RAMBLINGS FROM SPAIN

April Fools Day

2009-03-31T13:14:00.016+02:00

Tomorrow is April 1st, and the beginning of a brand new month... but also...

APRIL FOOLS DAY!

"The first of April, some do say
Is set apart for All Fools' Day
But why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves do know
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment."

- Poor Robin's Almanac (1790)

So, what is April Fools Day and what are its origins?

It is commonly believed that in medieval France, New Year was celebrated on April 1st. Then in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, changing New Year to January 1st. With no modern communications, news travelled slowly and new ideas were often questioned. Many people did not hear of the change, others chose to ignore it, while some merely forgot. These people were called fools. Invitations to non-existent ‘New Year’ parties were sent and other practical jokes were played. This jesting evolved over time into a tradition of playing pranks on the 1st of April.

Others believe that the origin began with celebrations at the Spring Equinox.

The custom eventually spread to England and Scotland, with widespread observance of the custom beginning in the 18th century.

April Fools Day has now developed into an international festival of fun, with different nationalities celebrating the day in a special way.

In England, tricks can be played only in the morning... or else you youself become the April Fool!

The English, Scotch and French eventually introduced the custom to their colonies in America. A favorite joke was to send someone on a "fool's errand"... for example, "go and buy me some tartan paint"... heh heh heh

In France and Italy, if someone plays a trick on you, you are the ‘fish of April’. By the month of April fish have only just hatched, and are therefore easy to catch.

Children stick paper fish to their friends’ backs and chocolate fish are found in the shops.

In Scotland, April Fools Day lasts for two days! The second day is called ‘Taily Day’ and tricks on this day involve the bottom (or the ‘tail’ in informal speech). Often a sign saying ‘kick me’ is stuck onto someone’s back without them knowing.

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In Spain and Mexico, similar celebrations take place on December 28th. The day is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by Herod in his search for the baby Jesus. It eventually changed to a lighter commemoration of innocence involving pranks and trickery.

In 2008 the BBC announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history series 'Miracles of Evolution' had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. It even offered a video clip of these flying penguins, (which is still available on Youtube) which became one of the most viewed videos on the internet.

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Presenter Terry Jones explained that, instead of huddling together to endure the Antarctic winter, these penguins took to the air and flew thousands of miles to the rainforests of South America where they "spend the winter basking in the tropical sun." A follow-up video explained how the BBC created the special effects of the flying penguins.

In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop! It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the corporation diplomatically replied, "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

HAVE YOURSELF A VERY

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

- Rachel x

I'm A Lumberjack And I'm Okay

2009-03-28T19:58:00.019+01:00

The weather changed dramatically yesterday afternoon, and the skies suddenly turned to a foreboding grey,

and by the time my husband and I left for our local pub in the evening, the rain started to spit - and then teem down upon us! So an extra beer was in order to warm us through, naturally, heh heh heh...

So turning my thoughts to sunnier days this week, the villa in front of our apartment block decided to have a "trim"...

and the lumberjacks were called in to fell some of the pines, and generally tidy up a bit, ready for the coming Summer season.

There was huge amounts of buzzing and roaring of chainsaws as you would imagine,

and a pile of limbs and branches grew steadily on the ground,

and were then neatly chopped into more manageable pieces!

Finally the truck came to take the wood; I would imagine someone would be very happy with that amount of logs and kindling for their fire! especially maybe in one of the inland or mountain villages, where mornings and nights are much, much colder than here right on the coast.

Friday night brought a gorgeous sunset, with endless peaches and cream stretching across the mountains as the sun slowly faded away,

which later turned to the most spectacular purples and pinks,

- isn't Nature beautiful! -

and eventually settled into a misty mauve, spreading all along the coastline.

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Thanks for visiting today - and please come back soon! I'm making a chunky tortilla this afternoon, for my husbands' and my supper, so I'll save you a slice x

Summer (Season) Is Coming!

2009-03-27T15:38:00.017+01:00

This morning I was woken by a phone call from my husband, to tell me that the people who are filming the 3rd series of the ITV comedy "Benidorm" here in town at the moment, are looking for more extras - according to an agency scout who came into one of our local bars yesterday.

I pointed out to my hubby that I had already turned up for the casting day a couple of weeks ago and heard nothing... but the scout had apparently said that they may have taken down some people's telephone numbers wrongly, plus a lot of people have stopped turning up for filming, due to other work commitments/being fed up with long days spent hanging around doing nothing, etc etc...

So! I pulled some clothes on, ran a brush through my mop, and rushed down to their current place of filming... they were setting up a scene in a place that I know to be a tapas bar, but had become a burnt out "Mo's Mobiles" shop for the day! There didn't seem to be anyone around in charge, so I plucked up courage and asked a member of the film crew if they were looking for any more workers... but he didn't know anything about it, and said they weren't filming any scenes using extras for the next 2 or 3 weeks at all!

There was no-one to leave my details with so I mosied on back home... oh well, I enjoyed the walk down there and back, and the sun on my face, but ultimately came away empty-handed which was a bit disappointing! Work here is very thin on the ground at the moment due to the economic climate, and the poor Euro rate against the pound, and I could have really used the wages... But so it goes.. it just clearly wasn't meant to be!

On a cheerier note, the views out to sea today are beatifully misty and alluring...

but inland the sky is clear as a bell, and the Puig Campana mountain stands out in sharp relief against the sky and the many high-rise apartment blocks below,

...as you can see from this zoomed-in pic, the "small chunk" the mountain has missing, is probably large enough for a small crowd to stand in, if you were actually up there! The mountain stands at 1,410m high and has many hiking and climbing routes around and up it.. if you dare!

Across the road, the staff at the hotel have been busy, and yesterday they were jet-washing their pool area, ready for the coming season,

the building is currently closed except for weekends, and any guests that have booked for this accommodation are being sent to one of their sister hotels in the local area.

The ladies were very productive with their washing and what looked like vacuuming (!) methodically clearing away all the silt and mud that the Winter brought,

but as you can see the terraced area around the pool is looking a bit sun-damaged and flaky,

and I really don't think there's much that can be done for this waterslide, as the sun has just faded it to weak blotchy pastels, rather than the bright hues it once was!

Today however, has brought a fresh coat of aquamarine paint for the whole area, which I think makes it look a lot fresher and more attractive,

and I'm sure their next job will be to drain and refill the pool, as there are definitely some undesirable green areas lurking under that bridge!

There is a definite feeling of Summer approaching in the air today - yes Summer, although I know some of you who read my blog would be happy just for Spring right now! - and with the whoops and cheers I can hear from nearby swimming pools, and the gentle breeze blowing through my wide-open windows, long may it continue! ... and may some of the sunshine and warmth come your way soon too!

Rachel x

ABC Wednesday - J is for...

2009-03-24T13:12:00.018+01:00

JEWELLED and JOYOUS!!

For today's ABC Wednesday, I would like to introduce you to the pretty little town of Villajoyosa, known locally as La Vila, which lies just 10km south of Benidorm, where I live.

The town's name is a matter of interest, and also one of controversy - as depending what literature you read, it either means "joyous town" or "jewelled town", in Spanish. I tend to believe the meaning is jewelled town, as the houses are famously painted many jewel colours, as you can see above... also the word in Spanish for jewel is joya, which of course is very close to Villajoyosa!

