Friday 10th May 2013 - Sunday 13th May 2013

Grua de Gandia, l'Alqueria (N38 59'10" W0 9'49")... continued...

Friday, we need to replentish our food and drink stocks, so a bit of a frantic day, for some... riding the mile and a half to Lidl, and carrying the shopping back on my bicycle, then of course, it all has to be put away, so exhausting, in this heat.

Something I have not metioned, mainly because I have been unable to get any photographs so far, but, there are lots and lots of sparrows here, far more than we are used to seeing at home.

It is spring of course, nesting time, and there are lots of chicks still being fed by their mothers, even although the chick is big enough to fly.

The chick follows the mother around, making cheeping noises and sort of fluttering it's wings in a pathetic way, until, the mother relents and feeds it.

There is one particular (male) adult bird, which I have christened as a Sparrow version of a benefit scrounger.

Even although he is fully grown, and has his adult plumage, he follows adult females around, fluttering the wings and making the cheeping sounds, in the hope they will feed him.

Just like the human version, he appears to be perfectly healthy and capable of fending for himself, but, it would appear, he prefers to freeload. Sometimes he gets fed, but, sometimes the bird he is pestering for food, appears to loose patience, and chase him.

Never seen anything like this before.

The weekend, brings another spate of what we assume are "stag parties". Groups of young men turn up, with one of them wandering around dressed in a form of fancy dress. Usually, they are dressed as a woman, but last weekend, there was one in a Superman outfit, and this weekend one in a Chicken Costume, with a live hen to accompany him. Despite what you might expect, they are polite and not troublesome.

Sunday, we have a 17.5 mile cycle ride, exploring various cycle routes, inland, via a "natural" park area and then along the coast.

There are lots of people out and about, enjoying the sunshine.

We stop off for a very pleasant lunch.

Yes, that is Kathleen, having a Gin and Tonic in a glass the size of your average goldfish bowl.