​Our family discovered Playa de la Concha in the Basque city of San Sebastián for the first time in 2014 when the Aventura children were still tiny.  Little Angel, just four years old, flung off her sandals and ran with delight across its golden sand toward the bay.  

"I LOVE THIS BEACH, MOMMY!" she trilled.

We'd flown from California for a home exchange in Biarritz, France just on the opposite side of the Spanish border. To our surprise and disappointment it was gray and rainy in southern France every single day.  The house was damp and dark. Its bathroom towels smelled mildly of mold.

"Let's drive across the border," suggested my husband Señor Aventura.  "We may find better weather in Spain."

"That's hard to believe." I wrinkled my forehead, trying to imagine how driving just thirty minutes south could make a significant difference in the weather.

Lo and behold, he was right!  As we made the easy, scenic drive between Biarritz and San Sebastián the clouds actually seemed to part and then gently melt away. 
​

We ended up returning across the border four more times during that two week stay in Biarritz... even to celebrate The Scientist's July birthday.  

"I like it here at this beach so much," he confided.  "I want to spend my birthday in San Sebastián and go to that amusement park on top of the big mountain!"
​

​
Whether you arrive by boat or swim there you'll be charmed by Santa Clara's unusual lighthouse, a terrace bar where you can order tasty beverages while looking out across the bay full of little white boats and picnic tables where you can enjoy a true feast!

​
Monte Urgull

The view of Playa de La Concha and Isla Santa Clara from the top of Monte Urgull is nothing short of awe-inspiring. You will not regret the short, steep hike up the mountain to achieve this world class panorama!
​

While at the top take a brief tour of the Castillo de La Mota fortress dating back to the 12th century AD. It was rebuilt many times as a defensive base to help protect San Sebastián from various invasions (mainly by the French) over many centuries. ​
​

San Sebastián takes pride in its annual regattas held once a year at the end of the summer in the Bahía de La Concha. 

Inspired by a historic tradition of fishing boats racing each other to shore to sell their catch, these races began formally in 1879 as part of an annual festival and have continued ever since.  For the first two Sundays in September, eight boats race to the finish line.

Originally wooden fishing boats were raced but over the past 130 years the competition modernized and now racing boats are made of kevlar and carbon fiber.

An annual women's regatta was launched in 2008, and its excited audience is steadily growing!

For a few days the sands of La Concha and the nearby boardwalks function as a stadium from which onlookers with binoculars can spectate and rejoice.  ​Visitors flock from all over Europe to cheer the boats on from the beach.  This event is sometimes called the 'Olympics of Rowing'.  Such fun! 

​
La Concha at Night

​Lastly, a little romance...

By night the Playa de La Concha is lit by gorgeous gaslamp streetlights that line its raised boardwalk.  Whether you stroll barefoot under the stars on the sparkling sand or above it on the promenade, there's something more than magical about the Bahía de La Concha in the moonlight.

For these reasons (and a million more) we highly recommend visiting the Playa de La Concha in San Sebastián!  
​
​

My husband and I first glimpsed Cala de Deià while watching a TV miniseries based on John Le Carré's suspenseful novel... "The Night Manager."  In one scene an intense confrontation takes place at an outdoor family luncheon held right above the sea.  This scene is particularly scary because it juxtaposes the insanely idyllic backdrop with a brutal armed invasion. As a viewer, you feel taken off guard and vulnerable while watching!  

Not long after we watched the miniseries Señor Aventura explained to me that the scary scene had been filmed at a Mallorca beach he'd like to visit someday, the Cala de Deià.  

So, on our first family trip to Mallorca we made this beach a family priority! 

