We were invited to a jazz evening in El Campello and decided to go and check it out. We took the TRAM from Luceros to El Campello which takes about 30 minutes.
Entrance to the TRAM at Luceros in Alicante
We then walked about 5 minutes to the Jazz event being held at the Casa de Cultura.
Casa de Cultura in El Campello
We arrived 15 minutes early but the place was already packed. There was standing room only so we decided to stand at the back to watch the jazz. There was no ventilation and the room was very warm.
Packed room waiting for the jazz band to start playing.
The band came out and began playing some jazz music which was interesting to listen to. It is not our typical type pf music but was a nice change.
We listened to the music for about a half hour then decided to leave because it was very warm and uncomfortable standing.
We headed back towards the TRAM and came across some friends having dinner at an outside patio. They invited us to stay and visit so we enjoyed some time chatting with friends. We then took the TRAM back to Alicante and stopped at one of our favorite restaurants called Mish Mish.
Shelley at Mish Mish restaurant Alicante
The restaurant was busy and there were lots of people outside enjoying the great weather. We had some tasty tapas before heading home.
It was an enjoyable evening of relaxation, Jazz, and good company.
On Sunday we decided to take a nice bike ride with our friend Filipe through parts of Alicante. There are so many beautiful sights and scenes in the city that each day is a great chance to explore. We started in the center of the city and worked our way down towards the waterfront. We cycled along the waterfront enjoying the view
Ray and Shelley along the waterfront in Alicante
We came across a group of people singing and chanting in Russian along the waterfront. Some were dressed in traditional Russian dress.
Russian march along the waterfront
We decided to take a break and watch them for a while before heading on.
Ray, Shelley, and Filipe taking a break on waterfront boardwalk
We continued along the coastline for a few kilometers admiring the vistas.
Shelley and Ray on the coast of Mediterranean Sea.
We came across a lookout area and took some time to admire the views.
Ray, Filipe and Shelley on the lookout admiring the view
After biking along the coast we headed into the old quarter of Alicante. We cycled through the old streets of Alicante and came to a beautiful old neighborhood called Barrio de Santa Cruz.
They decorate the streets with flowers and colorful ornaments to welcome the Fiesta of the Crosses of May. They hold a fiesta and decorate flower crosses which are judged for the best design. The fiesta ends on the 1st of May and we missed the fiesta but we were able to see the winning cross still on display.
Ray and Shelley in front of the Winning Flower cross of the Fiesta in Barrio de Santa Cruz
We then headed back into the center of the city and came across an art exhibit. It was set up with local artist displaying their work and some artist were painting as well. We stopped and decided to check it out.
Shelley looking at some of the artwork on display
There were some very talented artists and we watch several of them work on their art. We could recognize some of the Spanish landmarks they had painted in some of the paintings.
As we walked throughout the displays we came across a beautiful water feature.
Water feature in the park with artist
After viewing the art we stopped at a new Italian restaurant called “ll Typico”. We were introduced to the owner Felice Falanga by our friend Filipe and enjoyed a wonderful meal.
Filipe, the owner Felice Falanga, Shelley and Ray
Overall another great adventure in Alicante. Each day brings new adventures and experiences.
We went to Cartagena and explored this wonderful city. Located on the coast of the mediterranean sea, it has a long and rich history. We walked through the streets in the old quarter of Cartagena and admired some of the unique architecture.
Architecture in the old quarter in Cartagena
What was very different was the walkway itself which was covered in beautiful marble and was polished smooth.
the polished marble on the walkways in the old quarter of Cartagena
We walked along the streets and came across city hall which had nice architectural features.
City hall in Cartagena Spain
We went into city hall and checked out the lobby area. There was security at the door and we were not able to explore the remainder of city hall.
Shelley and Ray at the base of the main stairway in city hall in Cartagena
The ceiling had beautiful features and was stunning to see.
Ceiling above the main staircase in city hall in Cartagena
The outside features of city hall were also impressive.
above the main entrance of city hall in CartagenaA section of city hall in Cartagena
The building was attacked repeatedly over the centuries and there are remnants of damage from cannon balls hitting the building.
Damage caused by a cannon ball visible on the wall at city hall
We then walked down towards the waterfront and admired the views from the boardwalk.
