WANDERING WITH WILLIAM
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Alicante Churches and Museums

11/30/2015

 
Our flat is located less than a block from Concatedral de San Nicholás de Bari.  We hear the bells each morning and evening.  Luckily they sound as if they are in the distance, unless we have the soundproofed doors opened to the balconies.  It is the first church we visit. The blue dome is a distinctive draw to the otherwise non-descript exterior.  The interior is quite nice, and I think the side chapel is the most interesting.
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The only other church we decide to visit in Alicante is Basilica de Santa Maria.  That isn't because there aren't more to see, just that these two are so convenient to our flat.  On a sunny Wednesday we follow the blue signs and wind through the streets of Old Town to the Basilica.    We catch some photo's of the exterior and proceed inside, adjusting our eyes from the bright sunlight.  It isn't until we have taken a couple of photo's that we notice the sign requesting no photo's. Oh oh, but of course we did not use flashes, so at least we did not disturb anyone.
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After thoroughly enjoying the Basilica we exit the courtyard and notice Museo de Arte Contemporāneo de Alicante (MACA) is directly across the street.  We walk through the three stories of the museum at a relaxed pace.  Several famous artists are included within the collection, including Miró, Picasso and Dali.  There are also large collections of the works of Euebio Sempre and Juana Francés.  I enjoy some the pieces but there are times where I fail to see the attraction.
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On one of the few cloudy days we opt to walk out on the port to the Museo Volvo Ocean Race.  We are both familiar with the America's Cup, but do not know anything about the Volvo Ocean Race.  We learn that it is a sailing race that goes around the world and was formerly named the Whitbread.  Alicante was the starting point for the past three races and will also be the starting point for the next race, which occurs in 2018-2018.  A documentary of the history of the race as well as the exhibits provide us with an enjoyable education. 
Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Alicante (MARQ) is recommended to us, so we plot our approach.  The MARQ is located a mile west of the base of the mountain holding Castillo de Santa Barbara.  We will taxi to the MARQ, walk through the museum, then take our time strolling back to the flat. 

On Friday after breakfast we head out.  It is easy to get a taxi.  Less than 20 minutes and 10€ later we are dropped off in front of the Museo.  There's a very pretty cafe out front which beckons to us to pause and enjoy the pretty day, so we do.
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After we are caffeinated from our coffee's we enter the Museo. The MARQ is an archeological museum of Alicante.  It is intended to be educational and is laid out with five time period rooms (Prehistory, Iberian, Roman, Middle Ages and Modern) and also has displays on how archeology excavations are carried out.  We have fun looking at the displays and reading the explanations when we can, as approximately 25% are in English.  True to our plan we walk back to the flat, so it turns out to be a busy day on our feet.  A late lunch is in order.

The last museum we visit in Alicante is Museó Bellas-Artes Gravina (MUBAG), which is just six blocks from our flat.  It is in a beautifully restored building and turns out to be an enjoyable hour of looking at mostly paintings and sculptures from Spanish artists, but there is also a collection of Oriental art which is on loan.

Food, Glorious Food!

11/29/2015

 
The Spaniards enjoy their food, and we quickly join them in their delight.

On our first full day in Alicante we meander the 12 or so blocks to the El Cortes de Ingles supermarket to stock the basic supplies for breakfast and snacks at the flat.  Then we make the 8 block walk to Mercado Centro to see what it has to offer.  Like many mercado's we have seen in Southern Europe and Central/South America it has an array of produce, meats, fish, poultry and flowers.  The Mercado is very clean and organized.  An advantage I see here over many of the South American markets is the abundant use of ice and refrigeration.  We were once told by a local in Las Playas, Ecuador that their fisherman's market does not use ice because that would imply that the fish is not fresh.  Somehow I still feel more confident with ice and refrigeration.

