February 2020

Sangria on the Mar Menor

 February 2020

Orihuela

2nd February. The month started with glorious weather so I spent yesterday chilling on the terrace while Glynn went to watch a local game of football. Every year in the city of Orihuela there is a medieval market that is held over three days and it is one of the largest medieval markets in Spain. It spreads out over an area of four kilometres around the streets and plazas of the historic old town with the Sierra de Orihuela forming a spectacular backdrop. As today was the last day of the event we decided to drive over and take a look. When we cycled to Orihuela in January we had only stopped for a quick coffee break and didn’t explore so we had no idea that the city has a stunning old town area that contains a wealth of historic buildings including a 13th century cathedral. The narrow streets were lined with beautifully decorated stalls selling arts, crafts, clothing, food and drinks.

Orihuela

The choice of places to eat was incredible with giant pans filled with paella or stews. There was an enormous hog roast and racks of ribs being cooked on a huge circular BBQ. There was also a large choice of bars selling wine and beer as well as jugs of sangria. Lots of stall holders were dressed in medieval costumes and there were mini re-enactments taking place throughout the old town. The event was so well attended that it was difficult to actually negotiate the streets at times. We had a really lovely time and I would like to go back another day to be able to see more of the old town area and the stunning buildings without all the stalls and people. We decided to head to Conesa castle for lunch and discovered there was an American car event taking place so the area in front of the castle was lined with beautiful classic vehicles. Whether it was the good weather or the attraction of the cars the restaurant was full and we only just managed to get a table outside. After a very nice 3 course meal we had little energy left to do anything other than relax on the terrace reading our kindles.

Orihuela

3rd February. As we hadn’t been out on the bikes for a couple of days we decided to head towards the Mar Menor and just see how far we got. The weather was glorious so we just got in to a rhythm and before we knew it we had cycled to Cape Palos on the edge of La Manga. After enjoying a well earned coffee break we took a steady ride back and did just over 100kms in total. A nice easy ride with a lovely comfortable temperature of 23°. To counteract the long ride we enjoyed a lovely stroll along the seafront at sunset and then spent a quiet evening relaxing. 

4th February. The weather forecast is for some rain and cooler temperatures over the next few days so we decided to make the most of todays very pleasant 27° and drove to San Miguel cemetery to find the start of a Lemon Trail we had seen advertised.

The Lemon Trail

We found a large sign called Senda del limón which means lemon path. There was a map of the route through the orange and lemon groves which takes approximately 1hour and 50 minutes. It was a beautiful circular walk through the groves and we really enjoyed. We then headed back to make the most of chilling on the terrace in the sun before the weather changed. 

Lemons!!

6th February. After showers yesterday today started cold and cloudy. We decided to head out for a short ride so followed the canal path to San Miguel. The canal was being dredged and the machinery made the canal path really muddy so we decided to head back along the main road to Los Dolses and then on to La Zenia. Glynn then went off to play walking football while I relaxed. I’m pretty sure the walking part of the football is largely ignored when the referee isn’t looking as Glynn managed to come home with a grazed knee when he fell over following a tackle. 

Amazing El Zulo sculpture 

9th February. The good weather returned so we decided we would cycle all the way to Cartagena. We didn’t hang around on the ride there and I recorded my fastest ever 40kms according to my Garmin. After exploring the beautiful city and enjoying the requisite coffee break we headed back via a more scenic route and I was really chuffed to record my longest ever ride of 105kms. We had been slightly limited by having our bikes with us when it came to exploring the city but we had managed to see the Roman Amphitheatre as well as the lovely dock area and the dramatic bronze statue, El Zulo, which is dedicated to victims of terrorism. As we were expecting my son Darryl and his wife Lisa to arrive in 3 days we planned to come back in the car with them to explore properly. 

Darryl & Lisa on the beach

12th February. I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Darryl and Lisa so I was really excited to head out to the airport to pick them up. It was so good to see them after months of being away. As they had flown in to Alicante we took them for a visit to the Skechers outlet store before heading home. We all chilled on the terrace so they could soak up some sun and then we took them for a stroll along the seafront. After a couple of drink stops to celebrate their arrival we headed back and enjoyed all the lovely tapas I had prepared and a jug of sangria of course. It was a brilliant evening just relaxing and catching up on all the news.

