New year trip to L'Escala

As usual, we are enjoying our Christmas present to ourselves: two nights at our favourite hotel enjoying walks, relaxation, food and wine. This is the hotel: hostel Empuries, originally the hostel for archaeologists excavating the Greek and Roman ruins right next door. This mountains behind are the Pyrenees.




The archeological site.




We drove from home to Vilajuiga where we stopped to buy some wine and then ate lunch at the restaurant El Cau. At lunchtime, El Cau caters for workers, providing a good lunch for about €12 including help yourself nibbles, starter and main followed by the help yourself dessert table. Wine and water are included and it is obvious that 90% or so of the diners are regulars.

After that, we drove on to our hotel, had a siesta and then, after a cup of tea, walked into the town for tapas.

We woke to great views of waves breaking on the rocks. The hotel is on the beach and so we had very good views and spent some time trying to get good photos. These were from the breakfast room.




On the way into town, we passed what looked like a class on the beach and a group filming.



The rest of the morning was taken up with wine and anchovy buying, a cup of tea, photos and a tapas lunch of Spanish omelette, anchovies on tomato bread and patatas braves (chips with a home made tomato sauce).

These photos of the newly refurbished square were taken just outside the restaurant.




After such an exhausting morning it was then time for a siesta before a walk to St Marti where nothing was open but the evening sun was lightning the ancient buildings. We had good views of the archaeological site and the coast.






The following day, we headed for home and as usual, called in at a couple of wine caves on the way.  This time we stoped at Garriguella and walked around the village before eating a 'plat-du-jour' at the cave cooperative before continuing home.

 

Pat and John on tour