Aqua Adicta Watersports La Manga;

Nearly Finished

2012-02-15T09:30:00.000+01:00

Well I haven't blogged for over a month now. We have been busy tiling and painting for the past 6 weeks so the nice walks have had to go on hold for a while. Below are a few before and after photos to show the work we have been doing. We still have to repaint the garage doors and the gates, that is todays job. Then a bit of white paint on the walls and hopefully we are done. However the changing area needs a bit of a facelift so that is next on the list.

There is still loads to do so we already have a list building up for next winter. That is what comes of owning an older house with great quality Spanish building standards!!

Climb up Cabezo de la Fuente

2012-01-06T11:56:00.033+01:00

We climbed to the top of the highest hill in the area, Cabezo de la Fuente.
You get some amazing views from here but it is a pretty steep climb for nearly an hour (yeah OK, we were walking slowly...but it was just after Christmas and we were weighed down with turkey and chocolate!).
The top is a rocky precipice which drops away very steeply...not good for those with vertigo.

We met a guy at the top who offered to take our photo...he positioned us really nicely so that you get a great view of the concrete pillar at the top!

View down to the Salinas in the Calblanque Natural Park.

You get an idea for just how steep it is in this shot...I had to get Julian to take this one because my legs went wobbly!

View accross to Cabo de Palos, you can just see the lighthouse at the end of the peninsular. You can also see the Salinas at the far end of the Mar Menor.

I need to repost this photo and sort out the horizon but you can see the Mar Menor and 4 of the islands in it. The island out in the Med is Isla Grosa. the village next to the sea is Mar de Cristal...you can just about see our house!!

The fun stops here..

2012-01-03T08:39:00.006+01:00

The builders arrived today and are now trashing the joint! They are hacking off the render in various places around the house. We are expecting them to take about a week and once they are gone we need to tile the area near the garagea and the gate posts. It should look great when it is finished but it looks a right mess at the moment.

Walk to Playa Larga and visit to Portman

2012-01-01T11:47:00.060+01:00

New years day and we headed to the beach for a walk

Julian checking out the water temperature before heading out for a swim

That water is cold...but it didn't stop him...

The promenade through Portman

Derelict mining works on the hills above Portman. You can clearly see the green valley and the burnt hillside from the fires during August 2011

The bay of Portman which is being slowly cleaned up after years of dumped mining waste has caused the whole bay to silt up.

Burnt trees on the hillside near Portman due to the huge fire in August 2011

Walk to Playa Parreño - Calblanque

2011-12-31T11:26:00.005+01:00

Headed over to the Calblanque on the quad bike for another walk. Had to wrap up on the quad but once we started walking we needed to take off the layers. Once we got to the beach Julian just went for a paddle...he decided it was a bit too breezy to swim.

Walk to El Atalayón

2011-12-29T18:35:00.007+01:00

This is a lovely walk with amazing views, we found it by chance on Google Earth. The walk starts near Cala Reona and heads up into the hills of the Calblanque. You walk along the crest of a ridge of hills ending up at the top of El Atalayón which is the highest peak in the area. There were Marsh Harriers flying really close to us, just wish I had got a photo but I didn't get the camera out quick enough.

Christmas Lunch at Torre de la Horadada

2011-12-25T17:21:00.021+01:00

We decided the weather was far too nice to sit inside eating so we packed up sandwiches and headed for the beach at Torre de la Horadada. It was so warm out of the wind that we got completely over heated. We walked all the way to Mil Palmeras and then back to the car near El Mojon. We than stopped for a coffee at the marina in Las Salinas de San Pedro. When the clouds started to appear we decided it was time to go home and cook the Christmas dinner.

Walk to Cala Arturo

2011-12-23T18:28:00.009+01:00

This was a lovely walk and very easy. It starts near the cement works just over the road from Playa Honda and then heads straight through the hills to the beaches of the Calblanque. You can take a turn to the right and take a higher more windy route to get better views or take the low easy route if you are feeling lazy! As you can see from the photos, yet again, Julian could not resist a swim.

Walk to Punta Espada & Cala Magre

2011-12-18T10:51:00.012+01:00

Drove the quad bike to Calblanque and then walked along from Cala Magre to Punta Espada and Cala Dentoles. Finding the names of some of these beaches is a bit of a mine field...every map seems to say something different. There is a great lookout point where there is an old gun emplacement, this is on top on a hill overlooking Cala Magre. We spotted another trail from this lookout point which we plan to try out another day.

Walk to Playa de las Mulas

2011-12-13T10:43:00.014+01:00

This is a quick and easy walk starting from La Fuente above Los Belones. You follow the normal trail from La Fuente into the Calblanque and then when you reach a fork in the track you go straight on, this leads to a trail which heads down the side of a hill to the beach. The trail is narrow and there a loose rocks under foot but it is easy to follow. The larger beach La Mulas is to the right, there is a smaller beach to the left which has the remains of a stone hut on it but I could not find the name of this.

Walk on La Manga

2011-12-12T10:38:00.009+01:00

We just popped out for a quick stroll with our sandwiches today. Over to the Entremares Hotel on La Manga Strip and then up to the channel which passes into the Mar Menor (Canal Marchamalo). It was just so peaceful ...such a contrast with the beaches in the summer time.