Boardwalk area near the waterfront in Cartagena, Spain
We came across a sailor and decided to get our picture taken with him.
Ray and Shelley with statue of sailor near the waterfront in Cartagena, Spain
The views from the waterfront were great and we walked the full length of the boardwalk.
The marina area in Cartagena, Spain
We saw many beautiful boats and the view of the mountains was spectacular. Overall a very enjoyable day in Cartagena.
We went to check out the Cartagena Punic Wall Interpretation known as “El Centro de interpretacion de la murall Punica”. The Punic wall interpretation center was built to the same dimensions as of the wall height and width of the original wall. The center highlights the recovery of remains from the ancient Carthaginian wall which was used as a defensive wall system in Cartagena.
The design of the wall is known as the Hellenistic model. It has two parallel walls constructed with large sandstone blocks. The walls were 10 meters high (33 feet) and inside the walls, there was space divided into different sections. Each section was used for a specific purpose, horse stable, weapons storage and living quarters etc.
View from above of the ancient wall
We walked through the center looking at the remains of the wall. It was hard to imagine that the walls were built around 200 BC.
Punic wall build approximately 200 BC
We then came to the stairs which led to an area that was discovered to contain a funeral crypt. The crypt belonged to the hermitage of Saint Joseph and was built during the XVI and XVII centuries.
Stairs to Roman catacombs
We went down the stairs and saw the crypt which contained actual remains from that time period. At the base of the stairs, the crypt was opened on one side and it was sealed on the other side.
Funeral crypt built during the XVI and XVII centuries
Inside the open crypts, there were remains from that time period.
Crypts dated from 16th and 17th centuries
The one side of the crypt was intact and was not opened. The original wall along with a painted image which was slightly visible.
Painted image visible on the crypt wallThe original sealed crypt section
The wall and crypt were very interesting and something we enjoyed seeing. There is an amazing history of Cartagena and it was an enjoyable visit.
We went to the city of Cartagena which is located in the region of Murcia approximately 120 kilometers from Alicante. The city with a population of 218,000 is located on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Cartagena is a very old city which has a history as far back at 228 BC. The city’s defensive location surrounded by five mountains made it an excellent port with fortifications. Throughout the centuries the city has been conquered by different groups.
Our first stop in Cartagena was the Castillo de la Concepcion, a medieval castle. The walkway up to the castle was beautiful with great views of the city and the sea.
Part of the walkway to the Castillo de la Concepcion
Along the walk to the castle, we came across some peacocks. They were quite tame and did not move far off the trail as we went by.
Peacock leading the way up the trail to the castle
We admired the features along the way to the castle including the tiled walls which depicted historical events.
Tiles with image of historic aspect of Cartagena on trail to the Castillo de la Concepcion
We came across some beautiful trees, one of them had their roots exposed.
Flowering tree along the trail to the castle
When we were almost to the castle there was a large flat area which contained a large chimney. This was used in ancient times similar to a lighthouse. They would put a large fire at the base and pull out selected stones to allow light to shine through.
Felipe and Ray in front of the ancient chimney at Castillo de la Concepcion
As we got higher up on the trail there were some beautiful views of the city.
View along the way to the Castle
When we reached the castle, we stopped to enjoy the view. We could see the old Roman Theater and other features within the city of Cartagena.
View near the Castillo de la Concepcion in Cartagena.View of Cartagena from the Castillo de la Concepcion
We then went and explored the Castillo de la Concepcion. There were several rooms which were designed as cisterns. There was limited access to water at the castle so they captured rainwater. We were able to walk through the cisterns and look at its design.
Inside the cisterns on Castillo de la ConcepcionA lookout inside the castle
There were several rooms with displays of different artifacts. We saw a “Strongbox” which was used for currency control and to hold important documents from the 16th century.
16th-century “Strongbox” at Castillo de la Concepcion
16th-century book with important historic information.
16th-century historic book
We saw many interesting artifacts in the Castle, but what was extremely impressive was the outside section of the Castle. The views from the top of the castle were breathtaking. We could see the entire city and the mountains in the background.
Shelley on the top of the Castillo de la ConcepcionRay overlooking the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Castillo de la Concepcion was very interesting. We enjoyed walking up the trail, seeing the vistas and exploring the rich history of the Castle.
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