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Tim Lynette Wilkins
Tim Lynette Wilkins

Tim Lynette Wilkins

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  • Tim Lynette WilkinsA cruise in CroatiaTraveler
    Breakfast on roof terrace
    The Stradun - the street across the middle of DubrovnikThe walls looking inlandOne of the forts guarding the cityThe old Venetian portThe impressive land side wallsTaking a rest

    Dubrovnik sightseeing

    May 24, 2025 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine so had breakfast on our roof terrace. We decided to do the walk around Dubrovnik's medieval walls before it go too hot or too busy so went there first. It is surprising how small the old town is but the walk takes one and a half hours and involves lots of steps up and down. We found it a bit strenuous- we are just not used to stairs these days and, after all, we are getting old.

    It is a beautiful setting and it is amazing how they have restored most of the buildings after the extensive damage from Serbian bombing in 1991.

    This afternoon we walked around visiting some churches and a monastery . The Dominican monastery contained some art including by titian (which seemed rather poor) and some modern works to replace things destroyed in the war. The church of st. blaise had splendid modern stained glass windows, also replacing destroyed ones. The cathedral has a triptych altarpiece by titian and on each column modern versions of the stations of the cross, which are very simple and very beautiful. The huge jesuit Church of St, ignatius is completely covered in frescoes, except for the modern ceiling which bare - the original having been lost in the Serbian war.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsA cruise in CroatiaTraveler

    Arrival in Dubrovnic

    May 24, 2025 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Our journey yesterday was easy. Taxi to Heathrow at 8.30, breakfast porridge at Pret, BA flight at 11.40, arrived on time with a transfer arranged. Our studio room is in the middle of the Old Town above a restaurant but it was surprisingly quiet overnight.

    The weather yesterday was cloudy with occasional spots of rain but when we went out for dinner, outdoors under an awning, there was a thunderstorm and heavy rain for 10 minutes. We stayed dry!

    As expected Dubrovnik is full of tourists but is still an impressive and interesting place.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Entrance to the Alcazaba
    One of several planted courtyardsCarved stuccoEntrance to Mercado - 14c archStained glass window in marketCourtyard of the museumPhoecian glass perfume bottleRoman glass plateRoman mosaic of the birth of venus

    Malaga in the rain

    March 5, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    It was heavily overcast this morning and the air was damp. Undaunted we went to see the Roman theatre- which is very small - and the Alcazaba - which is much bigger than expected. The rain held off until we got to the top of the Alcazaba when a steady drizzle started and hasn't stopped.
    Like all Moorish castles and palaces this one had lots of patios with water features and numerous rooms with carved stucco and painted walls. It dates from the 11 - 14 century. Whilst not on the scale of the Alhambra in Granada or Alcazar in Seville it was very pleasant even in the rain.
    The other must see here is the Mercado - the market which has been recently restored and is still a vibrant local market full of fish and meats.

    This afternoon we spent some time in the Malaga museum. A small museum in the building of the old customs house, but with a modern layout and well documented artifacts, going back to prehistoric times, lots of phoenician and roman material.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Roman theatreWalls of the Alcazaba

    Arrival in Malaga

    March 4, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We left Clive's this morning to drive to Malaga. The power went off again during the night so there was no heating again. Clive's was nice to visit and his food is wonderful but I don't think we will be going again, it's just too primitive for us these days and there is not much to do if the weather isn't good!

    We arrived in Malaga in sunshine and enjoyed lunch outside. The hotel in Malaga is right in the central district and next to the Roman theatre and Moorish Alcazaba. Lots to see tomorrow.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Terrace of our room
    View from the terraceBreakfast in the sunIznajarView of dam to the eastView of dam to the west8c Moorish castleBeautiful Moorish plate in museumChurch of Santiago

    Iznajar

    March 2, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Despite the cold we slept well with cozy duvet and blanket. This morning amazingly was sunny and warm enough for breakfast on the terrace. We drove to the nearest town Iznajar on top of a hill and visited a Moorish castle dating from the 8c. The town was under Moorish rule from Granada until the 15c. They seem very proud of their heritage and it's a nice town. It now overlooks an enormous dam built in the 60s which has become a tourist attraction with watersports and beach. The dam looks much emptier than it has been due to frequent droughts here. The sun lasted till about midday and we are now back to grey skies - but it hasn't rained on us yet!Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    El Romeral entrance corridor
    Entrance to burial chamberEnormous capstone on corbelled roofEntrance to Cueva La Viera with massive stone walls and roofOval chamber of Cueva La Menga with central pillarsView from entrance of rock where summer solstice sun risesBurial mound with entrance of a dolmen

    Antequera dolmens

    March 2, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Picked up the car at Jerez airport and drove 2.5 hrs east towards Granada. Our cars at home are old and controlled by buttons and switches. This hire car has a touch screen that controls everything and it's a nightmare to navigate. It took half an hour to get the aircon working properly.

