a winter Camping at Marjal Costa Blanca

Peace is shattered. Back here again. The difference in a few days is amazing. A lot of the Unfriendly Club have gone and so have many of those blooming dogs! I wonder if we can now get back in the facilities and maybe even get our free newspapers?! That was another thing that got me about them. Free newspapers are delivered every week for the campers. We would go up and help ourselves but when they came one person took the whole blooming lot! The 'friendly club?" I ask you?! I'm staying unfriendly! So let's hope Marjal is beginning to return to what we all know and love. I am not staying around next year if we have a repeat! Wandering is the answer!
Talking of wandering my mum who has a fifth wheel on here was getting a bit stir crazy too. She even considered buying a motorhome! I mean she's 80 for heavens sake. She couldn't cope with a little caravan so I gave her a "talking to!" ( daughters prerogative!) and explained that she could have lots of nights all over the place in nice hotels for the cost of her motorhome. Mother being mother literally went for it and took me literally and instantly. She is now having a ball in a four star hotel in Benidorm where the food is fantastic and all inclusive. She was out last night at Benidorm Palace! ( I was a bit worried in case she had accidently booked Sticky Vicky!) The cost of her three days away ...99 euros! That's including food! OK so I'm not on commission and the hotels name sounded a but rope " flash!" But it really is flash! I hope she does many more as its too easy here just to stay and get in a rut. Spain is a fantastic country-theres just so much to see and all the different areas are...amazing. So much more than sunshine and the Cost as, though they are nice.
Well its sunny again today. I have a few little sewing jobs to do this afternoon and then..?! No the entertainment tonight at the bar is Dutch Dave. Happy Hour last time I went was Dutch with the oompah depressive racket and then we get Dutch Days and dances! Once or twice its nice but......?! I have one or two nice bottles of red tucked away and I think after my jog ( yes me jog!) Tonight I may have my own happy hour. Whatever you do have fun!

Winter Camping in Spain-Camping Javea

Morning world. Another sunny day here..OK what a bore. Well just for a change I went for another free english breakfast at Scallops. What I hadn't realised is that you buy one evening meal and get two english breakfasts free! Well it would have been rude not to! I solved the tea problem and took my own tea bag!

In the afternoon we sat outside on the campsite and this moaning Brit made me laugh. He had bought a new Lunar Caravan in December similar to ours. He asked us what we thought to ours " great. Its six months old and its been to 14 countries. No complaints!"  The guy then started..the oven gets hot! 'No shit sherlock!" The mirror on his is in the wrong place " surely it was in that place when you bought it?!"  " the mounting outside around the fridge vent is loose but I did remove that stuff around it! ( maybe,just maybe that's why it was there!) Within five minutes I was losing the will to live. Its a good job that he didn't show me the knife drawer! There was clearly nothing wrong with the caravan maybe he just bought the wrong one for him!  I don't think I would ever be a caravan dealer!
In the afternoon we went for a walk towards the lovely little port

Behind the prom I found the most modern of churches. At first I thought " what an eyesore!" But once inside the Courtyard area there was a hive of activity with a toddlers group or something. In the end I actually like the mixture of new and old!

Oh no pic in the wrong place but the WiFi signal is so slow that again I'm losing the will to live! Never mind! David Bailey or whoever your job is safe! Although the beaches look pebbly at the other end they are lovely sand. I was having a great time until I bumped into three tramps

How the hell are they filling their faces again?!

Well its time to pack up and head down the good old AP7 Marjal-your peace is shattered Dave's coming back!

Winter Camping-Camping Javea

Well as promised I went back to Scallops for my free english breakfast. It was fantastic sitting in the sunshine

Its very clever where they make their money..2 euros for a cup of tea and it certainly wasn't Yorkshire. Tea! I ask you how can anyone have a full english without a cup of tea?! I'm still not grumbling though as it was all amazing.

I do love this campsite but I couldn't help but notice that there are green bins everywhere but look...

So if they are not for rubbish what the hell are they for?! Dogs have to be walked off site so they are not for dog poo either!

