Since Laura linked here from her blog, I see the hit counter just exploded somewhat...! I'm sorry to have written up just 3 days so far. I'm now home and will be doing the rest as soon as my head has stopped spinning.
It being Sunday today, Laura and I will be purchasing a scratchcard each at some point... Any winnings under £5 will be reinvested in scratchcards, any more substantial will go into next year's holiday fund.
I have that feeling of missing Spain and the weather and the people but also being contented to be home, return to normal life and share presents and stories.
Right, I'm off to smoke a chocolate cigarette and enjoy the rare English sunshine. Back later for proper write-ups :)
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Day 3 - Sunday - Benalmádena
EDIT: I have now written up the days prior to this, so have made a few changes to this one too and (if I can work out how, moved it...)
Some background:
I am here with my friend Laura. We only met 10 months ago but we are very firm friends. Most Sundays for the past 8 months or so we have partaken in a Sunday Adventure. This has included "accidentally" viewing naked cyclists; getting new body piercings; chickpea missions; a LOT of shopping, coffee and diet coke drinking and other crazy activities.
Anyway, our Sunday Adventures have now branched out to Spain. We had several ideas of things to do today and had settled on going out on a boat to see dolphins. We made our way to Benalmádena on the now familiar train to do this but we realised the place was a loooong walk from the station so we gave up on that idea and settled on the beach for a bit. Not for long though - it was so hot our feet were burning through the towels and we were getting a bit crispy. I did swim in the sea and Laura paddled.
We then bought some well-deserved helados (ice creams) and enjoyed them on a bench. This photo of Laura savouring hers is one of my favourite photos I have ever taken - she looks so much like a top model in a photo shoot. Note the sombrero - we each bought a hat to shade ourselves from the sun. So much more typical and more effective than sunglasses, mine has proven invaluable in most situations.
We walked back to the station (with a gazillion stops for diet coke breaks in cafés) and returned home. I bought a sombrero, 2 lovely sun dresses for very little money and a pink Betty Boop inflatable for the pool. I tried it out earlier but there are rather a lot of children around so I decided to wait until the following morning to read my Kindle on it (in the waterproof Kindle cover).
Some background:
I am here with my friend Laura. We only met 10 months ago but we are very firm friends. Most Sundays for the past 8 months or so we have partaken in a Sunday Adventure. This has included "accidentally" viewing naked cyclists; getting new body piercings; chickpea missions; a LOT of shopping, coffee and diet coke drinking and other crazy activities.
Anyway, our Sunday Adventures have now branched out to Spain. We had several ideas of things to do today and had settled on going out on a boat to see dolphins. We made our way to Benalmádena on the now familiar train to do this but we realised the place was a loooong walk from the station so we gave up on that idea and settled on the beach for a bit. Not for long though - it was so hot our feet were burning through the towels and we were getting a bit crispy. I did swim in the sea and Laura paddled.
We then bought some well-deserved helados (ice creams) and enjoyed them on a bench. This photo of Laura savouring hers is one of my favourite photos I have ever taken - she looks so much like a top model in a photo shoot. Note the sombrero - we each bought a hat to shade ourselves from the sun. So much more typical and more effective than sunglasses, mine has proven invaluable in most situations.
I'm not so classy eating my bubblegum-flavoured helado, but note the new dress and sombrero and the very happy face!
We walked back to the station (with a gazillion stops for diet coke breaks in cafés) and returned home. I bought a sombrero, 2 lovely sun dresses for very little money and a pink Betty Boop inflatable for the pool. I tried it out earlier but there are rather a lot of children around so I decided to wait until the following morning to read my Kindle on it (in the waterproof Kindle cover).
The two amigas, on one of many diet coke breaks!
Me in our apartment with Betty, the inflatable and modelling the other new bargainous dress :)
Me in our apartment with Betty, the inflatable and modelling the other new bargainous dress :)
Day 2 - Saturday - Fuengirola
I seem to have gotten into the habit of waking in the night, so here goes for last Saturday:
On Saturday, we got up fairly early and headed off in search of the supermarket. A 5 minute walk down the hill towards the sea revealed a Quick Save, English (!) supermarket. Although it isn't cheap, it is well stocked and we were able to buy mainly Spanish products, including all the basics: bread, milk, cheese, ham, salad ingredients, water, diet coke and varied flavours of chewing gum. We came home and had a very continental breakfast. The fresh baguette and cheap ham tasted so amazing, as it is prone to doing when eaten on a terrace as the sun rises.
