Today was beautiful sunny day and we decided to go for almuerzo (lunch) at the local restaurant down the street.  The time we went was at 2:30 which is a typical time for lunch here in Alicante. The restaurant was semi full and we were seated at a table in the covered patio.  From our table we could see the mediterranean sea and the palm trees near the beach.

The waitress asked us in Spanish what we wanted for drinks so we ordered two beer while we decided what to order for lunch. We ordered the daily special, (it was the easiest for us to say in spanish) and seemed like a good choice. The waitress brought out two beer and one plate with a salad on it and a basket of bread. There were no other plates on our table so we shared the salad between us eating off the one plate. There was lots of fresh-baked bread in the basket and it was very tasty, there was  no butter served with it, but olive oil was on the table.

We were served two big plates of spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. The spaghetti was very filling and tasty, and after we were done the plate of spaghetti the waitress  replaced the empty plates with another course. Yes we actually had two main courses as the special of the day. The second course was roasted chicken for me and tuna for Shelley.  While we were eating our second main course a local artisan  came to our table and placed a bracelet on the table. The bracelet had a price tag on it of 2 euros. WE continued to eat and ignored the bracelet. The artisan returned about 10 minutes later and took the bracelet back.

When we finally finished our meal we were both very full. The waitress asked us if we wanted dessert or tea and coffee, which we declined politely. We asked for the bill and she returned with a bill for 24 euros.  All in all a great meal at a good price.

“Adios y que tengas un gran dia”

Yesterday it was cool and rained for the first time since we have arrived. It was a heavy rain that lasted around 6 to 8 hours. We stayed in the apartment for most of the day. When the rain stopped we took the bus and headed into Alicante to sign the lease and pay the rent, deposit etc. for our new apartment. On the way back we stopped in El Altet for some groceries. Overall it was a fairly quiet and relaxed day.

During the rainy day, I took the opportunity to review my photos and thought I would share some of the better ones with you.  I hope you enjoy them.

“Adios y que tengas un gran día.”

Since we arrived in Spain we have been searching for a permanent long-term rental. We have scoured the internet in the hopes to find the perfect spot. We wanted something in the centre of town not too far away from the train, tram and bus system. We also wanted to ensure we were somewhat close to the airport for future travel throughout Europe.

Today we went and looked at a particular apartment which met the above criteria. After viewing the apartment and reviewing the criteria one last time we secured a year lease with a great apartment in the heart of Alicante.

The experience of finding a permanent home and knowing that we are now committed to staying here for a minimum of one year brings both excitement and fear. I think it has sunk in that we are not just on vacation, but have moved to Spain, something we knew but still felt surreal until today. We have been able to achieve the goals that we set out for ourselves that included securing an apartment and settling into a neighbourhood to start our new life adventure.  Once the commitment was made and we knew we were settled into an area of the city, we decided to go for a celebratory drink. Down along the walkway near the waterfront we found ourselves at an outside patio having  Sangria and our first Tapa.

Today is another milestone in our new retirement adventure, living, exploring and celebration life in Spain.

“Adios y que tengas un gran día.”

Today was another beautiful sunny day so we decided to take a walk on the beach.  On our way to the beach we need to travel across an elaborate boardwalk system. The boardwalk takes you over the sand dunes that are parallel to the beach and shoreline. I was curious as to why this area was not developed into part of the beach system. Along the boardwalk was a sign explaining the ecosystem there.

The sand which is transported by the winds accumulates on the dunes and serves as a natural reserve replacing lost sand on the beach during major storms.  The dunes are at different levels of development. There are what is referred to as embryo dunes that expand eventually to semi developed dunes with flora and trees on them. These dunes are extremely important in order to maintain the current beaches. They are well maintained areas and no one is allowed to walk in the dune area. The boardwalk is also designed and configured to ensure no interruption of the wind flow which is crucial for the ecosystem of the dunes. The dunes span over 8 kilometres and have beautiful flora and wildlife during the summer time.

Today we walked a major portion of the boardwalk looking at the different development stages of the dunes and enjoying the beautiful scenery.  The pictures don’t do the dunes justice but you may be able to see the different stages of dune development and the wonderful boardwalk.

“Adios y que tengas un gran día.”

Today we decided to go into the small town of El Altet. We wanted to get some groceries and Ray wanted a haircut.  It is along the bus route we normally take when heading into the centre of Alicante. El Altet is a small town of around 5,000 people and is quit quaint.

We took a walk down the main street and checked out the local stores. Ray found a small hair saloon where the local women was cleaning the floor. There was no line up and the cost of the hair cut was only $8.

After his hair cut we then walked around until we found a small fruit and vegetable store. We bought some bananas, kiwi and other vegetables and it totalled $3.23 for what would normally cost over $10 in Canada.

We then went to the Dia Mercado and picked up some groceries. It is hard finding particular foods when you aren’t familiar with the store and the labels are in spanish. There is a lot of unique and different stuff. They have octopus, squid and other type of crustaceans in the frozen section. They sell wine and beer in grocery stores and have a very good selection at a low price.

Our grocery cart was filled with different foods which are new to us. Having groceries is an adventure in itself. Check out our shopping cart.

“Adios y que tengas un gran día.”