awful

A woman recently visited a popular Spanish holiday spot but was left gutted by the experience. According to her, it was “smelly and awful”, and left her rather disappointed

There’s nothing like the feeling of having a break away, and exploring somewhere new, but one woman was recently left disappointed after her Spanish getaway, even though people have previously claimed to have found “hidden gems” near the area. The woman recently documented her experience in a candid TikTok video after visiting the popular holiday spot.

According to her, people advised her to visit the area, but she was left underwhelmed. The vlogger, known as girl_in_barcelona, ventured to Alicante, in Spain, to explore somewhere different and new, but she said it was nothing other than “smelly” and “awful”, and she didn’t understand what all the fuss was about.

Even though she thought the port was nice, and admitted there are some “cute” plazas, she said it was a “disappointment.” Though she confessed the coast around Alicante is “beautiful”,” she just couldn’t get over what the city looked like.

Since she shared the video, it’s been viewed thousands of times, and hundreds of people have commented. They were quick to share their thoughts on the matter.

One agreed, writing: “Hated Alicante. Never again. Waste of money.” Another replied: “I live here and, yes, Alicante is worse each year.”

A third made a joke, adding: “It’s awful there. The whole coast from Barcelona down and around Magaluf is awful. Best stay at home and let us who live here just suffer. We’ll be brave though and not complain.”

Meanwhile, a fourth was quick to praise the city, saying: “Alicante is so beautiful. Any city has horrible parts.” Someone else also chimed in with: “Alicante is beautiful. Every city has ugly places.”

If you’ve never been to Alicante before, it’s a very popular tourist destination. It draws in millions of visitors annually due to its beaches, historical sites like Santa Barbara Castle and vibrant nightlife.

As well as this, it’s a major gateway to the Costa Blanca region and is also popular with international property buyers. Even though the video implies the city is a little run-down, not everyone thinks this is the case.

While some areas may show signs of underdevelopment or older architecture, its city centre, especially the Old Town, is normally vibrant and visually appealing. Here you’ll find well-maintained promenades and tourist areas.

The city offers both historic charm and modern amenities, though opinions vary on its overall vibrancy. This was made clear in comments posted underneath the video following the content creator’s trip in September.

Based on the comments, it’s clear everyone has different views when it comes to visiting the holiday spot. When someone told the woman she must have worked “hard” to create such a negative video, she replied: “Not at all. I would have made a video to show how beautiful it was, if it was the case.”

She also noted that everyone has different opnions, and this was reflected in the comments too. One person said: “You’re joking, I loved it there. You can find badness anywhere.”

Someone else also chimed in with: “Why are people so upset about this video? Some people like it, some others not, and that’s it. We can’t all like the same things.”

Vicky Pattison left fans in stitches after her Strictly partner Kai Widdrington exposed how she acts during rehearsals on the Get A Grip podcast

Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison’s partner Kai Widdrington has revealed a hilarious behind-the-scenes habit.

Appearing together on the Get A Grip podcast hosted by Angela Scanlon, 41, and the TV star, 30, Kai teased that his celebrity partner pulls funny facial expressions during training. “We discovered this week the ‘Stank face’,” the 30-year-old joked. “When she’s really trying she’ll (acts it out).”

To which Vicky replied: “It’s like a toddler doing a poo. It’s awful. And I am not proud of it. I’m really upset.” Angela chimed in, “It is like an upside-down puppy,” while Vicky agreed, laughing, “Yeah… it’s like an old man.” This week, Vicky has been candid about the pressures of the competition. In a recent interview with Women’s Health UK, the 37-year-old admitted training has felt like “a baptism of fire.”

“All the pros are carved like angels, and I’m there sweating away in my gym gear,” she said.

“It’s both intimidating and overwhelming. But as you get older, you don’t often get the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. I like to prove I’m capable.”

While she’s built physical strength through weight training, Pilates, and charity treks, Vicky fears it’s the cardio that might hold her back. “Everyone is so fit,” she added.

Reflecting on her earlier reality TV days, Vicky said she felt less pressure entering the I’m A Celebrity… jungle in 2015, saying, “When you went into the jungle, everyone thought you were an arsehole, but you knew you could go in and change people’s perceptions,” a friend once told her.

“Now I’ve spent 10 years working to show people that I was young, making mistakes, and I wasn’t the best version of myself… I’m scared that under this spotlight, I’ll mess up.”

The Heart radio presenter also revealed she’s returned to therapy. “Maybe it’s working-class feelings of being undeserving. Maybe it’s deep-rooted self-doubt. I don’t know what it is, but it’s all come back,” she said.

Last week on Strictly Come Dancing, the Geordie Shore star and her partner performed a Gatsby‑themed Charleston and earned a total of 25 points from the judges, despite receiving mixed feedback from the judges.

