General Chat

Theresa
Just wondered if you could share the name of the book you are reading about Ireland. My father came from Ireland
Bridget

Tess
I am so pleased that you enjoyed reading aboout Peniscola.
It is a delightful place to live in and one has to remember that generally speaking the spanish have a different life still tothe UK. Family still comes first, and these days educatuion is very important, This sdaly reflects on the number of people who want to keep agriculture as very imprtant.
However It is not unusual to find three generations living in the same house and they all go out together.....In the large cities it is becoming somewhat different.
I can almost find my house on Google but because the Avenue turns and ower house is built down rather than UP, hope that makes sense. what I mean is that the rock was hewn out and the house built rather than the rock being leveled and the house built uo from there. As a result the road is almost level with the roof.
Bridget

PS shall a write about some of the festivals or that rather presumptious?

Wonderful Bridget, I really enjoyed reading about Peniscola. I think that you often find out more about a place when you plan on telling others abot it, and then look up info (on the net, in books etc.) to make sure that you get your facts right. That way sometimes finding new info. or reminding you of things you had forgotten..

One of my nieces, is a Charlton Heston fan, so she will envy you you black and white photos of the making of El Cid - A magnificent movie, co starring the scenery.

Will have to add Peniscola to the list of places/things to Google (or Yahoo).

Tess

Before I write about Christmas I thought that I would post
a little more about the area I normally live in. There are fiestas almost every month so if I start with Christmas I could then add each month to the thread, if anyone is interested that is....do not want to bore anyone.

Peñiscóla is frequently described as a secret Medieval Jewel on the Spanish Mediterranean coast

Peniscola it is located on the Costa Azahar or “Orange-
Blossom” Coast in the region of Baix Maestrat.
It sits in a very privileged setting, surrounded by forests and Mediterranean farmlands. It is an ancient city that was home to the Pope Benedict XIII.

Templar Castle

However way before Pope Benedict Peniscola had always been a strategic town and the crossroads of many Mediterranean civilizations. For example it was home to Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginian and Romans.

The local people still tell us about the legend that Hannibal landed his army on the beach surrounding the rock of Peniscola. He brought elephants to Peniscola and the gliders who were carrying his elephants could only land in very shallow water. The story also tells us that Hannibal directed the landing from the hill overlooking the rock and the entire beach, presumably because he did not trust others to achieve his instruction. some of the local population still refer to it as the “Cerro Hannibal"

In 718 Peniscola was conquered by the Arabs and then reconquered by King don Jaime in the 13th century, who drafted the Carta Puebla which allowed him to give the town to Arnaldo de Cardona and other noblemen.Some time later the town was taken over by the Order of the Templar Knights, who took advantage of its strategic location, and this is when the the knights built the castle over the old Arab citadel.

The Templar castle (declared an Historical and Artistic Complex in 1972), was built in the 13th century and reformed by the Montesa Order and the design and architecture provides a wonderful example of medieval castle with its moats, pontifical rooms, flag hall and the papal basilica where the Pope Luna is buried“

All visitors are encouraged to visit the castle walls, situated on the highest part of the rock:
Portal Fosc (1578);
Portal de Sant Pere or Pope Luna (1414);
the sea museum;
The parochial temple of La Virgen del Socorro (15th century);
The hermitage of Mare de Déu, which is situated near the castle, houses the image of the town’s patron saint. It was built by the governor Don Sancho de Echevarría between 1708 and 1714;
The artillery park, surrounded by palm trees and gardens, which is full of case mates and gunpowder. The castle was built with stonework walls.
The majority of the rooms have barrel arch roofs. The whole of the building was meant to be a serious place and this was started with the build using a very solid and stern construction.
The "Papa Luna" after his transfer to Peñíscola in 1411, converted the castle into pontifical palace and library. The building was declared an "Artistic and Historic Monument" in 1931.

During the War of the Spanish Succession the city favored King Philip V and was consequently graced with the title of "Very Noble, Very Loyal and Very Faithful City". In 1812, during the War of Independence, it was razed to the ground and conquered. In 1890 it stopped being a parade ground and all the structures that served that purpose were torn down. The city developed within the wall enclosure, at the foot of the castle.

It is possible to view the Castle by using " goggle" and many will recognise Peniscola as one of the settings in the epic film 'El Cid’. I am fortunate enough to be given a complete set of original black and white photos of the making of this film and everyone who lived in Peniscola at the time the film was made also appeared in the film!

I hope that you enjoy reading this short description of the place that we chose to live in when we left the UK..
Next chapter will be about Christmas in Peniscola.
Bye for now
Bridget

PS must confess that some of my story came from information on the net and some from my own head! In fact if anyone used to read my early postings on here you may remember my description about looking across the sea very early in the day and the way the Castel was affected by the various colours in the sky.

