usvi-on-line
My trip report from Spain, part 4, the final
My trip report from Spain, part 4, the final
In the first part of my story about our cottage in Spain, I told, how we got the cottage,
part two was about the problems and the good experiences, we have had
in part three I showed a lot of pictures and told about Frente a la Vista and Torrox
Now it's time for part four, the final which is:
A trip report from this year's vacation
as usual with the supplement of some stories.
But first a repetition of the information in the first part:
1 Euro = about 1,59 US dollars
1 liter = 0,263 gallon
1 square m = 3,28 square feet
1 kg = 35,27 ounce
Visit number 39 in Spain
Since we bought our lot in 1980, we have visited Spain 39 times. I can count the visits in our combined guest and diary book, because I write about every visits there, it's both funny and practical to be able to read, what we have done the different years. And it's never the same! Ok, some experiences are. There is always work to be done!!
Our flight was from Hamburg with Air Berlin. We have an airport closer to us, but the tickets were as usual cheaper from Hamburg, found some to 212 Euro each for a round-trip. We know that the service is reasonable with A.B., we have sandwich, tea, coffee, soft drinks, newspapers and some magazines for free, and what's important for us, it's not a late arrival. These aspects all mean that we can accept the about two and a half-hour extra, it takes to drive to Hamburg.
So we left Hamburg at 11.55 a Wednesday morning with all our traps: We always have a lot of stuff with us, not much cloth, but food and various things for the house - the people, who do the X-ray sometimes have their eyes wide open - and arrived to Malaga about 3 AM as planned. Next step was waiting for the luggage, ours are very easy to recognise. We always use 2 very big sport bags in harsh colours, which during the years, I have to say, have been a little shabby. We are only allowed to bring 20 kg luggage with us together with 5 kg carry-on luggage, so we need to save weight not using heavier suitcases, and the sport bags also can hold a lot. So even during our journey to Virgin Islands, where we didn't have problems with the weight, we used them.
Urrgh, we had to wait and wait before the luggage arrived
, and urrgh there was a long row at the car rental office . Don't you know we are in a hurry? We are so much looking forward to see our little cottage again! Finally it was our turn. We had ordered a diesel car, but got a gasoline car, a Mercedes 150. The car was fine but very mucky. Should we complain? No, on the other hand, we have to accept that, it could be the reason, why it only costs 396 euro including insurance and free kilometres to rent it for 20 days!!
Arrival
Next step, buying groceries. I have a permanent shopping list, it's nearly the same we need to buy every time. We know where to shop, so it doesn't take a lot of time. So off we go for Frente a la Vista, exited to see how everything looks. But before we have unlocked, the neighbour came to welcome us, and hubby starts a longer conversation, I'm very impatient, want to come into our house. Have to tell it after some time. So at last they stop talking, and we can inspect everything. At first sight it doesn't look so bad, but looking further we can see, that we as usual have to paint some walls, also some of the mosquito nets in the windows need to be replaced, and a couple of the windows and doors could use some painting too. Neither the tiles are looking good. But we have seen it worse. No time to think of that now. We have to clean and unpack. Nearly all the things we have, including towels and some cloth, are packed in big plastic boxes, so after the cleaning, it's just to put them in the right place. After 3-4 hours hard work we are tired. It's time to have a reward: Dinner at the terrace - marinated herrings and cold meat together with snaps and our favourite beer San Miguel in a one-litre bottle. I like the beer in the big bottle best. Hubby teases me, says, that it's the same beer as in the smaller bottles, and the only reason, why I prefer the big one, is because I want to say that I only have had one beer
. Later we have found out that the alcohol percent in the one litres bottle is lower, so he isn't right. But I have to admit that I don't really know, if I can taste the difference, if it came to a test, I'm normally not a beer drinker, we mostly drink wine. Only in Spain in the heat we love to have a cold beer once in a while. Ok, but after a few snaps and some beer- I didn't empty the one litre bottle myself this time, I have to train first -, we went to bed very pleased with the situation.
