WE know of course that Calpe is located in the Mediterranean section of Spain. Although it is admittedly unoccupied during most winters, right now is different. A lot of British visitors who have trooped to Tenerife and Ibiza last Christmas were dismayed with the rainshowers prevailing in the area thus spoiling their holidays. Thus, they had made last minute arrangements to go to the Spanish mainland and spend a couple of nights just in time for New Year’s Eve so they can continue their vacation here. And I’m pretty sure they have made just the right decision since the weather forecast for the next few days is really sunny. That’s no surprise at all because even in the middle of winter, Calpe has a very temperate climate.

To prepare the visitors for the upcoming New Year celebrations, a barrage of activities has been lined up by Calpe organizers. Among other things, a bowling tournament has been organized. Earlier this week, there was exhibition match between the teams from Calpe and El Cid. Another activity up for grabs for visitors is a rowing tournament for all, including locals from Calpe. In this way, visitors from Britain and other countries will have a chance to prove themselves that they are equally competent with the locals. There are also various golf courses here in Calpe and they are all inspected and certified by the PGA. In fact, all the instructors and caddies here have undergone PGA training. The PGA folks themselves have come here to give a two-week crash course on the basics of golf and how to treat amateur players. That’s how booming the tourism hospitality in Calpe is.

But if sports is not your passion, there are still other ingenious ways to enjoy Calpe during the rest of the days this year. If you are an avid art collector, then there are lots of indigenous materials in Calpe which are quite worthy to possess at a reasonable price. Or if you do not dig into Calpe materials, then there are also lots of French antiques in Calpe that are up for sale. There’s one Belgian businessman I know who has a habit of collecting antique French furniture and reselling it to tourists in Calpe. He’s based in Calpe by the way. This just goes to show that there are lots of Scandinavian expats here in Calpe aside from the regular British tourists. Aside from the Belgians, there are also a few folks from Holland here.

The wide appeal is due to the fact there really is everything in Calpe! With Benidorm being a neighbour, you can escape the tranquil destination for one weekend for some big nights out in the tourist hotspot. It would be recommendable to plan something special for the weekend you choose however - Benidorm has so much to see and do that it may be a little overwhelming! A great place to start is to do something you couldn’t do in the quiet Calpe - a superclub maybe and dancing til dawn? Or a casino? It is a glamorous night and would be able to entertain the whole travel group! Cards is a typical Spanish activity and so you really would be experiencing some of the culture, though preparation is everything! Practise some poker online in the weeks before you go (you may even win before you’ve left the house!) and amaze your friends with the knowledge of the game and your expert skill! And after the excitement of a real casino later on, you can retire safely to Calpe the morning after, to relax and plan your next trip!

Or, you could wait for the excitement and “jaleo” to come to Calpe - Christmas is a big celebration here, even though it is known as a quiet place otherwise. Let us not forget though that Christmas season is for Christ and for children. Is it not nice that while you are here in Calpe, you can donate to a charitable organization? In fact, there are lots of such organizations here in Christmastime and they are the conduit to help underprivileged children here. But if donating is not your cup of tea, you can still help the organization by being a volunteer for a few hours this Christmas season.

No matter when you choose to come to Calpe, you are assured of a great time! And the same goes for how long you spend here - with so much to do, and so much to see nearby, visitors often come back for the long haul, that is to say, to live. Emmigrating is not a light step to take and one must be able to guarantee a number of things before deciding to go ahead - are there enough means to live comfortably whilst away (jobs such as giving one to one English class or child minding help with this type of obstacle)? Are there commitments at home and would it be easy to travle back if need be? Assuring all this then why not go ahead and consider your Spanish life?

IT’S not just the El Peñon de Ifach which is the natural attraction in Calpe. There are also a few luxury hotels and motels there which offer optimum excellent services. What better way to spend Halloween than here in Calpe, relaxing at these hotels. If you want to stroll around the magnificent El Peñon de Ifach, then do so during All Saints Day, Spain’s version of Halloween. It’s not actually celebrated on October 31 but on the day after, November 1. This is mostly a religious tradition but the commercial and civil aspects of it have not left the minds of the Spanish and more importantly the tourists.

They have trooped to Calpe for the past decades or so even during All Saints Day, a public holiday. When it’s a public holiday, everybody else is not focused in his or her shop but troops out into the wild like El Peñon de Ifach. After a day of mountain hiking or even riding the cable going atop The Rock, then you can head back to the motel where you are staying to unwind and have some Halloween trick-or-treat awaiting you.

This is one of the features that hotels and motels here in Calpe concoct to lure tourists in. They make sure that each celebration has the right mood to be presented. Thus, hotels here have Halloween themes and the lobbies as well as the rooms are decorated with creepy looking designs. Of course, these are all children-friendly as most of the British vacationers do have kids in tow who are as young as three years old.

And it’s not just the hotels and motels that have the Halloween theme in them. There are also the various resorts which offer windsurfing, yachting, kayaking and other adventurous activities all over the coastal town. These resorts are all marked with the blue flag accreditation of the European Union which means they all have excellent facilities in whatever sports activity or leisure they are offering.

The Halloween spirit comes in when a golf and country club for example is decorated with eerie dripping blood and Dracula or monster and mammoth-like characters. Again, it must be emphasized though that these spooky interior designs must be toned down to make the halls child-friendly.

Another thing that Calpe natives crave during Halloween is the food. Every All Saints Day or so, the folks right here go to the graves to offer food to their loved ones. If the loved ones’ favorite food during daytime was jamon Serrano or turron, then these are displayed at the tombs and must not be disturbed forever. Back home, they organize festive celebrations with every Spanish delicacy you can think of. So if you’re a British vacationer in this part of Spain, it must be wonderful to knock at the door of a native and have yourself be invited in these gatherings.

After all, the residents of Calpe are such jolly people that they are hospitable to foreigners. They have to be since their El Peñon de Ifach can only do as much to attract alien visitors. The tourists will have to rely on the hospitality of the Calpe folk so that their stay here will even be more endearing.