To Alicante

The train service I had booked via the Internet was due to leave at 1100. I decided to treat myself to a sumptuous buffet breakfast in the hostel rather than spend time searching in the neighbourhood. I enjoyed the fresh bread rolls, something I always look forward to in Europe.

Then I had some time to wander around the neighbourhood of the Eixample. I found a suitable ATM to replenish my wallet.

There were heaps of Dutch youths, probably on a group tour, waiting to check out. The lifts were crowded as there were only two for several floors. Fortunately all I had to do was hand in my card key as I had paid on arrival.

Barcelona Sants station was a metro ride away. The bus station is next to the rail station.

I was reminded by these "sci-fi watchtowers" that I had first visited Parc de l'Espanya Industrial (in Catalan) almost 25 years ago.

I bought a chicken baguette sandwich for lunch on the train. Check-in and boarding the Talgo to Alicante was perfunctory and we left on time.

It was a fairly long journey of nearly 6 hours. Tarragona was flanked in the south by huge petrochemical works.

We passed many small rural Spanish towns. I wondered what people did for a living there. I suppose they worked in agriculture, or in the local factory. This would explain the unfamiliar place names you find on packets of imported foods; they are the small towns where they are produced and packed.

At Valencia, the train reversed out of the station so that we were facing backwards.

I arrived at Alicante and walked the route that I had foreseen to the apartment I had rented. After taking possession of the apartment, I went to the local Mercadona supermarket for supplies. I settled for a frozen pizza for dinner as I was fatigued from the jet lag and wanted to get to bed. The appliances in the apartment took a while to work out.