Calpe -Spain (episode 3)

Hola

Oh it's been a busy time, Chrismas was fast approaching and plans had to be made. There is a group of 8 (ourselves included) and it was suggested that we all got together for Christmas dinner with everybody doing their bit. The ladies had a planning meeting while the guys retired to the bar! A few glasses of wine later it was all sorted - lists were made and tasks delegated - but more of that later.

We did have time off for good behaviour and one day the gang of 8 took to the mountains to have lunch at a German restaurant at the top of one of the many hills around - the scenery was fantastic, the wind was chilly and on a clear day you can see the island of Majorca. The food was excellent - a very enjoyable day out.

Having had a day out in the mountains must have left us feeling a bit homesick because the following day Harry and I packed our rucksacks and set off for the Sendero de Olta, a big lump of mountain with it's summit Cim d'Olta at 587 metres or 1908 feet depending on how old you are - not quite a Corbet but nearly.  We left camp at 10.00am and returned home at 5.00pm - a full day with frequent relaxing stops and we are very pleased to report that we made the summit and, as you can see by the photos it was well worth it.

Even found an ice puddle to make it feel more like home. It's a long time since I have walked 20 kms in one day and although I was fine when we got back, the next couple of days were a different story altogether - aching muscles where I didn't know I had them. Needless to say that Harry had no after effects (or he made a very good job of concealing his pain!)

On the 19th December Harry and I attended a performance of Handel's Messiah, held in one of the nearby hotels. The orchestra, choir and soloists were all excellent and The Hallelujah Chorus was particularly stirring.

Christmas day finally arrived and after breakfast Harry fulfilled his promise of going for a swim in the Med - OK he didn't have to break the ice but it was a wee bit chilly and he did get a "Bravo" from a lady wrapped up in a sheepskin coat who was out walking her dog.

 

Back for a hot shower before the gang of 8 got together for the first part of the festivities - drinks and canopes at 12.00pm in the sunshine.

 

We all  re-convened at 3.00pm for the main course and what a triumph. Roast turkey with all the trimmings followed by a 'flaming' christmas pudding, trifle, cheesecake etc etc all washed down with a bottle or 2 of very good Rioja! 

The weather has been very kind to us over the last few days with the promise of more to come -  more walks planned to try and walk off the extra pounds caused by our over indulgence.

So until the next instalment of life in the sun.

Adios!

Kath and Harry xxxx

Calpe - Spain (episode 2)

Hola!

Since writing the last blog we have been really busy - I thought that there wouldn't be much to tell you but I was wrong! I shall start with our visit to Benidorm - yes you read right - Benidorm. Now I never thought it would be a place that either of us would ever want to visit but, you can't comment on a place unless you have been there so to Benidorm we went. We travelled from Calpe to Benidorm by tram, a lovely scenic route stopping at little towns along the way. The station was not too far out of Benidorm and there was an "interesting" array of shops en route to the sea front. It was a lovely warm and sunny day and there were a few people swimming in the sea and sunbathing on the beach. The sandy beach is fantastic and I think we saw it at it's best without the thousands that flock there each summer.   We found the  market and had  a wander around that. We stopped for lunch at (dare I say) The Duke of Wellington where we had good old  Fish n Chips - the only time we have had British food when we have eaten out since we have been away. All in all it was a very pleasant day - don't think either of us will be in a hurry to return but we did enjoy the tram journey there and back.

We have been on several walks from the camp site, one was along the coast to a small marina.The coast line is very beautiful and the sea very inviting but neither of us have ventured into it as yet.

Last week we hired a small car and set off every day with our cameras and picnic lunch in search of adventure. We arrived in Denia (this is the port where the ferry boats depart for the Balearic Islands) and on a clear day you can see Ibiza. It was Fiesta day in Denia and there was a huge medieval market which was great fun to explore - didn't expect to see a camel though! From there we travelled on to Javea where (as you can see) we sat awhile on the sea front with a glass of beer / wine in the sunshine. This was the 6th December and the temperature 25C. 

The following day we went to the hill top town of Guadalest. Very much a tourist destination with lots of little shops selling their wares. The castle and Museum were very interesting and the views from the top of the castle ramparts pretty amazing.

The next day we travelled to a place called Benidoleig where we visited the 'Cova de les Calaveres'. A huge cave with an impressive history dating back over 100,000 years. For most of  our visit we were alone in the cave and it was easy to absorb the eerie atmosphere.   It was well worth the visit but nice to see daylight again when we came out. We drove back to camp via the Xalon valley and stopped to but some oranges from a street seller - 5 kilos for 2 Euros, freshly picked from the tree, still with leaves attached and yes they are delicious.

The next day we went to the nearby town of Albir but stopped en route to visit this Russian Orthodox Church. It was stunning and the craftsmanship amazing.  It is situated in a lovely position, overlooking the sea, sadly, our photos don't do it justice. The town of Albir was good and again a really nice promenade to take a stroll along side the pebble beach.


So, all in all a very busy 2 weeks, our social life has exploded - there is always something going on and it's been really nice getting to know some of our fellow campers.

The weather continues to be good, we do have the odd spot of rain and sometimes the evenings can be quite cool but we are not complaining.

Anyway, until our next bulletin which we hope to post on Sunday 26th December - Boxing day, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Hasta luega 

All our love, Kath and Harry xxx

Calpe - Alicante - Spain

Hola!

Here we are in Calpe, our winter stop over. We were told about this site by a couple we met on our travels and first impressions have been very good. 

A smallish site with excellent facilities and it is within walking distance of the beach / promenade and to the centre of Calpe with it's numerous bars / cafes and restaurants. There are several supermarkets near by and there is an excellent Saturday market.

