Tomorrow the plumber comes early and Eric will want to get on with the last bits of building. Best we all get some sleep!
Bon nuit.

Tres difficile!

Well yesterday has to be one of the most difficult days I have had for a while!

I was taken to the bus stop in plenty of time but the bus from Maureillas to Perpignan was late as everyone is on the road enjoying holidays! I had half an hour up my sleeve to collect my train ticket in Perpignan, however..., (and I should have known there would have been one of those), there were building works at the station so not easy to follow the directions. Very nice young man spoke a little English and was catching the same train so he helped me and we made it with 5 minutes to spare. I had a connection to make en route to Marseille so it was onto the platform and my standard line "Does anyone have any English?" is trotted out. Much easier than trying to figure out the French when in a hurry! So far, with much arm waving and thrusting tickets under people's noses, I have had success and so it was that I arrived safely in Marseille! I had spent some of the journey reading my ebook "Driving over Lemons" (which is about the Alpujarra valley where I had just been in Spain), so the Frog had died and I couldnt remember the name of the hotel I was staying at overnight. Hey, Voila! there was a nifty pedalling arrangement for recharging cell phones etc at the train station. Picture this: a now 63 year old woman with a back pack on, sitting on a bicycle, pedalling furiously while trying to read her Samsung screen which faded when the pedalling slowed. Got a few strange looks but maybe that was more about the red face, yellow and orange hat, pink shirt and grey shorts?

At last I was on the airport shuttle bus which dropped me at Marseille airport just in time to connect with the hotel shuttle! It was one of  those days when the stars thankfully aligned again and I collapsed exhausted into crisp sheets for a great sleep. I have just read my notebook and I have written "This is NOT fun!"  Following morning I was at the Ryanair counter way too early to drop my bag but it felt good to have time on my side for a change!  The view from my window seat on the flight to Nantes was spectacular and I now realise why Marseille roof tiles are so named. Duuh. they are all over the roofs in Marseille! I could even see the Millau bridge, which is an architectural marvel and looked huge even from on high. It cuts the journey  from Paris to the Cote d'azure short, which is a boon for the Parisiens but a thorn in the side of others who live in the "empty centre" of France and feel neglected while all major roads lead out of Paris! I feel as though I have seen a lot of France already and much more to come as we prepare to travel 800 kilometres across the country next Wednesday.

Drama at the airport at Nantes when we landed as we were asked to remain seated while the gendarmes came to "assist" an unhappy passenger. 4 policemen and 3 pompelliers (firemen) later and a good half hour on the tarmac before we disembarked, to find my next Helpx host, Manon and her 2 small children there to greet me. The 50 minute drive down to their town was very pretty and we were greeted by Eric who was plastering the recently renovated kitchen in the house. The bathroom upstairs has just been added and is not yet completed, there is painting to be finished, the close on 300 board games (I kid you not!) need to be packed and there are about a million books of every conceivable genre. In complete sets too! We will eat this elephant one bite at a time and Wednesday will see us on the road to Liebvillers with a loaded truck and trailer.

 A bientot mes Amis

More letters from France

What a pretty town! I have arrived at a very good time here as today is Quatorze Juillet which for those who did not take French at school is the day the Bastille in Paris was stormed and Freedom, Equality and Fraternity was won. Alons enfants de la .....etc ! If you have seen Les  Miserables you will understand (apart from Russell Crowe cant sing!)
However the tricolor is out today and bunting in the square, dancing the Sardane outside the Mayors office topped off with fireworks tonight.

Muriel, my host is a gentle and very kind lady and she has taken me to the market in a nearby town yesterday to do her weekly shopping. We opted not to stay for the Corrida (running of the bulls), way too cruel and of course there is always the possibility that the bulls may run raster than moi? Muriel made me Pain Perdue yesterday which translates as "lost bread" because it uses up the stale bits. We call it French Toast!

 The area is near the French Pyrenees, called North Catalan, and is obviously popular with campers! Campgrounds everywhere and families relaxing together as it is school holidays here. The place is very busy and the fireworks were phenomenal. Brought back memories of the fabulous night in Hanover with H and Cob.

Getting to sleep here is interesting as the windows and shutters are open to keep cool, but the frogs make a hell of a racket all night. I guess they have to entertain themselves somehow as they possibly dont have legs here?