    Our first stop was in Antequera a centre of stone age settlement and later a Roman town. Our visit was to 3 stone dolman tombs each then covered with a tumulus. They date from 2500bc to 2000bc so around the time of Stonehenge and the engineering of the stone monoliths is equally impressive.

    We arrived at Clive and Maki's finca around 4.00 and it is lovely as it was 15 years ago. Only the local electricity substation developed a fault the night before and can't be fixed till Monday. There is only enough electricity for lighting not heating so the bedrooms are freezing but there is a wood burner in the dining room / lounge so we spent the evening there reading and enjoying Clive's delicious food.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Weather continued

    February 28, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    The weather has been really good this year. Until today we had only had a couple of short showers and one afternoon of rain. Even today there were a few short downpours spread through the afternoon and this evening it is all dry again. We have had plenty of lovely days of warm sunshine and even a few when it got too hot mid-afternoon.

    Sadly the forecast for our remaining time is mostly rain. That would be annoying at Clive's place as it's in the middle of nowhere and there's not much to do if you can't go out.

    On the way there tomorrow we are going to stop in Antequera to see some prehistoric dolman tombs. We went maybe 17 years ago and they are very impressive- a bit like Mycaenian tombs but older.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Last day

    February 27, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Tomorrow is our last day in Jerez as we go out to the airport first thing Saturday to collect a hire car. It's due to be raining hard all day tomorrow and we have booked to have lunch in our favourite taperia. Then we drive across Andulucia to a finca up in the Sierra Subbetica mountains for a couple of days and then to the coast at malaga for another couple of days before coming home. Due to rain all the time i think!

    Tomorrow is anducia day. A public holiday and all the schoolkids (and adults!) will be out parading in fancy dress.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Football day

    February 23, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    We got the kids up 6 am this morning for Natalie and Andy to pick them up and get the train back to seville. Except then the flight was delayed over two hours. Seville airport is not a great place to waste 2 hours of your life!

    I went across the city to the southern edge where one of my jerez football teams have their stadium. It was good sitting in the sun, but neither team were very good and it was all very poor. I left at half time and with it being Sunday there were very few buses back so a 40 minute walk home up the hill to the centre. I'm sure it must be good for me after all the tapas and sherry!

    After lunch my other team were playing in the opposite direction, so I got a bus there and watched them win a scrappy game 1-0 (the other game finished 0-0, so I don't think i missed much) and walked home in the evening sun.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    A day out in Jerez

    February 22, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Breakfast of churros and chocolate in the sun in the market square, and a wander around the fish market afterwards. Emily doesn't like the sights or smell there, but finlay is fascinated by all the different types of fish, mostly ones we don't see at home.

    Then a long lunch at a restaurant that Natalie and Andy love and want to go to everytime they come. An afternoon in the sun on our terrace, and trip to the flamenco bar in the evening. The bar was so packed (the flamenco festival started yesterday) that we couldn't get in to see the show but the kids wiggled through and someone kind helped them to sit at the back up on the bar. They enjoyed it so much.

    They go home again tomorrow and we need to get the kids up at 6 am to get the train back to seville and then to the airport. Just a fleeting visit this year!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Armstrongs here! Yay!

    February 21, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Natalie, Andy, Finlay, and Emily arrived in Seville a couple of days ago and came to Jerez on the train this morning. We met them at the station and lunch outside on the terrace in the sun. For tea finlay requested that we cook clams that he really loves, and we bought yesterday fresh in the market. Tonight Natalie and Andy have a dinner in the best restaurant in town and finlay and Emily and are staying overnight with us. I'm very happy!Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Sanlucar

    February 18, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Yesterday morning we took the bus from Jerez to Sanlucar de Barrameda, a town less than an hour away on the coast where the river Guadalquivir meets the Atlantic. We've been there many times before as its famous as one of the three sherry towns, and especially for manzanilla. And also for wonderful seafood.

    Lunch in the sun in the main square, but the food was disappointing. The restaurant is one we've been to before and the food has always been excellent, but this time it just seemed rather ordinary.

    In the evening we went to another restaurant we've been to before, with wonderful local langostines, but again it all seem a bit ordinary. The langostines are huge (and €8.50 each!).

    Thankfully lunch today in the tapas bar of one of the manzanilla bodegas was up to scratch.

