Barcelona Coastline

Not the first time I show the view from Montjuic but I hope in the larger image, which you can see upon clicking on this smaller version, the result pleases you. I still haven't found the right time of the day nor the proper lens to make it look sharper and attractive. I tried to keep the right colors and contrast. Maybe not too realistic a result, but the skies and clouds have this sort of Japanese cartoon happy mood that finally made me repeat this post.

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Altafulla Beach on the Costa Dorada

100 kms away from Barcelona and 11 from Tarragona, Altafulla beach is one of the most beautiful on Costa Dorada (golden coast), an old fishermen town that still keeps its charm in spite of the menacing new buildings and the presence of a well known camping site in the area. There is a castle that dates back to XI around which Altafulla expanded and some remnants of Roman villages that are also worth mentioning. The sea was rough due to a heavy storm the night before but it was a very pleasant morning anyway. Check Altafulla on Google Maps.

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Sant Pol de Mar, Maresme Coast near Barcelona

Sant Pol de Mar is a small town of strong Mediterranean flavor, with white houses that adapt to the gentle slopes on the hills of Maresme coast.

In Catalan, there are two names for English name Paul, one is Pau and the other is Pol. Sant Pol celebrates one of its most important festivities on January 25th, which is St Paul's day.

Of all the beaches on Maresme Coast, Sant Pol is one of the cleanest and most attractive for tourists and locals alike. It is a very quiet town which I recommend to visit.

Today's picture was taken from the upper part of town and it shows as you see the train station and railroads. You can go from here to Barcelona or vice versa in 40 minutes all along the coast. There is a very well known restaurant which is a must visit: Carme Ruscalleda's Sant Pau

Small Cove at L'Escala, a Town in Costa Brava, Spain

Another picture of L'Escala, a beautiful town in Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain. The golden rays of the afternoon sun falling on the white buildings and the boats along the improvised beach of this small cove or cala create some sort of painting atmosphere that I was lucky to capture for you. Nice weekend.

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Belly Flop in Costa Brava, Spain

Jumping off a rock and nose diving into the sea, in this case at L'Escala, Costa Brava, may sound like an easy thing to do but everything changes when it's your turn. This kid is the son of some friends. He urged his father to let him go there and jump as the other kid in the water had done previously. The latter was a "pro", improvising front somersaults and so on, so my friend's son dropped his flip flops into the water first and came up with this funny and risky belly flop which fortunately caused him no harm.

Seagull in Costa Brava

This snapshot of a juvenile seagull I took from about 2 meters distance using my 18-70 mm nikkor lens. I approached her little by little, squatting slowly till the nearest rock. Water was still coming out of her beak so I guess she was still digesting her food. There was a gentle breeze and we were both alone on top of the promontory, people down there in the cove basking under the sun. With scrutinizing eyes she followed my every movement but was too clumsy to fly with her full stomach. I had to stand on my feet with a sudden gesture to make the beautiful bird soar over summer air. Here is the same seagull against the darker background of brown algae accumulated along the rocky shore in Costa Brava.

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Secret Cove in L'Escala, Costa Brava, Spain

Walking along the path on one of the promontories in L'Escala beach you have the chance to explore many coves or calas that vary in size. Some are wider and full of people, some are more private and a few are so small that are empty. That's the moment when you have the chance to see nature in a wilder state. I couldn't help thinking of secret adventures, pirates or castaways when I came across this beautiful spot.