Hola!

The Madrid Botanical Gardens
Retiro Park
Rowing our way around the lake in Retiro Park
Spanish flag next to Christopher Columbus in one of the main squares
Our local tapas bar
Me with the Spanish waiter who insisted we got a photo of him
Patriotic football fans
The famous bull ring
Before the crowd had arrived...
Red cape means the kill is about to happen...
Other matador's anxiously watching...
Check out my new sunglasses!
No explanation needed...


So impressed with Madrid. Such a vibrant city with authentic Spanish food and drink everywhere, friendly Spanish people and hot, hot summer days! The best thing was probably the lack of tacky touristy ornaments from China... perhaps that's because it's not a coastal city?

Madrid is full of beautiful parks, art museums, markets and tapas bars. I think our low temperature for the time we were there was 33 degrees, and the high, 40 degrees! My pasty white skin didn't know what was going on :-)

On our last evening we went to a bull fight at the most prestigious bull ring in the world - Las Ventas. Apparently when you make it here as a matador, you have made it! Anyway, I'm still not sure if this was a good thing or not... definitely not something I'd recommend to someone with a light stomach... pretty grose, but I guess I've seen the Spanish tradition and now know what it's all about... 6 bulls later, we have chosen these photos selectively to accommodate for the under 18's. hehe

Royal Ascot

Umm champagne, champagne, and more champagne

Don't go to the races expecting to come out richer than you went in.... I learned that pretty quickly after putting £20 on one race and losing it. hehehe. Grandad Lou may not be so proud...

Nice day out with the English drinking Pimms and champas!

Rambling down South Downs Way

The cute village of Alfriston (where we stayed)
The beginning of our two-day journey. Looking at the map already says it all.....
We were walking through fields of cows, sheep and horses...
After our picnic lunch, looking over Seven Sisters Cliffs
Oh yeah baby!
Seven Sisters Cliffs
One of our pub stops :-)
Simon's favorite lighthouse
Corn fields
Our very traditional English bedroom at the farm
Our farm in Alfriston where we stayed
Following like sheep...
We caught the train down south to Berwick on Saturday morning where the people we were staying with picked us up and drove us to Alfriston. We walked over 25km on the first day through the fields, over the hills (small ones), around the cliffs and amongst some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. We made it to Eastbourne in the late afternoon and caught the train back to Berwick. Went for dinner at local pub, only to find a kiwi serving us! Then missioned our way back to Alfriston through more corn fields and shrubs in a desperate rush before the sun went down.

Sunday was packed with lots more walking, but this time in paddocks with sheep and bigger hills overlooking Lewes and Firle. Made our way to the bottom for another pub lunch with the locals and then onto Lewes to catch the train back to London.

Never knew I had so many muscles in my legs, but I surely knew about them on Monday morning. Such a lovely way to see the English countryside, and we were absolutely blessed with the weather. Enjoy the photos!

Biggin Hill Airshow

Checkout the ladies on top of these planes! For real!


If only a photo could show how fast this one was going...


Our ten that kept us warm in the English Summer

The lovely couple :)


A great day had by all at Biggin Hill Airhow! Luckily we never saw the rain... I don't think I chose the right dress this year Eunice as I never managed to get into the pilot's seat, only allowed to stand outside for a photo.

Bring on Farnborough!