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