Andalusia, a region in southern Spain is my Daddy's spiritual home. He longs for it like a child longs for its mother (which I most certainly do at feeding time) and talks about it with so much passion in his voice and a special twinkle in his eyes. So when it came to booking our first family holiday abroad, you won't need to guess where we headed for. We travelled with my cousin Alex and his parents to visit my Lola Diane in Gibraltar for her 60th birthday. My great grandma and her friend Peter met us there. So did my Tito David. I couldn't wait to see everyone together!
It was my Mama's first time to travel with a British passport and it made all the difference. It took us over three hours to get to Malaga on the plane but I slept most of the time. I borrowed some of Alex's toys to keep me entertained when I was awake because my Mama and Daddy did not bring any at all!
Back in Gibraltar
Gibraltar was where my Mama and Daddy met in 2009 and eventually got married before they moved back to the UK. We saw a lot of people when we were there and met Enzo (who's almost as old or young? as me) and Miguel, who is a bit older. Mama and Daddy took me to places that have been special to them, including the lighthouse where you can see the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. We had coffee with the family in Casemates Square. We went to an evening service at the Methodist Church. And we saw the long queues at the border on our way out, good thing we parked on the Spanish side.
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A Villa in Alcaidesa
We rented an apartment in Alcaidesa, just a few minutes away from Gibraltar. It was alright, with a communal pool (which we didn't use) and some lounge chairs (which we did use) in front of the house. But it did feel a bit lonely, you can't see anyone else walking along the beautiful tree-lined trees and you definitely need a car to get around. It just felt like a holiday place, not the proper Spanish towns and villages that we also visited.
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Visiting Cordoba
On our holiday, we also drove to Cordoba, an ancient city in the heart of Andalusia that's been declared a World Heritage site with a mixture of diverse cultures to boost. Daddy booked us an overnight stay in a beautiful hotel situated along the walls of the famous Mezquita, a former mosque turned into cathedral most known for its forest of horseshoe arches that has been featured in almost every documentary my parents have seen regarding Islamic art and culture. It was, in a way, a cultural pilgrimage for them, and I enjoyed it too.
We got pleasantly lost in the tangle of the narrow medieval streets around the Mezquita, had tapas in a courtyard restaurant for dinner and walked across the Roman Bridge on our first day. The next day, we went inside the Mezquita, ate tortilla under the orange trees in the Old Town and walked along the medieval wall fortification before heading back to Alcaidesa. We passed through olive plantations along the way and was wowed by the beautiful Spanish sunset, reminding Mama and Daddy of the beautiful life they've had in this country.
Dreamy Walk in Tarifa
On the day before we leave Spain, we went to Tarifa, a beautiful seaside town at the southernmost point of continental Europe. I enjoyed our stroll along the walkway, feeling the soft air gently kiss my cheeks. I was also wide awake as we navigated the narrow cobbled streets, watching a little boy practice his football skills while his mother worked on one of the cafes. On our way back, we stopped off at a viewpoint to admire the Atlas mountains of North Africa right across the seas.
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Under the Orange Trees in Marbella
After lunch, we headed off to Marbella, a popular tourist destination in the Costa del Sol. On this trip, we discovered the enchanting old town, a jumble of narrow white-washed alleys and flower-laden balconies. We had a rest under a row of orange trees while waiting for the shops to reopen after siesta so that we can have our yummy plate of churros dipped in chocolate. Then we crossed the road to the open sea, daddy insisting to wheel my pram right on the sand to the amusement of passers-by. There we watched yet another glorious sunset over the horizon. We went home spent but pleasantly intoxicated by the beauty around us. I slept soundly that night.
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Goodbye Spain, for now
On the day we left Costa del Sol, we had a last-minute trip to visit Auntie Portia and DJ at Santa Margarita, a largely expat community just outside La Linea for a quick catch-up before rushing off to Malaga for our afternoon flight home. No one was looking forward to it. The thought of the cooler weather was already giving Daddy the blues. It's been a very lovely holiday, although it was a quite busy and sometimes rushed so I’m definitely looking forward to a more laid-back visit next time.
Making Sounds at the Park
Back in Britain, the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Mama and I went on with our daytime walks in the park, which felt rather melancholic now that Lola Ma has already left. The leaves have by then completely carpeted the muddy grounds and the squirrels have become more visible and active trying to increase their stash for the winter.
In these walks, I started babbling , trying to tell Mama that the cold is too much for me and that I wanted to be somewhere warm but I’m not sure she understood because she just carried on taking videos of me and then wheeling me around until I fell asleep. She does that all the time, she tries to get me to sleep while we are out and about because she knows I get fed up with being at home.
Sunday Roast at the Admiral Rodney's
We went out on a Sunday roast date night at the Admiral Rodney, our local pub up in Loxley Road with a wonderful view of the Sheffield countryside. We were given the most sought after table in the restaurant, right beside a log fire that kept us warm and comfortable. I fell asleep on my car seat just before dinner was served which meant peace and quiet for Mama and Daddy for an hour at least. But I did have a taste of the meal in my bedtime milk later on. Yum!
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Kelham Island, Sheffield's industrial museum along the River Don, is annually transformed into the magical world of Dickens at the end of November in anticipation of the festive Christmas celebrations. We went there on one of three days it was open and enjoyed it immensely. The place was packed, with characters dressed in Victorian outfits rubbing shoulders with the thousands of visitors who flocked. They were always happy to have their photos taken too! There were also plenty of market stalls selling Sheffield made goods where Mama and Daddy picked up some Christmas presents for the family. I hope we go back again next year.
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Chatsworth's Winter Wonderland
Every Christmas, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire puts on a spectacular festive display with a different theme each time. In 2013, we walked through a dark wardrobe and found ourselves inside the magical world of Narnia based on CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was absolutely fantastic, complete with the White Queen on top of the stairs in the Painted Hall to the life-sized Aslan lying on a stone table at the library. But I fell asleep half-way through, maybe next year I'll be more alert!
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Shopping for a Tree
With Christmas just around the corner, we went shopping for a tree. We found the perfect one at Rhinegold Garden Centre just off Loxley Road and it was a Norman Fir, a firm British favourite and the same specie that my Mama and Daddy has been putting up every year. They are sustainably grown of course which is an added bonus. Daddy put it up on our bay window and they had fun decorating it with lights and balls while I looked on from my walker.
Bouncing, Flipping Pages and Rolling Over
We have certainly been very busy this month with our holiday and days out but I haven't forgotten to learn some important things too. I've been busy exploring my walker, bought from e-bay with our highest bid of £18. It's a fantastic toy, with piano keys playing music and a lot of buttons to press. I've been using it as a bouncer most of the time, with a pillow to hold my weight underneath as I was still too small to touch the floor. I've also started looking at my soft books, turning pages to check out the interesting photos and feel the textures in it. But my most important development this month was that I could finally roll over from my back to my side, not fully yet but nearly there.
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Til next month!
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