3-4 November: glitzy visit to Elche - Elx
Thursday evening I cycled up to the old town to soak up the atmosphere. The basilica had just closed, but the Gothic façade was handsomely lit and provided a nicer photo than the shadow façade the next morning. Ditto for the town hall with the pretty inlaid square in front of it.
On Friday morning, I set off on my cycle tour of the palm park and the old town. A small diversions, but more than worth it. The basilica was now open. The lavish gold ornaments and statues with gilded crowns, jewels and lots of glitter were free to visit. However, they did not appeal to me much.
A discovery - or again, not such a great discovery as it has since become a UNESCO world heritage site - was the Jardin Huerto del Cura, a 12,000 m² botanical palm garden with numerous palm species and other Mediterranean plants and cacti. A gem of a garden.
The big eye-catcher is the 'palmera imperial', a mighty date palm with seven sub-tribes. It is 180 years old, weighs eight tonnes and stands 17 metres tall. In 1894, a certain chaplain Castaño dedicated it to Empress Sissi of Austria, hence its imperial title.
16 September: Opening the door at Diamondway Buddhist Centre in Tallinn The centre's meditation sessions are open
