The Volvo Ocean Race

20141005_122845 20141005_124745 20141005_115837 20141005_123051 20141005_131713Today, I took a little excursion to the Volvo World Ocean Race. A  near two-week sailing event hosted here in Alicante. It is running from the 2nd to the 11th of October before moving to the next port city for the next leg of the race. The Race is beginning here in Alicante and finishes in Gothenburg Sweeden. It will make its stop in Newport, RI in May 2015.

The race park is amazing. The entirety of the park is built on top of the port here in Alicante, over the turquoise water of the Mediterranean. Nearby the park was the boardwalk which was jam-packed with people who watched the sailboats slalom out over the sea. Inside of the park, there were exhibits of the boats, teams and the sponsors; namely, Volvo. Volvo was showcasing all sorts of their new  vehicles from cars to forklifts. There were shops and restaurants propped up along the venue, selling all sorts of local nautical gear. There were games for kids, and opportunities to ride the sailboats and paddle-board in the harbor.

I took my time walking along the water today. Walking by the local vendors selling their knick-knacks, mostly hats and sunglasses for tourists. There was also a type of flea market where some local singers were preforming what appeared to be traditional Spanish Folk Songs. They wore black dresses with red details, very frilled on the sleeves; their guitars and trumpets were strapped to them.

It was a beautiful day. Sunny and warm. There were some clouds from time to time, but for the most part the clouds here stay out by the mountains outside of the city. A strong ocean updraft keeps them there. I took advantage of the weather and walked “la Playa del Postiguet”, the most visited beach in Alicante. This beach lies just beneath el Castillo de Santa Barbara, & just a stone’s throw from the Volvo Ocean Race. I took off my sandals and walked on the fine, mocha colored sand, which crumbles like cushions beneath your feet. The water is the perfect temperature this time of year, not cold or warm but cool to the touch. Nearby bars here serve drinks right on the beach, an interesting novelty.

I definitely will make an appoint to go to the beach here more often.

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