I finally got going around 1:30 this afternoon. Sundays are quiet in Alicante, so I decided to do like my last day in Barcelona and focus on having a nice lunch and then going to the beach before ambling around the old town.

It was very, very, very dead in Alicante early this afternoon. Just a few restaurants and the odd shop open. But I quickly found the super touristy part of town with lots of people coming off the cruise ships where there was more happening.

I saw a lot of menú del días for 11-13 euros for two courses, drink and dessert not included. Not a great deal! I brushed off the touts and continued wandering until I found a quiet alley and a restaurant with a Spanish-only 10 euro menú del día that looked good. Service was slooooow, but the server acknowledged me right away, so I knew he was just being run off his feet and not ignoring me. I eventually ordered my two courses and he confirmed that I could have a glass of white wine with my meal!

Considering I’d ordered pasta as a first course, I was a little confused when he brought me a big salad. I squinted at the menu board and, sure enough, it did say salad above the first course. So this would be a four-course meal! I was almost done with the salad when he brought me my first course (I was surprised he didn’t wait till I was done).

I was a bit shocked when I saw the size of the pasta portion. It could have been a meal unto itself! It had a really lovely sauce and the meat was cooked with a touch of nutmeg. So far, I was really impressed with my meal.

I chose the baked pork ribs as a second course and was surprised by how much meat was on them and also how flavourful and tender they were. The beans/carrots/eggplant were well seasoned and very tasty as well. I was surprised to have the veggies. I was shocked when the server came to ask me if my meal was okay, something that I’m told really doesn’t happen in Europe.

I wasn’t done yet… The included dessert was flan. I declined, telling the server I’m allergic to eggs. He offered me ice cream instead! This vanilla and three-chocolate confection came shortly thereafter…

Maybe Spain won’t be as unaffordable as Barcelona makes it out to be…

I headed towards the waterfront and found this trio of fine American dining options.

I really think I’m meant for this climate…

My favourite captain! 😀

Um, wow…

Can’t believe I was all the way up there yesterday!

Dates!

I can’t believing people were swimming. It wasn’t that hot out and the water was cold…

Taking my first steps into the Mediterranean Sea. 😀

Sandy feet are the only thing I don’t like about going to the beach. Surely, there had to be a place to rinse off…

I was right!

This tiling job is incredible!

At first, I thought this walkway is a waterslide. I bet that’s the effect they’re going for.

I must have gotten “Je parles français” tattooed on my forehead at some point and forgotten about it because how else can I explain tourists coming up to me and asking me for directions to the castle elevator in French?! It’s funny how I end up giving tourists directions everywhere I go.

I was rather impressed by this retaining wall.

The Polvora tower. I like how they are rebuilding it with the same material to show what it would have looked like new.

That stone is really gorgeous!

I got back to the Rambla, a main street, when I realised I wasn’t quite ready to go home yet. So I headed towards this interesting building, with the water behind it.

I passed a shop with notebooks that had funny messages on them. My favourites are: “Come on. Eat the world!”

and “Life is a journey, not a race.”

I had such a laugh when I was looking for lunch and headed off to this giant TACO sign in the distance. What a disappointment!

Bast, did you open a restaurant in Alicante?

I can’t quite make out the last word in this, but rico would make sense. So “Marry someone who cooks well. Beauty is fleeting, but hunger isn’t.”

Am I following my dreams if I follow this arrow?

This ad for a new real estate project had me burst out laughing in public. The wife: “New construction homes. What more could you want?” Husband: “A steak.”

The arrow above took me to this wonderland!

Children were playing hopscotch. I had to wait for one to finish to take this picture and you can see a bit of his shoe.

This sign told me something very interesting about Alicante. This area was the original elevation of the city, which for a very long time impeded its development. Levelling works ended in 1946.

Here’s something I’ve noticed since I got to Spain. They use the verb “alquilar” for renting, as opposed to “rentar,” like I saw in Mexico. I did some research and learned that Mexico is the only Spanish-speaking country that uses rentar for this meaning.

Here’s the park outside my window again. It’s prettier from this angle.

I had a lovely walk around Alicante today and didn’t need to pull out my map once!

So on to Almería tomorrow! I am beyond ready to stop for seven weeks and replenish my coffers.