Second Evening In Benidorm…

P.S. From the previous post – first piccie below is of a “double” mobility scooter – as we sat on “the front” yesterday, we literally must have seen about 30 “single” mobility scooters (oooh forgot to say – one of which rammed somebody in the market earlier in the day & there was a RIGHT hoo-ha !!!) and a dozen of these new “double” ones (that neither of us had seen before) !!! It is BIG business over here 💰 !!!

Anyway, so after we’d polished off the second litre of sangria, we bibbed back to the Old Town as Dave had spotted a place the previous night that looked like it did a good steak. However – for Spain – even in January – 6pm is a little early & the place wasn’t yet open so we ended up at the place next door and My Dave had a sirloin – rare (and it was nearly moo-ing – he said it was cooked well) and I was a bit let down – I felt a bit rushed (as the guy had come to us twice) so ended up with a Spanish version of ham, egg & potatoes šŸ™

When asked what we’d like to drink, Dave suggested more sangria and I declared I was “Sangria’d-Out” but then ordered a Tinto De Verano (“summer red wine” – red wine, soft drink & ice – mine came pre-made in a bottle and was 4.5% alcohol like an alco-pop – and was essentially the same as Sangria without the marinated fruit !!!) whilst Dave managed to down 2 more beers 🍻

In the Old Town where we ate they had lovely heaters & we were toasty but it gets chilly after about 5pm so I wasn’t looking forward to the cycle back (Dave asked me if I’d like to go on somewhere but I said I’d like a cup of tea back at base… 👵)

We’d got about halfway back when Dave veered off down a side street announcing he could hear singing (and thought it was a karaoke bar) however when we got there there was the most fantastic SAXOPHONIST playing “crowd pleasers” in this English Bar…

We locked up the bikes & went in around 7:30pm. My Dave bought the guy a drink afterwards he apparently does an hour and we caught the second half of his act & he was PHENOMENAL !!! See little video below…

THEN at 8pm this Scottish (or “Scotch” as my sister & I like to call them) guitarist came on – and he was OK – but nothing LIKE as entertaining as the sax guy…

He played until 9:30pm and then “Francesco Jackson” came on – basically he was an MJ dance tribute – he didn’t sing but he had the videos playing in the background and literally was totally in sync with the moves – he was also brilliant !!! See little vid also below…

2 vino blanco’s and 3 cerveza’s later, we cycled back around 10:30pm and I (finally) had my cup of tea and a brioche bun & Nutella – and Dave had a port – and said this morning that he can’t remember coming to bed 😂

But a good time was had by all !!!

P.S. Note to my brother-in-law, Paulie – I am a complete “flat-head” (not “fizz-bomb” or “smart-cut” 😂) on the photos below as I’d been wearing my Ozzie leather cowgirl hat to shield me from the sun all day and had “hat hair” (and I cut my own fringe AGAIN the other day… šŸ™ )

Daytime In Benidorm…

So we had a lay-in, Dave got the bikes ready and we headed off into “town” but we’d just got outside the campsite & cycled a tiny way when YAY – we came upon a Spanish Market 🥳 !!! And it was a BIG one – rows and rows of the same stuff…

The main difference I noticed (from the last time I went around a Spanish market) was the lack of prices on a lot of the stalls. I can’t be bothered to see a nice top, ask how much it is, have them say €50, I have to say €1, pretend to walk away and we eventually meet at somewhere around €15-20… For all that I’m (supposedly) not exactly an introvert (!), I detest bartering with a vengeance 😡. I just want them to set (& display) a fair price and (if I want it) I’ll pay it – no questions asked !!!

Dave honed in on the “man” stalls (selling haberdashery items) and ended up with a “Helping Handle” (a handle with big suckers which I think is probably to help disabled peeps get out of the bath) but which My Dave will be attaching to the garage door of the motorhome as the current handles incorporate a lock and are (according to Dave) a rubbish design as he’s replaced the barrel lock on one of them already. I reckon it will just get dust & crap under the suckers & fall off on the motorway on the first trip but what do I know ? Anyway €10 later and he was a happy man !!!

He also ended up with a 15 metre “Magic Hose” which I think is going to help with putting water into The Van (which is “blue” job so I don’t get involved… 😂). He originally picked up the 30 metre one, asked the stall holder how much and I think the guy said €30, so Dave put it back, said “too much” and started to walk away (Ya-de-ya – see ? What did I say ???).

“You tell me how much you pay” says Mr Spanish Stallholder, “€10” says My Dave, “No, this is very long cable, you must buy short cable for €15”. Dave then asks ME if 15 metres is enough (blue job – not my remit) so the guy leaves his stall unattended and takes 15 large strides away from his stall then calls & waves to Dave to say that’s 15 metres and Dave barters him down to €12 and walks away happy – again…

I rest my case 😐

We didn’t have much cash (about €6 left over in the bum bag from our 2019 trip), €2.50 of which Dave spent on a new zippy wallet thing for his credit cards when he first walked into the market – so with the €3 that were left, I bought a little multi-coloured sparkly bead stretch bracelet and 2 pairs of sparkly earrings with steel posts (which in theory shouldn’t make my ears to green – but only time will tell !!!)

{ I’m actually in the market for a new leather jacket as I had three PVC ones which have all perished so I’ve chucked them – and there’s a few nice leather shops in Nerja (where Dave’s brother lives) so I’m saving myself for there… }

Piccies below of me outside the market (as we left), then down on “the front” at “Moon Beach” where we had a light lunch & a drinkie (and it was hot – 21 degrees supposedly but it felt hotter) and perused our purchases…

Then we had a little wander around the shops, had an ice cream & then settled down at another place at the opposite end of “the front” – 2 litres of Sangria later…

The final few piccies below are have “The Rock” in the background as it reminded me of the rock at Weston-Super-Mare (but it’s a bit warmer 😎 !!!)

And although it doesn’t really show it in the background, there WERE quite a few bikini-clad peeps on loungers on the beach and in the sea – just like a REAL summer holiday !!!

Blue sky morning

Showered in the fab toilet block and come out to an even fab’er (I don’t think that’s a word) blue sky.
.
Parked up amid the trees but a little too chilly for outside breakfast. Getting close though.
Lovin’ being out of the rain finally.
.
{*** DAVE put this entry on… ***}
.

8th December 2006

So look what I found on Dave’s phone – a photo in front of the same stage !!!
.
Hey we’ve hardly changed a bit in (sh!te) 16 years 😂
.
Where does the time go ???

IMG_5168.JPG

Pollo

So we get back from the mammoth walk from the frame of thrones island and decide to eat in the restaurant at the entrance as a treat.
We recognised Pollo on the menu and ordered that. Well that’s exactly what we got. Only that. Two halves of chicken each! I loved it.