The Wild Coast

Contents

Life on the Costa Brava
Exploring the Wild Coast
Small Towns Inland
Major Cities
Barcelona

For 49 years we have been taking vacations in various parts of the world. What could we do to recognize the 50th year of our traveling together? "I want to be by the sea", said JoAnn. Right. So we sought the most beautiful spot we could find in an area known for its spectacular scenery, the northern part of the Costa Brava (the Wild Coast) in Spain.

We found what we were looking for on Cap sa Sal (the Salt Cape), near the town of Begur. It was built to be "the most beautiful hotel in the world", attracting the rich and the famous (like Elizabeth Taylor). The owners wanted to open a casino, but Franco refused, and so it was converted into apartments. It was the perfect spot for us.

The building rises dramatically from the rocks, sometimes wrapping around the rocks. The rocks themselves form the foundation for interesting gardens.

Most of the time there were not many residents in the complex. On entering the building we were usually greeted by two of the permanent regulars. Our eyes were then drawn immediately to the unusual decor.

A few steps lead up to the Great Hall, a vast circular space with floor-to-ceiling windows and beautiful views of the coast. The place reminded us in part of a Turkish caravansary, in part of a medieval palace, although the contemporary sculpture in the center of the hall seemed a little out of place.

Whenever we sat in the Great Hall (to use wi-fi for example) we usually had the place to ourselves. The palace was ours to enjoy.

Further flights of steps led to a balcony overlooking the hall. The balcony in turn led to our apartment. The apartment was well appointed, but the best part was two walls of windows that overlooked the sea.

From the living room we could access the terrace, a perfect place for taking breakfast. Every morning we would enjoy the view across the bay, looking out at the Punta des Plom (Lead Point) and the small village of Sa Tuna.

Looking down from the terrace we could see the gardens and the swimming pool. We could access the pool through the gardens, or take an elevator into the bowels of the earth and follow a dungeon-like tunnel over 100 yards through the rocks to reach the pool area.

The pool featured an impressive water fall, artificial of course, but it did use water from the sea. The pool was laid out so that the swimmer feels it is an extension of the sea.

In two weeks we never tired of the view. There was continuous variety. Some days the sea was perfectly calm. Other days the wind picked up and the sea turned rough.

The Cami de Ronda is a trail originally built along the coast for smugglers and fishermen, but now mostly smoothed off for tourists. Even so, progress along the trail is often slow because of endless series of steps.

It was about a 25 minute walk to Sa Tuna. The village attracts several yachts that anchor in the bay. Here also we found one of our favorite restaurants where we could have a fine lunch (an excellent paella with vermicelli, for example) and enjoy the scenery.

In addition to the Cami de Ronda, the area is crisscrossed by numerous hiking trails. The GR 92, one of Europe's Grandes Randonnées, passes by the Sa Tuna beach. You might think that a national hiking trail would be carefully groomed to facilitate the walking. Not a bit of it! For the most part the trail is not bad, but there are sections where any forward advance takes tremendous effort.

Eventually we made it. The payoff for this effort was magnificent views in all directions: looking back to Punta des Plom, or admiring views of the sea from the top of a cliff.

There was not a lot of wild life to be seen on the wild coast, although this little bird did its best to cheer us on. And every now and then small comforts were provided for the hiker, such as this picnic table.

South of Sa Tuna is a series of beaches and small coastal villages. Platja Fonda is a secluded beach that can be reached from the GR 92. Fornells is a working fishing village as well as a harbor for pleasure boats. Just beyond Fornells is the village of Aiguablava.

Along the coast there is a series of beautiful inlets, which near Fornells feature especially colorful rock formations.

Walking north from Cap sa Sal the coast changes in character. One hikes past a marine reserve (apparently these cormorants did not get the word about the prohibited fishing). Then one comes to the town of Sa Riera, which offers some of the best beaches in the area.

Just beyond Sa Riera is Illa Roja, the reddish rock just beyond the point, behind which is the local nudist beach (no, we didn't get there). From the cliffs above Sa Riera one sees some of the scenery to the north.

Gordon's main interest in Sa Riera was a geocache hidden near there, beside this stairway. The challenge for this cache was finding a way to get there. One could scramble down an impossible-looking cliff, or search for access from the top, finding a way over a locked gate.