Darryl & Lisa in Cartagena 

13th February. I woke up with a slight hangover which is par for the course when my son is involved!! Lisa is a huge fan of history so we decided to take them to Cartagena. As we didn’t have the bikes it was easier to explore and after climbing up to the Roman Amphitheatre we wandered along the promenade to show them the bronze statue and then around to the harbour. We had a really lovely day out and the weather was glorious. 

14th. As Darryl and Lisa were only with us for 4nights we had to cram in as much as possible. We started the day with a visit to the market at Pilar de la Horadada where we had the typical Spanish churros with chocolate sauce. After lunch Darryl borrowed Glynn’s bike and we cycled to the mar menor while Glynn and Lisa agreed to follow a bit later in the car.

Enjoying his sangria!

We found a lovely beach front bar and ordered a jug of sangria while we waited for them to catch us up. After heading back for lunch and another chill on the terrace we walked down to the beach before finding another bar for drinks. We decided to take them to Conesa Castle for dinner and after a wonderful 3 course meal we headed home to enjoy a game of Tension. I partnered with Darryl and we drew 1 game each. A perfect end to a really lovely day. 

15th February. Our last full day with Darryl and Lisa and the sun was shining again so while the men went out to volunteer at the kennels to walk some of the dogs myself and Lisa took full advantage of the peace and quiet to relax on the terrace and top up our tans. After lunch we enjoyed another walk along the beach and stopped at a bar for a drink before the men went out on a bike ride and myself and Lisa went back to topping up our tans. For our last evening I did tapas again and we just relaxed. It had been a really busy few days so it was nice to just chill.

Fun on the beach.

16th February. I was sad to say goodbye to Darryl and Lisa when we dropped them off at the airport. While they had been enjoying the Spanish sun the UK had just experienced storm Dennis which caused a delay with some flights. Luckily their flight was only one hour late departing. As we were due to start heading home in a few days it wouldn’t be too long before we saw them again. Unfortunately for Darryl and Lisa their relaxing break didn’t end quite so relaxing when Lisa couldn’t find her door key. After they phoned us we discovered it had dropped out of her case and was in the wardrobe. Luckily they eventually managed to track down a spare key at Lisa’s mum’s so they could get home and unpack. At least they didn’t have to get up for work the next day!

Riumar beach

18th February. We spent the last 2 days packing everything up and this morning we started the journey home. It was a wet and miserable day after the lovely sunshine of the last few days. We had booked an Airbnb at Deltebre which was a good 4 hour drive away. When we arrived we discovered a lovely 3 bed house all to ourselves for less than the cost of 1 night in a hotel. We drove to Riumar beach to have a walk and stretch our legs. It was a lovely area but we were surprised at how cold it had turned. 

21st February. After leaving Deltebre the other day we drove a mammoth 6 hours to Chalabre in France which is where my dear friend had Tilly recently moved to. We have been friends for over 30 years but often go several years without seeing each other so it was lovely to be able to catch up. We then left her the next day to drive to another Airbnb at Muides-Sur-Loire. Another mammoth drive but we sensibly opted for some toll roads to knock an hour off the journey. Today we did the long drive to Calais and managed to get the Eurotunnel 5 hours earlier than planned however this was somewhat offset by the major delays we experienced at Dartford following a crash. Our normal 2 hours journey from Dartford to home took us 3.5 hours!! It doesn’t seem to matter what time of day we arrive in the UK we always seem to have a horrendous journey home. 

Me & Glynn

This was our first winter in Spain after years of wintering in Goa and whilst the temperatures weren’t anywhere near as good they were certainly very pleasant with only isolated periods of poor weather. I suppose the biggest difference was how cold it could get at night the minute the sun set. We could be sunbathing in shorts and t-shirts during the day and need winter coats in the evening. The biggest bonus for us was that instead of laying idle on the beach all day in Goa we were able to go cycling, play badminton (the least said on that the better!!) and have modern jive dance lessons. In spite of the down time I had when I injured my calf in November I had cycled nearly 3,000 kilometres whilst Glynn had cycled even further and he’d raised over £1,000 for Alzheimer’s UK. Our primary reason for spending the winter in Spain had been to be closer to home in case Glynn’s mum needed us however we had enjoyed it so much that it’s unlikely we will ever go back to 5 months in Goa. During our stay in Spain found a bargain long weekend to Athens so we have that to look forward to in 3 weeks time and we also received the most amazing news when we were offered a house swap for 4 months to Perth in Australia by the cousin of a good friend of ours. This is such an amazing opportunity to explore the western coast of Australia that we jumped at the chance. Now that we are back home we can finish our application for our Australian visas and then hopefully we will be heading out to Australia in September. In the meantime we are starting to catch snippets on the news about a virus that has originated in China and seems to be causing some concerns. Let’s hope it comes to nothing!!

