23/12 – The Boys Arrive and ……

We went to Alicante airport this morning to collect our Dave (our old neighbour from the UK and one of our closest friends), Simon and Jim, also very good friends that used to live close to us but moved to Southampton a few years ago – probably to get away from the late night wine and debauchery that used to go on in our house in Irthlingborough until we became the good, clean living people we are today!

Anyway, on the way to the airport at about 11am we spotted what we at first thought was snow at the side of the road, we both looked at each other and then back at the white stuff and said “no!” in unison. It couldn’t be snow, this was Spain and it was a nice bright sunny winter’s day.

As we drove on we saw more of the stuff, mostly rapidly melting, but sure enough it had snowed during the night – quite a bit in fact and by the expressions on the Spaniards that were standing around looking at the fields they were as surprised as we were!

We collected the boys from the airport and stopped the car as we drove back to take a picture of a melting snowman that someone had made at the side of the road, we thanked the guys for bringing the British weather with them.

It’s great to have some of our closest friends over to stay, they hired a car so we could all drive about together, and although they were only staying for 3 nights it was going a great time, we just knew it.

Gerry and Trisha (friends from the new comers club) were kind enough to offer their house to us, so Simon and Jim were ensconced there, while Dave had to put up with staying at the apartment with Liesl, Hetty and I.

Once the boys were settled in we went into Alicante and had a walk along the harbour looking at the thousands of little fish that gather at the waters edge and looking at the extremely expensive boats in the harbour. Jim has recently setup his own business teaching other people to skipper and delivering boats – http://www.marvinmarine.co.uk/.

As they are “boaty people” they were able to tell us interesting facts about the vessels moored in the harbour, many of which were worth several million pounds! I understand that our other friend Dave is partial to a good cruise as well 😉

We stopped at a café in the marina and had a coffee before returning to Gran Alacant where we popped to get stocked up for the next few days of socialising.

Outside the supermarkets the local council had planted Ponsetta plants around the usual palm trees that are planted along the walkways outside, back in the UK; they are house plants and wouldn’t survive outside. Liesl commented that my mum would have loved them; she was exactly right so I couldn’t resist taking a photo to show you.