It was a welcome return to The Saxon Mill in Warwick today for one of our regular three-monthly get-togethers with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. The six of us were last here back in February, this year after giving it a break for a year or two.

We set off just after 11.30, and that meant plenty of time to get there. Well, that was the theory! Friday + late morning + A14/M6/A46, what could possibly go wrong? It began well, but a lorry shredding a tyre just before the exit to the A46 meant a substantial tailback, adding nearly 20 minutes to our journey. We eventually arrived just after 12.45 (table booked for 12.30) after negotiating an incredibly busy Saxon Mill car park.

Consequently, we were last to arrive, but it wasn’t long before we were catching up with our friends and all their news.

Given that there’s a feeling, nationally, that everyone is hard up and watching the pennies, someone forgot to tell this lot! – I don’t think I’ve ever seen Saxon Mill so busy! Good to know, and we were soon perusing their Menu that sported a 2 or 3 course menu (great value at just £21.95 or £25.95 respectively plus the usual à la carte option). This all meant there was a fair amount of choice in front of us. Decisions made, we now had to get someone’s attention. Maybe due to how busy they were, service was a bit sluggish, but it came (eventually) with a smile from our Server, who was clearly enjoying his job!

It all went down a treat with my choice offering some of the tastiest bangers I’ve eaten in a long time!

It was (just as it should be) a very relaxed Lunch as we spent nearly two hours chatting over this and that including UK Passport Control, Thunderbirds, Second Thoughts productions and Ian & Ann’s impending arrival of half of Australia! (well, not quite!).

After paying the bill (just under £67 per couple) we headed to the car park, said our goodbyes and contemplated what our journey might be like in reverse on a Friday afternoon. Actually, it was hassle-free, and we were home in just under an hour.

Next time, we’re meeting at Ascoughs Bistro in Market Harborough as part of my forthcoming 70-70-70 celebrations.

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Another organised day out thanks to my old School – Selhurst Grammar School for Boys and The Old Croydonians’ Association. Today, it was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

We set off from home just before 10am, heading for Huntingdon Station. It’s become our ‘go to’ station-of-travel in recent years when heading for the capital due to better parking, cheaper rail ticket prices and generally much more ticket flexibility. OK, we first needed to drive there, but it’s only 30-or-so minutes and (touch wood) we’ve never had a bad run yet!

I wouldn’t say we’re ‘theatre luvvies’, but we’ve been to quite a few Theatres in the capital over the years – but never this one.

These OCA events are always worth looking forward to – not just because it’s an opportunity to meet up with old school chums but to ‘dig deeper’ into places that wouldn’t usually be on our radar. So far, thanks to the good work of the OCA looking after us old boys – and girls! – in recent years, we’ve enjoyed visits to:-

St Bride’s Church (February 2026)
Fulham Palace (September 2025)
Hidden Greenwich (September 2024)
Backstage at the National Theatre (February 2024) – we missed that one!
Behind the Scenes at the Royal Opera House (October 2023)

We’re now building up quite a list! , and as usual at these events, there’s always time for pre-meet over an informal meal beforehand. Today was no exception as we took the short walk from Covent Garden Tube to the nearby Prince of Wales Pub in Drury Lane.

Prince of Wales

We arrived just before 12.15 where OCAer John Wade introduced himself and set the scene for this special day.

We’d been here before on the previous OCA trip to the Royal Opera House, and it was good to be back in a Pub that typifies ‘old London’.

The food punched well above its weight, and despite the hostelry’s size, there was plenty of seating. It was popular too for that time of day (but thankfully, not too popular!). For us, it was perfect! Meanwhile, elsewhere, because of the expected numbers and differing food tastes, there was also a second gathering of ex-pupils at nearby La Ballerina in Bow Lane. As always, it was good to see some very familiar faces – Cortland, Valerie, Roger, John, John, Caroline, and many other faces from previous events and my school days – can it be 50 years since I left? (err, yes, ‘fraid so! )

After the perfect antidote to WeightWatchers (yes, we did have a pud too!) and the opportunity to have a longer natter with those assembled, we decided to stretch our legs in the vain attempt to burn off the meal (really!?!?)

Twenty minutes later, and now at least an ounce lighter than when we left the Prince of Wales, we arrived at the Theatre. Just from the outside, it looked impressive, but the very best was yet to come – the interior.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

First, the shortest of history lessons: The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane was opened in 1812, and is the most recent of four theatres that have stood at the location since 1663, making it the oldest theatre site in London still in use. It recently underwent a massive refurbishment at a personal cost to the owner of £60m.

And as we were about to discover, this was no ordinary London Theatre

In total, there were around 20 of us eager to learn about the inner workings of this famous establishment. Sensibly, we were split into two roughly equal-sized groups, where Ann and I were put in the ‘first’ group, meaning we finish sooner, making it easier for our train connections. In many respects, getting in and out of London these days by train is a breeze compared with when I worked in the capital, but timing is everything!

Alan introduced himself as our Tour Guide. He turned out to be the perfect host, and we sensed an actor fighting to get out (or get in!).

In fact, his delivery, for us, was so engaging, I was caught up in the drama of it all instead of taking photographs. So, the photo stock may have come up short for today’s outing, but our appreciation of this wonderful building more than made up for it!

Here are some of the takeaways for us:-

Recently refurbished in 2021 WITHOUT the need for any grants or loans
Thank you, Lord Webber for the £60m! (the owner)
The restoration returned the Theatre to its 19th-century look
Immaculate from top to bottom, it looked like it opened yesterday!
Luxurious Ladies Loos (no, I didn’t check personally!)
A very haunted Theatre and a place full of ghosts
The Stage that was a technological marvel – and very large!
Proper legroom for the audience

If the interior that the public usually sees was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, there was more to enjoy – behind (and under) the scenes. Alan first took us into the Theatre seating and explained the layout changes during the refurb: first, seats with proper legroom, next, no ‘restricted view’ seats and best of all, the upper seating had been moved closer to the stage. The result? The Theatre now offers just under 2000 (1981?) ‘proper’ seats!

Then it was down, down and down further as we headed beneath the stage and into the oldest parts of the building. Complete with a slightly spooky flickering overhead light to set the mood, we learned more about the resident ghosts! . The Theatre is generally considered to be the most haunted theatre in the UK, and whether that’s all part of the clever branding or a genuine part of its 350-year history, it made for an (even more) engaging experience! . I’ll spare you the spooky details here, but the Theatre has more than its fair share of occasional apparitions, including: Dan Leno (Panto Dame) and the ‘Man in Grey’. Oh! and the smell of Lavender. Even our Guide mentioned he’d seen one of the spooky residents!

On the slightly more surreal side, we got to see a very special chair – a gift to the Theatre – that belonged to Adolph Hitler taken from the Reichstag! How very strange! . We also took a look inside a restored Dressing Room with the helpful advice from Alan about NOT leaving your makeup out overnight (yes, one of the resident ghosts again! )

Typically, as with all enjoyable events, the 90 minutes passed in a flash. As we said our goodbyes to the group, we reflected on today’s experience. The OCA events have always been well-organised and interesting (thanks Bob, I’m sure you’re looking down on us, with an approving smile ), but today was probably the best so far, for us. We were impressed with the Theatre from start to finish – and Alan had really brought the building alive (except for the ghosts, of course! ).

Thanks to everyone at the OCA who made today possible – and to Alan who entertained and educated us in equal measure. We won’t forget this Theatre in a hurry, and we’re even tempted to get onto their mailing list for future productions.

Now all we needed to do was to hope that all our train connections worked! They did, and we arrived home just before 6pm. Here’s to the next one! (Note to self: Take more photos!!!).

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I suspect this might be the first of many! Ann and I travelled up to Blackfriars in London today for our first HQ Reunion of ‘The Firm’.

Ann was eligible to go too, as she was part of the Store Development in her final years. So we agreed to give it a go and see if we could recognise all those people from years ago.

First, a bit of ancient history. Just after the Romans exited Britannia, I joined Sainsbury’s as a ‘trolley boy’. The clue is in the job-title, and I spent most Friday nights at the tender age of 16-and-a-bit retrieving customer trolleys from the multi-storey car park next to the then-flagship Sainsbury store in Croydon. Sadly, it was closed down in 2023, but at least a couple of us revisited it back in August of that year, for one final ‘goodbye’ before they shut the doors for good!

It would NOT be an understatement to say that JS had a massive impact on my life in terms of how I saw the world of work. It was my first ‘proper job’, and over the years the firm gave me a gold-standard training and development programme; taught me a lot about the importance of a ‘work ethic’; how to build and develop work relationships; mostly though, how to work hard without the constant need to be told I was ‘amazing’.

Fast-forward a few years (and a few different jobs that included Weekend Student, Butchery Boy, Checkout Operator, Warehouseman, Tradesman, Trainee Manager, Junior Manager, Training Specialist, Area Training Manager and finally, Head of Special Training Projects at HQ in London), I got itchy feet – which was unusual for the time and the culture (many workers at JS stayed for a lifetime). These days, it’s not considered healthy to remain with a single organisation for long, but back then, ‘loyalty’ was a thing!

So, some 17 years later, my time with Sainsbury’s had reached its natural endpoint, and on Friday, 3rd March 1989, I said my goodbyes . Tough decision? You bet! But the firm had given me enough knowledge, skills and confidence to start my own business! The rest is ancient history, and I owe Sainsbury’s an awful lot.

Today, was an opportunity to reconnect with some of those who had played a part in all of this where the venue was helpfully also one of my favourite ‘watering holes’ too (it saw an awful lot of me in the late 80s! ) – The Doggett’s perched on Blackfriars Bridge and just a short walk from Sainsbury’s HQ in Stamford Street. Well, it would have been if they hadn’t demolished ‘Stamford House’ back in 2017!

We arrived just after 11.30 where the two floors allocated in the Pub were already filling up with faces from the past.

We met up with Nicki and Julian and were soon drinking our coffees and scanning the room for familiar faces from our past.

Howard Bentley (the first Sainsbury Management Trainer I ever met) and I recognised each other immediately, and we were soon catching up with many, many (many) years since we last saw each other and reflecting on the legend that was Robin Handley (RIP).

I also caught sight of Dave Washington, who, in my early days, was a junior manager – and a popular one too. I also spotted Phil Thomas who was the ADM (Area Display Manager) at around the same time (early 80s) that I was ATM (Area Training Manager) at the Area Office based in Romford. Bill Williams, who is now in charge of this event, was pretty active today, circulating and pressing plenty of flesh. I last remember Bill as the tough very tough Store Manager of the new flagship store at Nine Elms that opened in 1982.

Then, another two of my personal heroes: the evergreen Ken Barden (who recruited us both into JS) accompanied by the well-respected David Clapham, who, back in the day, was a senior manager. Both now in their ‘golden years’ to me, they looked much the same as they did all those years ago. Seems like 70-hour work weeks and 24/7 stress hasn’t affected some of us! . I remember them both as true ‘people persons’ where I had the privilege of working for Ken as my first boss and being David’s PA for a short while over Christmas in the late 70s.

Of course, there was one person I really wanted to chat with, who I knew was attending. Step forward, Andrew McMillan. Andrew was probably the first person I met when I began my career as a Trainee Manager at Sainsbury’s ‘747’ Orpington store in 1976. We became instant friends – and we’ve kept up the friendship ever since! A brief moment of joint mental arithmetic today revealed that we’ve now known each other for 50 years! . Sounds impossible!

