Costa Blanca without the English ... really?

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Having just spent Easter together in Russia, Dan, decided we needed to get away again on the first UK Bank Holiday to spend a couple of days doing nothing but soaking up sun in Alicante. Once I got my head around the 'do nothing' concept I thought it was fabulous idea even if the suggested location was Alicante. I've always associated Alicante with the great English buck/hen influx given it's proximity to Benidorm and other 'english' resorts on that part of the Spanish coast.

We arrived at the airport in the wee small hours and jumped into a taxi with a nutter driver who was obviously late for an appointment given the general lack of regard for the speed limit or red lights. He then dropped us off in the general area with a vague hand wave and tried to charge extra ... it may have been 2am in a strange country, but no way that was happening ... luckily for him he didn't push it. A wander to our hotel proved all was quiet and respectable on the boardwalk.

Dan and I were staying in a hotel right on Rambla de Mendez Nunez across from the old city and a maybe 5 minute walk from the closest beach (the really important part) so location wise you couldn't get much better for a little beach break. Alicante is a really, really lovely city. I take back every bad thought I had about it as it is so relaxed and chilled (maybe because it was off season). We managed to get our prime located beach chairs each morning and spend most days surrounded by spanish accents.

Therein commenced 3 days spent lying on the sand, a daily swim (chilly, but full of salty goodness!), evenings filled with tapas, paella and fresh, fresh seafood, siestas and healthy quantities of Sangria, Cerveza and Spanish wine! We even managed to squeeze in a little shopping, a visit to a local fiesta in the old town and a general ramble around town. The most exciting nightlife was an out at 1am after a little post dinner siesta to soak up the late night atmosphere - even then we managed to avoid English in general, although we did find a few drag queens who thought we might like a 'ladies bar'! Pass.

Wild, action packed weeked it was not, but I did manage to finish 2 books and went back to London very chilled!

The best thing ... the english hoards seemed to be elsewhere!

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