To Asturias to try and escape the heat, political turmoil in the UK and in Spain, bathing in Poó Beach, meeting up with Kathy and Phil, double earthquake in Venezuela and Olivia has been sent there, visiting Comillas, and other stories of the week.

El Cuetu de Meré, (Llanes) Asturias, Sunday 28th June, 2026

With Kathy and Phil on  Monday in San Vicente de la Barquera, a pretty coastal town in Cantabria

 

Hi everyone from El Cuetu in Asturias on our last morning here. My father always said "all good things come to an end" and he was right.

We came here last Sunday to try and escape the heat of Madrid but that turned out to be only partial. OMG how hot it has been in Spain this week including the north coast which is usually so much cooler. In Spain we are used to extreme heat but not so early in the summer. It seems to me that it gets hotter every year. In the UK they are also having a heatwave which is unusual. When I lived in the UK I well remember the famous heatwave of all time, the one of 1976.  It lasted on and off from June to August and was the hottest I had ever known it. At home we spent a lot of time in the garden sunbathing and cooling down using a hose pipe. I must dig out photos of that period.  On the bright side here this has meant we were able to bathe in the sea for 3 days running something practically unheard of in Asturias.

Politically, this week has been a total turmoil. Kier Starmer, after much pressure from the Labour Party decided to resign. It looks like he will be replaced by the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham.  In the UK he will be the 7th PM in a decade which says a lot. Starmer resigned when things got tough. Meanwhile, the Spanish Premiere, Pedro Sánchez, is dug in, refusing to step down even as his administration is hit by one corruption case after another. This week his wife Begoña was ordered by the judge to give in her passport and his right hand man, Abalos and his subordinate, Koldo, were sentenced to jail for 24 and 19 years respectively. Sánchez, meanwhile, posted a video on TikTok about the heatwave. He should take a leaf out of Starmer's book, resign and call elections now!

This week too marked 10 years since the Brexit referendum. Since the vote to leave, I had to apply for Spanish nationality in order to regain European citizenship. I have lived in Spain since 1981 and am married to a Spaniard and thanks to Brexit we would not be allowed to retire in the UK. Plus, although, being British born I didn't get a say and could not vote as I had lived outside the country for more than 15 years. I often wonder if Brits in my situation had been allowed to vote, maybe the outcome would have been different. On 23rd June, 10 years ago, I cried. My father, who was 97 and living with us was appalled. He fought in the Royal Navy  in WW2 for peace and unity in Europe. Brexit made everything he did lose its value. Enough said because this issue makes my blood boil. 

Enough of politics too and back to our journey to Asturias which was so pleasant in the new car. It was Sunday 21st June and the summer solstice. We stopped for a picnic in Alar del Rei, a pretty village by the River Pisuerga in the province of Palencia. Here is Eladio enjoying our lunch outdoors.

Picnic in Alar del Rei on our way here last Sunday

We couldn't believe how hot it was in the village - 35ºc - when we arrived. Thankfully, the house was cool. After settling in, we watched Spain beat Saudi Araba 4-0. It was too hot for wine and pistachios on the terrace even at 10 p.m. Imagine. We arrived to no Internet which made me cross as we pay a monthly fee yet hardly ever use it and when we did it failed. The provider is my previous employer, Adamo and I have to say they responded fantastically and came the next morning to fix it.

On Monday morning I woke up to find the Nespresso machine didn't work either and had to resort to decaf tea, a very poor substitute. If you know me, you will know I need my morning coffee to function. Thus we drove to Posada for me to have a coffee in the bar. I immediately ordered a new machine from Amazon which arrived on Wednesday and meanwhile bought filtered coffee for my breakfasts. We had to come home for the Adamo man. Only after that were we free to go to one of my favourite places here, Poó Beach. I know it has a funny name but there is nothing funny about it. It's lovely and more like a lagoon and very safe to bathe in.

We are spoiled for a choice of beaches in the Llanes area but for me Poó beach takes the biscuit. Let me tell you why. It is a unique sheltered beach famous for its funnel shape and is actually a small estuary.  At high tide it becomes like a lagoon with no waves. At low tide the water recedes and becomes a wide open area of sand with water to paddle in  or walk in until the still water reaches your waist.  At low tide you can walk to the end of the estuary and think you were somewhere in Costa Rica. Surrounded by lush green cliffs and fields and its views of the Picos de Europa mountains make it a magical place. So  I was determined to get my first swim in the sea this year in Poó.

Bathing in Poó beach on Monday. 

We couldn't stay long though as we had a lunch appointment with our dear friends Kathy and Phil who were camping in their van, Vera, in San Vicente de la Barquera. This pretty coastal town is actually in Cantabria but is a 25 minute drive from Poó. We got a bit lost but made it and picked up our friends whom we had last seen in Keighley not so long ago. It was great to be reunited in Spain. I had booked a table at a restaurant called Boga Boga which AI told me was the best but I'm not so sure. The best thing was that it was nice and cool inside. No way could we have eaten outside because of the heat. Later we went for a walk around the harbour and had our photos taken by a Portuguese couple with whom I practiced my rusty Portuguese. I have chosen one of them as this week's feature photo. Here is another, this time with Kathy and me by the same sign.

Kathy and me in San Vicente on Monday

I got a marvellous ice cream I shared with Eladio and then did a bit of shopping in my favourite gourmet store in the area; Aramburu. I bought eggs, meat pie, chorizo and other local produce to consume here and take home for the girls.

I was keen to see the campsite in San Vicente where we drove our friends back. I used to camp with the Girl Guides and even with Eladio when we first met.  I think in another life I would like to have had a camper van. 

Lovely to see Phil and Kath in their natural habitat, on the road in Europe with their camper van. They are very organised. 

We left our friends to set up their camping space and drove back stopping at Posada at the ironmongers where we go to so often. Eladio needed tools for weeding and that is what he did when we got home. There was a lot to do and he also needed to revive the geraniums and hydrangeas to make the terrace look more welcoming.

Eladio sprucing up the terrace

Hydrangeas often grow wild in this area, well, in the whole of the north coast and never need any sprucing. Just look at this lovely bush growing wild near our terrace which I wish was ours.

Beautiful blue hydrangeas growing wild on their own at the back of our house

We had a little siesta too and on Monday we were able to have a drink on the terrace - our wine and pistachio moment; so important to us.

On Tuesday the awful 10th anniversary of Brexit, I refused to be upset and to enjoy our time here. We had come to spruce up the house, garage and terraces and prepare it for the influx of guests in July and August but we had also come to enjoy ourselves. 

