Streets of Guardamar - Carrer José González

Guardamar - Calle / Carrer José González

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iPod Touch

Internet connection costs in Spain are very expensive - Euro 40 per month for broadband compared with £18 ( Euro 20 ) in the UK.

Expensive if you are only going to visit Spain for 3 or 4 months in the year and are still paying for your broadband connection in the UK.

Solution - visit one of the bars that provides free Wi-Fi and have a drink at the same time !!

In Guardamar the bars I use are Meson de Laura and Dia y Noche. Hoops I understand will have free connection soon.

Laptops are a considerable sum especially if you have your main iMac sitting at home in the UK while you are away. Another cheaper solution is an iPod Touch which has internet connection and it may be small but I can keep up with the news in Manchester and the football results.

So here's to ( silver ) surfing ...

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La Mata - Hercusa

I wonder who or what Hercusa is ?

Builders perhaps ?

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Guardamar - Vet

In this part of town you'll find an animal hospital and a vet - this is where you head when Rover is unwell.

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Guardamar - through the trees ..

This little house that can be seen through the trees will be far nearer the N332 once the road widening is completed.

They will notice the difference in noise levels ..

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Guardamar - the old foot bridge ..

This old foot bridge led across the busy N332 to the cemetery - now that the road is being extended it has become defunct and replaced by a new bridge further up the road.

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Guardamar - what's this ??

What's this then ? It looks a bit like a turkey but I'm sure its not. You'll find it in the central park in Guardamar ...

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Torrevieja - Graffiti

You'll find this artwork on the prom at Torrevieja -quite striking I think ...

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Guardamar - Dia y Noche

Dia y Noche or Day and Night a fairly new place in the centre of Guardamar.

It has free Wi-Fi !!!!

Just the ticket and it has comfy seating - another plus point.

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Guardamar - where's it gone

Well there was an old water pump here until a few weeks ago - quite a tourist attraction - but it now seems to have been take away .

Will it ever reappear ??

Who knows .... perhaps we'll see it next on a car boot sale !!!

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Guardamar - to bring the week to a close

Just to bring the week to a close another spring flower photo from Guardamar.

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Holy Week

The local church in Guardamar is getting ready for what some consider the most important time in the Christian calendar.

Semana Santa or Easter in English ..

Cuaresma or Lent depending on your mother tongue.

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Guardama - More spring flowers ..

Just a few more spring flowers - helps to brighten the day ...

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Guardamar Spring ..

Winter may be late in leaving Spain but no one has told the spring flowers ..

They are growing in abundance and make a very colourful sight.

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£20 Notes

A warning to those Brits who like to keep some money under the bed for a rainy day ..

From the 30th June 2010 the £20 note with the portrait of Sir Edward Elgar will be withdrawn from circulation.

Banks and the Post Office will still accept them for a few months and then after that you will have to make a trip to the Bank of England.

So get spending now !!!

Title change ..

Yes I've changed the title of this Blog to Guardamar - A stranger in town from Alicante - A stranger in town .

I'm always fiddling about with my Blogs - a restless nature ... !!!

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Hoops Bar

More photographs of Hoops Bar in Guardamar - this time the interior

I'm informed that soon ( within days ) there will be free Wi-Fi ....

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Guardamar - The Fog ....

Spain is not all blue skies and sun .. much to our surprise there can be mist and fog here in Guardamar.

Here's the prom all shrouded in mist - an hour later it was a lovely sunny day !!

Cold weather ...

Well we've just returned to the UK after three weeks on the Costa Blanca and where the weather was not too bad - far better than England .

For the rest of Spain it has not been too good - last week Barcelona received a heavy fall of snow which was rather late in the season and was not expected ...

Hence chaos !!! Transport down to a grinding halt and 180,000 homes without electricity - some for a considerable time.

Sounds like England ..

Yes it can ...

Yes it can rain in Spain - and when it does it does !!!

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New build - Guardamar

During the current financial crisis in Spain very little construction work has been done - this building is an exception and has just been completed .

I like the grey tones on the walls - very effective.

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Guardamar - Rio Segura

A well known landmark on the banks of the Segura - the garden area around it needs some attention though - it has been allowed to grow wild ..

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Seed heads ...

Quite attractive these seed heads - growing along the banks of the River Segura.

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Warning !!!

Take care !!!!!

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A fish ?? Moby Dick ??

What's this then ??

A fish ? No just a flip flop poking out of the ground ...

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Repsol

A clutter of buildings - the Repsol sign standing out like a bright beacon ...

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Bright yellow flowers ..

Colourful bright yellow flowers on the banks of the Segura - it may be January but there is quite a display of flowers ...

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Guardamar - Rio Segura

I've never seen so much water in the Segura at this part of the river. A lot of remedial work is being carried out and it is hoped that the river will return to what it originally looked like a hundred odd years ago.

Attracting lots of birds and mammals in the mean time .

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Guardamar - Rio Segura

The new footpath over the Rio Segura - quite handy .... if you want to go off for a short stroll !!!

But which way to go ??

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Birding around ...

Even this little fellow has been caught in the rain ...

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Francisco Mira

Francisco Mira is the engineer who developed the pine woods as an answer to encroachment of the town of Guardamar by wind blown sand from the sea shore.

It is he who we have to thank for these lovely woods ..

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Guardamar - Casa Forestal

This little house - casa - can be found in the pine woods of Guardamar - I guess that the staff employed to work in the woods use this place as an office or work area.

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