From A to B

"I could be wrong, but I think Benidorm could have a certain charm to it." So said Kevin as we drove in to a vista of tower blocks and giant billboards. We had just spent the morning exploring Altea Old Town: a beautiful scattering of whitewashed buildings on a steep hillside, threaded with cobbled steps and lanes, crowned by a pretty church with a blue tiled domed roof. Parakeets with rose coloured wings swooped in the blue sky, and you could see for miles over the sunny rooftops to the sea and encircling hazy mountains. Lunch was an Italian menu del dia (spicy prawns, hake and a tea: €12) in a tiny side street lined with plants. Then a bike ride back along the sea front to Beatrix; packing up; heading off. And then we were in Benidorm.

I'm not going to labour the contrast. It's predictable to prefer a picturesque Old Town to a modern high rise beach resort - and Benidorm is properly high rise. (And I'm not going to pontificate about the ruining of the Spanish coastline due to mass tourism - yes, the tower blocks are ugly, and there seems to be some unattractive architecture everywhere we've been. But there are still enough good bits to be able to blur your eyes to the bad bits, and I have personally benefitted from the cheap package holiday, so can be forgiving.) But actually, Kevin's original prediction was right: the wide tree-lined boulevard running parallel to Benidorm's main beach did have charm, and the beach looked glorious - long, wide, sandy, and clearly being enjoyed in the 25 degree weather. (I was actually hot today - overdressed in jeans; a first this holiday.) But not quite enough charm for us to stay the night.

So onwards, through Alicante (combining Benidorm's high rises with an attractive tiled boardwalk like Altea), and to our night stop - an Aire in an industrial estate. Still, it was a beautiful sunset through the chain link fence. And finally, thoughts of home: it's a month to the day that we left, and last night Kevin booked our overnight ferry from Santander to Portsmouth for 30th November. So we're now, definitely, absolutely, over half way. I hate that moment in a trip - the time always seems to speed up. But there is still lots to see! Bring on tomorrow.

Altea Old Town:

Lunch:

A glimpse of Benidorm beach:

A snazzy Benidorm tower block:

Tea stop on a (pretty horrible) beach near Alicante airport:

Sunset on the industrial estate:

Altea to Santa Pola: