Spanish views from a small town

Ahh, the beach in summertime. When you're young, a towel, some sunscreen, a book at the most, and you're off, to lie in the sun with your friends. Someone might take a soccer ball. Someone else a couple of paddles and a ball. If it's windy, perhaps a windbreaker to set up on the sand and sit out of the wind. That's it. When you're still young but have that special relationship with that special person, you might spend the night together on the beach. When you're older and have children, the equipment grows. A small folding table, folding chairs, a pack of sandwiches and some water bottles. Toys of all kinds, small bodyboards for children, floating devices. But before you head for the beach, check out the prohibitions. There is one good thing on Spanish beaches; they're all public and free. Even if the private property of a millionnaire reaches to the shoreline, the beach is public. No small jewel of a sandy spot is off limits to anyone, even though you mig...