Costa Blanca - Spain

[peter]

Has anyone climbed in the Costa Blanca area of southern Spain? I am planning to climb in the Calpe - Penon de Ifach area at the end of November, and am looking for ideas for accomodation, sightseeing for the family, route ideas. A climbing buddy is coming over from Canada, and we have a couple weeks to play with. Yes, I did mean November; the season there starts in November and runs to March, as it is "too hot" to climb in the summer ...

[dcentral]

Had a friend just come back from Spain.

He did say it was cooler in the Middle East when he was there. His biggest complaint was that he felt like he was being taken for all his money everytime he dealt with anyone. So you might just want to watch out for that.

He was there for a month and said if he was going to do it again he'd only go for two weeks tops.

[mike]

For the family it might be nice to hop the 1 hour ferry to Morrocco. Tangiers is a nice litte city. The only 5 star hotel in town has a really swanky Hammam. $60us per person for the Hammam and a 1 hour massage. WELL WORTH IT.

Mike

[The Mitt]

What kind of massage or is this still a family channel?

Mitt

[dcentral]

are the words Swanky ever invovled in the type of massage you are talking about??

[martha]

Last time I checked...a Hammam is public bath.....

ummm....

[mike]

It starts with a hot chick in a dental assistant uniform leading your underwear clad self into a warmish, very humid, lightly steamed room decorated with ornate tiles. You lie face down on a tiled bench and get hot water poured all over you, which in itself is exceptionally soothing. Then there is a succession of scrubbing and rinsing with the water getting a little less hot each time. The final of the 3 or 4 scrub sessions is done with exfoliation pads on the hotty's hands. To me it felt like I was a little cub and momma tiger was licking away all the dirty old skin that was no longer of any use. You finish by standing in front of a bank of horizontally aimed shower heads- maybe 9 or 10 of them and rinse away any left over bits of soap, mud, skin conditioner, and skin.
Next step- take your brand new self to the bed with the hole in the sunny room for a 1 hour -try to stay concious- session of mind soothing massage.
Good clean fun,
Mike

[peter]

I am travelling with two blonde, teenage daughters, so I think Morocco is out, the white slave trade still being what it is.

[mike]

Those Morroccan boys can be a bit aggressive when it comes to blondes... there's no mistaking that.
On the other hand, better watch your own ass in the south of Spain. Machismo ain't what it used to be.

Macho, macho, man. Peter's gonna meet some macho men.

[martha]

Peter is kinda cute eh? Yeah, he better watch out for sure. I think that they'll really like him there.....

[mike]

I hear Pataguchi is now offering a nice thonge equipped speedo as part of their 2005 European beachwear lineup.

Gotta be prepared...
You never know who you might bump into over there...
Maybe this guy...

http://www.nutimesnewroman.neu.edu/v3i4 ... sleaze.jpg

[peter]

Oooooohhhh. I do love hairy shoulders. It gives me something to hold onto when we slow dance.

I will see how French beaches (yes, that is "beaches", not "bitches" with a cute accent) treat me first.

Peter

[climberwannabe]

Ahhhhh, French beetches....

[mike]

Oh, Peter,

I'm so glad that you are able to set aside your North American teachings and embrace the world as your oyster.

One bit of advice though, watch out for the oyster sauce. Tends to mess up yer doo.

[martha]

One bit of advice though, watch out for the oyster sauce. Tends to mess up yer doo.

you aren't talking about his hair doo are you?

ikky.

[peter]

I would take Mike "to the next level", but it is sure to cause the thread to be locked.

I am in Montpellier now. From the 2nd C. A.D. Roman acqueduct, I can see some great rock formations in the distance. Oh ya, the ruins are interesting, but how to get to the cliff?