Winter Weather and an afternoon in Benidorm!

Here in the offices of Jacaranda Spain, we are feeling the cold! Out for a walk with Sunny, my pointer, at first light, I had my full winter attire on. Treble layers, scarf, woolly hat and gloves before we left the house- and on the return, carrying most of it! It was 1 degree in the vineyards this morning and a light frost, but by afternoon it was right back up to 22 degrees and applying sunscreen for the afternoon walk. The weather is nothing short of spectacular right now and, dare I say it, this is normal to take us into the new year. 

For those of you who don´t live here in the Marina Alta, it may come as a surprise to know that it really does get cold here in winter. It can be chilly in the mornings from October to December but almost always warms up to highs of 23 degrees with glorious sunshine (with the occasional rainy spell!). By December, it usually does not get past 18 degrees but this year we seem to be having unusually warm afternoons. Talking to my friends this morning at Almuerzo, we agreed that we could not remember a Christmas day in recent years that hasn´t been glorious! Bucks fizz, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon (usual Christmas breakfast in our house) tastes best when it is eaten outside in full sunshine! January and February are normally the coldest months and the sunshine is not quite as reliable. However after that, spring is as wonderful as autumn.

For our Sunday outing this week, we decided to go somewhere that is not usually our first choice for Sunday lunch- Benidorm! Unfortunately for “The Dorm”, its reputation precedes it and a lot of people are put off by the possibility of droves of sunseekers, scantily dressed, mostly riding mobility scooters. It must be said that they are ever-present, however, Benidorm also has another side to it. In winter the number of holiday makers falls enough so that you begin to notice the Spanish locals, who love their home town and are fiercely proud of it. Sunday, for them, is all about getting dressed up in their finery, walking along the promenade and going for a late lunch in the Old Town area. It is so nice to see the camaraderie that is evident between them and the interlopers from Britain, Holland, Belgium and Germany. One might imagine that the locals would be slightly hacked off with the way that the foreigners conduct themselves, but they mostly accept it with good humour, which really speaks volumes about the ability of most Spanish people to accept and understand that these holiday makers are “letting their hair down” and enjoying Spanish hospitality - to the max!

We decided to, not just go straight for lunch, but immerse ourselves in the Benidorm experience. We took Sunny and walked the length of the promenade and found a bar with a table on the front line. We ordered an Aperol Spritz each and sat down to watch. The art of people watching, in my opinion,  was made for the promenade of Levante Beach, in Benidorm on a Sunday, in winter. There are people of all ages and all nationalities but every single one of them are going about their day with a smile. Some are dressed in swimwear, straight from the beach and some are in their fur coats! Some are looking for a decent Menu del Día, some for great Tapas, some fish and chips and some for the bar that sells double shots of alcohol for the price of singles! It is, to say the least an eclectic mix!

We thoroughly enjoyed our aperitif in the sun and the hour passed really quickly before heading to our chosen restaurant, which was an Indian/Nepalese restaurant- Katmandu.  We love Indian food and, although there are many excellent ones, we do love Katmandu but normally go to the Moraira Katmandu, which is owned by the same Nepalese family. 

We started with a selection of specialities including 2 types of Bhaji and tandoori chicken and followed with; Chicken Safari, chicken Madras, rice, naan bread and Aloo Gobi. I should say at this point, it is a very bad idea to order from a menu when you are starving. At least half of the meal went into a “Doggy bag”! It was superb, and every bit as good as the Moraira Katmandu. What makes it really special though, is the service. Sandra (sorry if the spelling is wrong Sandra) was our waitress and she could not have been more attentive, even though she had a long shift ahead of her, she really did go the extra mile. 

Here at Jacaranda spain, we are selling more than dream homes in Spain, we are selling the lifestyle that goes with living on the Costa Blanca. The coastal towns of Denia, Moraira, Javea, Altea and Calpe are all as individual as Benidorm and every one of them has Spanish culture running through it. Benidorm has become synonymous with the raucous foreigners who flock there for cheap holidays, but there is so much more to it than meets the eye. 

The beaches of Poniente and Levante are pristine, 

….as are the streets and the lovely Old Town area. If you feel like joining the hustle and bustle of a coastal resort, we recommend you give it a visit. Levante is also known as the “new Town” area so, as you can imagine, this is where you will find the British, Dutch and German bars. Poniente has a slower pace and a more Spanish feel and the Old Town, in between has the typical narrow cobbled streets, the famous “Tapas Alley” and the beautiful Balcó de la Mediterranea, a stunning viewing point which juts out into the sea. 

Stunning views from the Balcó de la Mediterranea

Benidorm has so much to offer and we would recommend you visit and make up your own mind. You may just be a wee bit surprised!