OUR FAMILY HOLIDAYS

0277 Foreign Holidays - Costa Brava

From 1959, when I went to Spain and met Pat - and with the honourable exception of our 1961 honeymoon in Paris - we didn't go abroad again until the early 1970s.  In the first instance was because we were having enough fun exploring the culture of London without the stimulation of foreign travel. After that it was the advent of the young family, which cramped our style quite considerably.  It was only in 1974, when Miles was coming up to 8, that we went for our first foreign holiday as a family.

This was very much the sort of holiday package which was then becoming traditional: sun, sea and sand on the Costa Brava. The more expensive Costa del Sol was still a distant dream for most people.  It was, of course, a package holiday.  In theory everything was provided for us.  Thus we flew out from Gatwick to Gerona airport.  One of the joys of such holidays is leaving a dull and rainy Britain to emerge into the brilliant sunshine as you exit the plane; to be greeted by a welcome blast of hot air.

The first task of such a holidaymaker was to find your holiday rep.  Typically, these were surprisingly inconspicuous; just holding their brochure above their head.  So, first you searched, with increasing levels of panic, until you actually found one.  Of course, before that, you had been equally stressed as you had tried to find your luggage as it rotated on the carousels after being decanted from the plane.  Thus, encumbered by large amounts of baggage which no one else would carry, I had to hunt backwards and forwards to find the rep.  Thereafter the next puzzle was finding the coach that she indicated was the one which would take us to the resort.  Incidentally, all of this happened in early hours of the morning -- since that was the only way the package holidays could then obtain cheap flights.

The next ‘joy’ was being driven endlessly round the various hotels in the resort.  Almost inevitably the coach went to every other hotel before yours, and an increasingly tired family was only deposited on the hotel doorstep in the early hours of the morning. 

Our resort was the Lloret del Mar.  The hotel was a popular one, a large one which had an indoor pool as well as an outdoor pool.  It was only about five minutes from the beach; though the beach turned out to be rather pathetic.  Fortunately we didn't spend that much time on it.

The first problem with a young family in such hotel was working out how we could look after the children, who were in the next bedroom to ourselves. Fortunately we found that there was a window into an air shaft between the two bathrooms and we could shout through this if the children needed anything.

In the morning we went down to the standard continental breakfast, which was quite edible and filling.  Almost immediately afterwards, as was the case in those days, we had the representative’s introductory party.  These were meant to be a thrilling part of the holiday where you could get a free glass of champagne and the rep would tell you all the exciting things on offer.  In reality, of course, it was their opportunity to sell the various tours that the holiday company offered.  No doubt these were more expensive, but it always was more convenient – in the short time available - to fit your holiday around their tours rather than fit your own tours into their itineraries.  On all our various holidays we took the maximum number of tours.  No doubt the children wanted to be on the beach all the time, but we wanted to see the rest of the country.

It was fortunate that the hotel had a swimming pool, though at that time neither the children could actually swim.  The beach, as I said, was quite small and very basic so we didn't spend much time there.  I don’t think the children really missed it, because it wasn't very exciting. We did, however, walk along the cliffs in either direction which was visually more interesting and also gave children some exercise.

 On the cliff-top walk

Back at the hotel we had the usual meals, lunch and dinner, typically taken in self-service style.  You got what you paid for. Equally, the rooms were quite basic although reasonably comfortable.  The problem always was the bathrooms, or at least the shower rooms as they were in the cheap hotels. They never seemed quite as clean as you would have liked. Even so we were able to tolerate that.

We made our first trip on a pleasure boat, going up the coast to the more expensive resorts. 

 Beached at Tossa del Mar

The biggest trip, however, was down to Barcelona.  Barcelona is a lovely city but we didn't see that much of it.  We were taken on a brief tour of it - to see the familiar sights - but most time was spent wandering up and down the Ramblas; the main street.  We did, however, manage to see at least one of Gaudi’s fabulous buildings; though we weren’t taken to see the Sagrada Familia.

 One of Gaudi’s apartment blocks

Another tour was to the monastery on the mountain of Montserrat.  It was very impressive, but I think the children better enjoyed tasting of the liqueurs at the factory where we stopped on our way back.

 Montserrat

All in all, for a week-long holiday, it was quite enjoyable and -- more important -- the children seem to enjoy it; which was important when we were going to go abroad nearly every year thereafter. 

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