Not a good weekend. No siree. I've been trying to write this post for a couple of days now, but just couldn't seem to do it. Opening iPhoto and trying to select photos would just make me start crying all over again... as do a number of other random (or canine-related) things.
So last Fall, when I was looking for other groups to go hiking with other than the Centro Excursionista de Alicante (because they only went out once a month), I managed to snag a spot on a hike organised by the Diputación Provincial de Alicante (provincial representation of the government). The destination was the Sierra de Bernia, a mountain that separates the green northernmost part of the Province of Alicante from the drier south (in fact the northern face of Bernia is the rainiest place in the province!). It turned out to be an interesting, albeit somewhat frustrating, hike. Frustrating because it was an "easy" hike, just crossing the mountain via the easiest pass and then hiking downhill to a river. Forget about getting close to the summit! And yet interesting because of the chance to visit the ruins of a 16th century military fort and because of the crazy weather (dark clouds kept moving around giving us really interesting views). In any case it left me wanting more! Wanting to go back and try the summit. Wanting to go back and cross the mountain through the Forat (a hole through the mountain!). And on the Sunday before Easter I finally got to go back!!! :o)
April 1st. Palm Sunday. No procession for me this year. Up bright and early to meet up with other members of the CEA at the bull ring downtown at 8 a.m. Everyone piles into the cars, and off we go, heading north to arrive around 9h30 at the "Casas de Bernia", about the closest we can get to the mountain by car (although there were a couple more options on the southern face). A gloriously sunshiny day, with no signs of those pesky rain clouds that hid everything from me on my previous visit! :o)
Sierra de Bernia, north, seen from Casas de Bernia
Have you seen this music video? Paul McCartney's latest song "My Valentine" featuring Johnny Depp on the guitar and Nathalie Portman interpreting the lyrics in sign language... it's quite beautiful! :o)
I'm afraid I've once again been rather absent on the blogs... some of you whom I visit regularly will have noticed my lack of comments lately. I'm really sorry! I'm afraid I'm a bit swamped with my classes and trying to find a more regular job that would give me some financial stability (if such a thing even exists these days). Plus with the Easter holidays some of my friends have finally had some free time to get together! Other than catching up on blog reading, I still have a hike pending for here, a couple new Semana Santa posts for my other blog, half-started book reports for this one, and trying to re-start the "Fishy Fridays" and "Come Dive With Me" series (the latter of which I had hope to do before the diving season started up again... too late I'm heading out under the waves next Saturday!). Oh, and start getting things ready for World Oceans Day! (I'm helping to translate their website to Spanish) And I could show you some scary photos of how much organising I need to do around the house... :p
Some days I look at everything that needs to get done (the "real" stuff) and it's just so overwhelming I hide on the sofa and watch TV instead of facing it... which of course makes it all worse the next day... *sigh* Must. Get. Organised! I used to be so organised once upon a time... whatever happened to me? ;(
This is the "how on earth did I manage to go this often to the movies?" month! I even saw 4 movies in an 8-day period! Kind of crazy, even for me! :p
March was definitely a month for flights of the imagination and high doses of adrenaline: spies being double-crossed, spies competing for the same girl, Martians, the magic of the earliest movies, guys threatening to jump off a ledge and some funny retired Brits lost in India...
Today is April 8th... which means that June 8th - World Oceans Day
- is only two months away! Which is a big deal on this blog, as those
of you who've hung around here for the past couple of years already
know! :D
What's that? You're new and haven't got a clue as to what WOD is??? Allow me!
June 8th has been officially declared (by the U.N. after some pushing and prodding) as World Oceans Day.
It's a time to contemplate how crucial the oceans are to the well-being
of our planet, how they inspire humanity, how they captivate our
souls... And it's time to give something back!