Coastal walk from La Manga Club to Las Cenizas

2011-12-07T09:53:00.017+01:00

Only attempt this walk if you have a good pair of walking boots and a head for heights! The trail starts in La Manga Club in the woods near to Bellaluz, this part is easy. You then reach the edge of a cliff which drops steeply into the sea. The remainder of the walk is along this very rocky cliff edge, it is very steep (think rock climbing) in several places ... I was on my hands and knees on a number of occasions. I am also not good with heights so once we got half way along the track I knew I did not want to go back the same way!! This meant a very long walk home via the normal track to Las Cenizas which comes out on the road between the West Course at La Manga Club and Portman. We ended up having a 4 hour hike a large amount of which was up hill...we were completely knackered by the time we got back to the car at Bellaluz!

Cycle ride to Los Nietos

2011-12-06T22:38:00.003+01:00

We switched from walking boots to bikes today and headed along the promenade from Mar de Cristal to Los Nietos. It is only a 30 minute ride each way but as you can see it was warm and sunny with virtually no wind so we got pretty hot. Finished the ride, as usual, with coffee and hot chocolate brownies at Viva. All the good work cycling killed in one hit of chocolate!

Walk to Playa Gotera

2011-11-30T22:17:00.003+01:00

Walked from La Fuente in the hills above Los Belones to Playa Gotera in the Calblanque Natural Park. There was no wind so we got really hot, especially after climing up hill away from the beach on the way home. The walk is pretty easy to follow but it is not marked so you need a map as there are a lot of different trails winding there way through these hills. The path is very steep in one section and you definitely need a good pair of walking boots as the ground is very uneven and stoney. Yet again Julian could not resist a swim!

Quad trip to the Calblanque Natural Park

2011-11-29T22:09:00.003+01:00

Took the quad bike to the Calblanque Natural Park and walked near playa de las Cañas where there is a blow hole in the rocks. The sea was pretty rough so the water was squirting out of the hole with a lot of force.

Walk at Bolnuevo

2011-11-06T22:22:00.007+01:00

Headed to Bolnuevo on the western side of Mazarron to explore the many coves which are dotted along the coasted path. It started as an increadibly windy day and we were almost blown away at some points. Fortunately the wind calmed down and Julian couldn't resist a swim!

Plan for winter 2011/12

2011-11-05T22:00:00.002+01:00

We have decided that this winter, rather than spend all our time working on the house and garden, we will get out and see as much of the local area as possible. In past years the winter has gone by like a flash...we have busied ourselves with boring (but essential) jobs like refitting a bathroom, planting the garden, building a deck etc. etc.

This year we plan to get out walking and exploring at least once a week, if not more. I will post here lots of photos to show where we go and let you know if they are worth visiting or not.

Summer watersports on the Mar Menor

2011-11-04T15:43:00.000+01:00

We had a great summer season and have been really busy, hence the lack of a blog since April! I have added a selection of our photos below, you can find a lot more on our Facebook page.

Our Multi-Activity Holidays proved to be very popular this year and also our new Youth Get Wet Weeks. Other new acticvites for 2011 were power boat trips and since Julian is an RYA Power Boat Instructor we can also run power boat lessons.

We now run open enrolment Kayak Safaris throughout the season so you can join in with a group of other people to get out and explore the Mar Menor.

Sunshine and sailing...the best combination

2011-04-15T12:09:00.000+02:00

The 2011 season started with beautiful sunsine and warm water...What else could you ask for? Since Easter is late this year the schools are out early and we are already busy.

Cieza, Murcia

2011-03-29T18:49:00.001+02:00

Visited Cieza with friends. Lovely walk by the river then headed into the countryside to visit their peach orchards. Amazing scenery....a bit windy...picture above looks like my hair might blow off!

Thanks so much Pilar and Paco for lovely food and wonderful company.

The shed becomes a sauna

2011-02-15T16:55:00.002+01:00

Over 3 years ago we built a shed in our garden...our intention was always that one day it would be converted into a sauna. Well it has actually happened, so now if you come and stay in the B&B during the winter months you can enjoy sweating it out in the garden!

The building of the shed was blogged on 9/11/2007.

Romaria in Lorca

2011-01-16T13:37:00.005+01:00

We were invited to a Romaria in Lorca (Murcia). This was a real Spanish cultural experience and we were the only Giris there!! Our friend Amor was brought up in Lorca and this little village in the hills above Lorca hold a fiesta every year to celebrate their Saints Day. The day is celebrated by parading statues from the church around the countryside...(they are heavy)...and of course eating lots of Paella...

San Julián, Cartagena

2011-01-06T11:19:00.002+01:00

Climbed to the top of San Julián a hill overlooking Cartagena. Amazing views ...though a sea mist did blow in and spoil it!

This little chapel in the hills is popular for weddings...don't think they have really added to the picture with the antenne and the wind farm!

Our group of intrepid walkers and dogs...one of who decided to roll in some very smelly brown stuff..and was then excluded from the group during lunch...Peter you really should know better!

Just breathtaking views from the top. Unfortunatley the bottom of the hill isn't so pretty...it is a bit of a rubbish dump.

Calblanque in December...23 degrees!

