Coast & countryside

27/11/07 - cycled N340 east to Herredura & around old coast road, avoiding nasty tunnel. Natural coast park area known as Cerro Gordo. No traffic & wonderful sea views. Lots of sightings of ibex.
28/11 - Gill & Andrew gave us a lift to the hill village of Competa, where we had time to look around the lovely village square & cobbled streets before meeting up with a walking group they have introduced us to. Mike (another one!) & Ros led the 16 strong group up to a local summit with fine views from a Firewatch Hut. John in the group, (recently moved with wife Liz from Poole) is a very keen racing cyclist. He hopes to introduce us to some cycling routes. He has 4 bikes including a carbon fibre one that can be lifted with one finger - just a tad lighter than ours then!!! Hope we can keep up with him!
29/11 - cycled west along N340 to Torrox Costa via short detour into local hills. Then a few blissful hours on the beach promenade people/fishing boat-watching.
Each evening this week we have watched terrific sunsets at around 6pm over the sea, a back-drop to local men fishing off the rocks.
30/11 - took the bus to Frigiliana & walked a well-marked mountain path to the peak known as El Fuerte (The Fort) at 1005metres. Evidence of recent forest fires as all the trees on 2 slopes were burnt & dead. The herb undergrowth, lemon thyme & rosemary, have regrown.
01/12 - cycled our favourite route out north west past Frigiliana to the shrine of "Our Lady of Monserrat". Ate in the evening at the restaurant adjacent to the gates of our apartment block, newly re-opened after a 2-week refurbishment. Very pleasant & friendly staff.
02/12 - cycled out to Cerro Gordo again, & this time took the new road down to the beach. Lots of locals sunbathing in this very sheltered spot. The road up was too steep to cycle, so a long hot push.
03/12 - the tasteful Christmas lights are up in town, but not switched on yet (how sensible). We have splashed out 75cents on a tiny Santa to hang on our patio!!!
Our apartment block is called "Las Fuentes" (The Fountains). One week after our moving in on 01/11/07, the Caretaker drained down the extensive fountains which are the key (only!) feature of the complex. He has since painstakingly cleaned them out & repainted them. At long last today he refilled them & turned them on again, much to our delight & that of all the little birds who inhabit our orange trees. He has now however, taken his chainsaw to the beautifully flowering hibiscus bushes! (Alan Titchmarsh he is not!)