Tomorrow off to Marseille by bus and train ready to fly to Nantes for my next assignment helping a family shift from west to east across France to near the Swiss border. Just need a boat ride to complete the old folk song. Now I wonder if I can wangle a ferry trip somewhere?

Letters from France

Firstly I need to correct the spelling of the Almazara Experimental! Apologies Fernando and colleagues.

I also forgot to put in the last posting that the drinks with friends on the first Friday was not the end of the evening! Oh no! The bar wanted to close at 11pm so we were asked to move on which totally confounded my hosts! Fancy being booted out at only 11?! On our way to the car we heard blues music playing loudly from another bar (called coincidentally Almazara which translates as Oil Press) with a lovely garden and lights in the trees etc etc. Balmy evening so we joined the rest of the expat British community domiciled in Orgiva and enjoyed the music until 1am. The convivial atmosphere is infectious in Spain and it is so good to be a part of family fun until all hours-small children sitting with Grannies and parents all enjoying the same events until all hours. Seems to work for them and the rhythm of life here is sure a powerful beat!

Our journey north was uneventful on Wednesday apart from the unexpected thunder and lightening show and RAIN! We stopped for the night in Valencia where driver Sue Hodlin had booked a room, and cracked on the next morning via Barcelona and the French Border to the town Maureillas las Illes. Interesting seeing the country changing fron dry, rocky, olives, olives everywhere to citrus groves and glimpses of the Med from the motorway. An amazing system the motorway, certainly an efficient method of moving around Europe!

Maureillas is such a pretty town and the house I am being hosted at is a French shade of pink, with boxes of petunias on the balconies. I am painting here to help Muriel who has not been well and is a charming host. Market on Saturday, Fiesta on Sunday and off to Marseille on Tuesday for the flight north to Nante.

Tres bon et bon soir mes amis

Orgiva lovely Orgiva

What a ride! I found my way to Orgiva (google Sierra Navada, Spain) via 2 buses and no Spanish language! Mr Grumpy bus driver was not much help but I got here. Windey road and narrow but as we were going from Granada to Orgiva around the end of the mountains that I guess is to be expected!
The drive from Seville to Granada changed from dry, flattish and olives, olives to more productive looking country with greater variety of crops so was interesting to see. And then.... the mighty Sierra Navada! Still snow in patches and this I have learnt is the reason for the cropping abundance. Extremely hot in Granada again and I just had time to purchase my next ticket from the machine at the Estacion de Autobus (yes Vinnie, cion DOES go on the end of a load of words!) and buy a second pair of cheap shorts and a hat (brought mine all the way from NZ and left it in Edinburgh), before catching the Orgiva bus.
Not one to do things simply, I had elected to not go into Seville centre the last night to top up my phone as I had  a walk in the dark to my lodgings! Smart move, Morag, keeping  yourself safe! See children, I am more streetwise than you thought! So....  no cellphone to phone Bernie and Kay on arrival and no wifi available at bus station or Orgiva. Very luckily for me, on enquiring re any local English speaker I was directed to a gent who turned out to be from Sunderland in England and was as p.....sed as a newt. However he helped with the vaguaries of a Spanish public telephone box and I connected with Bernie who came down in the landrover to rescue me.
This is the Alpujarra valley squished between the Nevada and the Lujar range over which is the Alboran sea! Ha! how many thought it was the Med? I did, but no, there are many other seas and the Med officially starts after the Alboran sea. So failing geography at 15 I have finally learnt something of use! Anyhoo, the reason for the growth here is the Moors apparently and on Las Chimineas land (Kay and Bernies property) there is a system of acequia which are irrigation channels built by the Moors before Queen Isabella turfed them out back to Morocco and made Spain totally Catholic. This cooperative system of watering uses the snow melt for water and boy does it work well!
The Byrnes are very welcoming and my duties have been mostly weeding and planting in the vege garden. We work early 7.30am until breakfast at 10.30 ish then on until lunch which is around 2.30. Lunch is the main meal and we have eaten indoors then as the house is very cool due to the shutters having been closed all day. Breakfast is outdoors under the pergola in the garden and involves fresh fruit or eggs from Kays chickens, maybe home baked bread and delicious olive oil of course. This has been absolutely the best beginning for a Helpx novice with a very fair exchange of labour for keep.
On the first evening Kay and Bernard took me to meet friends for a drink and tapas in a local bar and the most amazingly serendipitous thing happened! I had been very unsure about my transport to the next destination just over the French border. An 18 hour journey by bus, I was told! I was prepared to look at all options when the lady next to me was saying she was driving to the ferry for UK via the south coast of Spain and into France. To make this quick, the unbelievable coincidence was that her route took her almost directly through the town of my next assignment! Unbelievable! as David would say! And, she was going on the same day as I needed to go!And this was the first time she had taken that route, usually goes straight up through Spain So, here I am, lucky old me, delivered right to the door in comfort.
You see, if you throw enough things in the air, they just might come down in the correct order!

