HOLIDAYING IN SPAIN
Holidaying has always been a weakness with me right from my 
childhood days.Consequently I have enjoyed travelling to 
various countries all across the globe.I remember clearly 
the trip to Spain with my school friends.On reaching Spain 
we had decided to embark upon a boat ride along the blue 
waters of the Mediterranean.
Towards midday we joined the queue for the boat. At least 
it came round the rocky headland and nosed its way up on to 
the shingle.It was a white boat, in appearance very like a 
Thames  Water- bus,but broader in the beam and slightly 
higher. A folding ladder in the bows was lowered, and the 
passengers disembarked. Then, after showing our tickets, we 
mounted the steps and found ourselves on a small forward-
deck, with chairs screwed down on to it. A little farther 
astern were three more steps leading down into an enclosed 
compartment,where it was possible to shelter from the wind 
and spray. When everyone was aboard, the ladder was raised 
and the engine screws went astern. Once we were clear of 
the bay, we turned and headed up the rocky coast towards 
Lloret, with the blue Mediterranean----- it really is blue -
---- lapping round the bows of the boat.

We were met on the beach by our Spanish host, and he took 
us in his car even further up the coast to a well-known 
restaurant, where all the tables and chairs were arranged 
under the shady boughs of a very old yew-tree. The tables 
were covered with clean white cloths; each plate bore a yew-
tree emblem. The first dish was paella, which consists of 
rice with prawns, small sausages, chicken, and the sections 
of an octopus's ink-bag chopped up. One big serving-
spoonful  was enough for most of us, but my father, who was 
engaged in talking to our host, turned round to find a huge 
pile of paella on his plate, and the waiter still looking 
at him enquiringly. A few days previous to this, after 
eating octopus soup, I had been rather ill, but there were 
no bad effects this time. With this course a red wine was 
served. Next came a whole dressed lobster each the shells 
of which were a brilliant red, together with garlic and 
mayonnaise sauces. A white wine was drunk with this dish. 
Following it we had a large dish of ice-cream each, with 
sweet wild strawberries, and afterwards all sports of 
cheeses, served with rolls, on a wooden platter. Finally 
came a small cup of very strong black coffee.

After lunch we visited a nearby church, in which many model 
boats were hung up, some new and some very old, the 
offerings of fisherman's wives after their husbands' safe 
return from a bad storm.

As we had missed the last boat, my father's friend offered 
to run us back in his car. Although he has a country villa, 
only the richest of Spaniards can afford a new car; 
therefore his rather old, and our getting back safely was 
largely a matter of good luck.