That’s my boy!!

Orihuela medieval fayre

Orihuela 

Church on the Lemon Tree walk

Beautiful tree in Cartagena

Cartagena

Darryl & Lisa at Conesa Castle

Torre de la Horadada

Me with Darryl & Lisa in Cartagena

Snow-capped Pyrenees

January 2020

Mar Menor at Los Urrutias

3^rd January. When we first arrived here in October and enquired what a winter in Spain would be like we were told it would be warmer outside than in which we thought was odd but now we understand. The days are bright and sunny and it is lovely and warm in the direct sun but it turns cold very quickly in the shade and although inside the house it feels chilly all the time we need sunscreen to sit on the terrace.

We started the new year quietly with a short ride to San Cayetano and I did some baking. Today we decided to do a longer ride and after following the canal road to San Miguel we carried on and cycled around the Embalse de la Pedrera and then stopped at Torremendo for coffee. We then opted to cycle back via the hilly main road rather than the flat canal road. For some reason I was really struggling with my leg today and the pain was spreading up to my hip so cycling the smallest incline felt like a real effort. We cycled 64kms and I must admit I was glad to get back as it had really taken all my energy on the climbs.

5^th January. After a day of rest yesterday and doing a lot of calf and hamstring stretches I was ready to test my leg again today. We decided to be sensible and just do the shorter 44km ride to San Miguel for a coffee at the Nuthouse. It was a cold but sunny day and we now find we need our winter cycling clothes with base layers. This is quite novel as we haven’t cycled in cold weather for 6 years and although I don’t particularly like the cold it is much easier than riding in some of the extreme temperatures we experienced last summer. It was a good ride and luckily my leg seems to have improved.  

Nativity scene on the beach

Today is the start of a two day festival in Spain, Fiesta de Los Reyes (Three Kings Festival) which is celebrated on the 5^th and 6^th January every year. It is one of the most important holidays in Spain and celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem to give their gifts to the baby Jesus. On the evening of the 5^th January there are big parades to welcome the Three Kings while children line the streets to catch the sweets that are thrown to them. Traditionally children leave their freshly polished shoes outside in order for the Kings to place their gifts in them. The morning of the 6^th, the Epiphany, is when the children open their gifts and all the family come together. We have seen big displays of cakes, called Roscón de Reyes, in all the shops but hadn’t realised the significance. These sweet breads are circular in shape to represent the crowns the Kings wore and usually contain a small ceramic baby Jesus and a dried bean. 

Children excited to greet one of the Kings

The cakes are normally eaten at breakfast on the morning of the 6th January and the person that is lucky enough to find the baby Jesus in their slice will apparently have good luck all year while the person that gets the dried bean isn't so lucky as they have to buy the cake the following year. We decided to drive to Santiago de la Ribera on the Mar Menor to watch the celebrations where the Three Kings broke with tradition and arrived at dusk by boat rather than by camel!! The streets were packed with families and there was a wonderful party atmosphere. All the street cafes were full and a stage had been set up where a singer was entertaining the crowds. We stopped to listen while he sang a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah and Ava Marie.

After admiring the nativity displays and watching the arrival of the Three Kings we headed back home for a quiet evening relaxing.

Tumbleweed

12^th January. After several days of rest, partly because of some very strong winds and the threat of rain, we woke to a lovely sunny day. The only evidence of the strong winds were the large tumbleweeds everywhere. We decided to go for a ride with no clear idea of where we were heading and ended up cycling just over 100 kms heading inland to Torre Pacheco, round to La Union and then back via the coastal route of the Mar Menor. It was a great ride and my leg wasn’t hurting so hopefully all the stretches were helping. 

16^th January. We did a short ride to San Miguel a couple of days ago and yesterday we had a very relaxing day meeting friends for lunch so we decided to head out on the bikes again today as poor weather is forecast in the coming days. It has been my intention to cycle to Orihuela every time I pass the road sign when we are near Torremendo so today that was our planned destination. It was absolutely perfect cycling weather with very little wind and about 18° in the sun. It was a really nice route and we stopped in Orihuela for a coffee and tostada. As it was a long way back we didn’t stop to explore the area so we might have to go back in the car another day and see what the city has to offer. We had done 93kms when we got back so we carried on along the canal path and took the scenic route home so that we reached 100kms. 