Tuesday was another beach day and off we went to the Playa de Poó again where I got a bit burnt, despite lathering myself with sunscreen. It was hot again but Eladio did not go in the water. I did, of course. He sat reading the news on his phone. He is immersed these days in Spanish politics and follows the horrible corruption cases very closely. His favourite topic is the Zapatero story,  Spain's former left wing PM who is also embroiled in money making scandals. It may be the human condition to be greedy but honestly I ask myself didn't this man and many like him, already have enough with a life stipend and pedigree of being a former Prime Minister? Did he really need more? No, he was just greedy. I should add a greedy socialist which doesn't add up does it? Anyway, this is Eladio on Poó beach that morning.

Our spot on Poó beach on Tuesday morning

We came home at around  1.30 and I had a wonderful shower followed by a simple lunch in our little kitchen.

On Wednesday we went to Poó Beach for the third day in a row. I enjoyed my swim, our walk to the end of the estuary and a coffee at the Farola del Mar hotel with the most wonderful view.

Coffee with a view on Poó Beach on Wednesday

This time, and finally, Eladio took the plunge and really enjoyed his bathe. 

It might have been the sun and the heat but I managed two siestas that afternoon with which I caught up on a lot of needed sleep. There was a thunderstorm in the early evening which cooled the atmosphere. At last the extreme heat had gone. I had a pleasant catch up with my neighbour Loli on our terrace that evening before dinner. She is a lovely woman who takes care of our house so well. It is not her job to do so but she always looks out for us. 

On Thursday we woke up to the terrible news of a double earthquake - i.e. one after the other, that hit parts of the capital city Caracas. As if Venezuela didn't already have enough woes, an earthquake had to happen and make life even worse. The country is not equipped to deal with a disaster of this magnitude and so of course help has come from abroad but too late in many cases. The death toll rises every day and all those thousands of people missing can only be dead under the rubble which once were their homes. How long will it take for them to be rebuilt? Who will know much more is our daughter Olivia who was sent there yesterday evening for her programme, La Hora de la 1 on TVE1. She herself was only told on Saturday and had little time to prepare and was a little worried as her voice had gone. We are immensely proud of her for being chosen to cover this dramatic story on TV and wish her all the luck. As far as I know she joined a flight organised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as there are no commercial flights after the earthquake. We later heard she boarded a plane jointly organised by Repsol (providing logistics) and Iberia (providing the plane and crew). Apart from rescue people and 9 dogs, only authorised RTVE journalist were on board. The flight was to Valencia about 200km from Caracas from where they will have to travel by land to the capital this morning. This is her with the blue cap, boarding with her companion Sagrario who was formerly the correspondent in Cuba and Argentina; good company.

Oli boarding the special  flight to Venezuela yesterday evening. 

We will be following her movements with great anticipation. 

We didn't go to Poó that day.  As it was much cooler - it went down from about 35c to 20ºc that day, so we decided to do something different. We went to the coastal town of Comillas, not far from San Vicente. It is famous for its University (now in Madrid) and before that for its Seminary for aspiring priests, like my husband's brother, Toño. But it is also famous for one of the few Gaudí buildings outside Catalonia, the "Capricho (or whim) de Gaudí". It is one of his earliest works and is a marvel of a building with so much imagination. It was commissioned by  a wealthy lawyer, Máximo Díaz de Quijano who made his fortune in Cuba; thus an "indiano". Sadly, he only lived one week in the Palace before he died. Quijano loved music and botany and invited Gaudí to create a "bachelor" pad reflecting his passions. He also wanted to outwit his brother in law, the Marques of Comillas by building an eye catching, colourful and exuberant house or palace, compared to the Marques' more traditional Neo Gothic one. The local population were shocked when it was built in the 1880s. Its green and yellow sunflower tiles, together with red bricks and a Persian minaret were seen as a scandalous showing of wealth and flashy taste. Today it is viewed as a marvel and I agree.

So let me show you some of my photos of that fascinating visit and of that vibrant modernist villa, a real Gaudi "caprice" or capricho as it is called in Spanish. 

Gaudi's capricho palace in Comillas

After a long and rewarding visit, we walked to the Palace of Sobrellano, next door but entered it from the gardens from where there is a great view of the old Seminary turned University and built by the Marques of Comillas for poor pupils to become priests. Very noble of him. I took a photo of Eladio with the view in the background for him to send to his brother, who, by the way, although he had lived for a while in Comillas  never visited the  Guadi Capricho house. 

Eladio in Comillas with the old Seminary in the background

If I loved the Gaudi Palace I did not like the Marques' palace at all. It is very ugly. This is it.

The Palace of the Marques of Comillas is so ugly compared to the Gaudi Capricho

From there we walked back into the centre of the town which also deserves a mention for its beautiful Cantabrian architecture. Here is a picture of one of the squares where I had a coffee before the cultural visits.

Typical Cantabrian architecture can be seen everywhere in Comillas

It makes sense that the people of Comillas found Gaudi's palace an eyesore at the time compared to the architecture of the area, so typical of Santander. I love them both. 

We had booked a table for lunch at a restaurant once recommended to me by my friend Gerardo who knows the area very well. Called Ciclo en Ruente it is in the small Cantabrian village of Ruente, not far from Comillas on a lovely mountain road. We loved the village, the restaurant and the food. Here are some pics to remember that day.

We loved our lunch in Ruente (Santander)

On our way back on the fantastic A8 motorway that stretches along the whole of the northern coast from Galicia to the Basque Country, there was a torrential rain storm which cooled the air of course but was a bit frightening. Our car behaved wonderfully. The windscreen wiper is automatic, thank goodness as we haven't worked out yet where the button is on the steering wheel. Eladio has been reading the manual poor guy and honestly we could do with a one week intensive course to find out all the car can do which is a lot.

We came home to a much cooler village but later the sun came out and I was able to have my weekly Facetime call with Amanda outside under the parasol. We spoke for 2 hours at least and then were joined by Eladio and Andy. We laughed a lot which did us all a lot of good. Later came wine and pistachio time followed by a small dinner. 

Friday dawned and I was up at 6.30. That morning I bought our tickets to Bristol in September and then spent some time looking for accommodation, helped by Amanda and Andy bless them.  They went personally too see the places we had found online. I took my weekly dose of Mounjaro or rather injected it which is very easy. I then did some washing and thanks to Eladio we were able to open the washing machines when the cycle finished. I may be good with phones and televisions but often washing machines stump me. That's probably because I hardly ever use them haha.

The sun came out and it was a very warm day with temperatures reaching 26ºc, much nicer than 35ºc I have to say. That day we drove to Posada to get some fruit and visit the Friday market which is nothing to write home about. From there we drove to Llanes, our nearest big town and the nicest in the area. This was the Sablón beach which we saw after parking; full of people.

The Sablón beach in Llanes

We hadn't been to Llanes since September last year nd it was good to be back. We headed straight for our favourite bar, La Galerna, for my morning coffee. That is another of my happy places and here I am enjoying my coffee.

