27/11: RANDOM STUFF

It has been soooo windy here overnight ... and that's set to continue for a few days so our tapas lunch  (David's birthday) was eaten indoors rather than outside as the restaurant is right on the seafront.  

We had a great lunch with Mik and Lynne but are resting for a couple of hours now before the next part of David's birthday tonight ......     thought I'd just post a few of the photos I've taken over recent days - just odds & s*ds that appealed to me

First some of the chipmunks (Barbary Ground Squirrels) we fed during our walk yesterday.  In some areas the chipmunks are very tame and will eat from the hand but these live in an area where not many tourists go so although they were curious and came running when we called them, they kept a healthy distance from us.     Don't know why I like them so much as they aren't too much different from the pesky squirrels who plague us at home in whitstable   LOL

I guess its because they live in the rocky terrain on the outskirts of town and don't invade our garden.    There were dozens of them running around

Bananas in a local garden

No idea what these 'fruits' are, they look a little like dark plums when ripe, but they're probably non-edible like so many out here

Autumn ... and all the leaves are falling off the trees LOL

whilst walking along the beach path  recently these are some of the sights that appealed to me in local gardens ...



peed off cat.  Happily enjoying his/her ablutions in a patch of sunshine on a window sill, it wasn't best pleased to hear me calling it ...

what you can't see in this photo is that its left ear (our right as we look at it) has been clipped to show that the cat has been castrated.     Our very good friend Lynne (Catwoman) heads a charity that regularly captures stray cats (without collars or clipped ears) and has them neuteured to ensure that the cat population doesn't become unmanageable and the feral cats that can't be rehomed are kept in small groups that can  be looked after via cat feeding stations around the holiday complexes.

Once neutered the cats have their ears clipped so they are easily identifiable on the streets.
This little girl has no collar and no clipped ear but she does look well cared for so hopefully she isn't a stray.   She has now been reported to Lynne who will keep an eye out to ensure this cat doesn't end up having litters of unwanted kittens.   Cute isn't she?

Ducks in a garden .. they all  had collars on and looked happy enough.   Loved the sign directing them to their own 'pool' although the expression 'out of the frying pan, into the fire .... 'springs to mind

It was a windy walk but nice and bright and I never tire of the views on our 'beach path'

But just look at this monstrosity.   The only 5* hotel in the area has recently built a walkway from from the hotel gardens, across the beach with a 'chill out lounge' and pier for the residents so the well heeled clients don't have to get their feet sandy.  Bless!     In most parts of the resort the powers that be are quite careful not to destroy the integrity of the natural surroundings and are actively preventing destruction of the natural dunes and beaches ... but I guess money talks!

and looks as though they are about to build a second one from the same hotel, further along the beach

OK running out of time so just another couple of things that caught my eye

think the owner of this villa has a warped sense of humour   LOL

and this is probably worthy of a 'caption competition'  .... any ideas for a title?

Lots more photos to come but it takes sooooo long to upload them out here that I can only choose a few each time (you'll be pleased to hear)!