May 31 - Castle Day!

 We celebrated Memorial Day by visiting the castle in Alicante.  There are a ton of castles around the area that we have managed to avoid.  But today just seemed like a good castle day.  The skies are bright blue with white fluffy clouds. Castles are always built on the tallest bit of land they cold find - so there is always a chance of good views.  And this was proved wonderfully true today.

The tram stop we got off on is for the castle and for the archeology museum.  Both are very close.  But you are at the bottom of the castle - in the parking lot.  There are several miles of very steep inclines/steps to get there.  I had done a little research before coming here and knew there is supposed to be a shuttle you can take to the top.  It is only 1.5E each one way.  Really cheap for something touristy.  But we couldn't find it.  We headed back to the museum and stopped at a bus stop.  Michael went across the street to see if the shuttle stopped there.  Meanwhile I stayed  across the street.  There was a couple standing next to me and I realized they were speaking English.  Sure enough they were Brits and they knew this where they needed to catch the red shuttle bus to the top of the castle.  We chatted for a while well we waited.  They have an apartment in the area and also back in their home country of England.  She was Irish so the Brexit problem did not effect them.  They can come and go from country to country in the Schengen area as they please.  They gave us another Facebook group to join - this one on Foreigners buying properties in Spain.  

First - a night photo of the El Campello harbor.

Taking the shuttle bus to the top was well worth the price - in fact it would have been worth ten euros each!  We watched people hiking along the road as our shuttle bus passed them.

First off - all the views from the parking lot at the top!

Then through the castle door and into the castle itself.

There are a few remains from many centuries ago.  But most has been updated many, many times.  The last time just in the 80's.

Looking up - oh my - how are we going to get up there!

We wandered into this building.  Not that old.  We went through a tunnel - and found an elevator.  I knew that you could take an elevator from the beach area up to the top of the castle and back down.  The elevator also does go up further - but only for disabled and strollers.  I pleaded leg problems and had no problem getting the elevator operator to take us to the top!

Views from the almost very top.  There were more steps you could take to get about a story higher.  But they were old, medieval steps.  That means the steps were made of stone and very uneven in themselves and in their height.  

We contented ourselves with taking photos at this level.

We found the path leading down and decided to take it instead of going back to the elevator.  We thought there would be a lot more photo ops.  Turns out I needed all my energy to not break my ankle on the uneven pathway down.  I didn't have time to look at the views.

One of the more historical guard houses.

Now we are almost down at the level of the parking lot and to the shuttle bus.  The eighth picture is a photo of the arches from down below.  They must have been doorways to something at one point.  We found the shuttle waiting in the parking lot.  I asked if he stopped at the museum - yes he did.  But when we got down he stopped at a different bus stop.  Every one was confused - it wasn't the one where we had gotten on.  The driver knew a lot of folks had wanted this stop - so he kept announcing "Museu"  until we realized we needed to get off.  

There were supposed to be several restaurants around the museum as it was well after 2pm by now. I think I have said before that lunch is from 2 - 4pm.  But they were either closed or had no openings.  So we took the tram back to Alicante - only about 30 minutes and got back in time to go to Lami where they have the only brick pizza oven in El Campello.  I got the pepperoni pizza and Michael got the Menu of the day.  He enjoyed the flavors of his meal immensely - but was so full.  

May 29 Back in El Campello

 We left Villajoyosa pretty early as there were some dark clouds hanging over it and then it started sprinkling.  Back in our apartment, we regrouped and rested.  Later in the evening we went out for a walk.  

We went separately.  I find that when we are on these kinds of trips we spend way more time together than we do at home.  Sometimes in Albuquerque, it feels like we have separate lives.  So the experiences are extremes.  We need to find a balance in the middle.  In Cefalu, we did take separate walks.  And sometimes one or the other of us went to the shops.  But here as it is all new to us, the only thing we did separately was when I went to the knitting group.  I really enjoyed this group of women, and I hope that we can find a place to rent so I can keep meeting with them.

It was very clear in the late afternoon.  I don't know if that could be Villajoyosa or another small neighborhood.

Here is a closeup of that weird thing we say out in the ocean.  It looks like a couple of houses.  Maybe it is an Airbnb you can rent!  

A boat out in the middle of the sea.

The fish market where the fish auction takes place most days at 6pm.

The fish auction house is on the very left.  Next to it is the orange fishing boat.  In the top middle is the white fishing boat.  In the lower right side are a series of buildings that we surmised were for fish processing at first - but now can't figure out what their purpose is.  

We keep seeing these kinds of boats going out in the evenings.  We thought maybe they were rowing teams.  But after watching them tonight I am convinced that they are just tourists who really have no idea how to row!

I pass this restaurant on my evening walks.  I love the name, but I would never eat there.  I hate squid.  Also it is never open!

Closed restaurants.

The life guard station.  We have never seen a life guard since we have been here.  I don't see how they could get down from that height in order to save anyone in the water in time.

One of the palm trees.  The moon is rising just above the 5th limb of the tree.

We have seen lots of paddle boarders out.  This time I am a little closer.  I like the harbor in the background.

On my way back to the apartment on the main street, I finally went up the steps that I have seen so many times and thought I wonder what is up there.  This time I saw what was up there.  It is a large square with seating areas/ play area and a ramp up to the next street level.

Just across the street from our gated community is this board.  I have seen people come and go putting up pictures of candidates for various positions.  Then it either rains, or is very windy, or opposition candidates workers tear down the posters until the next time they are replaced.  I don't know when the elections are here - but we see posters all over in the cities we have visited as well as here in El Campello.

The gate on the top left is how we get into our complex.  We have a key and a fob to open the gate for our car to enter.  We see the scooters all over town.  Not that many, mind you, but sometimes we see young people zipping down the road on them heading into town.