Work to be done
The next days we worked again. Putting the last things in place, more cleaning including cleaning the garage, painting, varnishing, cutting the high grass and some of the plants down, removing the overturned agaves etc., etc..
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 2850"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SInAfEMNS ... 2.JPG"></a>
hubby painting
In the last week hubby also removed our gas hot-water tank in the kitchen, and instead he placed a bigger electrical one in our shower cabinet. It gives much more pressure on the water, a better shower, and don't make a not a lot of noise, when we switch it on, which we were used to with the old one. We also are glad that we have minimized the danger with gas. A nice improvement!
Beach visits
But of course we didn't work all the time. In Spain we very often sleep until about 9, sometimes later
!! After breakfast we perhaps make some work, and it's normally that if we go to the beach, it's not before 2 or 3 AM. We think the sun can be too sharp about midday. At the beach we have lunch, we relax, swim, read, take a walk etc. and perhaps about 7 am, we leave. Often we have to do some shopping for the night's dinner or something else. There are lot of big supermarkets near the beach with late opening time, no problem. Once in a while we also go to the beach very late just because we need a swim.
We nearly always use the beach, where we have our favourite restaurant "Jimenez". And this year we decided to have our lunch there the second day after our arrival. What to start with? Both of us were looking forward to have "Gambas Pil Pil" and their mixed salad. Uhm, very delicious.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5122"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpjQYC9m ... 0.JPG"></a>
And of course we ordered, what we now have named "the Spanish painkiller", because the drink helps on everything. If you are tired, take a "painkiller", very thirsty, take a "painkiller", need a break, take a "painkiller" ... you can continue. The real name is "Vino de Verano" - summer wine, and it's just red wine, mixed with la Cacera, a special soda water with some salts and minerals in, which we have only seen it in Spain. The drink is served with a piece of lemon and ice cubes. Uhm! In the cottage we always have La Cacera and of course red wine, so we can mix it ourselves. Can always find a reason to have a glass! The red wine we use to mix with is cheap, about 1,25 Euro for a litre. Of course it's not the same as the real painkiller, but I have to say that it helps that the price is much lower, and it's so easy to make.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9618"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpi_zPuT ... 6.JPG"></a>
at Jimenez they know what to serve for us, 1 bottle la Cacera and one bottle red wine, ready to mix
After eating and drinking we were a little "tired", the bottle of red wine perhaps have some influence!
Glad that our sun beds are ready for us, let's go down and listen to the sound from the waves.
Oh, isn't it just lovely to be in Spain!
On Saturday we were on the beach again, and this time it was filled with tents, and there were more young people than usual. The restaurant were busy and Pepe, the man, who always grill the sardines, always wear a hat and normally always have a cigarette in his mouth, had a helper.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 7826"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJinWSFAP ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9282"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SIZBZx-TP ... 5.JPG"></a>
Hubby had sardines, and I had "calamaritos ", squids. We shared a mixed salad and " berenjenas fritas", deep-fried aubergines. So good!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9490"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpk2lj9h ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2434"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpklf0R3 ... 7.JPG"></a>
After the meal and the necessary bottles we as usual enjoyed taking possession of our sun beds!
Oh no, we cannot hear the waves! The young people around us have brought big loudspeakers to the beach and play "dadumdadum" music, the same and the same again and again.
We couldn't cope to listen to this "music", so after the swim we packed our things and went home, very disappointed. Will the beach be like this in the future? Luckily we were later told that this Saturday was a special one "The Sardines Day", and this day you celebrate with music, eating sardines, and a overnight stay on the beach. Oh, what a relief!
Coming home we enjoyed some snacks and olives together with another of our favourite drink, a GTI, gin and tonic with ice. We had it on our roof terrace, where the view is the best. Sitting there I was thinking of one of the options in Picasa: "I'm feeling lucky"!
Another day on the beach I had "lenguado" , sole, also very good
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 0914"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpqPNMQG ... 2.JPG"></a>
neat sheet
For many years we have used to bring our sun beds to the beach. In New York we bought 8 neat sheets, and one of them we took with us to Spain. One day I thought that I would try it instead of the sun bed. I liked it, like the more space it gave me, and now I use the neat sheet. Hubby still prefers the sun bed. But I cannot understand that the neat sheet isn't common in Europe. I'm so happy for ours and so are our friends and our son and family, who we had given one as a present. So thank you to the forum, where I have read about the neat sheet.
