Espana: Days 33-37 (El Campello)

Day 33:
It is Monday 8 August 2016 and I am in desperate need of a pedicure! I walked several blocks to this nail salon I scoped out when we first got here. As I walk into Ink London Nail Bar, I'm shocked by the small space...there is literally 1 "spa pedicure" chair (which is occupied) and about 3 or 4 more bar-like chairs at the counter (all occupied with feet or hands drying). I told one of the two ladies I wanted a pedicure today (now!) and she kind of laughed and said they are all booked today. So I told her to tell me when they can fit me in because the following day was booked as well. Turns out the one woman that was doing the pedicures said she would see me at 8pm! So I made the appointment for this evening and told Scott my plan of going there and then we could eat at our Indian spot just around the corner from it. It was a hot walk back home and I tried to go into a couple of stores to look for bathing suits and cool off but every store was warm as well, no a/c and very few or no bathing suits. Once I got back, it was time for us to go out for lunch so we made our way over to La Tasca Marinera. We had the usual...Ensalada Mixta, sole and seabass. Lunch was enjoyable (minus the kid running around our table our entire meal with his parents at the table next to us not paying attention). An all female band came by and played a couple of songs outside the restaurant. I'm not normally a fan of street performers, sellers and beggers interuping my meal but they actually were pretty talented. Especially the tambourine player! Mas tambourine!

All female band outside La Tasca Marinera

Siesta was in full effect after lunch and then I had to get going on my walk to the nail salon. At first I told Scott to come with and have a drink at a bar close by but he could not wake up in time to go. So I went and Coco and Scott would meet me when I'm done. My pedicure was fantastic and very different than how they do things in the states! It could just be this particular nail salon or maybe the Spanish way....first she cuts and files and I pick my color off of the sample pallet (no sparkles, 😟) then she applies the polish and with each coat, she puts a quick drying device on the opposite foot while applying the next coat. After polish is complete and dry, she does the callus scrub, which normally takes place before applying polish. Then some oils, no massage and voila! It looks amazing!

Ink London Nail Bar

Since Scott had not even left home yet to come meet me, I decided to have a drink at a bar close by while waiting for him. I stopped at a place called Bar Merfin and at first I was thrown off because all of the tables outside said Reservada but I quickly came to my senses....I don't have Coco so I can sit at the bar inside! I had a really good glass of red wine from Rioja and they gave me these yummy little snacky snacks to munch on.

A glass of red from Rioja, Agua con gas and snacky snacks at Bar Merfin!

Scott and Coco arrived and we walked just up the street to Star of India for dinner! I always forget to take photos of everything because I get so excited when it finally comes (service is slow and they are always slammed).

Sangria at Star of India

Cracker-like appetizer with 3 sauces at Star of India

Day 34:
There is this burger place at the beginning of the boardwalk that Scott has been wanting to try so I suggested we go there for lunch today. It was an interesting lunch at Lolita Burguesa to say the least....Coco got ahold of a large piece of meat that she had been eyeballing on the ground. The minute I start looking at the menu, she goes for it. I immediately reacted and tried to stick my hand in her mouth to get it out but her jaw was clamped down and she would not let this go without a fight. So we fought. I shoved my hand more in her mouth and as she is trying to work the meat down her throat her jaw is clamped even more firmly on my fingers; it hurts but finally I get most of it out. Then I yell at her and she knows she was a bad girl. I went to go wash my hands after that and as I come back, a table for 20 people is being set up right next to us. I cant get a break...I just want to have a relaxing time and sometimes it seems impossible. The party of 20 now gets the waiters attention over us. We ordered a bottle of Rose Cava, Scott got his burger and I went for the cod skewers. The cod was absolutely disgusting. Not only was it not fully cooked, the quality was poor. So I didn't eat it. Scott enjoyed his burger but still likes the burger he had at La Terra better.

Perelada Brut Rose cava at Lolita Burguesa

Burger at Lolita Burguesa

Bacalao (cod) skewer at Lolita Burguesa

We got home,
had a little siesta and stayed in for dinner. The Star of India leftovers are always something we look forward to!

Day 35:
Happy hump day! We headed over to Max Pizzeria Restaurante for lunch and really enjoyed the bottle of red we got. An amazing thing we have noticed since being here is the price of drinks. In the states you can count on a bottle of wine to be like $30+ and a glass of wine around $10. Well here, it's more like a bottle of wine is 12€ and a glass of wine is 2€.

Camino de Castilla 2012 Crianza at Max

Ensalada Mixta at Max

Pollo at Max

Pesto macaroni at Max

On our way back home, we stopped at Sandra's Bar for a drink. We keep seeing signs for a drink called San Francisco, which we have never heard of until now, so Scott decided to try that and I decided to try the Tinto de Verno, which is basically watered down sangria (sangria with 7up or carbonated water).

Afternoon drinks at Sandra's Bar

San Francisco at Sandra's Bar

Tinto de Verano at Sandra's Bar

Coco had an appointment with the vet  at Clinica Veterinaria Campello S.L. to get her nails trimmed and we were also going to get her passport all processed there too. It took them awhile to get the passport completed just because there is a lot of data entry for the front desk and it seemed to be a crowded day. Her appointment was at 6:30 and we were waiting for at least 45 minutes before seeing the vet. While we were waiting, there was someone with 2 kittens that were possibly just 1 week old. The people who brought the kittens in said they found them abandoned so they took them in. They were so tiny and so cute. The 10 year old Ali was appearing... I used to bring kittens home from random neighbors homes asking my parents if we could have a kitten but I was never successful. My brother is allergic. Anyways, I dont want a cat but they are pretty damn cute and there are a lot around.