    Back to Jerez on the bus (bus fares just €2 each) after a disappointing trip. Although we did manage to spend an hour on sanlucar's spectacular beach.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    New tabanco entre tercios
    Lunch at GabrielasGood food at Gabrielas

    Restaurants

    February 16, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    One of the joys of coming back to Jerez is revisiting our favourite restaurants and bars and discovering new ones. So far this trip we have really enjoyed Albores, Almacen and Fundador all of which we went to 10 years ago and they have got better. So last night was a big disappointment. We started out to go to the tabanco round the corner which has good hard to find sherries, but it was closed. Then on to another we wanted to try out but they were on vacation. So back to some old favourites that were dreadful. The one that used to be Vina T and is now Dos Esquinas the food was poor and the Tabanco Plateros, where we discovered some wonderful sherries, only had ones from the barrel from an unknown bodega. The evening was saved by calling at the new tabanco across the road which has been beautifully done up - entre tercios.
    Today we had lunch in the sun at faithful old Gabrielas where the food is still as good as ever.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Our friendly stork
    Prawns and smoked sardines

    Lovely weather

    February 15, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I hope no-one at home is reading this but I wanted to make a note for our diary of the trip. The weather the last 2 days has been simply glorious - blue skies, 20c and sunny all day with just the slightest of breeze. We couldn't have asked for better. And a stork came to visit! It sat on the chimney we can see from our terrace for about half an hour. Woke up this morning and it's completely overcast and has remained so, but still warm.
    We have cooked some lovely food too - a whole hake last night with leeks and potatoes and for lunch today we cooked a half kilo of fresh local prawns, smoked sardines on toast and papas alinadas, with a salad. Yum.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Cylinder idol
    Set of idols. The little one is bottom rightZuberan young Mary

    Museum and cathedral

    February 12, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    This morning I walked across the city to the museum. I've been there many times before, but it's still nice to go and see favourite artifacts. There's always something I hadn't noticed before. This time it was a little cylinder idol from the second or third millenium BC. There are two much bigger ones but this one is just a few cms tall and really nicely worked.

    Afterwards to the cathedral, especially to see a painting by zuberan of the young virgin mary dozing while reading a book. Given that very few people were literate in jesus' time, is there anything in the bible that would indicate that Mary could read and write,? It's common for renaissance painters to show her reading during the annunciation.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Saying bye to Davina

    February 11, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    After a busy day on Saturday (Davina's watch said we walked 19000 steps!) we had a quiet day on Sunday. Church in the cathedral and an excellent lunch at the Fundador taperia were followed by a lazy afternoon in the sun on the terrace. She went off in a taxi at 11.00 to the airport to fly to Gatwick via Madrid.
    Today returned to normal with shopping and washing. It has been breeze and partially cloudy with even a brief shower.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler
    Cylinder idol like the one I made in bronzeVery fine carved rock crystal

    Day trip to Cadiz

    February 9, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Yesterday we took the train to Cadiz, the last time Davina was here the museum in Cadiz was closed, so she wanted to go back and visit it. It's a small museum but with some wonderful pieces, especially from the phoencian period. Lunch in a bar we know with good food from the time we stayed in cadiz a few years ago.

    In the evening we tried a new tapes bar just down the street (it was very good!) Then some drinks and a show in our favourite flamenco bar.

    Today it's hot hot! 20 degrees and full sun., and lunch at the taparia at the fundador bodega. The food there is spectacularly good, the opposite to what you get in a tapas bar at home, of meat balls, patatas bravas and squid. I don't include the tapes bar in wendover in that - the food there is excellent.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Sunny friday

    February 7, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We walked down to the market for Davina to choose some fish for dinner (she chose slabs of tuna and shark), and took the opportunity to get some churros and chocolate.

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Davina arrives for a few days

    February 6, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Davina arrived yesterday, and will stay till Monday. At first she wanted to go sanlucar but we realised that the buses are only one each way so we could only go, have lunch and then come straight back so it wouldn't be worth the trip. As it is we plan to go on the train to cadiz tomorrow instead, she wants to go to the museum, which was closed the last time she was here.

    On the way home from a restaurant last night we found part of the centre of jerez changed into what looks like a film set, or stage set if the french revolution. I know there's a travelling version of Les Mis, perhaps it's coming here.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Lovely day!

    February 4, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    This morning there was a bit of a chill in the air, but the sky was blue and clear and the sun was shining. A trip to the market to get things we couldn't get yesterday, including a great thick slab of tuna for dinner. It was wonderful, tuna is caught all along this coast so it's fresh and so tasty, and crazy cheap. This slab, big enough for three people, was just 10 euros. Then a walk to my favourite sherry shop to get some special finos and olorosos.

