Author: Fergy.

Hello there and welcome to my blog which is the last attempt of a retiree and child of the 50's to overcome advanced technophobia and create a memoir of my rambles having had three commercial travel blog sites pulled from under me in just over a year. A learning curve like Everest! I am rapidly approaching a senior citizen bus pass and realistically I have more days independent travelling behind me than before so I intend to "do it while I still can" and am trying to cram in as much as I can now. Apart from travelling, I love playing music (guitar, vocals and a bit of percussion) as the profile pic suggests and sport, although my active participation is now restricted to the very occasional game of pool. I read voraciously, probably a legacy from my dear late Mother who was a librarian and encouraged me towards books from an early age. I'll read just about anything although I do have a particular interest in military history of all periods. I live alone in fairly central London where I have been for over 30 years since leaving Northern Ireland which was the place of my birth, youth and early manhood. Partially by necessity although more by love of the art I adore cooking and I can and do read recipe books and watch food programmes on TV / online all day. Nothing fancy and none of your nouvelle cuisine nonsense, just hopefully tasty, proper food. To my knowledge, I have not poisoned anyone yet! No doubt other little personal facts about me will emerge during the course of my writings here so stay tuned if you are at all interested.

Toledo Two – Madrid #6.

Hello again and welcome to my latest little contribution to the blogosphere or whatever it is called. I am rather enjoying it here it present and with London suffering it’s strictest ever restrictions due to the pandemic I really do need something to do.

I’ll just get my usual little preamble out of the way here for non-regular readers who may have arrived here by whatever quirk the search engine spirits may have decided to throw at you. This post is one of a series describing a short trip I took to Madrid in November 2013 and it will make more sense if you start at the beginning of the account which you can do here.

To give you a little precis of what awaits you if you are kind or curious enough to click the “read more” button below, this entry consists of a short walk, two old buildings, four bars and ham, egg and chips. I know it doesn’t sound like much but, believe me, there is plenty in it.

Shall we go?

You went where? – Madrid #5.

Good day to one and all whatever time it may be in the world when you read this.

This little series of posts is going considerably better than I could ever have hoped and that is due in no small part to me rediscovering my old notes which has been a great help. Strange as it sounds, my insomnia is doing me a bit of a favour for a change as I have been blogging for about 36 hours now and still don’t feel tired. Three posts in just over 24 hours is definitely uncharted teritory for me but I am actually quite enjoying it.

I’ll just make my standard suggestion here for any new readers and that is that this piece will make more sense if you start at the beginning of the series which you can do here. Usual “read more” button for the rest of you if you can stand any more of this.

Day 2, Part 2 – Madrid #4.

Hello yet again, my usual greeting to one and all and thanks for all the views, comments etc. They are very much appreciated even if they still never fail to surprise me.

Also, I am going to make my usual suggestion to any new readers. This piece will make more sense if you start at the beginning of the series which you can do here. For the rest of you, well I am sure you know how to use the “read more” button by now.

I retire to Retiro – Madrid #3.

Hello again, welcome back to my faithful regulars and thanks for all the feedback. I do hope you approve of my new destination for a short series. For anyone finding this blog for the first time a very warm welcome to you, I do hope you enjoy it. For this to make a little more sense to you it might be helpful if you XXXX started here at the beginning of this trip or else just clicked back two previous entries and you’ll get here. A quick click on the read button and we’ll get going.

Top tapas tour – Madrid #2.

Hello again, welcome back and now you know where the latest little expedition on the blog is, the wonderful city of Madrid. I really cannot believe that with my wanderlust I had never visited before but Spain seems to be a country I have sadly neglected over the years despite it’s relative proximity.

If you have read the previous entry you will know that I had just arrived, met my friend at the hotel and within an hour she was hustling me out the door again to go into the centre and sample the culinary delights of that area which she was enthusing about having been recommended several good places by her Spanish colleagues. If you want to join us, click the “read more” and let’s go.

I finally get there – Madrid #1.

Hello there and welcome back. I do hope that some or all of you have read my last little series of entries about my trip to Madeira. If you have not, they begin here and I do hope you enjoy them.

Why then, having spoken of so many trips to Sri Lanka and Canada, did I decide on a very short trip I made in 2013 to Madrid? Simple really. Firstly, it is a relatively short project of only four full days which I might as well get out of the way. Secondly, after my complete stupidity of the Madeira writing experience, I have found that I obviously spent a long time years ago researching and writing up this trip and have even managed, against the odds, to save my scribblings Thirdly, most of my images, upon which I rely so heavily as aides-memoire for my writing are all on a couple of SD cards, available and ready for use.

The venue may have changed from a rock in the Atlantic but the basic pronciples remain the same. If you are in the slightest bit interested, and there is no logical reason why you should be, just press the “read more” button and come and join me.

Fine meal, failed flight and finally home – Madeira #7.

Welcome back and now that I have got the bit between my teeth it seems we are whizzing through Madeira at a fair old rate of knots which I think is an appropriate metaphor considering the amount of time I have spent speaking about Funchal harbour recently. We are up to Day 13 now and I hope it is not unlucky for me. It is already unlucky for you as you have bounced, one way or another, onto this page but I shall try to make it as painless as possible.

Usual rules apply, just click on the “read more” button if you are really such a glutton for punishment that you wish to read more of this nonsense.

Kombis, cakes and quarts of beer – Madeira #6.

Well, hello again and, if you have been mad enough to follow my lunatic ramblings (why do you think I called this blog Fergysrambles?) you will know that you are riding ever closer to the end where I get on my Norwegian Airways flight and get home to leave you alone until I decide what other trip I am going to bore you with.

We are up to Day 12 now and I have finally got round to dragging myself out of my favourite (snack )bar, and you won’t believe it, but we are going walking again today if you can stand this sudden burst of exertion. Usual drill, if you want to go for a walk with me just click on the “read more” button and we’ll get going.

Is Christmas really coming? – Madeira #5.

Good day one and all and welcome back. I do hope the New Year hangovers are long gone and you have returned to whatever form of normality is possible wherever you may be.

We are definitely plodding slowly but surely towards the conclusion of my little expedition to Madeira and I do even get out and about in this episode so if you want to read about it, you know what to do.

I get to the “wrong” side of town – Madeira #4.

Hello again to all of you and if you are still here in this series, you deserve a medal!

First things first so I would like ot take this opportunity to wish you all a happy, prosperous and, most importantly, healthy New Year. I hope you managed to see it in in reasonable style under whatever restrictions you may be experiencing wherever you are.

Of course, with the global nature of the mighty internet I realise this is not the new year for all of you so I shall attempt to remember to write the appropriate words when the lunar New Year of the Ox rolls around in a few weeks. It is said to be a lucky year so lets hope so.