Friday Smiles 2022; Week 43

I am a bit late writing this week. It  has been a bit busier than usual and time has flown by. I was in full crafting mode yesterday and completely forgot that I usually spend Thursday afternoon preparing this post for publishing!

Anyway, here is how my week went. At the bottom of our road, with only a slight 'zig-zag', we can drive all the way down to the coast in about 15 minutes. We arrive at the point where Mojacar's long coastline ends and Garrucha begins. Garrucha is a fishing port town and its speciality is Garrucha red prawns. They are sold in most 'top standard' restaurants but they are an expensive treat. Last weekend they had a Red prawn Fair down at the harbour and we decided to pop in for a look. It was easy to spot the huge marquee with it large signage.

Inside it was crowded and very, very noisy. We had a good look round but it was hot in there and soon we had to 'come up for air'.

All round the marque there were stalls selling various tapas, and plates of food plus some other local produce, and the centre was filled with small tables where you could stand and eat your 'tasters'.

We are not actually lovers of sea food though I will eat a few prawns as part of a meal, and I have once had some G.red prawns. But neither of us like them enough to pay the high price, though at the fiesta they were cheaper than they usually are, so we came away with a plate of assorted cold meats, and a bottle of virgin olive oil, from the press at Lubrin, one of the white village on the hills at the back of our village.

I just love this old, much pollarded fig tree I spotted by the path along the harbour. It looks as though it is thinking "Oh no; do I have to do it all again this year!"

And here is Chris posing under it with our spoils.

On Monday we were up with the larks to head for Almeria city for Chris' cataract operation. I had my phone with me as we drove along thinking I might get a nice sunrise photo, but as soon we were on the main road I realised we were driving away from the sunrise so all I got was this reflection of it in the clouds over the mountains....

...and this one through a very dirty-rain stained window, looking across Chris as we rounded a bend!

Happily the operation went smoothly and was successful.

The clinc we went to was in the heart of the city very close to the railway station, and across the road from where we were, was this lovely bridge. It was vast, and built to carry the trains high above the city traffic. 

The above photo is the part where we were, and behind me it curved round and disappeared into the distance.

At the entrance to the underground parking that we used, was the Almeria big wheel. It was put up a few years ago for a fiesta and was a popular feature for the summer tourists so it has become a permanent fixture. There was some fuss because directly behind me is a high rise block of flats and the people on the top floors complained that each time the wheel stopped, the people in the 'car' opposite them could look straight into their rooms. I think the solution was to fit their windows with 'one-way' glass but I am not sure.

The rest of the week has rushed by. On Tuesday we had to go to a clinic in Vera to see the doctor who had operated on Chris, for a quick check-up. He was happy with the result.

On Wednesday I spent several hours chatting to my sister and to two of my sons, (not all together!).

Yesterday was crafting day. With the UK postal system in disarray, I think I need to post my Christmas things extra early this year, so I am trying to get everything ready.

So I just have one more photo that I took yesterday evening. I would caption it 'Tranquility'. It was just - lovely.

And with that I will link up with Annie's Friday Smiles and get this published.