Encore Seville

I cant begin to tell you all how well I have been treated here! Fermando of the Almazira Experimental Research facility here in Seville had set up a series of meetings with Directors, researchers and his colleagues to allow me to ask my many questions about the olive industry both here and as it relates to the rest of the world. I have met with researchers in green and black olives (as well as other types of food), recovery of the by products of oil pressing using mechanical methods rather than chemical (very interested in Guillermos work there), the refining process of seed oils and of olive pomace (if you dont want chemicals used in the production of food dont use seed oils, stick with Extra Virgin Olive Oil) I have had 2 sessions of oil tasting, defining the good and bad properties in oil and today Fernando and a  collegue drove me an hour and a half both ways to Cordoba where I had a couple of hours with the head of research into diseases of the olive tree. He also knew about the growing and general cultivation of the tree which was so interesting. A huge privilege and I am reeling with the kindness and generosity in sharing of everyone I have met.
Last evening 9pm, Fernando and  his wife collected me to go for Tapas (real tapas) in the city with some workmates and Miguel, Fernandos brother. We drove theough the narrowest streets imagineable and some of the most beautiful buildings in the centre. Had a fab time and enjoyed life in Seville as a local rather than a tourist. Fernando, Miriam, Maria-jose, Eugenia, Miguel, thank you for sharing a wonderful evening of laughter and good companionship with me! Undia me gustaria devolver el favor!

Off to near Granada tomorrow to meet my first Helpx hosts, Kay and Bernie Byrne for a few days. Up until 1am this morning with half of Seville including children so time for a Siesta.
Adios Amigos.
mx

Seville

I managed to walk to the bus station in the morning and purchased my ticket for noon to Seville. Not much English spoken here and I wasn't prepared for the aloneness that creates! Very weird not having another soul to share feelings with.The bus journey was great, vey comfortable and with air conditioning. I can recommend midday as a good time ro be travelling and therefore out of the heat! Got over my wobbles with the language and as Kj suggested, Charades is the way forward.
Tip for the initiated as well as the greenhorns- dont believe the photos of accommodation in any publication, online or glossy! After braving the not very informative information service at the bus station I took the advice of a local (picture much gesticulating and trying not to shout!) and got in the general direction of my accommodation. This, I will say was booked on the recommendation of trip advisor or some thing similar and was done on price as well as a little experience. University accommodation I have been in before but fhis must be a left over from some military barracks! Never mind, it is clean, has air conditioning and an integral bathroom and is well controlled at the entrance. I will try and post a photo. Pretty basic and as I had yet another bum steer from the bus driver, I had walked for half an hour with my pack etc in the mid afternoon heat (only mad dogs and Englishmen), I was pretty pleased to see any room!

Note to self and everyone, dont arrive in a new place in Spain on a Sunday! And dont do it also on the Sunday before the BIG SALES start on Monday as the shops dont open on Monday until 10! The SIM card and adaptor for the chargers had to wait until evening. Now I am used to instant communications it felt as though I was cut off from the world!

After a false start and  crossed wires, Fernando and I met up and the olive adventure began. Having seen the number of trees, groves and related industries, on the way from Malaga, it is easy to understand why this is the largest producer of EVOO in the world. It is now Tuesday and I have met some very influential people in the olive world. In short, the Almazara Experimental, of the Instituto de la Grasa is producing research and standards in olives, oil, and production innovations for the world. Everyone has been very acommodating of my lack of their language and I have already learnt heaps.

Tomorrow more of the same and a supper with Fernando and his family somewhere that does Tapas. Plenty of tourist food places but will be good to go where the locals go! They dont eat until 9ish so I may snack on my nuts and seeds which have been a staple for me. No wonder the mediterranean diet works! All I feel like doing is drinking water. I actually have ro remember to eat, it is very dehydrating in 40○.

