During Week 20 of 2024, I mainly stayed around my apartment but got out to meet a few friends in Los Alcazares and went to a market in Torre Pacheco.
Monday, 13th May.
This morning, I woke up around 7 am and still had a bit of a cough but felt more refreshed. At around 10 am, I met my neighbour Liz, and we walked to Buena Vista restaurant for breakfast. I had a small breakfast and a few coffees whilst Liz and I chatted. It was nice to hear Liz say that she had missed my company for a coffee whilst I was away, and after she left, her friend told me the same thing. It is nice to know that I bring a smile to some people's lives.
I went to meet Martin at La Sombre Pizzeria, but he hadn't arrived when I got there, so I popped across the road to see if he was home. As I approached his home, he walked out, and we returned to the La Sombre Pizzeria. We chatted briefly and were joined by Dave before he left, leaving Martin and me with Aria until we all left at about 4 pm.
After leaving Martin and Aria, I continued towards home, but as I went down Rio Nalon, I saw my friend Colin. We stopped at Rocco's bar for a chat and a beer. When the quiz there started, we both left. Colin went home, and I went to La Petit Bistro to see my friend Alan. Alan was calling bingo, and when he had finished, we sat outside with his better half, Jackie. We sat chatting for a few hours before leaving and went home.
When I got home, I ate a sandwich before having an early night.
Tuesday, 14th May.
I woke up around 8 am and got some cereal and a coffee. I began working on my website and adding photos to the NCL Spirit Cruise photo album section.
I went to the Mercadona store on the way to meet Martin, as well as my groceries, I got myself a takeaway burger to eat when I met Martin. After completing my grocery shop, I went along to La Sombre Pizzeria. I ate my burger before joining Martin and getting a beer. Dave joined us, and we all chatted until Arias's bus arrived from school. We talked a bit longer and left to go home around 3 pm.
When I got home, I had a message from Lisa, a link to a carry-on bag for sale on Amazon. My luggage had become very worn, and I have had to throw a lot of it out after my most recent trip, so I ordered the small bag and was pleased when it could be delivered tomorrow.
I watched the Manchester City vs Tottenham football match on TV this evening. Unfortunately, Manchester City won and returned to the top of the Premier League. With only one game left of the season, Manchester City are two points clear of Arsenal. For Arsenal to win the league, they will have to win their last game and hope that West Ham can either draw or beat Manchester City on Sunday.
Wednesday, 15th May.
After getting up at about 8 am, I got a coffee and sat down to work on my computer. I started adding photos to the photo album for my time onboard the NCL Spirit. At 10 am, I walked to Buena Vista restaurant to meet my friend Jim for breakfast.
Jim had some great news and had just completed the sale of his apartment in Los Narejos. We sat talking about the sale of his home, old times and what he would do next. I told Jim about my new trip to Marrakech, and he said he would take me to the airport next week when I return to the UK to see my sister for a few days.
I spent most of the afternoon working on my website, adding photos to the different albums and typing up some of my journal blogs. I waited patiently for my Amazon delivery. A new bag that I can use for my carry on luggage on flights in the future. My friend Lisa suggested I get this one, as my bags are far too big or old and broken. Shortly after my friend Vince messaged me, the bag arrived at about 4 pm. He is visiting from the UK and wanted to meet at La Encarnacion restaurant for a beer.
At about 4:40 pm, I walked along the promenade to meet Vince. As I walked past La Playa bar, I noticed that, once again, it was closed. I was told by friends sitting outside the Alaska bar next door that the people who had taken it over recently had already left and that the people who own the Alaska bar had now got it and were hoping to open soon.
I arrived at La Encarnacion just after 5 pm and Vince was already there and had got me a beer. It was great to see him again as we hadn't seen each other for about 6 months. We sat chatting and catching up with each other's lives until around 7 pm when we left to go home. I cut through the shopping area at the back of La Encarnacion and walked back along the main road to my apartment.
When I got home, I ate something and spent the evening watching TV before bed.
Thursday, 16th May.
I had a reasonably quiet day today. Apart from walking to the shops for some milk, I spent the whole day working on my website photo albums, specifically the ones from when I visited Kauai, Hawaii.
