Spain the debrief

 

Ahh Spain, no longer the land of stuffed donkeys and flamenco posters with your name printed on, you really have to be a certain age to remember these. I love Spain and I always have, from bus tour holidays to Northern Spain to living in Southern Spain, I just love it. I had made the decision to go somewhere that I hadn't been before, and chose Torremolinos and  Cordoba. I had flown to Malaga a lot but never been to the city , so that was on my super organised  itinerary.

A delay of an hour flying out did not set the holiday off to a good start, but super quick transfers and a fabulous hotel, soon had me a holiday mode proper.

The hotel was less than a minutes walk to the beach. Perfect.

The hotel has two pools, one  in the gardens and one on the roof. Perfect

The staff on reception, in the restaurant and cleaning staff were all excellent. Perfect

The hotel was on the ball and gave you a sheet with all info needed. Perfect.

My suite had everything that I needed and more. Perfect

Restaurants, bars, shops and supermarkets were all less than a minute away. Perfect.

The sun shone and it was hot. Perfect.

As you walked out of the back of the hotel you were actually less than  seconds to the beach, in that walk there were  supermarkets on the left, and restaurants on your right. The hotel could not have been better placed, in high season it would benefit from this position as not on the main drag with bars etc.

When I arrived on Sunday the restaurants on the right were packed with Spanish families having lunch which is always a great recommendation.

There were some interesting finds on my stay as I have said previously. La Parc de Bateria is a wonderful space, which has manicured lawns and not a weed, fallen pinecone, leaf or dead branch in sight. Great attention to the maintenance of the park. The boating lake water was crystal clear.

Having spotted this from my balcony, I googled it and then went to visit.

This is also how I found two buildings which were of historical significance to Torremolinos and La Carihuela. The building that looks like a ship and Hotel residentia Miama.

Its amazing what you can find, both of these were less than  minutes walk from my hotel.

Malaga did not disappoint, a beautiful city, great train links from Torremolinos to Malaga and a very quick  half hour  journey.

I never made it to Cordoba, as I changed my plans very quickly so that instead of racing around like a mad woman, I slowed down, and sunbathed and swam in the sea, something that I love doing. I ate lovely food, tasted lovely cavas and above all relaxed.

I loved this little corner of Torremolinos. It seemed to be in its own little bubble, no English bars, Indian restaurants or pizza place. There were a couple of  Dutch bar/restaurants but the majority of the area I was in was Spanish bars, cafes and restaurants. It was lovely.

Would I go back again? Actually I would, and I am looking at possibly Christmas next year.

A perfect start to my 'Big Year' 

HUGE thanks to the long suffering Dale for all the time that he put into sorting this holiday, and every holiday that I've booked with him, and that's a good few. He always goes the extra mile. If you would like more info follow the link.  https://dalesidebottom.notjusttravel.com/

A tad overcast

 

I decided to head to the beach early yesterday morning, and  have breakfast there, I was getting tired of the squabbling of people in the dining room over who wasn't queuing properly for pancakes/fried eggs/ coffee/ napkins/life, for goodness sake, we are all on holiday there is enough food to go round and  round again, WTAF is the problem.

Once out of the hotel I noticed that it was a tad overcast, but I headed off any way. I spent the morning and early part of the afternoon at the beach, as the wind changed direction and blew slightly colder I decided to head off and find a hotel I had spotted on my walk on Monday.

This is the Hotel Residentia Miami, I'd wandered past on Monday and was quite curious about it. It struck me as a typically early Spanish hotel with a hint of faded Hollywood glamour.

Well I wasn't far wrong.

The original Villa built on this site in 1948 for the  renowned Flamenco dancer Lola Medina who wanted a summer retreat in the fishing village of Torremolinos. She had the interior decor done by Pablo Picassos cousin Manolo Blasco. Although very well known and respected Lola  began to struggle with debt and sold the villa to friends who had previously owned hotels in Deauville and Paris.