Coffee at La Galerna in Llanes

We sat and enjoyed the atmosphere for a while after which we walked back to the Sablón beach and up the rugged stone steps to the San Pedro walkway along the top of the town with great views. But it was hot and we didn't walk to the end. Here are some pictures of that beautiful but too hot a walk on Friday.

Our walk on Friday along the Paseo de San Pedro which was too hot for our liking

So we skipped it and drove back to Posada. There we did the boring annual shop of all the products needed for our guests this summer; loo roll, bathroom and kitchen products. The list is endless and this shopping is always a bore and a pain but has to be done. 

I made steak and chips with a salad for lunch which had me feeling full until breakfast the next the day. The afternoon was quiet. I spent time sorting out stuff in the attic for the cleaner and then wrote much of this week's blog post. I also did some ironing of the clothes I had washed in the morning. I felt like a real housewife which I am not really. 

Saturday came and it was our last day here.  Spain had played Uruguay in their last knock out match at 2 am that night. They won 1-0 and are through to the last 16. Late that night England played Panama and beat them 2-1 and also goes through. 

We did go to the beach again but to a very special one, one of Loli's favourites and one I was keen to see. Called La Playa de la Canal - the Canal beach -  it gets its name from its shape rather like a canyon. The high rock walls that surround it make it look like a canal, hence the name.  It is really a rocky cove and a wonderful quirk of nature that turns it into a small lagoon with just one wave on the sand as the tide comes in. We had to drive to Villanueva de Pría, a tiny village full of houses decorated with wild hydrangeas, park where we could and walk about a kilometre to the cove. It was a hot day and we trudged along the path which didn't look as if it led anywhere until we had arrived. We had to walk over big stones to make our way to the sand and sea and this is the picture that greeted us.

Playa del Canal - see what I mean about it looking like a canyon

There were very few people there which was a blessing. This is rural northern Spain, not one of the Costas and there is a huge difference. We put our chairs on the sand. Here is Eladio posing for me in front of this spectacular cove with his hat on, refusing to go in the water.

Eladio sitting on the Playa del Canal yesterday morning

I did go in and loved it. In fact I went in twice. Eladio caught me on camera to prove I did

Me in the sea yesterday at the Playa del Canal

It was a wonderful place to be and one more to add to places to go in the area. As I said earlier we are spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches and other places too. I had tried to book a table at a restaurant in a nearby village but was not lucky. Thus we came home to make a simple meal of fried eggs, ham and rice followed by strawberries and cherries; not bad at all.

I managed a short siesta and woke up to another headache which would put paid to any wine on the terrace on our last evening in El Cuetu.

I didn't sleep well and wondered how Oli would sleep. I woke up at around 6.30 on Sunday morning to learn she had already landed and wondered how she and her team would make it to Caracas. I do hope she is not in any danger but then that is the nature of a correspondent but it will be very exciting for her.

Soon we will be leaving too so I must get on and make my breakfast and do our packing. I look forward to going home but not to the heat that is awaiting us.

That's it from me now for this week which has been most enjoyable.

Cheers for now, Masha

Home from Yorkshire, planning my 70th birthday in Marrakech, reunited with Elliot and Juliet, Olivia in Lyon, Mounjaro doing the trick, summer solstice, off to Asturias to escape the heat and other stories of the week.

Madrid, Sunday 21st June, 2026. 

Summer Solstice

Reunited with Elliot and Juliet this week whom we hadn't seen since before we left for England. They are wearing the M&S clothes I bought for them at the Pudsey store near Bradford.

Hi everyone this hot morning in Madrid.  The temperature will reach an unbearable 40ºc  here  today and marks the beginning of the first major summer heatwave as if June hasn't already been boiling. Today is the first day of summer and also the Solstice and Midsummer. Thus it will be the longest day of the year. The sun rose this morning at 6.44 am in Madrid and will set at around 9.48 tonight. We won't be here at sunset though as we are leaving shortly to escape the heat to Asturias and get the house ready for all the bookings this summer. The temperature there will reach a more bearable 28ºc. That's why so many Spaniards head to the North Coast in the summer and how right they are. In El Cuetu which is further north, the sun will set at 10.06 pm although the last light will be at least an hour later. I do love the solstice in Spain and the long hours of daylight, up to 16 hours in one day. There maybe more daylight hours in the Nordics but dawn starts earlier and the last light is pretty similar. Anyway, I shall enjoy the day and look forward to wine and pistachio time tonight on the terrace of our house in El Cuetu where we haven't been since last September. 

Last Sunday was our first day home from Yorkshire. We had a grand time as you will know if you read my blog but I do not miss the weather which I gather perked up just as we left - Murphy's law. We had a lot to do that morning as the cupboards were bare. We took the new car, the VW T-Roc which we had only enjoyed for 2 days before our holiday. It is so lovely to drive. Here is a close up of Eladio at the wheel. Just look at the enormous screen, a bit like my large iPad.

Eladio reunited with his new car last Sunday

We went for a coffee to Alverán, my happy place round here and to get petrol as well as food from Carrefour; mostly fruit and veg I had so missed in the UK and which had me bunged up big time. There is is never any fruit when you eat out and all veg comes smothered in sauces so no wonder. We eat so much more healthily here and always cook from scratch. I do love fish and chips, curry, a Sunday roast and Afternoon Tea but if I ate that every week I would be enormous and feeling sluggish the whole time. Thankfully I was on Mounjaro while there and my appetite could not take too much food. 

On the topic of food we had some of the M&S delicacies I had bought in Halifax for lunch that day; but healthy stuff: smoked mackerel, sliced roast beef, salmon pate and one rather naughty sausage roll. We were eating it most of the week but always had it with a salad followed by delicious summer fruit; thick black cherries, all types of peaches, melon, raspberries, strawberries, pineapple or fresh figs. Oh how I missed Spanish fruit. 

I managed an hour's siesta in the afternoon which was followed by a long Facetime call with my dear friend Amanda who wasn't able to travel to Yorkshire. Oh how I missed her. We had a great catch up though and I can't wait for September when we will be going for her 70th birthday bash. We have 4 birthdays to celebrate that month; Juliet's on the 4th, Amanda's on the 13th, Elliot's on the 17th and Eladio's on the 23rd. Juliet and Elliot are growing up fast and will turn 5 and 7 respectively. How time flies.

