By the Sea

This weekend, my friend Kate and I decided to do something different. Instead of hanging around, waiting until nightfall to engage in various acts of debauchery to the accompaniment of repetitive Lady Gaga songs, we decided to embark on that shining ideal of vacation that those with middle-aged souls such as ourselves hold so dear--the beloved day trip!

Kate's host grandma (who knows everyone and everything) was going to Benidorm to visit her late-husband's family anyway, so we decided to harness her omniscience for a day of frolicking on the city's famous beaches, located conveniently a mere one hour's Tram ride away.

Benidorm has been (by me, yesterday) affectionately referred to as the "Florida of Spain," which essentially means that no one you see in the city actually lives there. At least, that was the impression we got. Apparently, a Friday morning in early March is hardly the prime vacation time for anyone but Kate, myself, and a gaggle of retired English snowbirds with spray-tanned ankles. Paradise!

It actually was pretty fantastic, probably because when I stepped out of my house at 9am, having stubbornly left my coat at home despite the looming storm clouds, I fully expected to be miserable for the duration of the day. After all, what is there to a beach town when it's too cold and rainy to go to the beach?

As it turns out, my friends, quite a lot. Precisely because the weather was so dreadful, we had the best time of our lives. Normally-swarming beaches were deserted and we had the town practically to ourselves. It was like going to see a movie that's been out in theaters for ages and being one of three people in the entire theater--a magnificent experience.

Between the stormy weather and British tourists, I felt less like I was in Spain and more like I was strolling between Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in a ballad from Sweeney Todd ("By the Sea," to be exact). I caved at the end of the day and finally bought a sweatshirt to stop my teeth from chattering as we roamed the streets near the beach, buying delicious treats ranging from nutella crepes to a wonderful alcoholic chocolate shake called a "Triple Orgasm" which nearly lived up to its name. We returned home completely spent, in a good way.

Here's a video I took of a lovely smattering of white and blue things we stumbled upon that we would later learn was actually the Castillo of Benidorm. Video's a bit shaky and the wind is loud, but you get the idea.

Also, sandcastles? Pshh. In Benidorm, they make sand horses.