22 December
Trams. Trams
Alicante is a small dot on our map - like so many other small dots that turn out to be rather large towns or cities. The Costa Blanca is just another of the string of Mediterranean resort areas that ring the coast from Turkey to Gibraltar. It's a bit like the Gold Coast on steroids for thousands of kilometers.
Thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of people from all over Europe own apartments around here. There is no way the 250,000 population of Alicante would need this many apartment blocks! North and south of the city, along a beautiful coastline, block after block of apartments are strung out along the coast and even up in the hills behind.
We are slow learners, but we have worked out, as per our experience in Valencia and many cities before, that driving into any city of any size in a camper is a recipe for disaster. So off on to the tram we went, this time into the small(?) city of Alicante.
The tram line runs along the coast and, for the 12 kms into town, we had a great view of the Mediterranean and the beaches and resorts that line it. What can you say about a resort town in late December when you have it to yourselves? One thermometer in town said 28C, but it was in full sun! Blue sky, blue water and great laid-back feel! The highlight was the Castillo de Santo Barbara. This is a fortress which was captured from the Arabs by the future King Alfonso X the Wise on December 4, 1248, the feast day of Saint Barbara. Incredible views down to the city and out to the Mediterranean make this a “must-see”. Fortunately, the 204m height is accessible by lift, so, why the hell not?
Trams? Well, we are in a camping ground in a 'village' just south of Alicante called El Campello. "Village" because villages around here are usually towns of many thousands! - The park is packed with northern Europeans who winter here, so we are on a site at the back of the park – on the tram line! Right on the tram line! Never mind. If we can sleep with trucks, we can sleep with trams.
21 December
Call off the search
After our successful train visit to the Cinqueterre, following several bad experiences attempting to visit even medium-sized cities in the van, we decided to do a park-and-ride today.
We must have become fairly accomplished at interpreting station signs and timetables in foreign languages, because we were able to dump the van in the Sagunto station carpark today in outer suburban Valencia (way outer suburban), jump on a train, with the appropriate tickets, all before we were sure the train was actually going the right way ... and well inside 2 minutes!
Valencia was yet another surprise today. And we are glad we took the trouble. What a glorious day. Most of the three quarters of a million of the good folk of Valencia were out and about by the time we reached town (11:00am). Streets were jammed with families, kids and a hell of a lot of old folk, just walking about in the 20C sun.
So why did we come to Valencia? Not for love of oranges, although they are here in the millions! It was in search of the Holy Grail!
Monty Python and Dan Brown got it horribly wrong and wasted enormous effort. They should have
read the Lonely Planet. The Holy Grail is here! Yes indeedy. The only 'Grail' recognised by the Holy Mother Church is right here in Valencia. Popes have offered mass with it. It is “revered” in a side chapel of the basilica and there are postcards for sale at the church door. On close examination of the post card, it has to be said that the 'grail' is in remarkable condition for a 2000 year old cup. Not only that, it is extremely 'flash' for a wine goblet that would have been used by peasant Galileans on a night out. One has to wonder sometimes??
Valencia doesn't need the Holy Grail, or any other magic to be an attractive city. The city centre is full of wonders at every turn. We had no tourist guide today so we just roamed about. Perhaps we should do it more often?
20 December
“Road to Marrakech”
(Apologies to Bing and Bob!)
Across the eastern coastal plains of Spain they come - from Belgium, France, Italy and Germany and all points north – from the winter-dark and dismal tracts of northern Europe, through the sun-drenched fields of Cataluna and the orange orchards of Valencia, in their thousands, heading for Morocco for the holidays.
On the west coast of Spain, it's the British, the French and others who can afford the French autoroute tolls (we saw them last trip). Those who can't, have slipped out through Germany, where there are no tolls.
All on the “Road to Marrakech.”
Some are Moroccans, heading back home for a holiday that they don't necessarily celebrate, but are happy to take, as their factories and offices in the Christian north close down for the Christmas break. They are easily identified by the piles of 'stuff' on the roof of their cars. Tied up with tape, rope and plastic tarps, some of the loads are as big as the vehicles under them. As one would load up a camel?
The caravan speeds off south, where it is getting increasingly warm. Longer days and more sun!! And we, along with hundreds of campervans, join it.
Hope there is some room left at the Inn.
