#3056 three nights and five big meals in Platja d'Aro

ussie in PdA

The next stop on The Trip was a beach town on the Costa Brava where I was lucky enough to spend a few summers with my mom's side of the family. The town in called Playa de Aro in Castilian Spanish and Platja d'Aro in Catalan. I will refer to the town as PdA to keep it simple.  The five of us rode together in a nice, large van that picked us up at the hotel in BCN and drove the 90 minutes or so to PdA. The only bad part about it was that we left the city in the morning and our accommodations were not ready when we arrived before noon. The hotel where Mama and Lizzie were staying was kind enough to store all of our bags, and then we all just sat on a bench looking at the sea until it was time for lunch. It wasn't ideal, but it was a nice day and frankly, there are worse places to wait. 

The hotel room was ready first, so we moved all the bags to the room, then went back down to the beach promenade to have lunch at a place my grandmother really liked called La Tisana. I like eating outside, and if there's a beach view, it's even better!

big meal #1 at La Tisana (pic by Lizzie)

My little family was staying in an apartment, and we were able to meet our host around 3:45. Funny little micro-memory: when Lizzie and Mama checked into their hotel, they were each given a cute little gift bag with toiletries from L'Occitane. When I met the host of the apartment, I was also given a little gift bag, but mine contained two rolls of toilet paper. LOL I suppose I'd rather have toilet paper than not!

That evening, my cousin Sonia, who lives in a small town a bit more inland, came to the hotel to say hello, and we all went out for a quick dinner, local style. She took us to a restaurant called Lola where we had delicious sandwiches, beers, and patatas bravas.

big meal #2 at Lola

The next day, Sonia had the day off, so she came with her daughter Nicole and Nicole's girlfriend Julia in two separate cars to take us to lunch. Before lunch we visited the cemetery to pay our respects to my grandparents' graves and for a quick tour to Santa Cristina where Sonia lives. I like the town.

The restaurant we went to is called Bell-Lloc. It is a a restaurant in a gorgeous old farmhouse. The food is superb traditional Catalan cuisine. It was probably the best meal I had on the entire trip. I would certainly be delighted to go there again (and again and again). Maybe for my 65th birthday? LOL

me with my menfolk

big meal #3 at Bell-Lloc (pic by Lizzie)

the interior is dreamy

After lunch, we all retired to our abodes to rest and digest. Lizzie and I ended up going to the pool at the hotel for a little dip and some quiet time as we prepared ourselves for dinner with the whole family.

My mom's sister, Nuri, lives in San Feliu with her oldest daughter Monica. Monica has two daughters, Aida and Irina. T is the lone male of the kids on my mom's side of the family. Along with Sonia, Nicole, and Julia, the five us met all of them at a restaurant in PdA called Llevant that we have been to many times over the years. There were ten women and two men in our group. It was fun to see everyone again.

Tia Nuri and Mamacita

big meal #4 at Llevant (pic by the waiter)

The next day, MT and T went snorkeling with Nicole and Julia. I know MT was thrilled to get to do a bit of snorkeling. T didn't snorkel, but he did get in the sea. While they were doing that, Lizzie, Mama and I went to breakfast with Sonia at a local's place called Can Felipe, and we also got to meet Sonia's BFF, Gemma. I was also to have a bit of alone time while the menfolk were gone, and I kind of needed that. ;)

The five of us, along with Nicole and Julia, met Nicole's dad, Eric, for lunch at a place called Alexandra. MT and Eric shared a paella and talked non-stop through the meal. They might have a bit of a "bromance."

big meal #5 at Alexandra

After lunch, MT went on a beach walk. T took a nap, and I messed around with my travel journal and relaxed quietly. Mama and Lizzie went to San Feliu to visit some more with Nuri and Monica. I think our last day in PdA might have been one of MT's favorite days of the trip because he got in a bit of physical activity and he got to have paella and listen to Eric talk about his motorcycle trip to Morocco. 

That night, my mom was tuckered out from all the food and the feelings from seeing her sister again. It had been three years since we'd last seen her, but Nuri had some health situations last year and none of us are getting any younger. Mama stayed in the hotel room, but the rest of us, along with Sonia (who had been working that day) went to a bar on the beach for tapas and a drink. I wouldn't call it a meal, though, just snacks.

Sonia and Lizzie

I have a warm, soft place in my heart for Playa de Aro. I think it is beautiful there, and I have so many memories of the place, of which most of them are great. 

I'm thinking about how cool it would be to have a home here

view of the beach from Lizzie's hotel room balcony

street view to the beach from our apartment

That wraps up our stay in Playa de Aro and in Spain. My next post will be on Monday and I will tell you about our first night in Rome. 

xo