Friday, 17th May.
I woke up early today and had a shower before leaving home and walking to the Estribor restaurant/Cafe next to the town hall in Los Alcazares. The walk was a bit much for me this morning, and I arrived coughing and spluttering, but I was there on time to meet my friends Vince and Jan.
We ordered a tostada and a coffee, but the service was prolonged today. There were hardly any customers and it seemed an age before they served us. Just after we had ordered, my friend Jim walked past, so I called him over and introduced him to Vince, and Jan. Jim joined us, and we sat chatting while we had breakfast. Breakfast finished, Jan left first to walk home and was followed shortly behind by Vince. I paid for mine and Jim´s drinks, and after Jim had been to the bank, he gave me a lift home to save my poor legs.
Because my laptop is a little heavy to carry when I only have the option of hand luggage when I am travelling, I ordered a Google Pixel tablet from Google today. Their cases were a bit expensive so I ordered a case and pen to use with it from Amazon. The tablet would arrive next Monday and the case and pens from Amazon would come tomorrow.
I considered going out for a drink tonight, but because my legs had been so sore early in the day, I stayed home with my feet up and watched the TV until I went to bed.
Saturday, 18th May.
I woke up around 4 am today, showered, got a coffee and then sat at my computer to work on my website. At around 9:20 am, I left my apartment and walked along the promenade to meet my friend Lisa at the Buena Vista restaurant.
We talked briefly and had a coffee before heading off in Lisas´car to Torre Pacheco market. I had never been there before but instantly preferred it over the Los Alcazares market because it is more spaced out, and you don't feel hemmed in by the stalls. We stopped at a small cafe and had a beer, chatted and walked the world go by, before we continued to walk around the market. I hadn't expected to buy anything, but I got some tomatoes and some cherries, whilst Lisa purchased some shoes and lots of vegetables.
When we had finished shopping, we dropped the shopping off in the car before walking to another cafe for a drink. We had one drink and then moved on to another cafe, where we had lunch and continued chatting about our upcoming trip to Marrakech. At about 3 pm, we had finished lunch and Lisa dropped me off at home before going home herself.
I watched TV and cat-napped this evening until I finally went to bed around midnight.
Sunday, 19th May.
I woke late today, just after 9 am. I slept well last night, and I hoped that the jet lag was beginning to wear off. I got myself some cereal for breakfast and sat down at my computer with a coffee.
I worked on my website, adding photos to the Waimea Canyon photo album and editing many of the different category descriptions for the photo albums until the last football match of this season's Premier League came on the TV.
I watched the Arsenal game, and although Arsenal beat Everton 2-1, they could not overtake Manchester City, who beat West Ham 3-1. It had been a close season, but Manchester City finished with 2 points more than Arsenal. I am pleased with Arsenal's overall performance this year. Still, I hope they go out and buy a great centre forward in the transfer period because their failure to score in challenging games over the season cost them the chance to win the league. Purchasing a new defensive midfielder and a winger to help Bukayo Saka out would also help.
When the game finished, I walked to Rio Nalon for a drink. I went into The Celt Bar and had a drink but it was full of very drunk Manchester City fans who were very noisy, understandably celebrating their Premier League win. I finished my drink and moved to sit outside Roccos' bar with a beer. I sat there for a while in the sun, just watching the tourists milling around and going up and down. After finishing my drink, I walked to Harry's sports bar and sat outside with a beer. It was lovely sitting in the sun relaxing, but the noise from one of the other bars with karaoke on was terrible, and when I had finished my drink, I returned to the Celt bar.
Inside, I sat at the bar with my friends Kristen and Paul. We sat chatting for a while and having a drink. Some friendly tourists entered the bar, and a beautiful girl standing beside me immediately started talking and asking me if I wanted a drink. She had recognised my strong East End of London accent and couldn't resist chatting to me. We chatted for quite a while, but as more and more very drunk tourists came in and it got noisier, I left and walked back across the road to Rocco's bar.
Outside Roccos, I saw my friends Mick and Nita, and I sat and had a drink with them before I eventually went home around midnight.