For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

MARRIED At First Sight expert Paul C Brunson tonight slammed a bride over her awful behaviour towards her groom, as she broke down in tears.

Over the past week viewers have been left fuming after Sarah has openly slammed her husband Dean for not being her usual type – and last night’s dinner party was no different.

4

4

4

4

Tonight the experts called Sarah out at the first Commitment Ceremony.

They were left disgusted at her behaviour during last night’s dinner party, as they thought she had acted disrespectfully towards Dean, after she complained to the other couples about her husband’s appearance.

It came after Sarah told everyone she spoke to that there was “no spark” or “attraction there” and doesn’t think there ever will be.

The girls confirmed that she had the “ick” while the boys persuaded her to give him a chance as he is a “lovely guy”.

But Sarah was having none of it.

This evening, viewers watched as Married At First Sight expert Paul pulled her up on her behaviour.

“What are you willing to change?,” he asked Sarah.

“Do you think that you were rude while talking about your partner at the dinner party?”

Not holding back Paul continued: “| get the challenge around physical attraction, but where you absolutely lost me is when you went around gossiping about your husband to other people and you were laughing at it.”

But Sarah didn’t take well to the criticism and she started to cry after she and Dean made the decision to “stay” in the experiment.

Sobbing she said: “It was really hard to hear what Paul had to say and I apologize, and yeah, I’m sorry, it’s not me, it’s not who I am.

“And maybe if I did have that spark, I wouldn’t have said anything like that because I wouldn’t have.

But there’s not the spark there, so that’s, that was the only reason why I said it.”

Fully crying now, Sarah continued: “I haven’t meant it maliciously at all. I don’t want to hurt anyone.

“I’m being true to myself, but then it’s coming across really badly.”

This is not the first time that Sarah has landed herself in hot water on the show due to the alleged ‘fat shaming’.

On her wedding day, she admitted that Dean wasn’t her dream man – as she branded him “over the top” and saying she “didn’t fancy him” or want to “rip his clothes off”.

Sarah confessed on their honeymoon that she has never dated anyone as “big” as Dean, which came as a huge blow.

In order to feel a “spark” with Dean, Sarah said he would have to “get some tattoos, lose some weight,” as droves of viewers slammed her cruel delivery.

Married at First Sight airs Sunday to Thursday at 9pm on E4.

JOCKEY Trevor Whelan has confirmed he has broken his leg in three places after his ‘absolutely awful’ York fall.

And it is feared veteran rider Jim Crowley has suffered a similar injury after he also smashed into the turf.

2

2

Both riders fell in yesterday’s big race of the day at the northern track.

Crowley, who was on the William Haggas-trained favourite Almeraq, appeared to clip heels.

That sparked a chain reaction that saw Whelan fall from Tiger Bay in the Listed six furlong sprint.

There was a big delay to racing as both riders were initially treated on the track before being rushed to hospital.

Incredibly, both horses were up and OK after the horrendous flashpoint, which viewers described as being ‘absolutely awful’.

Whelan confirmed on X the extent of his injuries – and it is believed Crowley has suffered much the same.

The jockey posted: “Thanks for all the get well messages much appreciated.

“I’ve broken my leg in three places and due for an operation on it as well.”

More to follow.

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

A WOMAN who thought she was going on a romantic cruise with her partner was left stunned after she realised what was really going on.

Robyn-Jay was looking forward to her 10-day cruise, but that excitement quickly faded when she realised many of the holiday makers were swingers.

2

2

Taking to TikTok to share her story, she explained that she and her partner went to the ship’s nightclub on the first night as they tried to settle in and get their bearings.

That’s when things began to take a turn and as they decided to sit in a booth and people watch when a man came up to them to ask if they “wanted a third”, Robyn-Jay claimed.

But the strange encounters didn’t end there, as on the second night Robyn-Jay claimed a woman called their room and tried to hook up with the couple, despite having never met them before.

According to Robyn-Jay, the woman needed to know their room number, which they didn’t share, to be able to call, which made the couple feel uneasy.

The pair said they could also hear couples from other rooms on the ship shouting at each other from their balconies.

“It’s not that they were friends, they were trying to arrange hook ups,” she said in the viral video.

But it was what allegedly happened next that drew the line for the holidaymaker.

She explained that one night she got all dressed up to enjoy some of the entertainment the cruise put on.

After finding a quiet place to sit with her partner, Robyn-Jay claimed she noticed a man sat at another tabled was staring at her.

“This was something different, this was a whole other level. I felt so uncomfortable in my skin, it really gives you that horrible feeling inside,” she said.

That’s when the man, who was sat with his wife, allegedly bent down to try and look up Robyn-Jay’s skirt.

She went on to explain that her partner, William, soon noticed and called the man out on his behaviour before he got up and left with his wife.

The holidaymaker went on to claim that she even saw an older man act inappropriately towards a young girl on the ship and he was overly touchy with her.

