Spain report: colours!

HI!

After a long break due to vacations, I am finally back on my blog. It has been a very wonderful, great trip we made throughout the Northern coastal provinces of Spain. While I am still full of all the beauty this landscape offered us, I am slowly getting back into my normal rhythm again and even finished sorting out all images I made.

So, because I am so happy to be able to post again, I will start with some very colorful, sea related images. Whereas in the Caribbean  life was full with vibrant colours, life in Spain normally is more natural, e.g. the colours of rocks, earth, wood play the leading role here. Though I love a neutral colorscheme very much, I now have a longing for the abundancy of real colours, so here they come:

this colorful fisherman's tool we spotted in a almost completely grey little harbour

in Asturias

 



 

a group of guides getting instructions,

Playa As Catedrais, Galicia

 

 

more tools, like in picture 1

 

 

my private Bay Watch! He was not very busy that day, for the water was cold...!

Saturraran, Asturias

 

 

What else do you need?

Cap Agustin, Asturias

 

I hope you liked this first issue of my travel report, more will follow soon

Thanks for visiting, grtz,

 

Regina

Of mountains and old houses...

We have guests, so it was time again to drive into the mountains. There is a lovely restaurant up there where they serve a delicious paella and meat from the woodstove inside the building

 

The view is spectacular! This Sunday it was kind of cloudy, but when skies are clear one can see the isle of Ibiza in the distance. The flat mountain at the right middle is called Olta

 



 

Again, at the right middle, you can see where we live, close to the white defence tower at Cap d'Or (Golden Cape)

 

 

After lunch we went back down the lovely village of Jalon;  a friend is about to buy an old property at the base of the mountain range in this village. We took the chance to have a look at it. Indeed, it is pretty old and kind of dilapidated, he will have to work hard to make it into a comfy living, though the place certainly has potential...

 

 

 of course real Spanish rooftiles!

 

 

 

and wrought iron doors and bougainvilla...

 

For now thanks for visiting!
 (while we are preparing for our motorhometrip I'm not in the mood for making art)

Recycled, a present

This week I wrote about a new boiler in our motorhome.

When I saw my husband

dismantling the old one, I suggested that maybe we could use that for something, a fire drum for instance...

 

He took all pipes out, welded some support

underneath and here it is!

 

 

 

We do have chilly nights here in Spain, though not at the moment.

 

But once that time comes, we now have a safe place in the garden,

 where we can enjoy a cozy fire.

 

Thanks to my handy man with not two,

but countless 'right' hands

 

Happy weekend!

 

Regina

 



Looking out for this

 

 

Hi!

 

Again it has been too long that I posted here, but I had my reasons...

Five weeks ago I fell over ' I don't know what' and seriously bruised my right hand fingers and broke a tooth.

 

The repair works have taken lots of time, visiting the dentist every week for a root canal session and temporary crown. Visiting the trauma surgeon for my fingers. My middle finger had a joint out of its place and had to be immobilized after it had been put right again. At this time it is still taped to the index finger and I have to exercise as much as possible.

Until now I have always enjoyed a very good health, so for me this was quite an experience, and not a nice one. At the same time I realize how lucky I always have been and still am, compared to people who have ongoing health issues. I hope and expect that I will be able to bend my fingers to an acceptable level again.

 

So, in between feeling miserable for not being able to use my hand, I have been reading and, oh happy day!, preparing our first trip with the Roadtrek  motorhome, after four long years!

 

We have plans to travel through Spain in some weeks and the above beach is one that is on our list.

 

It is Cathedral beach at the Gallician coast near the city of Lugo.

 

I look forward to this trip so much. My DH has converted the electrical system from US to European. Our generator, boiler and microwave have also been replaced, so everything should be ready for, I hope, many travels here on the European mainland.

 

But starting in Spain first, our lovely 'new' home country

 

Hope to be back soon...

Regina

Painting and some more...

 

 

Hi!

 

Besides traveling, I have been doing lots of other stuff like

 

- sewing fabric baskets and little pouches to (hopefully) sell

at the 'kingsmarket' of our club next Wednesday

 

Dutch king Willem Alexander has his birthday then and this is being

 celebrated in Dutch communities all over the world,

 so also in our little corner of the world in Spain 

 

- finishing a series of handmade postcards. I have about one hundred ready at the moment,

 so I really can show something at the above market

 

- last but not least: I have been painting!

 

The theme was 'water' and I chose to paint in an abstract way

After two years of my start with painting, I feel it is time

for me to try painting in a different way. I am not particularly

fond of painting after a picture, but it has been a good

exercise to get to know the material and tools. Not that

I will paint abstract only and 'for ever' now, but it feels good

to change every now and then.

In the picture below is a detail of 'Water'

 

 

I will post the full painting after it has been hung next Thirsday

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

thanks for visiting,

 

Regina



Our destination

 

 

With these storyboards I will conclude my recent travel experiences in pictures

(before my many visitors wonder if I ever will show some creativity or art again...haha)

 

In the back country of the city of Murcia is a famous spring. This seems strange at first, because the Murcia area is very dry and arid; I wouldn't say the landscape is lovely to put it mildly. But there, some 50 km from the sea in the mountains, you have the village of Archena with its spring.

 

We found a free campersite and could easily walk to the wellness and spa facilities. These are surrounded by some four-star-rated hotels that you can see at the right. The streets were paved in a lovely square pattern and the buildings were all in terra cotta colours, very stylish

 

 

The Segura river ran through the bottom of the enclosed space that was formed by high rocks and along the sides there was lush vegetation, that might be different in summer though...

 

We spent a day in several thermal baths and felt really reborn when we returned home the day after.

 

That was it for this Sunday, I will now go for the beach. Just some sitting there and enjoying the sun.

Hopefully you enjoy your Sunday too!

 

Regina



What we saw during our motorhome trip (2)

 

 

Like yesterday's storyboard, this one is built of pictures of typical Spanish 'things'

(sorry, I am looking for a better word in English but don't succeed)

 

The first one is near a museum shop where all kind of local products were being sold. The vehicle is a typical agricultural appearance and quite handy on the small roads and terraces of the vineyards.

 

When we were ready to continue our trip, we had to cross this bridge. There are lots of these old bridges in our neighborhood. They cross the usually dry 'barancs', but in time of rain need all the height to enable you to drive there

 

Ah, siesta time in the village. Everything is quiet, all tiny little shops closed, except for the bars and terraces. Very, very Spanish!!

 

This mural had the quality of a 'tromp d'oeuil', so realistic with the market stalls...

 

At the end of day 1 we arrived at our final destination and got a glimpse of the 'grandeur' of the place!

 

More on that in the next issue, see you!

 

Regina