Red Snapper

Curious name for a white yacht?

More Mo boats

My recent post about my friend's motorboat prompted quite a few comments and while I confess that motorboats aren't really my thing and I've been annoyed by excess wash on more than a few occasions, I'm maybe more tolerant than fellow blogger and film maker Dylan Winter, so how about some of these for excess down in Port Vell Barcelona

I can't decide if this is hi tech boating or high security based on the latest stealth destroyers the Royal Navy have been building

Like them or not, there are more than a few of these monster boats lining the quay of what was once the old commercial dock.

Dilbar - the big daddy of them all was clearly too long for a stern to berth, either that or the lorry's wouldn't have been able to deliver.

Thankfully among all the excess there is still room for more modest boating.

And not too far away from the super yachts were a few of my kind of boats.

Dr Who

I can just about remember hiding behind the sofa when Dr Who first came on the telly back in the early 1960's. It's amazing that given the tiny black and white telly we had in those days that it was so scary - although there was a great episode I seem to remember when the Doctor ran some Daleks over with a dustbin lorry and we all cheered.

Fast forward more than a few years the Daleks are still around but the new generation are not finding them quite so intimidating.

High water Brockenhurst

The perceptive and those who know their geography will already be aware that Brockenhurst is a delightful village in middle of the New Forest about six or seven miles from the sea.

What with Storm Doris and the general heavy rain we've had of late the top of the Lymington river was in full flood.

There was quite a current running under the road bridge which spilled out across banks.

I was thinking hopefully the owner of this property doesn't need anything from his greenhouse, but maybe it's the latest thing in hydroponics.

Churros con Chocolate

Churros are something of a Spanish signature breakfast dish for holidays and lazy weekends. A little like crispy doughnut sticks served with a very thick melted chocolate and milk drink, more typically from Madrid, but downtown in the old gothic quarter of Barcelona there are more than a few cafes which serve good churros.

Who knows maybe Joseph will get his own foodie channel on youtube,

While on our gastronomic tour of Barcelona we also found these in a local bakery and absolutely had to try them, apparently originating from the Valencian town of Alboraya, they were delicious.

Quick break in Barcelona

What I like about Europe is that it isn't all that big but it's very diverse, so less than 2 hours flying time away we enjoyed warm spring sunshine while Storm Doris raged at home.

Probably all too familiar the modern and colourful Santa Caterina market  above, while the view from the redeveloped bull ring has more traditional views across Placa Espanya and Montjuic below.

Over the years I've spent a lot of time in Barcelona both working and on leisure, the city never fails to fascinate, as an example how many major cathedrals have ducks and geese wandering around in the cloisters?

Of course the attraction might be the waterfront area of Port Vell just at the end of the Ramblas.

Barceloneta was once a poor and slightly run down area where fishermen lived until the Olympics started redevelopment, you'd need to catch a lot f fish to live there now.

Quite apart from being a great place to visit, the people are so friendly, I lost count of the number of people who stopped to give us directions or advice or just talk.

Confused?

For the next couple of weeks there's a diversion as Swanwick Lane North is closed and the local council kindly put up signs to notify everyone

Which is great except that last time I looked Swanwick lane runs West to East - confused?

Maybe it's an early April fool?