 Time does fly and in February I will turn 70. How can I be 70, an old woman? Anyway, I told the family a while back in a very generous moment that I would be inviting them all to a trip abroad for 5 to 7 days.  The good weather options for February are Madeira, The Canaries and Marrakech. There are no direct flights to Madeira and the Canaries is not exciting  so I have decided on Marrakech which seems the most exotic option. I have been twice before and Oli has been too  but yonks ago and I liked it a lot. I have seen very reasonable flights on Ryanair as well as some lovely Riads to stay at.  I would love to stay at the Hotel La Mamounia, the best hotel in Morocco but as we can't, I shall invite the family to dinner or lunch there for sure. It was Churchill's favourite and it is mine too. I am now looking into the possibility of a night away in a desert in tents and searching for a restaurant for the birthday dinner with Moroccan entertainment. It's a nice project to work on and I hope it all works out and we have a trip we all enjoy and one to remember. It's 8 months away so I haven't booked anything yet but I will do soon. 

We came home to lots of guests. I have so many this year I can't keep up with them and can no longer rely on my memory and have to use my special calendar and of course the Airbnb app. Tana had looked after them all so well she deserves huge praise. She is a treasure, without whom we could not run this little business so well. 

There was a thunderstorm which cleared the air a bit and we had dinner outside after which we had a bit of a heart to heart with Suzy. I felt guilty having left her alone for so long and was upset to hear she had quit her job. It was too much for her but bless her, she is looking for another one. 

Monday came. Guests left and new ones arrived but we had a morning without any which is quite unusual.  Eladio and Suzy went to take the Mini for its biannual servicing. The last one was in Thessalonika and cost a lot less haha. Thus we had one car only. I had an appointment with my psychologist and Suzy with the hairdresser so she drove me there and picked me up later. She was looking good for an interview she had that day as a clinic dietitian. 

Oli, whom we hadn't seen since before leaving for Yorkshire, came for lunch and it was lovely to see her. It was just the three of us and she got to enjoy the M&S food I brought too. I also gave her a goodie bag including M&S bras for her and clothes for the children and a refill of their lovely Calm hand liquid soap as well as some of those amazing "outrageously chocolatey" biscuits all in one of the colourful Sainsbury's "sturdy" bags. Just as she was leaving, my new French family arrived, Jean Paul, Laurence and their daughter who has just graduated in Physiotherapy at the UEM University. They are from Normandy. She stayed to help me a bit and to practice her French which she loves so much. Later in the week Clemente, a French physiotherapist who lives in Switzerland, arrived for his second stay with us and will be here for two weeks. On Thursday night, very late, another French family arrived from somewhere in the Pas de Calais region, so I was speaking French a lot of the week. Oli was too when she coincided. 

In the afternoon Eladio watched Spain's first World Cup match against Cape Verde. Would you believe they drew? Honestly, it should have been a doddle. Here he is watching it in our bedroom on the big screen.

Eladio watching Spain's pathetic debut match in the World Cup against Cape Verde with whom they could only draw 1-1.

Spain is in Group H which also includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Thankfully they also drew and right now all 4 countries have only 1 point each. I hope Spain plays a bit better when they meet Saudi Arabia today. England which is in group L did much better in their opening match beating their biggest rival in the group, Croatia 4-2. The other countries are Ghana and Panama and right now they both have 3 points .Ghana and Panama should be a walk in the park as should Spain have been against Cape Verde. As you can imagine I am routing for both Spain and England. 

Tuesday did not get off to a good start.  Eladio scratched the brand new car while reversing down the drive. He took too long and the automatic gate shut on him just as he had reached it. We were very upset until we realised the insurance will cover it. We have an appointment when we come back from Asturias.  We were on our way to the Inland Revenue people and were half an hour late. We went to get a new digital certificate for Eladio which is like an electronic ID to carry out bureaucratic stuff with the Spanish administration from your PC or mobile. I hate bureaucracy in Spain. We then went to pick up the Mini and came home in two cars, meaning I drove the Volkswagen which I love but takes some getting used to. We were only really given a cursory course on the basics and there is so much more. When Eladio drives, I spend my time figuring out the digital screen. 

On Wednesday we had more errands to do. They have seemed endless after having been away for so long. I accompanied Eladio for a routine ear doctor appointment and then we had a coffee on the Gran Via in Majadahonda. I went to pick up my mother's engagement ring which had a broken turquoise and a missing tiny diamond. I put it on as soon as they gave the mended ring to me. It means so much to me. My parents bought it second hand. I know  it's old fashioned too but I like that. When I wear it I am reminded of her wearing it on her beautiful tapered hands. Bless you Mummy. When I wear it I think of you. 

It was a delight to be reunited with Elliot and Juliet that evening when they came for dinner and we made a splendid one indeed. It was too hot to eat outside so dinner was in the dining room with air conditioning on full blast. This week's feature photo is of my two grandchildren who came that day dressed in the M&S clothes I bought them in Yorkshire. Here is another of the two of them smiling for my friends Andy and Amanda with an ice cream in each hand:-) 

Juliet and Elliot who came on Wednesday for dinner

We had fun and it was a good evening together which ended with a swim in the pool and a shower in our bathroom. I told Elliot about our trip to Marrakech and he was delighted as it means he will be going on an airplane again. It will ne his and Juliet's third time after their trip to Paris recently and a flight to Mallorca this summer. Lucky children. Do you remember your first flight ever? I do. It was to Munich to stay with my Aunty Masha in the summer of 1966. I was 9 at the time and remember too that England won the World Cup in Germany while we were there. Could they do it again this year? 

On Thursday Oli was off to Lyon, the third largest city in France, with some of her colleagues from her French classes. She should be back today and no doubt will have enjoyed a break both from work and from motherhood.  I must share a photo here to remember her trip.

Oli in Lyon with her French class this weekend

We won't see her now until we are back from Asturias but trust she had a good time. Apparently it was very hot there too. 

In France that day, and no less than in Versailles, Trump signed the much awaited Memorandum of Understanding without the Iranians present. It was during the G7. I'm not sure he knew the bad outcomes of Versailles Treaties but no doubt Macron did. I do not believe in this peace plan as Israel is still bombing the Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz is not really open. I do not believe in it because there is no agreement on disarming Iran of nuclear power which is the main obstacle. Honestly, if the USA and Israel had not entered this stupid war there would be no need for any MOU. In fact from the little I have read, Iran, according to the plan, will be better off than before the invasion. Trump is an idiot. He was an idiot when he claimed that Georgia Meloni, the Italian President, had begged him for a photo together and he has now sparked an international conflict. He had told an Italian TV channel that Meloni wanted a picture with him so badly, he felt sorry for her and added "she is probably happy I spoke to her. I didn't have to talk to her". He made it even worse when he accused Meloni of having declining popularity and trying to use him to get her numbers up.  In my opinion he was just getting back at her for not supporting the US against Iran. Meloni answered tacitly saying the story was untrue and that "neither I nor Italy ever beg". The man has to go and soon. 

