The May Fair

Today we went to the annual May Andalusian Fiesta held in Torrevieja. There were the horses with the riders in traditional Andalusian costumes, and dancing. Andalusia is a region in the Costa Almerria about two hours drive from us.The fiesta has been on since Wednesday and concludes today (Sunday). The atmosphere was a happy one with everyone out to enjoy the sun, food and entertainmen.

All the dresses were very colourful and worn with pride from the children to the old women, the men were dressed in the typical Andalusian dress and looked very elegant. Families were enjoying the day together

In the bull ring they put on a show which lasted two hours and it cost 3 euros (£2) to watch it, there was horse riding skills and dancing. It was very enjoyable and you could see how much work and patience that was put into the training of the horses, I am please to say they looked well looked after and in very good condition which is not always the case with animals here.

We were very worried about going into the bull ring in case it was a bull fight which is held on Sundays but were assured that this was not the case, we would of had to walk out if it had of been, but the only bull fight were saw was pretend and no bull was hurt.(Video of this)



Here are a couple of videos of the show as it went on for two hours there was to much to video.

After the show every one made for the marquees where there was eating drinking and dancing going on. Apart from the three euros to see the show (which you did not have to go into) it was all free, they were giving drink and paella away.

As were don't eat paella and I don't drink and Brian was driving we went to the bar on the prom. and had a meal while being serenaded by Spanish entertainers.

What a day.

Jeanette Spain

The Gym

What with sorting out pensions, visitors and selling Brian's place we have not been many places of interest this last few weeks. The only place we have really been to is the gym, which we go to 3 times a week, we enjoy it a lot and I can see a difference in how fit we are.

We went today when it was siesta there would not be many people in as I did not think it right to take photos of others doing a workout.

When we got there, there was only two persons in so that suited us fine.

This is the gym you can see how quiet it was,we usually go about 10am and there is a good few people there at that time.

We use most of these benches and weights, but in a way that you are not building up mussels just to tone up.

Most of the photos are of Brian using the equipment as I was taking the photos, but we use the same ones only Brian has more weights on than me(not surprising is it).

We start a warm up on the cycles for half an hour, then move onto the benches, on my time on the cycle I do between 8 and 10 mile depending on how fast I my legs can go.

This contraption is for the legs and lower back, your knees start up at you chest and you have to push on the metal plate till you are stretched out, I started at 10 kg . and thought it was hard to push it, now the trainer has me up to 40kg.that is hard work, but who ever was on the machine before me had 85 kg. on, it must have been a man.

Each weight is 10 kg. 40kg. is 85 lbs. so I feel I am getting better at it.

This one is great, it is for your circulation, you feel like a jelly on a plate wobbling all over, you stand different ways for where you want the vibration to reach, Brian is leaning forward so that it will do the back only, if you stand straight it does every part of the body, bend knees only the bottom half of the body gets done and if you cross your legs only your bottom gets done.

Now comes the hard work, these are like steppers and you have to keep them going while moving your arms as well, I can only manage 10 Min's. on this but as it was only 3 Min's. when I first tried it there is hope for me yet. We go on the tread mill to finish that is half an hour at 5 miles per hour for me it's a pretty fast walk, There is an old lady of 82 goes to the gym, she is crippled with arthritis and is blind, she only goes on the tread mill at 1 mile per hour for 8 Min's then rests then does another 8 Min's. she does this three times so she has done24 Min's. on it.
She says the slow walking helps with the pain and keeps her from stiffening up, you have to admire her.
Well after all that it's time for the steam room and then a shower.

I must say you feel good when you come out of the gym and I am not tired any moor when I finish, I can now talk while on the tread mill without getting out of breath, so it must be doing some good.

Jeanette Spain

The Three Kings

We decided with friends that we we going off in the motor homes to see the Three Kings at Benidorm. We had not seen them at Benidorm before only at Torrevieja WOW! what a difference, it was like comparing Barnsley football ground to the Nue Camp football ground at Bacelona.

We arrived in Benidorm in the afternoon and parked the vans up, where we parked you can stay for four days free of charge before you have to move, so it is a nice spot for to stay Friday to Monday.

The weather was with us it was warm and sunny so as the parade was not till 6 pm we had a walk along the prom and then went for a meal.

We went up to the old town where the parade was to be and took our seats (well we pensioners after all) and next to us was a Spanish family with young children. WE got talking to them as they spoke better English than we spoke Spanish and they told us the tradition of the three kings.

It starts on our Christmas eve when the children choose one of the Kings to write their letters to ( as ours would to Santa) as the father put it in the hope they get all they asked for in their letter where ever you are nothing changes with children.

On January the 5th. the kings arrive by boat so the children believe they have made the journey from the Holy lands and have the parade through the streets.

We did not get photos of them arriving as we were futher in the town maybe next year.

As we waited for the parade to pass our way the children were getting more and more excited, I can tell you it brought a smile to the face just watching them, the poor mother and father could do nothing to calm them down.

Then in the distance we could hear the drums of the first band well the children all arround us could not contain themselves.

Then the first float came and the rain of sweets we colected the ones thrown at us and put them in the childrens bag.

The smaller photos were taken with my phone as the battery ran out on the camera.

