Granada and Alhambra – the jewel of Andalusia!

Posted on March 29, 2023 by admin

Alhambra in Granada is an absolute must visit. It is highlight of this region. You will find yourself in awe at every turn and taking a ridiculous number of photos. It is crowded with tourists all year so pre-book your tickets. Take your time through Alhambra. Try to feel the serenity and beauty of the place despite the crowds.

The artwork at Alhambra is very ornate and intricate. As a result, the staff policing the Alhambra are quite overzealous. They spend their day telling off tourists to carry their backpacks on their front. This is to prevent dopey tourists with no spatial awareness from inadvertently damaging the artwork with their backpack. The staff at Alhambra was also quite unsympathetic as they repeatedly told a mother carrying a baby that she had to carry her backpack on her front. How was she supposed to carry both baby and bag on the front of her body?

The Alhambra insist that people bring their passports for entry. It’s quite ridiculous but there is no way around it as you have to present your passport numerous times throughout a single visit.

As Granada draws large numbers of tourists due to the Alhambra, the city bustles with lots of souvenir shops and tourist restaurants.

Alhambra – these reflective water bodies add a serene feel to the space

Palace of Charles V – built on the grounds of Alhambra but in a totally different style

Ronda – best view in Andalusia

Posted on March 28, 2023 by admin

When in the south of Spain, Ronda is a worthwhile day trip destination. It’s small enough that it is perfect for a day trip but the views are so outstanding and breathtaking that it’s worth making the effort to see it. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Puente Nuevo – ‘New Bridge’ that was actually built in the 1700s

Arab Baths Archaeological Site – 13th century bathhouse with a system of underfloor heating!

Climbing the Rock of Gibraltar

Posted on March 28, 2023 by admin

Very shortly after arriving in Seville, we headed by bus straight out to Algeciras. Algeciras is not a touristy town but we used it as a base for a day trip to Gibraltar. The accommodation in Algeciras or even the neighboring Spanish border town, La Línea de la Concepción is significantly cheaper than staying in Algeciras. It was a quick 40 minute bus ride from Algeciras to La Linea and the bus runs every 30 minutes. Once in La Linea it is a short walk to border control to pass through into Gibraltar. Suddenly, we were off Spanish soil and onto UK territory. Bizarre!!

Before crossing into Gibraltar, it is impossible to miss the Rock of Gibraltar that looms large on the landscape!

The border control was pretty minimal with many people who work in Gibraltar but live in Spain making the crossing everyday. Lots of people drive or walk in but plenty of people cycle or e-scooter into Gibraltar. To get into Gibraltar, everyone needs to cross an airplane runway. It seems that there are only about 7 planes a day.

Crossing an airplane runway to get into Gibraltar. The city on the far side of the picture is La Linea De La Conception i.e. Spain. (On the right of the photo is the rear end of the infamous Barbary macaque monkey.)

Once in Gibraltar, it is a short walk to the main street. This is a very long pedestrianized UK style high street. It is crowded with people but most seem very old and English. There are plenty of mobility aids or gophers being used on this street. The many shops are bright and well stocked with many items on sale. Shopping is clearly the big thing to do when coming to Gibraltar as they do not charge Value Added Tax (VAT) like the rest of the UK. It would seem that the vast majority of people visiting Gibraltar are to be found on this main street!

Main pedestrianized street in the town center of Gibraltar

Wander into a restaurant however, and you will find that the staff is Spanish speaking and there is plenty of Spanish food to be found. Gibraltar is very built up with many apartment buildings and infrastructure. It seems much bigger than the official population count of about 30,000 residents. Thousands of people must live on the Spanish side and cross over every day into Gibraltar for work.

Considering how the Rock of Gibraltar dominates the landscape of this tiny peninsula, it was important to get a closer look. The options for getting up the Rock include hiring a taxi, getting the cable car or by walking up via the Mediterranean steps

A queue of white taxis near the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. They are bottlenecked at this location because macaque monkeys are fed with vegetable scraps here and therefore congregate. The tourists seem enamored with these unpredictable, entitled, wild monkeys. The monkey are major tourist drawcard in Gibraltar!

Most people catch the cable car to the top. A tiny minority choose to hike up via the Mediterranean steps. We saw very few people on the trail during the hike and the signage for the trail was often confusing and woeful. It’s sad when signage which is such a simple, easily rectifiable thing is done badly.

