Alfofrar Castle

Hello all

Yesterday the weather continued to be marvellous and since most of the family were feeling home based I decided to go out and make the best of the afternoon sunshine. It was a beautiful blue sky day with no wind at all. Even up on the snowy ground the air temperature was seven degrees and I had to strip down to my shirt sleeves.

So here is what I went up into the mountains to look at - Alfofrar Castle - also called Confrides Castle or Benifato Castle, depending on which village you align yourself with. The views towards the Sierra Bernia were gorgeous.

In the evening we decided to light a nice log fire and stayed up to take in La Nucia's New Year Celebrations. The town centre was really hotting up by twenty past eleven as crowds decended on the town square to hear a superb blues band concert. Party bags containing hats and streamers, floral necklaces, hooters and balloons were all dished out free. The bag also contained some plastic maracas which were great entertainment for those of us with rhythmn as we danced around enjoying the free champagne!! Each person was also given a bag of twelve grapes since here it is a tradition to eat one grape for every toll of the bell as midnight approaches. You are not supposed to chew them until they are all in but I think I only managed five and fell behind as I was trying to help Amy. That's my excuse anyway...

At five minutes to midnight the town band played a superb rendition of Fanfare for the Common Man before hurriedly clearing the patio in front of the church before midnight. This was quite important as once again we were immersed in cordite smoke on the last stroke of twelve as fireworks burst from the church roof and from all around its base. This, together with huge 'indoor' fireworks covering us in confetti from all the balconies in the square, and national TV coverage, made a great atmosphere. There was another simultaneous pyrotechnic display in the town carpark but all the bangs and crashed were aimed to explode over our heads in the town square. It was all very loud! These Valencians really know how to party!

Today, as it was also lovely, we went to the temporary ice rink in Benidorm, a small outdoor rink set up underneath the Ayuntamiento building in the town park. It was great fun and brought back memories of trips to Richmond and Queens. Jess and Beth mastered it quickly but Amy was wobbly for most of her hour and needed the crash barrier and a holding hand...but unlike me she didn't fall over and was enjoying it all by the time we had to leave!