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After walking through the Old Town on our first night we make the decision not to cook meals at the flat other than breakfast.  There are easily 300 spots for food and beverages within a six block radius of our flat and the prices, though not  Ecuador or Asia cheap, are reasonable.  El menu del dia's are usually €10-14 per person and include one to three appetizers, bread, beverage (small cerveza, glass of wine, Coke/Fanta or bottled water), main course and coffee or dessert.  There's usually an entree choice between three proteins - fish, chicken and beef or pork (usually five to seven ounces) or paella for the entree.  In some places a minimum of two must order the paella.  Sometimes after asking the waiter for la cuenta (the bill) he will also bring out a small glass, perhaps one ounce, of limoncello or the local sweet wine as a digestive "on the house".  We never have a bad meal and most meals we classify in the very good category.  The ingredients are very fresh and the chefs take care in the preparation and presentation.
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We don't always order el menu del dia.  Sometimes William is in the mood for a ribeye steak or I have swordfish on my mind and it must be ordered from the regular menu.  On a couple of occasions we go for Italian food and order off of the ala carte menu.

One of our walking routes takes us past Cerveceria Sento, a hole-in-the-wall place that does an incredible business with the locals and occasionally tourists if they are lucky enough to squeeze in.  After having the men behind the counter happily call to us for several days I added  Cerveceria Sento to the "must do" list.  Finally early one evening we are walking by and there are a few stools open so we take advantage.  It has the necessary tapas bar, jamon's hanging on the wall with their small pails to catch any drippings and 15 stools inside. After the all the stools and standing room inside fills up, the patrons just spill onto the street with the staff serving them through the open window.  It is a spirited, fun atmosphere and great time.
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Spain changes our lifestyle, and we are happy to oblige.  We sleep until we wake up, usually between eight and nine.  We shower, dress and have breakfast in the flat, in-between checking e-mail and the news.  By ten-thirty or eleven we are out for an adventure.  Around two or three pm we are ready for lunch, the main meal of the day.  Four o'clock or thereabouts finds us back at the flat for a modest siesta.  Then we read, do online activities and/or watch TV.  The need for activity and small hunger pangs strike near eight pm, when we go for a walk and find a place for a wine/cerveza and a couple of tapas. The evening finds us generally back at the flat connecting with family and friends over the Internet or watching a movie.  As you can see, dining is a major activity in the day.  We are definitely people who live to eat, not people who eat to live.

In many places in the world in restaurants a glass of wine costs 1.5 to 2 times the cost of a beer.  Not here!  I take great delight when the check comes and my vino tinto or vino blanco is less than William's cerveza.  A glass of good local wine is usually 2.25 - 2.50€ while a pint of beer is 3-3.50€.
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Part of the glorious food experience is the atmosphere.  In most cases we are dining at tables with umbrellas which have been setup in pedestrian walkways outside of the restaurants.  Two of our favorite locations are around Concatedral de San Nicholás de Bari and along the Explanada de España.  In both cases there are at least 8-10 restaurants from which to choose within two to three blocks.  We join the local Spaniards in the joy of relaxed meals.

Castillo de Santa Barbara

11/29/2015

 
Castillo de Santa Barbara looms impressively over the town and bay of Alicante.  We make it a "must see" and prioritize it as something to do early in our first week in this delightful town.

One of the problems with exploring castles is that they often tire us out just trekking up to the entrance.  And with the Castillo de Santa Barbara at 166 meters above sea level the idea of zig-zagging our way up on a warm, sunny day causes diminished enthusiasm.  However the Spaniards are an ingenious people - we learn that they have built a lift up to the Castillo.

We stroll along the seaside Explanada de Espana to arrive at the entrance to the lift.  After paying €2.75 each we are instructed to continue through the tunnel.  In 15 minutes time we are swept up to the castle entrance.  And we didn't break a sweat.  Brilliant!

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The origins of the Castillo date back to the 9th Century when the peninsula was under Muslim control.  It was reconstructed several times over the subsequent centuries as control of the castle and surrounding area changed.  The views of the Mediterranean and the town are spectacular.  We have fun strolling through the various buildings of the Castillo, many with artifacts and/or educational information.
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After relaxing over a coffee we decide to walk down.  We ramble around a bit trying to find the way down, and eventually decide that we'll follow the road on the west side used by cars and busses to access the Castillo.  After walking a bit we notice that it turns to the north side of the mountain.... But we want to be on the south side!  Luckily I notice a walkway that appears to lead to a cafe, but it continues down the mountain and deposits us on the south-west side. There's a distinctive building just a few blocks away.  As we approach we recognize the building - it is Mercado Central.  We know where we are now, and it is just 6-8 blocks to our flat.

