The summer has well and truly arrived here in Benidorm – with the beaches all bustling and full of holiday makers. The weather is vitally important for the tourism industry here, for without it Benidorm would struggle to survive. Its main attraction – the beaches would be empty, unlike today and the next few months ahead. Levante, Poniente, Mal Pas and La Cala all have their own characters and attract different customers - if you want it loud and vibrant head to Levante or quiet and subdued try Poniente or La Cala.
There was a snap 10 minutes of torrential rain here yesterday but worryingly, the province is in the grip of a record breaking drought so please be extra careful and not waste any. We had only 10% of the normal rainful last year and the reservoir up in Guadalest is only around 20% full. I went up there today and it looks pitiful – metres of the banks, which should normally be submerged, are exposed and the solar powered boat looks marooned.
A quantity has been bought and is being pumped in from the north, but some small towns are already experiencing water cuts. The majority of private dwellings here have swimming pools, which need topping up daily otherwise the pumps won´t work. With Benidorm being a tourist resort the consequences are worrying – there has only ever been one water shortage in Benidorm, which was back in the 70´s and the Spanish army was called in. Can you imagine the hundreds of hotels having no water – it would be a disaster!
