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Spain

A day exploring Alicante

We took our friends from Canada for a little tour of Alicante to show them some of the sites. We walked to the downtown area of the city and enjoyed a nice stroll through one of the oldest parks in Alicante. The park is called the Canalejas Park and is located very close to the Mediterranean sea. The park is known for the beautiful centenary ficus trees which provide shade cover over the complete length of the park. We stopped in the shade and relaxed for a bit to enjoy the trees.

Anne and Jim under the centenary ficus trees
Ray sitting on the root of one of the centenary ficus trees

After enjoying the park we headed to the waterfront to admire the sea. The boardwalk along the marina is beautiful and provides a great view of the Castillo Santa Barbara. We walked along the pier to the end and enjoying the breeze from the sea.

Anne, Jim, and Shelley along the pier in downtown Alicante
Jim and Anne in downtown Alicante

After exploring the downtown area we decided to get lunch at one of our favorite Spanish restaurants called “La Matanza Castellana”.

We enjoyed a traditional Spanish meal of the day which was very tasty.

Jim enjoying a Mediterranean salad

We went to the Castillo Santa Barbara to check out the castle. Our friend Filipe gave us a great tour of the castle.  We explored areas that were not normally accessible to the public.

Ray and Filipe going into the dungeon area of the castle
Anne, Shelley, and Jim, at Castillo Santa Barbara

We went into the area of the castle where prisoners were housed. We saw a torture chamber area and even went into a water reservoir which was used by the castle for centuries.

Ray with Filipe showing the torture chair
15th-century water reservoir in Castillo Santa Barbara
Jim and Anne at the Castillo Santa Barbara

We enjoyed showing our friends some of the Alicante sites. It was a nice day with friends, sunshine and overall lots of fun.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

InterNations Evening

We went to an InterNations event on Friday evening. The monthly events are a great way to meet new people and other expats in the area. This month’s event was held a very unique and old hotel in the old quarter of Alicante. The hotel called “Les Monge Palace” is very ornate and beautifully decorated. The main entrance is unassuming and could easily be walked past.

Les Monge Palace Hotel in Old Quarter of Alicante
Entrance to Les Monge Palace Hotel.

There was a large group of people who attended the event. We mingled in the main lobby area enjoying tapas and snacks. We then headed up the rooftop terrace which was reserved for us. There was an elevator or you could take the stairs. I decided to take the stairs and admire the interior of the building.  The staircase itself was completed in mosaic tiles.

Mosaic tiles on the stairway in Les Monge Palace Hotel

There were wrought iron railings and mosaic tiles throughout the four floors to the rooftop.

Wrought iron railing in the hotel

The view looking down from the top staircase was interesting.

View looking down from the top floor of the staircase

Once on the rooftop the beauty and charm of the hotel were evident. The views from the rooftop were stunning and there was traditional Spanish music playing. The quaint and cozy rooftop seating provided beautiful views in every direction.

View of the Basilica from the rooftop terrace of the hotel
View of the Castle of Santa Barbara from the terrace of the hotel

We stayed on the terrace enjoying the beautiful weather and socialized with people from all over the world.

Ray chatting with some expat friends
Enjoying time with friends from InterNations

It was a great evening and a very enjoyable time. We always enjoy the InterNations events.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

Pirates of the Caribbean in Alicante

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We took a walk on the boardwalk near the Mediterranean Sea.

Boardwalk near Mediterranean sea in Alicante

We were enjoying the walk and came across the Museo Volvo Ocean Race and decided to check it out.

We entered the free museum not knowing anything about the Volvo Ocean Race. We were amazed at how large the museum was and the complexity of the exhibits. Almost ever exhibit was interactive and very informative.

There were small model sail ships that explained the different pieces of the equipment and design of the sailboat. There were fans blowing the wind and moving the sails in different directions explaining how sailing worked.

Model of the sailboat explaining parts of the interior of the ship

They had interactive sailing stations where kids could compete against each other on a virtual screen.