Thickly wooded pine trees overlook it and you actually have to take quite a hike down a long paved road to reach this secluded spot.
​

As it turns out there is no sand at Cala de Deià.  It's a tiny beach made of shingles, pebbles, rocks and gravel - all of which are surrounded by high cliffs.  ​
​

There are really two main attractions at this beach.  First, the water is extremely clear!  Visibility is great and you can see fish swimming around even in the shallow areas.  We noticed plenty of people with snorkeling gear at Cala de Deià.
​

The other attraction is the restaurant to the left of the beach "Ca's Patro March" which hovers above the water on the side of the cliff.  With luck you can enjoy a wonderful afternoon there feasting on fresh seafood and traditional Mallorcan dishes, along with wine, gelato and homemade dessert.  (Reservations recommended.)  ​
​

​Honestly, this is an exceptionally romantic spot!  If you happen to be there without three children, that is... 

"Someday we should come back here, just the two of us!" smiled Señor Aventura.

Worth it for the views alone, the food is also quite tasty at the oceanfront restaurant and we found the service to be very friendly and accepting... even though we arrived at sunset with cranky, tired kids who were 'starving!' after their swim in the sea. Two hours later our family left with full tummies and everyone smiling!!!
​

The sandy part of the beach is very small with some large rocks dividing it into sections. During summer months the beach can become so crowded that there is literally nowhere left to sit!  For this reason we recommend experiencing the Caló des Moro in the Spring (Semana Santa) or during the Fall (October) to fully enjoy the exquisite beauty of the place without the hassle of big crowds.  

We smiled to hear so many different languages being spoken along the beach... German, French, Spanish, English, Dutch and even Portuguese!  Everyone together, just chilling out and enjoying the day!
​

Later during our dusky walk back to the car we discovered that there is another nearby beach (Cala S'Almunia) very nearby... but it is more of a beach for divers and less for swimmers.  Much less beautiful!  
​

A word of caution - nude bathing is allowed at both of these beaches and our children got a good giggle out of seeing an elderly couple walking without clothing on the beach. 

"Look Mommy! That old lady is naked!" laughed Little Angel before I could shush her.

"Oh my gosh!  Look away!" shrieked her brothers who were simultaneously horrified and delighted. 

Also, it's a good idea to keep in mind that neither of these wild beaches have facilities (e.g. no bathrooms or restaurants) as they are both well off of the beaten path.  We recommend bringing in your lunch along with anything you may need for personal hygiene. Sadly, neither Caló des Moro or Cala S'Almunia is wheelchair accessible. 

However if you're okay with these realities and still looking for a great outdoor adventure, we give the Caló des Moro top marks!  It's one of the top three most beautiful beaches I've ever visited in person!
​

​Señor Aventura and I are settling into this new life alongside them, and we too are growing.  Friends here generously tell me that my Spanish has improved in the last two months, and I really appreciate this compliment because heaven knows I am trying so hard!  Every day I am making a million mistakes, blushing, and asking people to please correct me.  

My amazing friend Viva continues to meet with me twice a week for a language exchange and she is the best teacher in the world.  Each week we sit over a cup of tea inside the organic market and talk to each other for 90 minutes in English; 90 minutes in Spanish. I could not be more lucky; Viva is very patient and takes the time to explain the reasoning behind the lessons and corrections.  Entonces, poco a poco, mejoro. (Therefore little by little, I improve). ​

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend a cooking class at Viva's home with nine other women, all of whom are Catalan.  Like me, they were mothers of children in elementary and middle school, and many of them share Viva's passion for travel and cooking.  I loved meeting such a great group of smart, motivated women in Catalunya. It was the hardest Spanish class I've taken so far... as 95% of the three hour conversation was conducted in fast Castellano with my ears racing to keep up!  Many of the women speak English, some quite fluently, but I greatly preferred for them to speak normally in Spanish so that I could learn while listening.  Viva taught us how to make three delectable recipes, at least one of which I may actually be able to re-create without her guidance someday :)  

​What a lovely afternoon.  I learned so much, my brain was tired on the walk home!

So, a day in the life?

​Señor Aventura and I awaken while it is still dark out each morning Mon-Fri to get the kids ready for school.  I make the snacks, get breakfast ready, have clean uniforms waiting and help the kids pack their sea of bags and backpacks for all of their sports, electives and classes.  Today for example, The Scientist will have German, computer science, art and soccer practice at school, in addition to his regular classes.  This requires an additional art smock plus a sports bag... and I swear his backpack must weigh 30 lbs right now.  

