About Palm trees and Japanese influences

Welcome to another new follower Jooles at Sew Sweet Violet  

and welcome to Victoria at Tangled Sweetpea  too.

Parque San Gabriel

St Gabriel park is about 15 minutes walking distance from my apartment and just down the road by car.

Its on the south side of the city on the beach road to the airport. It was built 15 years ago and I remember what it was like before the council decided to put a park there. It was just a rather dirty dusty waste ground strip of land with rows of equally dusty palm trees beside this concrete monstrosity ,the Aluminium factory, which dominating the area.

We would frequently past this area to get back into the city from the beaches and time and time again I would comment to Sr P and also criticize that such an eye sore could be at the very entrance to Alicante City, precisely on the road bringing in visitors from the airport.
One would never go there at night either because there were always some unsavoury characters hanging about and groups of people by their cars drinking and haggling.  We went on our bikes around there one morning ...goodness knows why I choose that route... and the place was inundated with heaps of rubbish of the worse kind...broken bottles,cans and syringes to name but a few. Needless to say we were out of there like shot!

Transformation.

Overlooking the boat pond and the Med over the road

They say that the project had been approved quite some years before they did it but the council waited because it was used as a political stunt nearing election times.

I am just content that from a crime infested dump yard this has emerged.

 Waters the main theme in this park and as you can see here and in the other photographs I have taken there is a Japanese influence artistically scattered throughout the park . 

We come here frequently to walk in the mornings in the winter and in the hot evenings in the summer to find a wisp or two of cool air or just enjoy the smell of Jasmine and honeysuckle.

There is something for everyone there, a picnic area,playgrounds,a bike route,outdoor theatre .the cave and waterfall,tennis,football and the beautiful gardens.

For the children

I said for the children!

The children particularly like the Cave and the Waterfall. They run through behind the waterfall and of course get wet....fun big time!!!

Lots of relaxation ....you can even talk to trees

and the gardens

Its such a popular place to be now that newly weds come to get their photograph taken or if you're lucky like I was to get this snapshot , the Alicantina's also come for a photo session during festival week in full regional dress.

So if you are ever over here in Alicante City its an absolute must visit park to see

Amanda :-)