I also finally met Julian Durden, who had been a name that I was sure I knew from the past. Other friends of ours who also knew him were convinced that he and I must have known each other. Today was the day when we finally worked it all out! It seemed that by coincidence, we’d both worked at the same stores at about the same time, and so, we had been aware of each other, and probably out of courtesy, politely acknowledged each other day-to-day. Today, we made up for that and spent a fair bit of time chatting and comparing notes of days long gone.

Ann managed to spot some faces she recognised, but they were few and far between.

It was a full-on experience, but in spite of seeing several familiar faces, I was quite surprised at the number of faces I didn’t know. I spent about two years at HQ, where my role required a fair amount of time spent with NON-Training functions – where were all those people today? It was certainly a ‘blokey’ affair too, with very few women attending (maybe reflecting JS and businesses in general at that time?).

Today was certainly well-supported, and through today’s raffle, raised a significant amount of money for the Sainsbury Veterans.

Elsewhere, the Pensions Department was in attendance, handling queries, and the JS Archive team were busy snapping memories for the records.

If there’s such a thing as ‘too well-supported’, then today may have been one of those times. Ken confirmed that there were around 150 people here today – and that’s quite a turnout! The low ceilings in the Pub, combined with the sheer volume of the collective conversations, made it a real challenge just to chat. As I write this, the day after, I can feel that my throat is a little scratchy from having to constantly raise my voice. Both floors were packed, making it feel a little claustrophobic, and where it was almost impossible to take any small group photos due to the lack of space. At its height, it was ‘shoulder to shoulder’.

When the Buffet arrived, I think we were all ready for some nourishment. As we filled our plates, we noticed that the weather outside had improved, and so, with our over-full plates, proper cutlery and serviettes, we headed for the deserted terrace (before anyone else did!). Outside wasn’t the warmest of days, but at least it was quiet and with a great view of the city across Blackfriars Bridge.

Then it began to rain!

Luckily, the rain was light – but the food was delicious! (Well done, Doggett’s – some things don’t change!) and as our empty plates were scooped up by the very efficient staff, we headed back inside to escape the damp, in favour of more nostalgic nattering.

In closing, and on a very personal note, it was, for me, slightly sad to see some of my heroes now looking much older and somewhat frailer. What’s that saying? “Never meet your heroes! ”

Overall, it was a very enjoyable event. These days, ‘The Firm’ is nothing like it was during the era represented here today, but it was good to relive those heady days of a business that for many was paternalistic, standards-centric, tough, regimented and top-of-its-game! It was often fun too, and good to be part of the success!

Today was well organised by the volunteers, but its popularity meant that it was literally ‘standing room only’, making it feel somewhat cramped at times. Because of the noise levels, it’s not an event we’d attend every year, although I’m really glad I attended today. Maybe it’s time for a larger venue to reflect its popularity?

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We haven’t been to Audley End House & Gardens for quite a few years, and today, we’re taking Nicki and joining Jo, Janet and Carol there. Given the gap between today and our previous visit, I was hoping to find a previous reference here in my Blog, but nothing… nada..! So that means we must have last been here BEFORE I first began blogging – that’s pre-May 2004! .

If the weather forecast is to be trusted, we had a fine day ahead with 15℃ predicted. As we were spending a lot of our time inside the House, a scorching hot day wasn’t that important, but it was good to know the weather was on our side.

10.05am: As Nicki, Ann and I left home just after 10, quite by coincidence, Jo, Janet and Carol appeared just behind us – what are the chances, ehh?!?!?

11.10am: About an hour (ish) later, after a trouble-free journey, we arrived at our destination. Finding the parking area was pretty straightforward, though at first it was a tad confusing since the main public car park was (much) farther up the road – not right by the entrance on our left. On the other hand, disabled parking was way more convenient, located via the main entrance. Temporarily, we went our separate ways!

After parking the car, the three of us took the short walk down the gentle slope towards the House and we were soon through the entrance and looking for our friends.

Our first task was to track down Jo, Janet and Carol who were now slightly ahead of us. ‘If in doubt, I thought, ‘try the Tearoom’ and sure enough, they had secured a table in the corner. The Café was already quite busy as we joined the queue for some initial sustenance but we were served quickly and were soon catching up with everyone’s news over a cuppa and some light nibbles.

Time for a group selfie, testing out my (usually appalling) selfie-taking skills!

Although I’m not bad with a phone camera, selfies have always turned out poor by comparison. Thankfully, after what seems like 30 years or so, I’m finally getting the hang of it (helped along by a tech-tip from Nicki of engaging a countdown timer in order to frame the shot in good time. Every day a school day, ehh?! . Cheers, Nicki!

Midday: There is lots to see here – it’s not just the House. The Estate included the 1880’s Service Wing, the Stable Yard, the Coach House, the Temple of Concord, the Polish War Memorial, the Organic Kitchen Garden, the Pond Garden, the Vine House and yet another garden – ‘The Elysian’.

Twenty minutes later, with beaming smiles captured, we were ready to explore the House… and Audley End is a big one!

First impressions? From the outside, the House already looked fantastic and was in excellent condition – and once inside, it continued to impress.

Clearly, a lot of time and money had been spent on restoring everything here so it looked like new. It’s one of EH’s most popular properties, so it’s money well spent!

Case in point: The massive Tudor Screen had been restored to its original appearance — having been painted white at some point in the past!

Helpfully, one of the Volunteers carried out a short history lesson about the House and the families who lived there. Another sign of (very) visible wealth? Oh yes! In fact, as every schoolboy knows: a Library in a house was always the sign of wealth – and Audley End House has TWO!

In spite of all of this money, the irony was that in the 1940s, the House (now occupied by just one person) was eventually handed over to the Government. In 1983, it became the responsibility of English Heritage.

12.50pm: Another fascination of the time was collecting stuffed dead things. It’s not to everyone’s taste – I’m more used to just stuffed peppers – and the above photos capture just a small proportion of the collection on display here.

1.05pm: One of the many great things about this House was that very little of the House seemed to be off limits. With the ground floor explored, we now headed upstairs, where even the Attic (that included ‘The Coal Gallery’) was put to good use. Another ‘first’ in that it’s the only country pile that I’ve been to where they used ‘upstairs’ as a store for piles of coal! A great idea when you think about it, but certainly very unusual!

Upstairs also housed the Nursery for their growing collection of kids – eight in total. Looking at the beds and the general decor, they certainly wanted for nothing.

1.15pm: An opportunity of silliness followed (and why not!) where the sight of period costumes (including hats) were ‘wasting away’ just sitting in the corner of the room. Yes, it would have been rude not to, so we slipped into something more elegant (well, the girls did!). Me? I’m not sure what I ‘came as’, but it looked – and felt – very disturbing!

Next stop was all the way back downstairs to the Kitchens.

1.25pm: With the kitchens now conquered, we dropped into the nearby Laundry Room. Tucked away in the corner was this…

None of us had a clue what it was. It looked like it was something to do with a door… maybe some form of repair tool. After a lot of head-scratching we deduced it was maybe something to do with pressing laundry. Maybe?

And it was – as the diagram above shows. Another first, as I’ve never seen one before.

1.40pm: Lunch was now calling – quite loudly! We headed back to where we’d met when we arrived. Boy, was it busy!! Whilst the girls queued, I secured us a table (as they were being taken in double-quick time).

Whilst the House may have been on the grand side, you couldn’t say the same for the food selection! It was all delicious, but the range was very limited. It therefore didn’t take us long to empty our plates, and we were soon on the final stretch, looking for the Gardens.

1.55pm: In spite of the six sharpest minds on the case AND with the map, finding the Gardens took us in some ‘interesting’ directions. On the way, the views were spectacular, and we eventually found the most direct route, but not before taking a short diversion to the Stables.

For those who have watched me ride a horse, I know some of you are still having therapy! Whilst others still haven’t stopped laughing! . So, for me, today, a much safer option was on offer…

3.00pm: Eventually, we discovered the Kitchen Garden.

In truth, there wasn’t an awful lot to see, but what was obvious, just looking around, was that this was a BIG space! It would have therefore needed quite a lot of labour to keep on top of all the gardening tasks. What DID make a lasting memory was the Gardeners’ Bothy (a refuge for the hard-working staff). It was also large, full of tools – and included an office too! It was also clear that it was the domain of a VERY tidy person (I could easily have moved in tomorrow!)

3.20pm: We finished our day near the Polish War Memorial then slowly headed around the back of the House.

Phew! . According to my walking monitor, it told me I’d covered just over 48 miles today. It certainly felt like a LONG walk around the Estate, but it clearly wasn’t that far! Then I realised that somehow my sedate driving style (yeah, right!) on the way there had confused the software and it thought I had walked – from Northamptonshire to North Essex!

3.35pm: We said our goodbyes and headed back in slightly different directions to our cars. It had been a FANTASTIC day, where we realised that this was our first day out together, and ALL of us are now retired! . The weather had delivered a beautifully warm day that was at least 2-3 degrees warmer than the forecast had suggested – perfect! .

5.02pm: We had a trouble-free journey home and indoors, sipping a cuppa just after 5.

More days like this, please!!

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…Knot! (read on)…

We couldn’t decide whether to go to this event today (Sunday) or tomorrow. A quick check of the Bank Holiday weather forecast helped us make up our! Dry today, raining tomorrow. So that was an easy decision. Ann sorted out all the ingredients for a picnic yesterday, and we woke to an accurate forecast (for once!)

We drove to to nearby Deene Park (the seat of the Brudenell family’s country manor about 5 miles north-east of Corby) to witness Deene Park Plundered! – a Civil War Re-Enactment Society by the well-known The Sealed Knot. The last time we were here to witness the Sealed Knot do what they do best was in May 2019 where we sat in the pouring rain, being typically British, and pretended we were enjoying the spectacle!

The Sealed Knot is the oldest re-enactment society in the UK, a registered educational charity, and the single biggest re-enactment society in Europe. They bring history to life by staging events throughout the country all year round, offering a chance to experience at first hand, the horrors of a nation at war with itself, as well as providing a glimpse of everyday life in those days.

As we arrived, we could see that the car-park was already busy, so surely that was a good sign, even if the weather was now cooling down. Would it rain like the last time we were here? . With our hands duly stamped by a young and enthusiastic ‘knotter’, we passed through the entrance and found the perfect spot for a great view of the main arena.

The Sealed Knot take these events very seriously, and you can’t knock their pursuit of perfection in everything they do. From the accuracy of their clothing to carefully choreographed battle scenes, ‘winging it’ is just NOT an option. Safety is paramount, obviously, as no-one wants a sprog hit by a cannonball, ehh?! .

In spite of the number of cars in the car-park, it didn’t seem to equate with the number of people actually at the event itself. And as the weather got cooler (but still dry!), the members of the Sealed Knot tried their hardest to keep us all engaged with first, their Drum Display followed by the Cavalry, who drilled, charged and sliced vegetables using their swords whilst on horseback.

