Digital ....

Digital TV is spreading across Spain and soon the analogue signal will end .

We purchased a digital box and the number of channels we can now watch has greatly increased -plus - we now have the ability with the flick of a button of changing the audio language from Spanish to the original production language. This means we can watch British and American films and series in English.

There is one big problem - the aerial !!!

Firstly the builder of the apartment did not provide a hatch in the roof for easy access to the aerial - the Community has been trying to get the builder to rectify this for some years but without success.

A digital aerial was place on the roof and at first we could receive most channels without a problem. However our neighbours - Telefonica , Guardia Civil and Policia Municipal complained that the aerial interfered with their communication systems and it had to be moved to a side wall - result many of the local Valencian channels have disappeared.

Above is a picture of Telefonica's communication system which is opposite our apartment.

Hopefully when analogue is withdrawn then the signal power will be boosted.

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Wet wet wet !!!!

A friend has phoned us from Guardamar and it seems a " gota fria " has struck today - torrential rain - !!!

Per the newspaper Información in Alicante 115 litres of rain per square metre fell in 6 hours - the worst downpour since 1997.

Our friend reports damaged roads in the town , water so high it was flowing down the pavements and people unable to get in or out of their cars - the level of the water being so high.

Quite a common occurrence this time of the year but it will come as a surprise to some holidaymakers !

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Guardamar - Tivoli Circus

Stop !!!

Time to go to the circus ......

The circus arrived at the end of August just in time to catch the remaining tourists ..

Plenty of animals and action for the " young at heart "

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Fútbol

Last Sunday saw Real Madrid triumph over Xerex 5-0 but not without problems.

33 year old Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy injured a muscle in his left thigh and will be out of football for up to 6 weeks.

Ruud has scored 46 league goals for Real Madrid since signing for them in 2006.

Today saw Real beat Tenerife 3-0 with goals from Benzema 2 and Kaka.

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Guardamar - El Candil

El Candil - another little bar in the centre of Guardamar .

There is usually a good selection of tapas ..... some quite spicey !

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Nearly weekend - Time for a drink ..

Time for a drink at " El Candil " in Guardamar

It took 10 minutes to get this pint of Guinness poured - it came out of a can and then had to be agitated for ten minutes before a head formed - too long when you're thirsty !

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Did you know .... ????

Did you know ? -

Four Roman emperors were Spanish -

Trajan

Hadrian

Antoninus Pius

Marcus Aurelius

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Streets of Guardamar - Calle / Carrer Jesús Lucas

The streets of Guardamar - Carrer Jesús Lucas .

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Guardamar - More graffiti ..

The summer tourist season is over and we seem to have collected more examples of street art .

Here are a few of the new ones ..

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The rain in Spain ..

When it rains in Spain it can certainly do it with great force - Spain is not only sun and hot dry weather ...

The rain causes a stream to flow down the road - the drainage system can not cope with the water ..

Water flows from the roofs not to a drain but in many cases straight on to the pavement complete with any debris from the down pipe !!

The street is deserted - suddenly it rains and there are no longer any tourists !!

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Another trip

Another 4 week trip to Spain - very hot and sunny - in some ways too hot for our liking.

Not an altogether successful visit - due to illness - but I will not dwell on that ...

Guardamar is returning to a normal quiet life after the tourists and holidaymakers have returned home.

Some new enterprises have opened and as normal others have closed - even the CAM Bank has shut one of it's branches ..

Hopefully more photographs to show over the coming weeks.

We have come home again with the good intention of really trying to master the language - this time !!! So out with the text books ...

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Madrid - Impressive !!!

Impressive sight - looking through the trees from the Retiro ..

This church stands out against a backdrop of apartment blocks..

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Madrid - Retiro Park

Winter morning in the Retiro ...

Too early for many walkers to be out and about .

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