Bridget

Good afternoon continued ...

It is a wet day here in the West Midlands today, but a little warmer than a couple of days ago.
I have turned one nightstorage heater on, just to take the chill off (as my late ex-mother-in-law would say).
At least I have a roof over my head and food in the cupboard.
Am reading a book about the famine in Ireland at the moment (I have Irish ancestors and my greatgrandmother, Alice was born at the time of the famine) it really does make me count my blessings. I cannot imagine what it would be like to give birth at a time when people around you (and possible family members) were dying of starvation in their thousands.

Bridget, would love to hear about Christmas in Spain.

My father was emphatic that as Catholics, we did not burn a guy (or even make on) on bonfire night (He refused to call it Guy Fawkes Night). However he did buy some fireworks when we were little, which (for safety reasons) he let off in the b\ck garden, while we children stood in the window of the unlit dining room watching the display. I loved the Catherine Wheels.

Good afternoon! Have been having a lazy day today. "Busy doing nothing" as the song says.

Have also been working on my tree. Looking up my paternal grandfather's WW1 Record.
Checked the "man" listed before him (with a very similar name).
This man joined up on his eighteenth birthday. According to the record he was four foot ten and an eighth inches tall. He weighed ninety something pounds.
After three months he was discharged as unfit, not because he was too puny, or underage (as I suspect he may have been) but because he was feebleminded!
Poor little chap, who had to go through three months war service before they found this out! My heart goes out to him - and his family.

good morning
everyone.
Bridget

Good evening everyone.
So Christmas is already in our thoughts and yet we still have Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, and other times to celebrate.!!

Does anyone celebrate the above. That question has just brought a thought I will write something about My memories of Halloween and Guy Fawkes night. Anyone else up to this challenge ???
Mary Whilst I agree that Christmas is different in Spain there are some things about it that I really enjoy. I am pretty sure that i wrote about this when this thread was not very old. does anyone remember this or shall I write my view again??

OH called me last night and it was wonderful to hear from him, we spoke for just over an hour.
He went home by the Ferry from Portsmouth to Bilboa and apparently it was the last ever crossing on this route by PO and they have been doing this trip for 17years...is this because oft he economical situation in UK ?
Then he had a 6 hour drive to get to Peniscola and he said that Jet and Joe knew him straight away and he had not seen them for 11 months..

Enough of my ramblings so good night everyon

Bridget.

Good morning all

Well our weather seems to have cooled down a little - just how I like it really. Still warm enough to have meal on roof terrace in the evening with a pleasant breeze.

Not much happening here - still trying to sort out the backlog of housework after my mom's visit and then our short trip to the South of France to meet up with our friends.

Suppose the next thing will be Christmas and New Year. Must admit that time of the year here in this part of Spain just is not the same as the UK but there again I think you need children around you to bring out the magic of Christmas.

Well must be off take care all

Love Mary xx

Good morning,

Well my visitors have gone home, it was really good to see my friend , and I was pleasantly surprised to see how well she looked after her chemo. She had a good rest while here. Just a pity the weather was unkind!!

We have had the most awful weather, the wind howled for the past week, really bad it was. In fact we didn't venture down to the beach front where the Festival was being held. I was told by a couple of people who had braved the wind that the Festival was not a success, I don't know how the stall holders managed it must have been quite a battle. To-day, however, is quite calm , no wind and it seems as if it will be a lovely day.

If I didn't live in JBay I don't really know where I would like to live - in SA maybe Cape Town - the scenery is really beautiful and there are all the wine routes, restaurants , shows and there are many lovely towns to visit around there. Out of SA England, Ireland and Scotland appeal to me, it would definitely be somewhere cooler!

Take care everyone.


Val.

Good evening everyone as you will see I am running rather late today!

Well another mile stone met with this message as I think it is message/entry number 500! How many times have we thought it was about to finish and then suddenly it takes off again, so I am hoping that will be the same outcome this time.

So what have you all been up to, what is happening where you live, what are your views of the Ed Milliband situation, is he the right person for the job?
We have had strange weather today, first it was damp, then the sun came out later the dark grey clouds covered the sky and then the sun came out and it was very pleasant.
What has it been like where you live? What do you like about the area you live in and what do you dislike, where would you like to live and why??

OK, I agree i have said enough so hope to hear from you all very soon....

Bridget

Hello everyone

Tess, Val, Keith

How pleasing to see that we are still posting on here although we may have strayed from the original format, it is still heart warming to hear from everyone.

well OH finally left for home at around 4.30pm and I was full of tears and he would not let me go the car with him as he was also rather emotional. Now as you are all aware we are not teenagers!!
When we decided to marry some 18 years ago no one thought it would last, as we are as different as chalk and cheese. We had both been married before OH for 18 years and I was married for 23 years, but we knew that it was right and now we are so strong and happy and today i realised that I have had enough of being away from him so after this work contract I will hang up my "nurse" life and spend my time with my wonderful husband who I saw brush tears to one side as he left..

