Sissi palm the savior in times of need

Day 34: The morning didn't start well at all... We got up early - before 9 a.m. - in order to be in Orihuela in time because there is said to be "one of the most beautiful markets on the Costa Blanca" (original wording Icke). So we packed everything up in no time and set off, after I had fished for the address with the net of all nets, filled up the water, disposed of the gray and black water and paid our bill to Steve.

We also arrived early and found plenty of parking nearby - but what we didn't find was the market. We searched, checked the address several times, and finally I asked in a bar about the market. The man was really friendly and showed me the place using Google Maps on his cell phone. 14 minutes for four kilometers, that promised to be exciting - and it was. One roundabout after another, sometimes three roundabouts that were intertwined with each other. Just before I started to feel dizzy, the navigation system went out. What now?

I pulled over to the side of the road and tried to get my GPS back on track. Icke quickly rolled down the window and asked a man who was passing by with his dog. He spoke English very well. “The market?” he asked. “The big weekly market?” Yes, the most beautiful market on the Costa Blanca, I was about to scream, but then I saw a shrug and heard a quiet “Mañana.” Tomorrow. Not today. Not Friday, but Saturday. While Icke tried desperately and in vain to convince the man that the market had to take place today and showed him various websites, I begged my cell phone not to let me down now and to guide me out of this labyrinth .

At least my phone had mercy on me. I don't. Our next destination was Leroy Merlin, a hardware store chain. According to Steve, there should be “the most beautiful tiles in all of Spain” – I even heard that myself. The next branch was in Elche, 44 kilometers further northeast. A stone's throw for us. We found our way straight to the huge center and, via various detours - we first ended up in the camp - also found our way to the entrance. But tiles here were only available packed in boxes that were so big that, thank God, they didn't fit in the motorhome. We left with four tiles – probably more of a sample package.

Icke was devastated. Luckily, I knew how to get her upright quickly. Off to Sissi Park! The Huerta del Cura gets its nickname because Austria's Empress Sissi visited the park in 1894, also because of a unique date palm that grew there. Since then, the palm tree has borne its name out of joy and pride. We've been here twice in the past few years - most recently with Tanni - and each time it was a pleasure. Same this time too. The plants and trees that thrive here are balm for the soul. But the pictures can show that better than any words.

PS: By the way: Icke wants to stay in Elche until Sunday. Guess why...