Via Espana

We're back in Southampton where is quite a bit colder than Spain. Southern Spain was gloriously warm for 5 out of the 7 days we were there. The other 2 is was kind of windy and cold, but that was OK as we found stuff to do. It was a very relaxing week and we visited a lot of places and found time for lots of sunbathing as well.

We visited Gibraltar, which is bizarrely British and quite tacky (the town part). The rock is lovely though, with friendly monkeys and an impressive cave system that I didn't want to leave. I could seriously become a cave dweller if they all have cool lighting and play soothing, classic music like this one had, it was really magical with crazy droopy dripping stalactites that looked like melted candle wax and fishes gills.

We also drove a couple of hours north from the coast to visit the Alhambra Palace in Granada. It is more like 4 Palaces, all perched on an impressive hilltop, and I'm so pleased we had the chance to see it. You can see from the photos below that there is a lot to take in, and I'm really glad we went in March when it wasn't too hot.

Aside from those two highlights, we also went out from Calahonda (where we were staying in a friends apartment) to Mijas, a pretty hilltop town, Marbella which is pretty and massively touristy, and Puerto Banus which is quite expensive and not that impressive. Both in Marbella and Puerto Banus it is pricey, but if you go to the smaller, less touristy towns close by it becomes cheaper for drinks and food.

So a good week. And now we're back to the house buying shenanigans here with lots to sort out. I have a lovely tan but I'm sure it is soon to fade.

I am loving the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer at the moment. Just watched the film which made me laugh unintentionally, but the books! The books are cool. I think all romantic girls everywhere can't fail to enjoy them, but boys will probably not, in general. Anyway I've got Nick's sis reading them and we're both loving them and can't put them down. I also read Wetlands by Charlotte Roche the other week, now that was something a bit out of the ordinary. Wouldn't say it was brilliant but it's quite unusual! Quite un-British in attitude.