Helen strolling through the Municipal park and Palm Groves before lunch

Hi, Still at Marjal Camping on the Costa Blanca. We've been exploring the area a little by cycle and also a couple of days out and about in the camper. This week we went to Guardamar del Segura on the coast, Cox, Almaradi, La Marina (urban) and Elche. We found some hills going upto La Marina and I had a puncture on the "glassy" pista on the way back.  The city of Elche is only about 10 miles away but is quite an urban sprawl although the old centre or what remains is very pleasant, especially around the Basilica and the Alcasser. Some folks on our camping site didn't really recommend it for a day-trip for various reasons including the difficult parking. We took the camper in and although parking wasn't obvious for something our size, we had a few tight squeezers but it wasn't too bad. We had a nice stroll along a pista next to the river into the centre and found a pleasant place for lunch. We got some great shots from the top of the Basillica de Snt Maria. There is alot of history connected with the development of the city and the Palm Groves for which it is world famous.

This is a view of the Palm Groves from the top of the Basillica de St Maria looking north to the Sierras in the distance.

The Riu  Vinalopo goes through the centre. It has been "set in concrete" with a central gully about 6 feet wide forming a fast flow; the concrete basin itself is massive but we doubted whether it ever filled; infact we saw a van driving down with the workmen picking up dog litter if you get my meaning. The track at the side looked fairly new and on route we met many joggers, mostly young people enjoying some exercise. There was lots of graffiti about, even on the new buildings and bridges. One of the Dutch men in our Spanish class when asked what he didn't like, replied it was the graffiti to which our young Spanish teacher, Anita, replied in her bouncy manner, that "no this is good, it is art!". Well some of it is very artistic and we can appreciate that, but there was much in Elche that was just signatures, well I think so anyway, or maybe I was missing something.
 Like most of the local towns, Elche had some pretty Plazas with restaurants set around the sides giving the places a relaxing ambiance in the sunshine. In the towns they are sometimes difficult to find although the Town Hall or a church are usually a good clue to their location.
In Spanish classes we've been concentrating on "families" and I now know (well yesterday I did) more about family relationships in Espanol than I do in Ingles...you never know when you want to explain in Spanish about your second cousin removed! We're sincerely hoping that she'll move on next week and before the end of our stay here we'll be able to write this blog in Spanish, at least once anyway...one day perhaps That's all for now, a sundowner calls...adios