The 16th century Gothic church, which sits on a hill inside the old walled town, was designed as a fortress as well as a place of worship, and there is a legend that St. Martha rid the area of dragons long ago - with her fan and bucket!! Before this, apparently the townspeople were reluctant to settle in the town... for fear of the dreaded winged beasts!

Villajoyosa is still a very important fishing port, with a busy harbour and afternoon fish market selling the freshest of the daily catch. In 1860 the port recorded the second highest number of boats registerd in Spain.

The houses are painted in the most gorgeous vibrant colours, and this is so that in olden days, the seamen could recognise their homes straight away, after being away at sea for a year or more. If a white flag was flying from their house, good news awaited the seafarer... but if the flag was black, a death had occurred in his absence.

The town has 3.5km's of palm-lined beaches - this is Centro beach above - but there are also many little coves with calm, transparent waters, which are perfect for learning to windsurf or scuba dive.

In the last week of July the town really comes to life when it celebrates its' famous Moors and Christians festival - a re-enactment of the defeat of the Algerian pirate Zala Arráez who came to ransack the town in 1538. The celebrations have now been held for the last 250 years! For seven days almost the entire town dress up as swashbuckling, gaudy, Moorish pirates or heroic Christian defenders to re-enact the valiant defence of the town. Spectacular fireworks, and lots of delicious food and drink abound for everyone.

The town is also well known for its' chocolate factory, which makes the hugely popular Valor range (which is sold in Harrods of London no less) and there is a large variety of chocolate bars, drinks and sweet things to take your fancy, including bars using the local turron, which is a kind of sweet nougat made from honey and almonds, and is produced in hard and soft varieties.

There are also many Valor shops in the area, selling all manner of delicious confectionery delights - especially around this time of year, with Easter just around the corner... mmmm, choccy Easter bunnies, come to me!

On Thursdays, the town hosts its' weekly street market which is always worth a visit, as it is choc-a-block full of fresh fruit and vegetables, clothes, ceramics, arts and crafts... well, everything under the sun really! To top it off, it is held right along the pretty seafront, so after your bargain hunting, you can sit down in one of the many frontline restaurants, and enjoy a delicious seafood dish for lunch - maybe the town's popular salt cod - and wash it all down with a foaming cold glass or beer, or wine. Hic!

All in all, this colourful little town is definitely worth a look if you should ever be in the Costa Blanca... for its' food and drink, its' history, its' winding old town streets, and of course the glorious clean beaches and views out to sea.

I hope you have enjoyed this ABC Wednesday post, please post a comment if you have as I love reading them - and if you follow this link below you can also become part of one of the most interesting, fun weekly things to do on the Internet! :-)

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

Outdoor Delights

2009-03-23T14:20:00.029+01:00

As it is yet another gloriously sunny day today, I thought I would take the opportunity to explore the outdoor area of my apartment block this morning... I only moved into this building three months ago, but in the depths of Winter it was far too cold and windy to go out exploring - even in Spain!

The pool and gardens are located on the 1st floor,which actually makes them 4 floors up - as we have 3 storeys of parking above the Reception hall, then Floor 1 - so there are nice views all around, from being that bit higher up.

To reach the pool you can either take the steps, or meander up this rather delightful rampway, studded with boulders and plants,

and looking behind you to the boundary, there are several tall trees and bushes,

and many, many pines,

which are quite often full of coal tits - my kitchen window, which is at the side of the building, overlooks some of these pine trees, and I often get a cheeky chirping visitor on my window ledge chattering away to me, which is always a welcome sight!

Before you ascend to the pool area, there is a large tiled area called the solarium - which is of course a word we use in English, but with a slightly different meaning - normally for a place filled with artifical sun, thanks to tubes of UV light!

The walls and borders have been tended well, and I liked this emerald green ivy left to run wild and free,

and these soaring spiky cacti clumps,

..which up close look like something out of a sci-fi movie!

but are very pretty, in their own arid way, all the same.

Looking up to the Sierra Helada, I could see this crucifix which looks out over the town and across the sea beyond, which is lit up on a nightly basis - crosses are actually very common on top of hills or high places, in this very religious Catholic country.

Tops of tall buildings quite literally pierced the sky! and seagulls whirled and swooped overhead - you can just about see them as tiny blurs in the top right hand corner!

On the uppermost level I finally found the swimming pool, with more tiled areas for sunbathing,

and today the porter was jetwashing it down, ready to fill with water for Summer - there are no notices up telling me when that might be however! - but very often in Spanish residential properties the pool is filled from May 1st; whereas touristic properties rarely have their pool empty - ready to tempt guests at any time of the year!

There is a little scrubby lawn in this area also - although I always find the grass too dry and scratchy to sit on over here - but this clump of small palms was pretty,

and these much larger ones stretched up into the sky creating a focal point, if not much shade from the beating heat of the sun!

I wandered down the ramp again, admiring the borders as I went, and was impressed with how well the whole area is looked after, and what a nice peaceful feeling there is even though we are only a few streets away from the main hubbub of the resort,

and as I have no idea of any plants' names whatsoever (!) I shall just let you enjoy this collection of (what I think are) succulents,

and this cabbage-looking splash of red which caught my eye,

and this spiky green monster all tangled up in its' own leaves, like me on a bad hair day! LOL... ;-)

These taller flowers added another welcome splash of colour, amongst the sandy coloured stones and vivid green foliage,

as did this incredibly thorny looking fellow - armed and ready, with his sweet red bloom to draw you closer -

and I thought this little pot-and-palm arrangement was rather charming,

complete with stones and miniature flora.

I found the whole outdoor space very pleasant indeed, and I shall no doubt enjoy the odd hour or two down there in Summer - or even some time soon! - flicking through a magazine, or listening to some music with my face turned towards the sun,

but in the meantime I left these lofty pine trees sunbathing instead, while I went back up to my apartment to make lunch for my husband and I...

I hope that you enjoyed my little jaunt, and please drop by again! Sangria anyone? x

Dedicated To My Mum...

2009-03-21T13:40:00.022+01:00

Today's blog is dedicated to my lovely Mum on this special Mothering Sunday...

... So here's wishing you an exceptional and very Happy Mothers Day, Mum!

.. for being there for me over the years, and always being a friend to me, as well as a Mum.

And even though you're working today, which is a crying shame... I hope you can try and find the time to take a lovely big bath full of relaxing, scented bubbles,

eat a mouthwatering chunk of chocolate or two - or three, or four,

... oh sod it! Just eat the whole bar in one! ;-)

Maybe you can find a quiet moment to leaf through the pages of a much loved book, or journal,

or get stuck into a brand new novel you've been waiting to start,

and perhaps indulge in something creamy and calorific, just to lift your mood! :-)

I send you roomfuls of the sweetest, wildest flowers, the sort that are hidden away at the bottom of the garden, or a fairy glen,

and the fresh, vibrant aromas of the greenest meadows full of butterflies and sunshine, to take you away on a daydream of Summer days to come.

I wish you two furry mingers - Abbey and Blue - beside you, purring and kneading and showing their appreciation for looking after them so well,

and keeping you company while you do your hobbies,

and I send you HUUUUGGEEE armfuls of hugs!!

and tons of smiles, and love, and miss-you's,

and of course, to finish, more than a touch of something gorgeous, wonderful and magical!

This picture says it all!

I wish you a very Happy Mothers Day my dearest Mum, and please know that I am thinking of you today, as every day; may all your dreams come true, and your life be happy and content in everything that you do.

Love, your daughter xxxx

We Are Sailing, We Are Sailing...

2009-03-20T19:18:00.009+01:00

... or Messing About On Boats!

From my balcony window, I often like to gaze out over the Mediterranean, and there is always a new boat to spot, spiriting away into the distance...

Sometimes it is the ferry from Benidorm to Calpe, taking the holidaymakers along the coast to see the fish market, and the imposing Penon de Ifach rock,

and sometimes it is a lone pleasure boat, anchored happily in the sunshine,

minding its' own business and just enjoying the view.

Other times it is one of the ferries taking passengers over to the Isle of Benidorm (see "I is for..." blog) - this one is particularly distinctive in its' red and yellow livery,

and sometimes it's the little blue and white boat, heading back to the Old Town harbour.

The view is always changing, and I find it very restful, especially when the gulls are gliding gracefully overhead, and I can escape the real world for a little while...

Thanks for visting! x

The Fallas Draw To An End

2009-03-19T11:52:00.019+01:00

Today is the final day of the Fallas celebrations, (or Falles in valenciano as in this poster above) and is also Saint Joseph's Day, the patron saint of these fiestas.

Judging by this picture, the whole Internet is celebrating with us too! Love it!

This church, Nuestra Senora del Mar - or Our Lady of the Sea - is just across the road from my apartment block, and today the falleras from the Rincon de Loix area held a ceremony here, in honour of Saint Joseph.

In this close up you can see the beautiful glass and ironwork detail; the church has many glorious stained glass panels inside too.

I was lucky enough - thanks to my husband, who rang me just in time! - to catch the procession of the falleros and falleras coming up the street,

with young and old stepping in time to their own oompah-ing brass band behind them.

Their dresses were stunning, and so colourful and varied - note this lovely girl on the left who smiled my way for a photo!

and some were wearing elaborate lace headdresses, and carrying bouquets of flowers.

Once the service was over, they continued their procession along my road and down the hill, to join the party at the Fallas statue itself.

At 2pm today, there will be a huge mascleta in every district of the town, which is a huge display of pyrotechnics and firecrackers,

Here you can see how they are tied onto great lengths of rope in a central square,

or just along any street they can find!

Then, when the Fallera Major (head fallera) announces it is time, the huge display is set off! This aerial view is of Valencia city, birthplace of the Fallas, where thousands of people turn up every year to celebrate, and the fallas themselves are the most elaborate, detailed and enormous!

This is a perfect example of how fantastic some of them can be... how tall is that statue! Amazing...

There will be a final procession this evening at about 6pm, complete with floats, and then after midnight the statues will be burnt one by one,

in a magnificent burst of flame and heat called the crema,

and then Las Fallas will be over for another year....

"Adios, y hasta el ano que viene!"

Thanks for dropping by, hope you enjoyed my blog, and please come back again x

I Is For....

2009-03-18T11:25:00.022+01:00

ISLA DE BENIDORM!

La Isla de Benidorm - or Benidorm Island to the British tourists - lies directly off the coast of the seaside resort of Benidorm, (where I live) in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

It is one of those sights that seems to follow you wherever you go - like the Mona Lisa's eyes - and is considered a natural landmark.

Last year, when my Mum and stepdad were visiting me from England, we decided to take the trip to the island, on the boat above, the Bay of Benidorm.

As we left the Old Town harbour, we were able to get some unusual views off the mirador, or lookout point, that juts out into the sea.

The journey took about 15 minutes in total, which we enjoyed with the wind in our hair,

and the views of the coastline were superb; this is the Sierra Helada mountain range, meaning "icy mountains".

As we got closer, we could really see the ruggedness of the rock itself,

and the many hundreds of seagulls that swirled and called overhead.

Included in the fare, was a short trip in this small glass bottomed vessel called the Aquascope,

and despite fears that we may all feel a little claustrophobic bobbing around under the waterline,

we felt just fine, and saw several shoals of small fish, dancing and bobbing in the surf we were creating. The island is in fact a bird and marine sanctuary.

Colloquially, the isle is known as Peacock Island, and there is a small "collection" of peahens and peacocks in a cage, who are beautiful - but I feel, however, that they would be better off roaming freely elsewhere...

The landscape was very arid, and rocky, and full of flourishing cacti,

and we headed upwards, taking the pathway to the island summit

stopping for plenty of camera opportunities along the way.

The view from the top was superb, and it was fantastic to see the Puig Campana mountain (the one with small chunk out of it!) from so far away, and from such a different angle,

and the high rise apartments and hotels looked so blissfully far away.

On our return to shore, we could just make out the silhouette of the Penon de Ifach in the distance, this is a huge rock (sometimes called a mini Gibraltar!) in the seaside town of Calpe, and a huge protected natural reserve,

and as we pulled into the harbour, the concrete giants loomed large again!

The old quarter of Benidorm looked particularly appealing as we surged towards dry land; with it's white and blue turrets and old fashioned lamp posts looking out to sea,

and of course the stunning domed church of St James, which was built with the profits from tuna fishing way back in 1740, and is typical of the area with its' white walls and blue tiled roof.

Hope you enjoyed my ABC Wednesday post, please drop by again, or go to this link for more fascinating blogs on the theme of the letter I!

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

Parades And Falleras

2009-03-17T12:43:00.018+01:00

This morning I was woken in bed at 8.30am, an ungodly hour in my world - ahem, cough, blush etc - by the desperta, which literally means "waking up" in Spanish, and is a traditional way to start the fiesta day. Firecrackers are let off all over town, see above, and the sound booms and reverberates between the high rise buildings, sounding more like cannon fire!

Today in Benidorm it is a day of fallas parades - but as usual I have no clue when anything starts, as the official calendar of events is less than useful, grrr - so instead I am posting some pictures from the Internet of the beautiful falleras, in their customary fiesta costumes.

As you can see from this close-up, their jewellery and intricate hairstyles are just as important as the dresses themselves,

and I particularly like this pretty fallera, with a crucifix in her hair, smiling outside the huge Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Valencia.

Some of the fans the falleras carry are hugely detailed - and very expensive too! which isn't surprising considering the amount of work that must go into them... In Sevilla especially there are many shops dedicated to traditional fans, dresses and headwear, they are beautiful to gaze at through the windows...

Here is a line-up of falleras from a previous year, inside their penya tent - a penya is like a social club, and each district has their own - ready to be judged, and with the yellow, red and blue Comunidad de Valencia sash across their fronts.

These pictures are of the Rincon de Loix parades that I took last year, hanging off the balcony of my previous apartment to catch the best glimpses!

The ladies are accompanied by a fantastic marching band,

and for the floats with children on, it is customary to throw sweets into the crowd.