Climbing the rock was an effort. It took just over an hour to get to the top and it was steep in places. This climb, combined with a walk around town and walking to and from La Linea for the bus resulted in a massive day of about 30,000 steps! My thighs were sore for a few days afterwards as well. This should not put you off though. The climb up the Rock was worth it for the stunning views. You could even see Africa!

Jews’ Gate Cemetery – passed on the way up the Rock

A spectacular flower on the trail – Scilla Peruviana

The Rock of Gibraltar – views from up high

The amount of shipping traffic that traffics this region is massive!

Modern Malaga

Posted on March 28, 2023 by admin

After the smaller towns and cities of Algeciras, Gibraltar and Ronda, it was a shock to arrive in Malaga. The train station is set in amongst a large modern shopping mall area. It was Friday night and the vibe of the city was buzzy and dynamic!! It is a strangely windy city, probably due to it’s coastal location. There are lots of affluent, built up shopping areas, big avenues and apartments. The beaches are nice but nothing compared to Australian beaches. The historical old town is a labyrinth of roads. This is a city with many facets.

Mercado Central de Atarazanas – seafood dominates the diet of the population in these parts

Mercado Central de Atarazanas – bacalao or salted cod is a common ingredient

Canary Wharf – A glimpse into a parallel universe!

Posted on January 26, 2023 by admin

What would London be like if development was allowed to proceed without planning restrictions for old buildings? Large areas of London are protected against development because of population density limits, restrictions on views and of course preservation of old buildings. This preserves the historic buildings and neighbourhoods but has the side effect of limiting growth. It keeps the city more low-rise and gives parts of London a grimy, run-down, aged feel. Some areas are charming and historic, other parts, look like they need a good scrub and a facelift (and before London cleaned up it’s act, it used to be a lot dirtier!). Prince Charles successfully advocated for many years that no other buildings could exceed the height of St Paul’s cathedral – which meant some of the most valuable commercial real estate in the UK (the city of London – sometimes called the square mile) could only be built to an amazingly low density. Going to the Docklands area of Canary Wharf is an insight into what London might look like if large scale development was possible.

The Docklands area was once a thriving area by the Thames River for port activities, merchants, industry, warehousing and engineering. Due to the criticality of this area for London, it was the target of severe bombing during the second World War. After the war, it struggled to rebuild as the area was not suitable for larger modern container ships. In the 90s, after a lot of feet-dragging by the government, the area was finally transformed and re-emerged as an area for business. Large corporations (particularly banks) established their offices there. Tall office and residential buildings sprung up and this area become a posh, gentrified part of town.

Now, Canary Wharf is a modern, skyscraper filled central business district of shiny glass and steel. People live in the residential buildings in modern new-build, albeit expensive, apartments. The modernity of Canary Wharf is a massive contrast to other areas of London, so much so that it has something of the feel of an American city about it. Canary Wharf is also trying to become an entertainment and dining precinct. Many famous restaurant franchises have already opened a branch in this area. It’s also very well connected with a number of different commuter trains lines running through it including the recently completed (but wholy un-originally named) Elizabeth Line.

We recently visited the Canary Wharf areas to see their free Winter Lights event. Interesting and artistic light displays were set-up in a circuit around the main area. This free event has been very well attended and there were crowds of people walking from one exhibit to another. This free, public event is quite a smart tactic to draw people into a predominantly business district after dark – in the freezing cold depths of winter. Many of these people will duck into the warmth of a restaurant or shop at some point during their Winter Lights walk. Others may be drawn to Canary Wharf for the first time by this event and be struck by the modernity, the entertainment, the restaurants and other amenities available!

London’s Chinese New Year Parade

Posted on January 24, 2023 by admin

Every year in recent history until Covid struck, there was a parade through the streets of London to celebrate Chinese New Year. This is such an entrenched tradition that all manner of tourist websites etc. were touting this parade despite the fact that the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA) had not confirmed the date and time of the parade for 2023. They finally did confirm, only 2 days before the parade. As it was my first time to this parade, and I found it disappointingly short when compared to the London New Year’s Parade, it is not clear if this is normal or a substandard parade. Perhaps, it was smaller this year due to poor organisation. Perhaps it was small because the parade was held on the first day of Chinese New Year and many of the more professional lion dance troupes were booked up doing blessings of business and restaurants. Nevertheless, the parade was well attended by the public, colourful and diverse. There were also events held in Trafalgar square and Chinatown was absolutely filled to the brim with people with queues out of every open business!

