Cramming Spain

By now the post dump has begun.  We’ve snagged a spot (Altea) where the internet actually works and have taken a few days for admin, re-conditioning and re-provisioning, as we must.  So here’s our story so far:

Well, someone has to do it for the team....

We’ve had some long sailing days, been busy touring when in port and somehow managed to fit in time for a few chores.  It has been too cool to swim yet, although here in Altea, we’ve managed at last to cast off jumpers and work on a bit of a tan.  Club Nautico (our marina) has been a little home away from home that we’ve really appreciated.  Altea has a busy restaurant-lined promenade, a rather nice beach surrounded by mountains and friendly locals.  It also was once the place where Scipio landed and sacked the Greek colony of Honosca, so it’s been around for a little while. 

WJ3 living the high life

Spain has a seeming endless coastline with a sugar crust of tourist development between rocky mountains, fertile valleys and clear deep blue seas.  We‘re wondering if this is to be a Med syndrome or peculiar to Spain.  Either way, its tourism unrestrained!  We would prefer to meet locals and entertain them with our less than adequate language skills but it’s not always possible.  It’s nice to know what makes one country different to another, especially in a close-knit community like Europe. We will have to dig a little deeper.
 

Althea has a busy fishing harbour too

Some things in Spain don’t change for tourists however.  We set out for breakfast one morning – a nice early 8:30am start.  Not another soul was about.  Finally at 10am we noticed a first rush of coffee drinkers.  Well after 10.30, a nearby café opened on the marina docks.  We dashed for a table, famished! 

Lunch is said to be a major meal of the day, so it starts after 2, perhaps 3.  Shops close after mid-day for hours – opening at 5ish…   Restaurants are full and wonderful cooking smells come from village homes.  Dinner then, is at 10pm.  We’ve dined on paella, mussels steeped in fresh tomato sauce and oddities like crumbed sea urchin.  As one must.  We’ve also snacked on a few tapas, small serves of interesting things to have with a wine or beer….before dinner, after dinner, when-ever. 

Altea from a distance

Local sailors are friendly too.  If you ever meet Tony the Sailmaker buy him an orange juice on us.  Without his help and advice (not to mention a little red panda) we would not have made our planned excursion to Valencia.  These are the moments that make travelling worthwhile.

From:  Almerimar, Spain Lat/Long:  36:41.87N 2:47.53W Date/Time: 19/06/13: 1005

To:  Altea, Spain Lat/Long: 38:35.313N 0:03.297E  Date/Time: 21/06/13: 1800
Time Taken: 194nm (30hrs) Distance (this year): 553.5nm (88hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 11378.5nm   Weather: All points 1-11kts; calm & flat;
Fastest Speed: Motor & a little sailing doing 6.5kts; warming up….finally!