Beach Reading

July 20, 2009

This past weekend was all about the beach. Although the wind did kick up a bit and if you dared to enter the sea were more than likely tossed about like a child's rag doll, it was a divine weekend of sun, sun, and more sun, perfect for extending the tan I acquired while on the Costa Brava for two weeks. As far as the lit I was delving into on the beach, it was, well, a bit to brain-challenging for a lazy day enjoying sun and tintos de verano, so much so it made me fall fast asleep, even numbing my extremities. If only the beach I went to (Ocata, 20min. out on the train, in the Mataro direction and it IS in zone 1 for all your metro card carriers) had BiblioPlatges, the temporary library shacks set up during the summer.

Set up by the Ayuntamiento and BCN's web of libraries, they are found in two BCN beachspots: Espigon de Bac de Roda and Centro de la Playa (Barceloneta, in front of Hospital de Mar, below the boardwalk), and hope to promote reading.

As I said before,I made the unfortunate choice to bring a quite in-depth book with me to the beach, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, a lovely gift bestowed to me by a former roommate, but more for at home reading with incense burning, then on the sunny beach. After all, my brain couldn't fully wrap itself around the idea that I need to observe my thoughts and emotions, and not actually experience them and live in the now, disregarding time, while on the beach. Maybe it was the fact that little kids were about, but all I kept thinking was, "great, be in the now, but what about parents whose children have swim lessons at 7pm, how do they live in the now and not get bogged down my schedules." All a bit too much for me, should have stuck to a fashion mag or mystery novel, something lighter, after all, once the sun starts to beat down, and you've thrown back a couple of tinto de veranos, clarity is one of the first things that slips away.

If only I had the one of the 96 novels, 56 comics, 17 newspapers or 23 mags to choose from at the BiblioPlatges. Open Mon-Sun from 11am-6pm, the Bac de Roda stand will be up until August 31st and the Barceloneta locale until Sept. 30th.

Also, if you are looking for some fun lit, that will stand up to the tough stuff at the beach, try one of the titles from DuraBooks (water-resistant books), see Related Links.

So, I will power myself through my spiritual book at home, and while at the beach pick up something a bit lighter! Happy Reading and summer!