So after stuffing my face it became overcast. There's only one thing for a girl to do...shop! I was boring and bought loads of food intending to cook but then the restaurant at the campsite was open...a three course meal,including wine for 8.50?! I'm not bloody cooking! Another great meal. I will have to be rolled back down the Coast tomorrow to Marjal!

Oh yes it will take me less than thirty minutes to pack up. A so called friend of mine Roger took a pic the first time that I went on my holidays after my winter stay

I'm not sure what Dave has on his head but I have a distinct feeling the Roger could have staged it?!

Well the sun is shining again ( what a bore!) There seems so much to do here. A walk along the beach front? A stroll around the little port or...another Scallops breakfast?!   Adios!

Winter Camping in Spain Camping Javea

We arrived safely at Camping Javea yesterday and managed to get a pitch. I have always liked this campsite. It has two toilet blocks one older than the other but both incredibly clean and yes with loo paper and hot hot water and soap but I fully understand why there are no places free.. theyve all been refurbished and are absolutely lovely! The pitches are of varying sizes and of course we have the smallest for quite a big caravan and we are straight opposite the toilet block! Now that is a double edhged sword...you would be suprised how many nutters wash pots at 11 o clock at night and how much noise they can make but then again I have the best wifi signal on the site all for 1 euro a day! I was able to watch British TV as though it really was TV. It was a good job really as after going out Dave had decided to try and drink some Lancastrains under the table and there was no chance of having any sort of coherent conversation with him.They were a great gang. We had been to Scallops. If you say Javea to anyone the next word that they will say is " Scallops!" Its really superb and no one knows how they do it. Last night we went up market and had the 4 course meal for 11 euros and that inculdes a whole bottle of wine each but then they give you a voucher to come back and have a free english breakfast! The food is amazing too not just cheap! Even on a sunday night at a new location the place was full. It used to have a prime location at the edge of a cove over looking the sea but the rent went up so they moved inland apparantly but their customer base seems to have stayed loyal and followed them. That says a lot about the place. The weather continues to be beautiful even if the weather forecasters say theres a 20 percent chance of rain...again its one of those places that yet again claim to have its own micro climate....I havent been to a place in Spain that doesnt claim to have their own micro climate! Any how here are some pics of Camping Javea -I think I should be on comission!

The site is situated in the middle of orange groves with the little town dotted on the hillside. Yes the campsite has its won lovely little restaurant and bar but its closed one night a week...sunday! How typical! I can vouch that the pool is to die for. I have been here in high season and virtually had it all to myself. I swam over a mile. The thing with it is that it is an extremely deep pool and therefore doesnt really warm up! At the shallow end its about 5 foot deep! Who really cares though when there is a beautiful beach about 1.5 miles away as well. Its great to get out and about though istead of being static for too long. Its too easy to settle into a routine. Oh talking of that I just love this pic that Roger sent me but I cannot uplaod it to my laptop for love nor money so I will jsut have to revert to my tablet later after I have had my breakfast that includes my favourite word...FREE! I will be rolling back down to Marjal at this rate! Its a great little place and again just over an hour oh maybe an hour and a half from Marjal but I can certainly understand why this place is full. Yes it allows dogs but under control! HEAVEN!! How difficult is it?!!! Off tp get dressed and breakfast calling adios amigos! 

Winter Camping on my holidays again!

The great thing about living like this is you can have as many holidays as you like. I quite envy a snail but not at the speed he travels!!We came back to Marjal for a social event and to check up on my mum but our friends have finally managed to reserve us a pitch at camping Javea-so why not?! Yep its great freedom. Why not? We only have the little sun canopy up and in less than half an hour we will be on our way!
I have always enjoyed my winter stays here but this year has been the worst. I was going stir crazy with the amount of dogs. Yap yap and poo everywhere. Its nice to go to other places and realise that its not me. There really are more dogs than campers!
The social side here is great but other campsites have different attributes. Madriles was the views and the pools-Javea its camping in orange groves with a lovely bar and restaurant and of course a lovely little seaside town, that is not too touristy. So here I am blogging when I should be facing my biggest challenge of the day-getting Dave out of bed! Pulling a caravan is nothing...hold on I have a better idea...hitch up and leave him there?! I will update with pics later..no not of Dave in bed but of Javea! Have a good day!
PS talking of social events-end of season competition and do 6 the march. Cheap drinks. Paella 6 euros I have tickets 6 euros-back on Wednesday! Lol