Our day was quiet in comparison. We accompanied Suzy for her monthly routine hospital appointment after which we had a coffee together at Alverán. I came home to have a quick catch up with Amanda on Facetime. Our sleep was badly interrupted that night as we had to wake up to receive new guests, the family from Pas de Calais. They are lovely but getting up in the middle of the night is not the fun part of being hosts. Thankfully it doesn't happen often.

We have followed the news as usual since we got back from England. That day, Spain's former socilaist PM, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was in the dock answering questions from the judge. He has been  charged with no less than 6 financial and corruption related crimes, mostly related to his getting kick backs while being a peace envoy in Venezuela. In reality he made money out of that role. He also has had to answer questions as to where he got a stash of jewelry worth over a million euros found in a safe box in his office. When asked he basically didn't reply and said he was not guilty of anything. He is and he knows it and I really hope he gets his comeuppance. Meanwhile, the current socialist PM, Pedro Sánchez continues to believe in his innocence. This is just one of the soap operas going on related to corruption cases within the governing socialist party. This week too Sanchez' wife, Begoña Gómez, was in the dock too answering questions from a judge related to four financial and corruption crimes. He, and I mean, Pedro Sánchez, has to go too but he is hanging on by the skin of his teeth and has refused to call elections this year. For different reasons, in the UK, PM Kier Starmer is also holding on to his job by the skin of his teeth. From what I have read he may well be replaced by the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham. I thought he would do a job but apparently not. 

Friday was my red letter day. It was my Mounjaro injection day and time to go on the scales, the first since I left for Yorkshire.  I was worried I had either put on weight or was stuck at the same weight. But, no, I was in for a pleasant surprise. I had lost 1.6kg (3.5lbs). Thus I have lost a whole 3.1 kg (just over 7lbs) and now weigh a reasonable 63.1 kg (just under 10 stone). I aim to be back at 60 kilos and have 6 more weeks of Mounjaro to do so. I might even lose more but I'm not sure I want to as the bloody weight doesn't go off the thighs or bum but off my scrawny neck and face. I am sagging a bit and I hate wearing short sleeved clothes because of my ugly arms but it's so hot I have to. One thing for sure, after Mounjaro, I shall never ever go on a conventional sacrificial diet again. If there is a pill to take to repress your appetite, that's the way to go. Although I am no friend of the scales, they made me happy on Friday. Whoopee. 

We went out for coffee and did more shopping so as to have enough to take to Asturias and to leave behind for Suzy and Tana. Tana was off that day and will be back this morning. Thus I made the lunch and I prepared a spaghetti dish with prawns and spinach which we loved. 

On Friday too we received a 60th birthday invitation from dear Irene. She is the daughter of my Spanish family, the family I lived with for a year when I was a student. When I went to live with them, I was 21 and Irene was just 12. It is so lovely that our friendship has continued for so long. I am looking forward to the party, I really am. 

Saturday was quiet too. I was waiting for a Colombian couple to arrive early but they arrived when I was in the shower so Eladio received them. This weekend, like most, we are fully booked. Santa Pola is too but not El Cuetu which I booked for ourselves. We only went out once yesterday and it was for a coffee but when Eladio took the wrong turn, we ended up going to Leroy Merlin (French DIY store) to get a new dustbin so that we have enough to separate our rubbish for the new bins which we have to take  by car and is such a bore. I had a coffee and a tiny cake at Starbucks after which we chose the bloody bin. Now we have 3 inside and 1 outside. I often wonder if all the efforts of separating rubbish at home are worth it as I often suspect that those in charge, here, at least, don't do a proper job of recycling. 

We had lunch on our own as Suzy was in Madrid having lunch with a friend. There is nothing much more to report about yesterday. Today, my friends, as I said at the beginning is Sunday 21st June and the summer solstice. We shall be leaving shortly for the cooler area of Asturias which will be what my father used to call a busman's holiday. We have to work and get things ready for the summer season but we shall also enjoy being back at our house which as you know is now on sale. I love it there in the good weather and we are going to good weather.

You will hear all about our stay in El Cuetu in next week's post. Let me sign off now and wish you all a good Sunday and week ahead. 

Cheers Masha

From Keighley to Sowerby Bridge, staying with Simon and Gill, a day in Hebden Bridge, philosophy and classics, Yorkshire friends reunited in the Dales, ride on the heritage Bolton Abbey steam train, a walk in the Strid Wood, RIP David Hockney, last days in Yorkshire and home again.

Home again, Madrid, Sunday 14th June, 2026

On the Bolton Abbey train to Embsay. From left to right: Gill, Sarah, Gael, Chris, me, Mark, Simon and Eladio. A group of old friends and their spouses remembering their youthful past in Bradford.

Good morning folks.

We are home. Our Yorkshire holiday, the return to my roots and seeing friends is over and although the weather played up, we had a marvellous time. I got my Yorkshire fix which, hopefully, will keep  me going until next time. Oh how glorious God's own country is.

Last Sunday we woke up in Keighley in Phil and Kath's beautiful Victorian house. We were leaving that morning and I had quite a bit of packing to do. We said our goodbyes and hope we will see each other again soon if we make it to El Cuetu in the next week or so as they are driving their camper van to the north coast of Spain. They are going to much better weather. The weather was not good in England apart from the first 4 days. In Spain we returned to temperatures in the mid 30ºs which was quite a shock. 

I ordered an Uber to take us to Simon and Gill's house in Sowerby Bridge (pronounced Sore-be) which, as you may know, if you are a Happy Valley fan, was filmed around here and in nearby Hebden Bridge. Simon is my best friend Amanda's brother who I have known nearly all my life. He went to Bradford Grammar School where my father taught and it was thanks to him that Amanda and I were introduced to his friends and made our own happy "gang", the gang we met up with this week in The Dales.  We are talking over 50 years ago. Our families were close and it is wonderful that their memories live on in us. We  talked a lot about the past these days which was so comforting to me. The only sad note was that Amanda and Andy could not come. We plan to make up for that by putting together a trip to Spain in October where we can have another great get together. We have felt so at home with Simon and his wonderful wife Gill who we now consider our friends and it is good to have friends in England. 

We got a warm welcome and were happy to be back in their beautiful Yorkshire stone house in such a stunning location. Let me show you:

Simon and Gill's stunning house and garden in Sowerby Bridge near Halifax

It was sunny when we arrived although that did not last long. We made the best of it and sat in their conservatory enjoying the warmth that comes in from outside. 

Just arrived at Simon and Gill's

We hadn't seen them since 2022 when we all met at my father's funeral. Simon joked about Eladio's age and sent the photo above to his sister saying: "Masha and a young man impersonating Eladio have arrived safely". No one believes his real age and it is often a joke with people asking if my husband has a pact with the devil or similar. I have to say he does look good.

