Benidorm caters for all the different nationalities in it's many retail outlets, especially in the food line. There are large supermarkets whose shelves are packed with imported goods for those who can't live without their favourite goodies.

For the English there is everything from sliced bread to baked beans, cornflakes to marmite. All your favourite brands too. Of course, most of the English branded goods are more expensive here because they are bought in relatively small amounts, in retail terms, and have to be imported.

After ten years here we have more or less given up on English branded goods as there is a plentiful supply of Spanish food that is equally as good and much cheaper. A super abundance of fresh fish, fruit and vegetables is always available.

The markets, indoor and outdoor, are very popular with both visitors and the Spanish people. If you don't mind the crowds then they can be good fun to stroll round. Just keep an eye on your bags and wallets as we have a lot of really skilled pickpockets, especially female, that apply their trade all year round.

For the self caterer everything is here. The kids can have their favourite foods if they are fussy with their eating and drinking while Mom and Dad can be a bit more adventurous if they so choose. If Mom doesn't want to cook, then don't. It is so cheap to eat out unless you are on a really, really tight budget.

Your favourite ladies magazines and daily newspapers are all here and the newspapers are the current day's issues as they are now printed in Spain. Personally I think the newspapers are too expensive but I see plenty of Brits with their daily dose of The Sun.

There are also hundreds of clothing and shoe shops. From the secondhand market stalls to the Burberry and Lacoste outlets with all shades in between. Spain is famous for it's shoe industry and manufacturers are well represented here as well as people like Clarke's and Timberland.

The Spanish are mad on sports and sportswear and there are an ever increasing number of retail outlets for these products. The majority of them aimed at the higher end of the market, Nike, Addidas etc.

On the outskirts of Benidorm, easily reached by bus or car, we have a very large Hypermarket, Carrefour, which used to be Continente. This is not a cheap alternative to Benidorm shopping but it has a huge variety of goods and fresh food for sale. It also has very nice bars where the non shopper can wait with his, or her, coffee and brandy, while the other half does his, or her, stuff. His or her? Who am I kidding?

Right next to Carrefour is another shopping complex, a new one last year, with plenty of parking space, that is now open to the public but not quite finished. Enough shops to keep anyone busy.

We have junk for sale of course, as does any sea side town, but there seems to be an insatiable demand for this kind of thing and Benidorm is only too happy to oblige. The customer is always right.