Mijas the debrief

 This was my third trip to Mijas since November, not bad for someone who wasn't keen on going abroad after the 'Croatian Incident'.

The difference is that I feel relaxed here, its a village, which like many mountain villages has retained its charm, it is touristy by day but easy to avoid the  bus loads of visitors, and yes I know I am a visitor myself.

There are winding lanes and hiking trails to venture on, there are lots of cultural things to see, the oval  bullring being an interesting sight, and no bulls are harmed there now.

I love to just walk, through the narrow streets, winding up in one of the many squares, stopping for a coffee, coughing up a lung after inhaling someone's 'Ducados' smoke, watching life go by.

This time, there was so much rain, and mist, but it didn't dampen my break at all in fact it just made it better, I realised that even if it had snowed on me, it wouldn't change how I feel apart this little part of Andalucia.

The swimming pool at the hotel was my favourite place to be, freezing cold and empty, it was a place to just wash off the tiredness and strain  of the last couple of months. I know the staff thought I was mad.

I love this hotel, it is built to fit in with all the other buildings in the Pueblo, and is so quirky. There is nothing that I dislike, not even Grumpy Gabriel.

The  pink ladies toilets are my fav, very dated but I love the whole look. I will not be recreating it at home however. These are always spotlessly clean at all times of the day as is the hotel. I noticed that despite the rain over the days, the floor in the main reception was dry and clean.

as always the floral displays in the reception area were as beautiful as ever.

And so another great visit was over in the blink of an eye, well it was only 3 nights, but it was 3 nights of relaxation and calm.

I cannot wait to go back.

My love of Spanish beach holidays has been overtaken by the calm of the mountains

day four

 

And so it was the final few hours in Mijas and Spain for a while. This mountain village has become a place that I love very much.

I love the streets which  weave up and down the mountain, I love the pride of the villagers in their homes, I love the fact that after 5pm in the evening, it magically changes from tourist resort to a village again. I even love it in torrential rain.

The past few days, have been just what I needed, some away time, some thinking time and a little bit of breathing space in what has been a very traumatic start to the year.

And so my last day started  at stupid o'clock when I closed my case, ah yes my case let me tell you the story.

My case came off the plane in pristine condition and was placed in to the back of the mini coach taking me to Mijas. When I went to get it, the driver removed 5 huge case off the top of it and my poor case was destroyed, the driver just shrugged.

Well trying not to worry, I looked through my insurance, yes I could make a claim...............as long as I had the receipt1!!!! I didn't it is about 6 years old.

I needed to get my case home so I wondered how I could strap it together. Across the road from the hotel was a shop, Pinturas Andalucia, my kind of shop, the kind of shop that sold everything and to be honest I would have loved one of the apartments above it.

I wandered in later on Friday and explained to the young man my dilemma, he said to take my case back on Saturday and he would try to stabilise it to get me home. I did take it and he worked with duct tape inside and outside to get it home. He was a star, and the case got back home, battered, but no worse.

So case closed and locked it was time to head down for breakfast. I then had to try to get some food as a party of Japanese pensioners turned into a plague of locust. My god, I have never seen so much food removed in so short a time, I didn't dare leave a plate on my table unattended in case they started on that.

I was leaving this hotel again with a heavy heart, its become a little bit of a home to me of late.

Bus came and we set off down the mountain, it was actually quite a scary experience as the rain was again torrential and it was rush hour.

The drive along the coast was under grey and forboding skies, the  forecast on TV was showing 10 more days of the same type of weather.

Airport was in sight too soon, I didn't feel quite ready to leave, good job as adverse weather in Newcastle meant the plane hadn't left. Jet2 staff had no information and mine was gleaned from Tracey via Whatsapp and  checking online departures at Newcastle.

It was going to be a long day.

I had been looking for my car park ticket and couldn't find it, as panic started to set in, I decided to email Newcastle car park. Bravo to their team who emailed me back in less than 8 minutes, gave me my booking reference and said to just push the buzzer give it to the voice at the other end and all would be fine, and it was. How great and what absolutely amazing service.