Our hosts served us a splendid Sunday roast, with all the trimmings. Pudding was divine; rhubarb and strawberry crumble with the former coming from their garden and oh what a garden it is. It is like a small version of Harlow Car gardens in Harrogate.

And here are our friends getting the meal ready in their large and beautiful kitchen.

Simon and Gill are wonderful hosts

Lunch lasted from about 2.30 until after 7 pm when, feeling exhausted, we had a siesta only getting up at about 8.30. We were turning day into night. Later we sat and talked and talked until it was the real time to go to bed. We had a lovely large bedroom with a very comfortable bed and our own enormous bathroom. We have been wined and dined and looked after in the most splendid way.

Monday dawned and it rained from when I got up at about 6 am until 10ish but then, my friends, the sun made an appearance which completely transformed our day. We had a leisurely morning and left at around 11 to drive to nearby Hebden Bridge. Hebden Bridge is in Calderdale, Yorkshire (of course) and is a very vibrant progressive and bohemian market town. It is also a very popular tourist spot. It was once called the Trouser Town for its massive clothing industry. The town is completely unspoilt. If you took the cars and signage away, it would look just like it did 150 years ago with its cobbled streets and back to back terrace houses made of Yorkshire stone all blackened by the smoke of the mills. The Rochdale canal runs right through it and in the past served as a way of transport for the clothing. Today there are leisure barges and it is great to walk on the tow path and watch how the locks are unlocked. But first we headed for the centre to have a wander round. This is one photo I took of our friends to share here and to send to Amanda. Notice the chimney of an old mill in the background.

In Hebden Bridge on Monday

At about 1 we walked to the restaurant where we had booked a table for lunch at The Old Gate. Just as we were approaching it we saw a bride running into it. It is so funny I have to share a picture.

The random bride going into the restaurant where we had booked a table for lunch.

The groom later arrived on crutches. I thought they were some sort of stunt but they said they were for real. Later when we were leaving, they  had removed their wedding gear. Funny wedding I imagine. We had a great meal at The Old Gate. Simon and I went for fish and chips which I could not finish and Gill and Eladio chose a lobster "chowder" which they loved.

As we were leaving, a very friendly Scotsman who I mistook for being Irish, took our photo and then played a jig on his mouth organ to our delight. He was about our age and was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and said he was off to see his girlfriend but  had run out of Viagra! His name was George and I shall remember him, as will all those in the pub garden who witnessed  the spectacle hahaha.

Fun in Hebden Bridge on Monday

Hebden Bridge is known for having a large LGBTQ community and for drugs. Not for nothing is the name of the TV series called "Happy" Valley. So when I posted some of the photos of this Yorkshire town someone said it was a "den of iniquity". Well, hardly so. I loved it. 

I also loved our walk on the tow path along the Rochdale Canal with geese and ducks and barges and the sunshine. Simon and Eladio had started quoting Green and Latin poets from lunchtime which then turned into a lesson in Philosophy. Eladio studied Theology and Philosophy as well as learning Latin,  ancient Greek and Hebrew and his memory is amazing.  Simon did Classics at Oxford and then law, so there we had 2 very cultured men debating the meaning of life and remembering Gods and philosophers as far back as Plato and Socrates. They got rather excited. There was a bit of a language barrier as Simon pronounces Greek and Latin with an English accent and Eladio with a Spanish accent. I was fascinated and felt very uncultured compared to them. But when Eladio said Bertrand Russel,  the English philosopher and much more, said that in the great schene of things, humankind was as important as an ant having being stepped on by an unaware passerby, I had to disagree. The conversation started in the pub and carried on late into the night. My head was reeling when we went to bed. I'm not sure they noticed their surroundings on the tow path while being so engrossed in their high brow conversation, but I did and here are some pics.

Pretty Gill on a bridge on one of the locks on the Rochdale Canal on Monday

Eladio and Simon engrossed in conversation about philosophy and classics during our walk by the canal

One of the barges on the canal

We were home on time for Eladio's siesta which he gets teased about and later, as if we hadn't already eaten enough, Gill and Simon put on a marvellous cold spread of which I wish I could have eaten more  but Mounjaro suppresses my appetite so I couldn't.

Dinner at Sowerby Bridge on Monday night

During dinner, the conversation got deeper and deeper. Is there a God? Is there eternal life? What is the meaning and point of life and in the end they concluded there is no answer. I was delighted to see my husband enjoying the conversation so much. I am ashamed to say also I have never really had a conversation like that with my extraordinarily cultured and knowledgeable husband and felt very uncultured myself but could only admire him more if that is possible. I told Gill that one of the reasons I fell in love with him was for how cultured he is. I think I even felt a little more in love with him that night if that is possible.

Tuesday was the day of our trip to The Dales where we would be reunited with our friends from our youth and their partners.We were to be 8 although we would have been 10 with Amanda and Andy who were sorely missed.  Before we left, Gill and Simon fed us again and gave us a tasty brunch to last us until our 7.30 meal at The Fell Hotel in Burnsall. That was where we headed to at around 1pm. We got there at about 2.30 and were given our rooms, each one named after a village or landmark in The Dales. Ours was Grassington and we loved it.

I was delighted that our room was called Grassington

Soon Chris and Gael, Mark and Sarah arrived and we convened in the bar of this lovely Yorkshire hotel which was quite luxurious. Before dinner, some of us we went for a walk, despite the rain which puzzled my husband. In Spain if it rains everyone goes inside. Not so in England I told him "come rain or shine". This is a photo of us braving the rain with the hotel behind us. 

Braving the rain to go on a walk in Burnsall on Tuesday afternoon

Luckily it didn't pour it down and we enjoyed walking on the 1000 year old path in Burnsall by the River Wharfe although we had to navigate lots of puddles. 

On the cold, rainy and blustery walk on Tuesday in Burnsall

Dinner was at 7.30 pm at the hotel and what a wonderful dinner it was. Apart from the food and drink we had a very jolly time, laughing and making a lot of noise which may have annoyed some of the diners. We celebrated with a bottle of champagne which truth to tell I am not keen on and agree with my father when he said it was overrated. Before digging into the delicious meal, we had a photo taken by the lovely Polish waitress to remember the moment.

Celebrating the occasion of our reunion at The Fell on the first night

She will remember the moment too as she got into the fun of it and we had a hell of a laugh especially when she gave a bottle of Sauternes for Simon to smell. 

A hilarious moment on our first night with Simon being offered the bottle of French dessert wine to taste by the Polish waitress. 

Mark was on top form too so if you don't know him just look at what a marvellous chap he is. He was so funny telling me the next day that I was a lousy kisser when actually he is remembering the wrong girl as I never kissed him. 