17^th January. Feeling no ill effects from yesterday’s long ride we headed out on the bikes again today as I was keen to ensure that I reached my 1000 miles target before the end of January. It was cold but sunny as we rode to San Cayetano. The temperature rose dramatically sitting in the sun outside the café and my Garmin showed it was 31° in the direct sun. We had almost finished our coffees when we heard a bang and Glynn’s rear inner tube exploded. While I continued to enjoy the sun Glynn changed the tube but must have pinched it putting the tyre back on as it went flat. Whilst he carefully used our last tube I added inner tubes to my shopping list as Glynn definitely has a habit of getting punctures, similar to the first year we retired and were travelling in France when Glynn seemed to be aiming for the world record in the number of punctures that could be achieved in a short space of time. The bike finally sorted we headed home. As you leave San Cayetano there is a huge field full of mint plants that borders the canal path and the smell is amazing. I inhaled deeply and hoped the nice smell would last until we had passed the sheep farm further along the canal path as the smell from there definitely didn't have a patch on the field of mint!!

Beautiful Ficus tree in Santiago de la Ribera

19^th January. We decided to go for a walk on the walkway past the mud baths at Lo Pagan today. You can actually walk a circular 12km route past the mud baths out towards the high rise hotels that you can see at La Manga and round via the salt marshes where the pink flamingoes are. The first 3 kms of the path is tarmac before it changes to compressed sand. We could see a little white windmill in the distance so we aimed to walk as far as that and back. The bad weather was drawing in and we could see in the distance that we weren’t going to escape some rain later. By the time I’d reached the little windmill I was in agony with my calf right up to my hip and l was limping badly. For some reason I seemed to be getting worse lately and was in more pain than I was back in December. To make matters worse there was a strong headwind as we turned back so it was a real effort to get back to where we’d left the car. I was in so much pain by the time we got back I could barely walk. Luckily we made it back home just before the storm arrived and the rest of the day was a washout with really strong winds and lots of rain. While I dosed up on painkillers Glynn made me a lovely fresh coffee, bless him.

Storm surge

22nd January. After two days of horrendous rain, strong winds and thunder and lightning the sun was trying to peek through the clouds today. We had read reports of all the flooding that had occurred again around the roads close to the Mar Menor. We took advantage of a respite in the rain yesterday to go for a walk along the seafront. The waves were still crashing in and seaweed littered the promenade where waves had crashed over the high walls. The sea looked brown instead of its normal pretty blue. Our area was largely unaffected by flooding however the rain had caused large areas of mud to slide from the surrounding fields on to the roads. We definitely wouldn’t be cycling today so we decided to volunteer at the local dog rescue centre. They were advertising on Facebook for volunteers to walk the dogs as they had been locked up for 4 days because of the weather. The more minor roads were blocked near Lo Pagan so we had to take the motorway to the rescue centre which was near San Cayetano. I had an image of a few cages with about 20 dogs but the rescue centre was huge with over 250 dogs of all shapes and sizes and the noise was deafening as the dogs were so excited at the thought of being let out.

Big softie wanting a tummy rub

I was surprised by how many volunteers there were and we soon joined them as we walked our first pair of dogs around the nearby lanes. Our route was limited because of the amount of mud following the storms however I don’t think the dogs cared where they went. One of the dogs I walked was a big hairy thing who looked like she was part St Bernard. She was hilarious and in spite of her size she tried to leap around like a puppy. As we were walking she would suddenly throw herself on the floor in front of me and refuse to get up until I had rubbed her tummy. On the way back she seemed to realise that we were going back to the kennel and promptly lay down on a huge pile of dirt and refused to get up. It took much tummy rubbing to persuade her to get up again and we eventually got her back to the kennel. It felt really good doing our bit to help the centre and we really enjoyed it so after promising to help again another day we headed home for lunch and a quiet afternoon reading. 

