Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Saturday 4 April 2015

A promise fulfilled

Some time ago, although I don't actually remember when, I promised Romy that we could go to a funfair one day. For the day, not just a couple of rides when the fair comes to town. To a proper place.

The Easter holiday seemed to be the time to fulfill that promise. I have to say I am not a fan. FR is even less of a fan. Mateo has never really been a fan. But a promise is a promise.

So, yesterday, Romy, Ruy (who is quite a fan) and I set off in the morning to make the trek to the coast and Tivoli World. It's not a huge place and has no outlandish rides but it is the nearest permanent fairground to us and for fair-deprived children, like mine, it pretty much hit the spot.

Blue skies, palm trees and just the right temperature
Apart from having to submit to the incredibly inefficient ticket system, which, despite having bought our tickets online, meant we had to join three different queues and wait for a total of 45 minutes before the required wristbands were applied. These bands provided access to all but a couple of the attractions in unlimited repeated turns.

There was a little moment of being underwhelmed as we set off to explore but the park is cleverly laid out to appear much bigger than it is and many of the attractions are not immediately visible.

I won't describe all the rides...(phew, I hear you say) but despite trailing around after my children for about five hours, carrying rather more than I had intended, we had a great day and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Ruy reckons he had probably around 100e-worth of rides on the Dodgems....



Here's a selection of fairground photos - always colourful but especially nice when the sun is shining!


A nice gentle Jurassic tour to start the day...

Following a spin on the Roller Coaster.

Probably Ruy's favourite - dodgems!

Clearly here, it's called the Techno Jump..but since we've lived in Spain, we know it as 'La Rana' or the Frog. 

Not sure if I took this before or during Romy's spin on it...

A rather uninspiring photo of what was the best ride - the Aqua falls - this was just after the infamous soaking!

And yes, they went on several times! Dried off quickly in the sun though. 


And another treat - a kebab...both still soaking wet but unbothered!
And having driven all the way to the coast, we had to visit the sea. Benalmadena was too busy and difficult to stop in so we drove along the coast to Torremolinos. It's really rather a lovely place despite its reputation. I always like this long, clean beach where you can mooch along and find lovely shells.




I wasn't remotely tempted but my children did their usual strip and waded in without hesitation. They confessed it was VERY COLD!!

How Ruy is chunking out...his voice is on the verge of breaking and he spends his time shouting 'Harry!' in a brilliant copy of Ron Weasely's voice in the early Happy Potter films....(And of course, Mateo used to look exactly like Harry Potter so it makes us all laugh.)
Do you see anyone else in the water? Nope...not one. 
This was around 7pm and after stopping at Riofrio to buy fresh and still wriggling rainbow trout, we arrived home in the dark just after 9.30pm. We'd watched the full moon rising over the Sierra Nevada as we drove and noticed that the mountains already looked to have much less snow than they had earlier in the week.

Delicious fresh fish just visible on our makeshift barbecue.

I admit to feeling a rather smug good mother and wife. FR was waiting with a fire in the garden to cook the trout, the children were full of their day and I was quite knackered from all the driving, safe too in the knowledge that I've prepared a rather good set of clues for this year's Easter Treasure Hunt that my children love to do on Easter Sunday morning.  I even made some chocolates for them on Friday morning....in secret!
I went to bed feeling good.


The full moon from my garden

And just so you know, Barney is still happily sunbathing in the garden as I write ...he won't be dinner this Easter!


Happy Easter. Hope you're all having good holidays.

14 comments:

  1. Decidedly glad to see Barney is still with you....and what a super day out you gave the two of them.

    Fairs aren't my thing either.....though I did like the dodgems when the mini fair came to our nearest town in France...but they clearly enjoyed themselves.

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    1. Yes, he's still here! I feel FR's nerve failing more each day....

      And the fair is not my idea of a perfect day out but I do like to see my children having fun, who wouldn't? I do like the dodgems but as I have a bit of a bad neck at the moment, I decided not to risk it...

      Axxx

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  2. Ah! What it means to be young and full of energy, driving Mom nuts/ Lovely post. Blessings to you and your family this Easter, Geoff from South Africa.

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    1. I admit to only vaguely remembering being young and full of energy, Geoff...but seeing two of mine having such a good time is quite energising in itself.
      Thanks for popping by - from a long way away! Have a happy Easter too.
      Axxx

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  3. Happy Easter, Annie.
    The look of joy on Romy and Ruy's faces makes the whole experience worthwhile and a joy to have been part of.
    In the UK we live near Alton Towers, so would go at least once a year - generally when there was an offer on a Weetabix pack, RHiannon and Tom loved it, although it was good when they got older and I could drop them off at the park with their friends and pick them up at the end of the day. Even better when they could drive themselves!

    I thought I liked big rides but by 10.30 am on the first day at Universal Studios I felt so sick and dizzy that it was the end of rides for me, with the exception of the odd log flume!

    I'm sure Romy and Ruy loved the visit and their Mum xx

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    1. We never got to Alton Towers, Gaynor but I'm pretty sure my children would have loved to have gone.
      I can't do any rides at all these days...hate the feeling of movement and lurching. I do like the dodgems though but I have had a bad neck this week and thought I wouldn't be able to drive home if I risked it this time!
      Romy loves to tell me she loves me most days - I lost count how many times she said it on the way home! Can't be too many though, can it?
      Axxx

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  4. You've certainly been giving the children a wonderful Easter holiday, Annie. First the snow, then the fair and the beach. I think our tow would have dared the freezing water too, just to be able to say they'd had the first swim of the year.

    I love the photo of Barney under his sunshade. Surely you can't eat him after all this coddling?

    Wishing you and your family a very happy Easter.

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    1. Thank you! Easter was a very good holiday this year, Perpetua. I don't remember doing quite so much in previous years.

      Barney shows a lot of personality. He loves FR, quite likes me, Romy and Mateo but doesn't like Ruy...we don't know why but clearly he doesn't! He doesn't like loud or sudden noises and he was very fond of one of the roosters..unfortunately, it's the one we've now eaten. I'm pretty sure one day he will not be found under his umbrella any more but I think I might hesitate to share this information generally. He is there today though!

      Axxx

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  5. I don't like fairs either but was forced to take my kids when they were younger...well done you for indulging them. Sooo glad you didn't eat Barney. I feel a bit like this at Kurban Bayram when the sheep are slaughtered. I stay in the house and am not happy to eat meat offered by the neighbours. Silly really because I'll eat it from the butcher or supermarket.

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    1. I do feel I was being a good mum the day of the fair, Ayak and they appreciated the indulgence.
      Yes, Barney is still lording it under the umbrella...for now. Having eaten one or two of the hens and also lamb from a neighbour a couple of times, I don't feel very sentimental about it - the flavour is incomparable. Don't ask me to do the slaughtering, but I'm happy to prepare the stuffing....
      Axxx

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  6. So why didn't you take Barney to the fair too? Next time.

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  7. Looks like fantastic fun, but not for me! My favourites are dodgems too - I can't do round & round, can't do up & down, can't do heights, can't do scary...

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    1. I absolutely agree - I couldn't have joined the children on any of the rides but I could happily have done the dodgems. Not for me either the round and round; definitely not up and down; heights, I have a problems with and as for scary....I'm positively pitiful.
      Axxx

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