No travelling this week, just the usual activities: work, wine tasting, cycling… Another week at the office, so to speak.
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This cat recently appeared among the strays on the golf course. Clearly, she is not a stray, or at least has not always been that, as she has a collar and is very well groomed. I think she just likes to hang out with the other cats:
The next several pictures are from my cycling runs during the weekends at the beginning and end of the week.
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North of El Campello there is an area called Coveta Fuma, with beautiful houses overlooking the Mediterranean. I don’t think I would like to live there, it is far from the city and shopping is limited, but it sure looks pretty from the main Valencia road on which I was cycling last weekend:
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Another place along the same road, an out-of-business restaurant. I sometimes stop there if I need to pee during my ride; there are several spots behind the building where one can do so while preserving one’s modesty:
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The beach in Villajoyosa. I have no idea what the yellow thing is for:
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Also in Villajoyosa, the beach promenade shot with my pinhole lens cap:
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Mountain road with socialist/feminist/independence (from Spain, presumably) graffiti, written in the local dialect of Catalan, Valenciano:
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The mountain town of Jijona/Xixona, where the famous Turrón de Alicante is made. When I first came here in 2011, the sign about the 3 houses for sale was also there:
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The people living in Jijona must be in good shape, a lot of streets look like this:
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The cats were not particularly shy, and allowed me to approach:
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The fence of the school in Busot. Apparently the children were asked to write down politically correct wishes, since all have to do with helping others, world peace etc., rather than getting the latest Nintendo:
The week brought winter, real winter, to most of Spain, with lots of snow not only in the mountains but even in places like Madrid which usually do not get the white stuff. In Alicante there was of course no such thing, but we did have a few days with rain and wind.
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The sky over the Mediterranean, as seen from my office:
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The clouds from the previous picture delivering their payload over our backyard. Only truly dedicated golfers will play today:
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Another view of the bad weather from my office:
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But the rain performed the useful function of washing the bird shit off the roof of my car:
The remaining pictures were all taken in my office.
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Just some light and shadows in the lobby:
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Thursday night we had our monthly wine tasting, this time with sherry wines. Here is the expert in deep thought. Our tastings are serious business, up to a point:
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Behold!
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Analysis:
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Comparative analysis:
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Once we have completed the formalities of the tasting, dinner is served, usually with food that is topical in relation to the wines. So, since sherry comes from Andalucía, the main dish was bacalao, very popular down there:
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And finally, our delightful Katie. Friday was St. David’s Day, the national day in Wales. Katie is from Cardiff, she is a seconded national expert in our office for a couple of years. So she was in the spirit on the day:
Nathan–fabulous as usual!
You travel to locations–in addition to Alicante–that most of us will never reach.
Thanks! Please keep posting, and please tell Katie she’s reason enough to move to Wales!
Actually, my great-grandfather was from Wales, and I assure you he looked nothing like Katie…:-)
Thanks again!
Paul
From the depths of Southern USA…
Comment by Paul — 4 March 2013 @ 01:18