Thursday, November 1st, 2000 Tossa de Mar, Spain
After breakfast in the room we left and we walk to church at 9 am. Reached the church and no Mass. Checked the chapel …no Mass. So we’re not sure. However, it’s nearly 10 am and most of the stores are closed. Later in the day we found out that it is a holiday due to the holy day! Weather is nice, sun is shining but it’s cool enough for jackets.
Walked to the beach to check on riding the boat to San Felip…no boat arrived so we got in the car and drove there. A winding and scenic route along the ocean for about twenty three miles. Lots of photo points. Took us about an hour to reach the next town on this road. Found the information place and forgot to ask about public bathrooms. After about half an hour driving about town…it’s a very large town; we didn’t see much that was quaint or charming so we went back to the information and found out that the museum next door had toilets and the museum was free. The museum was about the history of the cork industry that was the main source of income for the Costa Bravo including Tossa de Mar, during the 18th and 19th centuries. The cork was made by peeling the bark of the cork trees. Made a visit and then headed back towards Tossa de Mar. Along the way we passed lots of vacation areas that appeared to now be closed. Their season is from May to October. One area was full of tiny little box condo’s on the side of the mountain. Another camping area had permanent tent structures dotted along the hillside. All very picturesque and definitely worth a photo or two. Road was now more crowded with bicycle riders and motorcycles, but since we were driving at a very comfortable speed we only had a few close calls!
Back at the hotel, we opened our wine, got out the cheese, bread and apple for lunch on our private patio overlooking the beach. Sun is shining but the wind makes it rather chilly; but there are people actually swimming. One lady looks like she is doing her swimming in her underwear! I shelled another bag of peanuts over lunch. Jim just returned and said it looks like we were wrong, we don’t leave here until Friday so we have an extra day! Not quite sure what we are going to do with all the time; Maybe an actual day of relaxing. We’re so used to going and doing all the time, it’s difficult to just relax!
After lunch we put on our jackets and walked all over the fort. Took a photo of Jim with the bronze statue of Ava Gardner, and one of me also, overlooking the harbor. She stared in a movie called Pandora and the Flying Dutchman that was filmed here in the 1950’s. That movie is credited with the beginning of the tourists coming to Tossa de Mar. Then we walked up the hill to the north side of the beach. Ate dessert along the way…double magnum ice cream bars. Some beautiful condo’s overlooking the bay; they all have stone balconies with tons of plants on them. Really spectacular!
1 comment:
Iv been here a few times over the years to work,once on holiday.One year when i was here,me and bass player out of my band were in Tossa drinking in the beach bars,and we notice they were about to show a movie on big screen by the castle on the beach.We got ourselves a couple of beers and went and sat down against an upturned fishing boat to watch Pandora and the flying Dutchman.
The movie was made in 1951 and star Ava Gardener.Her name in the movie is Pandora,and its a story of her looking for her True love and how mucth she would give to find it.The story is set in the little village of Esperanza whitch is Really Tossa De Mar.
The movie was shot here in this little village,as the locals gave a big cheer as the first scene with opening credits were cast upon the background of the beach and castle of there small village.I wont go into more of the movie,now for some myth.
Pandora had a box or a jar,it is said when Pandora let everything out of the bottle only Hope never got out.The spanish word for Hope is Esperanza,so i geuss she did let Hope out in the end.
Tossa De Mar, a place of Hope.
harryjackson111@hotmail.com
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