MY NEW CAMERA :O)

My new camera is winging its way from the UK - Chosen a Fuji FinePix HS EXR Bridge camera. I'll have a ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOM lens soon  with lots of wonderful new photos to share with you. Planning to walk to the top of the 'Rock' just as soon as this cold disappears and the new camera arrives - hope that happens on the same day. The views from the top are stunning and I am not leaving Gibraltar till I've got them.

Positive thinking wins the Day :O)

Have a cold *sniff*. So do I lie back and feel sorry for myself?  Tested my little cooker again by making scones this afternoon. A couple of guys on a Yachtmaster course came by and commented on the lovely smells coming from our galley - they agreed to test the first scones out of the oven which were eaten and seconds accepted as well so I guess they passed the taste test :O)

Was feeling a smidge sorry for myself earlier but then I came upon this quote: 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

Oh Dear! What can the matter be?

This is going to sound really dodgy. Yesterday, caught short, dashed into public toilet, camera on wrist. Quick pee, turned to flush and camera slipped off wrist into public toilet bowl. What to do? Some of you may be aware of my aversion to toilets, loo brushes et al. Well it's my camera down there waterlogged, my Blog faithful, been round the world with me and makes me look like a half decent photographer ( all credit to my EX- FujiFinepix Digital). So holding my breathe, steeling myself, plunged my right hand down into the dodgy depths but the damn thing was wedged in there. My friend Lin was in next cubicle and could hear me shouting expletives! After a few wriggles unwedged the camera but the damage was done :O(
I left the cubicle with this 'thing' dangling as far from myself as possible; threw it under the tap and friend says: 'Put soap on it then under the drier'. In desperation I followed orders but you can see this is going only in one direction can't you?  Soaped my hands as if scrubbing up for surgery - my stomach flipping - trying NOT to remember I had my hand down a public toilet bowl... Well the long and short of it is, I'm now researching a bridge camera in earnest and until that is done and I've purchased said camera my Blog is going to be 'pictureless'. Yesterday we took Lin and Rob Briggs to the top of the Rock ( our first trip up there as well) fabulous views - no camera :O(    Sorry!

Looking down to the Marina

 

Here we are only halfway up the Rock of Gibraltar - looking forward to the views from the top next week. That's one end of the runway, the western approach. In the foreground our Marina - Ocean Village - we're on the middle pontoon. In the background the Bay of Algeceiras and Le Lenia.

Looking down on Queensway and the Dock beyond.

A sight for sore eyes.

After slipping and sliding up a shale path, a back road.

A closer view of our Marina from halfway up the Rock :O)

 

 

Heading up the Rock

Just behind Main Street Gibraltar are alleyways leading to steps.

 

Many lead to tenements with only one way in and out, sometimes through arches...

Sometimes across balconies littered with drying laundry, satellite dishes, cats, dogs, food bowls and fag packets...

Some more salubrious than others.

Man U fans dedicated this little street to the man...

And painted the steps...

That lead to the Monkeys - NOT apes. They are the only monkeys in Europe not in captivity.

This adult munching on flowers growing on the cliff face...

This little dude just having fun. That's Le Lenia (Espana) in the background.

Provisioning!

The Marina provide trollies!

 

Vegetable stall today at Le Lenia market.

 

We bought a kilo of garlic - it's compulsory in our diet.

Senora snoozing in the sun.

Then back to our boat - this is the view from our stern this afternoon.

 

Le Lenia (Spain) Sunday 3rd February 2012

On the Playa de Levante Le Lenia this was perhaps the only seaworthy boat on the beach. There were about twenty beached fishing boats, mostly dilapidated. These little boats were meant for local fishing. The top of the beach was littered with empty beer bottles and coke cans. I walked the shore line coming back and found some beautiful shells, so some things still  living in the water. It is sad to think that boats are rotting and families suffering because the Mediterranean has been overfished.  We walked further down the beach to the old town area called Atunara.   You can see the blue of the sky, the temperature was 18 degrees with an onshore breeze.  A lot of laundry flapping on lines slung across the front of houses.  Altunara is poor, not a place to wander around at night time. We felt like the ‘Cabaret’ for the locals in one particular street. We were watched by the ladies hanging their washing, groups of young lads hanging onto scooters, smoking, trying to look ‘tough’ and their older siblings with motorbikes who did look as if they might menace a lone male. We felt like trespassers. An old lady with sea green eyes stared at me and responded to my smile - eventually.  This street reminded me of Langurtho Road in the 60’s – strangers are not expected to walk down certain streets, and if you do you are a curious, suspicious creature :O)  Particularly to the males, the self appointed guardians!

 And just feet from the sea, Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Carmen. It's closeness to the sea reminding me of the Church 'down West' in Cornwall at Gunwalloe - both in the main,  provide solace and prayers for   fishermen and their families. This building used to be used to salt the fish catch. And below a picture from Atunara beach looking back to the Rock of Gibralatar.

 

 

 

Here's one to add to the 'weird' festivals list!

http://sunnysunnyspain.com/Information/Articles/tabid/2910/post/festival-of-dead-rats/Default.aspx