A cow and a fold up umbrella

 If there's one iconic memory which comes to mind everytime it rains or I go to collect my umbrella just in case, it's the Ale Hop cow.

It started out as a beautiful day, and by 09:30 temperatures were already moving into the 80s . I knew it was going to be a lovely one for the beach but checking my phone, I noted thunderstorms were possible later that afternoon. 

I fancied a walk first and that much-needed coffee, so wandered down to the small Ale Hop outlet not far from where I was staying and picked up one of their folding umbrellas for €8 and returned to the beach via a lovely little café for a much needed shot of caffeine.

So beach, setup, strip off, swim, stand and drip for a while and then doze in the increasingly hazy sunshine. I patted my bag knowing the recent purchase would probably be in use very shortly. I hadn't reckoned on just heavily the rain would fall, however.

Suddenly, I became aware the seagulls had quieted and the sea itself had calmed, almost muted in its waves. Opening my eyes to this change in Nature's reaction,  I looked back toward the mountains and watched thick,  black clouds rolling down towards the sea.

I'd spotted it before many other sun worshippers and they watched somewhat bemused by my springing into action; top clothes back on, pack the towel and beach wear away, take out the umbrella and walk quickly back up the beach. 

Within minutes of me stepping onto the pavement the heavens opened and we were presented with a truly tropical storm. Rain fell like curtains and the paths were like rivers within minutes. Water cascaded onto the beach and turned the hot, black sands into a soggy mud, clogging wheels on children's buggies.

I watched, brollie already up, as the people who'd stared at me moments before, scrambled to gather their stuff, throwing wet, sandy towels into bags, top clothes wet, children crying, buggies stuck, people laden with "stuff" too wet to do anything with. 

All scrambling up the beach attempting to move against the soggy landslide of sand as they sunk into it. Children screaming, people fighting to get everything up a narrow flight of steps, getting stuck, getting soaked, children crying louder as they are now wet through and getting cold.....mothers shouting, fathers yelling, hunting for car keys. Boots opening, belongings thrown in, doors opening and screaming, crying children pushed inside, still in beachwear with black sandy feet and hands. Inwardly I grinned.

Today, I packed the brollie into my bag and remembered; that was last year.....what a different year that was.