2010-12-09T18:41:00.000+01:00

I haven't blogged for ages but couldn't resist putting up these photos of our latest visit to the Calblanque Natural Park. December 9 and it was such beautiful weather, people were sunbathing and even swimming! What a wonderful place to live...

Calblanque Breathtaking!

2010-05-02T11:32:00.001+02:00

The Calblanque is so beautiful this Spring. We had such a wet winter that everything is greener than usual and all the shrubs and grasses are bigger. If you come to Murcia you must visit...

Blustery conditions on the Mar Menor

2010-04-12T11:21:00.001+02:00

Look at that Topaz nose dive - it is quite a handful with a F5 and some decent waves...

This Easter brought with it some blustery conditions and some fast sailing for Jualin and Matt. Well done Matt for your Topper Inland Championship results!

First watersports event of the season

2010-03-11T12:22:00.001+01:00

Our first kayaking group of the season with every kayak in use...looks like we may need to buy some more! Water a bit chilly but lovely sunshine.

Almond Blossom at the Matanza

2010-02-21T12:19:00.001+01:00

Went to a Matanza - a killing!! They kill a pig, butcher it and then have a BBQ. We turned up after all the gore was over... I can't face blood and intestines all over the place.

The Almond blossom was in full bloom - which was far more attractive than the bits of pig on show!

On top of the world...Sierra Espuña

2010-02-20T12:14:00.000+01:00

Visited the Sierra Espuña for the first time - since we have lived here for 4 years this is pretty disgusting as it is under and hour away. Anyway we made up for lost time and went walking. I even saw a Barbary Sheep - huge with big horns - very scary looking! There was snow at the top and with the wind chill it felt freezing.

Carnival Cartagena 2010

2010-02-14T10:26:00.003+01:00

The annual carival was a riot of colour. Despite the cold weather (10%) lots of bare flesh was showing which made me feel pretty cold even though I was well wrapped up! It was amazing that they managed to get some of the floats throught he narrow streets.

House from outerspace

2010-01-02T12:11:00.001+01:00

Went exploring at the end of La Manga Strip and found this amazing building. It was a private home but is now a restaurant. Unfortunately it wasn't open so we couldn't event stop for a coffee.

Merry Christmas from Los Nietos

2009-12-16T16:53:00.007+01:00

We had our annual Christmas Show at the Alpha Centre in Los Nietos. It was probably the best attended event in our history and everyone seemed to really enjoy it - even the mistakes! If you are a friend of mine on Facebook you can see more photos - including some truly awful shots...

Many thanks to the Spangles who sang will heaps of energy even after such a full day.

Is this really November?

2009-11-29T12:13:00.000+01:00

We have had such amazing weather this November. We headed out kayaking with friends on both Wednesday and Saturday. As you can see we are in t-shirts - the weather was fabulous!
This is why we choose to live in Spain.

La Fuente

2009-11-26T12:20:00.000+01:00

Climbed up La Fuente (a hill just outside Los Belones) and then stopped in the village square for coffee. It is quite a climb but as you can see the views from the top are amazing. The hill is on the edge of the Calblanque National Park and you can see all around from up there. It was pretty hazy which was a good thing, as it would have been far too hot with the sun out.

La Muela

2009-11-21T12:26:00.002+01:00

Met some new friends and climbed up to La Muela - quite a hike! Unfortunatley it was cloudy so we couldn't see much of the view. Must admit I whimped out and didn't climb the rickity ladder to the top.

Surfari Los Alcazares

2009-10-11T21:00:00.001+02:00

The annual windsurfing and kitesurfing event Surfari took place in Los Alcazares this weekend. Great atmosphere and loads of people - the only thing which didn't turn up was the wind!! They ended up using surfboards with paddles - not quite the idea.

Happy Birthday/Anniversary to You!

2009-09-27T12:00:00.000+02:00

Had a double celebration this weekend, Julian's birthday and John and June's wedding anniversary. We headed out to a lovely restaurant and enjoyed the fact that the crazy season was over...now time to relax, kick back and enjoy the sunshine.

Romans and Carthaginians

2009-09-25T21:06:00.001+02:00

Headed into Cartagena for the evening to take in the sites of the Romans and Carthaginians annual fiesta - what a sight! So many people dressed up in elaborate costumes. They were really getting into the spirit of it - especially the group we were with - the Roman Leigon had all learn't a number of line dances - yes that is what I said - I have video proof of Roman Soldiers line dancing to Achy Breaky Heart!

Top photo is of our friend Juan with me and Julian.

Hot Pickle!

2009-07-27T12:07:00.002+02:00

Ginger and Pickles now almost 1 year old, trying to escape the heat of the sun. The cats are sleeping most of the time now, even eating is too much effort in this heat! We are very busy with work which means the cats are having to get used to many different people around the house. Most of the time they just hide - like Ginger in the photo.

The crowds are back

2009-07-05T17:39:00.001+02:00

Our normally quiet beach is now covered in parasols. I guess this may not look that busy to you but the other end of the beach is much busier. One of our boats can be seen (white sail) just leaving our boat lane.

Awesome!

2009-07-03T15:14:00.002+02:00

This is probably the most amazing sunset I have ever seen. Just looked like the whole sky was on fire. Photos are taken from our house and on the promenade at Mar de Cristal.

