Wet Streets

 

What a difference from last Sunday! The blue skies have gone and we have rain and temperatures have dropped.

 We set out a bit late so we thought a wander through the centre of Alicante would be better.   It seems everyone else had the same idea and cafes were very busy. Mostly outside on the terrace. I am glad to see that the majority of the people are diligently wearing masks. 

I asked Sr P to pick the route as we walked and I would stop to take photos of the streets along the way.

So no blue skies and it had just stopped raining as I mentioned previously. It was a moody Alicante City today! Mind you I don't understand when some people say rain makes them melancholy as I enjoy a walk in the rain or after it has rained. It is as if everything has been cleaned up and the air is crisper and fresher too. 

This promenade leads up to the shopping centre so we didn't go all the way up there.

 I followed Sr P down the road to the Gabriel Miro Gardens taking photographs as we walked. 

I nearly got run over while I was taking this snapshot due to standing in the middle of this road 😜!   Totally my own fault I forgot it wasn't a pedestrian zone there. 

It looked as if it was going to rain again and it did but just a drop or two 😀

All these little streets turn off into the esplanade and lead to the port and also the Postiguet Beach. I always say that you can't get lost in Alicante City because all you have to do is keep walking down to the sea and the port to get your bearings.

Gabriel Miro garden and park isn't very big but it is lovely and a quite a surprise when you come around the corner of the big main Post Office and it jumps into view. A bit like a breath of fresh air among the agglomeration of tall official looking buildings.

Mind you if one should think the tall buildings that surround this garden dominate the view you just need to turn towards the grandeur of the huge Ficus trees that are in this park! They are enormous!  I must say they do love their Ficus trees here!  

They also hold numerous craft markets in this garden throughout the year. During the last market before COVID there was a beautiful display of lace for sale. There were also some lacemakers from Novelda ,a small town in Alicante province, who were demonstrating how it is done. 

It brings back fond memories as my mother used to make Honiton Lace.

Remember now Sr P was directing our walk so of course he lead me to the old quarter of the city  where he is from. However, this time we went a different way past the back door of the town hall in the Mayor Street and up to Santa Maria Church.

We didn't stop or go into the church as we go there so very often but continued on up Villavieja Street 

I thought this curious little altar in the wall of the Church dedicated to the Santa Faz (the Holy Face) was well worth a photograph.

One of the narrow streets leading up to the Santa Barbara Castle.  This is where we turned around and made our way back to the car as we were more than ready to go home for lunch.

🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

Baby blanket parcel on its way to Australia.  I so hope it gets there before baby arrives at the end of February.

Happy Blogging

Amanda 😊

 

What is wrong with ...?

 ...the post

Whatever  is wrong with the postal service?   It is worse than ever. 

I sent Christmas cards to my family in Australia the first week of December and they still haven't received them! I sent my nephew in Australia a parcel on 22nd November and he still hasn't received it!   My sister sent me a parcel from the UK to Spain on 8th December and I still haven't received it either. I know there have been delays due to COVID throughout the whole of the Pandemic and post has taken longer than usual but never this long!

I went into the Post Office yesterday and had a chat with a very nice lady there. She said they were very short of staff all over the country,all due to Omicron/Covid and she said it has hit other countries too so that seems to confirm what I thought and is the main reason for the delay. I really don't understand why the Post Office doesn't employ temporary staff to cover the ones off sick. There are plenty of people unemployed and looking for work! I imagine that would be extra expense but at least you keep the postal service going properly. They don't seem to want to do that instead their staff is doing overtime and any minute now will go down sick too due to being overworked! 

I shall definitely be sending my baby blanket for my niece by registered post as I don't want it lost not after all the expense,time and effort of making it.

I am super pleased how this blanket turned out! 

The colours I used coincide with the colour scheme my niece has used in her nursery. I always ask the mother to choose the colours she wants and sometimes suggest others. I also like to mention to her what those colours symbolise and the following details is what I shall be sending to my niece.

GREEN : a new beginning, connecting to nature 

ORANGE: Joy and good health

CREAM: Comfort

BROWN : Security and safety

PALE GREY : Wisdom

The blanket pattern is from Repeat Crafter Me . I used a Hook 6.00 and Aran yarn throughout. I did tweek it a little! I gave it a sc border and didn't add tassels. I don't put tassels on baby blankets. I have this image in my mind of baby's little fingers getting entangled in the tassels. so that puts me off using them on baby blankets or shawls. 

The little grey bow was an extra 😊

Usual Sunday walk

We didn't go too far afield last Sunday just on top of the cliffs near the Lighthouse and Skywalk that I mentioned in my last post .

We continue to think we are eventually going to sell our four bedroom apartment in Alicante City and downsize to a two bedroom apartment or bungalow near the beach. At one time we had thought to do so in this area as we like it very much. However, one has to be sensible and we aren't getting any younger! Although it is a lovely area and the beach is just at the bottom of the hill, it is a steep climb back up and we have decided it just wouldn't be practical to live up here on top of the cliffs. 

Bit bigger than the one I have in my balcony garden🌵

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Happy blogging

Amanda :-)

Trying again

We returned Sunday morning back along the coast to the Carrabassi wild beaches hoping that the amount of Caravans and Motorhomes illegally frontline parking and camping had diminished. In fact it had not it had increased! We therefore continued along the coast towards Santa Pola Town looking for a small area where we could get down to the beach to take the photos of the island of Tabarca that I wanted.  I was absolutely disgusted to see Motorhomes frontline parking and camping all the way along that part of the coast. It wasn't until we got to the entrance to Santa Pola Town that we could finally park.  

The following information is for those Caravan and Motorhome campers who are parking and camping illegally, according to the law in this country!  I imagine they won't take much notice though! If they are blatantly ignoring the signs prohibiting camping they aren't going to worry about the following either:

Coastal Law (article 33.5) also included in the General Traffic Regulations, prohibits parking and circulation, as well as camping and camping sites 20 meters from the beach in an urban area or 100 meters in a rustic area, counted from the shore of the sea (point that reaches the maximum water in storms or tide).

At the very entrance to Santa Pola Town we decided that the only way I was going to get the photos of the island that I wanted was to go along the seafront pathway there.  Just before that I took a few photos of the mountains we passed on our way along the coast and also of the popular Skywalk that is situated on the top of the mountain near the lighthouse. I have been there a couple of times and the view from the Skywalk is amazing. 

The Skywalk

Santa Pola Skywalk (google image)

At the coastal entrance to Santa Pola Town a little altar to La Virgen del Rosario .

I got my photo of Tabarca Island not quite the one I wanted but at least you can see it. It isn't always possible to get a clear photo of the island as it is very often covered in sea mist or a heat haze. They also call it the Isla Plana (the flat island) I don't think I need to explain why😐.  I always think that it reminds me of three submarines in a row😁. It may not look much but it is worth a visit. It is a marine reserve and it is great to go snorkelling there. The seafood restaurants are really good there too.

It was so lovely there that we continued along the seafront pathway for awhile and at the same time to also admire the villas there.

I wouldn't mind living here at all !   Just a few steps away from the sea...heaven!

A Watch Tower. There is always a watch tower or the ruins of one in all the towns along this coast.

Back to reality

 Now the refrigerator needs a thorough clean... sigh!

Best get it done!

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Happy Blogging 

Amanda :-)