It took us a year but we got there.

A year ago we arrived, knackered having ascended more steps than a lighthouse keeper in a tour of duty, in a square dominated by a Church with the most blue of bluest tiled domes. At that time we were in such a hurry to see it all that we completely ignored the square itself.

We would have gone back last year but the tram journey included a 10k bus link.

Spanish ways are not our ways but they are lovely people as we experienced yesterday but there is no please and thank you. It seems that only us foreigners habitually add "por favor" to a request and "gracias" is not always the last word. No matter, setting standards will always be a trial, or so I'm told!

Equally, when getting off a tram, train or the underground we are used to those alighting leaving space for those disembarking, here such is not the case. First you must avoid the younger ones with smart phones thrust forward then you need to be aware that to the rear there will be the elderly, ladies usually, with shopping baskets on wheels. You don't get in their way, either.

Local customs made the bus link more of an ordeal than we liked to repeat, thus we didn't go back, although we did use the bus to get to other places. Today we found out that the tram is now sans bus link. We merely changed trams. The old diesel electric ones lie forlorn in a siding and the new electric ones on La linnea 9 stand proudly a couple of feet above those on La linnea 1.

So, a year after we left the square regretting not having joined the other tourismos for a cafe con leche we sat, drank and watched. I guess it takes a revisit to realise that charging about photographing everything in sight and wondering if you've seen all there is to see is best left to Americans and Japanese tour parties.

So, today we took our time. We left at 14, arrived at 18 and sat with coffee at 22. This was too hot so we ambled back and tried another new experience. A frozen orange, emptied of most of its innards and filled with an ice cream that was almost a sorbet.

Now, we have to go again, but fortunately it won't involve buses next time, either.

View into Plaza de la Iglesia, Altea, showing two old codgers sat pondering, counting blessings and enjoying a very fine 2Euro cafe con leche .....

shortly to be joined by two more .....