Trams. Trams
Alicante is a small dot on our map - like so many other small dots that turn out to be rather large towns or cities. The Costa Blanca is just another of the string of Mediterranean resort areas that ring the coast from Turkey to Gibraltar. It's a bit like the Gold Coast on steroids for thousands of kilometers.
Thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of people from all over Europe own apartments around here. There is no way the 250,000 population of Alicante would need this many apartment blocks! North and south of the city, along a beautiful coastline, block after block of apartments are strung out along the coast and even up in the hills behind.
We are slow learners, but we have worked out, as per our experience in Valencia and many cities before, that driving into any city of any size in a camper is a recipe for disaster. So off on to the tram we went, this time into the small(?) city of Alicante.
The tram line runs along the coast and, for the 12 kms into town, we had a great view of the Mediterranean and the beaches and resorts that line it. What can you say about a resort town in late December when you have it to yourselves? One thermometer in town said 28C, but it was in full sun! Blue sky, blue water and great laid-back feel! The highlight was the Castillo de Santo Barbara. This is a fortress which was captured from the Arabs by the future King Alfonso X the Wise on December 4, 1248, the feast day of Saint Barbara. Incredible views down to the city and out to the Mediterranean make this a “must-see”. Fortunately, the 204m height is accessible by lift, so, why the hell not?
Trams? Well, we are in a camping ground in a 'village' just south of Alicante called El Campello. "Village" because villages around here are usually towns of many thousands! - The park is packed with northern Europeans who winter here, so we are on a site at the back of the park – on the tram line! Right on the tram line! Never mind. If we can sleep with trucks, we can sleep with trams.
21 December
Call off the search
After our successful train visit to the Cinqueterre, following several bad experiences attempting to visit even medium-sized cities in the van, we decided to do a park-and-ride today.
We must have become fairly accomplished at interpreting station signs and timetables in foreign languages, because we were able to dump the van in the Sagunto station carpark today in outer suburban Valencia (way outer suburban), jump on a train, with the appropriate tickets, all before we were sure the train was actually going the right way ... and well inside 2 minutes!
Valencia was yet another surprise today. And we are glad we took the trouble. What a glorious day. Most of the three quarters of a million of the good folk of Valencia were out and about by the time we reached town (11:00am). Streets were jammed with families, kids and a hell of a lot of old folk, just walking about in the 20C sun.
So why did we come to Valencia? Not for love of oranges, although they are here in the millions! It was in search of the Holy Grail!
Monty Python and Dan Brown got it horribly wrong and wasted enormous effort. They should have
read the Lonely Planet. The Holy Grail is here! Yes indeedy. The only 'Grail' recognised by the Holy Mother Church is right here in Valencia. Popes have offered mass with it. It is “revered” in a side chapel of the basilica and there are postcards for sale at the church door. On close examination of the post card, it has to be said that the 'grail' is in remarkable condition for a 2000 year old cup. Not only that, it is extremely 'flash' for a wine goblet that would have been used by peasant Galileans on a night out. One has to wonder sometimes??
Valencia doesn't need the Holy Grail, or any other magic to be an attractive city. The city centre is full of wonders at every turn. We had no tourist guide today so we just roamed about. Perhaps we should do it more often?
20 December
“Road to Marrakech”
(Apologies to Bing and Bob!)
Across the eastern coastal plains of Spain they come - from Belgium, France, Italy and Germany and all points north – from the winter-dark and dismal tracts of northern Europe, through the sun-drenched fields of Cataluna and the orange orchards of Valencia, in their thousands, heading for Morocco for the holidays.
On the west coast of Spain, it's the British, the French and others who can afford the French autoroute tolls (we saw them last trip). Those who can't, have slipped out through Germany, where there are no tolls.
All on the “Road to Marrakech.”
Some are Moroccans, heading back home for a holiday that they don't necessarily celebrate, but are happy to take, as their factories and offices in the Christian north close down for the Christmas break. They are easily identified by the piles of 'stuff' on the roof of their cars. Tied up with tape, rope and plastic tarps, some of the loads are as big as the vehicles under them. As one would load up a camel?
The caravan speeds off south, where it is getting increasingly warm. Longer days and more sun!! And we, along with hundreds of campervans, join it.
Hope there is some room left at the Inn.
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