Lola’s Restaurant and Bar, Mojacar Playa

On Saturday Mick and I had a real day off – unless we leave the Cortijo, we do all kinds of worky things which we just can’t resist!  “Oh I will just do this or that for half an hour” but it never is – it always ends up being half the day or more!  So, I reminded him that ‘we’ had decided to go to the beach for the day.  All we had to do was pick one.  So we chose Mojacar as it is lovely and lively at this time of year, without being unbearable.  We have lots of favourites down there, and the great thing is that you can hire beds and umbrellas for a few euros each (I think it is 7 for 2 beds and a shade right on the water).

Mojacar beach is a mere 20 minute drive from here and it is truly gorgeous.  Seldom in other parts of Spain are you able to drive right along the coast adjacent to the beach without there being at least one line of property all along the front – well you can here and as you drive around the corner from Garrucha, there it is – the beautiful, turquoise Mediterranean and an expanse of sand which stretches for miles and miles.

To reach all the beach bars is around another 5 minute drive, past the little shopping centre and the Parador – and there are the beach bars – lots of them and all good. Mauiis a favourite but on Saturdays it gets incredibly busy in the late afternoon with lots of good looking kids taking a look at each other!  So we park up on the beach (how fabulous is that!) and then walk along the shore to Lola’s, the third or fourth one along.  They have comfy beds both on the beach, and yes, chillout beds in the restaurant itself if you want to lie down with a cocktail in full shade!  It is just fantastic fun and puts you in mind of a Californian beach restaurant, with its bleached driftwood style.

You can have a great lunch at most of the bars it has to be said – Mick and I were good and had salads and mineral water as I am on a bit of a bikini diet!!!  But there are lots of delicious things to choose from if you want a long, lingering lunch.  Be warned, in Spain it is advisable to turn up for lunch at 1.30 or 3.30 – the Spaniards descend at 2 p.m.pretty much on the dot, and you can wait a long time to be served and forever if you don’t have a reservation.  What Mick and I normally do, is arrive at the beach, pick our restaurant and reserve a table anyway.  That way there are no disappointments and if you are new to the area it is fun to mooch along the beach looking at menu’s and maybe stopping for a coffee or a beer before a bit of sunbathing.

No wonder this is my favourite time of year!