I was still waiting to get on the plane. Eventually my 10.55am flight took off at 13.50pm.

I landed at Newcastle and managed to hit the A1 at 4.15pm, making it back to Jnc 59 at 5.08pm, record breaking drive from the airport and missing most of rush minute in Aycliffe.

tired and feeling the post holiday deflation, I took myself to bed early to dream of swimming with icebergs, lots of precipitation and the best dry martinis ever.

Mijas, I will be back.

Day three and still raining

 

I slept unbelievably well, which for me is a complete blessing. 

It was still raining but there was no fog/mist/moutain fret, so I headed down for breakfast, by this point the rain had stopped and there was a glorious view down the mountain to the coast

Everything that I love about this place in full view today, by the time I had eaten my scrambled eggs and fruit and yogurt the rain was back and I headed off to do my lap of the village, arriving back at the hotel thoroughly wet through.

I decided to go for a swim, so quick change and  into the pool, bracing to say the least.

After a hot shower, I headed to the bar  as had every other resident, I took my laptop and tuned into Netflix, and had my coffee, brandy and crisps.

The rain was lashing down and then suddenly it stopped and I could see a patch of blue outside, like real blue, sky blue.

There was a mass exodus from the bar as everyone headed outside to see the spectacle of the azure sky and shiny yellow disc, which was knocking out some heat. Everything looked different, everyone was smiling , apart from the couple from Derby who I doubt would smile if they won the lottery. She did say to him, 'that'll be short lived', bloody hell talk about glass half empty.

I had a bar bill to pay  (yikes,) and went to reception and got talking to the gentleman who checked me in way back in November, he asked if I was coming back, so I said yes, I now just have to contact reception and they will try to give me a good room, can't say fairer than that.

He said it was a shame about the weather, I said it didn't really bother me as I just did what I would have done on a rain free day. I said about going swimming, he looked at me in complete horror. I explained that I have swum here every time I'd stayed. He said 'that explains it', I looked a little perplexed. He said they all thought I was a 'Viking', I'm hoping they mean Scandinavian  as my idea of a Viking is like this,

and I don't have abs like that and hopefully a beard like that, menopause is a bugger I know, but come on.

Ive got the hair though.

Anyhoo after that I decided to engage my inner Viking and go and have another swim. And no, the water hadn't got any warmer.

The rain returned and this time with extra torrentialness (its a real word in my world). I decided that another film on Netflix was in order and took a delightful cafe con leche to my room to warm up.

two hours later I woke to the sound of thunder and watched an amazing lighning  show before getting ready to go and make Grumpy Gabriels evening.

Well as I've said I'm not everyone's cup of champagne and he makes it perfectly clear that he cannot stand me. watching him schmoozing up to all the other guest and then when its my turn to be served I get a flat, 'yes?'.

To be honest I have to laugh, I don't think I am an unfriendly person, I speak politely to him, try to smile and really that is a huge effort to not give my lop sided grin due to muscle damage on the right side of my face. And I always put a tip in the jar. His loss though.

The cheeky Aussies were in and they were great fun, I sat with them whilst they were finishing off their forty seven pints or however many they were ramming down their throats before heading out to the local Bodega for more of anything on offer.

I meanwhile retired to bed, well I am fifty ten you know.

Day 2 on the mountain

 

I headed off into the village after breakfast , the rain that had been lashing down all night, had briefly stopped. As I walked up from the hotel, the swirling mist was so scarily thick, you could hardly see a hand in front of you.  I was determined to get my steps in and set off at pace to do my rounds of the village.

The normally beautiful views were non existent and I had the feeling of being on an island as nothing was visible down the mountian.

After a circular walk I headed back to the hotel and decided to have a swim, lets face it there was no one else who would be fool hardy enough to do it. 

10 lengths of the pool and quick dash to my room for a 'warm up' shower.

I headed back into town to have some lunch , there is a little tapas bar which serves toasties, I thought I would go for that, but I hadn't taken into account that the tourist buses would still have come up from the coast, and dropping off large packs of sightseers, who obviously couldn't see a thing, so were taking refuse in every bar/ restaurant that was open.

