Elche, Spain - Huerto del Curo

Elche is known for the large groves of palm trees.  Our bus tour started in Alicante (where the ship docked). We drove to Elche. The landscape of Elche is noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Palmeral of Elche, a landscape of groves of date palms, was formally laid out, with elaborate irrigation systems, at the time the Muslim city of Elche was erected, towards the end of the tenth century A.C., when much of the Iberian peninsula was Arab. The Palmeral is an oasis, a system for agrarian production in arid areas. It is also a unique example of Arab agricultural practices on the European continent. Cultivation of date palms in Elche is known at least since the Iberian times, dating around the fifth century B.C. (Source)

 We started at a beach area in Alicante.  This was a very nice beach, lined with wide beaches and wide walkways.

The housing section of the city had buildings with four to five stories.

As we drove out of the city, the farming communities came in to view.

The dirt and vegetation reminded me of Arizona.

We drove through town and saw park after park filled with palms.  Our first stop was at "Huerto del Curo", an orchard with nearly 500 palm trees.

 The garden was filled with meandering walkways, planted sections, and fountains.  This photo shows the water with a cactus garden section in the background.

 Our tour guide explained that there is a process to make religious decorations to support holidays and festivals.

 I nearly passed viewing the cactus garden, thinking "I have cactus in Arizona!".  I am very glad that I pushed that thought out of my head and visited the cactus garden.

The star of the show in the garden is an imposing eight-armed candelabra Imperial Palm.  It is 170 years old and weighs more than 8 tons. This palm specimen is a rarity.

There is a gift shop on site with baskets made from palms.  You can also buy figs and local fruits, plus get something to drink.

If you need to take a little bio-break, the bathrooms are clearly marked with a water closet (WC) sign.

The bathrooms were very modern and clean.

Nearby was a fountain. I nearly refilled my water bottle, then remembered that we were only to drink bottled water.

The garden had statues and art throughout.

I walked past the cactus garden on my way to the exit and had to stop and marvel at the cactus. Arizona has this type of cactus, but I have never seen them "clumped" like these.

 On the way out of the garden area, I saw this very interesting bird house, inhabited by all white birds.