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A thrilling climax to the IX Open Espana Match Race in Calpe

The closing day of the IX Open Espana Match Race was action packed in Calpe despite the fact that the conditions on the water were rough due to strong and swell breezes.

In fact, at times the winds got up to twenty knots, but at the end Keith Swinton from Australia was able to come home first place. He first sat at the top of the round robin match with a score of 8-1 and then finished the quarterfinals on Friday with a final score of 3-1, beating Simone Ferrarese from Italy.

This led him to take on Wellington’s Josh Junior on the final day of the match; which was not an easy challenge because even though Junior is quite young he has shown great potential out on the water. Even though he is at a disadvantage on the track, he fought hard to make up lost ground every time that Swinton made a small mistake. During the fourth semi final Swinton was unable to cover allowing Junior to take the victory, but then in the fifth match Swinton was able to come back with a score of 3-2.

During the other semi final Pierre-Antoine Morvan from France took the win over the Swedish Bjorn Hansen. However, the race was a bit controversial given the fact that there were two umpire calls during the match: one weather mark during the third race and then another during the fourth match. Obviously, if the calls had been made the other way then the race may have easily gone the either way.

The calls obviously angered Hanson because he did not want green flags after the port-starboard incidents, as a penalty may have just given him enough of an edge to get to the finals.Given how active the first two semifinals were, it was a sure bet that the finals would be good, and they certainly were as the two racers tied during the first two matches. Morvan got a penalty during the port-starboard incident but Swinton also received a .75 penalty for not attempting to prevent the collision.

Swinton admitted after all was said and done, that he intentionally did not try to avoid the crash because had he done so Morvan would not have received the higher penalty and he wanted as many advantages out on the water as possible. In the end the penalty made him go on a sixth match preventing his win during the fifth, but Swinton was still able to carry off the win.

Despite reports there is no train station at Alicante airport

If you’re flying into Alicante airport then you should be aware that there is no train station to take you on to a further destination.

The government once planned to install one here but unfortunately the planning never went through and so transport for people can be a little more challenging.

The easiest way to get from the airport to the harbour of Alicante is by the tram street car. You can reach the street car by taking a bus from the airport which will last for about 45 minutes. The stop you should get off at is the final one of the line and once you have reached this is very easy to navigate yourself to your onward destination.

Playa Levante is the premier tourist beach in Benidorm

Playa Levante is a much more popular beach with people from northern Europe and this is where most of the restaurants and bars can be found. The other beach in the area, Playa Poniente, tends to attract Spanish people with their families and it has a much more subdued atmosphere which means it is not so popular with visitors coming from abroad.

Fortunately, Playa Levante is not what most visitors are expecting and it is not a location with many tacky restaurants and bars, but actually somewhere where you will find good Spanish restaurants which enjoy great views of the ocean.

Walking along the beach is a particularly good option for visitors and there is a delightful promenade with no traffic which makes this walk very easy. The entire promenade is wheelchair accessible so can be a good choice for people with disabilities.

When you first come onto the beach there are mostly bars over the first stretch but these end shortly and the hotels and apartment buildings start. There are also several cafes further down the beach where you can enjoy a non-alcoholic drink. There are a few locations on the beach which are owned by Northern Europeans, but most of them are owned by Spanish people.

As for the beach itself, it is a wonderful place with golden sand and perfectly clear waters. There are beach cleaners employed by the local council which keeps the beach wonderfully clean by picking up all of the litter that people drop during the day.

The beach is very clean because of this and you won’t find cigarette butts or trash when you come to the beach in the morning. The sand is also ploughed every night so that when visitors wake up it is in pristine condition.

All of this means that this beach is one of the cleanest in the whole of Europe. It has recently been honoured by being given the EU blue flag which indicates that it is one of the cleanest beaches in the entire European Union. This award also recognises the quality of the seawater and the general beach management.

Along the whole length of the beach there are sunbeds which can be rented and also many novelties which will appeal to tourists, such as sand sculptures being made. One of the most incredible sand sculptures is that of Jesus at the Last Supper and it is a really inspiring piece of artwork.

Arenal beach is one of the best in Costa Blanca

If you want a wonderfully clean and sandy beach which is surrounded by beautiful scenery then you should consider heading to Arenal beach in Javea. It is a horseshoe shaped beach which is a bay located between Cabo San Antonio and Cabo San Martin.

The beach is very popular with visitors and its limited size means that it can become a bit crowded in the most popular months for visitors which are July and August. However, despite this busyness people come back to this beach year after year, proving what a fantastic destination it is.

This beach is particularly well known for being popular with families as the sea is very calm and it is hard to get out of your depth. There are also plenty of different beach activities being run for tourists such as climbing frames, volleyball, pedalos and even water rafts.

As with many beaches in this part of the country, it is cleaned every night which means visitors will be able to enjoy a spotlessly clean beach every morning.

It is also a very safe location as there are lifeguards on duty throughout the summer and even Red Cross volunteers to help with any problems.