Some were more successful than others, and it became immediately obvious that slicing a melon whilst riding a horse takes a bit more skill than mowing the lawn on a Sunday afternoon! . Some of their horses appeared to have been given Red Bull before the show and were proving to be more than a handful in their riders’ experienced hands. Some missed the veg completely, whilst others were frighteningly accurate. One horse in particular (and clearly a vegetarian) took the opportunity to scare its rider by going from a canter to a full-on gallop in about two seconds – where rider and horse were last seen landing in Leicestershire! .

Overall, it was all very professional and well put together, but the lack of visitor numbers and an increasingly cool day robbed the event of its ‘buzz’. After a quick look around and watching the fashion show, after a couple of hours or so, we retreated.

Today therefore, wasn’t one of our best decisions – but at least it didn’t rain! We’ve come to the conclusion that for us, at least, the weather has to be a scorcher to make this worthwhile, and we’ll think even more carefully, next time the Sealed Knot come to Deene Park.

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Well, more of an afternoon really! Here we are at our new home for enjoying Opera – The Savoy Cinema, Corby.

Beamed live to the cinema, from none other than the famous Royal Opera House, in our book, this is the smart way to enjoy Opera!

Last time we were here was to see La traviata back in January – and it didn’t disappoint. This time, it’s David McVicar’s production of Mozart’s famous ‘Magic Flute‘ (aka Die Zauberflöte). It’s easily our favourite Opera and we always look forward to the latest production.

As an extra bonus, parking was free here on a Sunday, so we were already 20p up on the deal! . And with tickets costing only £33 in total, as I’ve said before, this beats a journey to/from London.

Official Synopsis

Princess Pamina has been captured. Her mother, the Queen of the Night, tasks the young Prince Tamino with her daughter’s rescue. But when Tamino and his friendly sidekick, Papageno, embark on their adventure, they soon learn that when it comes to the quest for love, nothing is as it really seems. Guided by a magic flute, they encounter monsters, villains, and a mysterious brotherhood of men – but help, it turns out, comes when you least expect it

Did you know?

The Magic Flute was Mozart’s last opera before his death at the age of 35. The premiere took place on September 30, 1791, not in a royal theatre, but the popular Vienna Theatre Auf der Wieden. The actor Emanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto and played the role of Papageno. It was a huge success from the outset – although some of Mozart’s masonic colleagues were offended by the opera’s references to their customs: a closely guarded secret. In fact, in some productions we’ve seen, it has been much more obvious that the story involves the Maisons. In contrast, this one avoided it completely! ‍

Curtain up!

With a relaxed 2pm start, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! After a short on-screen preamble, it was ‘curtain up’, and we were enjoying the performance with an 80% full house at The Savoy. It’s sung in German (thankfully with English subtitles), and we learned that this performance wasn’t actually a live stream but a recording from earlier in the run. I’m not sure why it wasn’t live, but it still looked and sounded good .

It’s a serious story (as most Operas are, but with a bit of light comedy thrown in) and one of the few where a major character doesn’t peg it by the end! . In short, it’s a familiar tale of good vs evil, light vs dark and where true love wins in the end. The tale moves along at some pace, and although it’s not ‘a cast of thousands’, there are some points where there are a lot of people on stage – and that’s where seeing it in the cinema scores over craning your head attempting to see everyone.

It was certainly a memorable performance, where Act 2 contained the earworm! The tune is probably one of the most difficult arias in Opera to sing and is delivered by the ‘Queen of the Night’ character. I reckon it’s worth going, just to hear this single piece. The vocal skills required have to be at their best due to the range required, and also the ability to change speed very quickly. Ultimately, it was an exercise in breath control as much as singing ability. Kathryn Lewek, delivered it with passion! Apparently, she holds the record for performing it the most number of times in the USA. Wow, it certainly showed!

Elsewhere, the Orchestra, conducted by Marie Jacquot, was superb, and she received a rousing cheer at the end. The sets were a bit drab, but that was more than made up for by the acting, singing, music and lighting.

Overall, it felt like a long production, even though it was only two Acts (Act 1 = 65 minutes, Act 2 = 85 minutes) separated by a 20-minute interval. In fact, there were some scenes in Act 2, that neither of us recalls ever seeing before in previous productions – one example being a scene featuring animals of the forest.

In spite of the length (and the ‘new’ bits), it was a great afternoon, and still remains our favourite Opera!

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Hot on the heels of Wednesday’s get-together with Jo & Janet, watching Superman, it’s another of our TV Dinners with mates! And it’s our second ‘away match’ as we’re at Trish & John’s.

We’ve enjoyed a growing number of ‘TV Dinners’ in the past few years (see the foot of this Post). For us, they’re the perfect combo of the three Fs – good friends, good food and a good film! This was our 11th, and Trish has been scouring the cookbooks in the past few days to serve up something special

Yum Yum!

You can’t go wrong with Trish in the kitchen – and tonight was certainly no exception. Trish had created ‘Middle-Eastern Braised Beef’: a spicy concoction of guess what? Beef with courgettes, celery and tomatoes and the fragrance of fresh orange. But to start, err, Starters…

Yes, that all went down a treat! For me, the sauce was amazing!

Waiting for us on-screen is the recently released: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. We watched it on Netflix (where, unusually, it was also on at many cinemas at the same time too!).

Official Cinema Poster

Official Trailer

Synopsis

“Amid the chaos of World War II, Tommy Shelby returns from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the future of his family and country at stake, Shelby must face his demons and choose whether to confront his legacy or burn it to the ground“.

Rated 15 and running for 1 hour 52 minutes, this big-screen outing had received mixed reviews from professional critics and fans. This short review is completely spoiler-free, so read away!

Either way, as all four of us were already BIG fans of the series, and it was good to see the character of Thomas Shelby back in the spotlight. It was appropriate too, as the TV series and its 36 episodes left a few narrative strands unresolved when the final episode was shown on TV in April, 2022 (Can it be 6 years ago?)

Visually, it was a treat. It was a dark tale, both figuratively and literally. The subdued hues of the first couple of acts complemented the bleak storyline and the haunted figure of a man, who appeared to be a shadow of his former self. The way they’d lit the scenes brought out the moodiness of the unfolding tale of love, death, revenge and ultimately, peace (but maybe not in the way fans might expect). It didn’t take long to work out where the story was heading – and in doing so, the tension (already on at least ‘5’ from the beginning) was threatening to settle in at ’11’ for rest of the film! Yikes! . Somewhere in amongst all that bleakness, back in Kettering, Dessert was served (thank heavens for the pause button!) – in the shape of Tiramisu – dark too! . I see what you did there, Trish!

Main Cast

The cast all did a great job in portraying their characters and more widely, the world of a Peaky Blinder. I wasn’t sure whether the character of Duke Shelby had inherited all of his Dad’s traits – charisma, menacing persona, steely stare and most of all, impossible cheekbones, but he made a fair fist of it (see what I did there?) No? Just me then!

As all good stories do, the plot built to a suitably climactic finish, and when the curtain came down, we all took a breath! Phew! It has been an exhausting watch – but in a good way. All in all, for us, a very worthwhile and watchable experience. Prepare for a reasonably high body count (but not on the scale of a typical John Wick yarn); a clear line between the bad guys and the very bad guys, plus a brief glimpse of the (already famous and local to us) Kelmarsh Tunnel. Memorable and moody lighting was a real standout for me, and I’d watch it again, just for that experience!

We all loved it! It may not have given us the ending we were expecting, but it did serve as an appropriate final curtain to the Peaky Blinders saga. Or, did it?

We finished the evening with a suitably-sized cheeseboard (we’re all self-confessed ‘cheese monsters’!), listening to music courtesy of YouTube.

10.45pm: A late one for us and another great evening with T&J – here’s to the next one!

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It’s another of our TV Dinners with good friends! On this occasion, it’s an ‘away fixture’ as we’re down at Jo & Janet’s watching the 2025 version of Superman on 4K DVD. It forms part of my growing 4K DVD collection, where this latest addition was a gift from Nicki a few months back for helping her out setting up her shiny new laptop – cheers, Nicki!

We’ve enjoyed a growing number of ‘TV Dinners’ in the past few years (see the foot of this Post). For us, they’re the perfect combo of the three Fs – good friends, good food and a good film! This was our tenth, and with Janet as Chef tonight, we knew we were in for some yummy food too!

I’m not sure how I missed this one last year when it hit the cinema circuit, but this evening, we definitely had the ‘best seats in the house’.

And with G & Ts immediately on arrival, the evening was off to a great start! This was followed by a really delicious home-cooked Lamb Tagine with an unseasonal (and generous) slice of Christmas Pudding, helped along by lashings of custard! . Is it me, or does Christmas Pudding taste even better when eaten outside of the Christmas period?

NOT just me then!!!

Well, the food certainly didn’t disappoint – thanks Janet, but how about the DVD?

Synopsis
When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, allowing tech billionaire Lex Luthor to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman’s four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it’s too late?

I’m just old enough to have seen quite a few Superman adventures on the big screen over the years. The first (for me): the iconic Christopher Reeve outings between 1978 and 1987 probably started my love for superheroes on the big screen. In later years, Henry Cavill donned the cape and left me with even more positive impressions of the Man of Steel.

So, this latest interpretation starring David Corenswetis (nope, me neither!) in the titular role and starring, largely, a cast of unknowns, it was directed by Superhero supremo, James Gunn, who has form for directing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy outings before being poached to become head of DC Studios – Marvel’s rival!

All the publicity at the time of release focused on a retelling of the Superman story. As the opening scenes unfolded, it was immediately clear that this was going to be an interpretation like no other! So, if you came here to experience the familiar backstory – Kal-El being evacuated to Earth/growing up as a foster child/his initial awkwardness fitting in at work, etc., etc. – forget it!

This was all assumed knowledge, and we were soon into a familiar good vs evil battle between our hero and Superman’s nemesis: Lex Luther (played convincingly by Nicholas Hoult). Oh, good, I’d heard of him! . Whilst we’re on the subject of characters, I think it’s fair to say that an unexpected cast member eventually stole the whole film! I won’t reveal who it is here, but this film is worth a watch, just for those scenes! (and there’s a lot of them!). Yes, he wears a cape too!

For me, acting aside, the storyline was a bit all over the place, but by the third act, it was clear where it was all heading. The script was similarly afflicted, but good to hear the familiar tones of the familiar Superman Theme from earlier productions.

As expected, the SFX were outstanding (as they always are these days!) and the story ended with the obligatory – for those on the other side of the pond – sugary-sweet happy ending. Aww, God Bless America!

Would I watch it again? . Probably not, but for those who haven’t, and want to – it’s worth it.

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Those who know me, know that I like love my tech!

If it’s also groundbreaking, then that always gets my attention. If it’s a good price too, that’s a bonus, but I’m not averse to paying over the odds for a shiny new piece of kit, if ‘it does the job well’.

So, in my research for looking for a travel router (after the c*** hotel speeds during our recent visit to Fuerteventura). I eventually came across the ‘Globlinker‘. Apart from the slightly weird name, was it worth a second look? After all, all travel routers are pretty much the same, aren’t they? (the speeds, the battery life, and not forgetting the ongoing cost of data usage!).

Well, apparently, this gizmo IS a lot different from its competitors! OK, it DOESN’T support 5G, (4G will still ‘do the job’). but beyond that, it ticks a lot of boxes – even boxes that you didn’t think existed!

Let’s get into the detail of this very special piece of technology – and whether it’s worth a place in my travel bag?