Speedos and topless women
In the forum there have been some funny discussions about men wearing Speedos like my husband does. So this year I was looking more after other men at the beach, than I use to do. What do they wear? I noticed that more and more men now are similar the Americans, they wear bathing shorts in different length. The men in Speedos were very often middle-aged men. Why? I cannot understand it! The young men will of course, like my hubby
, look nice in Speedos, and I cannot help thinking of, if it isn't funny to see a man with white tights and suntanned under legs!
The great majority of the people on the beach, we visit, are Spanish people. For some years ago there were only a few of the women, who were sunbathing topless. But it seems as if the Spanish women have been more liberated. Now you see more and more topless women both young and elderly. They are sunbathing topless and take their top on, when they go out for a swim
. Strange perhaps, but sometimes I do it in the same way.
"Paperwork"
We always have some "paperwork", when we are in Spain. We have to control the bank account, see if there is enough money for the next years expenses, fill out some tax papers, pay the tax etc..
I can tell, that it's very few money it cost us to have the cottage. Insurance, private tax, real estate tax, electricity and charges to the bank are totally less than 500 euro a year. Compared to DK it's very cheap!
Sometimes they are busy in the bank, and you have to wait. Then you can need a "painkiller" afterwards.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 3618"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpnAAti5 ... 7.JPG"></a>
This year we had some extra paperwork. I don't know how the rules are in USA, but in DK you can buy a lot, built a house, and you only need a deed of the lot. If you shall sell your property in Spain or have a loan, you both need a deed of the lot and a deed of the house. As I have told, we don't have a written building license on the cottage, so we haven't been able to get a deed, although the cottage is registered, and we pay tax. Thinking of which problem it could be for our son later, we have decided to try if we, after all this years, now can be "legal". So we had a meeting with a women working for a lawyer, who knows how to do it. Of course it needs a lot of documents and stamps. Also we had to pay an architect for an official measuring of the cottage. He visited us in the first week, it wasn't cheap to have him, and he mostly was looking at hubby's drawings. But now we hope, we will succeed having a deed, we have to be patient, such things take time in Spain.
After the meeting with the women we need a "painkiller" and some Tapas. Especially the boquerones, anchovies, were SO delicious - and cheap too.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2818"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpp_1g6l ... 1.JPG"></a>
The woman also advised us to make a Spanish will. We have done that and were later in an office to have it signed and registered. Even though we have to wait for a longer time, we postponed the painkiller. I was more interested in going to the big market, I have seen nearby. Hubby doesn't like markets, think it's the same goods everywhere. In a way he's right, but I like to go around seeing every little stall, and I insist to do it at least one time per vacation. This year I bought a blouse and a pair of knee pants for both my daughter in law and myself. I also bought some cloth and toys for our lovely grandchildren.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8354"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpn5lDpe ... 5.JPG"></a>
part two was about the problems and the good experiences, we have had
in part three I showed a lot of pictures and told about Frente a la Vista and Torrox
Now it's time for part four, the final which is:
A trip report from this year's vacation
as usual with the supplement of some stories.
But first a repetition of the information in the first part:
1 Euro = about 1,59 US dollars
1 liter = 0,263 gallon
1 square m = 3,28 square feet
1 kg = 35,27 ounce
Visit number 39 in Spain
Since we bought our lot in 1980, we have visited Spain 39 times. I can count the visits in our combined guest and diary book, because I write about every visits there, it's both funny and practical to be able to read, what we have done the different years. And it's never the same! Ok, some experiences are. There is always work to be done!!
Our flight was from Hamburg with Air Berlin. We have an airport closer to us, but the tickets were as usual cheaper from Hamburg, found some to 212 Euro each for a round-trip. We know that the service is reasonable with A.B., we have sandwich, tea, coffee, soft drinks, newspapers and some magazines for free, and what's important for us, it's not a late arrival. These aspects all mean that we can accept the about two and a half-hour extra, it takes to drive to Hamburg.