The weather was odd: overcast-seeming skies and hot. Most of the day, a veil of mist hung over us but it turned out to be a welcome respite from the scorching and unprotected blue sky sun that we were to experience...
We spent the morning relaxing by the pool and then had a huge mixed salad for lunch before getting on the train for Fuengirola. I heard a lot about this town on previous adventures and had only ever stopped off there during a bus change after my interview in Marbella. It has a lot of small shops to offer, but is not such a "tourist tat" shop paradise of some other places. We were on a mission to find a supermarket, but walked a looooong way to no avail, only to discover one right by the station on our way home!
We wandered around and saw the sights: a shop that sold random items, including a life-size metal deer statue that I wished I could have bought for my dad (a deer farmer). I did realise that it would take me over my luggage allowance and the €1,000 price tag stopped me too!
After much wandering and final finding of supermarket, we returned to the hotel (marvelling again at the efficacy of Spanish trains... on time, frequent, clean, air conditioned, quiet and spacious), where we got ourselves ready, admiring a few new purchases (alas the deer had to stay in the market). We made our way down to the beach area in Torremuelle and found a few restaurants that had appropriate menus (both of us have several requirements in terms of what it is and how it is cooked). We settled on what will forever be known as Pook's restaurant of the scary pig. The restaurant sign contained a picture of a pig looking slightly homocidal:
Neither of us wanted to eat pork with this little piggie watching over us... Laura ordered fish (swordfish???) with a salad and I had an amazing steak with chips. It tasted divine and we both felt wonderfully full of healthy, proper food.
More wandering around ensued and we discovered the beach, where I was happy to paddle and get my toes into the sea water that has huge healing powers for my silly dry skin. The sun and sea had already started to heal the patches of eczema that had been annoying me for some weeks.
Back home and an early night for the tired british chicas.
On Saturday, we got up fairly early and headed off in search of the supermarket. A 5 minute walk down the hill towards the sea revealed a Quick Save, English (!) supermarket. Although it isn't cheap, it is well stocked and we were able to buy mainly Spanish products, including all the basics: bread, milk, cheese, ham, salad ingredients, water, diet coke and varied flavours of chewing gum. We came home and had a very continental breakfast. The fresh baguette and cheap ham tasted so amazing, as it is prone to doing when eaten on a terrace as the sun rises.
The weather was odd: overcast-seeming skies and hot. Most of the day, a veil of mist hung over us but it turned out to be a welcome respite from the scorching and unprotected blue sky sun that we were to experience...
We spent the morning relaxing by the pool and then had a huge mixed salad for lunch before getting on the train for Fuengirola. I heard a lot about this town on previous adventures and had only ever stopped off there during a bus change after my interview in Marbella. It has a lot of small shops to offer, but is not such a "tourist tat" shop paradise of some other places. We were on a mission to find a supermarket, but walked a looooong way to no avail, only to discover one right by the station on our way home!
We wandered around and saw the sights: a shop that sold random items, including a life-size metal deer statue that I wished I could have bought for my dad (a deer farmer). I did realise that it would take me over my luggage allowance and the €1,000 price tag stopped me too!
After much wandering and final finding of supermarket, we returned to the hotel (marvelling again at the efficacy of Spanish trains... on time, frequent, clean, air conditioned, quiet and spacious), where we got ourselves ready, admiring a few new purchases (alas the deer had to stay in the market). We made our way down to the beach area in Torremuelle and found a few restaurants that had appropriate menus (both of us have several requirements in terms of what it is and how it is cooked). We settled on what will forever be known as Pook's restaurant of the scary pig. The restaurant sign contained a picture of a pig looking slightly homocidal:
More wandering around ensued and we discovered the beach, where I was happy to paddle and get my toes into the sea water that has huge healing powers for my silly dry skin. The sun and sea had already started to heal the patches of eczema that had been annoying me for some weeks.
Back home and an early night for the tired british chicas.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 1 - Friday - The Accommodation
Rather an epic fail on the blogging front, I'm afraid. This is a sure sign that I am having for too much fun and have no spare time at all. We are very busy, relaxed and content.
