Spain with the Guys: Part One March 28, 2014
Matt & Izik in Malaga
This will be a quick post as we have a pretty tight touring schedule now that Matt and Izik are here in Spain :). I'm probably the one who is pushing the agenda - but they've got only 8 days in all!! They are now down to just one more! It's been wonderful to have them here and to share some of what we've seen and to discover other new things right along with them.
Seven days ago they flew to Malaga, where we were waiting for them. Malaga is on the south coast of Spain, on the Mediterranean. Just as we had hoped, the weather was warm and sunny. We all showed bare leg at times - and my sandals finally got a workout.
One of our early activities in Malaga was a visit to the Moorish palace and fortress. Malaga had been the port for the city of Granada when the muslims ruled that city until the late 1400's. This palace was small, by comparison with Seville and Granada, but gave a flavor of an alcazaba with its lovely reflecting pools, tile work, Arabic arches, intricate stuccowork, and quiet secluded gardens. The Gibralfaro fortress, high on a hill overlooking the city and the sea, offered amazing views from its long, well-preserved stone wall.
arches and tiny bubbling fountain, giving the sound of moving water
We could see the bullring and harbor from the Gibralfaro fortress.
After a day of ancient history, the guys were ready for something a bit more 21st century: segways! We rented them for an hour and toured the seaside promenade that stretches for a long way beside the harbor and beach. I found the machines a bit difficult to maneuver. I was nervous about knocking over a small child or an old lady and thus went quite slowly, having been positioned just behind the extremely patient young guide in the lead. She finally took my handlebars and zoomed me along, saying, "Linda, your family is bored!" Matt and Bruce, "the hares" of the foursome, were delighted to have a faster pace. Izik and I were "the tortoises". It turned out to be a really fun experience - and one that Bruce and I would never have done on our own!
We wanted the guys to see flamenco so made a reservation for a restaurant that had been recommended by one of our Alozaina friends. Set in a beautiful, pink, belle epoque building, the food was not the highlight of the evening but the dancers, singer, and guitar player were fantastic! The dancers were sisters, and they stomped their feet and twirled their bodies, expressing the fiery emotions that gypsies are known for. The guitar player, a young man and a relative of the dancers, worked up a sweat as he poured his heart into frantic guitar strumming. Presiding over them all was the father of the dancers, a smooth-talking, white-haired singer who appeared to be a polished professional.
Tapas was our constant food choice those first few days, and we became very familiar with all the usual offerings: fried sardines, Russian potato salad, green olives, small ham and cheese sandwiches. By the time that we left Malaga, we were ready for pizza and pasta!
After four days in Malaga, we all took an early morning flight north to Barcelona. Stay tuned for our Barcelona adventures.
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