Hi guys! I am finally back on home ground. For those who don't know, I'm not long back after spending six weeks in Spain. I was hoping to write my posts as I went from one city to another but I wasn't able to connect to the internet everywhere I went so it is a bit overdue, but as they say better late than never!
Last Summer, my parents decided to buy an apartment in the resort of Condado de Alhama in Murcia. I was yet to see it so decided to start my journey here. I flew over on the 2nd of July to my mam, sisters and brother who had all arrived the day before. I had never flown on my own before so to say I was terrified was an understatement. I was so scared I was going to get lost in the airport (even though I know if off by heart, having worked there the year before). I was convinced I was going to miss my plane. I was waiting at my gate nearly two hours before my flight. Instead of sitting there like a loser I thought I'd waste some time. One quick trip to WH Smith for a magazine and some choccy and I return to find my flight gone off the screen. Just my luck! I started to panic but little to be known, my gate number had only been changed. So off I went hauling my suitcase up to the gate. Not long after I was on my two and a half hour flight to sunny Spain.
And sunny it was! A warm welcome was surely got when I stepped off the plane. In a blink of an eye I was out the other end of Murcia airport. It was probably one of the smallest airports I have ever seen. I had a taxi booked so without delay I was on my way to Condado de Alhama. There wasn't much to take in on the half an hour journey except for dried up land, dead looking plants and small Spanish houses until I came to the drive up to Condado de Alhama itself. With palm trees trekking up either side of the road for about a mile it was a sight for sore eyes. I arrived at our apartment and was happy to just chill out and relax with my family for the evening.
There are thirteen gardens with our type of apartments in the resort, each with a pool. Most days I'd go for a swim or lie in the shade (my pale skin hates the sun) but there was not a lot to do in the area. At the entrance of Condado, there is a golf course and a plaza called Al Kazar which consists of a couple of small shops including a supermarket, a few restaurants, bars and a beauty salon. Other than this everything is a good half an hours drive away. Luckily, there is a bus service that runs daily to different places such as Port de Mazzaron, Terra Natura (Water and Wildlife Park) and the city of Murcia.
When my boyfriend joined me in the second week, we paid a visit to Mazzaron, a lovely little port town. We went to one of the many beaches in the town. It was probably one of the
busiest we'd seen due to the inflatable water park with trampolines, slides and activities. They also had a dance instructor for anyone wanting to work up a sweat in the already sweltering heat. When we arrived, it looked like a flash mob taking place. A bit of fun for everyone. After our trip to the beach we strolled through the town and along the port. There are lots of shops, stalls and a huge choice of restaurants. There are even boat trips that take you out and around the port. Plus, for those looking for a bit of night life I was told this is the place to be on a Saturday night. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience it for myself as €35 one way in a taxi from Condado was just a little too steep for me, but maybe next time.
As well as getting the bus to Mazzaron, myself, my boyfriend and my little sister spent a day at Terra Natura. We bought tickets from the Condado Club at a discounted rate which I'd highly recommend as you get the cost of the bus and your entry into Terra Natura for a great price. Even better, you can come back the next day with the same ticket at no extra cost. We started off with the wildlife park as we didn't want to be walking around with wet hair and damp clothes. It was amazing! One of the best zoos I've ever been to. They have so many activities on throughout the day which allow you to get involved with the animals. Keep in mind some of the talks or activities were at an extra cost. We found a lot of the things we wanted to do were at the same time so we made a decision to swim with the sealions instead of feeding the giraffes or meeting the lemurs. Its not often an opportunity like this comes around. It really was a once in a lifetime experience. As well as that you were able to interact with a lot of the animals such as the meerkats, deers, and ducks as they were in a very open environment. The whole Wildlife park took about three hours to walk around leaving us with loads of time for a bit of lunch and the water park. The water park isn't the biggest I've ever seen but it was a nice size with a good variety of slides to choose from. There was also a lazy river and a kids section with small slides and a shallow pool. Something for all the family. As we waited for a bus to arrive, we discovered a set of stables full of horses at the entrance of the park. My sister is a horse lover so she was in her element. We all had a great day out and I'd highly recommend it to anyone. We would've definitely been back the following day if the bus was going.