With lots of families both participating and attending, the noisy clanging of cymbals and drums to scare away all the evil spirits and lots of traditionally lucky red and gold everywhere, 2023 is shaping up to be a great year! Happy New Year to all. Wishing you and your loved ones lots of good health, good luck and prosperity!!

London New Year’s Day Parade

Posted on January 3, 2023 by admin

Sometimes, it is the unexpected discoveries that turn out to be the best. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to attend this parade. A hint to the size of it came when the bus route terminated early and we were all asked to walk. Some of the streets in the centre of London were blocked off and fenced in readiness for the parade. The parade started at noon and finished 2.5 hours later. There were hundreds of participants. Aside from the awesomeness of the parade, is the massive logistical exercise of organising this magnificent event! The organisers did a great job!

The parade was dominated by Americans, marching bands, flag/baton twirlers, cheerleaders etc. The grandstand was populated mostly by very proud American families that have made the trip to loudly cheer on their teens marching. So many American schools, from all corners of the country were represented. Each of these school groups would easily average a hundred teenage, high school students. Unlike the polished stereotype of teenagers in American movies, these were real kids, young looking, bare faced, pimply and often concentrating on their dance steps or counting under their breath so they could play their instruments at the right moment.

Despite their youth, all the American cohorts were a slick bunch. Amazing uniforms, instruments, perfect, well-rehearsed music pieces and choreography! They must have worked very diligently to prepare for this moment. I can only imagine that for many of these kids, this trip to London is a trip of lifetime. It cannot be cheap. One can only imagine the fundraising that would have happened behind the scenes to support this. What an experience for these young people to march down the centre of London with all it’s historic buildings and to play for thousands of people and then to spend a few days visiting London! Memories of a lifetime for these kids!

In addition to the large number of American bands, was a brass band that have come all the way from Congo and a bagpipe group called, Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band. This bagpipe group was in full Scottish kilts and regalia but was incongruously populated entirely of people of South Asian heritage. They were amazing!!

There was a float competition held between the various boroughs. The boroughs that attended made great effort with various themes being reflected such as love for the environment, science, Kodak and multicultural diversity. The responsibility of judging the best borough float came down to one lone American man who probably did not expect the responsibility he would be given when he put his hand up to judge the display.

Other highlights include the highly energetic bhangra dancers, ladies dancing samba in impossibly high heels and stunningly, beautiful costumes, the South American groups in colourful traditional costumes and dance, the horses and ponies marching, the motorcycle stunt group and the vehicle displays e.g. Mini Mokes, Aston Martins etc. Of particular note is the diversity of heritage, ages and shapes of the participants. This was a wonderfully inclusive parade with the common thread of joy running through all participants.

South American Costume – a slightly terrifying costume. It would be interesting to understand the history and context behind such a costume.

Samba Drummers – all in synch, filling the air with an infectious rhythm.

South American Dancers – amazing costumes with noise makers attached to each boot to highlight each dance step they made!

London Pearly Kings and Queens Society – a charity group

Giant Skeleton Dancing – a rhythmic sight from one of the Boroughs!

Samba Dancer – dancing samba along the entire parade in very high heels and not much clothing in 8C weather! These ladies were stunning!

All the Queens Horses – beautiful horses and ponies!

The parade is an absolute must-do and it’s totally free! The whole parade had a wonderful community vibe. It’s such a heartwarming, happy spectacle and I will be definitely be attending again next year (and dragging everyone I know along with me)!

Christmas in the United Kingdom

Posted on December 29, 2022 by admin

Often when one speaks to a person from the UK who has been transplanted to another country, they will reminisce about how nice Christmas is “back home”. When asked why, the best they can articulate is that Christmas is a bright spot in a dark winter. This sounds utterly depressing coming from many sunny, summer Aussie Christmases. I was therefore keen to see what the fuss is about!

