EUROPE 2025 : 10 DAYS IN LONDON

Friday 10th to Sunday 19th October

No matter how long we stay, there's never enough time. This year we stayed put

in the Z Hotel, Covent Garden and got everyone to come to us. Lunch, dinner, drinks, coffee.. in the end there's a lot of dining!

But the company was excellent!

In between we did theatre, museums and art too.

Tommy and Mandy flew in from Dublin for the weekend too..

The weather was grey all the time but we didn't get a drop of rain until we were on the way to the airport in Sunday. 

EUROPE 2025 : A WEEK IN MALTA

Saturday 4th to Friday 10th October

We spent a week in Malta; staying with Mylene and Coenraad. She rented us an apartment with a wonderful view in Spinosa Bay.

They know Malta well, so I was very happy not to have to plan anything! There's so much history in Malta: Ancient, Roman, Medieval and all the way through to WW2. Valetta, Mdina, Rabat, Mosta, Hagar Qim.

I swam in the chilly sea and we all did a fun boat trip to the Blue Grotto.

We enjoyed good food too.

One night in Marsaxlokk we all shared a salt baked fish at Rizzu.

The night was made more festive and hilarious because entertainment had been laid on for an Estonian tour group.

Mediocre covers of Sweet Caroline and Zorba the Greek; as well as Maltese folk tunes and exuberant dancing by the Indian waiter! The best travel times are mostly not planned and can't be curated!

EUROPE 2025 : SEVILLE

Thursday 2 and Friday 3rd October

Thursday

We have a lot to choose from in this city and our group are not all on the same page.

And it's rather hot. Setas de Sevilla. Palacio de las Duenas. Alameda Hercules.

Almost everything is closed from 4 to 8pm. Going local on tourist time? It all worked out in the end; after a few rounds of drinks and some very tasty sharing tapas. We even won the sullen waiter over eventually. 

Friday

Coffee and cake for brunch between the touristy tours of the Alkazaba and the Catherdral.

Both amazing. Both very, very crowded. 

Neil and I strolled the alleys through Alfalfa, stopping for drinks and tapas at Seville's oldest bar,  El Rinconello.

And then we wisely took our siesta back at the hotel. We were ready for dinner at 8pm at non - touristy  Restaurante 2 de Mayo as it opened. Wonderful last evening in Spain.