“I just really think [cruises are] a place for a bit of lawlessness and I think people go there knowing that and I honestly dread to think what goes on in the eyes of other people,” she said.

After sharing her experience, people chimed in to share their experiences on cruise ships, and many thought Robyn-Jay got unlucky.

“I’ve just been on a Marella Cruise and never experienced anything like this,” one person said.

And a second agreed: “Been on a few cruises – not my experience,” they commented on the video.

“This could have happened absolutely anywhere, it’s not because you were on a cruise. It’s also completely common knowledge that cruises are swinger’s paradise,” someone else wrote.

And someone who claimed to work for a cruise company added: “This is a well known thing on some cruise ships.

“Unfortunately you have experienced some awful behaviour and some people should understand that not everyone’s a swinger. Not all cruise lines behave like this.”

This past week Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump spoke at a rally. Trump’s speech seemed familiar: Disparage Los Angeles (“trash heap”). Criticize Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass (“incompetent, and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists”). Restate grievances about the 2020 election (“rigged and stolen”). Chide the crowd to support the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“You better push your favorite congressmen”).

But this speech was different from his others. The location was Ft. Bragg in North Carolina — and the audience was mostly soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, the “All Americans.” Internal unit communications revealed soldiers at the rally were screened based on political leanings and physical appearance. “If soldiers have political views that are in opposition to the current administration,” the guidance advised, “and they don’t want to be in the audience then they need to speak with their leadership and get swapped out.”

So what followed was to be expected. A sea of young soldiers in uniform — selected for their preference for the president — cheering and clapping for partisan commentary. This obviously violates Defense Department regulations. Heck, it’s even spelled out in a handy Pentagon FAQ:

Q. Can I ever wear my uniform when I attend political events?

A. No; military members must refrain from participating in political activity while in military uniform in accordance with both DoDD 1344.10 and DoDI 1344.01. This prohibition applies to all Armed Forces members.

But what happened during Trump’s appearance at the Army base is worse than breaking regs. The commander in chief forced an important unit to choose sides. He broke the All Americans in two. In essence, his statement to the troops there was: “Those who like me and my politics, come to my rally. The rest of you — beat it.” (Maybe we should start calling them the “Some Americans.”)

Imagine what it was like the day after. The soldiers who chose not to attend wondered how their next rating would go. Some lieutenant from California worried if his commander now has a problem with where he’s from — and is checking whether he was at the rally. Maybe it’s better if he wasn’t, and he instead chose to abide by Defense regulations?

No matter which way you lean, that speech injected partisan acid into the 82nd Airborne. And it will drip down and corrode from the stars at the top to the lowest-ranking private.

Militaries require extraordinary cohesion to function in combat. For those of us who’ve chosen this profession, one thing is burned into our brains from that very first day our hair’s shorn off: We’re all we’ve got. There’s nobody else. When you are hundreds and thousands of miles away from everyone else you’ve ever known, and you’re there for weeks and months and a year, you realize just how important the person next to you is, regardless of where they’ve come from, who their parents are, or whether their community votes red or blue.

Fighting units are like five separate fingers that form a fist. Partisan acid burns and weakens our fist.

Then there are the indirect effects. This speech damaged the military’s standing with a large swath of America. The image of soldiers cheering the partisan applause lines of a commander in chief who just sent thousands of troops to Los Angeles over the state’s objections? Not a good look.

These optics risk ruining the military’s trust with roughly half of America. The military is the last remaining federal institution that a majority of Americans trust “a great deal.” But it’s been slipping since the last Trump administration and may fall under 50%. Yet the military requires firm trust to fund and fill critical needs.

That’s important because not everyone wants to serve in the military. Many would prefer not to think about the expected self-sacrifice, or the daily discomforts of military discipline. Moreover, not everyone is even able to serve in the military. Roughly three-quarters of young Americans can’t qualify.

What if someone who would have been the next Mike Mullen — Los Angeles native, Navy admiral and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs — gets turned off by this rally and opts against the Naval Academy?

Then zoom out a little. What if much of California takes offense at this speech, not to mention at the soldiers and Marines so recently forced upon the local and state governments?

California hosts more active-duty troops than any other state — by a wide margin. It’s also the biggest donor state in the country, contributing $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives. The bases and other strategic locations up and down the Pacific Coast are beyond value. California is America’s strong right arm.

To sever California’s support for the military is simply unthinkable. It just can’t happen. We’ve got to fix this.

The first fix is simple. Hold troops to the accepted standards. Hegseth’s most recent book argued that the Defense Department has “an integrity and accountability problem.” Here’s the secretary’s chance to show America he stands for standards.

But we know mistakes happen, and this could become a powerful teachable moment: When the commander in chief orders troops to such an event, the only acceptable demeanor is the stone cold silence the generals and admirals of the Joint Chiefs display at the State of the Union, regardless of their politics and regardless of what the president is saying. Just a few years ago, two Marines in a similarly awful situation did just this right thing.