One day we drove further north to Cadaqués, almost to the French border. We spent a little time at the Cadaqués harbor, but soon headed out for the national park at Cap de Creus, the most easterly point in Spain.

A lighthouse is situated on the cape, and from there one can explore the many hiking trails. We took an extended walk, exploring some of the rock formations, enjoying views of the rocky islands and the inlets that make excellent harbors for yachts. The higher points offer a good view of Southern France not far away.

The closest town of any size to Cap sa Sal is Begur, a three mile drive on narrow switchback roads, or a 2.5 mile hike on a hilly trail. Begur was where we did most of our shopping. We discovered one day how tricky it can be to bring produce trucks into the narrow streets of a very old town.

The town dates to the 11th century. However, it's most important development may have occurred during the 19th century, when many residents emigrated to Cuba, and returned wealthy. The influence of the wealth can be seen in the elegant houses and impressive mansions in the town center.

The town is dominated by the ruins of a castle set on a hill near the town center. The flag that is flying is the flag of Catalonia, not of Spain. I don't think we saw a single Spanish flag flying during our visit. More on this point later.

From the castle one has impressive views in all directions. A compass identifies the important features. One gets a lovely view of the Medes Islands and of Cadaqués beyond. It was possible even to look back on our apartment at Cap sa Sal.

We became regulars at some of the outdoor cafes in Begur, where our main pastime was keeping an eye on the children. There's something very refreshing about kids in Spain, accompanied by family members or alone.

Only once did we take the walk to Begur. The trail uses minor roads in part, some of which seem to have seen better days. The trail goes by an old farm with a defensive tower that is common in the region. Like other trails in the area, it also offers some apparently impossible climbs that can be very rewarding once accomplished.

It may be helpful to explain where we were. Begur is part of the comarca or county of Baix Empordá, in the province of Girona. Girona is part of Catalonia, which is an autonomous community within Spain. Most Catalans, of course, do not consider themselves to be Spanish.

In spite of the hills around Begur, further north the Baix Empordá is surprisingly flat, even marshy. In the middle of the plain is the Montgrí Massif, which supposedly resembles a bishop lying asleep with his arms on his chest. Oh well. For us it became a landmark of sorts. Driving around, we often got lost. The massif was always something we could orient to.

The region is dotted with towns that have interesting histories. The town of Pals is not small, but it has grown around a central medieval section that is a world away from the noise of the rest of the town.

Taking minor country roads one sees numerous other towns that remain remain mostly undeveloped. Each is built around a small church that may date back to the 11th century or earlier. In the village of Canapost we discovered an interesting collection of sarcophagi that had been excavated.

Our favorite small town was Peratallada (meaning "carved stone"). It boasted two churches, the older of which, Sant Esteve, seemed like the more interesting.

The castle in Peratallada is a reminder of the town's history. These days many of the older buildings have been modernized, but the town square retains much of its character. Even though the costumes have changed, the social interactions of people and dogs must be much as they were a thousand years ago.

When we saw this old farmhouse for sale we were seriously tempted.

The two largest cities in the province are Girona and Figueres. Each is worth a visit, for different reasons.

Girona is the capital city of the province of the same name. Like many of the smaller towns, there is an older part of the city that is well worth a visit. The old section is bordered on one side by a river and on the other three sides by a defensive wall.

We enjoyed the view of the city from the far side of the river, then crossed one of the bridges to enter the old city. We took the steps to the top of the wall to get an overview before exploring the city itself.

Girona once housed a thriving Jewish community that was largely destroyed when the Jews were expelled. The Jewish quarter is still an area worth exploring, with endless sets of steps up and steps down.

We toured the Arab Baths, a 12th century building designed along the lines of the traditional Roman baths. However, the two most important sites in Girona are the Cathedral of Saint Mary and the nearby Basilica of Sant Feliu. The towers of these two churches can be seen in most views of the city.

The cathedral is a fine example of Spanish Gothic architecture. The present building was begun in the 12th century, but not completed until the 18th century. It is built around an oddly shaped trapezoidal cloisters.

