With a fresh instant coffee in hand, sitting on the loading platform, on the cul-de-sac on the Mirador de Punta Pilota, a cliff between a paradisiacal bay sheltered by a high mountain and the rough ocean, relaxation finally arrived. A wonderful and almost untraceable place where campers and contemporary hipsters are tolerated to spend the night after having witnessed an amazing sunset. Relaxing means just sitting down and doing nothing, no thinking, no working, no nothing, just enjoying being there and going nowhere. Dolce far niente, but then in Spanish (no hacer nada, but that doesn’t have the same sound …). A bit of observing, is all that’s left to do.
It is still early, the beach still narrow and the sea still virgin empty in the morning sun that shines over the mountains. A special ritual begins to show itself in the strip between the meager dry beach and the rolling and breaking waves in which a single surfer is entertaining himself; parading gentlemen. First two, then three and finally four parading, naked men. They seem to have a fixed route, each with its own pace and, after a while, recognizable steps. There is one that always walks along the same line, another one continues (or is he on the way back?) left at the end, the third occasionally passes between the rocks before he gets back in line and finally there is one that reads and therefore is less steady in direction.
Although each has its own way, they also meet each other on the narrow strip, passing in two or three at the same time, but not actually. No nodding, no moving feet, no sign of recognition of each other’s strolling, deftly choosing the avoidance path, so during my second coffee they continue undisturbed back and forth.
Then two ladies join the Parade de la Playa, completely against the prevailing mores dressed in bikini and lively conversing. The same ignoring of gentlemen who continue marching unabatedly. When the beach starts to fill up, parasols and towels are occupied, the parading gentlemen disappear into the crowd where they no longer stand out. And yet, once in a while, I see an unmistakable step for a moment.
The sea water is quite lovely.