A further fix calls for more individuals to act: The roughly 7,500 retired generals and admirals in America need to speak up. The military profession’s nonpartisan ethic is at a breaking point. They know the old military saying: When you spot something substandard, and you fail to correct it, then you’ve just set a new standard.

The reason many of these retired senior officers often don’t speak out is their fear that defending neutrality risks having a political impact. Yet their continued silence carries a grave institutional effect — the slow-motion suicide of the profession that gave them their stars.

The president mentioned Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in his speech, and it’s too bad his speechwriter didn’t include a certain anecdote that would’ve fit the occasion. When the Civil War was over and terms were being agreed upon at Appomattox Court House, Lee noticed Col. Ely Parker, a Tonawanda Seneca man serving on Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s staff. Lee quipped, “I am glad to see one real American here.”

To which Parker replied, “We are all Americans.” Since that very moment, we’ve been one country and one Army, All Americans, indivisible and inseparable from society.

If only we can keep it.

ML Cavanaugh is the author of the forthcoming book “Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before.” @MLCavanaugh

PUNTERS were quite rightly stunned and social media went into meltdown after a shock unseat on a horse who drifted like a barge at Wexford on Wednesday.

Philip Byrnes flopped off Redwood Queen – trained by the jockey’s old man Charles – in the opening 2m1f claiming hurdle.

3

3

3

Although on itself merely an extreme example of desperate riding, what angered many about this was that Redwood Queen had drifted in the betting from 7-2 to 13-2.

She clearly had the race in the bag when the jockey disappeared out the ‘side door’.

Byrnes runners, more than most other stables, appear to do best when the money is down.

My Saturday NAP

A Listed winner on comeback from ages off having previously run well in the 2000 Guineas when well fancied – everything, including the strong pace, points to a big run here. Back my tip simply by clicking the odds above.

To an outsider, the County Limerick handler runs what the majority would call a ‘gambling outfit’, for all that racing fans would have no proof of any financial transactions.

So when a Byrnes runner drifts like a barge, is clear at the last and then the jockey falls off, naturally many will cry foul play.

Only time will tell if that was the case – as the IHRB launch their full investigation.

But the chances are the case will eventually be dropped.

Only money trails could really prove guilt, and with so much punting action now on the Black Market, if anyone was trying to do something untoward they would have to be very thick indeed to leave any trace.

I did ask one top class jumps rider what they thought of the fall, and their response was interesting.

“Terrible bit of riding really,” they said.

“The horse came out of his hands and he was unbalanced but who knows whether that was enough to fall off?”

They added: “Personally I don’t think he’s that good a stunt rider. I think if they wanted to throw themselves off it would have looked more obvious.

“It’s really hard to throw yourself off a horse. I just don’t think he’s that good.”

Social media is always fascinating on these occasions. People like me – journalists and presenters on TV – tend to come in for a barrage of abuse.

The general gist is that we ‘don’t tell it as it is’.

As well as that, we should ‘have an opinion’ and we won’t talk out against the ‘racing family’.

What those on social media are actually saying is that if we don’t agree with what they suggest we are on the so-called ‘gravy train’.

In this case, what those on social media wanted me to say was a jockey had deliberately fallen off a horse who had taken a walk in the betting because connections did not want it to win.

They would also like me to add the whole game is corrupt.

To say the above is fine for most, although technically there would always be a chance of action being taken against them if the authorities found there was no case to answer.

But if a TV presenter was to say such things – or someone in writing – they would be in court or before lawyers before you could count to ten.

I know this as a fact.

In my early days of broadcasting I was laid off for a month for two instances which I stand by to today, but which could not be proven.

Did one of those mouthing off on social media offer to help pay my bills because I had publicly stood up for the punters? No they did not.

Being a keyboard warrior is, naturally, a very different world to broadcasting or writing in a newspaper.

Social media has given the people an opening to express themselves like they have never had before.

But just because the rules of the land appear to matter little online, everyone should remember that for broadcasters and journalists it’s a different world.

The Wexford incident looked awful. But was it deliberate? I have absolutely no idea.

And at this stage none of you reading this have any concrete proof either. Such is life.

It’s the calm before the Derby and Royal Ascot this weekend, but one race I’m excited to watch is Saturday’s Group 3 Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock and live on ITV.

Old favourites Audience and Kinross are in the line-up, but it’s Alyanaabi who interests me.

He was once fancied for last year’s 2000 Guineas, and eventually finished fifth behind Notable Speech.

He carried on at about a mile for Owen Burrows, but his stamina has always been open to question and he returned over course and distance when scoring on May 10.

I was impressed then and everything looks right here for another bold run with a strong pace assured. Come on, Alyanaabi!

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.