Rescued kittens at Clinica Veterinaria Campello

The vet Coco got this time was actually the French one that was originally recommended. I liked the other one a bit better. Just the interaction seemed better. Coco was more relaxed then. So this French vet was giving me a lesson (not requested) on how to trim Coco's nails. I reminded him that I prefer to have it done for me. As he was trimming, I was holding Coco steady on the table then all of a sudden he hit the quick 😭 A bit of blood came out and her and I were both tense after that. He put a solution on her nail to help stop the bleeding but it just sucks for the lil Coco babes.
On our way we went with Coco's European passport in hand and promises of many Thinkers!

Coco says: I'm now a European bitch! Follow me on Instagram @coco.espana

Passport head shot

So we're pretty sure il Cuore di Napoli is closed on Wednesdays because we usually want to go then and come to find they are closed. Our backup is usually Restaurante Hong Kong so that is what we had tonight. We tried the sangria for the first time and I thought it was so bad, I ordered just a glass of wine because I was not about to drink that.

Note to self: sangria no bueno a Restaurante Hong Kong

Tinto vino vale

Arroz Frito Ping Ping Pang Pang

Pollo y arroz blanco

Day 36:
A lot of shops and businesses close for a few hours during the day. Some pick an entire day (or two) out of the week to close down. It seems as though there is no rhyme or reason to it. Sundays, I understand...in Catholic communities, most businesses close on Sunday. In Italy, it's usually Sunday and Monday. Scott gets out of class at 1pm every weekday so by the time he gets home  (he takes the tram from Alicante, about 30 minutes) everything is closed. There is a pillow/bed shop he discovered along his walk to the tram station one day but they close at 2pm so we planned to meet there just before they close! It is a little shop run by 2 very sweet people, called Pastor Decoracion Interiorismo. I ended up getting 2 different pillows...hopefully one will make a difference! As we walk outside, there is a vet office next door and then this on the steps of the business next to the vet....too funny not to share 😂

Spanish, English and Germ-ish? Regardless, it's also a bit sexist!

Our other plan today was to check out one of the doner kebab places for lunch and there is one Scott has been scoping out just around the corner...Doner Kebab Amigos was pretty good! I enjoyed mine alot especially once they brought me the pita pan (pita bread)!

Doner Kebab Amigos

Samosas - ok but had peas we had to pick out 

Doner Pita Wrap at Doner Kebab Amigos

Pollo Doner Kebab plate at Doner Kebab Amigos

Coco also had a taste...

And....since the churro place is right around the corner as well, we stopped at Ferrocarril for drinks and churros!

Semi seco cava means semi brut...I shall put seco in my vocabulary 

Chocolate con Churros at Ferrocarril

When we got home, I found that one of my Marijuana seeds was ready to be planted. I don't have a green thumb but I'm having a go at this...I got my seeds at a local shop in El Campello called Nyabinghi (🎶Jump, jump, jump! Nyabinghi🎶 ~Bob Marley & The Wailers).

Seed after germination process, ready to be planted

My gardening tools

The olympics have been going on and like always, I'm obsessed with gymnastics! So tonight we decided to make some pasta and stay in!

Simple spaghetti con pimientos y olio

Day 37:
It's Friday!!!! Really Friday is just like any other day for me though because I am privileged and not working. We are staying in town this weekend with a plan to go to Alicante tomorrow for some shopping and dinner. Today we went to Cavia for lunch and decided to try a new appetizer. Our plan is to fill up mostly on the appetizers and take most of the paella home so we can reheat another night!

The bread naturally shaped like a heart so I colored it in with garlic aioli and tomato paste❤

Patatas Bravas at Cavia

Jamon wrapped melon at Cavia

Believe it or not, I tried this with the jamon

Arroz pollo y pimientos at Cavia

After lunch, I wanted to sunbathe for a bit. I went in the ocean but it was a little rough for me. I lounged on the cement before joining Scott and Coco at Restaurante El Tapeo for a pitcher of sangria de cava.

Sangria de cava (bubbly) at Tapeo

I decided it was also ok to sunbathe in my chair at Tapeo...

When we got home I decided to start taking out my braids. Hours later it was getting to be dinner time and I still wasnt finished but oh well. I threw on my elephant tank, in honor of World Elephant Day, and off we went to il Cuore di Napoli!

Happy World Elephant Day!

Sangria at il Cuore di Napoli

Macaroni arrabiata (angry pasta) at il Cuore di Napoli

The food and drink were delicious and we just love coming here for the company too. Cynthia is a wonderful lady. I asked her if they were on vacation all week because they've actually been closed all week (no notice outside) but she said no, they had to close because the Italian workers just disappeared. There is not much staff here but I think the Italians were the cooks and she was basically the only one who serves and her husband does a little bit of both. I think! So they were forced to close because half of their staff was gone. At least they are all good now and open again....although I dont think the Italians are back.