Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Saturday 19 May 2012

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 :-)









18 comments:

  1. Ooh looks absolutely gorgeous! Can you send some of your glorious sunshine our way? :)
    Victoria xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. A couple of sunbeams on their way Victoria :-)

    Amanda x

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks lovely Amanda, all of that blue sky and sunshine!!
    That pretty little bridge reminds me of Monet :)
    Sue x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Its one of those relaxation places.
      Amanda :-)

      Delete
  4. This looks a delightful place. I really love seeing places I have never been to - the wonders of Blogland xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. dear amanda, thanks for following my blog,, the thread i use is called in portuguese BARBANTE, it is a thick thread with 6 strings.very much used here in brazil... i love Spain, i think in my previous life i have lived there... 500 years ago, all my people has been disseminated , called the time of the INQUISITION...BEST REGARDS

    ReplyDelete
  6. DEAR AMANDA, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DARDIGAN FOR BABY, HAVE A LOOK IN MY BLOG, FOR BABY JACQUET, THERE I SHOW A BLOG THAT HAS A EASY A CUTE ONE. THE BLOG IShttp://cats-rockin-crochet.blogspot.com.br/2011/05/cats-one-piece-wonder-baby_26.html.. HOPE IT WILL HELP YOU, THERE IS ALSO A YOUTUBE OR INSTRUCTIONS,,, BEST REGARDS

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are one lucky lady to have such a lovely park down the street. Too bad we can't meet at the park for a tea!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH yes Elyse what a good idea! However I'd take a flask with me I don't think much of the tea you can get in cafes here....coffee is excellent but I'm not a coffee drinker. I know just the place we could sit down and have a good chat. :-)

      Delete
  8. What a gorgeous park... and what a transformation too! I can imagine it to be a wonderful place to go and relax of an evening :)

    Thank you Amanda, for following me and leaving such a lovely comment... I'm so glad you like my granny cushion and the baby booties... You should definitely invest in the Nicki Trench book, it is a delightful book! Do pop by again soon :)

    Hugs,
    Louise xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What beautiful pictures! Thanks for stopping by my blog and your nice comment about my 'difficult' bunting! So glad you managed to get there with the cushion back in the end - well done on sticking it out too :) I'll look forward to reading about it soon! (Oh, and it's absolutely fine to link to my tute - thanks!)

    S x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Amanda!
    Thank you for entering my giveaway and for becoming a follower of my blog. Answering your question about the hooks, well, I haven't really used them. Purely because I hold my hooks in different way so those ones aren't really not for me. But I've read reviews and people telling that they are really comfy to crochet.
    It is nice to meet you. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Isobel
      Thanks for following my blog...look forward to your comments.
      Coincidentally I also hold my hooks in a different way more like a knitting needle or pen.

      Amanda xx

      Delete
  11. Wonderful park ! You are so lucky !Thank you for sharing this !
    Olympia

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Amanda

    It looks like a wonderful place
    love all the water shots.

    Hope you are enjoying lovely sunshine
    it is dreadful her in Ireland, rain, rain....

    Enjoy your weekend.

    ~Fiona

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm amazed with such beauty!
    Thank you.
    BShell

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)