Travelogue, Spain

Spain. The land of the sun. (Spain Part 1.1)

My husband and I spent Christmas in Spain with his parents. They formally emigrated to this sun-drenched country in 2022. In the region of Murcia. Contrary to how we normally go abroad, this time we flew over by plane.
 

We had to go to Antwerp in the early morning with the car. The alarm went off at 2:45. At 7:00 we were in the air. About halfway through we were lucky and the clouds were open for a while. This allowed us to admire the beautiful snowy peaks of the Pyrenees.

After landing in Murcia, we were picked up by my parents-in-law by car. On the way to their house we were already teased by several motorcyclists. Wow, what a feeling of jealousy.

My parents-in-law live in an apartment on the ground floor in a so-called compound area. There is also an 18-hole golf course within the fence, which is full of cameras. Various small swimming pools and green areas within residential areas are provided with a sip of water twice a week by an automated sprinkler system.

The temperature is pleasant. The nights cool down to about 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, but during the day it is about 20 to 22 degrees with a lovely sun. In itself fine to stay in the winter months.

Hubby had forgotten to ask his parents in advance about transport. Spanish law (which we understood from his parents) meant that we weren't just allowed to get behind the wheel of their cars. So they decided to take us around the area.
It was some puzzling in what to do. Especially in combination with the average time at which warm food was eaten (usually around lunch). That meant that the first day was spent a few hours at a small "mountain" (Yacimiento de la Sima de las Palomas) fifteen minutes from the compound. There had been mining here in the past.
 
However, the site in question is also of archaeological value. In 1991, for example, human remains of the Neanderthal were found in one of the caves. Based on archaeological research, it is hypothesized that the large ones were used in the past as hiding places, living places and burial places by Neanderthals. Many fossils of various land and marine animals have also been found within the area.
 

As the area is still actively engaged in archaeological research, visiting opportunities are limited mainly to a number of hiking trails and a large cave called the Dragon Cave. The rest are closed with regard to the investigations, or protected with regard to bats.

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