To round up the day, what could be better than the regional dish of paella, served with juicy pieces of chicken and vegetables, or fresh seafood, and accompanied by thick wedges of lemon to squeeze over the rice. The paellas are often cooked in a large black pan on the side of the road, precariously connected to a gas bottle... But boy do they taste good!

Or for those with a sweet tooth, maybe you would prefer to sample these sweet, crispy churros, that taste similar to a donut,

which - like good old English fish 'n' chips - are always best eaten from a paper cone on the street, mmm - but churros are better covered in lashings of sugar of course, and not salt & vinegar! Lol....

The Spanish also traditionally eat churros in the house for breakfast, or as a snack; usually with a cup of the thickest, sweetest hot chocolate known to man - I'm pretty sure it must be the rule that if your spoon can't stand up unaided in your cup, then it's not worth the bother!

Hope you've enjoyed my blog today, and please feel free to drop in tomorrow too! x

Town Centre Falla

2009-03-15T20:37:00.022+01:00

Following on from yesterday, and after eating my giant ice-cream! I continued walking along the promenade down towards the "Old Town" part of Benidorm.

The palms reached to the sky, enjoying the warmth,

and some ladies took refuge from the heat in the shadows of the beach huts.

This delightful iron goatherd looked over his flock,

who were scattered all over the grass,

while on the beachfront, enormous intricate sandcastles were watered down to prevent them from crumbling, and destroying the artists's work!

I turned off the prom just as I reached the area called centro, which is more or less the town centre of Benidorm,

and discovered some more fun childrens' rides, waiting to be ridden,

I especially loved this cheerful wizard, on the kiddies' ghost tren.

This is the Centro falla, in the style of a gypsy caravan,

with a rather austere lady looking down from the top of it! I wonder who she is?

The theme was the circus, as you can see by this weight-lifting bruiser!

but the statue was far less adorned and ornate than the one in the Rincon de Loix.

Again, there were placards explaining the figures which I struggled to understand... but "the crisis has arrived to the fallas" was written on every note, the crisis denoting the worldwide financial crisis at the moment... so maybe this is why the centro falla was not quite as spectacular this year, what a shame, but perfectly understandable.

In the streets, there was also a "porrat" or street market, this stall above was selling dried herbs to cure all manner of ills and ailments!

and this brightly tagged stall had a variety of jamon serrano (cured ham), speciality cheeses, and jars of olives and pickles.

I thought the coconut pieces in their shells looked cool and inviting - the way they trickle cool water on them constantly is such a good idea - and essential in this baking climate!

To complete my sightseeing I took a few photos of the beautiful floral displays in the Plaza de Hispanidad, known locally as Plaza Triangular, where many fiesta parades and shows start and finish, and where New Year is always rung in with music and "lucky grapes"!

This huge old tree is a welcome resting point for everyone, with it's large amount of leafy foliage to shelter under,

and its' incredibly long roots to marvel at,

and what more exotic note to end on, than this stunning Bird of Paradise flower, enjoying the rays of sunlight, along with the rest of us.

See you tomorrow! x

Rincon de Loix Falla

2009-03-15T18:32:00.022+01:00

The area of Benidorm I live in is called the Rincon de Loix, and today I went down to see the falla for my area.

There was an underwater/seaside theme,

complete with stripey beach huts and Neptune,

buxom ladies and nude ladies,

and this jolly montage of crab, starfish and sun!

I couldn't understand the notes in castellano and valenciano very well, but it seemed to me that the underlying message was the greed that the resort has perpetuated over the years.. here you can see a treasure chest, and a treasure map, with Alicante and Benidorm marked on it.

And these two shady characters must surely be sharks... property sharks maybe?!?

These bright seahorses were very cute, the detail and colour is amazing,

and this pair are pondering over each other, and the tapas menu behind them, I think!

The childrens falla also had an underwater theme,

including this sweet smiling mermaid, holding a candy pink heart.

There were even a couple of funfair rides ready to spark into action - I particularly fancied the Rodeo Loco! - heh heh,

complete with majestic lookout Torero.

As it was such a gorgeous day today, and the temperature soaring into the 20s, I decided to stroll further along the Levante beach,

past a hidden Spanish villa, complete with a blue tiled dome, (which is typical of the area, especially on churches),

and this beautiful red spiky plant in its' gardens... sorry, I have no idea of the name!!

These cheery windowboxes caught my eye, on an apartment block overlooking the sea,

and the mountains were as clear as day, in the still , hot air.

Even the palm trees were making their own artwork in the sand!

After all this hard work - and stupidly having worn a jumper! - I thought I deserved an ice cream as I ambled; sadly the shop didn't actually have any ice creams of this size, but I could soon have polished one off if they did!

Join me tomorrow for more fiestas fun x

Fallas Fireworks

2009-03-14T21:09:00.006+01:00

I just caught this fabulous display of fireworks from my terrace window...

The booms caught my attention! and I was thrilled to see the sky light up, even though they were at least a mile away, in the Old Town...

I'm sure there'll be more to come over the next few nights!!

Benidorm Fallas Start Today!

2009-03-14T13:35:00.011+01:00

The Valencian tradition of "Las Fallas" is a festival with deep historical origins, and Benidorm - where I live - stages its' own version of the famous event each year in March. Different districts of the town contribute a giant figure of wood and papier mache, called a falla, (also known as a Ninot) to the party, each one trying to outdo the other for imaginative design and flamboyance. There is also a smaller version made for the children. Below you can see a small part of a falla being constructed from start to finish, which takes many months.

The highly decorated, often satirical fallas are used in the many processions and parades that take place during the festivities, such as the "Exaltation" (Offering of Flowers), the "Planta" (placing of the falla) and the "Procession of the Ninots". These are always accompanied by noisy street entertainment and fireworks.

The highlight of the fiestas is the amazing "Crema", when the fallas are set alight at midnight and beyond, in a massive burning hot spectacle - with the fire brigade standing by!

The good news is that one Ninot is always saved from the flames, and preseved to join previous winners at the Musuem of the Ninot, in Valencia, the capital of this region.

These are some pictures taken from the Museum of Fiestas in Alicante, also dedicated to the local tradition of fallas, which I visited with my Mum and stepdad last September. The museum has an amazing array of historical fallas, drawings and information to browse through - and all for free!

As you can see, some are rather cheeky!

And some are mystical, or maybe even a bit sinister...

and others are just plain cute and fantastical!

There were so many wonderful things to see, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit - thanks to Mum for these fabulous photos by the way!

The Fallas will now carry on until Thursday, so I will be bringing you more information and photos from the events if you wish to visit me another day! x

Patterns & Textures

2009-03-13T13:02:00.016+01:00

Today I thought I'd take some close ups of interesting patterns and textures around my home.. in some shots it's obvious what I've snapped, and in some maybe not! Can you guess what they all are? x

Step by Step Spanish Tortilla

2009-03-12T17:06:00.026+01:00

I love Spanish tapas, and have sampled many,many hundreds in my time, haha! - but until last week, I had never actually tried making any for myself.. I had always been quite content to wander down to a tapas bar and order whatever I fancied, along with a couple of cold beers or two.. oh yes, I don't deny myself in any way, lol!

One of my favourite tapas is a slice of thick Spanish tortilla, served hot or cold, so last week I looked up the recipe online and found a delightful little instructional video on Youtube by a young Spanish girl, and so I gave it a go! It was very delicious, and I was quite amazed my efforts turned out so well to be honest! So as I decided to make it again today, I thought I would welcome you along to my kitchen... and invite you in for an impromptu cookery lesson!

All you need is four medium potatoes, four medium eggs and a large onion - although the onion can be left out if you don't like it; the Spanish serve it in both variations too.

So first peel the potatoes, and dice - the more uniform the pieces are the better,

while heating a shallow pan of oil to a medium to high heat - olive oil is recommended, but I fry my ingredients in sunflower oil to keep the cost down, then fry the actual tortilla in olive oil at the end - my money saving tips are free, naturally! ;-)

If you are using onions, now dice them in the same way,

then add the potatoes to the pan, and coat with the oil,

then add the onions too, making sure everything is evenly laid out in the pan.

The mixture needs frying until soft, I usually find this takes at least 15 minutes as my hob is quite small, so to try and speed up the time I put a lid over the pan, but stir frequently.

Meanwhile, you will need a good splash or two of milk, a dash of black pepper, and a fair pinch of salt, (to your taste really)

to add to your four eggs,

which then all gets whisked together like so!

By now the potatoes and onions should be beginning to look like this, all delicious and glossy, and soft when pricked with a fork.

With a slotted spoon, you should remove the mixture spoonful by spoonful from the frying pan, and place directly into the egg mix, draining as much excess oil as possible as you go,

and mix the potatoes, onion and beaten eggs together well in the bowl.

Now for the real fun! :-)

Empty your pan of any remnants of sunflower oil, I usually wipe mine round with a piece of kitchen towel, then add a very fine sheen of olive oil to your pan - the pan should now be on a low to medium heat. Add the mixture in one fell swoop,

and pat down with a wooden spoon, so it is evenly spread out over your pan.

Now leave the tortilla to cook slowly, pressing down to feel its' texture, and gently pulling the egg away from the sides of the pan to prevent it from sticking.

When you feel it is ready - and this is really a case of personal judgment but I would say after 5 to 10 minutes or so - you are ready to flip it... oh yes, fun fun fun!! So take a plate and place over the pan,

then whip the pan over keeping the plate oh-so-steady, and slide the half-cooked tortilla onto a plate.. as you can see here, it should be holding together nicely, and turning a golden brown.

Then very carefully once more, slide the tortilla from the plate into the pan.. therefore now cooking what was the top raw side,

and again, patting down with a spoon helps - remember to keep the pan on a medium heat though, no higher!

After a further few minutes, your tortilla will be ready! Just one more flip with a plate in the same way as before and it's done...

.. and ready to serve either immediately with crusty bread and maybe some allioli, (Spanish garlic mayonnaise), or to chill down in the fridge and enjoy cold later, which is equally delicious!

It's quite normal for the tortilla to look a bit "rustic" by the way! And believe me, it all adds to the flavour, mmm! I can't wait!

As you can see from the fried ingredients, and amount of eggs used, this recipe isn't exactly a slimmers' dream, ahem... but don't worry about that, just follow this little plaque I have hanging in my kitchen at all times - it's so true - and forget about the calories!

Hope you enjoyed my little culinary trip, and I hope some of you have a go at it too! x

Anyone For A Swim?

2009-03-11T14:09:00.008+01:00

I woke to a gorgeously sunny but hazy day today, and as I was standing in my kitchen cooking, window flung open, it dawned on me how many pools there were within eyeshot of my apartment!

Not a great surprise considering I live in a holiday resort of course, but so many variations.. so here's a photo tour of those I spied today!

Some were kidney shaped, half in the shade, and waiting for their first visitor of the day..

Some were totally in shade, waiting for the sun to come round and shine upon them once again..

Some were tucked away, in a palm tree-filled oasis..

And some were waiting for an overhaul before the Summer's hotel visitors arrive to take advantage of all the fun to be had - slipping and sliding and shooting water at each other..

Some were standing proud in full glorious sunshine, with water rippling in the light breeze..

And some were tucked away in the grounds of a private villa, wondering if their owners would ever return, and give them a much neeeded clear out of the pine needle pile-up the Winter brought..

Some were waiting for the holidaymakers to finish their English breakfasts, or wake from hangovers and come and sample the delights of their plastic sunloungers and pool bar..

And one, the most delightful of all, was just waiting for anyone to swim in it, windsurf on it, paddle in it, or just gaze upon it.. the biggest pool of all in the area.. the Mediterranean Sea!

Hope your day is full of sunshine too x

H is For...

2009-03-10T22:14:00.022+01:00

HISTORIC ENGLAND!

For this weeks ABC Wednesday.. well my first ever week actually.. I thought I would post you some photos of my trip to Windsor back in November..

I had been before as a child, and remember peeking out from the ramparts, but this day my husband and I just walked around the town, as the castle itself was closed.

It has a very heraldic, olde-worlde English charm to it..

and there is evidence of history at every turn.

This is Long Walk, which leads from the grounds which are parkland, up to the Castle,

and a typical red English postbox out front.. plus a blue one for the most Royal of mail... because the Queen is said to have "blue blood" I wonder?

Some of the houses, like the one to the left of the photo, are a bit crooked and lean a little..

... where other more regal abodes most definitely do not!!

I loved the trailing ivy around this magnificent old turret and archway...

it was a lovely stroll around a most historic part of England.

Hope you enjoyed my first ABC post, unfortunately I can't get the hang of the link! but I will work on it.. see you next week!

Brought to you by ABC Wednesday Mr Linky

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

A Carboot Find Finally Released!

2009-03-07T15:08:00.011+01:00

I bought this smashing Indian bell tower ornament about six months ago from a carboot sale in England... as you can just about see on the base, it was only £1 so a real bargain.. but somehow I knew even then, that it would take me a little while to get round to cleaning it.. and of course I was right! ;-)

It's six little bells are so sweet, and it seems such a shame to have this lovely wee ornament locked away in a drawer..

.. so today for my "blog project" (I need all the motivation I can get!) I decided to finally clean it! - armed with Silvo and a ream of kitchen towel.

To say I am slightly undomesticated would be a bit harsh... I'm more of a lazy toad really, lol.. I like the cleaning when it's done.. but can't very often be bothered with doing it in the first place! Hmmm.. anyway, here are the bells all smothered in Silvo (I'm out of Brasso, and you can't buy it over here unfortunately) looking hopeful for a new, shinier life...

.. and I thought while I was at it, I may as well dunk my wedding and eternity rings in the liquid too! So I popped them in a ring-bath, ie. the top of the Silvo pot!

This is a dramatic before and after.. heh heh.. well, actually, I was a bit disappointed they weren't a bit more golden and gleaming! But having thought about it, lots of those Indian type things are more of a dull gold aren't they.. say yes, please ... anyway, I did rub hard, honest! so they're as good as they can be..

This is the final cleaned product, which I think is a vast improvment to how it was.. I am unsure about the wooden "beater" that came with it though, might take that off later, it looks a little unoriginal to me and spoils the effect.

A close up of the top bell!

