Walkabout: Stiges: AbFab!

After spending a few days here, one gets the sense that if Patton decided to land his army in Stiges during WWII that they would have landed in the middle of a huge disco party with each soldier greeted with a Red Bull (diet) and vodka. Instead of being declared "Victorious," they would have instead been declared "Absolutely Fabulous!"

Getting Your Groove On

If there is a routine to Stiges, it goes something like this. You wake up at 10 a.m. and find a light bite to start your day. Then, it's off to the beach to nap or perhaps take a walk or jog. At 2 p.m., it's time to think about lunch and muscles aren't a bad suggestion. Back to the beach or, if you are feeling ambitious, walk the entire length of the nine beaches so you can see all of the waterfront. No need to rush, but you'll want to be ready for dinner by 9 p.m. or so. You don't want to go before 9 p.m. and things start to slow down on non-weekend nights at restaurants around 11 p.m. 

The Good Stuff

The cuisine is a real treat here. It's amazing to see just how much of the bounty of the sea is on display every single meal. Whether it's shellfish paella, lobster stew, black rice a razor clams, dorado (sea bass), gambas (prawns often served as tapas), it's just mind boggling to see how much is served from the sea every single day. Meals are often influenced by saffron, paprika, onion, peppers and garlic, so you can imagine how flavorful the bright red-orange plates are that you are served. Not ready for a big meal? No problem. Tapas are a great way to go. Go to places like El Cable in Old Town and you can enjoy as much or as little with flavorful bites served with either Estrella, the local beer, or Damm Lemon, beer and lemonade that is popular here. 

Still, some restaurants try and buck the trend for vacationing Europeans seeking something new and exciting. "Oriental Tapas" will get you sushi. There's a "Road House" in town that serves burgers, hot dogs and Budweiser. Down the beach from us, there's a TexMex place called Jalapeneos and a Brazilian grill place where you get your own individual BBQ and an Italian place that is the first to fill-up and the last to empty out as tourists decide to have that Catalan favorite, pizza.  Seriously, my advice to you is to have what the locals have. If it's bright red/orange and full of seafood, give it a go. 

The Beach

Used to U.S. beaches? Well, there are a few difference here. First of all, your neighbors maybe topless,  bottomless or both. Just go with it. For me, the biggest difference was the noise level. People don't come to the beach to veg. The come to talk...a lot. With 100 conversations going on 5-10 languages, it's quite a "conversation blender" you find yourself in. Still, close your eyes and take it all in, even if you don't understand enough to know whether or not your neighbors are talking about you.

Nothing Beats Tradition

Even in Stiges, nothing brings the family together more than a traditional walk after dinner. Since we generally ate late, this was an 11:30 p.m. to midnight walk through Old Town. You can imagine what Stiges might have been like as a fishing village as you hear the sounds of Abba, Gloria Gaynor and Beyonce wafting through the streets. Come to the hub of Old Town and you'll see a sea of hundreds of men, seated two by two, waiting to get their groove on as the nearby clubs ramp up. "Look son, it's a transvestite singing show tunes!" "Look son, it's a cross dresser singing Motown!" These are the times that etch memories into young minds and I have no doubt that our kids will remember their time in Stiges. If Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, we may have possibly found one of the gayest...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Seriously, I'd come back to Stiges in a heartbeat and I'd bring the whole family. Sure, if you are a straight family here you are in the 20% minority along with some lost British tourists working on their first tan. Still, you feel welcome and can't help feel like you are part of the festivities. It's also led to some interesting conversations with our kids about gays and lesbians. It turns out that in high school the gay kids are seen as the fun ones and that the Pride Parade in SF is a sought after destination for fun, regardless of your sexual orientation. For middle schoolers, gay is just not that big of deal. Some people are, some people aren't...end of story. Things have come a long way since I was in high school in California's Central Valley. 

Overall, I would highly recommend Stiges as a destination to relax and get a taste of Spain. You don't need to pack much, just some shorts, a couple shirts and, if so inclined, that bright orange Speedo you've been saving. It's up to you whether or not you decide to wear the Speedo when you get here.