Tabarca Island, Spain

While we were in Alicante we decided to buy a boat. 

Just kidding. We didn't really buy a boat...but there sure were some big ones parked at the marina!
We did, however, ride a boat. This one to be exact. We took it to the island of Tabarca, which is just about 11 nautical miles or an hour from Alicante.  That was just about as long as I could handle,  since the water ended up getting a wee bit choppy and we were rolling with the waves!

                        Leah and I were all smiles while still parked at the marina.

As we pulled away from the dock, we had a nice view of the Santa Barbara Castle that we toured the day before. You can see the walls that surround the castle and go down the side of the mountain. I found the visual layers to be interesting...the sea, the boats, the buildings (some new and some old) and the castle on top of the mountain.

                        We were past the small light house and on towards the island!

The water was fairly calm at this point, but this was a slow moving vessel, so the swells and sways were noticeable!

 And then the water got a little more choppy and my breakfast started feeling a little less than swell. In fact, all three of us got a little quiet for the rest of the ride. It was really quite pretty and we had to keep reminding ourselves that we were on a boat heading out across the Mediterranean Sea!

 We arrived on the island and got off the boat and decided to take a quick walk up towards some ruins that we could see in the distance. First stop... a happy pose! The area in the background is the inhabited part of the island, whereas in the other direction it is uninhabited and is where the old lookout tower stands.

 The San Jose Tower.

 It was originally built as a lookout tower in 1789. The island was a refuge for the Barbury pirates up until the end of the 18th century. It was a hideaway and base for them to plunder passing vessels. Later, King Carlos III used the tower  for prisoners and the pirates were eventually run off. Today, it is empty and closed to the public. We were able to climb the steps up to the old metal door.

             
                                                                    The steps.

We made our way over to the ruins. We aren't sure what they were in their better years...but we thought they were pretty neat.

Parts of the structures looked much newer than others. 

                                 And then I spotted this cool tile. Perfect photo opportunity!

We made our way to the other end of the island where there were a few restaurants, homes, and a very old church. The island is actually a marine reserve where fishing & tourism drive the economy. In the summer months, as many as 2 to 3,000 people visit daily. It is a popular spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. Their are only about 50 permanent residents in the winter months.

The streets are narrow and quaint and while we were there... very quiet. It seemed almost deserted. It was just row after row of small flat buildings, the only distinction between "homes" were a different colored door or window and sometimes a tile number or family name.  We paused by this one for a picture ( staring straight into the bright sun), because the number 33 is the number of years we have been married this year!

I thought this was interesting how the plants were on the windowsill on the outside of the window but the inside of the ironwork. Many of the windows and doors in Spain open to the inside, with shutters or pull down shades as the outer layer.

                                                          Ezequiel Valeta's house.

These two little girls were so cute with their flags. They were spinning and twirling down the middle of the street.

At the end of the street we came upon one of three entrances or gateways. King Carlos III built stone defensive walls around the town in 1769.This is one of the gateways that led us out to the water. 

                                                                         Hello!

                                                Daughter daddy discussion going on here.

                                Here is the view of the gateway looking towards the town.

                                                                      The church.
                           It was under renovation so we weren't able to get very close or go in.

                                                     Leah spotted this buried shell.
         There weren't very many shells on any of the beaches at all so it was fun to see this one.

                          We sat out on these big rocks to just sit and stare at the water.

Lunch was at a small restaurant overlooking the water. If you order Sangria in Spain, you are never sure how much you will get. This particular place had a big pitcher!! They have about a cup of sugar that they pour in the bottom first and it is your task to stir it up. Sweet!

                                                                     Cheers!

                                        It was a beautiful day on the isle of Tabarca!