Relocated...

...to Torrevieja this morning a relatively short hop of 60kms.

On the outskirts of the city was a rather large shopping complex which we called into for a coffee and some shopping at the supermarket. Supermarkets in this cities (supermercardos as distinct form mercardos) live up to the name super as they are huge and a combination of foodstuffs etc. as we would find in Countdown and hardware/homewares as per say Briscoes and then white and brown ware as per say Harvey Norman. I would guess that the floor area would struggle to fit within Eden Park.

Also Spain has a goods and service tax IVA in the same way as we have GST and from what I have been able to work out the tax is graduated depending on the product - for example from the receipt we received at the supermarket this morning I can deduce that the rates are:

21% plastic bags     10% processed food products      4% fresh fruit & vegetables and UHF milk

Having checked in we went for our orientation walk around town - Torrevieja is very much a summer holiday beach city and has many Brits here if the language we heard prominently on the streets is any indication.

Like most Spanish cities there is a smattering of street statues in various poses

 

We walked out on the pier, a pier that is as long if not longer than any other we have seen (we estimate some 800-1000m and that gave a nice view of both the Mediterranean and also the "viaduct" area

) 

There is no point taking a photo of the Med as it is water as far as you can see with no Rangitoto or other Hauraki Gulf islands to provide a backdrop.

To both the north and south of the central areas there were well populated beaches on one side of the broad walk and terrace restaurants and shops on the other. Some of the areas where folk were swimming were in rocky areas being "smashed" by the breakers and it appeared dangerous to us.

Our hotel has a pool just outside our room so with the temperature being around the low 30s it was back to the hotel for a refresh