Tobogon schmogon

Cala Galdana has always been a regular stop for the Bureboy tribe, for the beach and the eats. A grand sweeping bay always sheltered from the sea. We have been in the rain, one year it rained the whole fortnight and we were the only ones on the whole of this great sweep of sand. It was here that Commander in Chief, who set off with Auntie Ruth to find a rumoured isolated cove first succumbed to her curse, "hot head"

Way back when, we favoured the road in side of the beach (left of the bay above, and the snack bars there, or perhaps the El Mirador, perched on the rocky outcrop above but for many years  not using the part of beach at it's feet

When we did migrate round it was for the boys to fish in the rocks and watch the volley ball

and eat and slide at the Tobogan. Yes, that is a large, red tap seemingly supported on a column of water. Majoring in pizza, and damn fine crispy, thin wood cooked pizza up to crazy size at that. The menu, in Spanish, German and English showed every single dish. literally on a dish in a picture just so you got what you wanted. Cheap enough for a starter if you didn't have crazy size pizza.  I always went localish to start, perhaps chipiriones (fried baby squid), or mussels, and if having a pizza seafood special. I did have half a chicken once, lovely and crisp fried skin, and raw inside. It was returned, microwaved and sitting back on the salad and chips, just as I had left them when I sent it back. I did not eat it. Which for me means it was very raw.

As the tribe youngers got  a bit older we opted to arrive at about 1-2ish, lunch then beach rather than an early start and  be banging on the door (it's open plan but you get my meaning) at a respectable English with kids at 12 on the dot.Either way, and with beer and/or sangria metabolised with swim, snorkel, fishing, bat and ball we would head back to the river side of the Tobogan and dispatch the tribe  with a bag of tokens to ride the slides topped by that huge red hovering tap. and have drinks and ice creams. One year, having been convinced that we had spotted Inspector Beech from Operation Good Guys before lunch, already bouyed by that  at post beach slide we were seated next to Liverpool, Newcastle and England superstar John Barnes. No, he wasn't wearing that dodgy Cup Final suit but very orange shorts. John Barnes, your actual John Barnes. John Barnes, wonder goal against Brazil. In the flesh, en famile. Didn't pap him though he is in a video, shot in the year of Crazy Dad which is currently  under reporting restrictions. And is also on VHS. Which apparently is lame, and certainly not heading for a vinyl type revival so won't be on You tube anytime soon.


First things first,. In years past the Me 1 snaked it's way through Fererries and a steep drop which Titular Head  (me) had grown to tolerate, not entirely fear. At the top of this white knuckle ride the left hand Cala Galdana turn off, past the stables and regular horse show restaurant was a calming return to near normal pulse and equilibrium. Now there is a bypass and tunnel which means  no clenched jaw, painful grip on steering wheel. (I am never ever going up Monte Toro in a car though , even if it is now nearly all 2 lane road now).

What do you mean, you don't like change? That's it.  Things have changed. Even at Tobogan. No scary eyes waiter. Gaunt waiter is fuller of face No pictures on the menu. And no crazy sized pizza. They had even forgotten to turn on the water on the giant levitating red tap, ruining for ever childhood awe and wander on how it worked. Same paper place mats, and same slide tokens (an impressive 27 goes for 5 Euro) But a mediocre "Gourmet burger" in ciabatta for 10 Euro? And  wrong drinks. I didn't have enough change to not leave  a whopping 20 Euro tip so scraped together about 3 and a half  Euro loose change. (Well, there is 6% IVA). I am not sure if the post beach drinks did actually  taste slightly funny but the low post prandial tip certainly had been noted..... never  mind, the slide was enjoyed by all who had a go And I did a mighty long swim around the El Mirador rock and back under the footbridge.Nearly under the glass bottom boat.

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