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Published: July 11th 2017
As we took off from Lisboa to fly to Spain for our second leg in that country on this trip, we left behind a land which in many ways surprised us all.
Their wine was particularly wonderful and great value.The next time we shop for red wine in Calgary we will be able buy Portugese with confidence. We already know their port quite well.
Our Skoda five-seater rental car from Barcelona Airport was excellent and out performed the Renault we had in Portugal. Avis was so busy we had to wait for at least an hour before getting underway to
Estival Resort in
La Pineda, located in the outskirts of
Tarragona, a city we had briefly visited a few years ago. Our apartment was excellent with one side facing the east and the other, overlooking one of the huge swimming pools and performance area, allowing us to enjoy the entertainment from a perfect vantage point.
During our relaxing periods, Jeanette and I would prefer to lie on the beach or poolside while Norm and Jenny thoroughly enjoyed swimming in the Mediterranean, less than five minutes walk from the resort. The beach was always crowded with mostly Russian, French and
Gee's goat cheese salad.
Stopped at a little patisserie for white coffee and a snack.English visitors alongside many local families of all generations.
Of course, we spent a day in the great city of
Barcelona sharing with Norm and Jenny the inspired Gaudi masterpiece,
La Sagrada Familia (the subject of a separate blog), the
Ramblas and other attractions. We were blessed once again with mostly cloudless skies and certainly very warm weather which forced us to ensure we were always properly hydrated. We made several trips to Tarragona, just fifteen minutes away and visited
Vila-Seca, Gaudie's birthplace
Reus and of course the exciting resort town of
Salou, next door. We remarked that Salou never seemed to ever slow down. Crowds filled the streets, restaurants, shops, bars and the beach day and night in a non stop ritual of bronze tanned bodies of every description, all enjoying the festive ambiance to the full.
You will observe that many of my pictures predictably depict our eating and drinking because one of our reasons for visiting was to enjoy the cuisine. I am happy to say that we all thoroughly enjoyed each meal, whether in a fancier restaurant, a tapas bar, cafe or one of the many outdoor places that simply beckoned with their
irresistible My baby squid
Tender and delicious. appeal. Each experience brought something unique. Sitting outside at
La Cucefera in Tarragona, under the shade of its large umbrellas, sipping Sangria while we enjoyed meals of
mussels,
braised honey textured pork,
succulent bacalhau (salted cod) served on a bed of fresh salad, tender
chicken paella suspended over the plate or neatly cut
brown noodles with mussels and squid and a daub of creamy mayonnaise, it was all, as they say, "to die for". And that is just one example.
In contrast, Jeanette led us to the little town of Vila-Seca in search of a
community Barbeque event. Parking on a narrow street we set off in search of its exact location (we were provided no directions) and just when we were about to give up the quest, we spotted smoke rising a couple blocks away. Rounding the corner, we entered a small plaza greeted with the
pervasive aroma of grilling meat, sending our appetites soaring. And what an unusual but thoroughly enjoyable experience it turned out to be as we mingled with the local people, each obviously having a great time being together in this communal affair, everyone, including us,
grilling our own food to our liking, using
Norm - happy with his mussels at Lunatic Restaurant.
He actually counted the number of these tasty creatures - 59! one of the several pits set up, all fired by burning cork. We all agreed that the
sausage was one of the best we had tasted - tender, juicy and spiced to perfection, I had to have a second round. And the beer on tap was totally appropriate for the occasion. Helping an older lady turn her meat from one side to the other brought me momentary joy to watch her expression of bashful appreciation that not even the language barrier could inhibit. There is an admirable simplicity that these people project which seems typical of any small town or village in Spain. Clearly, not affluent, just down to earth, everyday folk, focusing on family togetherness and social interaction with friends. We were the sole foreigners there; not a tourist to be seen. I will not forget this unexpected sojourn in a hurry.
So, I make no apologies for showing so many food shots. Of course, we also prepared simple quick meals for ourselves from time to time. When relaxing in the resort, It was hard to top the Spanish
sausage,
creamy Brie cheese,
fresh crusty baguette accompanied by chilled
red wine while we sat on our veranda and
Jenny enjoys black rice paella.
An exotic tasting dish. The rice is turned black by ink from the squid. reminisced about the days past and planned for the next.
Spain! Oh Spain! - I will be back for a fourth visit, God willing.
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Naomi Rattray
non-member comment
Food and fun
I suggest it is better to read your blog on a full stomach, otherwise one's mouth is watering more and more ?