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.

Wednesday 7 April 2021

Somewhere over the mountains

 

Hugs to you all for helping me promote my daughter's new teaching venture.

 

A friend suggested to my daughter that as she lives so near to the airport and to the International Trade Fair Centre she should rent out her spare room to travellers. She was a bit dubious about doing this but she finally decided it could be a way of earning some extra cash so she advertised it at the end of March on Airbnb.com. What a surprise when the very next day a Dutch couple contacted her about renting the room for one night on 2nd April as their flight was leaving at 6 in the morning. We all did our bit to help to get the room ready and it all went perfectly well and all Covid precautions were respected. The lady left a very nice review on the Airbnb.com page. This could be the start of a neat little business, perhaps.


 WARNING  photo overload!

 

Last week we finally got up into the mountains and my main objective was to look for almond blossom and this is what we found:

 

 


 So.....a bit too late, there was no blossom left. I really suspected as much but was still hopeful. We do normally go almond blossom trekking in February,that is the right time, but as I wasn't feeling so great it all got postponed. Nevertheless it was good to see all the millions or thousands of almond trees across the fields on their way to producing delicious almonds and we will go back to our usual haunt (see here) in September to have a nibble on the windfalls like we do every year.   We then decided to go on to Biar a town further up into the mountains where Sr P's Aunty had a villa. Years back we used to spend a few days there every summer to get away from the hot exhausting heat down in the city.   

Although it was chilly up there it was a perfectly lovely day. We went straight to the town centre for a walk around our favourite spots and to see what had changed there which wasn't much.  I still have difficulty speaking the local language which is Valenciano but the people are very considerate here and slip back into Spanish once they see you don't understand. Actually thanks to my MIL I do understand quite a lot of Valenciano as it was her first language and in her last years she slipped back to her childhood and would only speak in that language so it was a matter of having to understand it when I was alone with her.

          
Church Our Lady of the Ascension




 


 Mass was underway so I couldn't go in to view the church. Lovely to hear a guitar being played and children singing. 


The Town Hall opposite the church.

 


A door that caught my eye 

 


Another door! I just love those door knockers!



Neat...eh?   A dragon! 

After a little refreshment we sat on the terrace of a local bar and afterwards decided to face the climb up to the castle



A lot of huffing and puffing later we finally got to the castle walls.

 


 Which meant we were nearly there.

.

 
We didn't go up into the castle itself as we have been there several times and more than anything I wanted to capture this view
 
 


It was breathtaking!   

Tia Pilar's villa was situated on those mountain slopes behind the church tower.

 

We decided to take another route to get back down to the town centre and the car park by following the castle wall around to the top of another street.


 which took us back down

to the car park.   

 

 

I haven't any RAOCKs to show you this week as I am making something for a friend and I can't show you what it is as yet. 

 

BOOKS

I have just started reading Dissolution by C.J. Sansom that Liz at Shortbread and Ginger  recommended. I must say although I haven't read much as yet I am impressed with the author's power of description which sends me back to Harry Tudor's times during the suppression of the monasteries.  It feels like a good book because I am eager to pick it up again and read on.

 


 

 

I would like to wish "safe journey" to Betsy on  The Simple Life of a Queen who is travelling  to her new home in Omaha USA.   "Wishing you the very best in your new home Betsy"


 Happy days dear bloggers


Keep well


Amanda :-)




 







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

32 comments:

  1. What a great idea to rent a room out.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and... it looks as if it is working as she has another booking for 2nd May. Thanks for popping in :-) A x

      Delete
  2. Your photo's have me missing Spain, our friends live close to Valencia, it's been over a year since we saw them last.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by :-) Lets hope that you'll be able to visit your friends soon and I can get home to see my family too. Wonder what the new normal will be like! A x

      Delete
  3. Such a great idea to rent a room, thrilled it all went well. Beautiful tour you took us on, amazing views.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and... it seems to be working out Lorraine...she has another booking! Those views were well worth the walk up to the castle! A x

      Delete
  4. You have some beautiful places around you - the view across the rooftops was worth the steep climb! Thank you for sharing it.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a real huff and puff up all those stairs but when we get to the top it is indeed well worth it :-) A x

