WiFi

It is quite noticeable - especially in the last 12 months that more and more cafes and bars in Spain are attracting customers onto their premises with the provision of free WiFi.

Broadband connection is very expensive in Spain and for the odd holiday visit to the Costa Blanca it is very handy to nip down to the local bar with the laptop or iPod Touch.

Problem is beer consumption tends to increase - something you just have to put up with ..

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At last ..

Midnight - the bells start ringing at Guardamar's church ...

Was it all worth the wait - I'm not sure it was ...

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New Year in Guardamar 2

I'm afraid that there are not many others waiting for the New Year celebrations !!

What does everyone know ??

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Shadows ..

Here we are waiting in the main square at Guardamar for the New Year to arrive.

I was rather pleased with this picture of our shadows ...

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New Year in Guardamar

New Year was a strange experience in Guardamar - so unlike England ... but very similar to our Christmas Day in mood.

By the afternoon of New Year Eve all the Spanish bars and shops were closing and the streets were deserted.

We ventured out in the evening to find the streets still deserted - the only bars and restaurants open were Chinese or British owned. As we passed the closed Spanish bars we could hear private parties behind the shutters - this evening is only for family and friends.

The local council arranged for a 2 minute fireworks display at midnight - this was watched by a small scattering of mainly tourists . The few locals were entertained by a band - in a marquee under the town hall arches. Whether this display was for the general public or for a selected few I've no idea !!!

On the whole a very very QUIET evening ...

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A banner of celebration

A Christmas message high on the bell tower of the local church in Guardamar for all to see .

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Alicante - Christmas Tree ....

We've just returned to the UK after spending the New Year on the Costa Blanca so no apologies for showing Christmas and New Year photographs.

Here we have Alicante's Christmas Tree in the main town hall square.

I get the feeling that the town councils of Spain do not like spending too much money on their trees.

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What's happening here ...

Not much has happened here for some time ...

Originally a car park was built ( it may operate but I've never seen cars enter ) and now a sign advises that it is to be converted to a music school - but when ??

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River Segura

I've never seen so much water in the Segura at this point before - a combination of heavy rain and remedial work being carried out to clear the river banks ..

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El Meson de Laura

Another pleasant bar in Guardamar - serving tapas and also meals in a restaurant at the rear.

All at a very reasonable price.

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Hannibal woz here !!!

This Arab fort is over two thousand years old and can be found in the sand dunes at Guardamar - perhaps Hannibal visited when he was travelling by on his way to wage war on the Romans ??

The easiest way to visit this ancient site is to take the tourist train from the centre of Guardamar - visitors are allowed to walk around the area ..

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Beach time in December ..

This picture was taken in December - pleasant weather but not many people on the beach ...

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Walkway

This is a posh walkway down to the beach ...

I think the general idea is to keep people away from the fragile sand dune system.

Work is ongoing at the moment planting grasses to keep the dunes stable.

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Graffitti

No comment ....

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No dogs

Well I think the message is quite clear - NO DOGS ON THE BEACH .....

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Guardamar - Harbour

By the time you see this photo I should be back in Spain for a few weeks - assuming that the snow allows us to fly.

The Tarbaca boat would appear to be laid up here for the winter and not going anywhere.

A trip across the Med to the Isle of Tabarca is a must if you are in this region of Spain.