Day 36: Port Aventura

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We headed towards Solou which is South of Barcelona, having booked our hotel San Costa Daurada which must mean something in Spanish. For us it means a humungous hotel with air-conditioning with lunch and breakfast included. Having flung our bags into the room, we had a quick lunch with chips Billy didn’t like, Kimmy getting stuck into the mountain of smoked salmon and Will enjoyed actually sitting at a table with cutlery and thought the cakes and custard were worth a second visit. Fuelled up we headed to Park Aventure amusement park 2kms up the road.

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We arrived at 4.00pm and discovered that things take time in Spain: queuing up for tickets, rides etc only to be greeted vaguely and thus, The Spanish Inquisition!! You do meet people to talk to, and you get to watch large families traveling together in clumps with at least one pusher loaded with a giant stuffed toy, and a Spanish mamma keeping the group on track by volume control.

The Park is laid out in themes. China, Mexico, Frontier Land, Polynesia and each were beautifully presented

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The Park was spread over many kilometers and we sure did some walking. Despite the shortage of water, the gardens were lush and shady and lots of refreshment stops. We went on train rides, merry-go-rounds, dodgem cars and of course rollercoasters. We have a policy..No spinning tea-cups!! Only a couple of rides Billy was too short to go on and he loved most of rides... again and again. Will to tall for some of the kid’s rides so lucky Kimmy got to fill that role. As the night grew on the queues subsided, and we went on some more water rides to get drenched on!! The Park is laid out in themes. China, Mexico, Frontier Land, Polynesia and each were beautifully presented and authentic as can be possible. You kind of knew when you’d arrived somewhere because the theme music blaring changed we walked the Great Wall of China and watched a crowd of kids getting squirted by a large dragon fountain. .Billy went on a huge dragon playground until he was red in the face and needed hosing off. Dodgem cars were a favorite with all of us perhaps it was because it was easier than driving in Palermo.

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Back to the hotel at 11.00pm to discover the Spanish version of Battle of the Sexes was poolside, popular and loud. Billy got a cool bath to wash the dirty off, and fell straight to sleep. He has been in excellent health and either running or jumping throughout the trip!!

TOOL OF THE DAY

One: The hotel for invoicing us $24E for Billy, most hotels don’t, and he ate three chips from the buffet!!

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Two: Spanish theme park music!!