Phoenix Car Club

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Club Drive May 31st 2009

We did it! We went here and there and did indeed discover places we didn’t even know existed.
When the coffee was taken and lots of introductions had been made to several new members with their cars, including a Frog Eye Sprite and a beautiful Jag Mk11 from New Zealand, a special welcome was made to our invited guests from the Spanish Orihuela Seat 600 Club. Altogether making a total of 28 cars and 49 intrepid travelers, we set off on what turned out to be another of Eric’s trick’s out of his hat.

We first went into the back roads of Los Montesinos, where the lemons were lying all over the roads, (so driving over lemons is true!) through the narrow groves and back out again into civilization to an interesting visit and explanation at the La Mata Nature Interpretation Center, one of the large local lakes and its surroundings that are preserved for wildlife and our enjoyment. Then back again onto more country lanes leading into Rojales where we could wonder at the restored Windmill (especially opened for us) and the views in front of us over the Vega Baja.
Then a “coffee” stop, and as you can see from the photo, our guests were already feeling at home on the drive, even though they were not so interested in the coffee. Off again, and along the narrow banks of the River Segura to a sacred burial ground, not just a cemetery but a small mound, where in the times of the Moors the graves had been hued out of the rock on top, and became the final resting place of the inhabitants of the former town of Rojales (Al-Mudawwar). Here also are trenches dug at the end of the Spanish Civil War when the Republicans were planning to make a last stand against the Nationalists. Our Spanish guests were amazed at this piece of their own history, which they were not aware of. Eric explained that far more information on the site is in the Rojales Museum, which is well worth a visit. Then across the river, over a very narrow causeway to the other side and back again through Rojales, crossing the 18th Century bridge, through the center of Ciudad Quesada, and onto the main roads to give the bigger cars a bit of a run to the Sunday lunch at Stan and Ollie´s, where our hosts had prepared an excellent meal which was very much appreciated by everyone. As the Spanish guests remarked rather like a quick holiday in England with the Sunday Roast, and time for both nationalities to practice their language skills.
(Who says we don’t try to integrate?).
Only a 50 Km run but every inch of it full of interesting sights and places, and time to forge new links with new friends.

Posted by Webmaster1 on 2009-06-02