And this is just an arty shot really - well, sort of - to show you what a superbly sunny day it is here today, and how gorgeous and clear the Mediterranean is; perfect Summer holiday weather, and only the beginning of March..

.. Oh, and my rings cleaned up a treat too! Pity this shot makes my hands look 100 years old though!! Enjoy your weekend and please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you x

2009-03-06T20:18:00.007+01:00

We had terrible winds yesterday evening and all through the night which I hate - being high up we tend to feel every draught and blast - and our apartment window frames were rattling and creaking, palm trees were bent double in the strong breeze, and car alarms were going off in the distance, disturbed by the strong gusts!

World No. 1 tennis player Rafa Nadal, along with the rest of the Spanish team, were due to play Serbia in the Davis Cup today, here in Benidorm.. but the fierce winds had caused too much damage to the mobile grandstands, and the event has been postponed.

Today has been a lot calmer though thank goodness,

and we have had some beautiful sunshine and clear skies,

followed by a glimmering golden sunset,

with dusk finally setting in, giving way to stunning views up the coastline towards Alicante...

To finish the day off, I noticed my husband had been shopping at the Spanish supermarket... I can't wait to try that can of "backed" beans.. ahem... backed with what I wonder? ... Well, I'll just have to let you know when I try them won't I! lol.. x

Happy Anniversary!

2009-03-05T12:02:00.011+01:00

My Wedding Anniversary - March 5th

Even though my husband and I have been together many happy years, today is

"only" our 6th wedding anniversary...

.. so a very Happy Anniversary to you, my dearest hubby!

We received gorgeous, special anniversary cards from my Mum, and mother-in-law.. and will be spending a cosy night in together with lots of nibbles and treats!

According to tradition, we should be gifting each other sugar (can't complain! I'm all for anything calorific.. lol), amethyst (my favourite stone, and my hubby did actually buy me a beautiful amethyst ring 2 years ago for Christmas), wood or iron, and Calla lilies.

We chose to get married in Gibraltar as it is a British territory, and borders Spain where we live.. it is also a really charming place, with oodles of military history, the famous Barbary apes - which must never leave or else the Rock will leave British hands - lovely old buildings along winding lanes, and stunning views back to Spain and over to Morocco.. it was the perfect place to start our married life together.

Today is also St Piran's day in Cornwall, (which is sometimes spelt Perran too), who is the patron saint of tin miners. He stands here beside the traditional Cornish flag; a white cross on a black background.

The largest St Piran's Day event is the march across the dunes to St Piran's cross which thousands of people attend, generally dressed in black, white and gold, and carrying the Cornish Flag. Here are some of the legends surrounding this man:

The heathen Irish tied him to a mill-stone, rolled it over the edge of a cliff into a stormy sea, which immediately became calm, and the saint floated safely over the water to land upon the sandy beach of Perranzabuloe in Cornwall, where his first converts to Christianity were animals.

St. Piran lit a fire on his black hearthstone, which was evidently a slab of tin-bearing ore. The heat caused smelting to take place and tin rose to the top in the form of a white cross (thus the image on the flag).

Whatever you believe, have a great day today.. and may love and goodwill be with you! xx

March Hares

2009-03-04T13:41:00.005+01:00

To be as "mad as a March hare" is an English phrase derived from the observed antics, said to occur (incorrectly, according to some sources) only in the March breeding season of the Hare. The phrase can also be used to refer to any other animal or human who behaves in this excitable and unpredictable manner.

The reference to being 'As Mad as a March Hare' first appeared in Chaucer's Friar's Tale in the 14th century.

The most famous March hare however, of course, appears in the tea party scene in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland".

Alice hypothesises,

"The March Hare will be much the most interesting, and perhaps as this is May it won't be raving mad -- at least not so mad as it was in March!"

I love this depiction of the Mad March Hare by Natasha Wescoat.. I checked out her website after finding this picture online, and she has some very unusual, bright, whimsical paintings.. very modern, yet very cute and traditional at the same time.

Hares are also well known for their peculiar and comical boxing behaviour in early spring, which is their breeding season..

.. when the hares box as part of their courtship ritual – the 'boxing' is actually females battling off unwanted advances from the males.

I don't think I have ever had the pleasure of this curious sight in Nature, but would love to... have you??

A Trip To London - Part Four

2009-03-03T13:47:00.013+01:00

On our last day in London, we decided to visit the Natural History Museum, which was established way back in 1881, in the fabulous Waterhouse building. My husband had never been, and I only remember going as a child... so quite a while ago, ahem...

It is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington - the others are the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. There were large temporary structures within the grounds too, as it was also London Fashion Week.

The building itself is amazing... and practically every nook, cranny and tile is embellished in some way... I particularly liked these griffin-like statues and gargoyles...

and the grand arched entrance way... Everywhere you look inside is covered with carvings and reliefs of animals, fish, flora and fauna... totally gorgeous!! ... and without even having seen any of the treasures inside yet either.

The main hall houses the fantastic 105 foot long replica of a Diplodocus skeleton, which is constantly being admired - apparently it is affectionately known as "Dippy"!

There are hundreds of fossils and skeletons in the museum, and all laid out in such an interesting and informative way.. this is a large-skulled Plesiosaur skeleton, one of the many finds that Mary Anning made in Lyme Regis, Dorset. Imagine discovering such a thing!

Especially with that beady old eye fixed on you....

These flightless Dodos (above) became extinct in their native Mauritius in the 1660s, only 80 years after their discovery - this pair were found together in a private collection after its' owner died, and donated to the museum.

Here's an aerial view of "Dippy"!

This photo is sadly a bit on the blurry side, but really shows off the amazing architecture of the building.. everywhere are more arches and balconies and passageways to explore.. a childs' dream.. or even an adults'! ;-)

This is the magnificent skeleton of a Triceratops.. with his sharp beak and huge horns he looks pretty ferocious.. but was luckily only a vegetarian...

...I bet this scary upright beast ate more than grass though!

This is me by the huge animatronic model of a T-Rex.. complete with realistic movements, roars and grunts, he really was the star of the show!

And finally, how about this for a pair of claws.. all the better to grab you with, my dear!

I hope you enjoyed my mini-Museum tour, I certainly had the most fantastic time in London.. and simply can't wait to go again! Bye for now xx

A Trip To London - Part Three

2009-03-02T12:26:00.021+01:00

We left Buckingham Palace, and headed up Constitution Hill towards Memorial Gates. These recognise the enormous contribution made in the First and Second World Wars by the five million men and women from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Africa and the Caribbean who volunteered to serve alongside the British Armed Forces.

This large, ornately carved memorial is in remembrance of the 49,076 people of all ranks of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who gave their lives for King and country in WWI.

After crossing the road and skirting Hyde Park's entrance gates we headed into Knightsbridge, and naturally had to stop for a photo of the iconic Harrods department store, which was established in 1834, and carried the Royal warrant right up until 2000.

As we walked back towards Fulham, we noticed this marvellous Art Deco-style building, which clearly used to be a Michelin depot of some kind judging by the images of the rotund tyre-shaped Michelin man dotted about.. On further research back home, it turns out to be the former Headquarters of the Michelin Tyre Company, opened in 1911, and designed by Francois Epinasse, complete with 32 tiled panels showing scenes from the early history of motoring.