Bob goes to Isla Perdiguera

2009-06-15T17:28:00.001+02:00

We headed off to Isla Perdiguera on the Mar Menor this morning. A perfect tranquil day. Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I had to borrow some photos. This amazing photo is not mine - please see this link for other fabulous photos of the Mar Menor.

This photo (by Pepe Triton) is taken from the top of the hill on Isla Perdiguera. There used to be restaurants and jetties on the island however all this was cleared about 3 years ago. There are now just birds and the remains of some military encampments... and unfortunately the rubbish of the visitors who stop on the island.

Splashing around on the high seas

2009-06-05T17:05:00.000+02:00

Had some experienced sailors in to rent some boats so took the opportunity and got out in the power boat to take some photos. I now realise I have another job to do, clean the hull of the Pastinaca (top photo). The salty mineral rich waters of the Mar Menor turn anything white a dirty brown colour.

Our youngest kayaker this year

2009-06-03T16:59:00.001+02:00

The school holidays have brought a flurry of work in. Mum & Dad and their 4 (nearly 5) year old daughter headed out on a kayak safari. We just popped along the coast to visit some nearby beaches.

We have been busy sailing, windsurfing and kayaking for the past couple of weeks. The water is getting pretty warm now (24ish) so even the windsurfers were disgarding their wetsuits.

Fungus the bogie cat

2009-05-18T14:41:00.000+02:00

Cachauete started to develop some awful lumps on his face - see chin and below his eye. Had to catch him and take him down to the vet, which didn't impress him at all. The vet said it could be a fungal infection or tumors. Fortunately the test results said fungus (ringworm) so now he is on tablets for at least the next month.

Synchronised cat feeding - we haven't yet got them trained in synchronised swimming but give us time!

Hot Dogs or Hot Cats?

2009-05-14T14:36:00.000+02:00

Cachauete & Ginger ready for a doze in one of their favorite spots... yes it is a cooker. It is a hot plate for cooking meat or fish called a plancha here in Spain, hence we have given the cats the nickname Los Plancheros. The problem is that now if I want to cook on it I can't leave the area or I will end up with burnt cat.

Brotherly Love

2009-05-11T14:33:00.000+02:00

Ginger and Pickles (twins) curled up together for an afternoon nap. They have definitely got the Spanish Siesta sussed.

Playa Negrete - Calblanque

2009-05-02T14:24:00.000+02:00

Headed down to the beach for the evening with friends. A wedding couple were down there having photos taken. It must have been rather difficult navigating the route down in a wedding dress it is pretty slippy even in normal clothing.

I've got my arm in a support as I have got tenonitis. Not from doing any watersports activities but from painting the deck and gardening. Just goes so show work is not good for you!

First beach day of the year

2009-04-24T13:31:00.001+02:00

Beautiful sunny day so couldn't resist it... packed our sandwiches and headed to the beach. As you can see it wasn't too crowded!

Aguas Tranquilas

2009-04-22T13:44:00.003+02:00

Wow what a view ... mirrored waters and stillness ... this is why we named our B&B Aguas Tranquilas

Lo Pagan

2009-04-04T13:26:00.004+02:00

Took an afternoon out with friends to walk at Lo Pagan. It was a beautiful afternoon and except for the public toilet incidents the scenery was great!

Tres Mouseketeers

2009-03-31T16:13:00.001+02:00

The gang are out enjoying some sunshine.

Cacahuete (peanut), Jenjibre (ginger) y Pepinillos(pickles) - listed from front to back. Unfortunatley Cacahuete has been ill for a few weeks and has lost some weight, so much so that Ginger, who is younger than him, is now bigger than him.

Spring Walk in the Calblanque

2009-03-14T16:07:00.005+01:00

Lovely day so headed over the the Calblanque Natural Park for a walk. It is amazingly green this year as we have had far more rain this winter than normal. You can even see someone sunbathing in the shot above - though they still have their clothes on!

Language is a wonderful thing...

2009-03-13T12:43:00.007+01:00

Today I am ordering some new sails for one of our sailing dinghies. This may not seem very complicated and it shouldn't be, however, I wrote the email in Spanish and then thought I would run it through some translation software to check for any errors, this is what it thought I had written.

Hello Carmiña,

We need a new candle for our Parsnip.

Specification
It veils bigger Parsnip School
Supplement forced sables

? Can we add later with skates in grátil yes we want them?
? Can you give me a price?

Thank you
Lesley

The actual message I wrote in Spanish looked like this (translation in brackets)

Hola Carmiña,

Necesitamos una nueva vela para nuestra Pastinaca.
(We need a new sail for our Pastinaca - this is a type of sailing dinghy)

Especificación

Vela Mayor Pastinaca Escuela
(Pastinaca Main sail for Sailing School)

Suplemento sables forzados
(Additional reinforced batons)

?Podemos agregar con patines en grátil más tarde sí los queremos?
(Can we add sliders along the luff later if we want them?)

?Puedes darme un precio?

Gracias

Lesley

Let's just hope I don't end up with a candle for my parsnip!