The funniest part of the parade was when the animals came along, there was llamas donkeys camels an d geese, everybody was in stiches at the geese, The donkeys came first being stubbing as they are, then the proud camels looking as if to say we are to good for this, the llamas jst walked along when told to but the geese well can you imagine a load of geese walking through the streets.They were well behaved till there was a halt in the parade and it came to a stand still, the geese thought they would take a look at when the croud had and started to wards them all going in different directions, but when the parade started again the keeper clapped his hands and they all ran back in line and waddled off down the road agai.

When the parade passed we madeour way to the square where the three kings were going to meet the children.

In the square they had put an old fashioned carrasel and an ice rink, the kings took to the stage as the fire works were going off all arround us and the children all went up for their presents (free of charge).

The families then go home for a special meal that lasts till midnight, then it's time to open the presents. A long day for the children I would think.

A very happy Christmas day

We had a wonderful time at Benidorm for Christmas, the hotel we had was very good and the food was too good you were spoilt for choice so had to sample lots.

Benidorm is known as the concrete jungle as it is all high rise buildings, nice to visit but would not like to live there.

The tall building is the Hotel Bali and is the highest Hotel in all of Spain, it stands at 186 mtrs. high. It is a five star hotel and quite expensive to stay in.Our hotel was very nice although only a four star.Here are a couple of photos of ours.

Benidorm is surrounded by mountain and this is what gives it the all year round weather (except when we arrive the rain was bouncing down but the rest of the stay was beautiful). the main mountain is called Sleeping Indian Mountain as when you drive along side it it looks like an Indian with his headdress of feathers lying down the side of the mountain and his mouth is open while asleep.

As you can see there is a gap which is quite large and the story goes:- A giant fell in love with a fair maiden from the fishing village of Benidorm as it once was, and her father forbid his daughter to marry the giant, in his anger the giant tore a chunk of the mountain out and throw it out to see hence we have the Isla De Benidorm.

This island is a bird sanctuary today with only a restaurant and bar on it, there are boat trips to it they run every hour just like a ferry so you can stay as long as you want to.This is the beach and one of the sand sculptures, there was one with the whole nativity scene but with the rain he had covered it over and had not removed the cover while we were there.

We had some presents with us to open on Christmas morning, but my main one I had to help Brian choose it as he was a loss What he wanted.

I got an iphone it is great, I can get my emails away from the computer which will be great when we are out in the van, and all my music on it and it has Microsoft words on. I connected it to my computer and all my documents downloaded to it. there is lots I have to learn what to do with it.When Brian was asked what computer I had (meaning Apple or Windows) he told them it was Packard Bell,I had do see the person myself and give details. The only thing is I had to change my number as my sim was Vodaphone and with this I had to have Movistar. As it's a Movistar (which 02 in the UK, ) it belongs to telifonica (BT in the UK as telifonica owns BT, they are the same company) so have had to learn a new number.

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas's and you have a good year next year

A very happy new year to each and every one of you from Spain

Jeanette Spain

Happy Christmas

Hi all, this is just a short mini blog to wish you all a very happy Christmas, Feliz Navidad.
I hope you all have a great time and don't over eat well not to much.
I would like to say a very happy Christmas to my dearest friends Tina and Dave, I wish them and you all everything you wish yourselves, good health and good family and friends.
Not to many sausage rolls Sindie save some and send them here to Spain they looked delicious, and Babs go easy on Mo's wonderful cooking. Leeta and Sandie have a very happy Christmas.

Feliz Navidad from Jeanette Spain

A Spanish Christmas

A Spanish Christmas is celebrated very different to the British Christmas.

In the Plaza ( the town square) you will see a model of Belen ( Bethlehem) and other parts of the Holy Land. This is put up in the plaza every year and is opened on the 8th. December at the fiesta of the immaculate conception.

The statue of the Immaculate Conception ( a statue of the virgin Mary ) is carried through the streets to the church, where it stays all year till the next year.

The nativity is a wonder to see with moving parts, fires in the houses, washing blowing on the lines and children singing Spanish Christmas songs.

The Spanish always have this little man warming himself at the fire in their nativities to show that man was not made perfect, we all have our faults, it has become a game each year looking for the bare bottom, it is somewhere different each time.

On Christmas Eve Spanish families their Christmas meal, this begins at 10-30 p.m. and it consists of at least nine course, The meal goes on till after midnight when Christmas day arrives. They do not give presents on Christmas day this comes later on the three kings day. No food is cooked Christmas day they eat the left overs from their banquet.

January 5th. is the Three Kings day, there is a parade through the streets to the Plaza where they give out gifts to the children, it is very similar to our children going to see Father Christmas, but Spanish parents don't have to pay for the children to receive the gifts it is all free. After the Three Kings parade the family has a celebration meal and the children all go to bed to wait for Papa Noel to come if they have been good and go straight to sleep. Sounds familiar doesn't it, when the awake all their Christmas presents have been delivered.These photos are from last January's parade

On new years eve everybody gathers in the plaza in front of the church and wait for the church bells to strike the new year in.

It is a Spanish good luck tradition that on each strike of the bell you pop a seedless grape into your mouth, if you don't eat them very quick you have twelve grapes in your mouth.

We did it last year I could not eat them fast enough and had a mouth full of grapes, but I could not manage the twelve. The supper markets run out of seedless grapes at this time of year, imagine having to do it with grapes with seeds in.

Well all there is left to say is I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year

Feliz Navid y Anos Nueve.

Jeanette Spain