Firstly, the price. Normally selling for over £200, at the time of writing, it was being offered for a smidge over £100 – but actually, that’s NOT what grabbed my attention.

First off, it works out of the box in 130 countries. Next (and here’s the clever bit) in any location, as it looks for the provider with the strongest signal and locks onto it. If the signal deteriorates, it moves providers, rather than being tied to a single mobile operator such as (for the UK) Vodafone, Three, EE or O2. So far, so clever…. but there’s more!

Once it’s paid for, there are NO ongoing costs – the connection is always free, and they even offer a regular 2Gb data allowance each month – so there’s no data to buy. Could it get any better? Apparently so! The data rolls over, so if it’s not used, it stacks onto next month’s 2Gb.

Back to the technology on offer, and increasingly for me, every day’s a school day as I learned that this router uses something called CloudSIM technology (nope, I’ve never heard of that!) negating the need for a fiddly SIM card or even the more modern eSIM. I definitely don’t understand the ‘CloudSIM part, but I guess time will reveal all – and I’m a quick learner

Stop salivating at the back (Oh, just ME then!)

Should you need more data, it’s easily purchased from their website and is available on the device immediately.

Should I or shouldn’t I?

To be honest, online, I felt, like many others who were doing what I was doing, this must all be a scam! (simply because there’s nothing else like it on the market). Yes, there are faster routers out there, but free monthly data? and the ability to switch providers for the best signal? Just those two features alone makes it the perfect solution if your hotel wi-fi is patchy or you are in a place where wi-fi isn’t provided at all. And the roll-over feature is very welcome!

Well, as I write this, and after a LOT of indecision, I’ve taken the risk and just placed my order. Whether anything turns up, having parted with my money, is another question. Having carried out some very thorough research online, though, it does all look legitimate. But how does Globlink make any money out of it (especially as, unlike most portable routers, there’s NO ongoing cost for the DATA, unless you need more than 2Gb?) Nope,I’ve absolutely NO IDEA! Perhaps they’ll just rely on the revenue from selling the routers, and that’ll be enough – but that doesn’t sound like a good business model to me.

Could the deal get any better? Oh yes! . For early UK adopters, like me, they’ll throw in an extra 10Gb of data for 30 days to get you started. 10Gb? That’s probably enough to feed even my habit of taking gazillions of photos when I’m abroad and uploading them in real time.

Is this the 2026 equivalent of ‘snake oil’? There are plenty of 4 and 5-star reviews online, where the only negative comment is from a (very) small number of people who have said that the upload and download speeds are disappointingly slow – although there are also plenty of others who find the speeds perfectly acceptable for 4G.

By this time next week, it should have arrived, and I’ll be putting it through its paces. I’ll update this Post with my findings. If it delivers on its promises, then this is MOST DEFINITELY the bargain of the century!

Update: 20 April 2026

Well, today, the device arrived – finally! .

It was well-packaged and fitted through the letterbox. I followed the simple setup instructions – and it FAILED! It just wouldn’t connect, constantly displaying registering on the screen. No amount of reboots seem to sort it out, so it was time to test the emailed-based support team

Their response times were fantastic . One took just 2 minutes to send me an email reply, whilst another took them just under the hour. This was impressive! Then it all went a bit ‘wobbly’. I’m not sure if it was a language issue (despite the very English-sounding names of the Support Team), or something else, but I found myself having to repeat information that they must surely have already known – order number and email address! Anyway, some 10 emails later, after emails pinging emails back and forth, the 2GB monthly allowance was initiated, followed by the 10Gb welcome gift. Initially, a reboot of the router, which should have worked perfectly, did nothing of the sort – and the screen showed the familiar ‘registering’ message.

Then, after a few minutes, the router sprang into life. I rebooted it again just to be sure, and after a bit of a wait whilst it found the strongest network, we were ‘good to go’. Speed tests indicated that (here, on the Vodafone 4G network) I was getting 20 down and 10 up. It was less than I was expecting, but even at that disappointing speed, it gives me another connectivity option if we’re abroad and the local service is poor.

Best news of all? After moaning at them because it wasn’t delivered over the weekend as they had suggested, they gave me ALL my money back AND said I could keep the Router. So, it’s cost me nothing at all! You can’t get better than that, ehh?!?!

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Off to The Fox Inn in nearby Thorpe Waterville. It’s our regular catch-up with (very) long-time friends, Mick & Jane

The Fox Inn has been receiving good reviews of late, and we thought we’d give it a go, having not been there (I think) since April 2019! The Pub gets a lot of passing traffic but has seen quite a few owners over the years. In the latest round of ‘Pass the Pub’, it had remained closed for over a year and finally re-opened in October 2025, having been bought from the Brewery.

It was already fairly busy when we arrived just before 1pm. We were soon shown to our table for four by the window and ordered our drinks whilst we perused their menus. For us, it ALL looked yummy, and it therefore didn’t take us long to make up our minds.

Our friends arrived shortly afterwards, and with our choices now made, we spent some quality time catching up with everyone’s news.

Well, that all went down a treat! The food had always been very good here, but today’s was exceptional! If they keep serving food of this quality, then they deserve to be a success! . We were all too full for a Dessert… or even teas and coffees, so we chatted for a while, then settled the bill – and said our goodbyes until the next time.

It was a straightforward journey home for us, but we chose the back-roads having spotted a potential jam on the opposite carriageway on the A14 on our way to the Pub. Mick decided to cycle home whilst Jane took the wheel of their Beemer.

Home by 3!

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Off to the cinema – The Savoy in Corby – with Jo & Janet (Ann sat this one out!)

We’re here to see ‘Project Hail Mary‘ – a sci-fi adventure that I actually hadn’t read much about.

Official Synopsis

“Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that’s causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity – but he may not have to do it alone”.

Run time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Cast & Creatives

Full details are here, courtesy of IMDB.com

Official Trailer

Any Good?

Where to start with this one? I’m still not sure whether it’s up there with 2001 – A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Close Encounters, or it’s just another sci-fi piece of nonsense where all the spaceship’s crew are dead except for one (American*, of course!) and he saves the world! It’s based on the book of the same name by author, Andy Weir (who also penned The Martian, amongst others).

*Yes, I know, Ryan Gosling is CANADIAN!

After a sluggish first 45 minutes, it was all a bit superficial, where it couldn’t seem to make up its mind whether it was a light-hearted riff on a global problem or deliberately wrong-footing the audience as to its intentions. Thankfully, it eventually found its feet, but initially, I wasn’t ‘feeling it’. Having read the official synopsis, that had convinced me that I knew where this was all heading, I settled down to a good old space yarn!

Clearly, I knew nothing!

MILD SPOILER ALERT! DON’T READ ANY FURTHER
IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON SEEING THIS!

Yes, it was all a bit silly and unbelievable, but it definitely grew on me in spite of it starring Ryan Gosling who I last saw in that car crash of a film: ‘Barbie’ (so bad, I didn’t even blog about it!!). This one was a long film and sometimes it felt it, but at the 90-minute point, I was hooked! Ironically, some scenes felt rushed and I guess that’s where the book would be a better medium, whereas the film’s soundtrack was choral-based and suited the story perfectly.

In many ways, it was good to see a sci-fi adventure that didn’t over-rely on lasers/war/fancy spaceships and a planet full of special effects. I think if sci-fi isn’t your thing, this won’t change your mind, but it was certainly quite a few notches up from a lot of recent output from the same genre.

I mentioned earlier that the synopsis didn’t tell the whole story – and I do believe that was a deliberate marketing ploy to mostly wrong-foot the audience as to the ‘thrust’ of the movie. In short, it’s simply a ‘First Contact’ theme with a convincing love story that also includes the strongest of emotions on its journey: loss, betrayal, hoplessness, sacrifice and ultimately, happiness. Well, that’s a reason to see it, surely?

The final scene is super-silly and in my view, diminished the seriousness of the movie’s main theme. They could have easily left that out, and it wouldn’t have matttered – what is it with American films where there HAS to be a happy ending! However, on a more positive note, and in spite of Ryan Gosling’s woeful performance in Barbie, he’s has gone up in my estimations. To pull off this film where the whole story pretty much relies on the main star being in 98% of the scenes, is no mean feat – and he did this with ease and was totally convincing throughout.

All in all, an entertaining piece of cinema that’s either ‘genius’ or ‘nonsense’, depending on your interpretation. Cleverly filmed with CGI thankfully, set to ‘restrained’. Slightly long but well-scripted, with a great choral soundtrack. It looks its best on the big screen, but the 4K DVD, when released, will certainly have its fans.

Worth a punt!

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A bit of culture for Easter Saturday as we headed to The Citadel in town for this year’s Salvation Army Easter Concert. It was all part of their fundraising to refurbish the facilities here.

Tonight, for our listening pleasure, we had ‘Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem’, ‘John Rutter’s Gloria’ and Kettering SA’s very own Richard Phillips’ composition: ‘Jesus Victorious’. The local Salvation Army here in Kettering has a great track record with their musical presentations, and last year’s performance of part of Handel’s Messiah here was fantastic! . We weren’t familiar with the majority of the content on offer tonight (well, Ann certainly knew more than me!), but it was all in a good cause, and for many, it was good to be reminded of the significance of Easter.

Supported by a small orchestra (trumpets, violins, violas, cellos, double bass, trombones (including a BASS trombone), tuba, timpani, percussion, keyboard, harp – and a gong, they provided a big sound to accompany the Choristers. All-in-all, this was serious stuff to befit the Easter occasion. Fellow audience members would have been pleased delighted that unlike last year, I didn’t hum my way through it all (mainly down to my unfamiliarity with the ‘tunes’).

It was a full house for this, ‘tonight only’ performance, with close to 140 240 (Thanks, David, for spotting that. I did get A-Level Maths, honest!! ) of us in the audience! – including the Kettering Mayor, Cllr Ben James (at what must be one of his final official duties before he steps down after the usual year in the role). Meanwhile, ‘behind’ the orchestra, I’d never seen so many Choristers, aka Kettering Community Choir – I counted close on 70. No wonder Kettering Town seemed deserted! .

Strangely though, no-one was taking photographs, and even though I planned to, I followed their lead.

Holding it all together in his role as Conductor was the very talented Richard Phillips, who, as I mentioned earlier, was responsible for the third piece tonight. Richard has been an integral part of the music output here for as long as we’ve been coming to these kinds of events, including over 20 years leading the Kettering Citadel Band.

Completing the musical talents tonight was Mark Norwood – from my old stomping ground of Bromley – a baritone with a voice so deep, dark and thick, you could have probably made gravy from it – the Bisto of Baritones! Superb!!!

6.58pm: At just before 7pm, to enthusiastic applause, the evening officially began. The first piece, Requiem, was in four parts – and sung in Latin! Yikes! Not exactly one you could (thankfully) sing along to! Whatever the Choir was on, can I have some, please? . They were thoroughly enjoying themselves and giving it any mathematician’s nightmare of 110%! For me? Not so much. The combination of unfamiliarity with the tune and the revisiting of Latin (last ‘enjoyed’ by me at school in around 1970!) made it a difficult listen, but you couldn’t fault the performance itself, being demonstrated here tonight. Extra brownie points for soloist Cheryl Stone, who lit up the room during the final part Pie Jesu – what a voice! Angels beware!!. By the time Requiem came to the end, some of the singers looked exhausted, but we weren’t surprised, given the amount of energy that had been on show.