This is the first night I have woken up and not been able to get back to sleep, so I will take the opportunity to write some words.
Day 1 - Friday
Despite initial anxieties about the security, it has proven to be ideal for 2 rather lazy girls, as we can pop in and out with ease, unlike the 1st and 2nd floorers who need to re-enter the building and climb the stairs/lift to reach their belongings. Outside is a small pool looking out to the sea (10 minutes by foot) and a good number of sun loungers around the pool. There is a small beach-style bar by the pool, that serves drinks and also prepares hot and cold snacks (including the biggest single portion of chips you can imagine!). Behind it are a few tables and chairs with sun umbrellas. The prices are extremely good and the food is good, basic bar snacks.
So we got ourselves settled here on Friday night and slept extremely well that night, waking up at 7ish(???) on Saturday.
This is the first night I have woken up and not been able to get back to sleep, so I will take the opportunity to write some words.
Day 1 - Friday
We had the most amazing hand luggage - both of us won these amazing leather bags c/o Flights of Nancy.
After general over-the-top excitement and craziness, we managed to get on the plane, fly to Málaga Airport and get a taxi to Hotel Vista de Rey in Torremuelle.
We arrived at the hotel quite late and checked in. We were extremely pleasantly surprised by the hotel, the room and the general atmosphere. It is clean, has great facilities and the staff are more than friendly, welcoming and helpful. Although apparently full to capacity, it is not raucous and there is a great vibe amongst guests. There are families; younger singles, couples and groups; older people and even a few who choose to live here all year.
on the plane... very excited travellers!
We spent a while unpacking and putting up our fairy lights - I had bought us some solar powered blue lights to make the apartment homely and girly. The place is perfect for us: 2 twin beds and a sofa that can be made into a double bed, a huge walk-in wardrobe with hangers and drawers, well-equipped kitchenette area and lovely bathroom complete with bath and shower and a double patio door leading onto small terrace area with table and 4 chairs. The bonus is that we have been assigned a ground floor room, so the pool is directly accessible from our terrace! 
Despite initial anxieties about the security, it has proven to be ideal for 2 rather lazy girls, as we can pop in and out with ease, unlike the 1st and 2nd floorers who need to re-enter the building and climb the stairs/lift to reach their belongings. Outside is a small pool looking out to the sea (10 minutes by foot) and a good number of sun loungers around the pool. There is a small beach-style bar by the pool, that serves drinks and also prepares hot and cold snacks (including the biggest single portion of chips you can imagine!). Behind it are a few tables and chairs with sun umbrellas. The prices are extremely good and the food is good, basic bar snacks.
My very beautiful travelling companion, Laura, photographng the sea view
Our apartment is to the East, meaning we have shade in the morning and the sun gets to us around lunchtime until 7ish. This is totally perfect :)
Inside the hotel there is a clean reception and indoors bar with seating. We have not explored, but I believe there is a restaurant downstairs.
The staff have all been so lovely. They are polite, friendly and amenable. Whatever I have requested has been provided immediately and I have also spent many evenings chatting with varied lovely staff members.
The outside area and the pool are cleaned every morning and the apartments are cleaned every 3 days, as this is self catering. If you need clean towels between that time, you only have to ask.
our favourite staff member, the ever-patient, always friendly Ramin - brother of the owner/manager and helping his brother out over the peak season
Although we took a taxi from the airport (because we got in too late to get a train), there is an amazing train service nearby. The station is immediately opposite the hotel entrance. This is not a problem as the trains are very quiet. The train runs along the coast from Fuengirola to Málaga, including Benalmádena and Torremolinos and other beach towns/cities. It is reasonably priced, with tickets costing between around €3 and €5, depending on how far you go.
So we got ourselves settled here on Friday night and slept extremely well that night, waking up at 7ish(???) on Saturday.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Spanish Adventure 3
Well, another Spanish mini-adventure starts tomorrow. I will be heading off to the south of Spain again, this time with my good friend Laura. We are heading to Benalmádena, just 10ish miles from Málaga. We have booked a self-catering apartment in a hotel with its own pool and near the beach of Torremuelle. I am exceedingly excited and can't wait to get on the plane and start my latest Spanish Adventure. Keep checking back for updates and photos!
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