Spring Flowers on the Mar Menor

2009-03-07T16:01:00.003+01:00

The spring flowers this year are absolutely amazing. We headed out for a walk from Mar de Cristal to Playa Honda and there were acres of beautiful flowers. Unfortunately just a few days later I went back to see them again only to find that the local wandering heard of sheep and goats had eaten the lot!

Finished at last...

2009-02-27T13:07:00.003+01:00

March 2009
March 2008

Nov 2007

Dec 2006

At last we have finished the garden. It took a huge amount of work but it looks great. Anyone staying at the B&B will now be able to enjoy looking at beautiful plants rather than dead grass!

Unfortunatley all of the painting on the deck and shed has left me with a damaged tendon in my arm which is taking ages to heal up. It didn't help that after all the painting I had to plant load of plants and then move tons of gravel. I am just hoping the arm heals up in time for the new sailing season.

Sailing anyone?

2009-01-02T09:46:00.001+01:00

Cachauete has rather taken to our boats...I'm not sure he will be so keen when they are on the water! The boat covers make a great hamock to sleep in the the ropes hanging from the trapeze are perfect for batting around.

Shiver me timbers!

2008-12-18T09:33:00.003+01:00

The deck project started in November and is now "full on" in December. We had the most enormous load of decking timber delivered which Julian is gradually working through. At least by the end of this we won't have to look at dead grass and an old tree trunk! I am busy planting out the new flower beds and mixing concrete for the post holes. We travel to the UK for Christmas so it is a race aginst time to get it completed before we go.

Ginger and Pickles

2008-12-16T09:40:00.001+01:00

We thought one cat was enough but Cachauete and these two had other ideas! Cachauete joined us in Sept 2008 and decided he wanted a couple of playmates...Pickle (the grey kitten) decided that this was a jolly good idea especially since there was obviously a good source of food and a couple of old softies (me and Julian) who caved in whenever she mewed and followed us around.

Cacahuete joins the team

2008-12-07T16:20:00.001+01:00

This is our new kitten - he decided to move in in September and as you can see from the photos below he has grown alot in just 3 months.

Cacahuete in his bed...he lives outside, being a wild cat he still doesn't like coming inside.

Cachuete just a couple of weeks after finding his new home. He was just skin and bone and very nervous.

The sun is back!

2008-11-07T10:27:00.006+01:00

Now that November is here the weather has settled down and we have blue skies back again. We have a couple of dinghy sailing courses running over the next couple of weeks and kayak safaris scheduled for both the Mar Menor and Calblanque National Park. After that we will be rolling up the windsurf sails and storing the equipment away until March. This doesn't mean that we can put our feet up as a huge load of wood is arriving for us to build a deck in the garden which we want to finish before Christmas. Photos of our progress will be posted here - of course!

The rain in Spain

2008-10-20T10:23:00.002+02:00

Well we thought that the rain had come and gone last month, but this month it just kept coming. We had two weeks of dry weather then 3 days wet, another two weeks of dry and another 3 days of wet. This may not seem like much compared to England but when it rains it knows how to do it here - in volume! We have been wading about in water in our garage for the past 6 weeks - it is subterranean and below the level of the Mar Menor so we need a pump to keep it dry even in the heat of the summer. We had to bring all of the wetsuits, buoyancy aids and sails into the house to avoid them going mouldy.

We have still been busy with dinghy sailing courses and have also had sailors staying in our B&B. Fortunately, although we have had some cloud the weather has generally been fine and warm so we could still get out on the water.

September in Spain

2008-09-29T18:06:00.013+02:00

So much has happened since I last posted a blog I think I will just have to give a brief list of activities...

1. We have continued to run some watersports activities during September. It has been quiet some weeks and busy others. The photo above was taken a couple of weeks ago during a windsurfing lesson. Just as well be bought a 2m windsurf sail this year as we had several very small people wanting to learn!

2. I have started to sort out my garden (it gets very neglected during the summer). We are also measuring up for a new deck and invernedero (conservatory) which we are hoping to fit during November.

3. The annual rains have come (and now hopefully gone). These are called the Gota Fría and are caused by the water in the mediterranean being a much higher temperature than that of the land. Huge rain clouds are formed which then dump their contents on the coast.

4. We have adopted a kitten, or should I say a kitten has adopted us!! Actually he is still very timid as he is wild but is gradually gaining confidence and is sitting on the window-sill watching me as I write.

5. We have had two days off at the beach - well half days anyway!

6. I have cleared a lot of the junk in the garage into plastic boxes to make it easier to find stuff - try telling Julian that...

7. We have cut the hedge and cleaned the street (no street cleaners at our end of the village). However now that there has been a lot of rain and a virtual river running past the house we will have to do it again.

8. We have spend some time working on our Spanish verbs.

9. We have had Julian's brother and his wife to stay.

Can't think of anything else now but I'm sure a huge number of other things have gone on which I have forgotten about.

Crazy Season Nearly Over!

2008-08-23T12:51:00.004+02:00

Having been bobbing about on a sailing boat for 6 hours a day, 6 days per week for the past 6 weeks I am quite glad to see September approaching. As I sit eating my dinner in the evening I am still swaying.

Does this look like hard work?

2008-07-12T17:20:00.004+02:00

The pace of work has certainly increased now that July is here. However, from the photo above it hardly looks like hard work! We had a very relaxed kayak safari and enjoyed a good chat on the way.

Marianne said..."We were delighted to find something so fun to do on our last day in Spain... certainly took the mind off the prospect of returning to work. "

Unfortunately she had to go straight back to work the following day. So did I, but the view from my office is a bit better!

Lazing in the Calblanque

2008-07-04T16:05:00.006+02:00

Well, we promised ourselves that we would get to the beach and relax a bit during May and June, so that we would be refreshed and ready for the hectic summer season.... best made plans!

During May we were very busy and didn't get to the beach at all, however, during June things were much quieter, not good for the pocket but good for the soul! We managed to get to the beach 3 times during the month, just look at those photos above. With beaches like that within 10 mins drive it is a crime not to get there more often.

Gone for a tea break...

2008-06-12T12:42:00.004+02:00

Entitled "Gone for a tea break" this photo was taken by Bob, one of our recent clients. The boat was all rigged and ready to go, but as you can see the wind wasn't present. So he headed off to the beach cafe for a drink while we waited for the wind to arrive. Within an hour we had great sailing conditions.

Bob had just completed 2 days of sailing lessons to brush up his sailing technique before we let him loose in a single hander.

Hot in Los Alcázares

2008-05-19T21:40:00.005+02:00

Spangles opened their summer season with a Singout at their home, the Las Claras Centre in Los Alcázares. Six new members joined the ranks, making us 22 on stage. We used risers during the singout for the first time and introduced several new songs and lots of new moves.

I have to say, standing on the top row of the risers was rather like being in a sauna, as although the aircon was on, all the hot air was still up near the ceiling. Fortunately noone passed out!

As you can see from the photo it was very sunny and we are all squinting well.

Summer Is Here

2008-05-04T19:04:00.005+02:00

You can tell summer is here by the fact I am now too busy to put entries into my blog! I was out on the water teaching a sailing lesson today and Julian has been teaching windsurfing. It was absolutely beautiful, 27 degrees and sunny (of course!). The water is already about 24 degrees (I will check this tomorrow). Now off to sip a glass of wine while watching the sun set over the Mar Menor. This is the life...

First Windsurfing Course of 2008

2008-04-10T19:32:00.005+02:00

Three generations of the Cowan family joined us last week for a sailing and windsurfing course. We had great weather and a great time was had by all. The only downside was they had to return to 2 feet of snow (they live in Scotland!)

We do hope you all get out on your new Laser soon... but make sure you take a axe out to break the ice as you go!

Queenie Quad Arrives at Aqua Adicta

2008-04-05T22:27:00.005+02:00

Oh dear, it's April 5th and I haven't updated my blog since March 20! We have been very very busy, guests in the B&B over Easter, then 3 lots of guests in our house in Estrella de Mar and now a group of 7 Windsurfing and Sailing all week.

Photo above is of our new quad bike who has the unenviable job of pulling boats up and down the beach. Julian's back just wasn't coping with the strain. Our only problem now is storage space, fitting 5 dinghies, 7 kayaks, 8 windsurf rigs and sails plus a quad bike into the garage is a puzzle we can't quite solve!

Spangles meet the Velvetones

2008-03-20T21:17:00.003+01:00

This week is Semana Santa and everything is closed, including the community centre Las Claras in Los Alcázares where the Spangles meet. Because of this we decided to head up to Torrevieja and join with the Velvetones for one of their rehearsals.

Had a great time singing with so many other barbershoppers and several of our newest members sang in front of an audience for the first time. A bit nerve racking since there were only 12 of us (count the green tops!).

First Sailing Course of 2008

2008-03-17T19:45:00.006+01:00

We have both had an increadibly busy week...

Aqua Adicta opened for business on Wednesday with a sailing course and a boat rental. The boat to be rented out was stored behind all of the windsurf boards and kayaks so they all had to be moved first!

Our first clients of the year also came into the B&B on Saturday and we had used these extra rooms to store all of the boat sails, buoyancy aids etc. etc. throughout the winter, so a huge amount of sorting, clearing and cleaning was required.

Our house for rent in Estrella de Mar also had to be cleaned between guests on Saturday.

So now it is Monday, all the cleaning is finished (for one week at least), the sailing course is finished and the B&B guests are comfortably installed, so we can think about relaxing a little. However, we have a water leak in the garage, which the insurance company keep saying they will fix but keep failing to do so. The plumber will return at the crack of dawn tomorrow to have another go, so fingers crossed it will all be fixed before everyone in Spain goes on holiday for Easter.

Spring is Here

2008-02-28T18:13:00.005+01:00

You can tell that spring is here are some Spangles are wearing white summer trousers and others blue winter ones...Please remind me next time we take a photo of the chorus - I am short - I don't need to stoop down!

Playing MP3 Files on Blogger.com

2008-02-15T13:38:00.008+01:00

I have been searching all afternoon for a way to put an MP3 file in my blog... there seem to be many suggestions and questions on blogger.com none of which were much help, however, I have found my own route - really easy and it works!

Go to B00MP3 follow the instructions to upload your file - simply select where you want to access it and away you go.

