The story of our adventure in Spain



In October 2002 we purchased a holiday flat in Guardamar on Spain's Costa Blanca - not far from Alicante and Torrevieja and we try to spend a good part of the year in Spain.

This blog hopefully will contain our thoughts and impressions of Spain - the good and the bad and lots and lots of photographs of not only Guardamar but the rest of Spain as we eventually get to explore it.

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Sunday 25 April 2010

Guardamar - Out to sea ...


Guardamar beach and a boat chugs away down the coast .. hopefully I'll be here next week - so there'll be no posts until mid May when there should be another collection of new photographs.





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Saturday 24 April 2010

Guardamar Hill



Here we have the actual Guardamar Hill - I'm sure they would have built on the top of here if they could get the foundations laid.



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Friday 23 April 2010

Guardamar Hill


Larrosa - another large building company with interests on Guardamar Hill.



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Thursday 22 April 2010

April 22nd ... Did you know ?



On the 22nd April 1529 the Treaty of Saragossa divides the eastern hemisphere between Spain and Portugal along a line 17 degrees east of the Moluccas.

Pity they did not consult the English, French or Dutch.

In 1451 on this date Isabelle I of Castile was born.

And in 1898 the US Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports in the Spanish -American war.

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Guardamar Hill


The latest large building development in Guardamar is on the slopes of Guardamar Hill on the outskirts of the town.

Here a large building company Marjal are advertising their properties.



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Wednesday 21 April 2010

Guardamar - N332


The N332 now bypasses the centre of Guardamar and has done for some years. An extremely busy road especially in the height of the tourist season and quite dangerous in places.

Here road improvements are being carried out on the approach to Guardamar.


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Tuesday 20 April 2010

UK Airports



UK airports are to start opening again at 10 p.m. (BST)

The restrictions for flying have been relaxed - let's just hope that the scientists and technicians have got it right !!

Hopefully we'll be able to get into Spain next week.

It looks like there is going to be a big big political row over the whole issue and the airlines will be screaming for compensation.

Whether they get it is the big question.

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Where's the bird ?


I did take a picture of a small bird but by the time the shutter had opened and closed it had gone.

So we just have the tree !!


Monday 19 April 2010

Torrevieja - Mercado Central


In need of fresh fruit and vegetables ??

This is the place to go in central Torrevieja. It's the central market - La Plasa




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Sunday 18 April 2010

Volcanic Ash


Well volcanic ash has cancelled my Monarch flight to Alicante on Monday and as to when we'll be able to get to Spain is in the lap of the gods.

I must not complain - in the thirty odd years of air flight this is the first cancellation we have had.

The airlines are complaining already .. some of them seem to think that the safety rules are too strict.

Where safety is concerned vigilance is the first and only criteria as far as I am concerned ..

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Saturday 17 April 2010

Torrevieja - Church of the Immaculate Conception



A close up shot of the main church entrance - we never seem to be able to get away from cranes and building sites in Spain !!

I never noticed the crane when taking the shot.





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Friday 16 April 2010

Torrevieja - Church of the Immaculate Conception


Founded in 1789 the Church of the Immaculate Conception was rebuilt in 1844 and now stands proud in the Plaza de la Constitución.



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Thursday 15 April 2010

Volcano



Flights from the UK to Spain have been seriously disrupted today and all due to a volcano in Iceland.

A volcano in the Eyjafjallajoekull area not too far from Reykjavik has erupted under a glacier and the resultant ash cloud has drifted over the UK causing the majority of flights to be cancelled.

We can not see this ash at the moment in the UK because it is a very fine powder- it's still sunny and dry BUT it is there and it can cause huge damage to aircraft engines.

So look out Spain - it may be drifting towards you !!

We've no idea how long this problem will last - perhaps days or even longer if there are more eruptions.

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Torrevieja - Plaza de la Constitución



Another view of the plaza .....




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Wednesday 14 April 2010

Torrevieja - Plaza de la Constitución


Centre of the square is this rather modern fountain - the square is very popular and the annual nativity display is held here plus just before Christmas an international carol concert.



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Tuesday 13 April 2010

Torrevieja -Church of the Immaculate Conception


Torrevieja town centre - you'll find the number one church - here in B & W.




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Monday 12 April 2010

Torrevieja - Shopping centre


Torrevieja's shopping centre always seem to be undergoing some update, repair or redevelopment.

Fancy lamp posts !!!





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Sunday 11 April 2010

El Clasico


Disappointment yesterday for Real Madrid at Bernabeu when they lost to Barcelona in La Liga .

Goals from Messi and Pedrito.

They were level at the top of the league with 77 points each but now Barcelona have the edge in what is essentially a two horse race this year.

Watch this space !!

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Saturday 10 April 2010

Spanish proverb



Cada quien con su cada cual



Birds of a feather flock together



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Thursday 8 April 2010

Guardamar - Luka




Virtually opposite the Letter Box is a bar that goes by the name of Luka .. a pleasant enough place.




I guess Elvis and Marilyn may not have been regular visitors here !!!



Quite a spacious place and very popular with the locals.




Wednesday 7 April 2010

Guardamar - The Letter Box


The Letter Box is a handy little shop in Guardamar - you can buy phone cards, use the internet, pick up the free newspapers and even order from Argos.




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Tuesday 6 April 2010

Torrevieja


Looking down the prom towards the street market - watch your wallet !!




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Monday 5 April 2010

Torrevieja - Band


You'll find the band here on the prom at Torrevieja - no sound - because - they are made of bronze ( or something similiar )

I wonder what they are actually made of ??

They are a favourite of the vandals - need I say more !!




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Sunday 4 April 2010

China City - La Mata


An interior shot of the China City - a very spacious restaurant - reasonably priced and a favourite of ours ...




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Saturday 3 April 2010

China City - La Mata


You'll find this rather striking picture inside the restaurant - typically Chinese I would suppose ..



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Friday 2 April 2010

La Mata - China City


China City - a Chinese eatery in La Mata.

Who's this lurking behind the potted plants ?

No not the waiter - just a statue ..




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Thursday 1 April 2010

The price of buttons ...



If you think that all goods and services are cheaper in Spain than in the UK then you are quite wrong ..

Last month we purchased from Guardamar market buttons to add to a home knitted cardigan - the cost 75 cents each which we thought was quite expensive .

On our return to the UK another home knitted cardigan completed meant more buttons - this time the cost was 20 pence per button ( 25 cents ) from our local wool shop in Heywood.

So in this respect the UK is much much cheaper.

Knitting wool for sale in Guardamar market is cheaper than in the UK but of a much inferior quality.

So - keep shopping in the UK - for wool and buttons anyway.

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