SPAIN - Dec 2010/January 2011

The 2010 winter started in November. It was bitterly cold and there was plenty of snow. In the North and Scotland it dropped to below minus 20 degrees C in places.

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Gatwick airport was closed for a few days, then, when it opened, the Spanish air traffic control started wildcat strikes ! Just to ensure continuing misery, the weather forecasters predicted that it would remain exceptionally cold until the New Year.

However, in a mild slot I got away to Spain for Christmas and the New Year, just ahead of the forecast for more bitterly cold weather.

Although bright and sunny the temperature dropped to 8 - 9 degrees for the first couple of days, the coldest I can ever remember, and the North wind made it feel even colder. But even so, there were some sheltered spots to be found in Denia, which faces mostly north east.

....... View from my room

Fortunately the cold wind soon eased although on the Saturday there were a few very light showers, but an almost still day. Television pictures of the ice and snow in England made it seem like a better place to be though, with day temperatures now creeping up towards 15 to 17 degrees.

There were the usual excursions to Javea, to see the Fisherman's Church, and Calpe, where I called in for a coffee at the Hotel Ifach which overlooks the salt lake. These places which face more south east, are usually warmer than Denia.

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Another excursion was to Simat, where an old monastery, the monastery of Santa Maria de la Valdigna, and associated buildings, was being restored. The gent sitting was a sculpture, like the one in Gandia.

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The following week the incoming flights from Gatwick, were delayed - up to six hours or more. But in Denia the weather remained still and mild. Although there had been more drizzle on theTuesday morning at Simat, it cleared in the afternoon to give a mild evening and night.

Being in Valencia, there were acres of orange groves everywhere, laden with oranges. For about 1 euro 50 cents you could buy 5 kg of oranges ( which would hardly buy 5 oranges in the UK ). Lemons, too, were abundant. The pink and white almond blossom appears later, in February onwards.

Xativa was another excursion, where superb views could be had from the Castle, ( being restored ). In the town there was an exhibition of local crafts, coupled to a nativity theme. Archeological remains date back to thousands of years BC, but the town is perhaps better known as the birth place of Rodrigo de Borja ( Pope Alexander VI Borgia. ) and for other reasons and celebrities.

Video taken this visit at Javea, Calpe and Xativa, will eventually be on patrickclips ( use link in centre of opening index/menu page )

The Christmas Eve meal and Christmas Day meal, were both 7 course menus....With the departure Gala dinner on the Monday, Christmas was a long round of eating and drinking.

In addition to the usual music and dancing, there were some good entertainment acts in the Hotel.

A visit to Guadalest on Boxing day morning helped to clear the head. There was excellent visibility to the coast. There is quite a bit to see in Guadalest which dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries. There are also various museums, from motorbikes to Lladro. More of the village, and spectacular views can be seen on a video on patrickclips, shortly. The photograph on the right shows the bell tower, and the cave like entrance up to Guadalest through a hole in the cliff.

I transferred further down the Costa Blanca to Playa de l'Albir for the last week, to be faced with another gala dinner, and New Year's Eve dinner and celebrations which carried on into the small hours of the morning, ending with fireworks. Set in a bay with Altea, there are good views of the Ifach rock at Calpe. Well round the headlands, Albir is some degrees warmer again, protected by surrounding mountains.

( Videos of the Hotel Kaktus Albir, and surrounding area are on patrickclips channel )

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Poinsettias grew as hedges in some areas ......................The Hotel entertainment duo.....

I made a visit into Benidorm one morning for a coffee and to look at the Avenida Hotel, now standing in a pedestrianised area. The Poniente promenade had been completed.

Finestrat...View from the old church and auditorium ......... and the small coastal beach. ( More on patrickclips shortly )

At Albir the New Year celebrations went on until about 4 a.m. This was the result .....

The main road 10.00 a.m. New Year's Day..............The prom. at about 11.20 a.m.

On the last Sunday morning I went to the El Cisne " rastro ", just outside Benidorm. Anything from ice skates to accordions, books to tools, plus very good midday music, food and coffee.

But most of my time in Playa de l'Albir was spent sunbathing on the roof, and swimming in the rooftop pool.

Albir and Altea were much the same as before, and the weather remained very sunny. Some days there was a very light breeze. Some days were still, and very warm. ( See also previous year's videos on patrickclips )

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