Hi
We are not in the area all the time -only school holidays at the moment. We live near mas De barbarens.
1. Visit the fish and veg. market.
2. Go walking in Els Ports. We know two good starting points barranc de LLoret and le Vals just beyond mas.
3. walk in the area around your finca.
4. We love reading over there.
maybe we are still in the wonderment stage but we just love being in the place.
5. Follow the Ebro upriver.
6. drive into Aragon.
It sounds a bit ditsy now as I read it but we just love being there.
Hope you find your Tortosa. regards, mary

Hi,

well - having lived here now for nearly 2 years I can tell you that personally I find that there isn't time to get bored or even wonder what to do next - the days seem to have 18 hours and the hours only 40 minutes.

Time here seems to pass much quicker than it ever did in the UK - I can't explain it - and I'm not the only one that this seems to apply to!

Ok, so every one does differnet things and so this may not apply to you, but the things I do seem to be:

• Some work - I do work here (ok, it wassn't really planned but it just 'happened' and after 20 years in an office staring at a screen the oportunity to do differnet stuff is a great relief....)
• Working in the garden - weeding/preparing/sowing etc (vegetables that is rather than flowers which I leave to my wife!)
• Socialising - we seem to either have people round for a meal or go to someone elses house for a meal at least once a week
• Occasionally a Saturday morning breakfast in traditional Spanish style - which can go on most of the day!
• Enjoying the numerous fiestas that seem to be going on pretty much from the end of feb till the end of september, then again in december
• Fishing - although I'm not a commited fisherman the odd day out every now and again is a lovely way to pass the time
• Hobbies (when there is time!) - obviously whatever hobby you have - I have loads, most of which I haven't actually had any time to do!
• Exploring - there are loads of places to explore at all times of the year
• Going to the market (ok, only occasionally and usually to see what veg plants are on sale)
• The beach - it is tempting but I only managed to get there once last year!  I'm going to try harder this year.
• Swimming and siestas - yes you really do need them in the summer - try and work after about 1pm and you'll kill yourself!
• Eating out - there are enough restaurants in Tortosa and in the local villages to keep you trying new ones almost forever!
• Going for walks either in the mountains or along the beach or coast
• 'Pottering around' - basically messing around with whatever (hard to describe but easy to waste loads of time doing!)
• Got trees (we have a few) then in the autumn you'll have the oportunity to collect Carrobs/Almonds/Olives/Oranges - then these trees need maintaining/watering/clearing the ground they sit on etc...
• Got a pool - well that takes up a few hours a week...
• The local outdoor markets - there's pleanty of choice

Oh, the other thing is..when you go into town to do a list of things you'll find it's nearly impossible to do more than 3 of them so you'll easily pass many 'happy' hours trying to get things done.

Slowly but surely there are more 'conventional' things being organised here such as:

• Keep Fit
• Pub Quizzes (when's the next one Gerry??)
• Car boot sales (I think the next is 4th Feb - more details soon as I  know)
• Learning Catalan/Castillion - there seem to be loads of classes around (well worth doing if you want to do more than order a 'Cafe amb llet')

..and there are loads of local clubs run by the Spanish if you're interested - including shooting/rowing/stamps/radio controlled models/custom cars/computers/martial arts/drumming/dancing and so on...

And you wonder why does the time go so fast?'

Nigel

hi nigel,

thank you for the info. you lead a very full and interesting life, and you never mentioned the time and effort you put into the forum. how do you go about selling advertising in it. please keep in touch from time to time.

thank you,
brendan and annette

hi mary, terraalta, talamh árd,

what part of ireland are you from ?

bye,
brendan and annette

hello mary and rick,

muinteoí - wow ! agus mise with only the cúpla focail. níl ach beagánín gaeilge agam, ach tá sé an-deas an gaeilge a úsáid ar an forum.

slán anois, beidh mé ag caint libh arís.

brendan agus annette.

pe focal ata in usaid deanfaidh se an gno. beimid ag teacht amach  An mhairt roimh Caisc ag fanacht deich la. B'fheidir go mbuailfimid le cheile. Ni 'mad' gaeilgeoiri' sinn ach ta se an-usaideach an ghaeilge a bheith mar 'tool' eile.
Where are you guys? In Tortosa? or do you have a finca? That's four sets of Irish people we know about. The other two lots are over and back like ourselves.
Do keep in touch. beir bua is beannacht. Hope you had a happy St. Brigid's day. xxxx mary.

hello nigel,

later on i will advertise in the forum. what i was interested in was how you go about marketing the advertising. how do you sell the spaces.

bye for now,
brendan and annette