Friday, September 18th - Tossa de Mar, Spain

Today was a beautiful day with calm seas so Ii finally made it to Tossa de Mar.  The sailing time was over 2 hrs given that we had to make pick-up stops at nine sea-side villages/towns on the way up.  In all cases we just pulled into the beach, slid a bit up on to the sand and lowered a walkway for people to come on board.  A minute or two later the walkway was raised and we were on our way.  They really have it down to a fine art and they don't wait long at each spot so you'd better be ready to go if you want on.

Because they had missed the last two days due to rough seas, the boat was crowded by the time I got on and I was only at the third of twelve stopes.  I managed to get a seat up on the upper berth, which was a good thing because fresh air is important when I am at sea, even in calm waters.  Just before the last stop they pull into a bay and stop for a while so you can watch the fish.  I went down into the bottom of the boat to see the fish but lasted for less than 5 minutes before I had to go back up and get some fresh air.  And we weren't even moving at that point.  I wasn't too disappointed though because there weren't a lot of fish and those that we did see were not that colourful.  It was actually more fun being up top where some of the people were feeding the fish over the edge so there was a lot of action right at the surface of the water.

The Dofi Jet Boats are catamarans that hold about 250 people.  The top deck is open and that's where I was sitting.  The lower deck is closed in, which would probably be good on a cool or windy or rainy day.  Both decks hold over 100 people but obviously the top deck is the more favoured.  I got a seat on the top deck on the way back too so I lucked out going both ways.  The glass bottom part of the boat is way down in the two hulls and there is literally no fresh air down there.  On a clear day I'm sure the views would be pretty good but after the rough seas over the previous two days, the views were pretty cloudy and it was hard to see anything.  Most of the time this area is closed but n the one bay they open it for viewing.

The ships sails up and down the Costa Brava and the coastline is beautiful.  There are of course sandy beaches all along the coast but there are also high rocky cliffs and promontories with beautiful homes, or sometimes castles or fortresses, on top.  Sometimes there were elevators to get from the water level up to the larger homes.   There are caves and rock carvings that are beautiful.  There are obviously walkways and paths over the cliffs and through the trees as you could see people up on the top enjoying the views.  People started getting off a few stops along the way but most people were heading all the way to Tossa.  All along the way I wanted to be taking picture after picture because it was all so beautiful.

We arrived at Tossa de Mar just a few minutes after our scheduled arrival time.  The ship pulled up on the sand, lowered its walkway and 200+ people pile off and started walking up the sandy beach.  Some were there just to spend time on the beach and quickly found there place in the sand while others were going touring and went across the sand to the town itself.  I was going touring so I walked up to the paved promenade and followed the tourist information signs around until I found their office.  Then, with my map and guide in hand I set off for my tour.  Actually, I stopped and had a bite to eat because I knew I would be climbing up to the castle so I figured I needed to get some nourishment first, and there were lots of places to eat all along the promenade.

The main feature of Tossa de Mar was clear to us from the boat.  As we rounded the last high promontory there was an old fortification that looked like a huge castle with its walls and round towers intact.  When we pulled into the beach, this hill and fortification were on our left.  I went to the right to the tourist information office and then came back to the right and had my sandwich looking up at the hillside fortification.  The walkway up to the top zig-zagged back and forth up the side of the hill so I knew I was going to be doing just a bit of climbing.  However, once I had something to eat and got going, it didn't seem that bad at all.

I walked up the cobble stone road that led to the Old Town of Tossa. the only remaining fortified medieval town that remains on the Catalan coast.  The original structure goes back to the 13th century.  The walls and several of the towers are still intact.  Others are less intact and more in ruin.  On the way up the views of the beach, the town and the coastline were wonderful but I knew they were going to get better the higher I got.  Near the top were the ruins of the old church of St. Vincent, which was constructed over an 11th c. Romanesque chapel, and of an old tower.  Just past that there was a statue of Ava Gardner.  It took me a while to figure that one out but apparently they filmed The Flying Dutchman on Costa Brava and much of it in Tossa de Mar.  During filming, Ava also had a romance with a fellow actor, Mario Cabre, who wrote a long poem about her and mentioned the town several times in it.

