It was in the middle of July 1998 when I set foot on the beach for the first time, specifically, the busiest area of Chipiona. At that time, I was only five months old and the memories are non-existent, but my parents still remember it as if we had experienced it yesterday. So my connection with the sea is inexplicable and I have been going to my annual appointment for more than 25 years.
In all these years, I have added thousands of memories, but I have also had the fortune of letting myself be carried away by other corners of the world. In a stroke of chance, always driven by one of the best people I have in my life, I discovered what has become one of my favorite beaches. It has a special charm and, above all, it is not overcrowded. Visiting Chipiona frequently is a quality that is appreciated.
This is Catalan Bay, one of the beaches in Gibraltar. Throughout my life, up to that point I had not been to the neighborhood more than five times, but I always walked along the iconic shopping street and back. On many occasions, I spent more time in line at customs than I spent there.
By chance, I found a beach surrounded by some very pretty colored houses and even a church (Our Lady of Sorrows) on the same promenade from which the procession takes place in September. It is located on the east side of the rock and it is necessary to get there by car or bike, but it is worth it. In addition, it has a nearby parking lot, ideal for us to spend the day relaxing and without worries.
Another detail worth highlighting, although there was none a few weeks ago, is the presence of seagulls. These are the hosts and it is not advisable to confront them because if not, they could attack us, especially if we have food in sight, but they are usually harmless. By having so much space between the umbrellas, tranquility and peace are easy to achieve and, although it is a limited area, another great virtue is that if you go with small children you will not have the fear of them getting lost and getting lost. One of the differences that we can appreciate with Chipiona and, I can speak about this in first person because it happened to me.
Three theories and one name
The bay of the Catalans as it is known in Spanish has three theories regarding its name. The first of them has to do with a group of more than 300 Catalan soldiers who, supposedly, settled there after having helped the Anglo-Dutch forces that took Gibraltar during the War of the Spanish Succession on August 4, 1704.
The second theory is that this name was born after the conquest of Gibraltar. And the third suggests that it may come from a mispronunciation of caleta in English. The inhabitants of this place during the 17th and 18th centuries were Genoese fishermen. Genoese was spoken there well into the 19th century and disappeared completely in the first decades of the 20th century.
The passage of time
I returned to my beach a week ago and, although time had passed and many things had changed, the feeling of serenity and being at home took over me. For a moment, I forgot about everything and focused on enjoying the place and the people who accompanied me. Although it was a weekend marked by unstable weather, the sun came out to give me a day full of joy and love. I hope to return soon and continue sharing experiences.
Thank you, Catalan Bay.
