Almassera Vella

30/04/2021

Prescient

Carl Sagan

11/11/2019

Just completed our Olive gathering weekend with 72 litres of excellent Extra Virgin - plus three fantastic 'Cook and Dine' mornings with 'The Strawberry Tree' -

31/01/2019

So Jacob Rees-Mogg is really PI**ED OFF with this new billboard (see Bristol Post: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/jacob-rees-mogg-responds-second-2485790). He just wants it to go away. He would truly hate it if we all hit that 'share' button.

02/10/2017

Walk with Chris, Pietr and Tineke to the Arcs de Atancos

19/09/2017

Two exceptional residential weeks tutored by Mimi Khalvati followed by Tamar Yoseloff. A lot of fine poetry experienced and created

11/06/2017

A brilliant week in the company of Ann Sansom of the Poetry Business

14/05/2017

Friends in Busot asked us over to join a guided tour of the Village. Busot lies on the far side of Cabezo d'Or

05/04/2017

Thanks to January rain we havehave a spectucular disply of white irises this year

09/02/2017

I made a tour of the valley today to see the Almond blossom - It's spectacular this year. The scenery in the valley constantly reminds me of Van Gogh's late landscapes.-

25/11/2016

Sometime last summer...

A fashion shoot at the Almassera Vella - Beatriz Vinaches Martinez

11/11/2016

Beautiful weather and trees groaning with olives at perfection made this year a very pleasurable experience . Great help from Sue Brewer and her niece Carolin from Brazil and Jackie and Tim from Speen - also technical help from José's team and Jordi at the Press. 1530 kilos collected and 225 litres of extra virgin gained - available now 20€ a 5 kilo bottle

17/09/2016

Tammy's inspiring course on 'Poetry and Art' ran 10th- 17th September with a group of talented participants and an exciting mid-course reading at the Museo de Artes Contemporaneo Alicante (MACA)

18/04/2016

Evening sun on Logia and Pool after a warm , golden day

12/03/2016

My brothers triptych of the Aitana mountains including Puigcampana - now pride of place above the olive press

26/02/2016

The strange weather has changed the times certain wild flowers have appeared this year. Today we were hunting for Barlia Robertiana - the Giant Orchid. It's normally peaking about this time. Most of the ones we found were well over but Tineke Vlijm, Chris Lambert and I found a few on the Camino de Santiago between Finestrat and Orcheta

18/02/2016

Marisa and I went to a concert at the Auditorio - the brilliant guitarist Juan-Manual Cañizares playing Rodrigo's guitar concerto (https:77www.youtube.com7watch?v=4N-8ZJOse_w ) on Friday 12th then spent Saturday in L'Eixample. Amazing architecture!

26/12/2015

A carol service by a the village choir and musicians and the Aixames riual followed a walk though the orange groves

20/12/2015

A concert last night in Relleu church from the Los Jovenes Gospel choir from Alicante. A Christmas delight

14/12/2015

After a Christmas party we cleared our heads with a walk with the dogs up to Relleu castle - always refreshing.

04/11/2015

A bumper year after last year's blank. A great weekend, with generous weather, a great team of gatherers and 1200 kilos of Manzanilla and blanqueta olives. Helpe from Adele and Dave Wood, Anne Stewart, Bridget Boston, Tessa Watkins and Jackie and Tim Edwards

09/10/2015

A visit to the 1956 Honeymoon house of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath

07/09/2015

After three or four hours of heavy rain, the sun arrived and martins began diving the pool to get some fresh water from the top. Fascinatiing to watch.

10/08/2015

Frederico Garcia Lorca with poet friends on Postiguet Beach, Alicante - a photograph in the MUBAG gallery we will be visiting with Tammy Yoseloff on her fascinating 'Poetry and Art' Course here September 12th - 19th - places available!

24/06/2015

Alicante Fiesta de San Juan climaxes today - some writing exercises yesterday took us to visit the Fogueras in the Ayuntamiento plaza and lunch in a Fiesta Barracas on the esplanade. All the Fogueras will be torched tonight.
'Beginning to Write' 20th - 27th June.

13/06/2015

A stimulating, inspiring and lively week with a a table of poets guided by Ann SAnsom of the Poetry Business - all produced some startling poems - lots of discussion, good wine and fellowship. The last night rendering of 'Sweet Molly Malone'' will not be forgotten.

11/06/2015

With Ann Sansom at Pepé's Bar - mid poetry course.

01/06/2015

It's been a very dry May so not all the plants you'd expect to see in the Tagarine were present - but for botanists, here's the highlights of an afternoon plant hunting with Tineke Vlijm and Chris Lambert on the last day of May.

02/05/2015

Summer is here today - View from my office window - and the return of Señor Limón

26/04/2015

The Camino de Santiago now covers much more of Spain than is generally known. This stretch takes you through some fascinating Triassic ravines and across the leser known landscapes of the Relleu valley. Easy walking and stunning views

22/04/2015

The village celebrates Mare de Deu with a weekend of processions, music and family gatherings. Starting this year with the Aurora hymns sung station to station through the village, starting at 6.am through to 8am with a few pitstops for Mistela and cake.