Last Shopping Day

Thursday 22^nd February

Another nice day weather-wise, and we did the local market, and La Trocha to get R’s wedding cuff-links.

Then back to the house for a final pack and loaded L’s suitcases (including an extra one for the shopping haul) , and then drove to Malaga and walked through old quarter, where there are lots of wedding shops …..disaster..….all closed as it was 3.30 pm….We then walked to the Cathedral for coffee and then a long walk to Italian garden (closed with lots of building work along main promenade area …..aiming for Easter completion I guess) …and walked round harbour/port and along front and back along promenade to old quarter…..the wedding shops were now all open …., but L failed to get white wedding sandals she wanted……nothing in white until the Spring collections arrive.

Then off to the Aerepuerto ..heavy traffic…..dropped L off about 6.30 pm for her 8.30 pm flight.

Friday 23^rd February

We both slept in late for a change …..weather sunny but cloudy later. Did some key administration to renew car tax Then off to Locutorio to have an e mail session and phone calls , including planning a USA reunion trip, taking in New York the previous week.

Decided on menu del dia as late (3 pm) , but not so good as usual….proably as so late.

Home to potter and read paper …couldn’t settle so we went to Quadalhorse at Pizarra to birdwatch……a few black-winged stilts, swallows and some greeny warblers we couldn’t identify.

More Costa Shopping

Wednesday 21^st February

Again, the weather was fine and sunny. Ricardo arrived at 9 am to apologise for not turning up recently…..he was busy at the Irishman’s house as he was coming on Sunday , and he had to finish off the tiling , and had run out of tiles etc. etc….obviously quite stressed , and we said next Wednesday would be fine for finishing off jobs. At least he took the cement mixer away……having been in the front room for 5 months !!

We shopped in Fuengirola at El Corre Inglesis…..a high quality expensive Department store ….where L was allocated a “personal shopper” ….a guide to help choose her wedding jewellery…..a stunning pearl necklace and set of pearl earings!!

On to Benalmadena port for lunch and more shopping, and then on to Torremolinos for a walk down to the front, finding a small shop where L bought the bridesmaids gifts.

Home and then at one of our favourite restaurants ….attached to the BP garage !!, where I had my regular plato de Montez (Mountain platter), and we watched Liverpool beat Barcelona 2:1……excellent match.

Marbella Shopping

Tuesday 20^th February

The weather was rainy and overcast today, so it was a good decision to do the touristy bit yesterday. We drove to Marbella to La Cañada (the huge hypermarket complex) for a megashop, whilst I drove into town to find a Locutorio and catch up on a few e mails. We met up at 2 pm for lunch at La Cañada and to show off their haul…..J had a couple of wedding dresses for “Mother of the Bride” and L had found a few bargains as well! We all shopped for another hour or so (I got a suit and a jacket …both for 19.99 €…cheaper than Asda !!, and then on to Malaga Carrefour for more of the same.

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.

Carnival in Fuengirola

Sunday 18^th February

We got up early to a beautiful sunny day, although with a cold, biting wind blowing.

We drove to Fueringerola to the internet café, J went off to watch a carnival, whilst I tried to upload my Mike Sanchez video to Youtube…..took about 30 minutes and got up to 92% completion before freezing, so that was a bit of a nuisance. Posted the blog and pics, and J returned, and she did a few e mails and checked the weather……not so good, with showers and cloud for rest of week when L is here…..however, she searched a number of other weather websites , looking for the best weather !! Bought an English paper, which turned out to have the best weather forecast, so she settled for that !!

We spent the afternoon in Fuengirola promenading along the front, before going to the aeropuerto (airport) via the Benalmadena Park, which was crowded with families enjoying the afternoon sun, and on to Torremolinos for a walk and dinner, as L’s plane was delayed an hour or so.

We then drove to the aeropuerto at Malaga which is undergoing major reconstruction, getting there about 8.30 pm …….nightmare to park. The plane got in at 9.07 having picked up time, and L got out first , spotting her “L H” sign. We then drove home for an inspection of the house…..quite impressed, particularly hall lights and porch. We then went up to the town, but most bars were closed or closing, so went home for toast, cheese, tuna and olives …..and red wine of course, whilst L and J caught up with news.