Next chapter soon.
M

Buenos Notias Amigos

It is close on midnight and I am finally in my hotel room in Malaga! Flight was slightly delayed so arrived 8.45pm. I am now 1 hour closer to NZ time for those that need to know and it is nice and warm here at midnight! I was warned about heat.
An expat English couple helped me find a taxi after I had found the right bus from Aeroporto to city and 7 euros later the taxi had me at the hotel safely. Not much English spoken but I got by. First rookie mistake.... leaving my very important diary with contacts on the seat of the taxi! I realised just as he was about to pull out into traffic so very lucky!Too much stuff out of my bag so lesson learnt. Hotel more than adequate and air con so all good. On with the adventure. Tomorrow Seville.

Plugged the gap!

Just to fill in for those who have asked about Helpx.....
On 13th July I am off to near Marseille for 2 nights before flying from there up to the west of France, Nantes to stay with a family and help them prepare for a move right across the country (800k) near the Swiss border and Geneva. That is the fill in job I was hoping for to plug the gap left when I was gazzumped on another placement! A little stressful until last week when things fell into place rather well!
From the East of France I travel to the North of Italy on about 29th July and am hopeful of spending a couple of days helping to put Vernazza back together after their terrible mudslide a while back. I was going to walk the Cinque Terra but this seems a more worthwhile way to spend the time! Actually I think I mentioned that earlier! Oops
Catching up also with David and London cousins then to Bath for a week before Bristol to Edinburgh with David for some Taylor time. Hiring a car to drive down to Sheffield for a wedding early September then heading back to Edinburgh via Yorkshire moors to fly home (where is that again?) on 7th September! Will try to keep this up to date while travelling. Good discipline for me!

The Clachan Yell

Last weekend I had the experience of a lifetime. Planned trip to Aberdeen (I went up by bus Friday morning) to visit Megan Linwood turned into the ultimate Scottish immersion. Megan had just flown in from a week in Copenhagen and quickly got her gear together to drive us out to Strathdon where we caught the end of a Ceilidh. Danced a couple of reels and had a fab time in the tartan clad Lonach Hall. This place is quite a long way from anywhere and is in the Cairngorms National Park. We left the Ceilidh after midnight and headed for Helens home to light a bonfire and see in the dawn at 4am when the rooster crowed and the Curlews started to call! It was the summer solstice we were celebrating and I cant  believe I didnt feel a bit tired. Must have been the Scottish air and possibly the Scotch Mist that was falling most of the time? Helen is an extremely talented sculptor and a wonderful host. We were made very welcome and all bunked into her amazing farm house and studio even more in the Wops than the Strathdon Hall. For those who have visited Edinburgh and been to the top of Leith walk, you will have seen her huge giraffes sculpted from bits of machinery and vehicle parts. Awesome!

We were vey close to the area Davids grandfather grew up in and it felt very special to be in the company of a close community who obviously took care of each other. The real deal! I had a wonderful weekend and it was lovely to catch up with Megan on her Scottish turf.
Back to Edinburgh on Sunday and then Monday I looked after the daughter of a friend of Sarah. 2 x 9 month old wee girls, played together and had similar patterns for their day so went very well all in all. Usual week for us but I leave for Bristol on Thursday before jetting off to Spain on Saturday. Yay!

Here we go again!

