Mountains & Lakes Tour for L

Monday 19^th February

I got up early and did the blog and checked weather….looks good and better than forecast. J and L got up about 9 and had a lazy breakfast and discussed what to do….shop in Marbella, or the mountain and lake trip we had planned for 1 of the days.

They plumped for the Lakes and J & L went off to bank to get money to pay Antonio for the railings and Pavisan for the tiles. I did a bit of painting around front door and where border tiles should be. On their return, we drove to see Antonio and pay cash of 330 € ….not bad for the front door frame, railings and security window grill (reja). Then drove to Pizarra to pay for tiles ….a bit cheaper than expected @ 150 €.

Then drove on via Alora , a white village clinging to 2 hills , with a huge cemetery on one of the hills looking a bit like a castle……closer to God. Then took the El Chorro road to the gorge, a poorly maintained road falling away in places…..stopped a few times for pics and L to pick some lemons. Then drove up to Bobastro, and to the Bar La Mesa standing on top of a mountain with superb views ……much wailing from J about the bends etc, and also from L at the entrance to Bar Mesa ….a dirt track with a sheer drop on one side ……”nice views to the right”….

We had coffees and hot chocolate with jesus cakes…..sort of apple pastries…sitting outside in the sun admiring the views. La Mesa is an old fashioned Spanish bar, with traditional tapas (queso and Iberian Jamon), and quails in tiny cages ……being fattened up for some festival perhaps ?....

Back down the mountain…..again a poorly maintained rutted road…and on to the nearby lakes, which are normally turquoise, but were a greeny grey due to the weak sun and cloud. Went to a look-out (El Mirador) for scenic views of the lakes….again specactular views of lakes, mountains and olive groves planted in rows on the lower hills.

On to the restaurant for lunch….L had sole and we had chicken, with a delicious egg custard with burnt sugar on top …..creme catelania…..Amusing neighbours on their “blanket tour “ up from Torremolinos…..a free tour of a bedding and blanket factory apparently, with a scenic bit and lunch stop thrown in apparently.

After lunch, on to Teba Castle…..drove a bit up the newly renovated approaches planted with lavender and trees. The Castle was just as impressive as before…..in a magnificent state of disrepair…..L and I climbed up the tower, again with fantastic views …..forgot to bring a torch, as one can visit the dungeons, but no lights. A shepherd was there with a large flock of sheep ……very Spanish ambiance.

Then drove across the plains to Alozina for tea at the bar we used to frequent and chatted to madam, who remembered us. Then had a walk around the town and showed L the house where we stayed, and also the church and the remaining city walls where Theresa hurled swarms of bees on attackers to drive them away, saving the town.

Then on to Coin down the camino rural country road and to La Trocha for J and L to shop. I drove over to Pizarra to collect the tiles from the Pavisan yard on the outskirts of town….then back via the country road there and stopped to look at some wading birds in the Quadalhorse river……black and white birds with long red legs and long black beaks…..looked up in bird book Peter gave me, and they turned out to be Black-Winged Stilts …..never seen them before …..

We visited our favourite bar in the evening to introduce L to bacalao and enchilada salad.