Diary extracts................
"Scala del Turchi. Bright white marl cliffs worn smooth by the sea".
"They gave me ample opportunities for another favoured
pastime....people watching. But clearly I'm getting old. Surrounded by bronzed,
lithe, lean and fit twenty and thirty something's, taking selfies of themselves
lying sunbathing in dips in the marl beds, I realized that as a fifty four old,
overweight Welsh bloke with sagging stomach, I was clearly out of place. Maybe
it was my deep brown arms, lower legs and face and the brilliant white, never
seen the sun in centuries upper torso that drew the stares. The British abroad,
you can spot them at five hundred paces!! At least, in my defence, I
wasn't sporting the lobster pink burnt to a crisp look that so many of my
countrymen sport nowadays abroad. I do have some shred of dignity left!"
"The sea was warm; you could paddle across the
marl beds as they ran outwards into the sea. Between them were deep clear
gullies, warmed by the sun, reaching the temperature of a hot bath. Small fish
darted between the beds of sea grass and that was pretty much it. Any marine
life had the common sense to stay clear. The small beach that ran along the
cliff base was heaving".
"I have always admired how Italians do the beach. Minimalist
style......one towel, one beach umbrella, a small cool bag and a beach bag,
four pairs of different sunglasses per person, mobile phones, goes without
saying and that is it. Literally that's it.
The British? Chairs, windbreaks, beach tents, buckets, spades, boules,
cricket sets, wet suits, kitchen sink, the use of a hire van to transport
everything including Granny and Granddad.
It is an amazing contrast in styles.
Trevone beach in Cornwall will never quite seem the same again.
The best thing I saw today, a man walked into the sea, filled a shiny metallic
red spray bottle and returned to his girlfriend under their umbrella and then
proceeded to slowly spray her body with cool sea water every two minutes for an
hour whilst she tanned herself. I Lie not!
That is truly impressive dedication. British lads, you haven't a
chance boys!"
No comments:
Post a Comment