There was no room for little Lainey, so I headed back to the supermercado and bought gazpacho, a panini pizza and a can of Cruzcampo, back to my room for a picnic. I had by this time clocked up 11k steps.

I read my book and watched the rain which showed no sign of abating, what to do??? I decided to head to the village and go to the Art Gallery and see what they had going on.  

Well  the best laid plans and all that, the gallery was packed to the brim with Americans who wouldn't move from the doorway 'Its raining you know' said one as I tried to get it, 'I'm well aware of that I have just walked  through the village' 'Oh ' said the American' silly you, we ain't moving from this doorway until we have to get our bus'. And people wonder why America has never been on my holiday list.

I then took a wrong turn and found a little leather shop and there, in the corner was the cobalt blue handbag I never knew I needed, a quick haggle and Betsy blue bag was heading back with me.

I set off back to the hotel and headed to the bar, just in time for Grumpy Gabriels shift, oh the look of total disdain as he saw me waiting to be served, so disdainful was he that he ignored me and served the gentleman behind ,who was mortified, Now before I go on  let me say, I have never done anything to Gabriel, I have not had any kind of 'words' with him, been rude to him, but he obviously doesn't like me at all. He stands chatting to all the other residents laughing and smiling, but that all changes when he sees me. As I often say I am not everyone's cup of champagne.

 

          A soak in the bath , fight with my hair, and it was time to head back to the bar for a martini or 3. 

 oh the look on Grumpys face.

He begrudgingly made my cocktail.

I had a lovely evening, total peace and quiet in the bar, no cheeky Aussies like the night before ( they were at breakfast though) and then off to bed. I had clocked up over 15k steps yesterday which was a lot, today I doubt I'll do that many but  lets see.

Mijas weather forecast for Sunday, no cloud or mist at the moment, but its raining on and off .

Happy Sunday

The sticking plaster break

 My start for the airport was not quite as early as normal as I had decided to stay at the airport over night, meaning I was getting out of bed when I am usually drinking coffee in the car park having got there way too early.

I stayed at the Britannia, which boast very tired decor, not enough staff in the bar in the evening , but clean beds and a quick walk to baggage check in.

 Straight through the security, for once the underwires in my bra did not trigger a full armed response team, and then a glass ( or two) of champagne. I am not sure that everyone knows this, but it is law.

On the plane, I was sat next to a couple of lovely older ladies ( meaning older than me), one of their grandsons had booked the holiday for them, they had been friends for over 60years and both lost husbands last year.

I asked them where they were going  Iris turns to Jenny and said, 'where did James say we were going to?'

'Fingerholer' says Jenny.

I smile and then decide it was time for a nap.

Straight through at passport control and onto the coach.

As we came out of the airport it was bright but horribly grey, the forecasters had been right, by the time we got up the mountain, it was very low cloud but no rain.

I went straight into the bar ( obvs) and had a cava, just to wait for my room to be ready you understand.

And then once it was, I was changed and in the pool.

Flipping freezing but absolutely refreshing after the travelling.

Back to the room for a bath, due to adverse weather conditions we lost all satellite and wifi, no TV in rooms working even the tills weren't working, sadly no free drinks, and sadly no dry martini on the cocktail menu!!!!!!!! what the Donald Duck!!!!!! had I drunk  it off the menu. I asked, they said it  would be made especially for me, ( perfect sales pitch from Juan Carlos there).

I read a few chapters of my book and a few more through closed eyes!! then was up and dressed and heading to the bar to test out the martinis

By 8pm Spanish time I was flagging, so thought Id head to bed ready to face what ever Saturday brings.

There are still lots of the stunning white poinsettias  dotted around the hotel from Christmas, and they still look beautiful.

And today, well its rained all night, it is very misty but I'm pulling on my 'Yorkshire CCC' waterproof and heading into the village.

I don't really care about the weather, this is my sticking plaster break, its not going to mend me but it will hold me together for a little bit longer.

Have a great day.