Sorry I have been neglecting you but not that much has been happening.

Happy New Year to you all and we hope you all had a really good Christmas.

The last time I blogged we were going to meet my Uncle Ray, who is 87, and he was going to show us some of the country side. He decided that we should go and investigate the mountains behind Benidorm. It was a bit like a magical mystery tour, without the magic, once the roads ended we did a bit of off road driving up the mountain but still couldn’t figure out how to get to the top, so we gave up and went for lunch in Alfas del Pi

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Christmas Day we went for our dinner to the Clansman but we were all a bit disappointed with the dinner.  It just didn’t feel like Christmas and the fact that we didn’t have our families around us mad us a bit homesick. We did a secret santa, I got a gnome planter with a cactus in it, Kev got a pair of useless binoculars, some sweets, a press stud eyelet maker and some screws! Just what he wanted.

On Monday’s there is a quiz at the pub on the site, we came second last week but this week we actually won!! with the help of Julie, Melv, Wendy and Mick. We also got two of the three cash prizes in the raffle, Melv picked out my ticket and I then picked out kev’s ticket, total winnings 2 bottles of wine for the quiz and 18 euros from the raffle.

Tuesday we went out with Uncle Ray again to Castell de Guadalest, again up in the mountains. On the way there we stopped at a motorcycle museum in the middle of nowhere.  Guadalest dates back to the 12^th century, it is a small town with a castle built into the side of the mountain. It has been spoiled I think as there are too many shops and cafes inside the castle walls. Nice place to visit though.

On Wednesday we cycled to the Market on the far side of Benidorm, this market is not really touristy orientated and therefore much cheaper than the market beside the site.

Thursday Kev, Melv and Mick were entrusted to go shopping for food for a lunchtime barbie. They did really well, food and drink for 6 people for less than 40 euro’s, although I think they skimped a bit on the wine 1.10 euro’s a bottle, it was actually quite nice.

Friday Kev and Mick went to hire scooters. They came back with a scooter and a quad as the second scooter they were going to get turned out not to be road worthy. On Saturday Wendy and I got the guys to drop us at the out of town mall while they went back up to Guadalest. In the evening we went out for an Indian then back to pick up spam and Louis, the dogs, and we all went down to the beach to watch the fireworks at midnight. Kev says this is his soberest new year yet.

While I was at the mall I went to Iceland and decided to buy a turkey and all the trimmings and have a new year dinner, since we were disappointed at Christmas. We had to have it on the Monday as the turkey had to defrost. We had 6 for dinner and all went as planned, quite unusual for me. We all went to the quiz at night again and we won again.

Wednesday didn’t do much at all but during the night there was a fair wind got up and we both woke up at 4.30am to the sound of the awning trying to take off. We got up and went out to wind in the awning, the temperature at that time of day was 16 degrees. Just as well we had taken the awning in as one couples awning was ripped from the van.

All over Spain on Thursday night there were 3 Kings Parades. Friday was a fiesta, 3 Kings Day. The Spanish children do not get their presents from Santa, on the 25^th December, but from the 3 Kings on 6^th January. The parade in Benidorm lasted about an hour. Kev took loads of videos of the parade and just as the 3 Kings came along the camera batteries ran out, so we got everything apart from the 3 Kings!!!!

During our stay, so far, we have seen a number of really good acts and shows in Benidorm. We have seen a really good comedian, Tony Scott and a fantastic singer, Donna Glass from Scotland, but nothing prepared us for Sticky Vicky. OMG you can look her up on Google but I warn you it’s not a pretty sight. We also went to a hypnotist night, we all made sure that we didn’t really clasp our hands together so we didn’t get picked. During the show the women had to look in the audience for a millionaire that they fancied and take them back onto the dance floor, yes you’ve guessed it Kev got picked.

Mick and Wendy left last Tuesday and Melv & Julie left on Monday but we are going to stay here in Benidorm until the 16^th and will then move South again. Our friends from Oropesa, Pam & Ray are arriving here today so it will be nice to spend some time with them again.