Begur, Catalunya
After a lovely buffet breakfast here in our little hotel, (nine rooms on three upper floors, reception and breakfast room on the first), we drove five miles to Palafrugell, the nearest provisioning town (kind of a Richfield, for Torrey), to leave our laundry to be washed. Then we drove back through Begur to access the northernmost of the three sets of coves on the cape. This sheltered beach, Sa Riera, is a Spanish Sausalito, with houses climbing up the steep hills on either side, densely populated but nicely spaced out, trees and gardens hiding many of the structures. Probably many vacation/weekend homes (it is not that far from either Barcelona or France); no sign of any working-class neighborhood.
Arriving back in town a little early for lunch, we walked up to the castle ruins to find a panoramic view, especially to the north up the coast. Indeed, the farthest cape visible is that of Cadaques, where we landed at the end of a trip some four or five years ago. An artful weather vane turned in the breeze as we gazed around. Along the way to the castle we noted a second seemingly unused round tower in the town. This one had a plaque that identified it as an 18th-century refuge for the townspeople when pirates were sighted off the coast. There are no doors: The residents climbed ladders to the upper levels, then the ladders were pulled up, making the place fairly unassailable.
Our meal turned out to be another unforgettable repast, in a restaurant recommended by the young woman who checked us into the hotel yesterday. My vegetable "cannelloni" were not in pasta tubes but in something more like crisp egg-roll wraps. The red pepper sauce was exceptional. Jerome's salad must have been harvested this morning, it was so fresh and sweet. His main meal was like a chicken-and-rabbit paella, but with short thin pasta noodles instead of rice. My seared tuna sat on a bed of tomato slices and potato puree and was topped with fresh arugula. Jerome's birthday meal #2? He did learn that ordering coffee with a shot of brandy in it is called a carajillo. Handy addition to his growing Spanish vocabulary.
We have been resting and reading as the afternoon ages, and a brief squall has moved through. Off for more exploration! Photos are at https://goo.gl/photos/ZeLpsRzvZdB4YLfq9