A short interlude followed, where the Choir and the Orchestra, together with Richard, all left the stage for presumably some more of the magic potion that had served them so well for their first piece – or maybe even an Easter Egg? Almost certainly, the queue for the ladies’ loos was going to be a long one!

The potion/the chocolate/the loo break had clearly done the trick, and some 20 minutes later, the dream team were back on stage for their second piece – Gloria. Shorter in length, but still on a mission to test my Latin, the performance also included some stunning solo work from Cheryl Stone, Ruth Humphrey and Alison Chapman. I enjoyed Gloria more, in spite of the lashings of Latin.

For many, I’m sure Richard‘s piece – the final part of tonight’s performance – Jesus Victorious – was eagerly awaited – simply because it was all his own musical work using the words of Stephen Pearson (no, not the former Scottish professional footballer, but the Managing Editor of the Salvation Army). And what a collaboration! . I don’t think ANYONE saw that coming, and those hoping to ‘rest their eyelids’ during this one were going to be very disappointed. As the title suggests, this was very upbeat with plenty of orchestral surprises. The official Programme described it as ‘raw, turbulent and emotionally charged’ and we wouldn’t argue with that! Sleeping is for wimps anyway!! Best news of all? It was in English. If the Choristers had given ‘110%’ up until now, then by this point, their enthusiasm was off the scale.

8.25pm: Almost 90-minutes later, it was all over. It had been a great evening (even if the unfamiliarity of the music took the shine off it for me, a little). If there are marks for enthusiasm and professionalism, though, tonight was unbeatable. Well done, Salvation Army, Kettering!

Quam praeclara vespera! (It’s OK, I looked it up!)

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Today, we’re off to meet Dennis & Sandra at Hardwick Hall (south of Bolsover, east of Matlock). The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that we four have done this before!

And you’re correct – back in August 2020. This time, however, we’re heading inside the Hall itself (last time we only explored the grounds due to Covid restrictions).

We set off just before 9.15am planning to meet up at 11am. It was a smooth and straightforward journey covering the near-90 mile journey, where again, we’d forgotten how busy the roads can get during a weekday. Still, it moved at pace but it was not a great surprise to see that some drivers still relied on telepathy alone to let others know their intentions when changing lanes! (‘BMW for sale with indicator stalk in perfect un-used condition’ ). We arrived around 10.45 with Dennis and Sandra just a few minutes behind us – a perfect start to the day.

Considering the Hall didn’t open until 11am, we were amazed at how busy the car-park was. It’s a sizeable parking area, but I reckon it was 90% full already! . Surely Hardwick Hall isn’t THAT popular???

11.25am: After the obligatory elevenses, we approached the Hall, it suddenly all felt quite familiar (although this time, Covid-free, there were a lot more people!). The crowds seemed to be mostly families (the sprogs are on holiday for Easter at the moment) with the younger members sporting rabbit ears where it seemed there was some sort of ‘Egg Hunt’ going on. Maybe that explained why the car-park was so busy?

It was good to be out in the fresh air, but my optimism in wearing my sunglasses was somewhat misplaced as there was a nip in the air. But we don’t let the weather get in the way of our adventures, this being our 20th cultural day out together with our friends since we started them back in February, 2017.

So far…

Lincoln Castle and Prison (October 2025)
Nottingham Castle (June 2025)
Wollaton Hall (October 2024)
Nottingham City (May 2024)
Doddington Hall (December 2023)
International Bomber Command (September 2023)
Southwell (March 2023)
Chatsworth House (November 2022)
Belvoir Castle (August 2022)
Kedlestone Hall (May 2021)
Hardwick Hall (August 2020)
Castle Howard (December 2019)
The Royal Armouries Museum (March 2019)
Bolsover Castle (October 2018)
Belton House (May 2018)
York (February 2018)
Burghley House (October 2017)
Hull (May 2017)
Leeds (February 2017)

Inside Hardwick Hall

The property was built towards the end of the 1590s and is an Elizabethan-era country house. The owner, Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, but better known as simply ‘Bess of Hardwick’ became one of the richest woman in the England at the time (second only to Queen Elizabeth) – where some reports suggest she was actually richer than the Queen!

Yes, Bess managed to work her way through FOUR Husbands – Robert Barlow (married 1543, d. 1544), Sir William Cavendish (m. 1547, d. 1557), Sir William St Loe (m. 1559, d. 1565), and George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury (m. 1568, d. 1590) – Phew!! . History records that her wealth was mainly down to these careful marriages, where she rose to the highest levels of English nobility.

And it showed! If windows were a sign of wealth (they were!), then this proved that Bess was loaded! The House is a window cleaner’s nightmare (or salvation!) and oozes ‘money no object’. Having seen off FOUR husbands, the Hall represented a conspicuous sign of wealth of the time. But wait, there’s more! More in the shape of ANOTHER Hardwick Hall, helpfully named ‘Hardwick Old Hall’ next door (more about that later!).

In the safe hands of the National Trust, the building has been tastefully conserved/restored without going overboard. The tapestries are faded, and there are plenty of layers of dust in places. It felt like it had been frozen in time, and the dimly lit rooms gave a real sense of ‘how it was’.

Best let the photos do the talking…

Yes, there was plenty to see here! Plenty of Volunteers on duty too!

All in all, then it was all very impressive, but as I mentioned earlier, we weren’t done yet – there was ‘old’ Hardwick Hall literally next door.

Hardwick Old Hall

A short walk away, the National Trust look after this one too, but unusually ‘on behalf’ of English Heritage. By comparison, the old Harwick Hall looked like the ‘poor relation’ to its much larger neighbour, looking somewhat unloved and forgotten. Thanks to Volunteer, Chris, we learned more…

Initially, we thought this building must have been the original Hall, but according to Chris, it was actually constructed around the same time. Hmm, why did it look like the poor relation? Apparently, the building just wasn’t impressive enough for the family and they ‘started again’, only bigger, better – and with more windows! . But what about the fact that it looked like a ruin? Was it simply neglect? Nothing so dramatic!! The answer was simply, practicalities – they needed the stonework for the other constructions. Who knew? Not me, for sure!

Good old NT and English Heritage! They weren’t going to let the larger next-door neighbour steal all the limelight and serious money is being spent on further conservation here. Sadly we couldn’t get up close, as the perimeter was roped off whilst a survey was in progress assessing the safety of the remaining stonework. Holy flying mammals, apparently, bats are resident here too, so there’s even MORE to be concerned about!

A suitable end to our visit here today, where we saw (and learned) much more than we imagined. Time for Lunch!

Lunch

1.35pm: A short walk away was The Hardwick Inn. It was easily spotted as it looked like most of Derbyshire was already ahead of us, judging by the number of cars outside. Surely a good sign, given it was ‘only’ a murky Wednesday? It’s a well-known destination for the locals (as we spotted!), dating back to the 15th century and built of locally quarried sandstone, situated on the south gate of Hardwick Park,

Inside, it soon became obvious that most of Derbyshire was here! It was packed! The eatery sprawled in all directions, and it was clear that it had been extended many times

It all felt very welcoming inside. The staff were friendly, and the menu was extensive. Steak & Guinness Pie for me, all helped along with a pint of Old Peculiar (surely one of the best ales around?). Yes, it was all very enjoyable and the perfect end to our get-together. Almost two hours later, we said our goodbyes and headed for the M1.

5.15pm: After dropping into Dunelm (domestic crisis – the ironing board had self-destructed just before we left this morning! ) and the Post Office (goodbye Three’s 5G Router – one of my better tech decisions back in 2022), we were now home.

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We Palmers don’t live in each other’s pockets, and so we don’t get together like this all that often. When we do, it’s always an extra special occasion meaning there’s plenty of news to catch up with!

Living on opposite sides of the capital doesn’t help much in choosing a convenient location, especially for us, where previous journey times by car over the years has gone from a fairly pleasant 100 minutes-or-so to more like 150 minutes! So, in a blinding attack of the ‘bleeding obvious’ we’ve decided to try and meet halfway BY TRAIN for this one. A route into London that works out to be about an hour for both parties. Happy days then, and I can’t figure out why it’s taken us this long to arrive at this solution

So, here we are in St Pancras International Station – and one of the few remaining Carluccio restaurants.

Having caught the Train just after 11am, it turned out to be very busy going down to the capital meaning we had to stand all the way. Thankfully, it was ‘first stop, St Pancras’ and we arrived inside the hour including the obligatory ‘issue’ (a ‘track inspection’) that added a further 10 minutes to our journey.

Still, it wasn’t as if we had to walk far! Five minutes later, we were negotiating with the Duty Manager of Carluccio’s for the best position for our table of six. Neil, Debbie, Alfie and Frankie arrived shortly after, and we were soon seated and catching up with all that had been going on in our respective worlds since we last did this three years ago!

That long period didn’t matter, and we were soon ‘gassing away’ testing the waiter’s patience, who just wanted to take our order!

There was plenty of choice on the menu, although I was quite surprised that it wasn’t busier. Last time I was here, about five years ago, it was heaving (but that was a weekday).

Actually, I’m surprised that we had any time for the food, as the conversation was in full flow most of the time – where the chewing just got in the way!! . I’d say the food was ‘OK’ rather than anything further up the ratings scale, but it was delivered with a mile and the service was efficient.

The time flew! One minute we were giving each other welcome hugs and next, we were checking the bill. It had been a great catch-up, and we tentatively agreed to do it all again later this year, with the excuse of my significant birthday as the reason – not that we needed one! .

We said our goodbyes and headed off to our respective platforms. For us, it was a better and faster journey north to Kettering on one of EMR’s newer rolling stock. Unlike our journey in, it was a hassle-free trip out, and we were soon arriving into ‘first-stop’ Kettering Station, meaning we were home by 4.45pm. On reflection, the travel arrangements (by train) had proved to be a smart decision for both parties, and this could well be the solution that makes it easier to see more of each other – if that’s the case, “Happy Days”

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Day 8 – Monday 16th March

Welcome back, everyone! I appreciate your readership over the past week – there’s been plenty going on! Today’s a short one as we’re heading back to the Airport this afternoon – and home! . The last Post for this holiday!

As I’m sure you know by now, we’ve been staying here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue for the past week. Last time we were all together was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time (in spite of my left hand being in a cast! . This year, we timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that ran from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, where the headline celebrations included: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) last Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and yesterday’s Burning of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week has been the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We had also hired a car on arrival at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.55am: After checking out, we took the drive to Castillo Caleta de Fuste on the east coast. It’s a holiday resort developed in the 80s and ‘loved by the Brits’. In my book that’s either welcome news or ‘something else!’ . In spite of the very precise sat-nav directions, the route was ‘interesting’, mainly down to the construction/extension of the FV-2.

12.24pm: It took a while to find the area’s famous beach, but when we did, parking was easy AND free.

Actually, as we attempted to finish our journey ,it was all quite confusing as to exactly where we were. We deduced that although the beach was in our intended location, we were actually slightly off-kilter, in nearby, Puerto Castillo.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, wherever we were, it was all very nice! Warm? Just bordering on too warm as we settled down for a well-deserved beer!.

