Sunday, September 20, 2015 - Salou, Spain

This was my first full day in Salou and I really enjoyed the start of it as I slept in.  I couldn't believe what time it was when I woke up but it was still dark and very quiet so easy to sleep.  That is in contrast to getting to sleep the night before.  My apartment is over a sports bar and I'm guessing that there was some important soccer game on somewhere because they were really loud and doing a lot of cheering until well after midnight.  Even with my patio doors all closed and my good ear to the pillow I could still hear them.  Oh well, it's part of the culture I guess and that's what I'm here to experience.

I had some cereal for breakfast and then I decided I had to clean the kitchen.  Whoever was in here last did a lot of greasy frying or cooking because everything in the kitchen is greasy.  Luckily it is a very small kitchen because I cleaned the stove top, the oven, the microwave, the counters, the pots and pans, the cupboards and just about everything else by the time I finished.  It took several hours but I'm glad I did it all at once instead of finding little things like dirty pots as the days progressed.  The dishes for some reason were spotless.  Maybe they just ate out of the pots and pans and with their fingers.  Oh no, I also washed all the silverware.  Some of it looked a bit dirty too so they must have used at least some cutlery. 

Once that was done I did some paperwork and made sure everything was ready to go with my passport and Ethiopian visa application.  I'm sure it's all done and ready to go but I'm afraid I'm going to forget something so I just keep checking it over and over.  I will courier it off tomorrow so it arrives in Medicine Hat by Thursday or Friday.  Everyone going on the Canadian Humanitarian expedition is to have their documents in this coming week and once they all arrive they will send them all together to the Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa.  We have already been pre-approved so the Embassy just has to print and affix the visas to our passports.  Mine will get sent back to Canadian Humanitarian in Medicine Hat and they will then courier it back to me in Spain.  Once I get it I will fly to Addis Ababa and start working on some projects for them.  I was hoping to go around the 3rd of October but it's looking like the 8th will be more realistic.  Hopefully there are still flights available when I need them!

Around mid afternoon I went for a walk down to the beach.  They have an incredibly beautiful promenade in Salou.  The walkway by the road must be 40 feet across with palm trees and gardens on both sides, then a two-way bike lane with more green space beside it, then fountains and statues and play areas (some playgrounds for kids and some open area for bocci or other activities) then more green and finally the beach which really wide and has beautiful light powdery sand.  There are lots of benches around for people to sit on up on the promenade area and there are lounge chairs to rent (I assume) down on the beach.  There were also people just on their towels which will likely be what I end up doing.  It's hard to believe that they have kept so much waterfront available for public use, and this goes on for miles of beach.  There is a marina at one point that breaks up the beach but it then continues on either side.  I am going to have to rent a bike some day and see just how far it goes!  I don't think I could walk to both ends.

Salou is very much a tourist town and that's why business services (like couriers) are somewhat limited.  If you want a hotel or restaurant or bar or souvenir shop then you are in the right place but other services you might have to look harder for.  The population is about 30,000 in an area of 15 square kilometres.  Judging by the hotels and short-term apartment businesses in the area, I'd guess it at least doubles that figure during the high season from June to September.  The Mediterranean provides a temperate weather to the area so in the winter it never freezes and in the summer it never gets really hot.  This week is in the high 20's during the day and mid teens aat night and it is just right in my opinion.  

Salou is certainly known  for its beach but also for the PortAventura amusement and theme park, which by the description sounds a bit like a Six Flags or Disney type of resort.  Universal Studios was part owner and now Ferrari is building a new part to add on to it.  There are 8 or 10 rollercoasters some of which are said to be the fastest or highest or loopiest or whatever - definitely not my type of ride anyway.   They have shows there and special events, and Cirque de Soleil has a regular show there.  And for those wanting a quieter activity you have Lumine which is a large golf complex with three golf courses designed by Greg Norman.  It is very popular, especially with the tourists, and is growing all the time with housing developments and related services.  I don't imagine I will be going to either of these places as I imagine they are a bit too expensive for me.

Boy did I get off track on that one.  I was walking down the promenade and heading to the beach at one point back there.  The main beach is really busy and since I prefer the quiet I went to the beach just south of the marina.  I found a lovely spot on the sand and spent several hours there reading and relaxing and watching the scenery.  It was lovely.

Around 7 p.m. I decided to pack everything up and head back to the apartment with one stop at the tourist information office as I went by.  They weren't open when I went by earlier.  I got lots of maps of the area and lots of hints on what to see and when to see them.  There isn't a lot in town but that's fine with me.  I'll just gradually work my way through the sights and relax while doing so.  There are also a couple of nearby towns such as Reus and Tarragona that might be worth a visit.  

There were lots of sellers on the promenade last night and tonight - almost like a market but mainly souvenirs I think - so Ill have to check them out at some point but not today.

I got back to the apartment, made some dinner, did some blogging and got organized for tomorrow, and it was soon time for bed time.