Alicante

Well it is now well into October and much has happened in the last 2 months. Since returning from Copenhagen, we left a few days later with Jayne, who had just returned from a three week trip to Australia to see her family, to go to Alicante, Spain.
The reason for this place was mainly because my old and dear friend Stephane, who lived in Australia for 17 years, and now lives back in Paris, but recently bought a great holiday place in Alicante. The other reason we have heard about it from our Spanish friends Begonia and Angel, who also have a place there.
The great thing about Alicante is it is a direct flight from Bologna, about 2 hours with Ryan air, and as usual we got on the plane last and were seated in rows 1/2. Alicante is a seaside city, the center is quite pretty and old, but unfortunately since Franco the Spanish build hideous apartment buildings everywhere without any council control it appears. It is also a favorite destination to many europeans, and so is very crowded. Luckily Stephane bought a house in a housing development that collapsed about 30 years ago, and so it is very quite and it situated not far from the airport, but the planes dont fly near by, so it is quite. The beach is about 15, 20 minutes away, and is a surf beach which was great fun after the Adriatic beaches.
So we stayed there with Stephane, his girlfriend Melanie, and her kids Zeli and Nina  for 8 days, doing trips to the beach(s) and local towns and markets, visiting all the local people and stores, it was very much like being in a small town. One day we had lunch with Begona at their place which is wonderfully set on the beach, with a superb view, but is on the other-side of Alicante center. We also had a terrific meal at a very good restaurant which served sushi, the kids ate between the four of them over 50 pieces!!
Staying at Stephane's house was very relaxing, the day starting with a french style breakfast outside on the porch, then the kids would either get into his pool, or we would go to the beach. His place has a huge garden and so occasionally we found ourselves weeding, digging trenches, mowing lawns, planting plants, it was like being back at Teneriffe.
The two girls are most beautiful, just like you would imagine French girls to be, and they adored the boys, often following and hanging onto them. They are gifted artists, always drawing, which was great as the boys got back into that as well, having no TV helped of course!
I cant express how much fun we had, it was a simple place, with a lovely simple way of living, we met some lovely and strange people, and look forward to returning soon.

Jayne and Melanie

Ewan and his chicks

Altea, north of Alicante

motorcylce madness

 

Stephane, Melanie, Zelie, Nina

 

The boys with the French girls