After the trip to Galicia the previous week, this was another week of working from home, cycling and enjoying the summer.
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I am not a big beach person (I dislike sand and I am not into bathing either), but from time to time I accompany my wife there. We walk down with our chairs, and in my case a book and a cooler with a couple of beers. And of course the camera. This the beach from my vantage point on Sunday afternoon:
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There are fewer African vendors on the beach this year, not surprising given that there are fewer people on the beach, and in particular far fewer foreigners:
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This guy showed interest in the stuff on offer, but I don’t think a transaction was done. I felt sorry for the African vendor–it is a hard life, and this year even harder than usual:
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Here is a nicer aspect of the beach. Our particular beach is adapted for wheelchair users. There is a wooden walkway from the promenade almost to the water’s edge, ending in a large platform with shade for those who just want to remain in their wheelchair. But this lady wanted to get in the water, so the relatives accompanying her put a plastic chair in the water and helped her sit down, so that she too could enjoy the warm water of the Mediterranean:
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Back to cycling. One of the prettiest roads around here, from the town of Aigües (16 km from home) to Relleu (another 15 km or so):
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A closer view from the same spot, about 450 meters above sea level. In the foreground on the right is Aigües. The built-up peninsula on the left is the northern part of Alicante, Playa San Juan; on the right is the city of Alicante (part of it). And in the far distance, across the bay, are the beach communities south of Alicante:
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A midweek ride, thus early in the morning to be at my desk by 9:30. Being on the beach road early has its rewards:
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On weekdays I usually just ride to Aigües, 16 km away (and up) and back, a ride of about 1 1/2 hour. Most days, I don’t take any breaks–I just turn around in Aigües and start the descent. But sometimes I stop briefly on the main square, Plaza de la Iglesia. Sometimes I am being watched when I do that:
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On the street leading to the square, a display on a balcony, urging people to use the facemask. Actually, most do (and it is required, even outside) but sometimes people get sloppy. I guess this is what motivates this display:
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One day I took my Leica M8 out for a spin. It is totally ancient by digital camera standards, having been launched in 2006 (mine is from 2008). But it is an excellent camera for taking infrared pictures with the same filters I used for IR photography in film days. This is the beach just outside El Campello:
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View from the old Valencia road, between Alicante and Villajoyosa. The small bridge is for the light railroad connecting Alicante with Benidorm:
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Our house:
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The rest of the pictures are from an off-road ride on the Vía Verde. This is the path to get to the trail, with a vineyard in the distance:
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I never get tired of looking at the vines. These are table grapes, so they are getting lots of irrigation so that they become big and juicy (you would not do this with wine grapes, which need to suffer a bit of drought to yield a more concentrated wine):
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The start of the Vía Verde is the old train station in Agost, no longer in use (although it is possible to get the local train from Alicante to Albecete to stop there by prior request–and only to get off, it is not possible to board the train there):
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The Vía Verde is 22 km long, so this just about midway, and the prettiest part of the ride:
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I had some nice light on this particular ride:
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Besides grapes, almonds are a major crop in this area:
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And it is harvest time:
