A month has passed since I enjoyed my 50th birthday present from my fellow bungalow girl - a manky, muddy (usually lives in my gardening trug), used factor 30 sun-cream. Or rather a flight from Southampton airport to Alicante! Happy dance. Didn't like to tell her that I would have been happy with a new linen scarf.......
Yellow Cape Marigold (?) growing on the mountain
Bright pink Hottentot-fig growing in the garden of the villa
Red Valerian everywhere
Hibiscus growing at the villa
In Spain we mostly -
- enjoyed 26 degrees on arrival after scraping the car's windscreen in Salisbury!
- talked so much on the flight that Sarah managed to leave a pair of reading glasses in the pouch on the aircraft. We found them in lost property at Alicante on our way home but they had been crushed and run over by something heavy!
- Drank rather a lot of Sangria (hic)
- tried charity shopping, Spanish style.
- saw Curry Plant, Lavender, and Fennel growing wild and in abundance.
- did a bit of gardening (busman's holiday)
Downsides to going to Spain in April are that the weather can be rather cool (we like swimming in the sea every day and comparing mozzie bites) and it can be a bit too quiet. But the upsides are that we could go out all day and we could do a bit of gardening at the villa without suffering from sun stroke! AND, I saw Spring flowers that I had never seen before.....
Flowers at the villa -
Aloe Vera
Another pic of my favourite, the juicy looking Hottentot-fig
The multicoloured, fruit salad colours of Lantana or Spanish Flag
Wood spurge
Oleander
Coris Monspeliensis - looks like thyme
The spikey Carlina Corymbosa (this was on Montgo)
Easter Saturday - about 23 degrees.
Easter - we have never seen the beach look this busy
I couldn't wait to get away from the crowds and walk up my favourite mountain, Montgo.
Giant fennel (on the left) is a member of the carrot family
That evening we visited the Old Town to have a look around the food and craft festival. It was really busy but we managed to find the locally brewed Javea beer which was rather drinkable.
'Feria de Artesania, Xabia'
Easter Sunday - drove to Altea on Sarah's hated wiggly, narrow, busy road - the N332. The motorways, on the other hand, are always empty because the Spanish will not pay the toll charges - bliss.
Altea is gorgeous
Fantastic views from the top of the town
I loved the little narrow streets with white washed houses
Oh, this is a random Spanish chap who wanted to try my hat on! Suits you Sir!
Monday -
Playa del portet, Moraira - we had a paddle but the sea was freezing!
Again, I like to get high up and I had seen that there was a walk to a tower. The hardest thing was actually finding the path!
Nearly killed Sarah by dragging her up the enormous hill in the heat
but it was worth it for the views. You could see as far as Benidorm.
And here is the tower - Torre de Guaita de Cap d'Or
Back down to Moraira town and harbour
The castle
Tuesday - we (eventually) found a gorgeous, quiet walk near the Old Town in Javea. The Spanish aren't very good at sign posts!
Spotty green skirt from a Javea charity shop and new Spanish hat.
Lavender in abundance
Ermita de Santa Lucia - 17th Century and 164m high
Stunning views from the top
In the evening we watched the sun go down with a cocktail at our favourite bar on the Arenal.
Wednesday - a lot cooler, only 17 degrees. We drove to Denia (with flask of coffee) to try and find the entrance to the Montgo Natural Park (we couldn't find it on our last visit!). We found the right road this time without too many u-turns. The walk starts at the little church.
Ermita Pare Pere
The Spring flowers on the mountainside were beautiful.
Field gladioli - Wow!
Some kind of blue flax maybe
Rock rose
Haven't got a clue what either of these plants are!
When we got back down to Denia it was so quiet, out of season.
We were the only people having lunch at a little cafe in a square 'Tasca Carme'
We then climbed another hill to the castle (it had been too hot to look around on a previous visit). There were hardly any people there but it was quite cold and windy.
The view of Montgo and the streets of Denia from the castle
Back for a spot of (cool) gardening at the villa. I found that the Agave had a huge stem coming out of it which I had not seen at other times of the year.
The agave is a native of Mexico. The flowering stem appears when the plant is about 10 years old and can reach heights of up to 26 feet. After flowering, the plant dies.
Thursday - still cold. This isn't on! We had a coffee and people watched in the old town.
Small slab of apple cake and the traditional Bombon which is coffee with condensed milk - yum!
We saw the market for the first time - amazing fruit and veg.
We then drove on the windy, mountainous N332 (again) to Teulada.
Teulada was quiet too - hello?
The Ermita de la Divina Pastora in Teulada is 16th Century
Which way?
Then back to Javea for an icecream (indoors!) whilst we watched the surfers and the waves crashing.
Back home.
As Sarah peeled my fingers off the chair in the departure lounge of Alicante airport I tried to gird my loins for leaving. I have to say that when we landed in Southampton and drove home I was amazed at how green and lush the countryside looked but I'm still in love with Spain.......even when it is cool and cloudy!