1.05pm: We grabbed a seat in the nearby Barcelo Resort called The Show Factory and attempted to order some drinks and a light snack. Barcelo seemed to own the whole area around here, and it showed in the shocking service. Yikes! A challenging task in itself just to order drinks and nachos! And we weren’t the only ones, as the table next door was getting increasingly agitated playing ‘spot the waiter’! Whilst we waited, we people-watched! We eventually got our drinks and snacks, but it was easily the WORST service we’d experienced since being out here.

Still, the Sun had definitely got its hat on – and that eased the frustration. Just! .

2.40pm: We decided to head back to the hire-car that by now had been roasting for the past few hours. Ann and I concluded that it wasn’t our kind of area at all – it all felt a bit ‘false’ and ‘manufactured’. It had all the right ingredients – plenty of places to eat/drink, wall-to-wall sunshine and a constant parade of people to observe going about their business, just not very ‘natural’. After a final wander around the nearby Souvenir Shop, we said our goodbyes.

Back in the car, I drove us on the short journey back to the airport. Thankfully, the sprint was short and jam-free.

3.15pm: We returned the hire-car without any fuss, and once we found the Departures area. We easily found four seats whilst we waited for the departure desks to open.

4.22pm: In fact, for once, things got BETTER. After a fairly swift piece of ‘extreme queuing’, our bags were all checked in, and then we noticed they had called the flight early.

7.01pm: We were soon boarded and on our way home! The flight was pretty full – and pretty full of people who had clearly forgotten their suntan lotion. Ouch! Pink is the new mahogany! . Those easyJet seats were uncomfortable enough without needing any extra help from super-sensitive skin!

10.28pm: Less than four hours later, the early departure and the wind in our direction meant we made good time, and we were soon retrieving our bags and queuing with the rest of mankind to get through Immigration. Good to see that the eGates at Brum were as reliable as ever – but selfishly, at least I got through without incident (and that makes a change!)

00.07am: After picking up Sue’s car, we were soon negotiating the national collection of bollards as we exited Birmingham Airport (what are they doing here? HS2? ). A clear run meant we were on familiar roads until the overhead gantry announced that J2&3 were closed on the A14. A swift detour by Sue around the back roads near Kelmarsh saw us avoiding cats and badgers who were also out late, and we arrived back on the Farm at just after midnight. Quick hugs all around, and after transferring our bags to our car, we were on our way home.

00.47am: Unpack tonight? Nope! Put on the first (of many) washing loads? Absolutely not! A quick check of the post? Not a chance! Wonder why DPD threw a package over the back gate even though we put a big notice on the door to place anything in the porch or deliver to a neighbour? That conundrum is for tomorrow!

Back to reality then!!?? . See you on our next adventure!

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Day 7 – Sunday 16th March

Morning, my loyal reader! Boy, that was a late one last night!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations includes the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, and you can read about that HERE.

Our home has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

The weather has been pretty consistent during our stay. We could have all coped with it being a tad warmer, but all-in-all, it’s been OK.

9.35am: So, what to do today on our penultimate day here? Over breakfast, we decided, as a start, on a slow mooch around the Town. No particular destination in mind – just a gentle stroll, taking in the sights and sounds of Corralejo. We also have the ‘Burial of the Sardine’ to investigate. Or is that the BURNING of the Sardine? No-one seems to be sure, including the residents here (more about that later!). So, at this stage, we have no idea of the details surrounding this pivotal and final part of the Corralego Carnival – but we do love a mystery!!!!

11.10am: We’re off!

Once we got outside, it became clear this was one of the best days so far for the weather, with temperatures already exceeding the forecast by a few degrees – but the cool breeze was back. With our Hotel about 1½ miles from our destination, its proximity to the main action has certainly helped with our step-count and distance – pretty much 1½ miles x 2 every day since we arrived (and sometimes more)

11.35am: Once we arrived in the main shopping area, Corralejo looked just like it always does – busy and scrupulously clean! The Street Cleaners (who we caught a glimpse of last night as we were walking back to the Hotel) had done a grand job in clearing up the litter from the Carnival. We’ve always found the area to be completely litter-free, but last night was an exception with bins overflowing and some areas looking like the worst of the UK! . Hats off to these hidden heroes!!

Today, it was just great to be wandering in the sunshine with no particular place to go! On our walkabout, we spotted the OFFICIAL Tourist Information Office and thought that would be an ideal place to clear up the mystery of the Carnival-related sardine’s destiny starring in tonight’s event (we’re kind, like that!) – and exactly WHERE the event would be taking place.

Sadly, the Spanish member of staff didn’t quite understand what we were asking, but a nearby Brit DID! It turned out that she had lived in Fuerteventura for over 30 years and was part of the big procession last night. This sounded promising, and she was therefore happy to clear up the confusion. We explained that we’d seen the event referred to as the BURNING of the Sardine, but elsewhere it was referred to as the BURIAL of the Sardine! (You can tell we had nothing more pressing on our minds!)

A detailed and helpful conversation from our newest BFF revealed where the event would take place, and that it definitely wouldn’t be BURIAL (as that wouldn’t be allowed). So BURNING it was going to be, and finally, the mystery was solved! Oh! And one final point, the event involves the Town Mayor. All good then!

Err, ‘no!’ On leaving, we took a closer look at the Poster pinned up right outside the Tourist Office, that clearly listed the event as BURIAL of the Sardine. Doh! . Well, at least we know WHERE to see the sardine spectacle – and at 7pm tonight, the mystery will be ‘put to bed’

12.05pm: With the Sardine’s destiny still causing confusion (and in the absence of a darkened room to lie down in), we stopped for coffee in the harbour area. Restaurant La Longa caught our eye as we’d been here last time we visited the island, and we recall the coffee being very good! Another great opportunity for us to look out across the water, people watch and continue to enjoy the sunshine.

12.25pm: That was a yummy coffee. Eventually, we left Paul & Sue to do their thing, whilst we did ours – looking for somewhere for us all to eat tonight. In truth, there was just (still) too much choice, even though we’ve eaten out every night since we arrived. It would be an interesting exercise to see how many days we could eat here in the evening before we’d tried them all!? I’m sure there’s someone, somewhere, who’s already worked this out! As they say: ‘Answers on a postcard, please’

12.35pm: We meandered our way back to the Hotel, where a mix of sunbathing and siesta followed. Yes, it’s still a tough life here, but we better soon start getting used to the reality of heading home tomorrow!

4.45pm: Ann began the process of packing, whilst I did very little to help – you got to play to your skillsets, haven’t you!?

6.00pm: Later, it was the familiar walk back into Town for our evening meal. Having not seen anywhere in particular on our wanderings earlier today, it was just a case of ‘seeing what took our fancy’. Having already enjoyed Indian, Pizza, Steak and Fish eateries, we fancied Chinese, if only because we hadn’t already!

6.35pm: With the Sardine event due in around half an hour at 7pm (which we’ve learned is err, ‘flexible’ in Spanish time), we grabbed a few nibbles at the familiar Alma Brunch where we’d enjoyed a late-night hot chocolate a few days ago.

7.00pm: As expected, the scheduled time for ‘sardine ahoy’ came and went!

The crowds were now building, and after another fifteen minutes or so, to the sound of beating drums, the procession began to make its way towards the Pier. Led by the Town’s Mayor and various generations of Carnival Queens, just like last night, there was a lot of enthusiasm for the event.

And then, the real star of the show: the Corralejo Sardine! OK, it wasn’t a REAL one, so that was the first mystery cleared up. The fish looked pretty contented given its future, propelled by a small group of dedicated Chinese mourners, supported by two large, VERY capable Drum Bands and followed by what appeared to be the grieving ‘Sardine family’ dressed in black (but dancing the night away!). Yes, it was all very weird but I’m sure there’s a symbolic backstory that explains all this!

There was certainly no need for any grief counselling as the dancing families seemed to be having a great time!!! . The procession wasn’t on the scale of last night’s Grand Parade, but what they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in noise! As they disappeared into the distance, we followed the crowd, heading for the Town’s Pier.

7.57pm: The area near the Pier was quite crowded, but we managed to get a good position. Burning or Burial of the Sardine was about to be revealed. As the pictures show, it turned out to be the former. As the entourage gathered near the fish’s funeral, in true keeping with modern H&S practices, they were accompanied by the local Fire Service! It took a while for the fire to take hold, but when it did, it was quite a spectacle. Thinking about it now, I’m not sure how, given the size of the fish, and that it was now pitch black, how they would have conducted the burial

So, now we know! They don’t BURY Sardines here in Corralejo, it’s a cremation all the way!

8.14pm: And, as the Sardine gently toasted on the beach, its demise gave way to the firework display. What a display! Ten minutes of really good quality pyrotechnics.

This included a type that none of us had seen before. Most firewoks go in a single direction – UP, but the display tonight included a number that were fired HORIZONTALLY. They pointed out to sea and then, after a short pause, headed for the heavens! This was a really effective way to see fireworks on the water without the need for them being fired FROM the water. Genius!

8.25pm: With the firework display coming to an end, there was a mass exodus from the Pier area, before things quietened down as we arrived back in the main strip. Most restaurants seemed to be busy as we headed for ‘Asia Garden’ – and our final evening meal here in Corralejo.

The Restaurant was heaving, but after a short wait, they found us a table. Just like all good Chinese restaurants, the range was enormous, but in the end, we settled for one of their preset Buffets.

I’m not sure where the time went! One minute we were sipping our sweetcorn soup (easy for you to say!!) and the next moment, we were paying the (very reasonable) bill!

10.45pm: As we wandered back towards the Hotel for the very last time this holiday, we spotted something very unusual! An EMPTY Corralejo! I guess it showed it MUST be a Sunday, and for many, there was work tomorrow. It was a comfortable 18℃ and completely breeze-free making it a very pleasant final mooch!

11.20pm: Time for some beauty sleep . They’ll be a final SHORT Post tomorrow as we’re heading back to the Airport, but not before we take a drive to the town of Caleta De Fuste (which is on the way). See you then!

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Day 6 – Saturday 14th March

Morning readers! Thanks for following our latest adventure! Just a couple of days left before we return to Blighty, where the highlight of TODAY is to be the Grand Parade tonight in town – all part of the annual Corralejo Carnival!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our temporary home is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.30am: After our now-familiar late, late Breakfast, as we made plans for another tough day – guess where?

11.15am: Slap on the lotion, find the best spot, grab the free lounger-cushions and remember my reading glasses. Yep! We’re poolside again!! . Flanked by Paul & Sue, that’s where we stayed. Better still, if anything, it was actually warmer than yesterday, where the occasional breeze was, for once, a welcome and occasional interruption

1.55pm: In that time, I finally finished my reading quota for this week – “Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red” by Andrew Thompson (thanks, Janet!) – a great book packed full of ‘I never knew that‘ moments. Reading aside, that was now enough rays for us today, and it was now back to the room for the obligatory siesta

5.45pm: Time to head into Town and join the rest of mankind to see the Grand Parade and then grab a bite to eat.

6.15pm: By the time we arrived, it was already quite busy with the ‘Avenue’ lined on both sides with people like us awaiting the start of this year’s celebrations. We had agreed yesterday that initially, we’d try and find a position higher up to get an uninterrupted view. We spotted a Bar on an upper floor that was all part of the Las Palmeras (how appropriate!) shopping area, appropriately named ‘The Lager & Ale Sports Bar‘. From a distance, it didn’t look too busy, so we tried the closest lift (switched off!) and then the nearby stairs that got us to our vantage point.

