Peniscola day 1-3



The beach near our campsite

Dragon "Gaudi style" in Peniscola

The old town

September 1^st

A cooler start to the day today, only 25 degrees at 8 o’clock when we surfaced. We got dressed and went for a walk on the beach before we had breakfast. It was just after 9 I think by the time we actually got out the door, and the temperature and humidity were both high. We walked the 150 metres or so across the road and down a driveway cum beach access to the “Marine Parade”. We stopped off and bought some postcards from a stall which like dozens of others along this coast-line sells everything from souvenirs to anything you might want at a beach, toys, hats, jandals, towels, balls, floatation devices, plus an assortment of other “essentials”.  We then crossed the mostly pedestrianized roadway/cycleway/walkway, up the wooden slat path beside the tussock of the dune regeneration area onto the wide, golden expanse of the Peniscola beach area.  

We all slipped off our jandals and headed for the froth of the incoming waves which was lapping at the shores. As we strolled along in the tepid water we passed thatched sunshade/umbrella type structures perched beside deck-chairs and loungers grouped in packs of one fifty or so you can hire for the day for 3.50 without or 6.50 euro con umbrella and pedal boats you can hire by the hour (10 euro I think Hilary said).

The beach had been groomed overnight, not completely smooth, but clean and with a raked look. We walked south along the beach, Hilary frolicking in the surf, Di and I far more circumspect, observing the other people on the beach, mostly out strolling, but some swimming already. Anything goes on the beaches here, no more naked people (thank goodness) but many topless women, and many who weren’t but may as well have been for the lack of coverage or uplift provided by scant or just plain tired, over- worked bikini tops.  Size, age, body shape, skin colour (or lack thereof), scars, rolls, wrinkles, hairs nothing is a barrier to exposure on the beaches of France and Spain. It is great in a way, that people feel confident and non- body-image conscious enough to be able to expose themselves in such ways in a very public beach area, but some of the images may stay with me for life, burned into my retinas.

I’m not sure how far we walked, certainly a few kilometres down the beach before we headed back again, stopping to buy a loaf of very fresh and deliciously aroma’d Spanish equivalent of a baguette.

We got back to the truck at about 11, it was getting quite warm at that stage, and we were hungry, so I cooked up a brunch with a selection of bacon, crepes (with brown sugar and lime-juice) and juicy Spanish tomatoes which we washed down with tea or coffee or ice cold lemonade.

By the time we had finished brunch, cleaned up and done a few very small chores it was hot and steamy, too hot for anything more than a lounge around reading, writing and chatting, fan going, windows open and awning erect. We did the “resting quietly” thing until about 3 at which point we secured everything in the truck (leaving some things outside in the shade), and Hilary and I headed off to the town down the road a bit (10 or so kms) in search of a bicycle and a few groceries. We found a bike, a lot more than we wanted to spend was parted with (95 euro, which isn’t bad for a brand new 21 speed bike, but significantly more than I had intended paying especially as it is only for about 7 months usage), however Hilary of course was extremely keen and excited.

We got back to the camp-site at about 4.30, Di was sitting in the shade with the couple next door , chatting away and sipping on a cold liquid (not sure if it was water or not). Hilary and I went over with a box of mini Magnums we had got at the supermarket and the five of us (humans)  and Max the Border Collie each had one. Max had his broken into his bowl, which he was extremely pleased about, he eat slowly for a dog, but was careful to be finished first so he could try his luck with extra bits from the slower and more delicate humans.

Max the Scottish Border Collie. Hilary's mate and an excellent soccer player

Hilary, of course, was  very keen to try out her bike properly and so put on her shoes and helmet and sunnies and proceeded to ride around the camping area in a very proud and excited manner.

In the evening we talked late into the night with Meg and Rab, who joined us outside our campervan, at our picnic table. It was a warm enough evening even at midnight when the party broke up for the night, that shorts and singlet were ample wear, and cool wine, olives from the market in Girona, and chocolate from Germany as accompaniments were enjoyed.

2^nd September.

