Together with Rafael, I finally made it to the coast near Tarifa. From Estepona, taking the AP-7, it takes about an hour to get to Tarifa. There is a superb vantage point on the edge of Tarifa where one can look directly across the strait, towards Africa, with the Moroccan mountains looming high in front of you – stunning. A great place to take a coffee too. You leave behind the construction and bustle of the Costa del Sol and enter the magical Costa de la Luz – the coast of light.
As you approach the Atlantic side of Spain the wind picks ups and the hillsides are littered with huge turbines capturing the power of the wind that also drives a vibrant surfing community.
We took the road further west to Bolonia, a surfing village, with the most amazing beach! As we turned into the narrow country road, we see two poeple looking to hitch a ride for the few kilometres to village. The two get into the car, and immediately start chatting quickly in Spanish – soon we discover that one of the passengers, Sophia, is originally from England. Thankfully for me, the conversation switches to English. She explains she has a bar/restaurant on the beach and tempts us by describing the dishes of the day.
Knowing that a hearty lunch is awaiting me, I am inspired the walk along the beach – the wind that is so welcome to surfers is present, but the sun is bright and the temperature is great.
We take off our shoes and walk on a flawless beach, with the green and azure ocean waves lapping at our feet. Out to sea is a wind surfer and a kite surfer, whilst behind us is a sun bather in the dunes and another person casually walks with their dog. So quite, so private! But in summer the place is alive with sportspeople and walkers.
This was a truly special day for me – I really saw the light. At a time when there is a lot of personal turmoil in my personal life, I felt strong, inspired, and above all at home….
I have uploaded some pics to a photo album called Costa de la Luz. In addition I have added a link to Sophia and Antonio's restaurant on the site too.
If you have the chance, do visit Bolonia. Not only is there the most stunning beach, and of course Los Caracoles Restaurant & Bar run by Sophia and her partner Antonio (with great homemade Spanish tortilla) – but there are the adjacent Roman ruins at Baelo Claudia, further west up the beach.
The ruins are well maintained and are amongst the most important in Southern Europe.
Share this:
Leave a Reply