Watersports are also popular and jet skiing and waterskiing are available just a short walk away at the sandstone beach, Montanar. This area is generally less suitable families as the water is deep and can be rough. You should also not forget to take a sun bed because lying directly on the sandstone is not very comfortable.

For those who are interested in scuba-diving, there are escorted trips and lessons around the area which allow you to see some of the best underwater sites in Spain. The general climate of the country makes it perfect for scuba-diving and you will be able to see many different forms of underwater wildlife.

Great places to visit on the Costa Blanca

Malaga and Benidorm are two of the most famous parts of coastline on the Costa Blanca and the Costa Del Sol and they are the reason many people come to these parts of Spain.

These beaches are known for having fantastic weather as well as being very beautiful. For those who are interested in nature as well, this part of the Mediterranean coastline is a fascinating place to visit.

The amount of animal and bird life along the coast is quite spectacular and there are also stunning views to be had along the cliff tops that run by the sea. If you are coming on holiday to this part of the world, and have an interest in wildlife you should definitely bring your binoculars.

Valencia is part of the Costa Blanca and if you walk down from the north part you are first going to come across the Sierra Helada Nature Park.

This is a place with several trails that are all well signposted and will take you along a coastal path that enjoys spectacular views over the ocean.

This nature park was one of the first places in the region to be protected and its natural beauty has been perfectly preserved. You will be able to see all sorts of animals out at sea from this location, including the occasional dolphin.

To the south of Alicante you will find Santa Polas Salinas which is part of one of Spain’s most important industries, salt production. The whole reserve is formed of salt lakes and as well as an important industry they provide a fantastic place for birds to live.

There are numerous bird hides in this location so you will be able to easily spot some fantastic birds. Golden eagles, the green woodpecker and white headed ducks all commonly spotted here

Benidorm TV programme has tourists flocking

It’s downright amazing how susceptible we are to the power of suggestion – especially when that suggestion is of hot sandy beaches, shimmering seas and scandalous behaviour.

The Brits are certainly not immune, as has been proven to the great satisfaction of booking agents in recent weeks. This time the ‘suggestion’ came from ‘Benidorm’, the very epitome of beach resort raunch.

Now starting its 5th season, the first new episode of ‘Benidorm’ aired on ITV Friday 24 February and set off a remarkable surge of activity in the online travel booking industry. According to surveys by travelsupermarket.com, the number of searches for Benidorm and vicinity jumped by 159% just in the hour from 9-10pm that the show was on the air. (Presumably viewers assessed their travel options during the commercials).

The website’s previous research has produced figures showing that it’s not just Benidorm that excites the British traveling public. A similar phenomenon occurred when ‘The Lord of the Rings’ came out; there was a sudden surge of bookings to New Zealand, where most of the Trilogy was filmed. Since the obvious attractions of Benidorm and New Zealand are quite dissimilar, it appears that ‘screenspiration’ is the driving force.

Bob Atkinson of travelsupermarket said that it’s been clear for a long time that a large percentage of people choose their travel destinations based on movies, TV and celebrity sightings; he thinks it’s a great thing for the travel industry. In fact travelsupermarket’s figures indicate that at least 20% of UK travelers are struck by ‘screenspiration’, deciding on a destination after seeing it as a film location.

Atkinson also noted that Spain itself is a prime destination for UK travelers, as it has the advantages of relative proximity and a strong tourist industry doing its best to attract the citizens of chillier climes. He said that comparisons show Spain as a cost-effective choice for all types of holiday travelers.

Of course one can’t ignore the lure of sunshine, beaches and beer, either. After all, in New Zealand it’s summertime when England is at its wintry worst, and in ‘Benidorm’ the sun shines all the time – plus there’s no shortage of beer at either destination.

Moraira; Costa Blanca’s hidden jewel

Millions pass through Alicante airport every year, ready for their fun in the sun on the Costa Blanca.

The majority of these will be heading to Benidorm, which dominates the area through sheer size and what it has to offer.

It has been called the ultimate resort numerous times, but not by those tourists seeking a holiday away from crowded beaches and packed bars. They can find their perfect destination 80km north of Alicante.

Moraira is a little gem of a town that has stayed quintessentially Spanish yet welcomes tourists with open arms without feeling the need to expand and commercialise. As with most of the towns on this coastline, Benidorm included, Moraira was once a quaint fishing village whose economy is now reliant on tourism as opposed to the food from the ocean.

The seafront at Moraira is very picturesque, and to the right overlooks the El Peñon de Ifach, or the rock of Calpe. There is one beach here of moderate size which never gets overly crowded and many bars and restaurants overlooking it where you can relax and watch the world go by. This is also a good spot to watch the daily fish auctions that take place every morning at 10am, except for Sundays.

Accommodation wise, there is only a handful of hotels in Moraira, and the onus is very much on apartments and villas. Los Limoneros is the only hotel in the town that has a swimming pool and private parking, while the others tend to smaller, boutique type hotels offering exceptionally high standards of accommodation and with excellent restaurants. Booking early is advisable with there being so few hotels.