So we left Hamburg at 11.55 a Wednesday morning with all our traps: We always have a lot of stuff with us, not much cloth, but food and various things for the house - the people, who do the X-ray sometimes have their eyes wide open - and arrived to Malaga about 3 AM as planned. Next step was waiting for the luggage, ours are very easy to recognise. We always use 2 very big sport bags in harsh colours, which during the years, I have to say, have been a little shabby. We are only allowed to bring 20 kg luggage with us together with 5 kg carry-on luggage, so we need to save weight not using heavier suitcases, and the sport bags also can hold a lot. So even during our journey to Virgin Islands, where we didn't have problems with the weight, we used them.
Urrgh, we had to wait and wait before the luggage arrived
, and urrgh there was a long row at the car rental office . Don't you know we are in a hurry? We are so much looking forward to see our little cottage again! Finally it was our turn. We had ordered a diesel car, but got a gasoline car, a Mercedes 150. The car was fine but very mucky. Should we complain? No, on the other hand, we have to accept that, it could be the reason, why it only costs 396 euro including insurance and free kilometres to rent it for 20 days!! Arrival
Next step, buying groceries. I have a permanent shopping list, it's nearly the same we need to buy every time. We know where to shop, so it doesn't take a lot of time. So off we go for Frente a la Vista, exited to see how everything looks. But before we have unlocked, the neighbour came to welcome us, and hubby starts a longer conversation, I'm very impatient, want to come into our house. Have to tell it after some time. So at last they stop talking, and we can inspect everything. At first sight it doesn't look so bad, but looking further we can see, that we as usual have to paint some walls, also some of the mosquito nets in the windows need to be replaced, and a couple of the windows and doors could use some painting too. Neither the tiles are looking good. But we have seen it worse. No time to think of that now. We have to clean and unpack. Nearly all the things we have, including towels and some cloth, are packed in big plastic boxes, so after the cleaning, it's just to put them in the right place. After 3-4 hours hard work we are tired. It's time to have a reward: Dinner at the terrace - marinated herrings and cold meat together with snaps and our favourite beer San Miguel in a one-litre bottle. I like the beer in the big bottle best. Hubby teases me, says, that it's the same beer as in the smaller bottles, and the only reason, why I prefer the big one, is because I want to say that I only have had one beer
. Later we have found out that the alcohol percent in the one litres bottle is lower, so he isn't right. But I have to admit that I don't really know, if I can taste the difference, if it came to a test, I'm normally not a beer drinker, we mostly drink wine. Only in Spain in the heat we love to have a cold beer once in a while. Ok, but after a few snaps and some beer- I didn't empty the one litre bottle myself this time, I have to train first -, we went to bed very pleased with the situation.Work to be done
The next days we worked again. Putting the last things in place, more cleaning including cleaning the garage, painting, varnishing, cutting the high grass and some of the plants down, removing the overturned agaves etc., etc..
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 2850"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SInAfEMNS ... 2.JPG"></a>
hubby painting
In the last week hubby also removed our gas hot-water tank in the kitchen, and instead he placed a bigger electrical one in our shower cabinet. It gives much more pressure on the water, a better shower, and don't make a not a lot of noise, when we switch it on, which we were used to with the old one. We also are glad that we have minimized the danger with gas. A nice improvement!