This turned out to be a good decision as we could see almost to the start of the planned procession. We also got our drinks in double-quick time AND a seat too – albeit a concrete bench! Still, we were in position and ready for the off.

Since we arrived, it had been challenging to find out the specifics of this year’s event. Given that this is a big annual celebration, we expected the town to be awash with posters and general information. Not quite! Even our hotel didn’t seem to know the precise timings of events. Now in position, with drinks in hand, we took our cue from a drone flying overhead, that we assumed must be ‘in the know’. It sat in the air, hovering, for a good 20 minutes before ‘returning to home’ (presumably because it was in need of a new battery!). It clearly wasn’t just us then who wondered WHEN it would all officially begin.

7.10pm: We wondered no longer! We could see movement in the distance and heard the sound of distant drums (we were to learn that these would be a BIG feature of the event as the evening unfolded!). Let the evening begin!

The Grand Parade

Another uncertainty for us was the SCALE of the event. Would it be ‘just a few’ Floats and performers… or something bigger? By now, the streets were packed on both sides and we congratulated ourselves on our position above the organised chaos down below.. I decided to get a lot closer – and I’m pleased I did. Five minutes later, I was in amongst the action and that turned out to be a good decision.

It soon became apparent that this was, in terms of scale, a really BIG event! With my new ‘ground level view’ looking up the Avenue, there appeared to be miles of vehicles and performers. As the procession passed, all became clear as the crowd prepared itself for an assault on the senses- in a very good way!

I’ll just leave these here!

We had Drum Bands alternating with dancers all supported by Float after highly decorated Float. Visually, it was absolutely stunning. The Drum Bands were dressed in their finery and playing as if their lives depended on it! Fantastic! In all my days, I’ve never seen anything that approached the colour, the size, the spectacle and the pure enjoyment that was on display tonight!

And they kept coming. I lost count of the number of Floats, but later we estimated there were more that 50/60!

In amongst the highly regimented Drum Bands and the immaculately dressed Floats, there was room for a lot of quirkiness too! We had no idea who some of the characters represented, but it didn’t matter as everyone was having a lot of fun getting into the spirit of the event!

I was only close to the action for about 30 minutes, but there was clearly a lot more to come! I headed back upstairs to join the others where Ann had been snapping some ‘distance shots’.

We decided to get ahead of the crowds and walk to the Restaurant, just 10 minutes further on.

8.05pm: Would the restaurant be mobbed? Would we get a seat? Slightly bizarrely – ‘no’ and ‘yes’. They easily found us a table even though the restaurant was already quite busy.

They even put us by a window, and so we got a reasonably good view of the procession as the evening wore on.

9.55pm: The meal and the service were excellent (especially the latter, as they were now getting very busy). For me, it was probably the best meal of this holiday as they clearly know how to serve a steak. Being able to see the action too, was a real bonus. The procession was continuous throughout our meal – two-and-a-half hours of dancing, drumming and waving finally brought this year’s celebrations to a close just after 9.45. We skipped Dessert and headed out amongst the crowds.

It had been an excellent evening and we all agreed it had been worth booking the holiday to coincide with the town’s annual event.

10.30pm: We wandered along to the now-familiar marquee, where a Salsa Band was playing. Not surprisingly, it was the busiest we’d seen it since we arrived last Monday. By now, some of the more quirky performers had ‘broken ranks’ and were wandering aimlessly around the town in various states of inebriation. In fact, some weren’t walking it all, preferring to be carried or simply propping themselves up in vacant corners. It was easy to spot the Brits amongst it all. Loud, proud and with more than a few dressed as Batman (nope, me neither!). It became clear that over and above the official Carnival performances, some had simply used the event to dress up – after all, it was a Saturday night!

10.45pm: Ann and I went in search of ice-cream – and El Momento Gelato Artesanal came to the rescue with its generous scoops of multiple flavours – Snickers/Cherry/Caramel and Strawberry combo for me, whilst Ann (on standby with Rennies for me!) was far more refined and restrained with (just) Snickers and Caramelised Toffee. Paul and Sue stayed on to enjoy a hot chocolate whilst we took the now familiar walk back to the Hotel, following (at a safe distance) three paralytic Scotsmen who had clearly enjoyed the evening and wanted to sing about it whilst walking along the middle of the road. Brits abroad, ehh!? Almost as memorable as the Carnival itself!

Wow! What an evening! Thanks Corralejo for an unforgettable event!

11.35pm: . 11.35???? See you tomorrow (maybe!) .

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Day 5 – Friday 13th March

Welcome back, dear reader! It’s another day in Paradise!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was here in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 where we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the coming week has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay.

A shorter read today, as our day split into three distinct parts

• A lazy morning
• A lazy afternoon
• A lazy evening

On the weather front, the temperature was on the rise. OK, only a degree or so, but we’re beginning to feel the difference as it seems to be increasing every day. Yikes! By the time we leave, we could be up to 25℃!

11.03am: After Breakfast, we took the decision to make today a car-free day, so that meant a lazy one, with time around the pool. I know, as a regular reader of our travels, you’ll feel our pain!

Joking aside, this was the first day that the area was completely free of the cold breeze that has followed us around since we arrived. We wanted to make the most of its absence, and so we grabbed a lounger, and that’s where we stayed for the next three-and-a-bit hours

2.30pm: Perfect timing as we returned to our room for a short siesta, just as a hint of ‘the breeze’ was returning. It’s been an exhausting morning! and I’m not sure where the afternoon went!

6.05pm: We decided to walk into Town and find a Restaurant looking out across the water. It was the warmest evening so far. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was ‘hot’, but perfectly pleasant during our now familiar mile-or-so meanderings towards the main drag.

6.24pm: Since our last visit, they’ve improved the walking route close to the water – known as Toro Beach – less sand and more of a structured wooden path. However, it looked like the constructors got bored in places (or lost the plans!) as it didn’t join up as one continuous route, and we were still forced to feel the sand between our toes! Overall, though, it’s now a much better experience and especially helpful to those who might be less mobile.

The other great thing about our relaxed walk was that it took us away from the main strip and past quite a few Restaurants that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen – in fact, during our wanderings, I think EVERY building was an eatery of some sort. Welcome to Fuertaventura and Toro Beach!

6.45pm: After checking out the menus along the route, we settled for La Playita, which, if we craned our neck, we could see the sea! It was already busy when we arrived, and by the time we left, pretty much full (and it was a large Restaurant!).

It was drinks all around to start the evening with Paul, Sue and me enjoying a large beer, whilst Ann opted for a G&T where the Waiter was more than generous with the ‘G’ part! I think there must be a gin mountain secretly stashed somewhere on the island, as we haven’t found anywhere yet that is able to serve a single measure. Shame!

It was all very tasty! After a yummy first course, we tucked into our Mains with Sue enjoying the catch of the day – Paul Red Snapper, Ann trying the Sole, Paul on Sea Bass, and me sampling the most unusual of fish dishes: four-cheese-sauce macaroni! I love fish, but not if it looks like one! Weirdo!!!

We turned our heads to plans for tomorrow, as being a Saturday and Carnival Week’s penultimate day, there’s a large Parade in the evening – and we all fancied seeing it. Of course, so will most of the island (well, that was our thinking). We agreed that finding somewhere to eat, at a sensible time, whilst still being in time to watch the Parade was a good plan.

8.30pm: After our meal, our next stop was a brief return to the now-familiar Carnival marquee, where a group of about 50 youngsters were having the time of their lives dressed in the brightest of greens. Whatever they were singing about, we had no idea, but you couldn’t fault their enthusiasm!

8.40pm: We took a walk around the familiar eatery spots, perusing their menus and checking prices. Compared with the UK, it’s still far cheaper to eat out here, but some that we looked at, were more expensive than others. In the end, we settled for El Toro Bravo and its wide range of steaks. We also thought we ought to book, as the thought of the gazillions of people coming to see the Parade would seriously hamper our chances of finding anywhere on the night at a sensible time.

8.55pm: Strangely though, when we popped inside El Toro to make the booking, the Waiter seemed very relaxed about NOT needing to book ahead. In his slightly broken English, he advised: ‘just turn up at any time, and we’ll fit you in’. We weren’t expecting that!

As we headed out of town and with the hard part of the day completed – and our Eatery sorted – we went in search of Hot Chocolate (the drink, not the group) and we remembered we’d done exactly the same during our last visit, three years ago. We attempted to find the exact same Bar but some of the names had changed since that time, and in the end, we settled for ‘Alma Brunch‘ (although that seemed to be going through a rebranding exercise according to the Staff’s t-shirts sporting the name ‘Gorilla Tattoo’). The consensus was that this WAS the same place as back in January 2024.

9.10pm: Well, that was worth the wait (weight?)! More chocolatey than Mr Chocolate from Chocolate town, its smoothness was no doubt down to the optional slug of brandy! . In between the sips, we reflected on our day and our plans for tomorrow, where we were all looking forward to the Carnival celebrations.

9.35pm: We left Paul & Sue to experience more of Fuertaventura’s night-life whilst we slowly wandered back to the Hotel. We were both strangely tired tonight – all that relaxing had been exhausting!

10.10pm: See you Saturday!

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Day 4 – Thursday 12th March

You came back! Thanks! . Welcome to Day 4 – a day of wonky weather forecasts, wishlists and worship; performances, processions and pizzas!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for this week is the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area. It’s a tank-like Sssssshcoda Kodiaq 7 seater.

We’ve decided to make a day of it and head south to a village called Betancuria – population: 801! It was on this four’s wishlist, and Jo & Janet had also enjoyed their time here recently too! For historical context, it was originally the ancient capital of the whole of the Canaries, and everyone we know who’s been to this part of the world has recommended that we visit this gem. Word to the Wise: If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there by car, the last section is fairly twisty! Enjoy! .

According ot the marketing blurb: “Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination”.

11.15am: After Breakfast, it was a spot of ‘role reversal’ as Sue took the wheel, and I was Navigator (I think I got the easier role!) . We were soon on our way, where the weather was on our side (no rain/warmer than yesterday/little wind) but in terms of the travelling, it took a little time to get used to the constantly changing speed limits and the lack of road signage. It ended up being a pretty uneventful (but enjoyable) journey, although we did temporarily miss a turn, and quickly corrected our error thanks to a little help from ‘Mr Google’.

About ten minutes before we arrived, we stumbled across a couple of statues that Jo & Janet had mentioned when describing their recent visit here. They’re located at a scenic viewpoint called Moro Velosa.

Parking was limited, but we squeezed in and took a closer look. The statues are of two former Kings – Guize and Ayose, the last Mahos tribal chiefs and the statues were designed by artist and architect César Manrique. The only way to really appreciate the workmanship was to get up close, and Ann ‘took one for the team’. Given Ann’s positioning in the photo, personally, I would have worn a waterproof hat!!! . Opposite the statues (mind the road!) was a spectacular view across the valley.

12.40pm: We were soon arriving at our destination. It felt (and was) definitely warmer than yesterday with a healthy 22℃, and the hottest day since we arrived. Luckily for us, the weather forecast had been consistently ‘wonky’ since we arrived – in pretty much every case, ignoring the wind, it’s been a tad warmer than suggested. Huzzah!

