Today, I travelled from Los Alcazares to Alicante for an overnight stay.
Due to the significant cost of taking a taxi to Alicante to catch my cruise, I booked a hotel room for the night before my cruise and arrived a day early by coach. I saved myself โฌ160 by doing this, which will be moneyย that can be spent on something else during my cruise.
My friend Bob picked me up around 13:30 to take me to the bus stop by the town hall in Los Alcazares. He dropped me off, and I sat waiting for the bus to Alicante, which was due at 2 pm. At about 1:45 pm, a Spanish man asked me if this was the stop for the Alicante bus. I told him it was, and we both waited impatiently. The bus was late, and by 2:20 pm, when it arrived, we were both hoping it was the correct stop.
Apart from being a slow journey that stopped at many stops in different towns, it was an uneventful journey. Iย realised as the bus went through Los Alcazares that I could have taken the bus from the top of the road by my apartment, but this was not an option given on the booking website.
When I got off the bus in Alicante, the map app on my phone provided directions to my hotel, which was 1.3 kmย away,ย so I began the slow walk. It was not a challenging walk, but the construction work and closed pathways made it longer than it needed to be. I arrived at the hotel puffed out and breathless, even after stopping at every bench I passed.
The hotel lobby at The Esplanade Hotel was lovely, and the reception staff were helpful and friendly. To reach my room on the third floor, I had to navigate several steps on each floor and use a small, slow elevator. I had to hunt around on the landing for light switches as the lighting in the dark hallways was off, but after finding my room, I rested for a while. Room 306 was tiny, and I had to leave my suitcase on the floor as the wardrobe was too small to accommodate it. There was a small fridge I could use in the room, which was also on the floor, as there was no table it could fit on.
After resting, I went for a short walk around Alicante. I stayed a short distance from the street, surrounded by the large model mushrooms. As I walked around, MSC calledย to inform me that the ship would be leaving before the scheduled time tomorrow due to the strong winds in the Mediterranean. They told me to check in earlier than previously instructed. I explored the area around Alicante where the hotel was located and then went for dinner around 6:30 pm.
Photos: Alicante.
Before boarding the MSC Lirica, I spent an overnight stay in the vibrant city of Alicante. This photo album captures quirky street art, mushroom-lined walkways,ย the charm of a city that blends coastal beauty with playful character, and the poor hotel room I stayed in.ย
Click on any image to see a larger version of the image with a description.
I went to an Indian restaurant called New Delhi. I was not disappointed; my meal was beautiful, and the service was good. I chose a mild Kashmiri lamb curry. I had it with mushroom rice and Peshwari Naan and washed it down with a pint of San Miguel. The curry and rice were beautiful, possibly the best curry I have ever had and the naan bread was terrific. I finished the meal with a coffee and rum before returning to the hotel.
The hotel bed was relatively small and very lumpy, making it difficult for me to get comfortable. I ended up doing crosswords on my notepad until I fell asleep.