We started the day with a bike ride the 7 kms into Peniscola, down a cycle lane along the beach front. There is golden sand, hotels, and beach umbrellas the whole way down; there is no separation between what is called Benicarlo and Peniscola along the beach front anyway, though the towns are distinct. I’m not sure what time we got away, probably somewhere between 9 and 10. It was warm, but not yet hot, mid to late 20’s and not too glary as there was some cloud cover, and a very pleasant ride along smooth tiled cycleway. We stopped at the Tourist office to get some idea of what we must see in Peniscola, which is a cute little fortified town “clustered around the base of a castle built on a rocky promontory, surrounded on three sides by sea” as the DK book describes it. The information from the centre focussed on the old town, so that is where we headed, following a route described in the brochure, which highlighted about 10 sites.

We chained our bikes to some iron gates at the bottom of the old town and mountaineered our way up the “labyrinth of narrow winding streets” and past the white houses “enclosed by massive ramparts”. Di and Hilary visited the castle which was built in the late 13^th century on top of some ancient Arab ruins, they said the views from the top of the castle were stunning. I sat in the shade; drinking cold water and watching the people go by.

The Med from the old town

We explored the area, including the walls, the gates, the narrow streets, a lighthouse, shops and stalls, and admired the ocean and beach views from atop the rocks, and of course posed for, and took photos.

It was getting significantly hotter as the sun rose higher, so we headed back to our bikes and headed back to the truck for a late lunch, stopping to buy fresh bread on the way.

After lunch I had a bit of a siesta on the bed, Hilary beside me reading quietly, and Diana writing postcards and reading.  About 5 o’clock I felt the need for some exercise, so Hilary and I headed over the road to the beach for a swim. Still very warm, and though the wind was up a bit and the sea a bit rougher than it had been, it was still a very enjoyable way to spend an hour, floating in the warm and very salty bright azure sea.

In the evening we spent time talking with Rab and Meg, and playing with Max, before I returned to the truck to try to sort out some photos, Hilary and Diana stayed chatting until about 10 when it was time to prepare for bed (for Hilary at least).

3^rd September.

Another gorgeous day on the Costa del Azahar. Again, it started a little cooler, in fact it rained (about 50 drops) sometime in the night, not enough to notice more than the odd plop plop on the campervan roof, and certainly not enough to moisten the parched stony soil around here, and to help the wilting orange trees.

I woke Hilary just after 8.30 as Meg, Rab and Max had said they would be leaving this morning at about 9, and I knew Hilary would want a last play with Max and a proper farewell to our new Scottish friends before they left.

So that’s what we did until they went, just after 9, headed north on the long slow trek back to Aberdeen.

Next we did morning chores, and some washing knowing it would dry easily in the heat and gentle breeze. We wrote a few postcards mid-morning before Di and Hilary headed off on their bikes to buy some bread and salady things for lunch.

We lunched outside in the shade of our awning, fresh crusty bread, olives, avocado, heritage tomatoes, water melon, nectarines, strawberries, different cheeses, sheer bliss for foodies like ourselves. After we had tidied up we headed over to the beach for a sun soak (with sun-block) and a swim. I dozed and read in the sun for an hour while the others firstly had a swim and then read in the sun. Di headed back to the truck while Hilary and I continued slumbering and reading before we went in for another swim in the balmy ocean. It really is delightful, I have never experienced swimming in such warm water, initially there is a little bit of a gasp but only because the skin is so warm from the sun. I don’t know what the water temperature is, but it is significantly warmer than the swimming pool I used to go to in Christchurch (before the shakes) and that was 22 degrees. Anyway we played in the waves for a while before coming back for a cold shower to rinse the salt from our skin.

We are now filling time until it is polite to eat dinner (we haven’t made it to the Spanish 10pm dinner thing yet), with the intention of maybe having a bike ride after dinner. Di and I are sipping on sangria I concocted with a bottle of German wine (which wasn’t that palatable), some Norwegian fire-water from Steve in Scotland, and lemonade. It is full of nectarines, strawberries, pear, and Valencia orange, along with grapes, watermelon and lemons Hilary and I harvested on a walk the other day.

We did go for a bike ride after dinner, north along the beach road to Benicarlo which is a much less touristy town, probably an administrative centre with  a lot more buildings of a commercial nature, and fewer tourist centred shops.  There is also a working fishing port, which all sorts of quaint to flash boats in the harbour, and fishing nets and pots strewn across the wharf.
 

Benicarlo wharf

Early morning beach walk before everyone else has finished their hotel beakfast



It is great having the bikes, good exercise, but also allows access to so much more as distances travelled are much greater than by foot, and Hilary asks to go for bike-rides, whereas she groans at the suggestion of a walk (even though she sings and skips along once we get going).