It is certainly a lot warmer here in Calpe than the last few sites we have visited. we have swapped snow capped mountains for sun, sea and sand. Not been swimming in the sea as yet - Harry is saving that for Christmas Day!

We have been to the Tourist Office to get a map of the local area as well as bus and train timetables. We also plan to go up the Penon de Ifach which is this big lump of rock. We are asssured that there is an easy way up!

There is a narrow guage train and tram route which runs between Alicante and Denia stopping at all the pueblos en route. We plan to visit several of the towns, including Benidorm (well you can't comment on it unless you have visited it!) We also want to travel to Valencia by bus and stopover in a hotel for a couple of nights. We shall also hire a car for a few days to explore more of Spain's interior and have already been told of lots of lovely places to visit by our fellow campers.

Because the pace has slowed down somewhat we shall now only post a blog every 2 weeks (otherwise there wouldn't be much to tell you), so our next blog will be due on 12th December.

Love to all

Kath and Harry xxx

Granada - Spain

We arrived at Beas de Granada on a very windy Monday afternoon. We have come to learn that when we experience these strong winds there is usually a change in the weather and usually it is for the worse. On Monday evening it started to rain and it continued for the next 24 hours. We passed our time reading, playing games and went down to the restaurant for a meal and change of scene.

The reason we chose this site was it was ideal for visiting Granada and the Alhambra Palace. It was advisable to prebook our tickets for the Palace and fortunately for us we chose Wednesday which was dry albeit a little chilly. Undeterred, we caught the 8.00am bus, had breakfast in Granada and then made our way to the Alhambra Palace (map in hand). Our day at the Palace was spectacular and still very busy with visitors of all nationalaties. Despite taking over 200 photos between us we were not confident that our efforts would do justice to what is a magnificent architectural achievement dating from the 9th Century. So, just to be sure we bought a book which we will be happy to share when we are boring you all with our tales of the trip! In the meantime here are some of our modest photos from the day.   

A very weary twosome caught the 6.00pm bus back to camp and on waking on Thursday morning we were greeted with this view of the Sierra Nevada. 

After a leisurely breakfast we walked down to the village to send post cards to Loren, Sophie, Ben, Alfie and Louie then found a cafe to enjoy a cafe con leche sitting in the sunshine.

From here we move on to Calpe, a small pueblo in the Comunidad Valenciana where we will spend the winter and from where we will be able to explore more of Spain's interior.

So until next week when we will have put down roots - sounds scary!

Adios

Kath and Harry xxx

Aranjuez - Week 2

Hola!

Aranjuez has been a lovely place to settle awhile. We have particularly enjoyed the gardens and most days have seen us either walking in the gardens or just through them on our way to town. The colours at the moment are spectacular and we have taken umpteen photos and were lucky to get some of the red squirrels that live in the gardens. 

On the lake in the Chinese Garden are 2 black swans with 2 very young cygnets. Mr swan was a very protective father so we kept our distance. Mrs swan was more obliging and didn't object to having her photo taken. 

We visited the Casa de Marinos (boat museum) and the Casa del Labrador - on Wednesday of course!

Sadly we were unable to take photographs but both places were very interesting and well worth a visit. Here in Aranjuez, security has been very high at the various sites that we have visited. The Casa del Labrador was no exception. Small groups (guided tours only which had to be prebooked) accompanied by the tour guide and a security guard bringing up the rear. Airport style security when you first enter the Casa and left luggage lockers for your personal belongings. We also had to wear overshoes to walk around the Casa. Not surprising when you see the fabulous marble floors. At first the security seems a bit over the top, until you see the priceless artifacts and beautiful silk wall coverings. The tour was in Spanish (of course) but the tour guide spoke very slowly and clearly and I was able to follow a lot of what he was saying and in turn was able to translate to Harry. We have also bought a book which covers the Royal Palace, the Casa de Marinos and the Casa del Labrador but the photos are a poor substitute for the real thing.

The trip to Chinchon was good. We caught the bus from the centre of Aranjuez to Chinchon approx an hour's drive. Bus travel is relatively cheap here in Spain and the service very efficient.

Chinchon is  a charming wee village which makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. The heart of the village is it's unique, almost circular Plaza Mayor. In summer the Plaza is converted into a bull ring and it is also a stage for a popular passion play which is performed during Easter week.   

After exploring the streets and alleyways we found ourselves back in the Plaza Mayor where we sat at one of the many cafes/restaurants and enjoyed a glass of wine in the sunshine while waiting for the next bus back to Aranjuez. It was such a pleasant afternoon, the wine was good and the plate of food that appeared on the next table looked very appetising - so, a quick word with our waiter - 2 more glasses of wine and a plate of patatas chulas (fried potatoes cooked in olive oil and garlic and more garlic and spring onions sprinkled on top) - Yummy. Needless to say we caught the later bus!

When we arrive at a camp site we check where we can buy our groceries. Sometimes we can walk or cycle and on the odd occasion we have been in the middle of nowhere. We have never had to starve though, there has always been something in the cupboard that we can rustle up. Here in Aranjuez we have been spoilt. Various supermarkets, one hyper market, indoor and outdoor markets and a shopping mall. At the mall is a pet store and we went and had a look. All the usual - fish, rabbits, song birds, various snakes and iguanas. Saw some parrots (thought of Jane). Saw a tarantula (thought of Clare).!!!

On that note I shall say a fond farewell. Tomorrow we move to just outside Granada for a few days with the highlight of the week being a trip to the Alhambra Palace.

So until next week - Adios!

Lots of love, Kath and Harry xxx