Skip to content

Posts from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Jul 4

TABARCA ISLAND, ALICANTE, SPAIN.

The smallest permanently inhabited island in Spain.

Although I have been to this island before I have never stayed overnight in this little island that is known not to have more than 60 permanent inhabitants.

Tabarca Island used to be a base by the pirates until it was fortified by King Carlos III in the 18th century and then used by fishermen until the advent of the beach and sun tourism of the last decades.

After almost 3 months of lockdown (because of the coronavirus pandemic), I wanted to take advantage of my first weekend trip outside my home to go to a place near enough but different. It was decided that this was the nearest place that would have a different vibe because it is an island. It is a great place to visit knowing that the few restaurants there will have outdoor terraces, and everything that is outdoor will have good ventilation and therefore less risky for getting the unwanted coronavirus. Also the island is supposedly COVID free throughout the lockdown.

The island has rocky coves with crystalline waters excellent for snorkeling and I was just looking forward to do nothing in particular and to have a relaxing trip with a group of friends.

Our place was right in front of the only church and probably the biggest structure in the island – the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul constructed in 1776.

On the way to the island we took a taxi boat from Santa Pola town and it was a 20 min boat trip to the island.

The departure from Santa Pola port to tabarca island.

The arrival of our boat at Tabarca Island.

Upon arrival we did request for one of those electric powered bicycles to pick us up so that we can bring all our pieces of luggage to our rented place. In this video you can see us and the luggage behind us.

The island has many little cliffs and coves but there is one in particular that lots of young people use for their dives. It looked dangerous but many young people were still diving ignoring signs that it is dangerous & actually not allowed.

This is the most dangerous dive because it is higher up and if you accidentally fall and slip then it can be fatal.

In summer, the island is usually full of day trippers coming in from Alicante City or Santa Pola town but when the last boat leaves for the mainland the people who stay can experience a different type of experience.

One can enjoy beautiful sunsets, and can enjoy a relaxing breezy stay by walking around the island in the early morning just before the day heat or just before sundown.

In the early morning before the arrival of the day trippers. This sandy beach, which is the only sandy beach on the island, is on the other side of the harbor.

In this video one can see the port entrance, the sandy beach of the island and the restaurant Almadraba. It is in this restaurant where we had the famous CALDERO dish which is the typical dish of the island. It is basically a delicious rice dish made up of freshly cooked fish locally sourced by the local fishermen.

The Caldero dish, the rice is eaten right after the fish
Me and my friends enjoying lunch on the island.

It takes only around one hour to walk all around the island and both times with no crowds and just watching all the different birds that use Tabarca as their home. The island has a length of 1.8km and a width of 400 meters. The island is also a protected marine reserve with a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

The island has 3 main streets, a big church and no cars. There is a small sandy beach in the middle that divides the small village with the rocky grasslands on the other side of the island, of which there are only 3 structures – the lighthouse, a fortress and the village cemetery.

The lighthouse

The island has no 5 star hotels nor any big building except for the 18th century church. Expect to stay in small pension houses or former fishermen homes converted to airbnb type rentals.

The best place to catch a boat to this island is from Santa Pola Town which is only 8km and just a 20 min boat away. It is very easy to park in their small harbor and it costs only 15 euros for a round trip boat ride per person.

May 5

Machu Picchu – A great civil engineering must see site.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and a place of exceptional natural beauty. According to the historians it is either a citadel or a town built and lived on by the Incas between the years 1430-1540 but nobody knows what was its real purpose and why it was abandoned. In the Spanish colonial times,  the locals knew about it , but it was never “discovered” by the Spanish until Hiram Bingham from Yale University “re-discovered” it in 1911 on a Yale expedition to Peru. Because of this it became a main tourist attraction in South America and the further expeditions brought it world attention. Today, even though one cannot see writings on the wall, statues or art at the site, Machu Picchu is still considered a great work of civil engineering, urban planning, water distribution and design with a view to die for.

Here is a video showing majority of the archeological site of Machu Picchu or at least the main part of it.

 

There are many ways to reach Machu Picchu. Everyone has to take the train to Aguas Calientes (now called Machu Picchu pueblo) to be able to take the bus that brings you up to the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Please take note that to get to Aguas Calientes the only way is to walk it or by train. There is no paved road to Aguas Calientes so you cannot go by bus or car.

The main options are a train from Cusco (Poroy station) or From Ollantaytambo station. The station from Cusco is the Poroy Station which is a few kilometers away from Cusco and can take 4 hours to Aguas Calientes or from Ollantaytambo station which is only a train ride of 1 hour 30 minutes to Aguas Calientes. I took the Vistadrome train from Ollantaytambo station and the views are wonderful.  A normal roundtrip price is around 150 USD but the price varies depends on the time you are leaving etc. You can check the prices at the website of Perurail for all your options – www.perurail.com.

 

img_0825-1

On the way to Aquas Calientes on the Vistadome Train from Ollantaytambo train station.

 

While taking pictures of the site suddenly a llama pop right in front of me !

 

After trekking for 4 hours and just before the site closed we saw two rainbows and was lucky that one of the rainbows ended at one of the huts right at the archeological site of Machu Picchu. Of course I just had to take a picture of it.

 

img_6469

Rainbow on the terraces of Machu Picchu

img_6448

Part of the town where we see the commercial and residential area of Machu Picchu.

img_6470-1

This is an example of the steps going down on the residential section of the Inca town. My friends Alex, Ramon, Chris and Jose and our tour guide are in the picture to illustrate the depth and to show the steep incline of the stone pathway.

img_0971

The Terraced land for agriculture. The Incas were self sufficient up here for food and water.

 

And here is a video with my friend chris just letting everyone know that we were very happy to be there. Not is it only a highlight of our trip to Peru but definitely a world must see place.