Day Eighteen

Spain: Casa Beaumont, Arboleas
Spain: Sitges

Tuesday 22nd July

I awoke in the early hours with a rotten migraine, clearly too much wine the previous night had taken its toll, I popped a migraine pill (otherwise know as my bombs) and slept some more before a sudden awaking as my alarm buzzed in my ear. Today my brother Ian, Priscilla and myself were making an early start in search of new adventures.

Our first stop was Almeria, further south than my parents Villa, Ian trailed Priscilla south in his hire car which we needed to be return to Almeria airport before motoring north together.

We made good progress en route, catching up on each others lives, intermingling conversation with the destinations we might visit. Ian was keen to hit France as soon as possible, having not been back for 5 years. We stopped for lunch on the motorway services, discussing where we might reach on our first days travelling. It became clear that we would struggle to make it into France before the early evening, Ian suggesting that we might try an over night stop in Sitges.

Seeing the time and feeling travel weary it was a plan I was happy to entertain. We had both independently visited Sitges several times over the years and both had mixed emotions about the resort. But, it was a perfect stopping point and we both knew of a campsite in close proximity to the centre, a plan was hatched.

Ian drove the remainder of the motorway journey. It was strange being a passenger, with Johnathon not driving; I’m not used to life as a passenger. It took me ages to sit back, relax and let Ian take the controls. However, he was soon overcoming Priscilla’s foibles and we motored on at speed north, arriving in Sitges in the early afternoon.

Our arrival in Sitges was somewhat disappointing. We searched around for Camping El Roca but a noticeable lack of sign posting made us suspicious. Our fears where confirmed as we pulled up in dismay as the site of the once camping El Roca was now half a building site, half a dilapidated dereliction site. It was sad to see a half knocked down campsite we both knew so well. Undeterred, we had rapidly made new plans and headed out to a campsite on other side of the resort.

Camping El Gafor was very full and we struggled to find a camping spot we liked, finally deciding on a pitch in a newly developed field at the back of the campsite with little in the way of shade. But not long later we were pitched, with a beer in hand planning what to do for the evening.

With little in the way of food we decided on a trip into the heart of Sitges to eat. Walking on down to the sea front we discovered a new and really nice looking campsite (camping Sitges) clearly a replacement for Camping El Roca. I made a mental note for any future visits to this part of Spain. We slowly ambled our way along the beach promenade arriving in central Sitges hungry and for ready for another drink.

We picked Parrots bar, which has outdoor tables on what Ian and I call the cat walk. So known as its where all the holiday makers stroll up and down of an evening, literally as if it where a cat walk. Its jam packed with patio bars, clubs and shops and restaurant. So we joined in the parade treating ourselves to cocktails at Parrots, soaking up the atmosphere and feeling terribly glamorous.

After cocktails we moved on further down the catwalk to a pizza restaurant, knocking back some table wine before ambling back home along the sea front, watching the palm trees sway and listening to the waves as they gently rolled onto the beach.

We both concluded that Sitges does have a certain special charm, despite its pretensions and pre-Madonna’s.