By 1957  the villa was extended to make the hotel that is on the spot today, the interiors are still very similar to the original. It became the first hotel in La Carihuelo.

The hotel is currently closed for the season, something that is also a blast from the past. All of this has made me very curious, so I think that it may be on a 'to do' list.

I'll be on booking.com later.

I've had some brilliant history finds this holiday.

I went back to the hotel and had a couple of glasses of cava on the house, for my birthday, sitting around the downstairs pool which was deserted, making it a perfect spot.

Came in and had a chat with the receptionist form Basingstoke.

Cava tasting for the evening

Dubois

Brut.

Well it was very dry and after one small glass I had indigestion, something that I rarely get.

so that got a big thumbs down and a pour down the sink.

Happy Friday 

What a day

 

Well that was some birthday.

Up and out early and after a short taxi ride to the station, it was a quick dash to the platform to catch the train to Malaga Centro, it was getting hotter although the man on the train in the padded jacket and wooly hat obviously thought otherwise.

Off the train and I'm away into the city to find my Museums for the day. I had a rough idea of where they were and it would have been fine if Id gone in the right direction. And then a 'funny' thing happened, I saw some very large ships in port and then noticed a lot of 'salty' looking men, and some shops selling 'aids' of a certain type. Oh oh. I'd hit the area of the ladies of the night. Choices choices, earn a few extra bob or hightail it out as quickly as possible.

I pull myself up to my full height, head high, shoulders back and walk looking straight ahead until I could take a turn down a large street, I wasn't heading down any side streets, I can tell you. I eventually got back onto the correct side of the station and heading towards my destination.

First stop, The Wine Museum.

A wonderful museum tucked away up a side street and set out in great detail, telling of wine making in the region.. I now know the colours of the earth from the various regions in Spain, as well as a better knowledge of wine bottle labels. 

Here's something that I didn't know, espadrilles, the summer footwear often worn by Spanish royal ladies , and lots of other ladies, started life as a peasants shoe that went from field to vat and was worn during grape crushing. These shoes could be woven easily. 

I finished the  tour and  then went for a tasting of two wines which was included in the admission price.

Please note I did not drink all the bottle, I had a glass and very nice it was too. 

I also tried a sweet dessert wine, which I was not looking forward to, however it was not sickly sweet as some dessert wines can be.

I even got one of the glasses which was really lovely.

And off I  set to go to my next museum, well yes, should have been there in 5 minutes, but roads were closed as they were shooting a film. detour round 'the long way' twice hitting the film crew again, and I made it to my destination.

The Museum of china and glass.

Now this was something of an enigma, everyone I spoke to knew nothing about it.

This museum is actually a private residence, as well as a museum and it houses the collection of the owner.

This gentleman is from a family from Madrid although he worked in London in finance for many year and he has a great collection of English transferware and Jasperware as  well as glass and Art and Crafts furniture and other items. Laineys mind was blown.

Throw in rugs from a Spanish maker who had employed Goya to make designs, French glassware from Daum to Emile Galle to Rene Lalique, portraits including the owners Grandmother wearing a Chanel dress circa the  belle Epoque  era and you may understand why I was so taken by this place.

A piece of glassware designed by Salvador Dali and produced by Daum

Lalique Budgies vase.

Part of  Spode dinner service that is still used by the owner along with baccaret crystal glasses 

The rug designed by Goya which also has his initials on, checkout the chandelier and the china is wedgwood

The view from one of the inner courtyards of the house/ museum. 

My one to one guide was Ricardo, who was amazing. I however stunned myself with my knowledge, so all those long nights studying  Fine arts and Antiques really was worth while, and it was wonderful to talk to someone with the same knowledge.

when I left here I was heading to the Cathedral, I love a Cathedral. However the blasted film crew were shutting roads willy nilly and when I recalculated my route, by the 'long way' another  half hours walking was out of the question, long covid sometimes has to be taken into account. So that is for another time.

I was so exhausted when I got back from Malaga, I had an hour on the beach and then retired to my room for the remainder of the evening.

And finally the birthday Cava tasting.

Via de La Plata

Brut

well now, this was a bit of  revelation, I've had the citrusy and peachy Cavas this week. This was nothing like them

The first thing was that it smelt of leather, yes leather, new leather, clean and fresh.

And then the taste, it tasted firstly of marzipan and then  fruity. Nuts then fruit how can that be?????

I am no expert but I really liked this one.

It kept its fizz an the bubbles did not 'wear out' like last nights.

If I was here for longer I would have that again.

And now after writing this tome, I am off to the beach to soak up some rays.

See ya

Its a sunny birthday for me

 

Just in case anyone in the universe didn't know,

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY.

And for the first time in a few years its a warm birthday.

I had a very lazy day yesterday which involved roasting myself on the beach, and being quite 'chefy' I made sure I was well basted in Factor 5000000 and turned myself regularly like a pig on a spit.

It was a glorious day. 

Back at the hotel I discovered that one of the ladies on reception was from Basingstoke and she was really helpful with my plans for today. I will be heading out shortly  to get the birthday started.

Before I do anything I will be off for my morning constitutional along the promenade.  I like to just enjoy the early morning peace and watching planes flying into the airport. My favourite time of day.

So before I head off to have enjoy my day, I need to mention a couple of other people.

Firstly my Auntie Norma who is 80 today. I hope that she has a marvelous day.

And then Matty, who is celebrating neither his 59th or 80th birthday, but his 22nd.

Have a great day Matty, enjoy your time in Australia and make lots of memories.

I remember well the day that Matty was born, not that I was there, I was in Cyprus living it up, I had been to the Sponge museum in Limassol, yes I even had a penchant for strange museums then. I followed this up with a bit of a wild old night in the bar of the hotel. Unknowingly wetting his head. I've never touched a Pina Colada since.

Enough said I think.

Happy birthday Matty.

So last nights Cava tasting.

Gran Livenza Brut.

Quite fruity in taste but also tasted slightly 'watery'

It fell flat  very quickly.

In all quite disappointing, but hey, always worth a try.

Now I am off to have a day out, not the day I originally planned but I'm all for a bit of  spontaneity.

I've got my bag packed for the day and popped in a little carton of white wine, it even has a straw, yes really it has. Its like one of those orange cartons you buy for the children in  UK, but its for grown ups in Spain.

Have a great Wednesday 

A beach day

 Well a walk to the promenade very early yesterday morning meant that all plans were changed and a beach day  was in order. How could I resist the lull of the gentle waves and the sun. The beach was being cleaned and flattened by various tractors and general day to day life was just starting at the shops along the front. I always love this time of day.

I had a glorious morning on the beach , grabbed some lunch, my favourite Florette salads that I first found in Salou last year, and then another couple of hours of boosting my vitamin D levels before I decided to explore.

I had taken a photograph showing the sun on the hillside, it turned out to be Parc de Bateria  a wonderful green area with various large guns and canons as well a mill that you can walk to the top of and get a fantastic view of Torremolinos. There are various fountains as well as a beautiful boating late where yesterday, a couple were having wedding photos taken 

The park was also full of Monk parakeets  which are  quite common in south Spain, the noise though, oh my days.

The view back down to the sea from the park.

 I also found a building that looked like a ship, not something you see everyday, on a side street close to my hotel, is it a ship that has been 'grounded'? I need to find out...............

and I have, it is not a boat, but a boat shaped building designed by architect Fernando Morilla  in 1953, wow 70 years ago. Amazing building and satisfying my inner architect.

The cava taste test for the evening was a Freixenet Secco, not something I have seen in the UK although I am sure that you are  familiar with the black Freixenet bottle.

The cava was just the right sweetness. I really am a But girl but willing to give a seco a try. 

It  had a peachy taste and there was no aftertaste

It wasn't  too bubbly, and it kept its fizz well,  perfect for a warm winter evening in Spain.

Netflix was the order of the evening, and another early night.

 I'd clocked over 12K steps yesterday even though I spent most of the day prostrate on the beach, and luckily another day where I managed to escape being harpooned, or dragged out to sea by Greenpeace.

I'm truly winning at life.

Have a great day and I hope that those who had to suffer Storm Debi are ok, actually I hope that my fence is still standing.

Happy Tuesday

Andalusia Baby!!!

 

So my holiday started at 2am Sunday morning, I had failed miserably to get some sleep during Saturday, I think it totaled about 1.75 hours. As I opened the door to go to the car, an icy blast hit me, getting into the car I saw that it was -1, flipping heck. It was a strange drive to Leeds airport. The skies most of the time were so clear that I was getting full views of stars and constellations, stunning and something that the geek in me loves, but then moving onto non motorway with no street lights and skies clouding over, not the best drives.

I booked my car in and was chauffeured over to the airport, straight through with case and even the scanning was sorted in 5mins, totally unheard of on any of my hols over the last  3 years. Wooohoo champagne ahoy.

Easy peasy boarding the plane, all going swimmingly............................and then we are sat on the tarmac for an hour, due to Air traffic controllers. I was so tired I just shut my eyes and went to sleep.

 3 hours later we are making our decent over the sea and heading into Malaga.

Through passport control and  first  onto the coach and in record time....................and then I saw my coach mates, no wonder I was on before them, despite my advancing years I still had 20 years on them.

Tipped up at the hotel and I was shown to my suite, OK just a junior suite but lots of space for me to dump all my S+@t  in.

got changed and headed to the beach for a couple of hours soaking up the rays. 

The beach is at the back of my hotel so just out  of the back gate behind the pool and then you are right in the centre of the shops on the sea front, flipping brilliant.

Couple of hours just listening to the lapping of waves and someone playing Spanish guitar music at one of the bars, bliss. Then I nipped into Carrefor for a bottle of Cava and back to the hotel for  a nap.

So, I am in half board here, not something that I usually do, as I like to get out and try the local restaurants and hotel dining rooms have become my most hated thing after Tunisia.

Dinner had a great choice, and was very enjoyable.

Cava tasting time.

This Cava was wonderful, perfectly chilled and full of fabulous flavour, citrusy and with a quick punch of  crisp green apples. Nicely fizzy.

Wow what's not to like.

I have never seen this in the UK but if you want to search for it,

Roger De Flor

Brut Nature Cava.

Early to bed as I truly was on  my last legs.

Nine hours sleep was just what the doctor ordered.

and today...................well, here we go.

Moving onto November

 

We are into the first week of November and first week of my big birthday year. Its all going on.

I am very busy at the moment getting organised for my next trip ( 2am start on Sunday morning so I'll not be  in the best of tempers or looking super glam). So much to do before I go................and then relax, ...............well.............do a Lainey relax, which will mean museums, cathedrals and hopefully some sun.

Where am I off to?

Well you will have to wait until next week to see where I am and what I am up to.

I'm already booked for 2 more trips in my 'big year' with another tentatively pencilled in.

My plans for my 60th birthday trip ( November 2024) have now been shelved due to horrible goings on in my preferred destination, and so I am sticking a pin in an atlas and seeing where I will end up.

I really intend to have a great year. I intend to do something or go somewhere  that I haven't done or been before. Something every month.

Throw in a good few antiques fairs to get into the swing of this and it should be fun packed too.

It takes you getting to a certain age to appreciate that life is short. So just live it up. Spend time with friends and laugh. move out of your comfort zone and embrace change. Eat and drink your favourite things.

Live more, worry less.

ENJOY LIFE.

Stay tuned for the fun