I was wondering which country is warm in June and more around, I didn’t tick before. I stayed in Spain, on the Costa Blanca and in the skyscraper-filled Benidorm. I opted for an adults-only hotel, despite warnings that I might “overbook.” Not knowing exactly what that meant, we left for the airport full of joy and with the night on our minds.

With bones and without them

At the entrance to Timisoara airport, there is a sudden roar. Then more. Real potholes, a narrow road, darkness broken only by car headlights. Of course, we don’t know if the road is being widened or repaired, but it’s good. We arrive at the airport three hours before takeoff, according to the instructions. And we sit, wait, sleepy, but full of the excitement of a dream vacation.

And the excitement is compounded when you pay €5.50 for a tiny beer on the plane, because even what you buy at the airport is prohibited. We managed a sandwich at home, and for a successful vacation, no financial sacrifices are superfluous.

When we arrived at Valencia airport, the sky was overcast. A Carpathian guide was waiting for us, as well as Spanish bus drivers who took us to hotels one by one. If you don’t know Spanish, it’s good to have English with you to get by everywhere. German and French help only in areas where there are related tourists, Romanian – in communication with Romanian staff in hotels and bars. I learned that there are quite a few Romanians in the tourism industry in Spain, but I haven’t met them.

It was also a little difficult, in the British colony where we ended up, after the transfer from the airport on an almost flawless track. So yes! The potholes at Girod were forgotten, as well as the general confusion in the Romanian movement. It was quiet where I was driving, generally without much noise, meaning the large number of tourist and city traffic participants.

Babylon from Flamingo

Flamingo Beach is one of the resorts with skyscrapers, even if it is surpassed by such a giant as the Gran Hotel Bali, with 52 floors, which is considered the tallest hotel in Europe. Flamingo has everything: spacious rooms (some with balconies), pools, terraces, fitness room, sauna, even a small library in English. There is animation in the morning and in the evening, with physical or gambling games.

But mainly it is English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh and other colloquial versions of Shakespeare’s language. In theory, you would be on the right track, but in practice, not so much. Despite my extensive knowledge of the English language, acquired during my studies, including in London some time ago, I have to admit that colloquial dialects such as Cockney are beyond me. I was lucky with Tina and Charlie, spontaneous London friends I met there, who helped me break into certain circles and conversations on terraces full of drunken women and men.

To say only women and men is, of course, discrimination, because in a complex society transgenders, transvestites and other rainbows are not ashamed. I loved their colorful and bold fashion show. I didn’t take pictures of them because I didn’t want to disturb their privacy.

However, on reflection, I can also say that there were plenty of real women, younger or older, more resilient but mostly lustful, dressed simply and tastelessly, but heavily tattooed. Determined women, no reservations about entertainment for money. I have met and even interacted with snake men (also in the sense of large tattoos that rendered any attempt at bronze futile) as well as ex-servicemen from Iraq and Lebanon, red as cancer, too much stimulants and extremely sharp. to make advances.

A picturesque world, extremely noisy and somewhat arrogant in its serenity. And the British colony was not free either from the dashes left on the balcony after the departure, or from fights, as I was told.

However, on a comfortable level with the nonconformists were British pensioners who, including in strollers, came to enjoy the sun (or shade) and organize entertainment for the Spaniards. I found it amazing how some of them defied their physical suffering to keep up with life and its joys. This was also revealed by the continuous laughter you heard, I wonder what. I haven’t heard so much laughter in a long time. Happy nation that is there! Or maybe not?

Memorable Alicante

But let’s return to Spain, to the Costa Blanca and its offers. Since Valencia is a bit far and time is short, I opted for an organized trip to Alicante and Elche, cities just over an hour away by bus from Benidorm. If Benidorm has a population of about 70,000 inhabitants, but is witnessing an almost unprecedented boom in tourist real estate (which also explains the presence of so many hotels and summer residences in skyscrapers), Alicante is a large city with more than 300,000 inhabitants. It is a city of traditions, with a long history and a small port.

The Citadel of Santa Barbara (a fortress built by the Moors in the 9th century) is a must-see in Alicante, and from the top there is a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea and the whole city. After paying €2.75 and walking through a long tunnel, you gain access to an elevator that takes visitors to two levels of the historic goal. Most of them (including me) want to take pictures and take selfies from above, immortalizing themselves for family and friends, in an ascetic medieval context, only occasionally enlivened by flower bushes and guarded by the ghost of a soldier with a halberd and iron armor. .

Down in the city, the marble-tiled Esplanade, lined with palm trees, bustles with midday bustle. Countless terraces invite you to the table, but we chose to dine on the Samoa terrace in the harbor overlooking the casino. Impeccable service, economical snacks, moderate price, but NO SMOKING even outside. In fact, smoking appears to be prohibited in the area. You can only find cigarettes in a tobacco shop or in rare vending machines, some in hotels, never on the streets.

Palms of Elche

So I took a deep breath of fresh air and visited two churches and a futuristic water museum with the group before heading to Elche.

The city of Elche (Elx in Valencian) has about 240,000 inhabitants, but has a completely different atmosphere than the tourist towns mentioned so far. It’s a city with lots of peace and harmony that our guide, Daniela, admitted she would like to live in.

In this silence – the divine, from the Basilica of Santa Maria, built in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of a former Islamic mosque. The natural park with 11,000 palm trees, included in the world cultural heritage in 2000, also offers tranquility.

And after such a long silence, the bus, driven by a skillful and chatty driver from Brasov, who has lived in Spain for more than twenty years, returned us to the constant English roar. The evening show began, the hall was filled with drinks, strange, carnival costumes, and the stage alternated between fake karaoke and provocative shouts during the game of bingo. Fun fun what’s up!