OK OK I heard you! Not. I am on Sarah and Simon's laptop and it is much easier to type than on the "mobile devices" so will just carry on.
I have had a cheeky wee wine with Megan Linwood since I posted on 28th May (and I thought it was 29th - just shows you  how confused I am) and am about to go and stay with her in Aberdeen this weekend, 21st 22nd 23rd, so am very much looking forward to that. A ceilidh I believe in a remote place somewhere outside of Aberdeen so am limbering up the singing voice and trying to recall some of the old Scottish tunes Mum used to play on the piano (and which made me cry as a kid, and I am no better now!). Will be fun seeing in the summer solstice up there as it is still light in Edinburgh at 10.45pm and will be even lighter up there, I guess.
Last weekend I had the priviledge of staying with friends in Selkirk in the Borders as it was their Commom Riding which is always held on the first Friday after the second Monday in June! Have a look - search for Selkirk Common Riding and there is a heap about the custom. Enough to say I was awakened at 4.30am on the Friday for the procession ending in the square at 7am (on the dot) with a pipe band and a silver band to follow. Horses leaving then to start the 3 hour riding of the boundaries to ensure no pillaging, reiving and raiding has occured either from other Scots or the English (commony referred to down here as Sassenachs! derogatory term). Also commemorates the return of the solitary surviving Selkirk soldier(my goodness that is a tongue twister) from the battle of Flodden holding his blood soaked flag! The casting of the colours is a magnificent feat - the flags are huge - but I guess you had to be there..... seeing upwards of 380 horses (we lost count) thundering up the gritted streets is spine tingling - only one had to be shot after breaking its leg! After the Casting at midday, we walked to a venue where the Colonials gather (anyone who was a Souter and has now moved overseas) and downed a few bevvies. Some returnn every year just for the Common Riding - from Canada, USA, Oz, NZ and they all do a "turn". Didn't get roped in this year but sang Waltzing Matilda with the aussies. I tried to stay up until midnight (Jim and Mary did!) to go down and observe the "Reel" being danced by kilted bonny lads and their lasses at the Ball, but caved in at 10.45 and slept like a log until 8am.
What a great weekend and the weather was kind this year so all good.
So, that was last weekend. My duties with Maisie have been very pleasurable and I have been here to see her learn so many skills - like blinking at Granny almost on command, sitting on her own, giggling excitedly, shuffling herself forward (in the name of crawling) to reach her goal, clapping her pudgy wee hands and generally just being a happy wee lass. Mind you she doesn't have a lot to complain about, Sarah and Simon are doing a great job with her and I feel priviledged to be entrusted with her care while they are away at work. She did a Personal Best crawl yesterday, from the lounge to the kitchen where I was sewing, (just finished her smocked dress) and she squeaked her way along the floorboards til she could see me. It is quite heartening to have her cry when I disappear from view, she seems to like having me in her sight - very special time, all too soon she will be all grown up and think I know not much at all! (Possibly she will be right?!).
I sit here with the laptop, beside me is the Frog (my Samsung tablet mini which is my new best friend - its green!) and an iphone at the ready!! Surely I have enough technology to keep me in touch when in Europe? I can thoroughly recommend the Tablet (thank you to Geoff Small for his excellent after sales service) as it covers everything I need. I have photos to put on here when I figure out how - the Blue poppies in the Botanics are spectacular and I walk there often with Maisie, sometimes meeting Sarah after school for a coffee. The most special view of the skyline of Edinburgh from there - just wonderful.
Enough already!Watch this space for some exciting (I am a little nervous I admit) adventures in the Med.
M

Tempus Fugit (or something)

Somebody told me it is now 19th June? How on earth did that happen, please?
Well since the last post I have been spending every spare minute on the Frog trying to fill in the gap in my schedule that was left when I was gazzumped on the 2 week stint in Provence! Gutted, however never let that hold the intrepid traveller back. I still have not filled it but I could be in Vernazza helping build rock walls to repair some of the damage done by the mudslide a while ago. All I need is a place to put my head and that is the stumbling block. Will keep you all posted as to my movements.
To date I am flying out of Bristol to Malaga in Spain on Saturday 29th June, spending a night there (as EasyJet gets in at night of course!), next day getting to Seville where I am meeting with Fernando Martinez Roman who has kindly offered to show me around the Olive facility where he works and has aranged over 4 days for me to meet with producers of Oil olives and table olives (for the uninitiated there can be a difference in the varieties grown for both although some can be used for either), as well as with the oil tasting panel. I am very excited about this part of the adventure and have booked cheap (but quite adequate and safe) accommodation in a University Hostel as it is holiday time over here. NB worth looking into if you want clean and reasonable accommodation that is affordable!
So, on 5th July I find my way to the region of Granada which is East and North of Seville to stay with a couple (ex Brits I believe) in their homestay business and help out in the garden or wherever else they require help. I have joined an organisation called Helpx which is a little like Woofing but covers the entire planet (including NZ) and offers a roof and sometimes food in exchange for help. Have a look at the site, hundreds of hosts! From there, on 10th July (interesting way to spend a birthday) I find my way across the border to a spot in France near Perpignan to stay with a French lady who needs help in her house which is needing renovations by the sound of it. Not sure what I will be doing but anything to earn my keep.  Hopefully with my schoolbook French and her not bad English, we will get along OK. After Perpignan I have my gap from 14th to end of July which I was going to spend in a very posh looking Chateau Hotel but that was where I got gazzumped. soooo I am looking for the fill-in right now. From 1st August I go to Italy (if not already there somewhere) to help a lovely chatty photographer ex UK, who has a new home in Tuscany and needs help building garden structures and is excited that I can build a compost for her!! How hard will that be? She has a blog which I am following and if you are interested she is called Karen Hargadon-Feeney and should be relatively easy to search for? Great photos of the area.
Phew, I fly back to Gatwick, England on 15th from Milan and catch a train down to Lewes to stay with friends Wenda and Allan Bradley and also catch up with Dale Dudman who will be there visiting Susan! How weird is that? Dale is walking a half marathon on Isle of Wight on the Sunday following so I hope she will still be up for a glass of something special the Thursday before? I certainly will be!
I can hear Dad saying "vaccinated with a gramaphone needle" so will stop before I lose you all! Next post will be about what I have done since 29th May - there is quite a lot to tell!
5

