Holiday in L'Escala, Spain - 24th September - 8th October

Day 9 - The Sunday market and a fishy shock!

We decided to visit the Sunday market this morning, which was held along the main promenade leading up to the far side of the bay. We'd been hoping to visit food and craft stalls, and we were anticipating some lovely ceramics, olive oils and leather goods. The market in Pollensa on a Sunday had certainly spoiled us!

Unfortunately, the market was mainly clothes and shoes with a couple of leather stalls selling bags and hats. Keith wanted a leather hat, but they were way too big for him (none of us in our family have big heads!). We wandered along with a mass of other shoppers but didn't see anything we liked until we came to an arts and crafts gallery, where there was a little market taking place selling pottery, olive oils and hand-made clothes. Sophie picked out a little espresso mug for a friend at work, and we also tried some of the most horrible chocolate we'd ever tasted. Yuk! We won't be taking that home!

To be honest, we were a little disappointed. I think there was another food market taking place in the old town, as well as an Anchovy festival, but it was a warm day and none of us really fancied walking all the way to the far side of the town this morning. I should imagine parking would have been a nightmare!

We walked back and stopped for a beer at a bar where it took ages for us to be served. In the end, a young English lad appeared saying to Sophie, when she ordered in Spanish, that he spoke English very well. We got the impression he really didn't want to be working!

It was very pleasant to sit in the shade and watch people walking by, gazing out at the beautiful view across the bay. We have been surprised by the prices here for beers and coffee, and they're much more reasonable than at home!

Before going back to the villa, Sophie and I walked to the marina and booked a table at a restaurant called La Clota for the evening. It was a very warm walk, and it was great to get back to the cool of the villa! We made lunch of mushrooms and tomatoes on toast, served with a wedge of Spanish tortilla, and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. It's been a beautiful day, with only the merest wisps of cloud in the sky and very warm. Who would think it was October?

Navili restaurant

Mos L'Escala restaurant

In the evening we walked the short distance to the marina and took our seats overlooking all the boats. The restaurant was quiet with only one family, and another couple, eating. I had felt a bit queasy all afternoon, and Keith had a slight tummy upset, so we were all a bit subdued this evening! I found it difficult to choose from the menu and eventually went with mussels in a marinara sauce to start, the same as Sophie. She chose a mixed paella for her main course while Keith opted for white bait and battered fish with chips. When the waiter asked what I wanted for my main course, I panicked and asked him how the baby monkfish was served, and when he said it was with garlic, I went for that. It was the most expensive of our main courses at 23 euros!

When our starters arrived, the servings were enough for a main course. Sophie and I had a heaped bowl of mussels in a tomatoey sauce served with bread rolls.

I gamely ploughed through them - they were very good, just too many for a starter! Keith's whitebait was also a huge portion and he failed to finish them, much to the consternation of our waitress! Next up were the main courses. Keith's battered fish looked lovely, and Sophie was served a large plate of paella, adorned with meaty bits (rabbit, we think), clams and mussels. She tucked in!

When my main course arrived, I nearly died... I have always had a fear of inadvertently ordering an entire fish with head and tail still attached, and this was realised this evening:

To me, it looked like a cross between an alien and a piranha, and I later found out that monkfish are bottom-dwellers and disguise themselves before lashing out and grabbing other fish to eat with all those terrifying teeth! The one good thing is that monkfish isn't bony and mine had a thick spinal bone that the flesh came away from easily. And it was delicious! I even ate the fleshy cheeks! They are certainly not the prettiest of fish!

After our main courses, Sophie and I shared a creme bruleé and then it was time to head back to the villa. The bill came to 123 euros (mainly due to our mussels at 10 euros each, and the monkfish).

We walked slowly back to the villa and had an early night. I was still in shock!