Costa Blanca, Spain Holiday with Rock and Sun (RockAndSun.com)

I wanted to climb in Europe but didn't know how I would manage with my lack of foreign language skills. I found a book: Rock Climbing Europe by Stewart M Green and read that there are climbing tour agencies in England. Well that would solve the language problem so I searched the internet and found Rock and Sun (RockAndSun.com). This agency schedules climbing holidays in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Morocco, and Malta. Best of all the package included seven nights stay in their villa, five days climbing with a guide, and transportation from the airport and to the craigs all for a thousand dollars. I scheduled a Costa Blanca holiday in sunny Spain.
From the villa I first saw Penon de Ifach a mass of rock that calls "climb me". After a few days of technique training on sports routs the directors of Rock and Sun, Trevor Massiah and Desiree Verbeek, decided to take me to the Penon for the climb Via Valencianos with eight pitches.
Via Valencianos (5.9) is an moderate classic up a big dihedral and slab on the west side.
From the beach sidewalk we had a ten minute scrambled up a rocky slope to below the face with dihedral on the right.
Pitch one: 35 m
We climbed steep slab and easy rock to a spacious ledge
Pitch 2: 45m
After a four meter traverse left over a bushy ledge we climbed a rib and crack to belay above pitch 1. There was plenty of spots to place nuts and use natural features for protection.
Pitch 3: 15m
We climbed easy rock up to a terrace below a big dihedral. We divided the published pitch 3 into two pitched.
Pitch 3.5: 20m
This is the 5.9 pitch. On the right side we worked up the polished crack by stemming to a jug. Trevor placed slings which I confess using to french my way up.
Pitch 4: 20m
We moved left across the lower slab to a bushy belay stance.
Pitch 5: 30m
We climbed directly up center of a great slab to the ridge line with a spectacular surprise view of the city and harbor below.
Pitch 6: 30m
We walked along the exposed ridge then climbed over a bulge with good holds. This was a fun pitch because of the variety of climbing.
Pitch 7: 20m
We climbed and scrambled to an exposed notch and belay.

Pitch 8: 30m
We crambled to the top and walked off.
I love Yosemite crows but this guy was special too.
Most people return from a foreign trip with memories and a bottle of booze but for me it was different. I came back with more balanced and efficient climbing technique. Whereas some guided sports sessions turn into guides yelling beta, the Rock and Sun guides took a different approach. These guides instructed in principals: reading routes, subtle weight shifts, footwork, pressing with both legs, and releasing pressure on the hands. These principals are not new but after watching me climb they offered subtle movement changes to greatly improve my balance and reduce effort.

Yes, I returned with memories too.
Respectfully submitted
A Rick Robson age 71
Newark, Delaware