Christmas in the UK is like Christmas on steroids! There are a LOT of decorations and lights up. All the main shopping streets and fancy shops like Harrods, Fortnum and Masons and Selfridges compete with their Christmas light and window displays. These draw the crowds. Walking around in the evening in prime locations whether on the streets or in these major shops is a desperately slow affair as you have to constantly negotiate the throngs of people. The window displays in particular are really special, interesting and well thought out. Lots of restaurants and businesses will decorate both the interior as well as the exterior, usually with an arch of foliage, flowers and decorations over the entrance. It is all a lot of effort!

There are many Christmas markets dotted around London in the Christmas period. Some of the smaller markets will have crafty, small business type stalls whilst the big Christmas markets e.g. London Bridge, Leicester Square etc. will have what looks to be franchised type stalls selling the same commercialized items at every market e.g. Christmas baubles. In every Christmas markets, you can be assured to get mulled wine, churros, bratwurst in a bun, hot chocolate and the other usual suspects. So although the markets are pretty and well decorated, they can get a little repetitive if they are selling the same kinds of over-commercialized junky things. It was all still a sight to see and added a lot to the festive feel around town.

It seems like many households decorate a real tree. Real Christmas trees (instead of plastic trees) are sold in lots of places and it was not uncommon throughout December to see someone lugging home a huge tree on their backs.

Onwards to the highlight of Christmas, the main Christmas meal! For most families, the usual suspects will be on the table. Roast gammon or ham, roast turkey or chicken, brussel sprouts, roasted potatoes, “snips” (parsnips), swedes, carrots, bread sauce and gravy. A nut roast is a delicious addition to reduce meat consumption. Most of the vegetables will be coated in duck fat for extra deliciousness! The UK classic of “Pigs in Blanket” will also be lurking about during Christmas time. These are tiny sausages wrapped in streaky bacon and are delicious. The Scottish refer to these as “Kilted Soldiers”. A variation is “Devils on Horseback” which are prunes wrapped in streaky bacon. Also very fatty, salty, sweet and delicious! For dessert, the Christmas pudding is brought out after being doused with alcohol and set alight. It is usually served with brandy butter, a strange whipped “sauce” of butter, icing sugar and brandy.

Strangely, the famous UK roast accompaniment of Yorkshire Puddings are not part of the Christmas meal despite the meal being very roast-like.

Following somewhat in the Christmas theme is mention kindness. In our time in the UK, we have found everyone to be warm, welcoming and kind. Worthy of mention are the medical staff working for the NHS. There are constant reports of the system being in disarray and staff being overworked and burnt out. In my experience, whilst the systems and processes could be improved, every single individual I dealt with within the system was kind, professional, competent and did their best for me. This covers doctors, nurses and general staff.

The Royal London Hospital is a maze and as I was negotiating the various turns and signage to get some blood tests done, the signs stopped. I stopped too, looking around confused, clutching my blood test request stickers. I didn’t even have to ask when a kindly staff member just told me where I needed to go as if he read my mind. I wonder how many times he has done that and they really need an extra sign in that spot! Unfortunately, the blood test signage led you straight into the area where the samples are being taken without directing you first to the required sign-in station. The nurse there re-directed me to the sign-in area. I suspect she has to give the same redirection to almost every new patient. Despite how annoying that must be, she was patient as it was quite a complicated route to find the sign-in area. At the sign-in area, there was someone to assist people with the sign-in touch screen and various directions. Her job must be incredibly repetitive but nevertheless, she did it with patience and good cheer. Potentially, there could be some small improvement in the signage but to be honest, considering how maze-like the place is, confused people are unavoidable.

This is not saying that the system is perfect because it is far from perfect. For example, the wait for medications at the hospital pharmacy was at least an hour. Waiting was not an issue for some but I felt for the mother of the young disabled toddler. An hour was just too long to wait. They would return the next day for their medications but with a disabled toddler in tow, this was no small ask. However, considering the sheer volume of people that they service, I suspect that the pharmacists behind the counter rarely get moment to sit or eat during their shift. The NHS has it’s problems but despite all the many frustrations that these problems cause, the individuals working within the system still work everyday maintaining, as best they can, a good level of service, kindness and professionalism. It is to be applauded.

For those wishing for a white Christmas in London this year, it was not to be. The snow came a week or so before Christmas. It was quite a lot of snow and it lasted for a few days. It was really rare and magical! You can hardly believe these photos are of London!