20.5 km today.
147.5 km this trip.
1542.3 km from start.
0 metres minimum height.
29 metres maximum height.
91 metres ascent.
83 metres descent.
Track Log: Logged.
Travel: Tram.
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2008-02-16-000-Alicante-to-Poble-Espanyol.gpx
2008-02-16-000-Alicante-to-Poble-Espanyol.kml
Golden miles and coastal roads. Not too horrible.
No bus ride today. We set out straight from home. We followed the coast parallel to the new tram tracks. We quickly got caught in a dead end with the fenced tram-way blocking the coastal path. After a long back-track we walked beside a main road only a few feet away from where we were earlier. Usually in Spain, the fences have been torn down so this problem does not arise. In this case, with unusual and unwanted efficiency, the fences had been repaired.
Later that morning, we got caught in another dead end. This time cliffs and tower blocks were the cause. We had some luck though. One tower block was less well secured so we crept inside, went up five or six floors in the lift, went up a couple more floors on the stairs and escaped onto the main road by crossing a bridge between the tower block and the cliff top. This is how Spain is supposed to work. There is always a way through.
We had a lovely lie-in and at last I made Neil's breakfast - toast - although he had already had his fierce carvar. We set off at about 8 and went back to baobab square before turning east to the sea. We were in time to see the sun rise out of it. The sky is completely clear and the sea is calm. There is a light breeze. It is a heart's desire day - the first since our day of arrival.
Many days were good in parts but today was just good. We went along the marine parade and then along a side road that followed the coast. It passed through a sailing club and ended in some stones and a high wall on the far side of which was the new vlak from La Creuta to Alicante. It was a narnula. We had to go back miles. Because we were near the town, the usual method of slinking through a hole in the netting made by someone else didn't work. We could see where a number of such holes had been repaired on the far side so although you could get on to the railway track you couldn't then get off it. Health and Safety is making life impossible in Spain too.
Eventually, we found a way round and set off again along the road on the far side of the railway. Once round the cliff edge we could get back down again and go along the marine parade and then past people's fronts. This was not a good move as we ended up in another narnula. We retraced our steps until we came to a block of flats the back door of which was open. We counted up the number of levels between us and the street above - at least four floors. We slorked in and took the lift up to level 4. It wasn't enough so we took the stairs for a further two floors at which point there was a wild bridge from the flats to the main road. On reflection we should perhaps not have used the lift as this was a mode of transport and there were stairs as an alternative. We only met one man while doing this and we just said buenos dias and carried on as if we belonged there. Come to think of it, it was probably meting this man that made us charge apparently confidently into the lift rather than lurking about furtively looking for the stairs.
It was so warm by now that not only had we taken off our hellies but we had unzipped our løgs. We were now approaching El Campillo and were looking for a place for lunch. We had it under some palms. We had considered going out for lunch but our problem is that we are always rampant for it long before one o'clock when the restaurantes open. We had also considered having a pollo but the same thing applies. They are not ready before one o'clock. The only exception to this was in Torrevieja market where they seemed to be on the go right from the start. But we were there early in the morning and it was too early even for us. We also failed to find a tart shop so we just had our own sandwiches and portocarls.
We were hoping to get to a station beyond El Campillo from which we could get to La Vila Joiosa in one day at Easter. As soon as we got beyond Alicante, there were tracks and roads along the railway line and when we got to a tureen full of baa lambs and billies we could get across it without any problem. Eventually we got to Poble Espanyol which should make a good starting point. Then we waited for a tram to take us back to Alicante. The vlaks are brand new and you get your ticket from a scheem on the train.
Back in Alicante a sea breeze had got up and it was cooler. We plotted our way back from the Mercado station, called in at a supermarket for prøkest brød and made-up sandwiches cheese. We had hoped to have a lovely seeskweem for supper afters but they didn't have any. I am going out now to get some to cheer us up. I go to the Argentinian shop. They have some Claras which look different from the ones I bought earlier. They don't have a date on them but I am sure my others are very pink and this one is only a bit pink. I ask the lady if they are new and she thinks they are, I get them any way. She is from Chile and we have a long talk. The shop is not Argentinian after all! She wants to know if Neil is all right because he usually comes in too. We talk about our Spanish group, shop opening hours in different countries, my friend Caroline whose daughter is married to a Chileno and I am getting sorrier by the minute that we are going to have to leave the next day. I pick up two small ice-creams to be sensible.