Blog

At first glance, they all look the same. One umbrella. Two sun loungers.

Sometimes a deck chair or an extra chair breaks the perfect symmetry of the beach. That unmistakable turquoise seems to melt into the sky and the sea, creating an endless ribbon of blue. And yet, all it takes is a few minutes to stop and really look, and you’ll realise that no two umbrellas are ever the same. Each one tells a story.

Whenever I walk among the umbrellas at Altamarea Beach Village, I often find myself imagining the people behind them. Because even without knowing them, sometimes all you have to do is notice what they’ve left behind to understand something about who they are.

There’s the umbrella belonging to the big family. The one surrounded by children’s toys scattered everywhere, with buckets constantly changing hands. Colourful bags, striped bags, polka dot bags resting on chairs, towels drying in the sun. It almost looks like a little rainbow.

Very often, though, that umbrella is empty. The children are at the Mini Club, the whole family is in the sea or off on a pedal boat. All that’s left behind are four pairs of flip flops in different sizes, hurriedly abandoned in the sand by people who simply couldn’t wait to dive into the water.

A little further along is the umbrella of the couple who love to read. Two open books left on their loungers while they go for a swim. One beach bag each. A water bottle. Sunglasses carefully placed beside them. Everything is simple, tidy and peaceful.

Very different is the umbrella of someone who has brought their dog on holiday. Just look at the sand. Tiny paw prints lead in every direction and there’s a small hole dug with great enthusiasm. In the shade sits a bowl of fresh water, always available at Bau Beach, perhaps with a lead resting beside the lounger. Your four-legged friend has found their place too. And you can tell.

Then there are the umbrellas where generations come together. Grandparents arrive early, carefully arrange towels and bags, read the newspaper or complete a crossword. Their grandchildren are already busy building sandcastles. Later, they’ll all head off to Baby Dance together.

There’s also the umbrella of the people who come back every summer. You recognise it because it already feels at home. Neighbours stop by to say hello, the lifeguard knows everyone’s name and somebody always pauses for a friendly chat. It’s an umbrella that began telling its story many summers ago and adds another chapter every single year.

At Altamarea Beach Village, every umbrella holds far more than two sun loungers and a few towels.

It holds a story.