It is now a gorgeous open-air florists, combined with a very posh al fresco restaurant, serving fresh oysters and champagne.. "not for the likes of us!" as my husband always chuckles, heh heh!

As we continued along Fulham Road, we decided to take an amble through the wonderful Brompton Cemetery, opened in 1840, which is behind Chelsea FC's ground and not far from Earls Court.. I had noticed it before while walking in the area and thought it worth a mosey.. and it was not a disappointment!

The cemetery is beautifully kept, and as many historic and important people are buried there, a factsheet has been made available for £1, showing where various people's graves are.. unfortunately the little office was closed the day we visited.

Beatrix Potter famously lived nearby, and took many of her characters names from the names on the gravestones, such as Mr Nutkins, Jeremiah Fisher and Peter Rabbett.. yes, really!

Some 35,000 monuments, from simple headstones to substantial mausolea, now mark the resting place of more than 205,000 souls... There are so many lavish gravestones and tombs, with beautiful carved crosses, many in the Celtic style,

and at the Cemeterys' centre, stands a modest domed chapel, in the style of the basilica of St. Peter's in Rome,

and two long colonnades embracing the "Great Circle", which shelter catacombs underneath.

As you can see, Stamford Bridge - Chelsea Football Club's ground - just peeks through from the Fulham Road.

Famous people buried here include suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, author George Borrow, V&A founder Henry Cole, cricketer John Wisden, Egyptologist Joseph Bonomi, shipping magnate Sir Samuel Cunard, auctioneer Samuel Leigh Sotheby, and many poets, authors and playwrights..

.. and no less than 13 recipients of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for military gallantry.

As we walked, ravens crowed overhead, squirrels danced playfully between the tree branches, and all was peaceful and calm in Nature's hands..

I was so pleased to see that the grave of Emmeline Pankhurst - Britain's leading suffragette - was tended so beautifully,

in tribute to such a brave and remarkable woman, ahead of her time.

More fabulous images of this wonderful, almost magical place, can be found at http://www.brompton-cemetery.org/ including a gorgeous selection of the Cemetery in all seasons, and all weathers, it looks particularly otherworldy covered in blankets of crisp, heavy snow.. join me tomorrow for my last London instalment! xx

A Trip To London - Part Two

2009-03-01T13:34:00.013+01:00

Continuing our travels, we admired the magnificent facade of Westminster Abbey, where Princess Diana's funeral was held.

Then we headed to St James's Park.. this glorious Royal park covers 58 acres so we didn't explore too much of it! because as you can see the sky was quite leaden..

I thought the views of the building tops and the London Eye to be quite stunning... this lake is currently being dredged of silt and weeds etc, ready for the Summer visitors.

I love the majesty of London!

The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk takes visitors through four of the most beautiful parks in London, and within sight of famous buildings and locations associated with the Princess during her life. The seven-mile-long walk, which crosses St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, is charted by 90 plaques set in the ground, and along the way. What a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon...

It was delightful to see signs of Spring approaching, including tightly-closed daffodils and snowdrops peeking through the grass.

As we walked, we noticed a large Metropolitan Police presence, and heard a band playing further up The Mall, which lines one side of the park.. as we approached Buckingham Palace, above, my husband asked a policeman what was going on, and he said that today the Queen was due to unveil a statue of the Queen Mother to commemorate her, outside Clarence House which was her former residence, and now where Prince Charles, Camilla and the Princes live...

We were lucky enough to be able to hang around for a while, and spotted the Queen and Prince Phillip leaving in their car to much applause.. it was a lovely moment to catch on our visit.

We stopped to admire the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace,

and this cheeky cherub adorning a post,

and the splendid gates of the Palace itself,

and of course the Royal Guards.. this is where the famous Changing of the Guards takes place on altenate days, or daily during the Summer.. a real historic sight, and a guaranteed tourist-puller as well!

The skies were getting increasingly dark by now, so we headed onwards... catch my blog tomorrow to see where we went next!! xx

A Trip To London - Part One

2009-02-28T19:16:00.014+01:00

I have just come back from a much needed and enjoyed trip to London with my husband, and thought I would share some of my photos with you...

Above is the London Eye, or the Millenium Wheel (as it opened in 2000) and a "flight" on it offers fantastic views across the whole of London. You can even book to say your wedding vows on it! and it is Britain's most popular paid-for visitor attraction.

If you visit London, I can recommend the best tube stop to get off at - to see a large amount of sights in one small area - is Westminster. From here you can see right along the Thames, and of course Big Ben above,

the London Eye,

this majestic statue of Boudicea, by Thomas Thornycroft,

and of course the iconic, and important, Houses of Parliament. This is a peek into a beautiful carved passageway which I took through the railings,

and this is of course Sir Winston Churchill, known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom in World War II, standing proud in Parliament Square.

I liked the way Big Ben (which is of course the bell, not the tower) peeked over the buildings here...

and this is my husband peering up at the Jewel Tower across the road, which was built around 1365, to house Edward III's personal treasure and wardrobe, and now hosts an exhibition about the Houses of Parliament and House of Lords.

This is The Royal College of St Peter in Westminster, this picture is taken from Dean's Yard, the lucky pupils that attend here can expect the highest Oxbridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in the UK!

And what a fantastic building to learn in it must be....

Join me again tomorrow for more pics and history from London! Seeya then x

It's Bunny Sunday!!

2009-02-22T13:31:00.009+01:00

.. It's Bunny Sunday!! .. Why?? .. Because I said so!! .. And I LOVE bunnies, yayyy!! xx

Soooo cute.. and they cheer me up every time!! See you in a few days xx

2009-02-20T20:31:00.005+01:00

Empty spaces - what are we living for

Abandoned places - I guess we know the score

On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for...

Another hero, another mindless crime

Behind the curtain, in the pantomime

Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore

The show must go on, The show must go on

Inside my heart is breaking

My make-up may be flaking

But my smile still stays on.

Whatever happens, Ill leave it all to chance

Another heartache, another failed romance

On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?

I guess Im learning, I must be warmer now

Ill soon be turning, round the corner now

Outside the dawn is breaking

But inside in the dark Im aching to be free

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies

Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die

I can fly - my friends

The show must go on, The show must go on

Ill face it with a grin, Im never giving in

On - with the show

Ill top the bill, Ill overkill, I have to find the will to carry on

On with the show -The show must go on...

- Queen - "The Show Must Go On" -

The sun glares in upon my sorrow
Trying to melt my pain away
But it can’t stop what comes tomorrow,
Another problem, another day…

Why is life so damn unkind
You struggle on, yet just to find
When one thing’s good, ten more are bad
I wish my time on Earth I’d had…

A Favourite Poem From Childhood

2009-02-20T20:26:00.001+01:00

The Spider and the Fly
Mary Howitt

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

A Day With A Difference

2009-02-19T19:14:00.007+01:00

Today in Benidorm there was a casting session for "extras" for the upcoming series 3 of the popular ITV comedy, "Benidorm", see the cast below...

The audtions were held between 2pm and 6pm at the Melia Hotel in the Rincon de Loix area, and were very well attended indeed! I myself went along - well, I could do with the cash and why not hey!? - and was quite (maybe naively) amazed to see tens of people there... within the half an hour I had to wait to be seen I counted about 100 people, so I would say well over 1000 people turned up during the few hours the agency was there to see them, and I know they started seeing people well before the 2pm start too..