    Laze in the sun (18 degrees) in the afternoon. It's a hard life!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    Settling in

    February 3, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    There was a bit of rain this morning as we walked to the market to stock up on food for the week, but by late afternoon it was warm (15 degrees) and sunny enough to sit out, with a jumper on. Mmm!

    The market is pretty well empty on a Monday morning and especially the big fish section is completely empty. Maybe the boats don't go out on winter weekends. We'll go back tomorrow and maybe get some tuna steak for dinner!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsJerez 2025Traveler

    First day back

    February 2, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Long day traveling yesterday, thirteen hours, mostly because we needed to stop in Barcelona and the wait between flights was 4 hours. Otherwise it was all OK.

    Today we spend just pottering and getting settled in, but we went out for a good lunch. Sunday lunch is a big thing for the spanish, it's a time for families to go out and spend all afternoon together in their favourite restaurant so they were all quite busy. Afterwards we walked down to the alameda, which is the open space surrounding the castle, and managed to pick a good bag full of marmalade oranges to bring home before they all get picked by the local council and sold to the marmalade factories.

    It was quite cloudy and overcast this morning but the sun came out this afternoon. Due to rain tomorrow.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsA few days in PortoTraveler
    View from the bridgeChristmas tree made from port bottlesPort barrelsThe 20-year-old tawny we tasted

    Ferreira port tasting

    November 28, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We walked over the top level of the bridge over the river, took the cable car down to the river bank and lunch in the sun. Then a visit and tasting at the Ferreira port lodge. One white port, a three year old Ruby port, a LBV, then a seven year old , and twenty year old tawny. Very interesting!

    Christmas: it seems to be Christmas here already: the shops are all full of Christmas stuff, the streets already have Christmas decorations up, and it's still november!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsA few days in PortoTraveler
    Antique city tram
    City wallsTiling in the cathedral cloistersCathedral altarCathedralRiver and bridgeCourtyard stock exchangeArabic windowArabic wallPort boats on river

    Sights of Porto

    November 27, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    We started today by going to the cathedral, which is quite small, but even more ornate than the Spanish ones, later in the day we visited the church of San Franscico , even more ornate, with every inch of walls and ceiling covered in gilded carvings - quite gross!

    Between them we went to see the palacio do balsa, the old convent building that was reused as the stock market and trade centre, and has some spectacular rooms, such a room decorated in gilded, and fake, Arabic carvings and stained glass work.

    Lunch in the sun by the river.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsA few days in PortoTraveler
    Beautiful shop front
    Tiled church frontPorto marketShop frontRail station entrancePastel de nata and chocolateBeer in the sun

    Arrived

    November 26, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    An easy journey, other than having to get up at 3.30 for the taxi to airport!

    We arrived at the hotel at 11.00 and were able to check in straight away. It was dull, overcast and thick cloud, but by 1 pm the sun had come out and it was lovely and warm. Going for quick walk around this afternoon .

    Great wander around this afternoon. Porto is a lot like Jerez in that many of the buildings are originally lovely but now decaying and in bad repair. Many in the centre have been restored or rebuilt, but many are still in need of a lot of TLC. Very sad!

    Still , nice to have the wonderful Portuguese custard tarts and a hot chocolate in the sunshine, and later a cold beer in the setting sun on the hotel roof terrace.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsArchaeology in Eastern TurkeyTraveler
    12c caravansaray
    Carved entrance gateInterior courtyardCatalhuyuk town from 6200bcTypical houseBurial pits under the living room

    Catalhuyuk

    September 19, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We woke up this morning to grey skies and light rain. The rain had stopped by the time we said goodbye to our lovely hotel but it was still dull.
    We had a 4 hr drive to Konya stopping on the way at a large well preserved caravanseray dating from the Seljuk period about 1200 ad.
    The final archaeological site of Catalhuyuk was supposed to be a highlight of the tour. It is the earliest known town settlement dating from 8000bc until 6200bc. It is thought to have between 5000 and 8000 inhabitants at its height who lived in mud brick houses with no streets between them. They accessed their homes through holes in the roof and ladders.
    It was a great disappointment. Apparently the earliest, largest and most significant of the 2 mounds excavated has been closed to visitors for 2 years as its protective roof is considered unsafe. Meanwhile they have built a fancy big visitor centre and are constructing expensive raised walk ways. The mound we were able to visit was small as they have only uncovered 10% of it and was very unclear in the remains. Most of the wall paintings have been removed to Ankara museum (where we saw them) leaving only sandbags to protect the mud brick walls. It was such a sad end to a fascinating archaeological trip.    Read more

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