Good heavens! cant believe it is now 29th May and it would have been our father's birthday today.
All going well here still and I am catching up with family and friends in June so will be a busy month. I am excited to have filled almost all the slots in my itinerary for July and August in Europe and have factored in the Cinque Terra in Italy so another box ticked! Lucky enough to have made contact with another helper so looking forward to meeting up for the walk.
Went down to Leeds with Sarah and Simon last weekend as the Black Caps were playing cricket and David came up from Bath so it was a great opportunity to catch up. Mr sunshine came out and we shed some layers and enjoyed Leeds malls and the street theatre on offer. It was a great weekend apart from the cricket result!

We were greatly saddened to hear that James Watson had died back in NZ. What a lovely man he was, our thoughts are with Pam and the family once again as they cope with their loss. Carpe Diem comes to mind once again as Nana Black used to quote "we never know the day nor the hour", sieze the day and make every one count.

Peep today so will get my singing voice tuned up ready for another session of actions and song wih 20 babies and their mums. Have met some lovely folk here, helps of course if you have a beautiful wee girl as an introduction.

A bientot!
mx

Ok. It looks as though I may have this blog thing sorted at last! Another week is almost past    and we have had an interesting mix of weather! Yesterday while Sarah went out with Maisie, I shot into town to get some bits and bobs for Europe. It was a perfect day, blue skies, hardly a cloud and no wind! Has to be remarked upon! And there was me inside shops most of the day!

There is a learning curve to be negotiated regarding cloth nappies. I thought I knew a lot about them however..... there are infinitely more than I could have imagined and.. there is a group called Nappuccino where one can go to see all the varieties and get advice. Only in a densely populated country like this could that work.

So many groups for mothers and babies to socialise as well, great for the way of life here as one could go all week without passing anyone on the stairs, let alone a familiar face on the street. I have 64 stairs to get down to the ground floor so have become skilled at loading up with shoulder bag, nappy bag and baby on the hip so we can go out. The Phil and Ted stays downstairs at the ready.  Just a matter of remembering everything before I set off! And therein lies a problem... memory!

Ha. Monday 13th now. Forgot to mention Mimis cafe tearoom! Went with Sarah to fabulous place for coffee. All black and white stripes, raspberry pink velvet chairs and sofas, feathers around the lampshades-sumptuous! And the cake was damned good as well.

Now Sunday 12th and we have had a great week with Cobber and Heather staying. They had a wedding to go to in Edinburgh before joining a cruise in Italy. Had a couple of quite nice days so it was good to enjoy some sunshine with them.
It is very cool to see our children doing things their way and making such a good job of it. As a friend said "we had our turn to do things our way, now its the young ones turn". Quite right too.
I am on a learning curve with new ditties and action songs. So many groups here for mums and babies, must be really helpful given the housing is not conducive to intreaction with neighbours.
Sarah had been poorly last week so unable to go to work. Miles better now so back to sole charge tomorrow! Have discovered I am a fair weather Nanny, only want to go out for a walk if it is fine! It is so easy to stay indoors and watch past issues of Judy Dench in "As Time  Goes By". Maisie seems to be happy playing with me and we have a wee game of Blinking going on at the moment. Very cute and she knows she has us captivated!
Will try and add something each week but am still not sure how to get this out to whoever wants to read my ramblings!

Well here I am in the Capital City of Scotland! True to form, mostly windy, wet and cold but daffodils and spring flowers  blooming so the promise of better things to come?
Very excited to have booked my flights to Spain for early July so all good so far. I am very grateful to Gay from Telegraph Hill for putting me in touch with Helpx site. I am following up somising leads there and will keep you in touch with my whereabouts. All new to blogging so please forgive my errors.