Winter Camping at Marjal Costa Blanca

Good morning world. Well what has been going on? Not a lot. I dont know why this year but everything is extremely quiet. Yes us Brits are definately being shown up by the Dutch and the Spanish. I do hope that things change soon!
There seems to be lots of empty pitches and quite a few regulars arent here. Some have health problems etc but I cant beleive that so many people could be ill all at once!
The weather remains very mild and we cant believe that its November. Yes it does get cool quickly on an evening but during the daytime its very pleasant. Its so quiet around here that Im actually looking forward to doing some work! Happy Hour on Thursday was anything but happy and I would hate to go to a depressing hour! Julio sent the entire hour trying to get a karaoke machine to work. Thank god he was unsucesful or there would have been a mass exodus from the bar. What are they trying to do to us?! A nice pleasant singer would have been nice but come on...Karaoke>! They obviously havent heard us sing! I actually left early in time to watch Eastenders-how sad is that?! Is that really me?!
During the day I have resorted to my sewing but others have found good books to read

 Note the eyes closed and that mouth! I thought it was he entrance to the Dartford Tunnel! You take it easy old boy!
Last night I decided to try Longs Bar again in Catral. Wow! Steak for two with all the trimmings and dessert plus a bottle of wine to share 19.95. It wasnt cheap plonk either. It was a nice Rioja. When I said that I was driving they re corked it for me to bring away. Phew! Another crisis avoided! Its under New Management and on a Sunday apparantlay it gets very busy with sunday dinners but they are open until 8 pm. Im not on comission but so far its been great there. Nothing too fancy just plain good British cooking

The Presentation was good which is more than can be said for my photography! Apparantly I had missed some organised entertainment that was on in the bar here but it didnt start until 10pm! Helllooooo where are most of your customers from? Spain or the rest of europe?!  The rest of europe and given that some cant stay awake in the afternoon ,never mind 10pm what a waste! They are just catering for the minority that are only here at a weekend leaving the rest of us europeans who are here all week  to tuck up in bed bored! No dont go there! You know what I meant! Things arent that bad yet! Actaully they nearly were last night when I went to bed whilst Dave watched the bloody Rememberance Parade thing as I really was losing the will to live! 

So  today its off to my favourite market at San Isidro. Yes its scruffy. Yes its disorganised but I love it. I can be equally boring there and buy a weeks fresh veg for about 2 euros! Its a true  Spanish=Moroccan and very little english is spoken. It gets great fun when I try to barter in pigeon spanish which comes out in my own unique language Spanish.french and english. Fes What a  great language- It could catch on who needed Latin?! but who the hell  knows what I will finish up with! 

So all I have to say now is Au luego bye and have a good day! 

Two weeks on..The Return to Marjal Eco Resort

Well I hurtled back to Marjal and I havent stopped! This was supposed to be my relaxation! Oh so other people had other plans....namely my mother!
The day after I arrived back I sold my mothers trailer. I hasten to add that she had wanted to sell it! She had a fifth whhel and was finding the steps difficult. To cut a very long story short we then bought a 38 foot American  trailer, a large caravan to ,ost of us. It did get veryt complicated as nothing we do is straightforward. I sold mums fifth wheel in euros and bought the new one in pounds! Hey two weeks of hard graft and I have a happy mummy  so it was all worth it.

Whilst moving mum of course the weather was red hot but now its all done its cooled down. I think they call it sods law! Hey ho Its certanly still warmer than England/

It was great to see many of my friends again but lots of things have changed here in the few months that I have been away.You go into the local bars and everyone has changed places. Yes all the bar owners seeme to have swapped and has bought someone elses bar! I went into Cafe Uno as I wanted some plain simple cooking. After waiting half an hour on the terrace I gave it up as a bad job. Apparantly that has changed hands. I have tried Longs and the lady I knew in there used to work at Costellos and Village. I must admit that I quite liked it there. Good service and cheap and cheerful food.Me cook? You must be joking. I think I should be a restaurant critic! 

There do seem to be lots of empty spaces at Marjal. Yes they have opened new sections but many of the regulars are missing. Whether Im too early but no one seems to have got their act together yet as the animation/entertainment is just about non existent. One firm favourite ramains though...happy hour! Just dont try the bar meals! Its quite simple to keep most of us Brits happy-cheap booze always works! 

At last I think they have just about sorted out the wifi here. Yes they have put pitch prices up but I dont mind if we get to use all the facilities and wifi! Bliss. No not quite.....

A new dog free zone! Well I did consider it. Once again there are 5 dogs around me and cats. The dogs just yap when they see a cat and the one behind cries! If I want peace and quiet I must go on to E block beside the motorway and in the remains of the storage area! I dont think so but at the moment it s bareable! Time will tell. It made me laugh over Halloween when the Spanish were here. The middle section of the main road they have block paved and put signs up that dogs cant pee or poo. What a good idea. The only problem is that already the Spanish have found a way round it..walk your dog on the road! Can you imagine the mayhem it caused?! Bikes,pedestrians,Kids ,cars,caravans and dogs on long elasticcy leads?! Take your life in your own hands if you want to be in or out the campsite! Ahh well at least they  are trying!

Oh and someone had a go at nicking Daves bike. Daves old mountain bike. I was sitting in my awning at about 0715 one morning and a bloke came up running at the side of my awning towards the bike I shouted at him and he ran off. I was telling my friends to be careful "How do you know that he was spanish?!" Well I cant think of many other people that can swear in Spanish like that! Well at least its increased my vocabulary! All I can say is that if he wanted to nick a bike he should have at least chosen a good one or get himself to Specsavers! 

 Talking of Specsavers there is a god up there after all. I waqs accuesd by Dave of being a cheapskate with my last pair of glasses. Needless to say I wouldnt buy vairiofoculs and lost both pairs on the Tour. Specsasvers in Guardamar is fantastic. I showed him 511 euros! Now who is a cheapskate?! I just cant wait for them to arrive. How am I going to pay for them? An e mail from the Caravan Club......will I inspect 27 sites in Spain and Portugal?! Hmm..let me think?! So a wandering I must go! It will be hard work and a lot of miles and paperwork but its interesting to see the different campsites and the people that you meet along the way so I am looking forward to it. That poor old car! I will have inspected 50 sites by the end of the year,not to mention the ones that I have visited on my own or on Tours. How lucky am I?! My car is just one year old but I darent press the trip meter thing to see how many miles Ive done! Ignorance is bliss-just keep on tugging! Well they were daft enough to give me a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty!
So today thre sun is out but it looks to have a cool wind. Theres only one thing for it.. a mucky job but soemtimes a girl has just got to do it.....market here I come. Not for anything exciting for fabric for repairs for people. Hey ho Its hould keep me out of mischiefn or at least help!
Whatever you are doing have a nice day now!