Thank you for being my shoulder people, if i can ever help in any way just say so,

Keith, how is your daughter who had the accident last year?

Good night everyone

Bridget

Tess
Oh yes the Irish lilt certainly came through especially from me, it even surprised me!
Oh leaves early after noon
so will be back on this thread later

Bye for now

Bridget

How heart-warming Bridget! At least with modern technology it is easy to stay in touch.
Your holiday in Norfolk sounds grand.
Did you all sound a lot more Irish after the gathering?
Enjoy the rest of the time with your O.H till he goes away. Plenty of time for going on the net afterwards.

Tess

Hello everyone and thanks for posting messages whilst I have been away. Finally got away on Monday at 2pm and off we went to Norfolk. Our friends are so kind and despite the fact that they are having major improvements done to the house they were so delighted to see us. They have even named one of their bedrooms as "bridgets room'.
We had a relaxing time, and went for a super Chinese meal, one of the best Chinese restaurants we have ever been to and we always have a meal there and on the following evening we went to mutual friends for dinner and met two brothers of the host. Now as the host, his two brothers and oh and I are all either from Ireland or have parents from Ireland you can guess how much "crac went on.
As oh is going back to Spain tomorrow I needed a car and bought one whilst I was away and drove it home yesterday. So a good time had!

I do hope that everyone is well, I am not writing any mor until oh leaves tomorrow just after lunch, already I feel so sad as I know I shall really miss him and feel like crying but he just says that I know he loves me and we will be together again quite soon. I feel like a love sick teenager so please tell me I am normal!!!

Bye for now


Bridget

Hi Val, I will have to check with my bro-in-law, but I believe that the Shell Company took their name from getting fuel from shells in Kilve, West Somerset.
It is very near the village that some of mt ancestors came from.
Visited there lst year and was told about it, but the info just didn't stick properly in my memory.
It is a beautiful part of the world, you can look across to Wales from this part of Somerset.

It seems that a lot of parts of the world are windy at the moment.

My son is trying to find work here. He lives in a country area and it is difficult to find work there, I am keeping my fingers crossed for him.

Tess

The past week has been quite hectic, visitors somehow seem to be labour intensive!! It was lovely to have my friends here just a pity the weather was so awful, the wind howled every single day. They left this morning and the wind is still howling.

We have the Shell Festival on this weekend (not sea shells! Originally it was sponsored by the Shell Co.I believe). - it is organised by the JBay Tourism and the Municipality. Will pop down to-morrow if the weather improves. The stall-holders must be having a difficult
time in this weather.

It is a Public Holiday here to-day - Heritage Day.
.
I hope you enjoy your son's visit Tess.



Val.

Been off line for a few days (again). Son has now sorted out my new computer and got me back on-line so should to okay now.

Trying to catch up with stuff I haven't done on-line over the last few days, so rather busy,

A bit cold and wet here today, we had "tropical downpours" yesterday ++ and later on thunder and lightening.

Tess

Hi rather a mixed weather day today. A little cold. My big sis went to see the pope today, she had to get up just after 4am.
She was very pleased that she went, said that threr was no rain while the pope was there, but it started again after she left.

Re going to the gym. I never thought of myself being competitive but when at the gym also want to improve on my previous time, weight speed etc. I get really stuck in! It is a mixed gym, and free! part of our local Leisure Centre. So there will be little white haired ladies (including me) and strapping young lads, all there at the same time. I quite like it once I have got there.

had a head and shoulder massage on Friday and will be going to a college in the town to have my hair cut on Thursday. It has got rather long (for me) over the summer.



Bridget, only five months to go before you retire. Have you spoken to your boss about having time off in lieu for all the extra time he expects you to work?

Can't they reorganise this meeting?

My son will be coming round later, he will be staying here for a while. It will acquire some adjustment form both of us. I am so used to living on my own. It least now I have got a bathroom and a (downstairs) shower room, so that won't cause any problems.

Tess

Sorry everyone for not writing during the last few days. Life hectic at the moment with OH packing to go home, son going away on holiday, another son coming to stay for a couple of days and then of course ....WORK

I am supposed to be on holiday from last Friday but had to spend all day at work yesterday and have been told I must be there on Monday morning and again be at a meeting on morning and they know that is the last day OH in UK!!!!
I am really looking forward to February 2011!!!

So enough of my frustration
Have a good time everyone

we are going away on Monday evening so if you do noot hear from me please understand that I have not forgotten you all

Bridget