The wild parakeets in this picture live in the palm trees that border the promenade along the beach of Torre del Mar. They make an awful racket for such small birds. People who think that these birds belong in more tropical regions, better think again. Although the wild parakeets in Torre del Mar are not … Read more
On and off I tried to meditate in the past years. I didn’t succeed. Last April somebody recommended the “Calm”-app to me and ever since I meditate every day. 10 minutes for the time being, but I must say, I really love it. It is a guided meditation and she stresses out that it is … Read more
There has been a time in Spain people could build where they wanted. Two concurring developments ended this: the financial and economic crisis which started in 2007 and anti-corruption actions. Probably the crisis came first. The problem is that many projects couldn’t be finished because of a lack of finances, or because of indictments that … Read more
The parasols look different on each beach we visit. Sometimes they’re of cloth, more often they’re of some natural material. These ones look like hula dancers to me. As you can see the beach is still full of debris. And I don’t expect it to be cleaned in the near future, because the weather predictions … Read more
At both ends of the village, there are children’s playgrounds, combined with fitness machines for adults, situated on terraces overlooking the surrounding area. When the sun shines in the afternoon the elderly of the village gather there on the benches to discuss the news of the day. What a surprise when we saw that one … Read more
What is this urge to go outside as soon as the sun is peeping through the clouds? I would never have done this in the Netherlands. Not with 13 degrees on the thermometer. Here I have on my body: an undershirt, a t-shirt with short sleeves, a t-shirt with long sleeves, two sweaters, a cardigan, … Read more
We haven’t been out of the house very much these past few days, so today we went to the coast. Not to get a breath of fresh air – we can have that here as well – but to walk more easily and to do some shopping. Oh my, how the storm had an impact … Read more
At times I think it is never going to stop raining. It’s been raining for days in a row now. But this morning at 4 am I heard the rooster again – a definite sign that there was no other noise! Of course, I am not sure if it is the same rooster I hear … Read more
Finally, after four consecutive days of crashing rain, sun rays penetrate through the clouds. The surprise was that the moment we stepped outside, it started raining again. But after five minutes the rain surrendered and we could finish our daily exercise, a 4-kilometer walk which equals about 6000 steps on my pedometer. ^tvo
Today the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais posted a message on its website about negotiations on a water treaty between the countries’ two biggest political parties – the Partido Popular (PP) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE). Next Wednesday (the 7th), thousands of farmers from Alicante, Murcia, and Almeria will protest at the department … Read more