Beach visits
But of course we didn't work all the time. In Spain we very often sleep until about 9, sometimes later
!! After breakfast we perhaps make some work, and it's normally that if we go to the beach, it's not before 2 or 3 AM. We think the sun can be too sharp about midday. At the beach we have lunch, we relax, swim, read, take a walk etc. and perhaps about 7 am, we leave. Often we have to do some shopping for the night's dinner or something else. There are lot of big supermarkets near the beach with late opening time, no problem. Once in a while we also go to the beach very late just because we need a swim.We nearly always use the beach, where we have our favourite restaurant "Jimenez". And this year we decided to have our lunch there the second day after our arrival. What to start with? Both of us were looking forward to have "Gambas Pil Pil" and their mixed salad. Uhm, very delicious.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5122"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpjQYC9m ... 0.JPG"></a>
And of course we ordered, what we now have named "the Spanish painkiller", because the drink helps on everything. If you are tired, take a "painkiller", very thirsty, take a "painkiller", need a break, take a "painkiller" ... you can continue. The real name is "Vino de Verano" - summer wine, and it's just red wine, mixed with la Cacera, a special soda water with some salts and minerals in, which we have only seen it in Spain. The drink is served with a piece of lemon and ice cubes. Uhm! In the cottage we always have La Cacera and of course red wine, so we can mix it ourselves. Can always find a reason to have a glass! The red wine we use to mix with is cheap, about 1,25 Euro for a litre. Of course it's not the same as the real painkiller, but I have to say that it helps that the price is much lower, and it's so easy to make.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9618"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpi_zPuT ... 6.JPG"></a>
at Jimenez they know what to serve for us, 1 bottle la Cacera and one bottle red wine, ready to mix
After eating and drinking we were a little "tired", the bottle of red wine perhaps have some influence!
Glad that our sun beds are ready for us, let's go down and listen to the sound from the waves.
Oh, isn't it just lovely to be in Spain!
On Saturday we were on the beach again, and this time it was filled with tents, and there were more young people than usual. The restaurant were busy and Pepe, the man, who always grill the sardines, always wear a hat and normally always have a cigarette in his mouth, had a helper.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 7826"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJinWSFAP ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9282"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SIZBZx-TP ... 5.JPG"></a>
Hubby had sardines, and I had "calamaritos ", squids. We shared a mixed salad and " berenjenas fritas", deep-fried aubergines. So good!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9490"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpk2lj9h ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2434"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpklf0R3 ... 7.JPG"></a>
After the meal and the necessary bottles we as usual enjoyed taking possession of our sun beds!
Oh no, we cannot hear the waves! The young people around us have brought big loudspeakers to the beach and play "dadumdadum" music, the same and the same again and again.
We couldn't cope to listen to this "music", so after the swim we packed our things and went home, very disappointed. Will the beach be like this in the future? Luckily we were later told that this Saturday was a special one "The Sardines Day", and this day you celebrate with music, eating sardines, and a overnight stay on the beach. Oh, what a relief!Coming home we enjoyed some snacks and olives together with another of our favourite drink, a GTI, gin and tonic with ice. We had it on our roof terrace, where the view is the best. Sitting there I was thinking of one of the options in Picasa: "I'm feeling lucky"!
Another day on the beach I had "lenguado" , sole, also very good
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 0914"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpqPNMQG ... 2.JPG"></a>
neat sheet
For many years we have used to bring our sun beds to the beach. In New York we bought 8 neat sheets, and one of them we took with us to Spain. One day I thought that I would try it instead of the sun bed. I liked it, like the more space it gave me, and now I use the neat sheet. Hubby still prefers the sun bed. But I cannot understand that the neat sheet isn't common in Europe. I'm so happy for ours and so are our friends and our son and family, who we had given one as a present. So thank you to the forum, where I have read about the neat sheet.
Speedos and topless women
In the forum there have been some funny discussions about men wearing Speedos like my husband does. So this year I was looking more after other men at the beach, than I use to do. What do they wear? I noticed that more and more men now are similar the Americans, they wear bathing shorts in different length. The men in Speedos were very often middle-aged men. Why? I cannot understand it! The young men will of course, like my hubby
, look nice in Speedos, and I cannot help thinking of, if it isn't funny to see a man with white tights and suntanned under legs! The great majority of the people on the beach, we visit, are Spanish people. For some years ago there were only a few of the women, who were sunbathing topless. But it seems as if the Spanish women have been more liberated. Now you see more and more topless women both young and elderly. They are sunbathing topless and take their top on, when they go out for a swim
. Strange perhaps, but sometimes I do it in the same way. "Paperwork"
We always have some "paperwork", when we are in Spain. We have to control the bank account, see if there is enough money for the next years expenses, fill out some tax papers, pay the tax etc..