Estrella de Mar

2008-02-11T16:24:00.004+01:00

Not only have we got to sort out our publicity for our Sailing School but also the publicity for the villa we rent out. I am busy creating a new website for it as the old one is rather tired. We needed some new photos so we headed over to Estrella de Mar to take a walk around the village and capture a few pictures. The problem for me is when the sun in shining I want to be out in it, not stuck inside writing web pages...

Cactus Alley

2008-02-08T16:18:00.002+01:00

With Julian's busy working on the boats I am getting some time to do some gardening. These aren't my normal gardening clothes - my pink wellies and muddy trousers are more usual. However, since I was just doing a bit of pruning at the time I didn't bother to get changed. The only problem comes when a bit of light pruning turns into a bit of heavy digging and before you realise it you have ruined a clean set of clothes!

This part of my garden is called Cactus Alley - it leads upto the front door. In summer it is like a furnace and the only plants which survive are cactus.

Now the real work starts

2008-02-04T16:07:00.001+01:00

Having spent a full month away we are now inundated with jobs to ensure that all the boats, publicty etc are ready for the new season. Julian is busy putting new cleats on Baldrick and a new centre main block on Bernard. Fibre-glass repairs have been carried out, now we just need to clean up the hulls to make them look bright and gleaming. The Mar Menor is very salty and this causes the hulls turn a horrible brown colour.

Home at Last...

2008-01-26T20:56:00.002+01:00

We flew back to Spain on Monday, having been away for a month. Boy are we glad to be back! On the flight on the way back we entertained ourselves by reading the Easy Jet magazine... we are featured in it this month, so if you are flying take a look.

Having returned from so long away, we now have a huge job list. First of all it was unpacking, shopping, washing clothes and restocking the drinking water supplies, hence the photo of Julian at La Fuente filling up the water bottles. Then we cleared up the garden and finished cutting the hedge (a job that Julian started in early December).

Bookings are arriving for Sailing Courses in March so now we'd better crack on with the boat maintenance tasks.

Hold onto you hats!

2008-01-20T21:11:00.001+01:00

It was our last day in England today so we got out and braved the weather, rather breezy, especially when we were walking by the canal at Saul Junction. Then headed into Frampton on Severn for a hot drink (badly needed). Had a walk around the green at Frampton (the largest village green in England) and just managed to get back to the car before it started raining.

Wakey wakey!

2008-01-18T21:06:00.001+01:00

We arrived back in England from San Diego on Monday, however we are still suffering from jet lag as we can't get a decent nights sleep. We keep waking up at 4am and then can't get back to sleep again. Grey skies and drizzle don't help to liven you up during the day either.

Good Stuff

2008-01-13T19:56:00.002+01:00

Last day in California today... 25 degrees here, 11 in UK! Headed up to Carlsbad for a short walk and then on to Los Angeles. Went to Good Stuff in El Segundo for lunch (photo above). Had a wander around Marina del Rey taking in those last rays on sunshine before heading to the grey cold of England.

Anza Borrego Desert

2008-01-12T19:51:00.001+01:00

Drove from San Diego out past Lake Cuyamaca to Julian and then out into the Anza Borrego desert to Ocotillo Wells. We drove through the area where there were wild fires in 2003 and saw many trees like the one above, completely black. We also drove through some areas affected by this years fires, you could still smell them. Met up with Julian's brother in the desert and went quadbiking (me) and dirt biking (Julian). We then had our 3rd Thai meal in 2 weeks! We do rather miss Thai food in Spain.

Have you seen Fred Flintstone?

2008-01-10T19:44:00.001+01:00

Headed out into the desert to Borrego Springs. As you can see from the photo there were some huge rock formations, spot me in the top photo and you get an idea of the scale. There is a bear in the second photo (pero es un osito no es un oso!). Went for a long walk and thought we were getting lost because the map we were trying to follow bore no resemblence to the surroundings. When we returned we were warned that there were rattle snakes out there - glad I didn't know before hand or I wouldn't have gone! Very hot when we finished the walk so soaked in a hot tub and had a swim.

Pedestrians Watch Out!

2008-01-08T19:41:00.001+01:00

Visited Pacific Beach today and hired out some skates and a bike to join the locals. I was going to hire skates but felt it was unlikely that I would make it out of the shop without breaking anything so I stuck to the bike and left Julian to skate.

What is this wet stuff?

2008-01-07T19:39:00.001+01:00

Have had a few days of wet and windy weather so took the opportunity to do some Shopping and do some Spanish homework. Plus update the website… found a strange bug when it is viewed on a Mac.

Green Fingers

2008-01-03T19:34:00.001+01:00

Headed off to the Quail Botanic Gardens today to try and get a few ideas for my garden back in Spain. The climate here is rather less extreme than ours but similar in many respects. Unfortunately, I think the bamboo in the photo above is out of the question (no where near enough water) the pergola clearly would cause problems as well (too big) however I have some other ideas to take back with me.

Visited the San Diego Chorus yesterday, pretty impressive sound. Unfortunately I went to a rehearsal where they were learning a lot of new material. I would really like to have heard them sing something they knew well. However, I picked up a few tips, Spangles hold onto your swimming hats!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T19:32:00.001+01:00

Happy New Year!! Went to bed at about 9:30pm, but managed to crawl out of bed to watch the fireworks over San Diego Bay.

