We were ready to stop travelling for a few days and make the most of Mark and Maria’s lovely home in Camallera. The house is about 10 minutes from the Mediterranean and has views of the Pyrenees mountains. Since we last visited a pool has been installed in the garden and we were all set for some R&R after our adventures. We had just one pressing objective, laundry!

We had no specific plans for our time in Camallera but we had heard mention of a belated birthday surprise for Mark on Friday. It turned out that Mark and Maria had booked a table at Esprit Roca a seriously foody restaurant in the hills over looking Girona. The Roca family have run restaurants in Girona for many years and have won multiple Michelin stars. Esprit Roca is a new venture run by three brothers. It is in a stunning hilltop location a former villa/fort, it acquired its first Michelin star this year.

We arrived in good time to enjoy the views, look round an exhibition about the Roca family and their history and visit a small shop selling gifts and books. When we were ready we were escorted to our table via the wine cellar (80,000 bottles all chosen and placed in racks by one of the brothers), and the kitchen.

After a complimentary cocktail the waiter brought us the menu. There was an a la carte menu and two set menus, both set menus started with two appetizers then 6/2 had six savoury courses and two deserts, and 2/6 had (you guessed it) two savoury courses and six desserts. We all went for 6/2.

It is impossible to describe the lunch we enjoyed, it was fantastic, the food was amazing, the presentation stunning and the service perfect. We all enjoyed every moment. When we finished we went out into the garden where we sat and had coffee and petit four. It was an unforgettable experience and a very generous treat.

After lunch we picked up my niece Mia from the station. She was home from University in Barcelona for the weekend, she started a course in dentistry this year and told us all about it, she is loving being a student and living in Barcelona.

For the rest of the weekend we chilled out back at the house, we caught up with Mia and her brother Max who has started his Baccalaureate this year. We enjoyed some fabulous home cooking (nothing beats it). We went to the nearby town of L’Escala for coffee and made the most of the garden and the pool.

On Sunday Maria’s friend Galia joined us for lunch, she is from Israel and moved back there when the war started two years ago. It was very interesting hearing her talk about her experience over the last two years, the atmosphere in Israel and her thoughts about what happens next. Galia is now planning to move back to Spain and after lunch she and Maria went to view an apartment in Camallera which is available to rent (it wasn’t suitable).

All too soon it was time to close our suitcase, now full of clean clothes, head for Girona station and on to Paris, London and finally Penzance. We will be home by 08.00 tomorrow morning.