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