5. Exploring the South of Spain
15th January 2013
The weather took another bad turn, worse than before. When we had arrived at the yacht the ladder we had been using as a ramp was damaged to the point that it had folded in on itself. A moment of tension between Dave and myself about said ladder prohibited photos of the damage, though I assure you it was a pretty impressive sight. We were the lucky ones as others in the marina, the boats on the other side of the dock, had suffered damage due to being pushed up against the concrete edge. The strong winds and swells continued throughout the next day, along with torrential rains. The chances of us taking the yacht out for a sail in such weather was next to nil but even so we needed to find a way to get onto the yacht. Mark worked on removing the damaged portion of what was left of the ladder. He, along with Dave then bound what was left together as a temporary ramp. Once the boys had convinced me their contraption was strong enough to withstand my weight, a long and enduring process, we all loaded onto the yacht. Once onboard we repositioned the fenders, tightened the mooring lines and grabbed some extra clothes.
Since we wouldn’t be sailing based on the horrible weather conditions, we thought we would explore the sights of Spain by car instead, our first stop Cartagena. I had visions of Michael Douglas, from Romancing the Stone, leaping over massive crocodiles, yes, I am that old. Unfortunately for me, the film was located a little further south, like South America. Still, the busy port of Cartagena was a buzz of activity as we stopped for a relaxing lunch and where we had a view of several Lagoona Catamarans docked in the adjacent marina.
The food was delicious, too delicious as we held onto our over filled stomachs while we piled back into the car. Next on the list was Del to Iris del Mar, or at least I think that’s how it’s spelt. It was getting dark by the time we arrived at Del to Iris del Mar and the hotels were sparse, consequently we managed to see a most every street of the coastal town before we finally found a hotel with a vacancy. We waited and waited and waited for someone to help check us in finally they arrived, I guess they worked part time and had to be dragged from the comfort of their living room. After settling our limited luggage into the room we needed cash and were lucky to find an ATM near by. While Dave had a long argument with the cash dispenser, a long and loud argument, Mark and I watched a crowd of people line up outside the bakery across the road. As much as we would have liked to have eaten lunch there I was to desperately hungry to wait in line, and as everyone in my family knows, its easier to feed me than put up with my hangryness (anger from being hungry for those not in the know). Given the length of the line at the bakery we decided to go in search for something a little quicker to eat. We spotted a fabulous café filled with desserts which also catered for those of us who liked par-take in an alcoholic beverage or two, yummy.
The next morning, we were up early for the main event. We would be driving to Alhama to visit a castle. We reached Alhama in time for breakfast, which we followed with a quick stroll to the tourist information, as the castle was no where to be found. Okay, so, Alhama is not Alhambra in Granada, a seemingly easy mistake given the lady at the information center advised us that we were not the first to confuse the two towns, or was she just being kind. After the slight detour we were off again, this time to Alhambra or Calat Alhambra as it is better known. Calat Alhambra is a location as well as a fortress. It was magnificent, the buildings were grand structures, emerging from an earlier time, the first of which were built in the 900s with progressively younger buildings having been added, each one reflecting the changes in architect through time.
Water ways were integrated into the fortress, these were a unique feature and highlighted the engineering capability of the people during this period. These water ways were spread throughout the vast property providing both decorative features and water to the people and gardens within. Photos don’t do this place justice; this is a place you have to see to fully appreciate its outstanding surrounds.
Happily, exhausted after our explorations we decided to try out the restaurant. Just like the rest of the fortress, the restaurant was located in an impressive building, and we might have felt just a little underdressed especially when we spotted a newly wedded couple amongst the crowd. Okay so if you want the best food, anywhere in the world, this is the restrurant to go to. We didn’t talk we were too busy enjoying each and every bite, I can still taste the mushroom risotto with truffles, mmm.