Heading Down Pacific Coast Highway

2007-12-31T19:26:00.001+01:00

Drove down to San Diego yesterday, we are staying in Point Loma. We walked down to the waterfront, just beautiful. You can see why people want to live here.

Unfortunately I picked up a cold in the UK (everyone seems to have one). This combined with the jet lag, means that I feel rather groggy and the chance of me staying up to see the New Year in is zero!

Surfs Up!

2007-12-29T19:20:00.002+01:00

You may have spotted that the above photo is no longer in England! Landed in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon as we are visiting Julian’s father for a couple of weeks. It’s holiday season and everyone is out enjoying the sunshine surfing, playing volleyball or just strolling around.

A couple of tips if you are flying into LAX, stay at the Marriott Courtyard in El Segundo, quiet, comfy beds and loads of very soft pillows (no I am not on commission!). Found a great little place for breakfast this morning called Good Stuff, also a really great Thai Restaurant called Thai Dishes (rubbish name but great food).

Grey Skies

2007-12-26T20:13:00.001+01:00

Getting sick of the grey skies day after day here in England, I decided to take a photo and put it on the blog just to record it. Went outside and what did I see, but this lovely sunset.

My Christmas Present ??

2007-12-23T20:09:00.001+01:00

I am over in the UK for Christmas and was out doing a bit of last minute Christmas shopping this morning, when I spotted this in a shop window. I think that it is an essential gift for the MD (Musical Director) of the Spangles. To explain, the Spangles are a ladies barbershop chorus and our signature colour is lime green, this Lamborgini just hits the spot!

The Final Spangle

2007-12-20T19:36:00.001+01:00

The final Spangle - a bit like the last Rolo but better!! We had a great rehearsal with plenty of laughs, finished off with Christmas lunch and no turkey or stuffing in sight. Feliz Navidad to you all.

Deck the Halls...fa la la....

2007-12-16T19:06:00.001+01:00

Los Nietos Christian Fellowship joined forces with the locals in Los Nietos to sing christmas carols in the square. All were in good voice - especially after the mulled wine and with a mouth full of mince pie!! We sang both spanish and english charols (or villancicos in spanish) though trying to fit spanish words to english tunes wasn't the easiest thing.

Just as well the Spangles had finished all their singouts for the Christmas season as I nearly sang myself horse. We actually had two singouts yesterday (though sorry no photos this time). All went really well, we actually did a third impromptu singout at a Novo Carthago Tapas Bar in Estrella de Mar where we stopped at for a coffee (honest!!) in between events.

Christmas is coming and Doggett is getting fat

2007-12-12T18:06:00.002+01:00

Just realised that I have left it too late to send Christmas cards this year. The Spanish postal system isn’t that reliable at the best of times, so all our Christmas greetings will be sent via email. I have also realised that there is no chance of completing the To-Do List in the time I have left, though I can add one more item to the Half Finished To-Do List as Julian managed to prune two of the three Palm trees.

Got two more sails cleaned today (see photo) only two to go now. You can also see Julian cooking our lunch on the BBQ, we are trying to clear the freezer and had a couple of burgers left over.

Just incase you are wondering Doggett is our dog (full name Pendogett after a small village in Cornwall where he came from).

December Sunshine on the Mar Menor

2007-12-09T18:28:00.008+01:00

Headed out for a walk this afternoon, much too nice to stay inside working (25 degrees today!). Walked between Mar de Cristal and Caravanning La Manga enjoyed the scenary and the windsurfers who were making the most afternoon breeze.

Baldrick and Bernard Come Home

2007-12-08T20:25:00.002+01:00

The picture above shows me in my very fetching purple wellies (with yellow flowers) paddling Bob away from the shore so that we can start up Eddie (the engine). The Mar Menor is very shallow a long way out so you have to paddle quite a bit!

Bob and Eddie were both busy again today, the final phase of Operation Great Escape has been accomplished and Bernard and Baldrick (Sailing Dingies) are now safely back at the house - all washed up and put away for the winter. We now just have to get through the pile of sails that need washing.

More Spangling in Los Alcazares

2007-12-07T20:48:00.001+01:00

Striking fear into passing shoppers, the Spangles broke out and sang at a Centro Comercial Las Velas in Los Alcazares today! Infact it was a great singout, we drew quite a crowd who all enjoyed a glass of wine and some nibbles afterwards. A big "Thank you" to Jane and Kathy from Offex who supplied the refreshments and organised the event. We also made a few euros for the chorus into the bargin and we have been asked to go back again next year... can't be bad!.

Spangles Strike Again

2007-12-06T20:44:00.001+01:00

The Spangles have been out and about again, this time singing near Pozo Estrecho. Bit of an informal gathering followed by a great lunch - well done Thelma!

Las Aventuras de Bob y Eddie

2007-12-05T21:00:00.003+01:00

Bob and Eddie were back on the water again yesterday towing windsurfers. They are now all safely stored in the garage and we have now started the never ending task of washing all the sails. We have a new pergola in the garden which is proving very using to hang them from.

The weather is absolutely beautiful at the moment. It is up to 20 degrees most days and really warm in the sunshine... and this is December!