Outdoor Delights

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