All that was required was a few details then a snapshot or two (I put on my best cheesy smile, how embarrassing, lol!) and then it was "Next!" and on to the rest of the hordes... The filming starts on Monday for the lucky successful applicants - in particular the lucky "special" extras who will get paid more, we were told rather mysteriously - and continues right on til the end of May, therefore they said lots and lots of people will be needed, and to wait for a phone call with details of what to wear, and where to turn up, if you are picked! All sorts of people were there, of all ages and walks of life but mostly Brits, the only stipulation was that you were "English looking".. I thought a group of biker-type guys and gals that turned up were particularly cool, with their shaved dyed hair and piercings and tattoos and leather waistcoats.. hope they think up a storyline to fit them into - not that they couldn't just be lying about on sunloungers on their hols of course!! Many people didn't have the correct papers to be able to work in Spain even though they live here, so they've been sent away to get them at the police station in the Old Town.. I would think the place will be mobbed tomorrow, and it's normally chaotic enough down there! Anyway, fingers crossed that I get a call but I'm really not expecting it.. but at the reasonable daily rates they're paying I might just hope that little bit harder!

After meeting my husband for a shandy or two to tell him all the goss, we walked up to our apartment for lunch then a little siesta, as you do... When I woke up I made a shepherds pie for tea, and watched from my kitchen window as the sky changed from hazy blue to burnt orange and then a glorious dusty pink..

It was a beautiful sunset, with a blazing red orb of setting sun.

Unfortunately, we have a rather handy little corner-type shop under our apartment block, and I just couldn't resist going in today for a quick look around, even though I actually didn't need anything and wasn't really hungry either, ahem.. anyway, I came out with these rather smashing looking Animalitos! (little animals) which look rather like the Cadburys animals my Mum always used to buy me as a child.. and has often bought me since when I've been back to England to visit her, thanks Mum.. anyway, as suspected, they were awfully sweet (the Spanish have SUCH a sweet tooth!) and rather tea-biscuity rather than proper-biscuity... however, of course, I got used to the taste rather quickly and if the words fiddler and elbow mean anything to you in the same sentence, then you can guess how many are left!! heh heh

So a pretty mixed and slightly unusual day, but hopefully a fruitful one.. and if not, ahh well, you can only try can't you! Have a good evening xx

I Need A Laugh Today...

2009-02-18T19:05:00.007+01:00

Heh Heh Heh.. I needed that! Hope it cheered you up too xx

2009-02-16T16:03:00.005+01:00

Hello again, well it's a gorgeous day here today, and I woke rather late - thanks to my upstairs neighbours alarm going off intermittently for over an hour at 7am, hence sending me into a deep sleep when it finally stopped, grrr - to a warm sunny day, with a moderate temperature of 13 degrees, and a happy heart! Funny how the sunshine always makes things seem that little bit better.. The pictures above and below are some of the old Spanish villas that are dotted around the area I live in.. complete with pools, stone fountains, and plenty of glossy green palm trees.. I always find it a bit sad that they are now sandwiched in between so many towering apartment blocks, bars and restaurants...

However, they are very pretty and well kept too, even though the villa by itself at the top seems to be abandoned.. I imagine it was once a bustling family home in the 1960's before the resort grew to the monster it is today, or maybe the owners just use it for Summer sojourns to the Costa Blanca, who knows?

I spotted a plane soaring into the sky at about lunchtime, he seemed very close (relatively) when I zoomed in on him with my camera on video-mode.. I would assume it had taken off from Alicante but wouldn't have thought I could have seen it so well, then again from my high-up apartment you can see for miles, quite literally..

Unfortunately he zoomed overhead too quickly for me to capture him! and when I raced out onto my balcony he was just a speck in the sky, disappearing into the hazy sunlight..

After appreciating the views, which I do on a daily basis, I made this warming pork chop and pepper casserole for tea tonight.. as although I'm in Spain it is after all only February, and still pretty nippy at night! I thought this dish would do just right for a late supper, with lots of fresh vegetables and maybe a glass of wine, or two, beforehand heh heh..

And so to siesta now... well, I have had a busy day haven't I! lol... xx

The Enchanted City...

2009-02-15T14:32:00.010+01:00

Well, it's a most miserable day here today, all grey skies and rainclouds, so I thought I'd show you somewhere my hubby and I have visited in Spain... also on a rather miserable day! But we still set out in our car back in November 2002, determined to see all the sights the region offered, to "La Ciudad Encantada".. or the Enchanted City, which lies about 35kms north of the city of Cuenca.

The Ciudad Encantada is an amazing natural site of limestone rock formations, and you are allowed to wander freely round the structures.. most of them are named after objects or animals etc.. although some have been named rather optimistically! and you'd really have to use your imagination to guess what they were supposed to be, lol...

The formation above is called "The Theatre" and is a photo I have downloaded off the Web.. it must have been too wet and windy for me to have taken a pic of it myself at the time!

This impressive outcrop is called The High Tor, and as
you can see I am absolutely dwarfed by it.

This structure is called The Mushroom, and is one of the more obviously named stones...

And I can't find the names for these massive rocks behind me, but maybe they should be

called The Sentries, as they look like they're guarding an entrance to something

magical and mysterious, don't you think?

You can just see my husband standing in the cave entrance in the bottom right hand corner in this photo.. trying not to slip over I should imagine, as it really was a wet and wild day!

Here is the official link to the website if you are ever travelling that way, and

are interested in visiting this magical and unusual place:

http://www.turismocuenca.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabID=7227

Well that was a lovely trip down memory lane for me! and the rain has now stopped.. but the mountains have still got their heads buried in cloud so I don't think we're in for much of a bright day.. best I get the kettle on then, and cosy up with a book or some tv! Enjoy the rest of your weekend everybody x

Views From The Puig Campana

2009-02-14T14:19:00.009+01:00

As promised, here are some views of my walk up the mountain, and out to the Mediterranean.

Welcome To My World!

2009-02-14T13:44:00.001+01:00

Hello, and welcome to my first blog post! This is an account of my life here in Spain - good and bad - and my daily thoughts, pictures, and any other bits and bobs I fancy adding really!

To the left, is a picture of the imposing Puig Campana mountain that dominates the skyline of Benidorm, it is pronounced pweesh campana as the name is in valenciano, as opposed to the traditional castellano, which is the "standard" Spanish used in the majority of Spain. Benidorm is situated in the Comunidad de Valencia,and many people speak both dialects, especially those in more rural areas.

It is possible to climb the Puig Campana, and there are many hikers and joggers routes up, down and around it! I have only been a little way up it, along an established route, and the views were amazing, see below. This photo is taken directly from my apartment terrace, and I love gazing out at the mountain and seeing it in all the different lights and weather and seasons..

I hope through my blog you will see that the resort of Benidorm is many things - inspiring, beautiful, clean, frustrating, ever-changing.. and yes, more than a little tacky in places, but only because that's what the tourists have demanded over the years!

Anyway, I love it most of the time, and hope you will enjoy it with me too x