Monday 11.15.2010


Driving Days

When we first planned this trip we were trying to find a creative way to get from Granada to Barcelona and then on to Madrid. It is a long drive to Barcelona from here so the plan was to split it into two days and then turn in the car at the Barcelona airport and three days later, catch a cheap flight to Madrid. The issue is where to stop between Granada and Barcelona.

The obvious is Valencia but with two long driving days we wanted to keep it simple and opted for a little hotel near the highway with a restaurant and free parking in Denia on the Costa Blanco. Mid-trip we got an email from the hotel saying they were closing for five months for renovations and wishing us luck. After scrambling for a bit we were able to book a room at the number one ranked B&B in the area, Casa Les Olives, a few minutes from the highway in the little village of Benigembla. No Problemo.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The rain washed the air last night and we have our clearest morning yet in Granada. Hello to Catarina, plenty of juice and coffee and meats and cheese and cereal and fruit, and a Manuel who can speak a little this morning but is still struggling with his cold. He tells us to let him know when we are ready to leave and he will drive us out. Amen! It is a team effort once more getting the luggage into the car and the master takes over nudging the car from the garage and turning into the street that is inches wider than the car. Manuel then takes us on a roller-coaster three-mile ride through the city going down to the bottom, swirling around in circles and then back up the hill to the Alhambra. He drops us off a block away from where we started but you can’t get here from there. We shake hands instead of kissing (and head for the hand sanitizer) and thank him for providing a brilliant property.


Monique, GPS chick, surprisingly accepts the address for Benigembla and gets us on our way. Not to be outdone by Manuel she is determined to drag us screaming through a maze of Granada city streets before letting us escape onto a form of highway. Because of the distance, we have allowed motorways (not toll roads) to be included in today’s drive and that is where we will be most of the day. We have also programmed in the Barcelona destination so we can decide when to get enough gas to reach our final destination. The car came with a cup of gas in it and we would like to return the favor.


It is a pretty drive mostly east towards that coast and then sweeping north along the water. We are in “sierras” when we start and the terrain is pretty rugged with fifty-mile views through valleys. That eventually gives way to the flat plain that is bordered by the mountains on the left and Mediterranean on the right. Closer to the water we are back in orange and olive groves and thousands of acres of various vegetables. When we have about 150km to our destination and 600 to Barcelona we stop to fill up with gas and nibble on our lunch of potato chips and crackers (we had a big breakfast).


We assumed that Valencia would be the major city of this area, but it seems that the power lies with Alicante. This is where the major airport resides and seems to be the hub of a massive expansion of touristy condos and hotels along the Costa Blanco. Once again we are getting English radio stations so we know who is here.


Above Alicante and below Valencia we are spun back to the west for about fifteen minutes to our stop for tonight. This is rural, semi-rugged hiking country and that is the draw in this little village. After waiting about ten minutes for a truck to unload and clear the road in front of us (yes that is common) we park in front of the post office and walk around the corner to our B&B. The door is open but no one is around. We see our paperwork sitting on the table so we check ourselves in before our host Nick comes tripping down the stairs. He makes up for his tardiness with a welcome beer. His mom Judy also comes popping out. She is visiting from England and is going home tomorrow along with Nick who is returning for a visit.

We have a nice chat as they acquaint us with the details of the village. He normally does a supper, but since they are leaving in the morning he gives us directions to the local bar/restaurant. Nick is a hospitality professional who has worked in the hotel business around the world and bought this place five years ago because he liked the peace of the village. Now he’s a bit tired of it and ready to sell and get back to England. He tells us that most of the locals speak English because there is some connection to a factory in Connecticut where at least half of them have gone to work for a couple years.

Mary has some postcards to mail (what a shock) so we go around the corner to the Tabac to buy stamps (the post office doesn’t sell stamps), but they are closed until 5:00 and it is 4:50. We decide to walk around the town, which gets us back to the Tabac at 5:05. Still closed. We go the other way, find our restaurant for dinner tonight and at 5:15 the Tabac is now open, but no stamps. They are currently out of stock, but as far as we can determine they will have more next month.

Mary reads and John does some computer work in the supper room (fire going and Getz/Gilberto on the sound system). At 8:00 we walk to the restaurant and find that there has been a tragedy. The father of the host/owner died today so he is gone and has been replaced by his father-in-law who speaks no English. Nick, Judy and a friend are eating at another table so they help us through the process. We both have the menu del dia including a tuna omelet appetizer, grilled chicken breast with baked tomatoes and eggplant, and John has a fantastic flan topped with honey and Mary has a so-so cheesecake with fruit. This is all washed down with a bottle of red wine. Total price 16 euros. For both of us. Combined with our “included” breakfast this morning, our chips and crackers for lunch, this dinner is very helpful with our food budget for the day.

We beat our hosts home and listen to the church bells from our room. The bell tower is 30 feet from our third floor room but Nick has assured us that they end at midnight and don’t start again until 7:00. And we were worried they would disturb our sleep. Every day is interesting.

Today’s picture: A final look at our room in Granada, the two windows on the left of the picture. We liked that place.