Towards the end of my holiday, myself, my boyfriend, sister and Dad along with a group of others went Go-Karting near Mazarron. I got the impression it was a family run business. There was a man, women and who I assumed was their son. They hadn't much English but they were so friendly and welcoming. You picked your kart by speed but Go-Karting not being my fortay (or anything mechanical for that matter), I hadn't a clue so I left the picking to my Dad. Lets just say I didn't know the brake from the accelerator and to me, both pedals made me go? My first time didn't go so well but second round I found my bearings. We all had such a laugh and left with our adrenaline pumping. At €12 a go, it was a cheap yet fun few hours out.
Now for those wanting to stay in the resort, I found Condado to be real laid back and relaxed. I loved Condado and by the end of my interrailing trip I was looking forward to going back. There was always such a great atmosphere in Al Kazar in the evening. I ate in nearly all of the restaurants but if your looking for a lively night life, this may not be the place for you. The closest you will get to a night out is in El Puerto de La Carta. This is the bar/club where all the staff around Al Kazar head to for a few drinks when finished work at the weekend. There aren't many others apart from a few younger tourists like myself and some Spanish locals. Myself and my boyfriend headed here on the last Saturday of our holiday and found it very quiet as well as over priced compared to everywhere else around the plaza. Don't get me wrong, we had a great night with the people we met but not quite the place you'd be going if you like a big crowd and bit of a boogie. Better for those who prefer a few quiet drinks, mainstream music and a chat with friends.
There is such a great selection of food to choose from in Al Kazar; American and Spanish to Indian and Bulgarian. I have to recommend Big G's American Diner. I'm pretty sure I popped in nearly everyday for the first week whether it be for dinner, a milkshake, a drink or dessert. The staff are unbelievably friendly. So much so that at their 4th of July party we all ended the night drinking shots together. The food was always delicious and the quality was consistent. I cannot praise them enough. You will not get service quite as good as this anywhere else in Al Kazar. Another place we loved was Funky Monkeys, the Indian tapas bar. We only went here once but the food was to die for. If you're willing to spend a little extra and want to try something different, I'd say pay Bistro Sofia a visit where you will get authentic Bulgarian cuisine. My parents treated us to a meal before we left for Valencia. It was very tasty.
As for shopping, there isn't many options for you if you are to stay in the resort. There is in fact a market every Saturday evening just outside the entrance. It is your typical Spanish market with knockoff Nike runners, fake Ray-Bans, faux handbags, some handmade jewellery and fresh fruit and veg. If it is shopping centres or high-street stores you are looking for, Cartagena or Murcia are probably your best bet.
Altogether I spent over three weeks in Murcia; more than two weeks before interrailing and one week after. I definitely plan on going back but probably at a different time of year. The weather was unbearably hot and we had no aircon for the first week. It was torture! I would pick being too cold than be too hot any day. Near 40 degrees everyday is not pleasant especially when your only option is to go down to the pool or sit out in the sun. There is only so long I can spend in the water until I turn into a prune and only so long I can sit in the sun before I get covered in heat rash. I probably seemed like a bit of a recluse towards the end as I didn't want to leave the house during the day because it was just too hot. So if I'm to go back next year it definitely won't be July.
At the end of my first two weeks, my Dad dropped myself and my boyfriend to the train station to start our interrailing journey through Spain. First stop Valencia! But that's for another post. Stay tuned and thanks for reading. Mwah!
Holly X
Instagram: https://instagram.com/hollyfitzsimons
Twitter: https://twitter.com/allthingsholly_
Email: hollyfitzsimons@hotmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment