The Real Spain

About the author

• ^{Short stories by AJ have been published since 1994 in magazines, summer specials and international competitions, been broadcast on radio and recorded for audio books.}

So you're off to Spain. Perhaps you're visiting the sunny Costa Blanca - great! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.... But there's more to visiting Spain than stopping in high-rise hotels or apartments blocks. Be adventurous, take a peep around the place. Hire a car and see what the REAL Spain has to offer.

I'm fortunate enough to reside in a beautiful area of the world and hope I never forget it. I live about 80 km away from Alicante city, in the 'campo', the countryside, overlooking a provincial village - but I get to go to Alicante occasionally so I see both sides of the coin.

I also visit Benidorm - and enjoy a show or two. But the numerous small villages and resorts hold more attraction for me. There are incredible sites and stunning fiestas to take in - so much romance in the area your mind feels blown.

Moraira, about 30 minutes drive from where I live, is a minor Spanish town, in the Alicante province, 100 km south of Valencia. It is a tourist resort on the Costa Blanca strip, with 8 km of seaboard backed by mountains, vineyards, and olive groves.

The number of people living in Moraira is approximately 10,000, although this surges to 36,000 in summer. The region is popular with well-heeled retirees, especially English. The bulk of visitors to Moraira are Spanish, English, German, Dutch, and French.

The origins of Moraira as a fishing village are still in evidence; its fish market is one of the most popular in the region and the port has five fishing boats in operation.