Last weekend I went on a really fun beach vacation with 7 girlfriends! It was just what I needed. We arrived Thursday very early in the morning and we left late Sunday afternoon, giving us four full days to enjoy the beautiful beach. We rented an apartment for the weekend which was perfect for resting between pool visits and cooking dinners together. 
Thursday we arrived, settled in and headed for the pool in the apartment complex. We noticed right away the sun is much stronger in Alicante. Actually, the sun is much stronger in Spain in general. I tried to be vigilent with the sunscreen and spend a good amount of time in the shade, but I still got a little sunburnt after the first day. That night we went to a little bar across the street for some fruity cocktails, sparklers included.
Thursday we arrived, settled in and headed for the pool in the apartment complex. We noticed right away the sun is much stronger in Alicante. Actually, the sun is much stronger in Spain in general. I tried to be vigilent with the sunscreen and spend a good amount of time in the shade, but I still got a little sunburnt after the first day. That night we went to a little bar across the street for some fruity cocktails, sparklers included.
Friday was spent at the beach. The beach in Alicante (actually, Santa Pola, a town just outside) was really beautiful. The Mediterranean is in a league of its own. The water was crystal clear and refreshingly cool but not cold. I forgot how much I love swimming in the ocean! I spent a lot of time at the beach for vacations as a kid and I felt like it was just as much fun jumping waves this time.The beach in Spain has a really different ambience than in the States, and I really liked it! Of course, there is the nudity thing. There were lots of people not only laying around topless but walking up and down the beach sin camisa also. I hardly noticed. But what I really liked
was that it was a much more relaxed environment in general. Something that I don't like about California beaches is that there's a lot of pressure to be perfect and put on a big show of how fabulous you are with your fantastic ocean front property and your killer body and your dark tan. There's none of that at the beach in Spain. People aren't there to lay out and look beautiful. They're there to enjoy the beach, the sun, their friends and family. There are people of all shapes and sizes and all ages. It made for a very casual and fun scene.
was that it was a much more relaxed environment in general. Something that I don't like about California beaches is that there's a lot of pressure to be perfect and put on a big show of how fabulous you are with your fantastic ocean front property and your killer body and your dark tan. There's none of that at the beach in Spain. People aren't there to lay out and look beautiful. They're there to enjoy the beach, the sun, their friends and family. There are people of all shapes and sizes and all ages. It made for a very casual and fun scene.Saturday and Sunday saw more beach, more pool, 
and more home-cooked meals enjoyed on our terrace. One fun highlight was on Saturday night when we headed over to Bailey's Bar for karaoke. We were definitely the best singers that night. (We beat out the bartender and Penny, a nice Irish lady). I sang Nsync's "Bye, Bye, Bye" with Kristen and Toby Keith's "I Should've Been a Cowboy" with Blair. Other winning performances included Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" and Will Smith's "Miami". Who knew that Blair was an undercover gangster rapper? We do now.
and more home-cooked meals enjoyed on our terrace. One fun highlight was on Saturday night when we headed over to Bailey's Bar for karaoke. We were definitely the best singers that night. (We beat out the bartender and Penny, a nice Irish lady). I sang Nsync's "Bye, Bye, Bye" with Kristen and Toby Keith's "I Should've Been a Cowboy" with Blair. Other winning performances included Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" and Will Smith's "Miami". Who knew that Blair was an undercover gangster rapper? We do now. 
Sunday night we flew back to Madrid and now here I am, in my last weekend in Spain! It's incredible. My friends and I are doing some fun things this weekend to really celebrate our last few days. Thursday we went to the opening night of the "hipodromo" which literally means race track. In the summer there is a horse track which becomes an outdoor bar/club at night. So we got dressed up and checked it out. It was a really cool environment and a nice Spanish crowd. Hip, but not snoody. We had a lot of fun! Last night we went salsa dancing in Sol which was a blast! Of course, we had no idea what we were doing. But we made it up and even had a few people give us mini lessons. I even loved just sitting and watching the really good couples dance! They are amazing! I don't understand how they know what step to take next and which way to spin, but I love to watch it! Tonight we are having one last party to celebrate our going away. Should be fun!
I fly home Wednesday and could not be more excited!I plan to write one final blog entry in the next few days summing up the big things I've learned here.
Disfrutad el fin de semana! (Enjoy the weekend!)
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