Alicante es !Aye, caliente!
Researching for this blog I have discovered every city... EVERY city, has eluded to the extravagant and "you-can't-miss-it" night life. Alicante is absolutely NO exception! The main beach (pictured above) is Cala de la Palmeras which is a heavily visited spot. The entire coastline has been appropriately named Costa Blanca or "white coast" and refers to the 200+ kilometers of Spain's Mediterranean coastline touching the Balearic Sea. This destination is even great to your health according to the World Health Organization! The consistent warm temperatures (averaging a tranquil 18 degrees C or 65 in Fahrenheit), clean air, and low rainfall make this region a perfect home especially for those with arthritis or asthma!
Remember: Alicnte is the Valencia region's second largest town. It is located directly below Valencia:
There is an extremely large face of Alicante that is home to the Porte de Alicante. It houses ships and freighters taking refuge from the ocean and their long journey.
From this port, there is a shoppers dream to the west. This place consists of small shops and even a leisure complex. To the north there is the sandy Playa del Postiguet beach that is frequented by many tourists every year but, if we want some sand to ourselves, travelers guides suggest the larger and less crowded Playa de San Juan.
If you are a pyromaniac, get ready! We will just miss the most celebrated festival in the area: Fiesta de Sant Joan which takes place around June 24th. This is Alicante's own home-grown version of Las Fallas de San Jose- a festival that originated as a feast day for St. Joseph and has turned into a day in which the entire city is set to flames! Las Fallas (another name for the fiesta) is literally translated as "the fires" in Valencian and that is exactly what happens. Locals work together with their neighbors the entire year to construct the lifelike ninotos, which translated means puppets or dolls. They are constructed using materials such as cardboard, wood, paper-mache and plaster... and anything else that may be flammable. They often resemble current politicians and Spanish celebrities, no one is safe from being a model!
The puppets are set on display and stuffed with fireworks the night before. Then, at exactly midnight, the city lights are extinguished, the crowds begin to chant, and the puppets are set aflame lighting the city. A traveler, Janet Morton, states: "The scene at Las Fallas is extremely cathartic and difficult to describe, but resembles a cross between a bawdy Disneyland, the Fourth of July and the end of the world!" (Las Fallas)
A few food items to watch out for are rice and horchata. Rice is one of the staples used in a plethora of dishes served in Spain. We have already talked about paella but we will encounter it more often than I thought. Dishes such as arroz a banda and arroz negro are popular along the coastline as well as the delectable horchata. Tiger nuts blended with sugar and water is a common and refreshing summer drink some cafe's specialize in. I know, when I read tiger nuts I was thinking something totally different too! Don't worry, these nuts grow as roots in the ground and are even gluten free! They are apparently a fantastic source of fiber, vitamins and nutrients. We may need to stuff our packs with them before we go on long day trips for an extra snack throughout the day!
"Las Fallas De Valencia, Spain - Spanish Traditions | Don Quijote."DonQuijote. N.p., n.d. Web.
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