May 13 Alicante

 We were both tired this morning - neither of us slept well.  The beds are harder than we are used too and we both have various pain issues.  We showered and then set off for the bakery to buy bread.  We got two kinds of shapes of bread and I got a chocolate croissant.    The croissant was the best.  The other two beget style breads were very soft inside.  One had a soft crust and the other was very crusty - but the same inside.  Not as delicious as in Italy.  But maybe that will prevent us from eating so much bread and butter and gaining weight!

We both took at nap after breakfast before heading to the tram station.  It is close, but not that close.  We took the Number one line which is faster and only had three stops.  The slow route stops many, many times.  We both were shocked when we arrived in Alicante to find that it was raining!  There had been no mention of rain in the forecast!  We stopped our walk to rest under store awnings to stay out of the rain.  I knew I had not brought my umbrella.  Michael though he had.  But couldn't find it.  I saw a sign in a window for umbrellas for twelve Euros - so we went in.  Michael wanted to buy a new umbrella as his is very old.  But none we saw were as big as he wanted.  We left the store to find that it had mostly stopped raining!

The sun did not come out, but it was very pleasant - and then we happened upon "mushroom" street.

These mushroom shaped buildings proved irresistible to kids and teens alike.

Another "find" on a side street.

And then we found street art!

And a very strange street light!  We were getting very hungry at this point and found a nice tapas restaurant.  We go three tapas - which was more than enough for the two of us.  We got spicy potatoes, garlic chicken and ham croquets.  I ordered a diet cola which turned out to be the tiniest bottle I have ever seen.  Mike got white wine and the tiniest poor ever.  But the prices were low - so that is maybe why.  Then we continued our walk.  We headed for the water front.

The party boat!

Always clothes for sale along the boardwalk.

Alicante is known for this walkway.  It looks like it is textured.  The ground looks like it rises and falls - but actually it is totally flat.  You can't miss the meaning at this WC!

It really looks like Michael's feet are at different levels - they are not!

Then we headed for old town.  There are a lot more steep areas here.  And the skies were darkening again.  

We passed the church of Santa Maria -we would not be visiting this church today - there was a wedding going on.

The Kiss - in the middle of the crowd of well-wishers.

All the restaurants have tables street side.

A door-knocker.  Next time we go to Alicante I will make a point of finding more.  There are supposed to be a lot of unusual ones in Alicante.

Even the cow has his own umbrella.