The ramparts of the old city were fun to walk around and on.  Not only did they provide great views of the coastline but also of the old town itself and its narrow twisting streets.  There were a number of impressive towers still intact and some entrance gates.  There were also walkways and gardens throughout the area and sometimes I really didn't know exactly where I was coming out so I ended up retracing my steps more than once.  Among the buildings there were lots of very narrow streets with stairs going up or down and winding around so it was very easy to get lost.

The old town is from the 15th century and most of the homes are built right up against the fortification walls.  The Municipal Museum in the former Governor's House is one such building built right up against the walls and near a tower.  It is now an art gallery.  The area had always attracted artists in the 19th and 20th centuries and some of their work is now displayed.  I confess that I didn't recognize many of the names.  Marc Chagall was probably the only one I recognized but all of the art was interesting.  In the basement there are the ruins of a 5th c Roman villa, upon which the Governor's House was built.  Some foundation walls, mosaics and ceramics are all on display.

Around the top of the area there were different trails, some beautiful gardens, some cafes, and of course great views.  There was also the 1917 lighthouse, which was built where the old castle once stood.  It is now a museum to light houses so I decided to go in.  There were several different rooms and the first few were small and dark and had videos playing.  They depicted the different types of lighthouses over the years, the lights used, the life of a lighthouse keeper, and maritime signals.  They seemed strange at first as you tried to figure out what they were showing you but once you just sat back and enjoyed them you realized they were showing you a lot from just building wood fires on the shore to lighting candles in buildings to using mirrors and electric lights to new modern radar and GPS, and everything in between.  And the small rooms and gloomy conditions made you realize what the life of a lighthouse keeper was like and how isolated they really were.  At the end of the three videos there was a room that had some of the equipment in it and then it was all finished - short but good.

Eventually I left the ramparts and the fortification and wandered into the "new" old town outside the walls.  The streets were still narrow and mostly pedestrian only.  I found a small church, which was not the one I was looking for but it turned out to be the 16th c. Capel of Mare De Deu Del Socors, which someone built after being saved from a shipwreck.  Redesigned in teh 18th c. It was popular among sailors and travellers alike.

I then found the larger Parish Church of St. Vincent, which was built in the 18th century to replace the old one up on the hill which was now too small for the congregation's needs and too far away from most of the town.   Originally it was decorated with baroque-style altar pieces and images from a local workshop but those pieces were stolen during the Spanish Civil War.  The church has a wide nave and high vaulted ceiling that is ornately decorated with a dark blue background with gold stars on it and dark wood ribbing.  The pillars and arches along the walls are also decorated in gold and brown so it is very rich looking although simple.  The exterior is plain brick and very plain and baroque in style.  (I have to say as I write this and think about the church, I have the awful feeling that I've already written about it before.  I hope I haven't mixed up my days again!!!  I went back to check my pictures and this is definitely the church in Tossa!)

I continued my wandering and eventually went back to the beach promenade.  I had an ice cream cone while I waited for the boat.  In retrospect I probably could have seen a couple of more sights but I really wasn't too sure I'd be able to find them right away.  It seemed I had lots of time though so perhaps I should have tried.

There was a big line up for the boat as it was the last one to head down to the southern ports so I figured I should get in the line and wait.  Eventually it became apparent that not everyone was going to get on so they had a second boat on standby to come and get the rest of the group.  The trip back was lovely and very relaxing.  I was up on the deck again and just sat and enjoyed the two-hour ride.  Although it had cooled off I was quite comfortable.  Some folks obviously weren't as comfortable as there were sweaters, jackets and towels appearing as we went along.

We got back just before 6:30.  I went back to the hotel, had dinner on the way, and spent the rest of the evening packing everything up in order to leave for Salou in the morning.