Benidorm, Spain // Summer 2012

After a couple hours in Guadalest with make the quick 1/2 hour drive to Benidorm. We met up with some of my host family’s family who own a condo there and went to a little beachside stand to get something to drink and a snack. After that we went to lunch (eat eat eat eat eat). I haven’t been very hungry (I think it’s the heat) so I just ordered a salad and had watermelon for dessert. (I love the fruits for dessert here.)

This is a hotel they are building in Benidorm that is going to be the tallest building in Europe.

We went to the open air market which was so fun to see. They sell everything from Watermelons to Chanel perfume. Lots of cute summer dresses that I wish I could bring back with me!

So much fresh fruit!

First time in the Mediterranean! The beach was super crowed (for me), but Edu and Carlos said that compared to the others this was practically empty..haha. In Spain, everything is smaller. The houses are smaller, the cars aren’t super-sized, the people aren’t obese (plenty of generously-portioned people, yes, but I have barely seen any “obese” people.) Also, men’s swim trunks are smaller. And some women’s are there at all. Hello boobs and man thighs at the Spanish beach. It came as a little surprise, I heard but never seen. Mostly older ladies. That is one aspect of the culture I don’t plan on adapting to. I’ll happily eat my watermelon with a fork but I’ll keep my swimsuit top, thanks.

After a couple hours at one of the beaches we headed back to the condo to shower then took the bus to the city center and walked around. The bus is supposed to take 30 minutes. We were riding it for about an hour. Shoulder to shoulder with a cranky bus driver. We finally got there (I’m learning that it’s often faster to walk that take the bus!!) and had a great time walking around seeing the city. So many people. And they say it’s busier in August. Benidorm is one of the most popular beach resort towns in Spain for Europeans and one of the best known they say. It’s inexpensive, but crooowdeeddd. Benidorm has everything. I had read about Bubble tea in some blog or other and when I saw the stand I had to get one. I tried a mango green tea with orange “bubbles”. Definitely a unique treat!

Biggest Nutella of my life at the crepe stand.

They call it the “Mini New York” Skyline. I’ve never seen New York’s in person myself, but Benidorm’s was really cool. When talking to people about the States who have travelled there it’s usually somewhere in California or New York. I feel rather silly when I say I’ve never been to either…. Road trip time when I get home? I need to see my homeland!

Benidorm was very busy+touristy but I still loved it and would go back. There are 3 main beaches and I’d love to see the other two.