L'Escala again

We are celebrating John's 65th birthday at the Hostal Empuries in L'Escala on the Costa Brava. We had some difficulty getting a room at all and so are in one of the more upmarket 'spa' rooms - black slate walls, mirrors everywhere, a terrace with a view of the sea view across the hotel garden. It is an eco design with only LED lighting but with black walls and black switches you need a torch to find your way around! We much prefer the rooms in the old part which have no TV and windows that open onto the beach so that we can fall asleep to the sound of the waves. This is the view from our terrace.







Yesterday, after checking in, we walked into the town to one of our usual haunts for a tapas lunch: beer accompanied by Spanish omlette, patatas bravas (essentially chips with a hot sauce), pan con tomat e Jamon (bread rubbed with tomato with ham and the bread again with anchovies. After a rest and a cup of tea in the bar by the beach, visible in the first photo, we walked in the other direction to St Marti, before returning to the hotel for dinner.


L'Escala from St Marti as the light fades.

The view from the dining room with the red moon over the sea.



This was the view from breakfast this morning no waves to hear this morning.




We had decided to walk from the port of L'escala to the next small town, Cala Montgó by the coastal path. John's cousin Jennifer had stayed here last year and so we knew we would have a good beach at the end of our walk. We took the car to near the L'Escala marina/port and then joined the path.

The path here is not a smooth, cycleable route as the costal path outside our hotel is, rather a rough track along a high cliff mostly with no barriers. The views are magnificent.

John walking along the track





Across the bay of Roses







Looking back to L'Escala with the Pyrennees just visible above the town.




Looking back from Montgó



Montgó is mostly holiday homes and was very quiet out of season












The beach




Where we had lunch



We came across this interesting sign





After a short rest at our hotel, we went into L'Escala to pick up some bottles of the local wine and the speciality of the region, jars of anchovies.

Tonight we will eat in St Marti, a short walk from the hotel.

Pat and John on tour