"Our" Flat in Alicante

11/29/2015

 
We have rented a flat via HomeAway.  The flat is owned by John, a Brit whom I've e-mailed with a few times.  When we arrive the local agent Hugo is supposed to meet us, but he is not here.  We wait 15 minutes then I call him.  There has been a mix-up, but he says he will arrive in 45 minutes to one hour.  There are several restaurants with outdoor tables at the end of the block so we decide to just have an early dinner/late lunch (what our family has fondly named "dunch") while we wait. The order of mussels and the pizza (along with cerveza and vino) hit the spot.
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Hugo arrives and shows me around the flat. It is a one bedroom, one bath with living / dining room, breakfast area and kitchen on a pedestrian road in the Old Town; it matches the description and photo's on the HomeAway website.  Although it is located on the first floor (one floor up from ground) moving the bags is not an issue due to the small lift that services the three story building.

We quickly settle in then take a short nap, William on the sofa in front of the 42 inch smart TV.  Feels like home already.

After the nap we have a chance to look around the flat more closely.  It is in a restored period building and includes antique tiles on the floor in the living room.  The ceilings are at least 12-14 foot high.  There are two small balconies off the front overlooking the pedestrian road.  They are large enough to squeeze a small table and chairs on one.  We will use the other as a place to stand and watch the activities or to put out our laundry to dry.

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The bedroom contains a full size bed with a new mattress and quite a bit of closet space.  The bathroom is between the bedroom and kitchen and contains the usual toilet, sink and tub/shower plus a bidet.  The kitchen includes all the basics, including a clothes washer (no dryer).  If needed there is an air conditioner and heating unit hanging from the wall in the breakfast area - somewhat central in the flat.

Overall the flat has everything we expect and we will be comfortable.  We are just 3 blocks to the Mediterranean Sea in the heart of a vibrant Old Town.

November 29th, 2015

11/29/2015

 

Edinburgh, Scotland to Alicante, Spain

We arrive at Edinburgh International Airport four hours early since our friends Merida and Fergus have a flight that leaves earlier than ours.  We breeze through security then occupy our time eating breakfast and wandering through the duty free shops. 

We are flying Ryan Air, a lower cost pay-as-you-go airline to Alicante, Spain.  Want to check bags?  If you pay online in advance it costs less than at the airport.  Want a specific seat?  Then go online and choose your seat in advance (credit card in hand) otherwise you are assigned a seat at random upon check-in.  Want a soda (or any other beverage or snack)?  Be prepared with cash or a chip plus pin credit card when the flight attendant comes through the aisle.    Our one way fares went from $75 to $130 due to the baggage and seating choice (which also provided priority boarding), but was still less expensive than full service carriers AND the flight is direct to Alicante International Airport.

The plane is loaded based upon the way people have queued in two lines.  The priority line boards first.  Once we are all settled into our seats the captain comes on with an announcement.  The French Air Traffic Controllers are striking today.  He will push back, leave the doors open, but we have an approximate two hour delay.  A groan goes through the cabin.  William and I think back to our honeymoon years ago when the French Air Traffic Controllers went on strike, only we were in the old Athens airport which had only stone benches and no restaurants.  In that case it turned out to be 12 hours - the airline even brought in busses to take our plane of travelers to a restaurant after we had been in the terminal for 6 hours.

But, today we a very lucky.  10 minutes later the captain asks everyone to very quickly return to their seats and make sure they seat belts are buckled.  We have a short window in which we can take off if ready.  15 minutes after that we are airborne!

When we left Edinburgh the temperature was 11C (50F).  It is 25C (77F) when we arrive. The landscape has changed from green hills to semi-arid low mountains and valleys.  A 20 minute taxi ride, some of it skirting along the Mediterranean Sea, brings us to the flat we have rented for the next two weeks.

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    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


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Photo used under Creative Commons from A Vahanvaty