Kids racing against each other on virtual sailing exhibit

There was even a virtual ride on the sailboat in rough and windy waters of the ocean. We watched some children go into the ride but we decided to skip that ride.

virtual sailboat ride at Volvo Ocean Race museum

It was a very enlightening experience and we learned a lot about the Volvo Ocean Race. The race is the longest race of any kind in the world. It crosses four oceans and is 46,000 nautical miles long.  The race will start on October 22, 2017,  in Alicante and finishes eight months later in The Hague. There is a total of 11 legs in the race starting in Alicante and finishing in The Hague.

The legs of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017

The race will take over eight months to complete and covers four oceans. The race is the toughest test in professional sailing.

There was a sailboat called “The Black Pearl” and was crewed by a team called “Pirates of the Caribbean”, the United States entry sailboat was sponsored by Disney. We were able to see some of the Black Pearl equipment and the sailboat itself.

Shelley with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” suit worn by crew members during the race.

The “Black Pearl” was raced in 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean race and won second place.

The “Black Pearl” was on display at the museum but then relocated to a prominent location in downtown Alicante.

The Black Pearl on Display near the main promenade in downtown Alicante

There is a short video below that explains the Volvo Ocean Race and the Black Pearl.

We enjoyed the museum more than we thought we would. It was very interesting and the Volvo Ocean Race is an amazing and challenging race.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

Not a regular walk in the park

We took a beautiful Sunday hiking trip to a mountain located right in the city of Alicante called “Serra Grossa”. The mountain is located on the Mediterranean coastline and provides a great view of the entire area. We took the bus to the mall which is near the base of the mountain. We started our hike and walked up the winding path.

Ray along the trail on the Serra Grossa mountain

We gradually worked our way up the path and came across a great view of the Mediterranean sea.

Trail along the Serra Grossa Mountain

As we worked our way up the mountain we came across some spectacular views of the area.

The higher we went up the trail, the more we could see of the coastline.  We continued along the trail and came to a lookout area that had benches and some shade.

We decided to stop and take a break. We sat down on the bench and enjoyed the stunning views.

The view from the bench on the Serra Grossa Mountain

After having a nice relaxing break on the bench we headed further up the path.  As we came around a bend we could see some trenches and tunnels in the mountain. These were remnants of the bomb shelters from 1936 that were in place to protect the locals.

Shelley in one of the trenches on Serra Grossa mountain
Part of the bomb shelter system on the Serra Grossa mountain
Shelley at a lookout in the bomb shelter of Serra Grossa mountain

It was interesting walking through the shelter and looking at the structure. We then continued up the mountain heading towards the peak.  We came across a cement square structure that was perched on the edge of the mountain. There were stairs leading down to it but there were no rails or any type of protection. We decided that we wouldn’t head down as it was dangerous looking.

Structure perched on the edge of the mountain

We continued to work our way towards the top stopping along the way to rest and admire the breathtaking views. The trail was getting steep and rough in places towards the top but we managed to reach the summit.

Shelley sitting on stone wall at the top of the Serra Grossa mountain

From the top, you could see a 360-degree view of Alicante. The 490-meter elevation provided us with a view of the coast, and the mountains. It was truly a beautiful and breathtaking view.

View of Alicante from Serra Grossa summit

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Serra Grossa mountain, Alicante Spain
Spain

An evening in El Campello

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We were invited to a jazz evening in El Campello and decided to go and check it out. We took the TRAM from Luceros to El Campello which takes about 30 minutes.

Entrance to the TRAM at Luceros in Alicante

We then walked about 5 minutes to the Jazz event being held at the Casa de Cultura.

Casa de Cultura in El Campello

We arrived 15 minutes early but the place was already packed. There was standing room only so we decided to stand at the back to watch the jazz. There was no ventilation and the room was very warm.

Packed room waiting for the jazz band to start playing.

The band came out and began playing some jazz music which was interesting to listen to. It is not our typical type pf music but was a nice change.

We listened to the music for about a half hour then decided to leave because it was very warm and uncomfortable standing.

We headed back towards the TRAM and came across some friends having dinner at an outside patio. They invited us to stay and visit so we enjoyed some time chatting with friends. We then took the TRAM back to Alicante and stopped at one of our favorite restaurants called Mish Mish.

Shelley at Mish Mish restaurant Alicante

The restaurant was busy and there were lots of people outside enjoying the great weather. We had some tasty tapas before heading home.

It was an enjoyable evening of relaxation, Jazz, and good company.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”