Contributed by my truckbuddy Tim from England, now resident in Spain:
Tim’s Take on Spain – The Boys Of Summer
One of summer’s simple joys for Partner and me is pizza on the beach of a Sunday evening, washed down with a glass or two of chilled wine, naturally! We’ll watch the sunset and the people, and we’ll chat with the boys who own and run the place – our ‘boys’ of summer. Which is a good excuse to play our first musical piece.
This version of the old Don Henley classic is by German DJ Ole Van Dansk and was filmed in Lagos, Portugal, so it has a suitable Euro-Iberian feel to it. It is in the ‘House Trance’ style apparently . . . no, I don’t know either, but it does grow on you!
Whilst many other blogs have already marked the official end of summer, the tourist ‘summer’ season here on the Costa del Sol actually runs on into late October. So this ‘Tim’s Take’ is my own ‘seasonally adjusted’ contribution to mark the event! But first, dear reader, some introductions. This is Sergio . . .
. . . and this is his elder brother, Carlos.
Together they run one of our favourite
chiringuitos – Royal Beach.
The upstairs restaurant has a ‘Pirate’ theme; hence Carlos’s get-up. When Partner and I visited the west-coast of America a couple of years back, Carlos and Sergio asked if we could bring back some ‘Pirate’ paraphernalia for the restaurant. Monterey and San Diego provided plenty of fine samples. I can only imagine the customs officers faces when they found the ‘booty’ buried in our suitcases – a cutlass, a flintlock pistol, even a hook for a missing hand, plus pieces of eight and an eye patch! All plastic, I hasten to add, and today they join a lot of other piratical bric-a-brac decorating the walls and ceiling. Not to my taste perhaps, but the kids love it! And happy kids = happy customers = more doubloons!
Besides pizzas, it also serves the most wonderfully fresh seafood. Both brothers are keen fishermen, and Sergio is always keen to display the latest catch! Here he is with a couple of magnificent candy-striped
urtas, red-banded sea bass. They have soft, white flesh, with a subtle, delicate flavour, and are one of the restaurant’s specialities. They might be called Red Snappers where you live.
‘The Royal’ as we call it, is just a short ten minute drive down the hill from our home, and has become a favourite destination for Partner, Lulu and me on a summer’s Sunday evening. We have known Carlos and Sergio since we moved here nine years ago. Carlos can appear quite stern, but underneath he has a wickedly dry sense of humour. He is the business man of the two and takes his responsibilities very seriously. And he still ‘looks out’ for his younger brother, even though they are now both in their thirties. Sergio is always happy, a natural joker and an excellent chef. A perfect foil to Carlos.
Over the years we have watched them take over the reins of the little family business from their late father, and grow it into one of the most popular
chiringuitos in the area. We have shared many happy times with Carlos and Sergio, and some sad ones too. We are very fond of them both, although saying hello can sometimes be a painful business. Both brothers are quite strong and when your arm has been punched, or your shoulder squeezed in friendly greeting, you know it! But the pleasure is worth the pain! I think this studly gentleman might give as good as he got though! Probably one of their ‘martial arts’ friends (see later).
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