My Aching sore tired body

 Yes that was me when I got home. It was a long trip I was up by 6 am so paranoid I would oversleep I had a wake up call besides my alarm.  I wanted to be down to check out and be ready for breakfast. I was way too early and had to sit awhile.  I had a decent breakfast and then headed back to the desk and grab my suitcase and headed out.I gave myself more than enough time to get to the train. I sat and waited and waited and the train did not come, there was no way I had missed it so I just sat and waited I knew even missing one I should have enough time to check in, The train finally came when the next one had been scheduled.

I got the airport and there was quite a line checking in but it went reasonably quick after that I went through security and headed for the plane. We left on time which was good and we landed early by about 25 minutes. This gave me more than enough time to catch the plane to Detroit or so I thought. I walked quite awhile again having trouble finding the terminal to go to and having to ask. Then the passport control again and security it took even longer than arriving and that was something.

Then I saw the plane was 20 minutes late which was a damn good thing as it was a very long walk to the plane as it was at the very end. Waited there while people were boarding or so I thought but NO they were going through a door and taking a bus to the plane it was Airbus 340 and way out in God's country.

I was so tired I fell asleep before we left and woke up when the they came around with drinks and after that was dinner. I ordered lamb dish but it was the ground kind and I also had a bottle of white wine the dinner was pretty good. I dozed off some more. I watched The Help on the little screen and bits and pieces of other things dozing off at times.

We arrived almost an hour late but luckily still had over 2 hours to my flight. I got there very easy and we got on the plane early. Almost home or so I thought.  We sat and sat on the plane and then FINALLY the pilot said there was a problem with a piece of equipment which was a security feature and were still trying to track a part down. They knew this before we got on the plane. He finally announced found it but it was ways away and they had to bring it which would be about another 30 mins, Then he said the 9 pm flight was cancelled and they would put those people on our plane. We finally pulled back as the snow started whirling in.  Then came the announcement because of the temp just being at freezing we had to de-ice and that takes about 20 mins and there were planes ahead of us. Turns out  there were 2 so we waited.  It did take awhile and when we finally took off we should already have landed in Buffalo. They did announce the actual flight time is 41 minutes and in the end took 37 so we landed an hour and 15 mins late.

I was so beat and sore and my toe was really starting to bother me was so happy to get home have a hot bath and rest my weary body since I had to work in the morning I was in bed by 11.30.

Santa arrives

Bioparc Fuengirola Zooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I went to the Fuengirola Zoo And Biopark and have to say it was incredible I saw so many animals, that I had never seen. To quote "You won't find miserable animals pacing up and down shoe-box cages, clinging to solitary branches"

The train ride was an experience one guy was wearing a tux obvious he had been out all night partying as the last trains leave Malaga at 10.20 pm. He kept trying to doze off but someone kept calling his mobile and it has a loud telephone ring. He would look and then go back to dozing he must have gotten a dozen calls someone must have been "pranking" him. While I was waiting for the train there was a man on the other side and he realized the train direction he wanted was on my side and he ran to the edge of the track like he was going to jump on the track and attempt to cross over. YIKES finally someone convinced him that he had to go down the stairs and around and he was not HAPPY.

I was there by about 11 am it as open despite it being New Years it was open Christmas Day too. I had not seen took a few zillion photos watched the bird-mammel show and twice the bird flying wings touched my head. The animals were cute and would come do their part and leave so amazing they can be trained including some otters. They were so damn cute the photos blurred too bad as they looked cute one looked like he was laughing.

A highlight was the trip to Lemur Monkey Island I saw different lemurs had no idea there were 4 kinds and it all up close you went "over" and walked around they were I almost missed this and saw the area by chance. I should have looked better at my map. They were all cute and some started lounging around you had to be there. There was a white tiger was so close behind glass /bulletproof glass where he had a large area to roam but if someone upset him he would jump up like an attack. I enjoyed watching children experience this, being so close like they were touching them it caused much excitement.

Colobus Monkey

Blue Pigeon

One "room" had these blue colored birds and you know me and blue, I looked to see what they were and they were some sort of pigeon never saw a pigeon like that. Some people were taking photos of something up high I did too though wasn't sure what it was turned out to be bats.  I could go on and on just ask my camera it is probably about the best zoo I have been to and I have been to quite a few. I was there about 4 hours so I really took it all in. After that I walked down to the Med sea to walk along it and enjoy it for the last time. I found a place Picadilly Inn and ordered some fish and chips and just sat and relaxed. The server was from England (the owner too) and wasn't hard on the eyes and he said Thanks love when I paid him. After that walked a bit more and found and internet place. I was truly exhausted and decided it was time to head back to Torry for my final night. I had a 40 minute nap and got up and got most of my packing done. I then went and had dinner a nice Irish woman Alma I met before came and sat with me we had a great chat and enjoyed it so much I stayed up later than I planned. We exchanged addresses it was a good final night.

Lemurs

eye of the tiger

Yup I stand up

Do the Hippo Shake

Lickin good

New Years Eve we partied

Last night party was a blast we had lobster, shrimp, steak all sorts of wines and I sat with a couple originally from Scotland and others a man from Gibraltar and a woman from Ireland. Further down the table another couple had a woman looked so much like Julian Lennon (John just what were you up to) and found out she was from near Manchester. The couple from Scotland were lovely and I chatted quite a bit with the woman her name was Ann. The woman across from us could not believe we did not know each other before, as we were yakking away as old friends.

Lobster Salad

This was sooooo good

We were served creamy pumpkin soup , there was a pansy in it (and yes I ate it) and then we got the lobster Salad which turned out to be half a lobster with King prawns and salad. Followed by a choice of Sirloin Steak with truffle sauce and mushrooms and then choice of side dishes grilled potatoes with thyme wild rice sauteed vegetables. There was plenty of bottles of wine, like the Christmas luncheon. We ate and chatted and then went up for the cakes which we beautiful to look at but personally I preferred the Christmas Luncheon cakes because there were more chocolates. What can I say I LOVE chocolate.

The desserts were good but Christmas was better I asked the one in charge a Manager if he works every day since I saw him every day I was there and he said yes oh he hugged me and wished me happy new year and my Scottish friend said I saw you chatting that man up.

Around 11.15 were all handed a bag of festive goodies hats and horns streamers and grapes you are suppose to eat one grapè as the clock hits midnight and chimes 12 times I tried but could not. All of us stood watching the countdown on telly and everyone was having a good time some Spanish woman at a table were using the horns to form a band. They were doing dances and kicking up their heals. We all were practicing for midnight and waiting and then finally we all counted down in Spanish.

It was fun and we were all hugging and kissing at my table two kisses one each cheek this was done between 6 of us who were sitting together and chatting. Some people at another table were quite wild and someone smashed a glass and did not attempt to clean up or report it so we did.

There was a band who played after and so many Spanish woman got up to dance. I got loads of videos and photos and lots of laughs. Then we all hugged when we said goodbye I started to head up at one am but then decided to watch people dance awhile. Some of them were pretty good mostly woman dancing in pairs or groups there was one that really looked rather like some creature but boy could she dance. I finally left at 1.45 despite wanting to stay more just made no sense to.