Winter Camping back at Marjal Costa Blanca

Well a little trundle of just over an hour and we arrived safely back at Marjal. The welcome back was superb-I hadn't been gone that long! It really is the people that make this place. The site is still extremely busy though. We came back for Chris and Pete's black and white evening. I have to say that they were superb even though the music was a little too old for me personally. Everyone was up dancing and it was a lovely atmosphere..wait for it....the food?.....superb! Yes-steak! Everything cooked and presented to perfection and great service! Any doubt about the new manager here have just about gone and he really is sorting things for the better. I am also told that he is more than aware of the dog situation and is doing something! Judging by the swift turn around of the quality of food he will probably do it! I do hope so.
Well a few pics of last night. It was disappointing to see so few people wearing black and white as requested,you don't tell me that they couldn't have tried!

I really don't know what happens with Alistair's hands when he's had a drink or two-the mind boggles! Has anyone told Marjal that Valentines Day has been and gone?! Anyhow it was a superb night.

The Social side of this campsite could be what makes this one different from all the others and makes it survive. I don't think it should allow one group special treatment, eg the train, block bookings of things we are ALL campers! As they have poor internet signal ( like the rest of us!) Some of them are allowed in the restaurant when its closed for their exclusive use! Come on-we are still paying good money! 

Well that was a whinge and it wasn't meant to be! The sun is out and today could be another great day....oooh I can use my washing machine-how lucky am I?! Simple things and all that-have a good one folks! 

Winter Camping On the move again!

It really must be about time that they altered the clocks here as I'm up at silly o clock! Its really feeling like summer already. I did the boring stuff and got the new tyres put on the car and spent the afternoon in the pool

Well they had gone to all that trouble heating up sea water it would have been rude not to! Dave was quite happy on his recliner with a book ( boring!) I shall be sorry to leave this place and once again a bit like the Terminator "I will be back!"I think I will spend more time here next winter if the kennel club continue at Marjal! 

The biggest challenge today apart from getting Dave out of bed is to get the caravan off the mountain side-thank god for motor movers and then its an hours drive up north-well maybe slightly more but on the grand scheme of things its not far! Bugger! I was tempting trouble-the gas has just ran out! Yes we have a spare bottle but that is HIS department and he has failed! 

One of the big things that I don't like about this place is no loo roll or soap and Dave has yet to have a shower at a constant temperature as someone always flushes a loo or washes blooming pots! A friend of mine recently visited another favourite of mine LA Bella Vista near Gibraltar. Ooo how I loved that place. I thought that I had found the perfect campsite as I visited just after it had opened and it was lovely. Apparently now its packed and everyone is on top of each other! Its very expensive and its only about 200 pitches. Good for them they are obviously doing it right but it doesn't sound as if its for me anymore!  

What is the perfect campsite? I'm sure its not all about money as people are obviously prepared to pay if the facilities are there and can be used. As for Marjal its no good saying " there are plans for another pool' its not good enough when the site is full and the facilities clearly arent coping as in summer there was 'standing room only!"I have managed a campsite before in France...if only I was a few years younger! I shall just have to continue looking_no not to buy a campsite but to find the perfect one and then keep my mouth shut and keep it to myself! OK so I may tell one or two friends! It would definitely have a swimming pool like here!

Well I seem to have put the world to rights or had a grumble and I had better think about getting sorted. The one thing that does make Marjal for me is the people ( well most of them!) If a campsite was judged on its campers then Marjal would be top of the list. Its not perfect but I am looking forward to seeing some great mates again later...hmm they can join me when I've found my perfect campsite..now throw me the sick bucket...see you later guys..your peace is shattered!