On Becoming Beach People

My view of the harbor from our place on the beach

I have never considered myself much of a beach person.  Growing up in the Pacific Northwest I was blessed with a range of wilderness options for my adventures.  Although I was able to choose between seashores and snow-capped peaks, I was always drawn to the mountains first and foremost.

Why not go? The beach is only two blocks from home.

I have enjoyed plenty of ocean beach experiences.  I flew kites on the sandy beaches of Twin Harbors, Ocean Shores and Long Beach (Washington).  I explored Pacific Coast shores from Cape Alava to Point Reyes.  I fished and foraged for mollusks from Hood Canal to Cape Flattery.  Nonetheless, my heart always belonged to the rocky crags and towering peaks.  Unless I was scouting for a secluded cove to call my private paradise for a couple of days, beaches were merely places to go and sit.

One thing boring about the beach – it is so flat.

Getting a good tan was never in the cards for me.  My Nordic ancestors endowed me with a pasty whiteness that was never meant to withstand prolonged exposure to solar radiation.  Even with a 30-plus SPF sunscreen, I can quickly turn into a crispy critter if I do not wear long sleeves and pants.   Not only did I run the risk of sunburn, but I also found plopping on a beach to be boring.

I am older now.  After many years of employment, I can recall countless times when I would have given a lot to be bored.  Maybe that is why I feel so ideally suited to being retired.  I have learned to not only accept boredom, but also to embrace it.

Although numerous cafés line the beach, we usually pack our own food and drink.

And now here I am in Torrevieja, Spain.  Typically, if I spot a young people here, they are either working in a service sector job or they are in town to visit their grandparents.  So what do all the old people do here on the Costa Blanca, or the Costa Brava or the Costa del Sol?  You guessed it – they go to the beach!  Many of these jubilados (pensioners) have incredible tans.  Some take an occasional swim in the warm, clear Mediterranean waters.  A few, like me and Florence, bring a book to read.  Some folks take a nap.

When I finish reading I have time to think.

We recently invested $15 in a beach umbrella.  In order to maximize our ROI (return on investment), and given the luxury of free time, we now join the daily migration from apartment dwellings to the sandy beach just 500 feet from our door.  Like practiced pensioners, we pack drinks and sandwiches and take a book and some puzzles to work on.  We are now ‘beach people.’  And thanks to the umbrella, I can safely sit in the shade and not risk too much exposure to the sun.  Does that sound boring?  Maybe it is.  But as I have often been known to say, boredom is greatly underappreciated.

Note: All photos are the copyrighted property of Florence Lince.

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Life on the Costa Blanca

The palm lined Esplanade in downtown Alicante divides the harbor from several high end hotels, restaurants and apartment buildings.

After arriving in Spain via a Grimaldi Line cruise ship ferry from Italy, we divided a week between the two great cities of Barcelona and Madrid to spend time sightseeing and to visit friends.  There is no question that the highlight of Barcelona was La Sagrada Familia, although I will admit that the sights of Madrid impressed me somewhat more than did Barcelona.  They are both beautiful, world-class cities.  However, the rich history of Spain seemed more evident to me in Madrid with its parks, palaces, cathedrals and art museums. 

We walked past Alicante’s Plaza of the Bulls. Bullfights still take place in the arena during the summer.

I will also admit that playing tourist after leaving Croatia in early January left us both mentally and physically drained.  So it was with more than a little relief that we rode the motorcoach for the five hour ride to Alicante.  We emailed our host family of our estimated arrival, and they were waiting to greet us as we landed on their doorstep, just a 10 minute taxi ride from the bus station.

The Castle of Santa Barbara has stood watch over Alicante for over 1,000 years.

I had read quite a bit about Spain and its many great cities.  Somehow I was drawn to the region known as the Costa Blanca, thus named for the pale color of the sandy beaches on the Mediterranean coast.  I now know the decision to come here was absolutely the right one.  Alicante is approximately halfway between Barcelona and Gibraltar on the Spanish Riviera.  Here people enjoy over 300 sunny days per year.  There is a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally, and the area is so gorgeous that it is mind-boggling.   

The beachfront of Benidorm, one of Spain’s most touristic cities.

Our host family is helpful and kind beyond any expectation.  Our arrangement with them is to rent for a month while we look for a more permanent setting.  This has given us the gift of time to get our bearings and explore the area.  Our first venture was to explore the city of Alicante itself.  We walked the mile or so into the city center and discovered the Central Market, the City Center and the Esplanade, the colorful, tile-paved waterfront pedestrian walk.  We did not think we could find anything finer than downtown Alicante.

Overlooking the sea is Benidorm’s Church of St. James.

The next day we hitched a ride with our host, Raul, to the touristy seaside town of Benidorm, about 20 north.  We were struck by how many tourists there were in January.  We heard English, French and German spoken by those we walked among along the beach.  And we noticed almost everyone was at least our age or older.  Clearly, the pensioners of Europe come here to escape the cold weather up north.

This beautiful promontory divides Benidorm into north and south halves.

We have yet to explore further south to Torrevieja and Murcia.  Considering how much we have enjoyed each of the cities we have visited in Spain, it is hard to imagine we will not also enjoy our upcoming visits there and points beyond.  Spain has proven to be comfortable and hospitable.  The prices for essentials are affordable on our budget, which means we can also afford to tour more of the country in the weeks ahead.  In the meantime, we should have a place to call our own in time for my February birthday, and that will be the finest gift I could wish for.