23^rd January. With the good weather restored we headed out for a ride today but ended up taking several detours as we came across various road closures where flooding was still receding or mud blocked the roads. We had initially planned on cycling around part of the Mar Menor but with our route blocked we headed up to the canal road to San Cayetano and then dropped down to Los Narejos before heading to San Javier and then back via the N332. It was a bit of a magical mystery tour as we avoided the various road closures but we managed a nice 51kms. The poor bikes were caked in mud when we got back so we decided to hose them down before cleaning them thoroughly. While we were outside cleaning them Glynn’s rear inner tube suddenly went bang. His face was an absolute picture and I was desperately trying not to laugh. He couldn’t believe he’d got another puncture and he wasn't even riding the bike!! At least it happened after we got home this time. 

Celebrating 1000 miles!!

26^th January. We enjoyed a lovely evening yesterday with a lot of the dance crowd when we all met up at a restaurant in La Zenia for a meal and dancing. I still can’t dance as the twisting motion causes instant pain in my calf but Glynn got chance to practice his jive moves when a variety of women dragged him on the dance floor. Today I was keen to get out on the bikes again as I only needed another 40kms to reach my target. It was a lovely sunny day but we figured there would still be too much mud on the canal path to San Miguel so we headed in the opposite direction and after cycling to San Cayetano we carried on down to the Mar Menor to add a few more kilometres. All the roads seemed to be open now although there was plenty of evidence of the recent storm because of the amount of dried mud that has accumulated against the kerbs. By the time we got back we had cycled 50kms which took my total to 1619 kms (1006 mls). I was so pleased at reaching the target.

28^th January. As the good weather has continued we decided to risk cycling the canal road to San Miguel today. Although the route is largely tarmac there is one long section of dirt which turns into a bog in the rain. As part of this area is sheltered from the sun by a high bank it takes a long time to dry out. When we got to that section it had dried out fairly well but was so deeply rutted from vehicles driving through the mud that it wasn’t ideal for road bikes so after stopping for coffee at San Miguel we decided to cycle back via the main road. Most of the roads have a lovely wide verge so that we always feel safe cycling however the majority of the road back from San Miguel has no verge at all. It is a very scenic route through woodland and past a golf course and has a nice balance of ascending and descending but nothing steep. We only had one car race past too close and disappointingly it was a British car. It’s a shame there is no verge as it’s a route I would take in preference to the canal road but we are too vulnerable on a narrow road as it would only take one impatient driver coming too close to cause some serious harm. Having seen the injuries we’ve both sustained on low speed crashes, especially when Glynn was forced off the road in Portugal by a vehicle coming too close, it’s not a risk I like to take too often. We made it back unscathed and no punctures for Glynn either which is becoming a bit of a novelty!! 

The big softie laying down again

30^th January. We decided to volunteer at the dog rescue centre again today and I got to take the lovely big crazy dog out again. It finally occurred to me why the dogs were taking no notice of us at all as we were automatically talking to them in English which we found hilarious when we realised our mistake!! Funnily enough although I practice my Spanish lessons everyday and I know that dog is perro I haven’t yet had a lesson that teaches dog commands such as sit and stay. I guess that will need to be my research project for tonight. After we got back and had lunch we decided to go for another ride but only managed a short 22kms as I was really struggling with pain from my leg. As I can’t walk very far before it plays up I guess a ride on top of the dog walking was too much so we decided to head home and chill for the rest of the day. 

31^st January. The last day of the month finished with more glorious sunshine. I took the sensible option and chilled on the terrace to rest my leg while Glynn decided he wanted to tackle the winding and hilly road that leads from Conesa Castle to Rebate. As he’s long since passed his 1000 mile target for the Cycling Down Dementia challenge he decided to increase his target to 1500 miles so he needed one more ride to achieve it. While I enjoyed a particularly good book on my Kindle Glynn was busy tackling a head-wind, hairpin bends and a few steep climbs. I think I chose the better option!! When he returned 57kms later looking suitable tired he had achieved a final total of 1517 miles and raised £1072.79 for Alzheimer’s UK so he was justifiably pleased with himself. 

It has been a great month and, in spite of the cold nights, when the sun makes an appearance it has been lovely and warm. February is going to be a busy month as we have Darryl and Lisa coming to visit for a few days and after they fly home we plan on leaving here to work our way home. My dearest friend Tilly has moved to Chalabre in France recently so we will stop off and spend a couple of days with her as we head towards Calais. As we have only 12 days until Darryl and Lisa arrive we are going to make the most our last chance to get out on the bikes and explore. 

Nativity display at Santiago de la Ribera

Part of a very large Nativity display

Disney characters entertaining the children

Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed blocking the road