A Final Walk in Malaga...

 Pedregalejo was once a small fishing village. All that remains of those days are memories. It is now a very trendy place to go to enjoy the view of the Mediterranean while enjoying some delicious fish. So on our last full sunny day the four of us set off with our guide, Javi and fellow traveler Ingrid to find out more about this area of Malaga.

There are some remnants of the fishing activity left in this area. And the fish are still prepared in the same way. New residents of the village enjoy the more relaxed way of life here, a bit removed from the pace of life in Malaga.

We started with tinto de verano (red wine with sweet fizzy water, ice and orange slice) with a beautiful view of the beach and water. Then we strolled further along the shore to what was once boat storage and more wine with tapas.

As we strolled on we saw the homes which were owned by the fishermen, many still are or are now owned by family members. A beautiful street filled with tiny surprises.

  As we walked along we noticed the fires and the fish being grilled in boats in front of the restaurants. Soon we were seated and sampling different types of fish typical of the area.

Our time in Malaga couldn't come to an end without one last visit to Cervante's a restaurant just down the street which Dennis and I liked very much.  The food was good, the wine tasty,  with a wonderful staff who were always welcoming and found room for us. 

And so our time in Malaga came to an end. It was an incredible and wonderful month. And now on to Cordoba.

A final word from Dennis on Malaga: 

Malaga, founded 2000 years ago, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Controlled by the Romans at the time of Christ, it was then taken over by the Moors (Muslims from Morocco) around 200 AD. Around 1492 (remember Columbus?) the Spanish under Isabel and Ferdinand gained control of the entire Iberian peninsula from the Moors. With that short history lesson, if you want to see how each culture left its mark, take a trip to Malaga, Spain. Its all still there and you can see, feel, and experience it for yourself today. Like wine (vino), Spanish food (tapas), and history. It's all still here. In the meantime this blog will give you a brief idea of what to expect if you decide to visit. (wink, wink) 😉😉

Comida with Bonnie and David

     Off the four of us went in a taxi to Benajarafe, a small town outside of Malaga. We were visiting Bonnie and David, MaryEllen's neighbors in Westchester. They bought land in 1973 in this town and had their house built. They have put in many hours into the building of it, the gardens and decorating. They have been bringing their family here ever since, it is home!

    Part of traveling is meeting people and getting to know part of their stories. How has life been for them? Where have they been? What do they want? Are they happy? As I get to know people, that is always what I want for them--happiness. Perhaps there has been sadness in their lives but joy also. Isn't that what we all seek? This is a beautiful home full of color and life, filled with pictures by artists and of family. Lovely.

    We went to lunch at a beautiful restaurant that is now run by the family of the original owners, Restaurante La Plata Casa Matilde. David ordered a fabulous lunch for us with the best white wine. Just delicious. 

It was so tasty, that I stopped taking photos and just ate. I've never had fish as good as what we had that day. It was beautiful and oh, so good!

    The discussion during lunch was as fascinating as the food. Dennis is very curious about the differing points of view regarding the civil war and the rule of Franco in Spain. So as in Marbella, this was a topic of conversation. I am fascinated by Hemingway's participation in the civil war, his reporting of it and then his return to Spain during Franco's years in power. It seems a dichotomy. But return he did, and though some denigrated him for his perspectives and treatment of those who offended him, women, his drinking, he did love Spain. And though Spain was under Franco, he did return for long stays in the 1950's. 

Dennis's reflection--A beautiful house and so amazing that they have been in Spain for so long. The conversation during lunch was much too short. I hope we can continue it at some point in the future.

El viñedo

     What to do on a Monday? How about a visit to a vineyard? The four of us were up and ready to go with time to spare as we had to find the meeting point. We had a map, we had a plan, we took a photo of the directions. We can't use our phone in Spain because of our service so the GPS is useless. But we're old so we can read a map, except when we get turned around or have had too much wine but as it was early morning we hadn't yet. Moving along we were in plenty of time to meet Rodrigo. He gathered us up, along with a lovely couple from Ireland who are living in England, Annette and Dennis.

