Just back from the marina having been told that Café Noray is closing after Sunday. NOT the restaurant part, but the original cafe. More accurately that are going to merge the cafe with the restaurant, so they will still be a cafe, just not the original one. Have to say it is a shock and a shame as it was one of our favourite cafes from way back when and it will be shame to see it go. Good news that the restaurant is remaining though!!!!

Another excellent occasion in Al-rruz, even if the game wasn’t as good as the Russia game. I counted over 45 people watching, all in the T-Shirts provided by Inés and Juan Carlos.

The Spanish have a very good way of watching football. They don’t turn up until the kick off, no drinking for two hours before hand, and tend not to linger too long afterwards - although I think the relief of the last minute winner and the fact it was Saturday evening meant that quite a few stayed on for a few drinks after the game.

Spent a very pleasant couple of hours yesterday afternoon in Al-rruz watching a very impressive Spain beat Russia.

There is something very civilized about watching football with Spanish people in a Spanish bar. At Al-rruz this is in no small part down to the enthusiasm for the football that Inés and Juan Carlos have. Yesterday they were handing out T-Shirts to support Spain, and the tapas was again exceptional. I can recall home made meat balls, fish, pinchos and empanada before we all gave up on the tapas as we were full and concentrated on the drinking.

Having just written about supporting Spain in Euro 2008, Inés has just sent me the above flyer for what Al-rruz will be doing during the competition.

Bit of a mixed morning this morning in the marina ……. Good = popped into see Roberto to sort out (another) pair of football boots. This is rapidly becoming an expensive event, but I am really enjoying the whole process - something remarkably exciting about selecting kit, boots etc. Yep it is a man thing, trust me!!!! Good = met up with Sands after her run along the beach and bumped into a friend and had some breakfast at Harbour Lights. Is one of the great things about Almerimar Life - you are nearly always bound to meet someone when you are out and about, and the impromptu chat is always the best in my opinion. Bad = the price at Harbour lights is really expensive!!! Sands had a tostada for 2€ which is about 1€ normally, and it wasn’t even as good as the Spanish ones never mind better. I had a bacon baguette for 5€ which was really expensive compared to 3.75 at La Plaza or 3.50€ at La Bahia. Sure you got a bit of salad with it but it really wasn’t worth it. Funnily enough a full english breakfast was only 5.50€ and a coffee and tostada 2€ between the hours of 9 am and 11 am so maybe they are better value. Not sure I will ever find out as I am very rarely over that side of the Marina and certainly wouldn’t make the effort to go there specially to pay more for my breakfast!!!!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar Almerimar is a great place to live as an expat amongst the expats, or to work amongst the Spanish. There are all kinds of properties including villas, apartments and town houses for rent or sale. It is a very traditional part of Spain, with traditional Spanish foods so if you plan to travel to Spain either to look for jobs, for your company to trade with companies in Spain, or to learn Spanish and enjoy the Spanish weather then come and take a look. If you are interested in purchasing a property in Almerimar please visit our sponsors Mirror of the Sun or Mediterraspain. If you have purchased a property and need it furnished please check out our Sponsors DBJ who will give you a Exclusive 5% discount with the code AL2008. If you want to learn Spanish, get help with anything to do with the legal issues in Spain, or want WiFi access in the marina please check out our sponsor CentrePoint who will give you a 10% discount off all services with the code AL2008. If you want an amazing activity based day out in the mountains and to learn how to ride a motorcycle off road then check out our sponsor The Long Way Round and get 5% off with the code AL2008. Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Al-rruz will be closed next week from the 19th through the 26th May as they have been invited to participate by several prestigious restaurants in Seville in a Gastronomic Fair.

This is a good ‘feather in their cap’ as we English would say, and is a opportunity for them to exchange recipes, tips and hints on cooking styles, and maybe exchange a few of the ’secrets of their trade’.

I have had a headache all morning. Couldn’t make a coffee as the coffee machine is playing up and I haven’t bothered to look at it yet. Thought I would get one down in the marina but the water was off so nobody could make any coffee. Anyway was up at Blanes (near Copos) buying some football stuff (yep I know - more later on that!!) so I grabbed a quick coffee and hey presto, headache gone!!!!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar Almerimar is a great place to live as an expat amongst the expats, or to work amongst the Spanish. There are all kinds of properties including villas, apartments and town houses for rent or sale. It is a very traditional part of Spain, with traditional Spanish foods so if you plan to travel to Spain either to look for jobs, for your company to trade with companies in Spain, or to learn Spanish and enjoy the Spanish weather then come and take a look. If you are interested in purchasing a property in Almerimar please visit our sponsors Mirror of the Sun or Mediterraspain. If you have purchased a property and need it furnished please check out our Sponsors DBJ who will give you a Exclusive 5% discount with the code AL2008. If you want to learn Spanish, get help with anything to do with the legal issues in Spain, or want WiFi access in the marina please check out our sponsor CentrePoint who will give you a 10% discount off all services with the code AL2008. If you want an amazing activity based day out in the mountains and to learn how to ride a motorcycle off road then check out our sponsor The Long Way Round and get 5% off with the code AL2008. Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Naturally I miss Sands when she is away, but one thing I really enjoy is going back in time to when I used to live on my own ….. Never more so than in the kitchen!!!! I have just made a HUGE cottage pie = the next four days meals taken care of. Add to that no washing up for four days, no time taken up preparing food, and no worrying about what to eat and you have the perfect solution as far as I am concerned! The pie has LOADS of vegetables in (honest not just saying that because Sands will read this!!) so is just a case of heating up one plate and using one fork to eat!!! The cats have a load of prawns to keep them going so we are all set!!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar Almerimar is a great place to live as an expat amongst the expats, or to work amongst the Spanish. There are all kinds of properties including villas, apartments and town houses for rent or sale. It is a very traditional part of Spain, with traditional Spanish foods so if you plan to travel to Spain either to look for jobs, for your company to trade with companies in Spain, or to learn Spanish and enjoy the Spanish weather then come and take a look. If you are interested in purchasing a property in Almerimar please visit our sponsors Mirror of the Sun or Mediterraspain. If you have purchased a property and need it furnished please check out our Sponsors DBJ who will give you a Exclusive 5% discount with the code AL2008. If you want to learn Spanish, get help with anything to do with the legal issues in Spain, or want WiFi access in the marina please check out our sponsor CentrePoint who will give you a 10% discount off all services with the code AL2008. If you want an amazing activity based day out in the mountains and to learn how to ride a motorcycle off road then check out our sponsor The Long Way Round and get 5% off with the code AL2008. Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Alex was back at Al-rruz for lunch again this week, this is what he has to say: