Saturday, November 25

Friends and Family on visit at Costa del Sol

We have many friends at Costa del Sol. Not only among all the crew members at different restaurants, but also old friends either living down here or coming on short visits in their own vaccations.

 Our friends Anton and Grethe living at Manilva Beach are always coming to Fuengirola for a walk along the beaches and for lunch at one of our recommended restaurants.
 During the October school holiday in Norway our daughter and her family come to stay for a week. A lunch (paid by my sister living in Calahonda) is mandatory at the restaurant La Farola with Mago Manuel performing his magic for our Grandchildren (and the adults do not understand his tricks either)
 This year we also had an old friend (Gunnar) from DNV together with his partner (Carina) visiting.
 The sunshine boys (Arne and Audun) also find an opportunity to have talks about Organ Donation etc over a cup of  coffee. The photo session has now been an tradition, and the TX-personnel at the National Hospital always appreciate these images.
 One of the eldest long-stayers at the hotel; Irish John, is here caught during Halloween as Dracula.
and at last the Sweedish (Britt and Evert) and Norwegian (Lillian and Knut) neighbours at the hotel are saying goodby for now the day before we returned back home. We will meet again next year.

Arcos de la Frontera, Cadiz, Vejer de la frontera and Estepona

Going west. Visiting Costa de la Luz and villages de la fronteras (being the frontier of Spain's 13th century battle with the Moors) and Cadiz.
 Arcos de la Frontera are located on the top of this steep hillside. The town was a bulwark of Christianity after king Alfonso X of Castile 'the Wise' (1252–1284) expelled the Moors. He constructed a Gothic cathedral which remains on its high ridge.
 From Arcos we travelled southwest to the Atlantic Ocean and Costa de la Luz.
Cádiz, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in western Europe,] was founded by the Phoenicians. The older part of Cadiz is located behind the old city wall.
One of Cádiz's most famous landmarks is its cathedral. It sits on the site of an older cathedral, completed in 1260, which burned down in 1596. The reconstruction, which was not started until 1776
 A lunch or a drink at restaurant Cafe Royalty with it´s beautiful decorations in the ceilings is recommended. One problem for us in Cadiz. The restaurants open for dinner at 21.00. Yhat is very late.
On the way back to Costa del Sol we visited  another "de la Frontera city" the white Vejer. It contains several ancient churches and convents, and the architecture of many of its houses recalls the period of Moorish rule, which lasted from 711 until the town was captured by Saint Ferdinand of Castilein 1248.
This Sunday the ciity was crowded due to an annual market activity so this image must represent the city this year.
 Next stop was Tarifa. At exactly 36 degrees latitude, it is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, situated south of the two African capital cities of Tunis and Algiers. It is also one of the southernmost points of geographic Europe with only Malta, Cyprus and the southernmost Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos being further south, with Gavdos being the southernmost point of Europe.
An interesting city with lots of Kite people and "Hippies" as one Spanish man told us.
The image shows the observation tower: Castle of St Catalina
 Last stop was Estepona. It is ten years since our last visit to this city and it has turned into one of the most beautiful cities along Costa del Sol.

Costa del Sol - Mijas Pueblo - blogpost 4

 In this blogpost I will share with you some images from Mijas Pueblo, the white village above Fuengirola, and the Secret Garden that completely has changed our oppinion of visiting this area.
 Behind the tourist paths there is this restaurant. Silent and with good food. Find it and feel better
 Outside the restaurant the steep road can take you further up the hillside where local artists exhibit their works.
Further down at one of the squares there are restaurants and shops to be visited. normally crowded, but in +40 degr most tourists aare at the beaches.

Friday, November 24

Costa del Sol - Malaga - Blogpost 3

 Plaza Merced is one of our often visited squares in Malaga City. Not because of the restaurants og the column, but because Pablo Picasso´s birthplace (at home?) is located at the plaza.
 Tullen and Pablo are friends. I did not know that before I discovered Pablos image of her face.

Close to Plaza Merced you can find one of the most popular Tapas bars i Malaga. Meson Cortijo de PePe is highly recommended and we are at the tapas bar almost at every visit to the city.
This blogpost ends with an image of the main shopping street; Calle Marques de Llarios.
At the posting of this blogpost this street is covered with great christmas decorations. The restaurant at the right LePanto is usually our last pitstop before going to the train back to Fuengirola

CoS Blogpost 2

 We have many friends at Costa del Sol.
Anton and Grethe (with their house at Manilva Beach something more south at the coast)  are two of the most appreciated friends and they come often to visit us i Fuengirola. This autumn they  were joined by Grethe´s brother and his wife in the lunch at La Charolais.

Autumn at Costa del Sol Blogpost 1

At usual we have stayed 8 weeks in Fuengirola this autumn. Costa del Sol ia our most atractive area between September and December.
Since my blog has been "out or order" during this periode the coming blogpost must be a review of our daily life in Spain
First this image show how we celebrate the arrival in the Aqua Bar with a glas of Cava
2nd an image of my wife at Restaurant La Caracola (our favorite fish restaurant).