Six Go Back to Spain.......

13th to 19th October

Sunday
We started with the 2:30am alarm and picked up by friendsM&P at 3:30am. Southend Airport and met up with friendsT&F. This is another holiday to friendM's apartment in Riviera del Sol on the Costa del Sol. 

I'll not do a detailed account, let's just say there was a lot of drinking (not me) and eating, men playing pool and very late nights with plenty to laugh about. 

We hired a car this time and friendP did all the driving, so we were out and about every day.......hopefully the photos show what a great time we had.

Cabopino to La Lonja Bar to see Stelvis then across the sand to Andy's Beach Bar for more live music.

Benalmadena marina and cable car

Ronda

There were markets and beaches but I was obviously having too much fun to take photos. And our grand finale evening was also friendT's birthday, so silver service dinner with Soul/Mowtown/Jazz singer and birthday cake dessert with candles and giant sparkler! 

A week goes very fast when you are enjoying wonderful weather and great company. 

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My valentine man......

Valentine's day is also Hubby's birthday and this year it fell on a Wednesday so our usual gang of three couples, who always spend Wednesday nights together, agreed to celebrate our valentine's and Hubby's birthday together.

All dressed up for a special evening at the lovely old Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe.

Starting with a complimentary glass of prosecco blush in the bar.

We made our way into the full dinnig room, where we were the only table of six as all the rest were romantic two's hahaha. Once seated we were greeted by the maitre d', Costas, (who knows friendsM&P and has seen the rest of us a few times) greeted the men with a handshake but for us ladies it was a kiss, a long stemmed red rose and a small box of chocolates!

This was the menu.....

As you can see if we ordered starters and main course we got a sharing dessert for free, so that's what we did. Dessert was two portions but served on one plate between us so each couple huddled together romantically 😉

Quite late and all very full we still decided to continue the evening and ran to our cars in the most dreadful wet and windy weather and drove to a newish bar that the others had tried once before but I'd not been to. It's called Copas on the Felixstowe sea front, and it's very elegant inside.

It even has a free pool table, so the men were happy and didn't miss out on their Wednesday game.

A lovely evening had by all, especially my birthday/valentine boy! 

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Spain Holiday with friends.......

Sunday 24 September started oh so early with the alarm going off at 3:30am. Think I'd had about four hours sleep.
     We were on the road at 4am allowing a bit extra time as the main road to Stansted has had road works over night for months and months....... actually it was all open so we got to the airport early.
     We'd already arranged between us for each couple to go through formalities as we arrived then all meet up in Wetherspoons for breakfast, which was a good idea saving any of us hanging around. Hubby and I weren't the first there as my case was selected for extra security which took another 20mins. We weren't the last either so when six of us were all together we had breakfast.
     After my bacon butty and cuppa we took the long walk to gate 48 and they were already boarding so straight on. Unfortunately the hand luggage quota had been met so four of our bags were put in the hold. Slight delay on the runway then a really easy flight and we were met by the booked taxi at Malaga airport.
     Always so lovely being in bfriendM's apartment and as six close friends we are going to have a great holiday.

The days between were a mixture of relaxed and busy and always quite hot, even the one rainy morning was grey but still hot. We were out every day, either local walking to the beach or supermarket or the fascinating Chinese hardware shop or getting the bus to Fuengorola for the market and a failed attempt to see the castle which was closed, and the market at La Cala.

     Late afternoons were siesta for all but me (makes me feel dreadful sleeping in the day). There was also some use of the pool in the community garden (that was without me too). And there was the afternoon beers and pre-evening drinks (also excluding me,  I'm sounding like a bit of a party pooper!). While they snoozed I read and when they woke it was lots of conversations and laughter. 

     Eating out every evening is delicious as bfriendM's local knowledge takes us to all the best places. On the beach for paella, Argentinean Steakhouse, Mama Nostra's Italian, La Plaza which is a bit classier and this week had a Rod Stewart tribute act who was very good and got us all up dancing.

     The men rounded off most evenings playing pool and made friends with a group from Norway who we saw various times, very friendly and very funny. Meanwhile we sat outside and both girls chatted to Jimmy's and the Asian lady who are regular sellers of bags and novelty items, yes they both bought stuff too. When we made it back to the apartment it was more drink and snacks out on the balcony with bedtime always after 1am, even on the last night when the plan was an early night.....I knew that wasn't going to happen hahaha

Friday 29 September and we are packed up and picked up by the booked taxi at 9am. Very crowded airport was the usual queuing and waiting around and was really busy, but it does the job of getting us from there to here so can't complain. Big goodbyes as we headed off to different car parks, but we'll see each other on our usual Wednesday night out. 

Great fun and great memories, so probably a good point to add photos.......

So now just seven days to unpack and process all the laundry and repack then off to Crete. 

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