The basilica dates from the 14th century. It contains some fine sculpture from that time, including this unusually realistic Christ recumbent by Aloi de Montbrai. The chapel dedicated to Sant Narcissus is especially noteworthy.

There is only one reason to visit Figueres - to see the Salvador Dali museum, conceived, designed, and created by Dali.

Waiting in line to buy tickets (and there will be a line), you will be entertained by his designs for the cornice of the building, by the characters on one of the balconies, and by his friendly greeting.

Entering the museum you are welcomed by a buxom figure adorning the hood of his personal Cadillac. Of course, you have to fight the crowds to get a view, but somehow the struggle seems like part of the experience. Further along you notice what seems to be the face of Lincoln, which is in fact a nude painting of Dali's wife Gala.

We spent about an hour inside the museum, each section more astonishing than the next. A bust with pheasant feathers (and loaf of bread) followed by a series of erotic prints, followed by a whole corridor of portraits in rocks, and a fresco depicting Dali and Gala ascending into heaven (!). Then the crowds got to be too much for us.

After spending two weeks on the Costa Brava, we moved to Barcelona for the last week of our vacation. We had visited Barcelona two years ago and loved the city so much we wanted to return. (See separate travelogue if interested)

We rented a comfortable apartment, with a rooftop terrace where we could eat occasional meals or have a glass of wine. The apartment was across from the church of Santa Maria del Mar, the bells of which woke us at seven every morning.

In the plaza below were several cafes where we could eat lunch and be entertained by local musicians. The lively scene lasted well into the evening. A maze of alleys led from the plaza into the most interesting parts of the Ciutat Vella, the old city.

Next door to the apartment building was the Fossar de les Moreres, a small square commemorating the war of 1714, when Catalonia lost its freedom and its independence from the rest of Spain. An eternal flame commemorates those who died in the war.

The issue of Catalan independence is very prominent in Barcelona. Just a few yards from our apartment is the Mercat Born, built as a produce market in 1870. It was noteworthy at the time for its use of exposed iron work. The market was closed in 1971. Recently, excavations at the site revealed remains dating to the destruction of the city in 1714. The restored details are quite remarkable. Here, for example, is the brandy distillery from one of the houses.

The year 1714 was especially critical in Catalan history. Until then it had been an independent state that enjoyed civil liberties unusual for the time. This all came to the end on September 11, 1714, when Barcelona surrendered to the French forces, and was absorbed into the rest of Spain. The Catalans have not forgotten, or forgiven. The displays at Mercat Born dramatized this history in a very effective fashion.

We did not spend a lot of time visiting traditional tourist sites. We returned to one or two architectural masterpieces we had enjoyed on our last visit, one being Doménech i Montaner's Hospital de la Santa Creu i San Pau. Two years ago much of the area was a construction site. Now it is easier to appreciate Doménech's vision..

Another architect whose work we enjoyed was Puig i Catafalch. We visited his Casa Macaya, a building we had not seen before.

We revisited a few museums, and one or new that were new to us. After seeing the Picasso museum (interesting in its own right as a building), we discovered around the corner the Museo de Arte Moderno, a fascinating contrast to the Picasso.

The MEAM is housed in a late 18th century palace. It focuses exclusively on contemporary figurative art, some of it highly realistic, some of it quite whimsical, some looking like stills from movies.

The best part of the visit, though, was a blues concert featuring Amadeu Casas, guitar, and Joan Cumellas, harmonica. The concert was held in an elegant ballroom, surrounded by the art work. However, the setting did result in one rather unfortunate juxtaposition of musicians and art work.

As was the case two years ago, unexpected concerts were highlights of our stay. At the church of Santa Maria Del Pi, we enjoyed a concert of sacred and folk music by a male voice choir from Finland.

We encountered one other museum that we did not visit. Across the street from one of our favorite restaurants was the museum of hash, marijuana, and hemp.

Barcelona boasts a series of lovely beaches, which we visited one afternoon. Here the older men play cards while families frolic. We had lunch at another restaurant we enjoyed two years ago, the Carpe Diem Lounge Club, from where we could keep an eye on the sun worshippers.

By the end of three weeks, we had found only one problem with our vacation: Where do we go next?

Other Pitz Vacations