Little Angel is taking her first field trip today, to Catalunya en Miniatura.  I'm pretty sure this will turn out to be a miniaturized version of the Spanish state of Catalunya with each big city represented including its landmarks (like the big Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona).  She left for school in her track suit, very eager and excited to spend the day off campus with her friends.

When they are dressed, fed and packed each morning, the kids walk with Señor Aventura (and sometimes me) to the bus stop.  The process of getting them ready and to the bus takes about 90 minutes.  From there, my day is typically fills up rapidly with errands, meetings with friends, doctor appointments, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, working and writing.  I thought I'd have so much time in Spain to write - and I'm working on a novel - but often I'm on the go from the moment the kids leave the house until the moment they get home.

We've gotten through our first round of Fall illnesses and now have a pediatrician we respect, along with the knowledge that we need to switch our health insurance.  We are still amazed by our ability to walk into a farmacia without a prescription to buy antibiotics recommended for us by our doctors by email.  The cost is incredible too!  For a recent eye infection I paid a total of 4 euro for two different antibiotics - drops and creme.  Wow!

Señor Aventura bikes or swims every morning.  I've made a commitment to myself that I can only get fresh gluten free bread and treats from the best bakery in Barcelona if I walk at least one way, to or from the bakery.  It's a 4 km walk (2.5 miles) so I'm routinely walking between 1 and 3 miles a day - and sometimes as many as 5 miles.  We very rarely use the car in the city, and I love that it's so easy to get around without it.

It is a very good, very simple life that we are living right now - and we are so blessed to have this opportunity.  Every time I walk to the little neighborhood shop for a basket full of figs or fennel, I marvel at how fresh the produce is here and how nice the shop owner continues to be.  ​

Fall has begun and you can now buy roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes wrapped in newspaper from corner vendors, most afternoons and evenings.  Around 6pm you can see swarms of school children in uniforms clustered around the hot chestnut vendor, everyone getting a snack on their way home.  There are so many great things about this... exercise, nutrition and community at the top of the list. 

At last, we've discovered where the post office is located so we can send mail back home! We've also learned where the local toy shop sits, in case we have a birthday party to attend.  When the boys recently went away to camp for 3 days, we stopped by this toy store with Little Angel to get a special small treat.  She chose glow-in-the-dark stars to affix to her walls and ceiling, and then spent many happy nights putting up stars.  Going to sleep at night is now four times as much fun, because the children lay in the dark looking at their stars until they drift into slumber.

We've also been blessed to have family visiting this month, most recently my gorgeous sister-in-law and her very kind and funny husband.  For the purposes of this blog I will call them 'Los Radiantes,' (the radiant ones).  

​Last night Tía Radiante and I shared an experience I will never forget, as we laughed and cried our way through making a roasted chicken.  In Spain they don't de-head a whole chicken or remove its innards when you buy it at the store.  For the first time in my life, I had to take the head off of a chicken using my bare hands (the knife couldn't do it) and my sweet sister-in-law (a sometimes-vegetarian) bravely assisted with gutting the bird, removing most of its internal organs.  We were in hysterics over this chicken, giggling hard at the squeamish situation.  In the end, we blessed the bird with red wine and managed to roast it... although we may inadvertently have caused Soccer Dude to become a vegetarian in the process.  ​

Tía and Tío Radiante spent a week with us and then a week in Paris, after which they returned and told us all about their adventures.  Today we hugged them goodbye, as they headed home to America.  They've inspired us to spend New Year's Eve in Paris too!  We are very excited to get to know that timeless French city as a family.  As it turns out, Viva will be in Paris with her family at the same time... so it will be a city full of beauty, fun and friends at the holidays.  

October has been a good, generous month for La Familia Aventura.  We continue to grow closer as a family and to better understand how to navigate this new life together. Estamos mejorando!  
​