Just another WordPress.com site

Archive for June, 2013

Diverse Almería – Baños de Sierra Alhamilla

Los Baños de Sierra Alhamilla is a small village dominated by a spa hotel, situated next to primitive but nevertheless attractive houses amidst an oasis of palm trees.
 
An attractive indoor garden is set in a central courtyard. It is quite delightful; an oasis of peace and tranquillity. It apparently took eight years to restore the old building and the hotel ‘Balneario de Sierra Alhamilla’ is splendid. It provides a range of health treatments; some of them based on the health-giving properties of the mineral waters of the Sierra Alhamilla.
Many birds inhabit the sierra, though most occupy the areas above 800 metres because of the increased tree cover. Finches, stone curlews, little bustards, crested larks, short-toed larks, lesser short-toed larks and black-bellied sand grouse inhabit these mountains, as do blue rock thrushes, crag martins, alpine swifts and black wheateaters. In the highest peaks, birds of prey including eagles, buzzards and kestrels soar.

more blogs by Robert Bovington…

 

“Photographs of Spain”
“postcards from Spain”
“you couldn’t make it up!”
“a grumpy old man in Spain”
“bits and bobs”
“Spanish Expressions”
“Spanish Art”
“Books About Spain”

Diverse Almería – El Cabo de Gata

On the south-western edge of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park is the small village actually called El Cabo de Gata. It is a pleasant little seaside resort beside a beach of white sand. The whitewashed buildings, that line its promenade, are mainly holiday apartments, interspersed with the occasional bar.



The village still supports a small fishing fleet and the fishermen’s boats, nets and lobster pots pepper the beaches at the southeastern end.



Nearby is the Salinas de Acosta area of the natural park. Between spring and autumn, thousands of migrating birds stop here on their journeys between Europe and Africa. Apart from flamingos, there are storks, avocets, eagles and many other types. Only a few remain in the winter when the Salinas are drained after the autumn salt harvest.

blogs by Robert Bovington…

“Photographs of Spain”
“postcards from Spain”
“you couldn’t make it up!”
“a grumpy old man in Spain”
“bits and bobs”
“Spanish Expressions”
“Spanish Art”
“Books About Spain”

Diverse Almería – Santuario de Tices

The ‘Santuario de Tices’ is a lovely church set amidst an oasis of peace and tranquillity. It is absolutely delightful walking around the Plaza de Alberto Gomez Matarin. The only sounds are of birds singing and bees humming. There is a formal garden in front of the church. A statue of Jesus stands amidst rose bushes, purple geraniums, chamomile and other flowers. The church itself is white, peach and lemon built in neoclassical style. Enchanting!

Ermita de Tices  photo by Paco Vivas

Robert Bovington