Well I hope we still have some followers who wish to continue hearing about our travels ! For 5 months we have indulged ourselves living in this beautiful town & we have neglected keeping you informed about what a great time we've been having here.

Since last November we have been living aboard in a community of approximately 40 fellow yachties in Yacht Port Cartagena. We have made new friends from Norway, Australia,Canada, Germany, Austria, France, Holland, & even a few Brits ! Even the long term yachties amongst us have said that our community this winter has been exceptional in their experience so haven't we been lucky in our gap year to have been part of that ?

This town is just so great, it has been saved from the ruin suffered by so much of Southern Spain probably because it has only one small beach and was established 2500 yrs ago. You don't see "English Breakfast" advertised anywhere here thank heaven !  In fact we enjoy the traditional Spanish breakfast of Ham toastie cut daily from a whole leg of cured ham which hangs from the ceiling of little Cariad .We even have the proper wooden clamp to carve it in. Food is abundant & cheap here....oranges & tomatoes are often sold at 1 euro per 3 kg & if you should think that Tesco's fish display is good then you should visit our local market hall. The town is surrounded by thousands of acres of produce much of which supplies northern europe & the labour is provided in great part by illegal immigrants .

We have visited Granada (Alhambra), Lorca (major earthquake May 2011), Alicante, Murcia & others. We discovered that a car could be hired by internet from our local airport at 30 euros/week so we had wheels for much of the time in addition to the folding bike we have on board. Events that we have enjoyed here include Epihany (Jan 6th arrival of the 3 kings who bring all the Christmas gifts nb sliced carrots left out overnight for the camels), Chiritoga week in Feb (competing musical groups lampooning politicians, housewives, probably English tourists, whatever !), 28th Feb visit by Prince Felipe to the celebrate 475 years of the Spanish Marines, 15th March visit by Queen Sofia to open the new auditorium right next to us. Maggy (one of us yachties) took on a study project from Cardiff University concerning the events leading to the Spanish Civil War 1936 & was persuaded to give us a most interesting talk . We enjoyed a Flamenco concert conducted in a disused mine in La Union.(extensive local mineworking during the last 2500 yrs). One Sunday in February we held a "Boule" championship within the marina. Not the least of our entertainment has been the BBQ every Wed except just one, starting at 2pm & often going on until the early hours. "Mexican Train" , a domino based game ,has also become very popular at BBQs & we have acquired our own set. Richard has acquired his very own electrically powered BBQ rotisserie (also acknowledged as the Barbie engineer here), also a proper Paella gas ring with 2 sizes of pan. In fact Carole is frantic with worry about what else he might daily load the boat with.

Last wed, HMCS Charlottetown , a modern Canadian battleship, visited port to collect fuel on her way to Toulon, France. Our resident Canadians Wally & Lori were so moved at  waking to the sight of their native flag that they radioed the ship to convey their happiness & were rewarded by an invitation to lunch on board by the captain. Richard (oh what fame !) was requested to contact the ship using Cariad's VHF to advise them of Lori's imminent arrival (she was out shopping when the invite arrived) . They returned replete with souvenir hats, medallions, & a jar of genuine Canadian maple syrup & were on cloud 9 for the rest of the day which was also BBQ day/next day.

We very much enjoyed having visitors from home. Simon & Francois shared Christmas with us together with Marie Jose , then Sue Dawson & Ken Budd (the notorius non stop tea drinker) in January.

Just as we are leaving, Cartagena's famed Easter celebrations are beginning. In fact yesterday morning the first procession began at 4am ( the first in all Spain !).  To quote: "The event is marked by a unique series of processions that bear no resemblance to anything in the rest of Spain." Spectacular floats each carried on wooden yokes by maybe 60 people which are lit, loaded with flowers & have rich golden embroidery. The proceedings are conducted in perfect order often in total silence except for the rhythmic beat of drums.Those taking part are called "Penitents" & are colourfully dressed many wearing tall cone shaped hats with eyeslits. In addition to Holy Week, the events are inspired principally by 2 brotherhoods  who compete to make the events evermore magnificent.

We shall cast off our lines not later than 10am  today expecting that many of our fellow yachties will see us off. We shall be heading NE along the Costas Blanca, del Azahar, Dorada, & Brava  eventually reaching Port St Louis, France, where the River Rhone enters the Med & up which we shall go(plus other rivers/canals) via Paris to reach the English channel at Le Havre &   home port Southampton sometime in August.