Moraira, unlike many others, hasn’t gone down the tacky fish and chip route as far as dining is concerned, and the restaurants offer both the best of Spanish cuisine as well as favourite international dishes. The fish restaurants on the front by the harbour are particularly popular, and if you have watched the morning fish auction chances are you are eating what you saw being sold that very day.

Overall, Moraira has an awful lot to offer the more discerning traveller who wants to live the Spanish life for a week or two. There is the ubiquitous weekly market every Tuesday and the area behind the town in littered with vineyards growing the Muscatel grape which accept visitors. Moraira is one of those rare resorts where you come home from feeling as if you have had a holiday, not needing another one to recover from the first one!

Get on your bike to explore Vuelta de Serella

A wonderful ride that will mean you are on the bike for most of the day can be taken in Vuelta de Serella.

The ride involves a good amount of climbs, some beautiful views and there are some great locations en route where you can stop for food and refreshments.

You can do the tour in two directions, clockwise or anticlockwise. Those who choose to do it anticlockwise will start in a very easy fashion as there is a long downhill stretch. You can leave Abdet onto the road CV70, you should follow the signposts to Callosa D’en Sarria. This is one of the busiest roads on the route but don’t give up as the traffic will soon subside. You should take extra care on the weekend as there tends to be more cars and motorcycles on the road.

Once you have passed through Benimantell you should take the road towards Gudalest. This is a spectacular place with a wonderful ancient castle and several rocky pinnacles. After this, you will proceed down an ancient road which has some very enjoyable terrain. This is a wonderful descent and is very popular with cyclists, here you are more likely to see people on two wheels then you are going to see them in cars.

There are numerous small detours that can be taken on the cycle route if you are looking to make things a bit more challenging. This is one of the classic routes in the region so there are plenty of guides which will inform you about where these detours can be taken. If you are an experienced cyclist and are after some more challenging riding then taking one of these detours is a great idea.

That said, the ride is not all easy and there is a serious climb after Bollula. It will be quite a surprise after the initial easy part of the ride but after a short, and steep uphill things will start to level out. There is a cafe at the top of the long climb and this can be a perfect place to take a rest and enjoy some spectacular views out over the valley. As you continue to climb, the views become more and more spectacular. You will also be rewarded with several exciting downhill sections which run through beautiful forests.

You will pass through Quartrotindeta which is a small village with beautiful narrow streets. After this you will be back on a larger road in the direction of Gorgos. A few kilometres later you will cross over a stunning river and you will enter Gorgos. In the town there is a small bar which can be worth stopping into, here you will be able to get a sandwich for about three euros.

Another few kilometres later and you rejoin the main road that you started on. There is a long straight section on this road followed by a short ascent to Puerto de Confrides. This is one of the best parts of the ride and once you have finished the intense climb it’s all downhill back to Abdet.

Santiago de la Ribera festival

Juan Martinez Pastor is the mayor of San Javier and he has recently announced the dates of the Santiago de la Ribera festival which is taking place from the 18th-26th February. He was accompanied by other people involved in the carnival in making his announcement, including the chairman of the carnival committee.

The junior Queen of the carnival is going to be chosen on the 19^th February from eight individual candidates. This year is set to be the most popular yet for the carnival, which sees growth every year.

There is also a masked ball being held as part of the carnival which generally attracts an older crowd. The carnival itself actually takes place on the Saturday and it is going to make its way into the heart of San Javier all the way from Santiago de la Ribera. At the event there are going to be numerous awards for the best costumes on display.

The mayor has commented, “The work being done in the preparation for the carnival by all the groups involved is fantastic and they make the party the exceptional event that it is. This carnival is going to be one of the best ever and despite financial cuts it is going to be a wonderful event.”

Benidorm wants anti smoking laws reversed

In Benidorm various hotels are supporting a proposition for smoking laws to be amended so that a designated place for smokers is established. This would be similar to laws that exist in Las Vegas, as in this American cityit is illegal to smoke in public areas such as restaurants, schools, offices and hospitals but the law has been changed so that people can smoke in casinos as well as bars and nightclubs.

This will allow proprietors of businesses in Benidorm to allocate places inside their establishments as smoking zones. Many businesses have wanted to see smoking restrictions loosened as they might have been responsible for a decline in the number of tourists visiting the area.

A spokesperson for local hospitality businesses has commented, “We need it to be amenable to attract tourists to the area as these are particularly challenging economic times and we don’t want to upset non-smokers, but we do need the business of smokers as well.”

All Costa Blanca

All Costa Blanca

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A thrilling climax to the IX Open Espana Match Race in Calpe

Despite reports there is no train station at Alicante airport

Playa Levante is the premier tourist beach in Benidorm

Arenal beach is one of the best in Costa Blanca

Great places to visit on the Costa Blanca

Benidorm TV programme has tourists flocking

Moraira; Costa Blanca’s hidden jewel

Get on your bike to explore Vuelta de Serella

Santiago de la Ribera festival

Benidorm wants anti smoking laws reversed

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