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Tim Lynette WilkinsTim Lynette Wilkins
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Tim Lynette Wilkins

Tim Lynette Wilkins

traveled in 11 countries Read more
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    • Tim Lynette WilkinsTravelerJerez 2025

      Davina arrives for a few days

      February 6 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 WilkinsTravelerJerez 2025

      Lovely day!

      February 4 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 WilkinsTravelerJerez 2025

      Settling in

      February 3 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 WilkinsTravelerJerez 2025

      First day back

      February 2 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 WilkinsTravelerA few days in Porto
      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 WilkinsTravelerA few days in Porto
      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 WilkinsTravelerA few days in Porto
      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 WilkinsTravelerArchaeology in Eastern Turkey
      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

    • Tim Lynette WilkinsTravelerArchaeology in Eastern Turkey
      St Basil church - saints George and Theodore
      Elmali (apple) churchSaints Constantine & Helena in Yilani churchLast supper scene in the Dark churchApse in the Tokali church with brilliant blue background

      Frescoes in Goreme open air museum

      September 18, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

      We came to Cappadocia several years ago. It was April and it snowed heavily. When we visited the open air museum it was just raining but very cold so seeing it again today in blazing sunshine was a treat.
      The open air museum is a natural valley eroded by the weather which was used by the first monks in the 4c ad. They carved monasteries and churches in the soft rock and lived there. In the 8-9 centuries they painted the walls with geometric patterns then from 10c painted figures on the walls. Finally in the 11c they plastered the walls and covered them with frescoes illustrating bible scenes.
      We visited 6 churches covering the different styles. You are not allowed to take any photos inside so these are examples downloaded from the Internet.

      St Basil - painted panels including saints George and Theodore who look very similar

      Elmali (apple)church - has patches of the 10c geometric painting and many frescoes from 11c

      Yilani (snake) church - painted panels

      Karanlic (dark) church - walls covered in frescoes on a navy background, fabulous scenes very well preserved

      Carikli (sandal) church - similar to dark church but less well preserved

      Tokal(buckle) church - the largest and most richly decorated with more detailed frescoes. They are currently being cleaned and restored and it was interesting to watch.

      A very rewarding morning despite the huge crowds from all nationalities.      Read more

    • Tim Lynette WilkinsTravelerArchaeology in Eastern Turkey

      Goreme

      September 18, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      All around the towns of Goreme and Urchisar there are valleys and rock formations created by erosion of the soft layers of rock. Because the rock is so soft many formations have been carved out to form homes. Not many are still lived in todayRead more

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