Mark was on top form as was to be expected

Mark was like a brother to me as were they all. We used to go out most weekends to the Mucky Duck (the Black Swan in Frizinghall now closed) and many a Saturday I held parties at my house for all of us and more. Mark used to be the gatekeeper as he played in the First 15 of the Bradford Grammar Rugby Team. I honestly don't know how my parents let me have so many parties or any at all. My father, being their teacher, used to hide but my mother held court in the kitchen feeding us her Chinese rice well into the night. Chris remembered a moment when he heard my father saying "Masha, tell them all to go home"!

But back to The Devonshire Fell dinner. The banter between Simon, Chris and Mark was thoroughly enjoyed. Oh how I miss the English sense of humour. They had me laughing all night until I couldn't any more, until it was time for bed.

We slept marvellously in the Grassington room with the heating on maximum as it was freezing outside. It was cold too when I went out with my cup of coffee to smoke a cigarette or two on Wednesday morning. 

We all convened for breakfast around 9 am which was not to my advantage as it was mostly savoury. Some enjoyed a full English and others had eggs with something. Thus by the mid afternoon I was starving and couldn't wait for dinner which wasn't until 7.30 pm.

Breakfast on Wednesday morning

We had a great agenda that day. It started with taking the Embsay and Bolton Abbey steam train which wasn't new to me but it was to some of the others. This railway line built in 1888 was built to connect Skipton and Ilkley. It was closed in 1965 and restored in the 80's and 90's and it is now run, much like the Worth Valley Railway in Keighley, as a route for tourists and train enthusiasts. The carriage we were on was from the mid 60's and the engine was a 1945 one. Thus it would be familiar to us all. As a child I would travel to London with my family to spend Christmas with my father's beloved sister, Aunty Gloria and her family. We would take the steam train to London on similar carriages and I always hated the loud whistle when we approached King's Cross. I well remember the billows of smoke from the engine. Today a tonne of coal costs 500 pounds. 

The old station at Bolton Abbey has been restored lovingly to look like one from the late 19th century and which was very familiar to me from my childhood. Getting on the train was a great opportunity for a photo shoot of all of us. I have chosen one of them for the feature photo and here is another with the station master who even clipped our tickets. What a treat.

Photo shoot just before getting on the heritage train. From left to right: Gill, Sarah,Gael, Chris, the Station Master, Mark,Simon and Eladio

And this is me with Gill on board.

With Gill on the Bolton Abbey heritage train on Wednesday 

Once in Embsay, we watched with fascination how they moved the engine to the other end of the train for the short return journey to Bolton Abbey.

The next item on the agenda was a short drive to the Cavendish Pavillion next to the River Wharfe on the Bolton Estate from where we wanted to walk to the Strid  through the Strid Wood which is a beautiful walk I have done countless times since I was a child and adult. I was so, so happy to be back. We had been to the Abbey and stepping stones and to the other entrance to the Strid but not to this part right by the river.  So I was ticking another, if not the last box of the things I wanted to do in Yorkshire. The Bolton Estate is one of my favourite places in the world if not my favourite.

The lodge, the Cavendish pavillion on the bank of the  River Wharfe, a great starting point for trekkers. 

We had coffee and tea and the walkers, Chris, Gill, Simon, Sarah, Eladio and I set off for one of my favourite walks in the world, through the Strid Woods. It didn't rain at all during our walk and we were in for a treat. 

The prize is arriving at the narrow stretch of the river which is dangerous, slightly sinister and eerie but a beautiful bit of geography which unfortunately has claimed many lives because of the slippery stones or daredevils, like my brother who jump across the rocks at the narrowest point. If they fall in, they get sucked in by the whirlpools and there is no way out. We didn't go very near but took lots of photos. Here are some to remember the day and to show you.

Visting the Strid for the second time during our stay in Yorkshire

When I later posted some of the photos on my social media profiles, I added "you can never get enough of Bolton Abbey and the Strid" and you can't. I would be taking these memories back with me to keep me going.

Once back at the Pavillion I had a cup of tea but wished I had had something to eat as I was starving in the afternoon and had to wait for dinner which was at The Red Lion, also in Burnsall, at 7.30 pm.

We rested a while before dinner and shortly before, Eladio and I meandered down to the village from the Fell Hotel eager to get photos of the hotel from the Burnsall village. We looked round the now familiar village and enjoyed the village green by the river, the lovely old bridge and the pretty stone houses, all of them with flowers in their gardens. Here are some of the pics to remember and to share with you. I took one of Eladio outside the Red Lion remembering being there with Chris, Mark, Andy and Amanda on many occasion during our youth. 

Beautiful Burnsall

We met the rest of the party at the Red Lion and were escorted to our table which happened to be the same one we sat at at our first reunion in 2022, when we came for my father's funeral. The dinner was great and a lot of fun. Mark was on top form and told joke after joke. He could have been a stand up comedian which he has been on some occasions. Simon chipped in with more jokes and they both directed them at me so that I could translate them to Eladio which was so taxing and not much fun in Spanish really but we did laugh a lot. Finally, there was lamb on the menu - I had not seen it before, despite the abundance of sheep in The Dales. It was a bit tough. What wasn't tough was the treacle tart I shared with Gill, one of my favourite school puddings. I felt so full afterwards and was grateful that we were walking back to the hotel. 

We had bad news just then which threw me and spoiled my evening completely but I cannot go into it here as it is private. This is the cross we have to bear. On the other hand, despite our problem, we have to live and live we will despite the things life throws at us.

I did not sleep well night and was up on Thursday at around 6 am after about 4.5h sleep. We were leaving that day. It was the end of our incredible reunion which we must repeat next year. Our final time together was at breakfast in this gorgeous hotel I would love to come back to.

Our last breakfast together at the Fell Hotel in Burnsall on Thursday

And here is Eladio about to enjoy his "full English".

Eladio about to tuck into his full English breakfast on the last morning in Burnsall

It was sad to say goodbye but, happily, we shall all meet again in Devon in September for Amanda's 70th Birthday, something to look forward to.

It was to rain all day on Thursday so we did an indoor thing and our friends took us to Salts Mill in Saltaire which I wrote about last week; the model village built by Sir Titus Salt in the 19th century for his workers. 

Salts Mill today

The Mill closed as late as 1986. Today it is an art gallery with bookshops and cafes and it houses the largest collection of artwork by Bradford born artist David Hockney who contributed to the conversion of the mill.  David Hockney went to Bradford Grammar School and is probably its most famous pupil.  He is renowned for being one of the most influential and versatile British artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. He never forgot his Bradford roots and was a very colourful figure who in his work championed homosexuality. He never quit his wonderful Yorkshire accent and in this clip of an interview by the BBC he explains why.

He was also a great smoker which he said was good for his mental health. I warm to him too because of the love he showered on his two dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie who he painted frequently. He said of them "They sleep with me; I'm always with them here. They don't go anywhere without me and only occasionally do I leave them. They are like little people to me". He is my man. He smokes and loves his dachshunds.  This is just some of his work  we saw at Salts.

