Franc met me at the hotel and we set off in his car for a day of exploring the Costa Blanca. We went north up the coast and our first stop was the small town of Moraira. We went to find a restroom, but being off season, the public toilets near the beach were closed. Instead, we found an empty cafe that had open doors - the owner came and unlocked the restrooms for us, and then had a pleasant chat. He is Greek, but works for Halliburton in Algeria - five weeks on, five weeks off. He bought the bar/cafe and now runs it in his off time.
Moraira used to be a fishing village but is now a resort town. Since it was still winter season, the town was very quiet. We walked around, passing by one of the wildlife preserves.
Franc and I stopped to take photos of each other.
And we got to see some of the daily fish auction where the daily catch is sold.
Next stop was Calpe. As we climbed up to the famous rock of Calpe which is now a national park, we had great views of the town, marinas and beaches.
And we had a delightful Swiss couple take a photo of us with the Mediterranean behind us and the Calpe Rock next to us.
Next, we continued south to Althea. It is another former fishing village that has blossomed into a tourist town, especially during the summer months.
After a break for a cup of coffee, we headed south to Benidorm. This town has grown into a monstrosity of high rise apartments and condos, and has developed a reputation for budget tours for Brits, Germans and Scandanavians. It has a less than good reputation, as people come here to drink, party and act in outrageous ways - this includes jumping from balconies into the swimming pools resulting in serious injuries and several deaths each year. Bus it was off season so meals were a bargain and we had a nice four course lunch with wine.
Then we headed west away from the coast to visit el Castell de Guadalest.
And we finally ended up back in Alicante where Franc and I parted ways. I hope to meet up with him again when he and his family move back to the USA this summer.
Moraira used to be a fishing village but is now a resort town. Since it was still winter season, the town was very quiet. We walked around, passing by one of the wildlife preserves.
Franc and I stopped to take photos of each other.
And we got to see some of the daily fish auction where the daily catch is sold.
Next stop was Calpe. As we climbed up to the famous rock of Calpe which is now a national park, we had great views of the town, marinas and beaches.
And we had a delightful Swiss couple take a photo of us with the Mediterranean behind us and the Calpe Rock next to us.
Next, we continued south to Althea. It is another former fishing village that has blossomed into a tourist town, especially during the summer months.
After a break for a cup of coffee, we headed south to Benidorm. This town has grown into a monstrosity of high rise apartments and condos, and has developed a reputation for budget tours for Brits, Germans and Scandanavians. It has a less than good reputation, as people come here to drink, party and act in outrageous ways - this includes jumping from balconies into the swimming pools resulting in serious injuries and several deaths each year. Bus it was off season so meals were a bargain and we had a nice four course lunch with wine.
Then we headed west away from the coast to visit el Castell de Guadalest.
And we finally ended up back in Alicante where Franc and I parted ways. I hope to meet up with him again when he and his family move back to the USA this summer.
Beautiful scenery!
ReplyDeleteYes, and my limited photographic skills with my cell phone do not even begin to show how beautiful it is.
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