Again, limited parking saw us grab the last space in the official parking area for the village. In fact, I think we created the space, as the car-park was technically already full! . Living on the edge, us four, ehh?!?! . We took the short partly-stepped route into the village itself.

The pedestrian entrance route was fairly narrow, beginning with a sand-covered path and then a series of steps (requiring an informal one-way system to prevent those leaving from colliding with those arriving). Having carefully and courteously paused to let ‘oncoming traffic’ through, in barged a group of Germans who were stopping for no-one! . Teutonic travellers now ahead, we were soon up the stairs and into the village. Weather-wise, it was turning into a gorgeous day!

With the steps conquered, we were greeted by Don Quixote, Rucio, and of course, Sancho Panza (perhaps the impatient Germans thought there was a Tank ahead? (I digress. Again ).

Whoever thought it was a good idea to promote the Village based on its history of being the ancient Capital, was onto a good thing! . Whether it was the variety of flowers and foliage or just the general feel of the place, we all enjoyed every square inch. It wasn’t particularly large in square footage – easily covered in a hour, but a) it was busy and b) it felt cared for. With everything restored within an inch of its life (without overdoing things), it was an authentic slice of history and the perfect Tourists’ trap Paradise

For us though, the standout attraction had to be the Church. Helpfully named: The Church of Santa María De Betancuria, the interior was a feast for the eyes. Dating back as far as 1404, imagine worshipping here all those years ago!

Founded in 1410 by Jean de Béthencourt it features a blend of Norman-Gothic, Baroque, and Mudéjar styles, including a notable wooden ceiling, wooden/stone floor and a 17th-century altarpiece. Nice… very nice!

It was worth the drive just to see this! 100% recommended, even if you’re not particularly religious. Note that it’s not free to get in (just like the toilets here). Great value at just 2€ per person (in contrast, the loos cost 1€!)

1.30pm: By now, we were all cultured out, and a short pitstop at the nearby Café – Casa Santa Maria – was calling our name. Less ‘Man of la Mancha’ and more ‘Men with the Munchies’.

2.10pm: Yummy! That all went down a treat. We’d now seen everything we wanted to see and headed back to the car for our return to Corralejo. Sue was again in charge of ‘the tank’, and we returned to base in record time.

3.05pm: Back at the Hotel, some of us siestered whilst others made the most of the improving weather.

6.10pm: If last night was Curry Night, then tonight HAD to be Pizza! Checking the Carnival Programme showed that there was also some entertainment on near ‘Music Square’ in the popup marquee – more of that later.

We took a short wander before the performances began and enjoyed a quick drink. Unusually, the welcome was a little frosty (maybe because we ‘only’ wanted drinks) at our chosen watering hole, but Ann and Sue were rewarded with what looked like triple measures of Gin in their G&Ts. Both glasses certainly looked like a generous glassful even before the tonic was added . It’s a tough life out here!

7.35pm: We returned to the marquee, where the performances were now in full swing. It’s difficult to fully appreciate the energy in the photograph, but we were about as close as we could get – it was all very well supported, and those on stage ranged from ‘tiny-tots’ to adults – and it seemed, every age in between! They were giving the music their all. Choreographed within an inch of its life, what we saw was a powerful performance of song and dance – and a real joy to watch. Enthusiasm was off the scale as demonstrated by the performers AND those watching.

7.55pm: Pizza time! Plenty of choice for Pizzerias in the immediate area where we chose ‘Peperoni‘ (yes, with a single ‘p’!). It was obviously a popular place with pretty much ALL of the tables pre-booked. Luckily for us, they squeezed us in.

Inside, it was the simplest of decor, giving it a more intimate feel. Service was swift (pretty much the norm out here) and we learned that they’re the 9th most popular pizzeria in Spain (according to TripAdvisor!). That might certainly explain all the ‘reserved’ signs then! . Talking of signage, the choice of pizzas was simply enormous, so large, in fact, they displayed the more popular choices ON THE WALL – and it was a long wall! . Come here for their excellent pizzas (but not their WiFi, that they proudly announced they didn’t have, unless bribed ).

We all enjoyed our respective choices. I opted for the ‘Pozo Negro’ featuring Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Porcini Mushrooms, and Gorgonzola. They all had a real homemade feel to them. A bottle of very smooth Red sealed the deal!

9.25pm: The night wasn’t quite over as we were about to find out. Was that the sound of distant drums, or was my Tinnitus playing up? Thankfully, it WAS drums – and it was getting louder! Great news then, as what we’d missed in the performances at the marquee earlier (in part) was now making its way towards us. We hadn’t expected this, but judging by the number of people now lining the streets with their camera-phones at the ready, it was all part of the Corralejo Carnival experience! Wow! What an atmosphere!! ,

The costumes, the colours and the sheer enthusiasm certainly brought a party atmosphere to the streets of Corralejo! And they weren’t done yet as they danced their way past the restaurants and into ‘Music Square’. We followed the growing crowd of err, followers, where the dancers and drummers just kept going. Today, Corralejo, tomorrow, the world (well, there was no stopping them tonight) where it certainly looked like they had a few more miles left to cover. Whatever they were on, can I have some, please??

10.05pm: We left Paul & Sue to enjoy the atmosphere in ‘Music Square’ that, even by its usual ‘buzzy’ atmosphere, was now experiencing even more of it than usual. Tempted to join the dancers (really? ) we side-stepped the main procession and took the now-familiar walk back to the hotel. It was now just after 10pm, and the wonky weather forecast had truly exceeded expectations – the breeze had dropped, and even at this late hour, it was warm enough for me just to need a light coat.

10.35pm: That’s us done for Day 4. That’s two nights on the trot where we’ve still been up after 10.30. Are we turning into party animals?

Probabaly not! . Sleep well, I know we will! . We have no plans whatsoever for tomorrow except that it’ll be a car-free day! Catch you Friday!

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 4 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 3 – Wednesday 11th March

Morning loyal reader! Welcome back to our adventures in Fuerteventura. Today’s is a relatively short one – a super-lazy day!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo,was back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

So far, we hadn’t seen much of the Carnival, but Paul & Sue discovered some related entertainment close to where we ate last night.

It was the ‘Crowning of the Grande Dame’ involving a lot of OTT costumes (that were, apparently, also very wide!). Tonight’s events are all kiddy-related, so we’ll be giving those a miss.

Back to today, and as I mentioned earlier, it’s a VERY lazy one planned!

“Another day in Paradise?” – especially if your idea of Paradise feels like living in a wind-tunnel! More positively, though, it’s another warmish one with no sign of rain!

9.25am: Our first activity of the day was walking the short distance to Breakfast. I know, it’s a tough life! It was busy there again (even though we were slightly later) and it’s clear, the Hotel is a popular destination. Same great service and the same extensive range of food choices on offer together with their very freindly service. Just like yesterday, it was a slow and relaxed first-meal-of-the-day and by the time we left at just after 10.30, we were the only ones left in the Restaurant.

11.25am: Time to follow the herd and find a spot around the pool. I had a fair bit of reading to catch up with, so that was perfect opportunity to combine the two. It was definitely a case of choose your spot wisely, as some areas were more hurricane-like than others, whereas other spots simply caught an occasional breeze. After a fair bit of experimentation, we didn’t find anywhere that was completely breeze-free (this is Fuertaventura, after all!), and in the end we settled for the area by the heated pool – it was almost deserted too!

In an instant (in spite of it being mostly a breeze-free zone) we realised why there was a lack of people – the daily Water Aerobics Class sprang into life nearby and the Instructors appeared to be looking for volunteers! Luckily, they didn’t spot us in the corner and the Class began. Oh joy!, I haven’t heard the infamous ‘Birdie Song’ at full volume since I was in my 30s. Oh joy!! . Fortunately, the music choice improved!!

And there we stayed for the next couple of hours. It turned out to be a good spot with plenty of sun reaching us with just the occasional waft of cool air.

1.30pm: That’s enough Vitamin D for the day! We headed back to the room, made a cuppa and then touched base with Sue, who’d just arrived back from catching up with their friend, Julie. We had a quick natter about eating options for tonight and agreed that it’ll be a Curry House or a Pizza! .

2.35pm: Ann and I then went in search of some retail therapy (Spanish style!)! This was the shortest of walks – out of the Hotel, turn right, short walk, turn right again, short walk… Done! We were now at Villa Comercial el Campanario, a small collection of retail spaces combined with some small eateries. We stopped at Cafe Bar Habana. It was all very Spanish and good to be out-and-about, just sitting and people watching!

We feasted on a couple of jam-laden croissants, helped along with two very nice coffees, all served with a smile! It was an opportunity to soak up a few more rays as the weather had now vastly improved, topping the forecast by a couple of degrees (a very welcome 21℃!) according to a nearby thermometer .

3.15pm: After a disappointing search for AA batteries in the nearby supermarket (a ‘hiper-dino’), we wandered back to the Hotel, had a quick natter with Paul & Sue who were enjoying the sunshine, and like us had found the perfect spot away from the random gusts of wind.

3.45pm: The shortest of siestas – “I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes”

4.55pm: Up and about, and time to get ready for tonight’s meal in town.

6.10pm: We popped around to Paul & Sue’s to finalise our eating choices. That was easy, decision made! – the first Curry House in the main drag towards town.

6.25pm We took the short walk towards the main strip, and there was The Tandoori Garden. It was already doing a good trade when we arrived, and they quickly pushed together two tables to accommodate us.

And the customers just kept on arriving! By the time we got our Starters, the place only had a single table left – surely a good sign! It certainly was!!! The food was delicious and plentiful

9.02pm: A great meal! Next stop? Next door at the Retro Rock & Roll Restaurant.

8.55pm: When we arrived just before 9pm, just like the Indian, it was already heaving inside, but they found us four a table right next to the stage. From a sound and vision point of view, it wasn’t ideal, but at least they got us in! To say this was a ‘themed Bar’ would be a massive understatement, as it sported highly professional murals and rock memorabilia around the walls. They poured a perfect Guinness, too, so it definitely got my vote!

9.30pm: The singer tonight was ‘Mel‘. Born in Belgium (but with an American accent) we learned that she was, by day, a Primary School Teacher. Personable too, as she easily got the audience on her side with her charm and banter – and musicianship. And what a vocal range too! .It was easy to see that her passion was for singing and performing live, and after the first couple of tracks, toes were already tapping as she received warm and genuine applause from all of us in the audience. Mel was clearly very talented and belted out numbers by Fleetwood Mac, Oasis, Abba, Aretha Franklyn, Whitney Houston and many others with complete confidence. And when I say ‘belted’, she didn’t just sing them with a backing track. Oh no, instead, she put her own spin on the compositions and simply supported herself on the guitar. An amazing set of lungs that surely deserves to be known more widely! Fuerteventura’s got talent!

10.05pm: Paul & Sue stayed for more of ‘Mel’s magic’ whilst we took the short walk back to the Hotel, leaving the Bar (and the town) still buzzing. Turning our heads to tomorrow, we’re back in the car, exploring the island. We’ve decided to head south to a Village called Betancuria – population: 801!

Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination.

That sounds like fun! . If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there, the last section is very twisty! Enjoy!

10.45pm: Another late one for us! Nighty-night!

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