David Hockney's painting of Salts Mill and a close up of him smoking from one of his paintings as seen at Salts Mill on Thursday the day before the 88 year old died.

It was a coincidence and a shock to learn the next day that he had died aged 88. Britain had lost its greatest art figure of today and a wonderful person. Mark, Chris and Andy, my BGS friends, wrote on our Dales trip Whatsapp group that they remembered him visiting the school when they were young for he maintained ties with the school always, although he was never a good pupil. A quote from one of his school reports said: "Hockney can't rely on art to make a career".  How wrong that was. Chris wrote "it was alleged that Oates the Chemistry Master kept Hockney's exercise book because it had wonderful portraits in the margin". Mark wrote "I seem to recall he quickly sketched Jock Gross the English master on the blackboard who rubbed it off after he left!". Andy wrote: "Does anyone else remember David Hockney coming into our class in about 1968? Wearing a pink suit and big Stetson knee length boots? I've never forgotten". A friend of theirs wrote too saying "He once visited our English lesson at BGS. We transitus pupils were astonished by the flamboyant peroxide character who invaded our English lesson". How lovely that these now old men remember meeting the larger than life English art genius.I would have loved to. Tributes have been paid to Hockney from the world over. As I looked at his wonderful colourful works at Salts that day I had no idea this giant of the arts world was at death's door but how lucky I was to see the fantastic exhibition of his work at Salts near Bradford the day before he passed away, presumably accompanied by Stanley and Boodgie who will miss him more than anyone. They will feel bereft and my heart goes out to them and all those who were close to the man. 

We continued our visit of Salts paying special attention to the part dedicated to the history of the Mill a story that fascinates anyone who visits. It is part of Britain's history but also part of mine as we used to live less than a mile away when we moved to Bradford in 1964 when the Mill was still working at full steam. 

After all that art and culture we made our way to the cafe for tea and two crumpets for me and soup for my husband. And thereby ended our visit to Salts Mill. 

We were home again at Sowerby Bridge in the late afternoon and it was still raining. Last on the programme that day was curry for dinner at Syhaba nearby. It is Simon and Gill's local favourite and they know everyone there. We were in for a treat as after our meal I declared it the best curry I have ever had. Here are some pics to remember that great Punjabi meal. Do note the hanging naan which I have never seen anywhere else.

We had an absolutely marvellous curry at Syhaba restaurant in Sowerby Bridge

Eladio was amazed by the large hanging naan. He was also curious to learn that people have to take their own alcohol as the Pakistani restaurant does not sell it for religious reasons of course.

I slept better that night and when I woke up on Friday morning it was bloody raining again which was a bit depressing. We had pretty bad weather in England, much worse than expected so I am happy to be home to enjoy the warm weather in Madrid.

It was our last day in Yorkshire and, despite the rain, we enjoyed it to the full. It was to be a day to remember. Donning the same clothes I had been wearing so often and thoroughly tired of my yellow coat and my M&S fleece, we went into Halifax, in fact into M&S for a quick fix for me. Eladio calls it "Masha's cathedral" hahaha. We just got some food to take home that we love and can't get here. I bought smoked mackerel, sliced roast beef and salmon pate as well as one large sausage roll.  We had a quick lunch at the M&S cafe which was full of women representing what they call in England "the grey pound" and of course women of my age who love M&S and shop and eat there often. After that we visited the most important landmark in town, the Piece Hall which is one of  Britain's last standing cloth halls from the 18th century, built before the Industrial Revolution. It was a "dedicated marketplace for hand loom weavers to trade their "pieces" of woolen cloth and became a highly visible monument to the region's immense industrial wealth". Halifax went on to be a very rich town, like Bradford. Today the Piece Hall is a cultural centre and is used for markets and a lot of concerts. 

The Piece Hall in Halifax, its biggest landmark

We came home to rest and in the afternoon, when the rain finally ceased, we drove to Baitings Reservoir belonging to Yorkshire Water to walk around it. The scenery is stunning but it was very, very windy and scaringly so. 

It was very windy at Baitings Reservoir on Friday afternoon. 

It was a good bracing walk which would help work up an appetite for our last dinner in Yorkshire. Our friends took us to the Shibden Mill Inn in the Shibden Valley on the other side of Halifax. Again we were in for a treat; dinner at Yorkshire's best pub among many other pub accolades. It is a very pretty 17th century country inn and the quality of the food is famous. Here we are outside for you to see just how charming the pub is.

The beautiful Shibden Mill Inn

We had a fantastic dinner and we laughed a lot too. Poor Simon had been trying to pronounce the name of a town in Spain, "Valladolid" and couldn't for the love of money get it anywhere near right. Eladio too was in trouble often for not using "please" and "thank you" often enough. When he ordered his mains he just said "trout" and did not include the magic word please. 

All good things come to an end and our lovely dinner at that beautiful and scenic pub did too and Gill drove us back home. We were in bed by 11.30, our last night in Yorkshire.

I was up at the unearthly hour of 5 am on Saturday, the day of our departure.  Packing was a bit of a nightmare but I did it as I always do. Our Uber arrived with a bit of help from Gill and we were off and very grateful to our wonderful hosts who took such great care of us and with whom we had the time of our life. Thank you both Simon and Gill and especially for looking after Eladio. We got to Manchester airport in about an hour and were through security very fast. Thus we had at least 2 hours to kill the time which was easy. Here is Eladio waiting patiently to see which gate we had to head to for our flight to Madrid. 

Eladio waiting patiently at Manchester airport

Notice he is wearing long trousers and a jumper and has his coat with him. I was wearing my coat when I boarded the flight as it was so cold; just 13ºc. Eladio took a photo of me saying goodbye to my dear but cold country.

Saying goodbye to England in the cold and wind, hahaha. 

Our flight left on time and was a bit boring as flights are these days. We arrived to sunshine and 20 degrees more. A big shock to our systems.

Passport control was a bit long but our luggage was fast and we were soon outside which felt like a sauna. Suzy came to pick us up in the Mini as the VW has no petrol which we shall remedy tomorrow. It was lovely to see her and to be home but it was too warm. I immediately put on the air con in our room and it took me a while to unpack. I met some of our guests, all of them students who were relaxing by the pool after their exams. Tana was off on Saturday and will be back on Monday. She has looked after the house and the guests splendidly.

Today is Sunday and we have no plans apart from returning to our routines which you will know well if you read my blog often enough.

England was great, or rather Yorkshire was and we had a good time but I got my fix until September and now it's back to normal.  Thus next week's post won't be half as exciting as this one. But that's life with its ups and downs.

Must sign off to get on with the day. Cheers to you all till next time,

Masha