     Once on the way, Rodrigo explained what the day would be like and though it was not raining, it was still overcast and gray. Our first stop was at the vineyard itself where Rodrigo explained how the wine was processed and how three different types of grapes were made into different types of wine. Sorry, I didn't take notes, but Sue said it was the best explanation she has heard.

This vineyard comes complete with escargot (caracoles, snails). Leaving the little creatures in peace, we scrapped off our shoes which were covered in red mud. Rodrigo was not worried about his van but I think we were all a bit concerned about our shoes.

    At the vineyard we were given a wine tasting and a chance to experience different types of wine, including "vrmth." The spelling has to be different because of a law similar to why bourbon can only come from Kentucky. This "vrmth" is perfect for a relaxing finish to a meal, or for sipping as an aperitif before eating. Either way, it will allow you to linger. It was not overly sweet but had a distinct taste that would be perfect before dinner with a couple of olives or after with a sweet. Either way, Yum!

"Vrmth"

The art work in the winery with brilliant bold colors and simple composition made quite an impression. Where can we get a poster or two? 

Paintings by Araguez

After enjoying the wine, buying some for later, we got back in the van to return home to Malaga. Once there we reversed our route and leisurely strolled home. Almost home, we had to stop for a bit of refreshment, after all the sausage, cheese, and olives, were hours ago. 

Almost home

 And now the final word from Dennis:

    We had a semiprivate tour with tour guide, Rodrigo visiting a vineyard about 45 minutes north of Malaga. We were joined by another couple (Dennis & Annette) from the UK via Ireland. They were lots of fun to get to know. We learned (again) about grape vines as we did in Portugal two years ago but then got down to the serious business of actually tasting the wine. After 6 tastes of the different grapes (including "vrmth") with generous pours we headed back to Malaga. The ride out took 45 minutes. The ride back took about 3 minutes. That's how long it took me to fall asleep on the ride back. 😜

A Walk in the Park

     Saturday morning, and it was time for a walk in the park and a stroll along the waterfront. So after breakfast, we walked through the tunnel to the Paseo del Parque.

    From the red rains, the water all over the city turned to brown from the dust blown in from the Sahara and dropped on much of Europe. The turtles didn't seem to mind. We walked down to the waterfront and back again. We wanted to be sure we knew where the Flamenco show would be but as is usual for us, we still got lost in the evening.

    After our walk we were ready for a tapa break. We found a table in the sun, sat down and relaxed with a bit of wine. Later that day we left for the Flamenco show, got lost and then found our way to the show. Luckily we know who we are and always give ourselves extra time. What an experience. The ensemble consisted of a singer, a violinist, a well-known Spanish guitarist, a dancer who has been in River Dance all over the USA, a dancer from Venezuela. All of the very talented artists were spectacular. 

    

Sunday we climbed on the hop-on/hop-off bus and went up to the Castillo Gibralfaro. Dee and Scott had sent us pics from their trek up that hill. What views! We weren't going to enter the castle itself but were so glad when we did. Again, I need a thesaurus for new words to describe breathtaking, spectacular, glorious, etc. Also inside the small exhibition were some maps. I would really like to have a reproduction of them to see how the city compares to the first settlements to the Malaga of today.

And did I mention the views? I think I used words like glorious, astounding, magnificent. I know you get the idea. 

One last note from Dennis:

    Flamenco, Dee and Scott went to see this show a day or two before we did and said it was great! And they were so right. We had front row seats in a small venue (about 50 seats). Sue, Mary Ellen, Cindy and I all agree. Great! After the show we got to meet the show cast of 5 and truly enjoyed talking with them. The lead dancer appeared in River Dance in Chicago, a few years earlier (only stopped because of Covid) so we compared stories--Chicago vs. Malaga. What a night!