      Delete
  5. Good morning Amanda, I am loving the suggestion for your daughter to rent out a room-really a good idea. are the customers screened first in any way?
    I have never seen an almond tree so I enjoyed seeing these photos-are these wild? so you can go back and gather them? that would awesome. I do allot of baking with almond flour these days.
    I really enjoyed all of the photos very much. I always envy those abroad that can visit an old castle-I would love that.
    Glad you were able to get out and about-and I will check in on the book Happy Wednesday

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kathy, Customers are screened on the Airbnb platform before linking to the host. As it is my daughter is most particular. The other day she had a person who wanted to book the room for 3 nights and he said it was for 4 people but my daughter replied the room is for two. He said it didn't matter two would sleep on the floor! My daughter instantly refused the booking and deleted that person and reported it to the Airbnb organisers. We can't gather the almonds in the fields but we go back to the same place in September because there are a few trees that lean over the boundaries of the field and we pick up the windfalls. We usually crack them open there and then and have a little snack. A x

      Delete
  6. I am so glad you shared your walk - it is lovely seeing other places that are quite different to your own local patch 😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for dropping by and for your always welcome comments :-) A x

      Delete
  7. Thanks for taking us around your lovely spot - it makes up in part for not being able to travel yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you liked it....travel very soon I hope :-) A x

      Delete
  8. Wow.. what a view from the top of that amazing castle! It was also fun to see the almonds in their husk. I remember huge orchards of almond trees when we were driving through the California countryside on our way to Yosemite National Park a year and a half ago. I've been thinking of Betsy, too. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for popping by Teresa. It is good to hear Betsy arrived safely and she is busy setting up her new home :-) I have been sent a few photos of California and it does indeed look similar to the Mediterranean terrain as well. A x

      Delete
  9. Good luck to your daughter on her Airbnb venture. I'm sure she's got the determination to make it succeed. You certainly live in a beautiful area. I'd love to explore it - one day... (Sigh!) xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi HH , There is so much to see here and at this time of the year it is all so lovely and not too hot so the walks are great as well. Mind you I'd swap for a little while and jump at a trip home to Somerset. Spring is fabulous in the UK. A x

      Delete
  10. What a great idea for your daughter, I’m pleased that having her first guests went so well. What lovely views that castle is amazing you have so many lovely places to visit Amanda and all with a lot of history and charm.
    Do they eat the almonds in the green there? They used to in Syria, they dip them in salt before eating them, I remember my MIL loved eating them that way.🙂


    dip them in salt and then eat them

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They do eat the almonds like your MIL used to do too,Linda. I think it is to do with the Moorish heritage here in this part of Spain. It is the same with the pastries they love them so sweet like the Egyptians do. Lots of almond paste ,nuts and honey. A x

      Delete
  11. I always enjoy your "photo overload" :-)
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is very nice of you to say Radka...thanks :-) A x

      Delete
  12. How beautiful you live in a beautiful country, so much fun to see, that was quite a climb to the top, but it is great.
    Thank you for showing us those beautiful pictures, it is truly envious.
    Love.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome Loes. Glad you liked the views. It was indeed a climb but worth the effort. A x

      Delete
  13. Gorgeous photos - I felt out of breath by the time we reached the castle! Loved the almonds pics the best! Great idea for the air BnB - I have friends that do it. I couldn't because the spare room would have to be my craft room and I'd have to keep it tidy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rachel,thanks for popping by. The Airbnb seems to be success as there have been more bookings. The almonds look good don't they? We'll be back in September to try them out :-) A x

      Delete
  14. Pooh always says the nicest things.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  15. He does doesn't he Amalia...Pooh Bear may he live forever! A x

    ReplyDelete
  16. You take us to such beautiful places we may never see unless you post them, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is armchair travelling again Mere. Thai's why I thoroughly enjoy virtual travelling on other people's blogs. A x

      Delete
  17. I am so glad Betsy arrived safely too!! Great photos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It must have been a tough time for her leaving her friends behind and having to see to everything in the new house. Glad her family is there at hand :-) A x

      Delete

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