Sharon had been for yet another medical check up and, as the Mediterranean sun was shining brightly, once that was over there was only one thing to do – head for the beach.
At Santiago de la Ribera, on the shores of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest inland sea, the beach was pristine, the sea and sky deep blue and only a few people strolling about enjoying the day. We joined them and rolled Sharon´s wheelchair right down to the water´s edge, as there are wooden paths laid on the sand and a special shaded area for the disabled. We hadn´t brought our swimming costumes but enjoyed sitting and watching the anchored boats and doing nothing at all.
A lady arrived with a push chair with her new baby and two young boys. The lads were soon fooling around in the sand and paddling in the water, just like lads should. She was on holiday visiting her family but normally lives in Germany with her husband, who was hard at work there.
Little fish darted around in the crystal clear shallows. These are fartet, only three or four centimeters long. They are able to thrive in salty water, such as that of the enclosed Mar Menor, which is dotted with lagoons where the water is evaporated to produce natural sea salt – an industry that dates back at least to Roman times. Patches of posidonia grass could be seen here and there on the sandy bottom. This is not a seaweed but a grass that has adapted to marine life. Both the fish and the grass need the cleanest of clean water to survive.
But we weren´t there to study nature but to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine on our faces and the quiet and peace.
After half an hour or so we rolled a little way back from the beach and found a little bar for café con leche and croissants.
People have all sorts of different jobs. But someone has to go to the beach.
***
©Phillip Bruce 2009.
At Santiago de la Ribera, on the shores of the Mar Menor, Europe´s largest inland sea, the beach was pristine, the sea and sky deep blue and only a few people strolling about enjoying the day. We joined them and rolled Sharon´s wheelchair right down to the water´s edge, as there are wooden paths laid on the sand and a special shaded area for the disabled. We hadn´t brought our swimming costumes but enjoyed sitting and watching the anchored boats and doing nothing at all.
A lady arrived with a push chair with her new baby and two young boys. The lads were soon fooling around in the sand and paddling in the water, just like lads should. She was on holiday visiting her family but normally lives in Germany with her husband, who was hard at work there.
Little fish darted around in the crystal clear shallows. These are fartet, only three or four centimeters long. They are able to thrive in salty water, such as that of the enclosed Mar Menor, which is dotted with lagoons where the water is evaporated to produce natural sea salt – an industry that dates back at least to Roman times. Patches of posidonia grass could be seen here and there on the sandy bottom. This is not a seaweed but a grass that has adapted to marine life. Both the fish and the grass need the cleanest of clean water to survive.
But we weren´t there to study nature but to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine on our faces and the quiet and peace.
After half an hour or so we rolled a little way back from the beach and found a little bar for café con leche and croissants.
People have all sorts of different jobs. But someone has to go to the beach.
***
©Phillip Bruce 2009.
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