Spain Week 3 - Malaga, Almeria & Granada
The evenings can be quite cold in the house, so we have been into town to buy some firewood. Every evening I light the fire to keep us warm. There is something about a log fire that appeals. I brought my Apple TV with so it is a Netflix movie every evening and Ann always manages to make a delicious meal. A few drinks and off to bed by 10.30
Sunday was indeed a sunny day, so we decided to get out of the house and drive down to Málaga, a drive of 66km on the motorway. After finding a car park quite away out of the town centre and paying a beggar €5 to what we thought was to look after our car, was actually for his breakfast, we walked into town with the help Google maps.
We were pleasantly surprised at the centre of Málaga. We headed for the Málaga Cathedral but as it was a Sunday, visits were only allowed in after 2pm. As a result we made our way to Museo Picasso Málaga on the recommendation of my friend Ian Moyler. COVID-19 precautions everywhere which we were pleased to see with only a few let in at a time. Masks to be used at all times in crowded areas. We all enjoyed our time in the museum with a great deal to see. Of course photographs not allowed except where I took one of Ann and a sneaky one of the man himself.
Málaga Cathedral Video
Málaga Cathedral Slideshow
We then had lunch in a rather nice Italian restaurant as it was Mother’s Day. I had tagliatelle bolognaise while Ann had a pizza. Saved Ann from having to cook. After lunch we visited the Málaga Cathedral. Really very impressive as you will see from the photographs. A stroll through the Old Town with its narrow streets, quaint buildings, crowds of people everywhere. It looks like COVID-19 never happened !
We had a problem finding where we had parked the car, The “find my car app” didn’t work !! When we eventually did, we made our way back home. I did a bit more on the Land Rover and Ann had a FaceTime call from Simon, wishing her a very happy Mother’s Day.
Monday was another reasonable day, so we took a drive into the Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada landing up in Lanjarón. This was once again a beautiful white washed village popular with tourists. What we saw instead, was a very dirty red village with red sand everywhere. The streets, walls, cars, well everything was covered in red as a result of the calima. Leaves and branches all over the roads. They seem to have had it a good deal worse than we did in Almuñécar. Attempts were being made to clean up with water hoses. Made it worse in places as a result ending up with a red mulch and the drains being blocked. Really very sorry to see as the people in Spain are usually so proud of their villages which are normally spotlessly clean. A very welcome coffee for two, a stroll through the village and made our way back to the car.
We the drove to Padul and then back to Almuñécar via the mountainous route. A journey of 60km through at first was a gentle climb, then through some very steep and winding roads with hairpin bends after hairpin bends. A tricky road to drive but fortunately very little traffic. More cyclists coming up the hill while we were going down. Really do not know how they do it as the road was sheer up for mile after mile. Respect to them all.
We made it back home for a late lunch after which I finished the Land Rover Defender. I am sure that you will agree that the result is impressive .
Tuesday was another quiet day at home as the weather was not brilliant although better than forecast.
Wednesday was a day of contrast, sun, clouds, wind and rain. A typical English day except the temperature was in the top teens. We took a drive into Almeria, some 100+ km. For the first part of the trip we followed the coast road which was very rugged with stony cliffs reaching into the sea. Really enjoyed the views.
We stopped for a coffee just before El Romeral and after that it was the end of the nice scenery and start of “plastic land”. We drove through a part of the coast road to Adra. Very slow and congested through number of busy villages and plastic tented gardens, until we had seen enough of the dismal scenery. We made our way onto the motorway and a speedy end of our journey to Almeria.
We just couldn’t believe the miles and miles and miles of plastic covered patches. Normally they would have been white but as a result of the calima they were all a muddy pink in colour. Quite depressing really. To see it is to believe it!
We found a car park and made our way to the Almeria Cathedral. Grand size and solid in construction but a lot simpler than many that we had see before.
Not knowing where we were, we wandered about the town looking for somewhere to have lunch and eventually found a lovely Italian Restaurant “La Tagliatelle”, not far from where we parked the car. We had a spicy Ravioli and some very tasty sweets after. The food was really delicious and wonderful service with loads of smiles. We made our way back to the car and took the motorway back home. Another very successful and enjoyable day.
Thursday was a quiet day, shopping in the morning, updating this blog and a bit of painting for me and exercises for Ann.
Friday was a trip into Granada, which was only an hours drive away. Easy parking in the centre not far from the Cathedral, which we headed straight for. Took the wrong entrance and ended up in a small exhibition in the chapel which wasn’t all that interesting. We eventually found the right entrance and was once again very impressed with the cathedrals of Spain. The central dome where the alter is located is particularly splendid and unlike anything we have seen. After which we had a hot chocolate, Spanish style, to warm ourselves up, which we ate with a spoon as it was so thick.
While the weather in Almuñécar was sunny and 17ºC when we left, Granada being a lot higher was a great deal colder and only 8ºC. Needless to say we did not have any warm clothes with us, so we froze ☹️😒😲.
After spending some considerable time in the Cathedral, we took a stroll looking at the centre of Granada and came across the mini City Tour Bus which we took, more to keep out of the cold, but a good way to see a city that you have not visited before. The tour took about an hour and a half and was very enjoyable.
When we got back to the stop that we started from, we took another stroll about and ended up having a very enjoyable late lunch in a typical Spanish Restaurant. The food was delicious, a hot Spanish soup to start with to warm us up. Also Croquettes made with potato and ham plus a salad (delicious). Then tried to find where we had parked the car, once again the Find-my-car App didn’t work. When we eventually did, we made our way back to Almuñécar which was Sunny and 22ºC.
Saturday, the last day of our third week in Spain, was once again a sunny and warm day reaching into the 20’s. I decided to go for a cycle ride into the mountains behind us, a route that I had done a couple of years ago, when we were last in Almuñécar. The first 10 miles or so is straight up the mountain climbing some 2000ft. Really a tough ride even with the assistance of my Bianchi Aria e-road. The rest of the ride was a fast one all the way down with a few hills just before I got home.
Ann, did her normal exercises and housework and just before lunch we did a shop for firewood and kindling for our evening fire. A couple of beers for me and a zero cola for Ann and the rest of the day spent lazing about the house.