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Published: July 11th 2012
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El Castell de Guadalest
This picture fails to adequately convey how this structure dominates the area and how important it must have been to its Moorish owners centuries ago. It's a hot afternoon today and we spent a few hours high up in the mountains about an hour away from L'Alfax del Pi earlier. We first had a great breakfast on the deck then headed for
Castell del Guadalest, an ancient Moorish fortress lodged at the top of a very steep mountain. It was certainly worth the winding and precipitous drive through La Nuco to get there. It is hard to comprehend how this and other similar structures were constructed but I can imagine the sweat and tears of slave labour which made these strongholds, nesessary as they then were, for the protection of their occupants.
The views were also stunning as we looked down on an emerald green lake below rimmed by jagged stark and bare terrain, hiding within their midsts, precious stones like Abalone and Quartz. Many of these were readily available from the shops at the bottom of the fortress and all at reasonable prices I might add. I was really attracted to one huge piece of quartz which would have done justice to our living room (not that we need any more art at home) but alas, the weight alone made it prohibitive.
Jeanette
bought attractive earrings made of Abalone.
The time eventually came to leave Guadalest and we set off on a different road to find Fonts de L'Algar, some highly recommended water falls a few miles away. We and thongs of other tourists found them too but it proved to be a great disappointment to us personally as we had forgotten our bathing suits at the resort. The slight smell of sulphur reminded me of Saint Lucia's volcano, the Sulphur Springs. The water cascading from the falls was crystal clear and everyone could be seen enjoying its cool fresh embrace. We ourselves sat and had freshly squeezed orange juice, all grown in the area.
Leaving the falls, we programmed the GPS and headed for our home resort in L'Alfaz del Pi. After about fifteen minutes of driving through orange plantations and the most extensive avocado groves I have ever seen, the road suddenly deteriorated into a narrow winding gravel track surrounded by miles and miles of covered avocado trees. A bit puzzling we thought. Stopping for a moment, we decided to continue on as we appeared to be moving in the right direction. Suddenly, the little blue car on the GPS screen
was all on its own with no road to follow and our friendly female voice deserted us completely. Continuing another hundred meters or so we then arrived at a complete dead end realizing that we were completely lost.
Making a quick about turn, we retraced our way slowly and eventually got back on track and headed for our resort. These little quirks often provide unusual adventures and we enjoyed the new discoveries in our latest detour - extensive avocado plantations, all covered with protective sheets of some material. I am yet to find out why the need for this but we found it interesting anyway.
Jeanette put together a most tasty Tappa lunch which we enjoyed with a bottle of very cold German Liebfraumilch by Peter Mertes which we bought in our friendly local supermarket for the princely sum of Euro 3.99. This would probably run for a minimum of Can Dollars 20 back in Calgary. After that, rest, then the pool later.
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