24 January 2025 Santa Pola

Not sure left or right?

This is the size of the salt pans (below)

Some of the camper cars around here.

Had a good cycle this morning upas far as Arenals del  Sol about half way to Alicanti. If you need to go to Alicanti the bus station is a 10 mins. walk from the campsite then a 55 mins. journey there is a direct route bus that is faster, the buses are ever half an hour.

The morning cycle route and the view towards Alicanti.

If you do go to Alicanti then a must is the tunnel under the castle and a lift up to the middle of the castle FAB. And if you are missing your Starbucks the shopping mall half way up the main street. I may cycle all the way it depends on the weather (to HOT at the moment).

Another thing I have over the last few years started hiring a car 2 weeks 5 seater 400 Euros if you have friends very cheap to share the cost 100 miles a day.

Shopping first thing and they had shut the main street off as a large crane is been erected and some more parts arrived.

A Graffiti day.

Yesterday morning I cycled up to The Faro google says mostly flat good job I have been before what a joke its climbing all the way. I posted a picture of where I am talking about now I can show you the view from the platforms.

The island of Tarbica in the distance.

Love locks get every where even on this?

2 miles straight road going up.

On arrival the Faro (lighthouse the below was on the side of the road going up.

In the afternoon cycle and shopping.

Below is me sunbathing MMMM?

I would like to mention if you cycle to Elche the town is small but has 12 bridges over the Rambler (river bed) and it is the place in old times that the town used to do its washing. It is a UNESCO site due to the thousands of palm trees and one of its main trades was shoe making before the Chines market destroyed it. Another fantastic Day XX.

22 January 2025 Santa Pola

Yesterday cycled along the saltpans to see the flamingos.

I put the bike on the sign to give you an idea how big these are and I have visited BIGGER ones.

Darth Vader ?

Wow this is an old boat.

Salt Pans above they stretch for miles must try to go to the Salt Museum have not been for a few years

You could think that I was miles from any where great cycling.

Spotted what I think could be a new Saga cruise ship.

I think this guy will have a few problems parking on this site with a vehicle this tall…. trees watch out.

The cemeteries here are totally different you rent the space I think its a good idea then you are not left with lots of unkept grave stones after the whole family has died.

Heads up for morning exercise in the site pool.

21 January 2025 Santa Pola

On the campsite is a lovely notice board that tell you every thing that is going on and items for sale and next to it a seat that people put things on that they no longer want.

Just along the road are the salt pans I hope to put some pictures up tommorow as I cycled along them this afternoon.

The swimming pool on the site Karaoke on last night.

Hope this is cheaper the the Cafe du Paris I visited in Monte Carlo.

Now this is a pleasure to cycle along on my early morning cycle.

20 January 2025 Santa Pola

Cycle down to the town and had a chat with a local from Newcastle interesting called in at Lidle for tea.

Cycle up to Elche this morning lovely place with an interesting History. The story of the below is fab and one Christmas we saw the Parade.

Some lovely houses and a car sales place nice cars.

Got back to the site mid afternoon so a bit of sun bathing.

If you love trains you’re sure to love this.

What a big climbing wall.

A good one to finish with.

Up early into town for a coffee no cake because the Santa Pola half Marathon is on lots of people the top few runners are usually guests and have their accommodation and flights payed for.

It took 10 mins for them all to pass me near the start. Disabled set of first.

The picture above is Gran Alicant where lots of Brits moved years ago they probably live in the below picture now.

Had a cycle half way to Alicanti it took me 2 hours out and back and the amount of motorhomes was out of this world never seen as many in 17 years.

In the afternoon had a cycle half way to Elche getting my bearing for some big cycles.

3 cycles today.

18 January 2025 Santa Pola

Had a walk into Calpe with  my friend for coffee and a look around the Ifach looks lovely on a sunny morning. Spoke to a friend last night that used to come down here to climb it many years ago.

This lovely hotel is also another place I had a special friend come down to stay while we drove her around this area of Spain.

Cycling teams from all over the world come here to train over the winter.

The mermaids are still visible on the rocks on the sea front.

A good drive down it is starting to get mega hot now I have passed Alicanti on arrival it took a while to book in but I had to catch up with washing so managed to hand wash my large items (no not underwear)  hard one on your own but only too 1 ½ hours to dry.

Got the bike out and had a cycle round the fishing boat area a large fleet here gosh and I nearly cycled over a very rare starfish WOW.

If you ever come here it’s worth catching one of these boats out to the island of Tarbica interesting you can just see it under the arrow (click image for BIG). Cycled back through the town some shopping and spotted that the Santa Pola half marathon on tomorrow about 9000 runners drum bands and lots of fun.

17 January 2025 Calpe

Bad rain overnight and in the morning wished I had a boat as these roads are not water friendly but a good journey down (dirty Van).

A friend down here was told off by the Policia for using here invalid scooter on a cycle way #### wonder what they would have said to this guy in the hotel.

Got to the site 1100 lunch then into town for a coffee and some shopping then rain showers Ugh!

16 January 2025 Denia

Lots of cycling again and still looking for new things for you all.

Night clubs and Irish bars nearly every town has one.

The castle again from the seafront

Shadows of their former self’s!

What it like at sunrise outside the campsite.

Some people will park there bikes any where.

This shop front is different?

I think this diver is lost?

I wonder what is under this.

Back in 2008 I left a lot of stones here and think I must have started a trend.

A lady on the site was trying to get to a cave in Montgo so below is what she missed the photo below is one I took in 2008 well worth the time to get there on a very windy day with the threat of rock falls but very good.

La Cova de l’Aigua it is on the north face of Montgó, about 350 meters high. If it has recently rained, drops fall from the roof like rain. It has two rooms and a small pond at the bottom. At the entrance there is a Roman inscription dating from 238 AD, unfortunately badly treated.

History

It is known from the remains found that it was already used in Iberian times. Later, the Romans used it as a place of worship, and Arab remains of the Taifa of Dénia and its use as a reservoir have also been found. Some sources suggest that between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries it had a canalization of mud pipes to supply the population that lived on the slope.

15 January 2025 Denia

Managed 3 Cycles today great finding new places cycled along the sea front to Los Marines.

Managed 2 coffee today and a friend sent me that much cake via comments I put on a stone.