I can tell, that it's very few money it cost us to have the cottage. Insurance, private tax, real estate tax, electricity and charges to the bank are totally less than 500 euro a year. Compared to DK it's very cheap!
Sometimes they are busy in the bank, and you have to wait. Then you can need a "painkiller" afterwards.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 3618"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpnAAti5 ... 7.JPG"></a>
This year we had some extra paperwork. I don't know how the rules are in USA, but in DK you can buy a lot, built a house, and you only need a deed of the lot. If you shall sell your property in Spain or have a loan, you both need a deed of the lot and a deed of the house. As I have told, we don't have a written building license on the cottage, so we haven't been able to get a deed, although the cottage is registered, and we pay tax. Thinking of which problem it could be for our son later, we have decided to try if we, after all this years, now can be "legal". So we had a meeting with a women working for a lawyer, who knows how to do it. Of course it needs a lot of documents and stamps. Also we had to pay an architect for an official measuring of the cottage. He visited us in the first week, it wasn't cheap to have him, and he mostly was looking at hubby's drawings. But now we hope, we will succeed having a deed, we have to be patient, such things take time in Spain.
After the meeting with the women we need a "painkiller" and some Tapas. Especially the boquerones, anchovies, were SO delicious - and cheap too.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2818"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpp_1g6l ... 1.JPG"></a>
The woman also advised us to make a Spanish will. We have done that and were later in an office to have it signed and registered. Even though we have to wait for a longer time, we postponed the painkiller. I was more interested in going to the big market, I have seen nearby. Hubby doesn't like markets, think it's the same goods everywhere. In a way he's right, but I like to go around seeing every little stall, and I insist to do it at least one time per vacation. This year I bought a blouse and a pair of knee pants for both my daughter in law and myself. I also bought some cloth and toys for our lovely grandchildren.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8354"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpn5lDpe ... 5.JPG"></a>
Last edited by linne on Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Visiting friends
Our sweet neighbours (Scottish) always invite us to a party, when we are in Spain. As if our visit is a good occasion to invite other people. It’s nice of them, and we appreciate it. The other guests are very often people living in the area, and it’s a good way for us to get information. We like to follow what happens around us, but it can be difficult not living there. Besides she is an excellent cook, and we always have different very tasty courses.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 1362"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJinzHWC5 ... 6.JPG"></a>
here a part of the courses, sorry it’s not so easy to see what it is, and I don’t remember it all.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9938"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpleRpYi ... 3.JPG"></a>
Frente a la Vista at night seen from our neighbour’s house
What we have experienced in Spain is that a party at foreigners isn’t like a Danish party. When we have a party, it’s normally that all the guests have the same welcome drink decided by the host. But in Spain you are asked, “what do you want to drink?”, and then the host get busy trying to fulfil all wishes.
Also it seems as if it’s common that the guests are placed at different tables in the house. We always try to collect all guests on the same place, wish that most people can see and hear each other, we like that better, but of course it depends of the number of guests, if it’s possible.
We normally also only serve 3 or 4 dishes, and all guests have the same. It’s only if we have really many guests that we make a buffet.
But we like that not all people are doing it on the same way!
A few days after the party we did another visit, which was a little depressing. We had a couple of very good friends in Spain, he was much older than she, but you couldn’t feel it. For some years ago she died of cancer, and last year he had a stroke. He seems to be glad seeing us, but he couldn’t remember our names, mentioned hubby as my brother, and the dogs as his children, and it was so difficult to have a conversation with him. So the visit was shorter than it use to be. We were very sad thinking of what an intelligent and witty man, he had been and even though he’s not a young man anymore, it was heartrending to see him now, and without a wife to take care of him.
But the next visit was a pleasure. Perhaps you remember what I told in the first part about how we ended up having a cottage in Spain? It started with me accidentally seeing an advertisement in a newspaper. On our first visit in Spain we met the man, who has written the advertisement, and we became later friends with him and his wife. They now live in Spain in the most beautiful house with the most beautiful garden and the most beautiful pool, we have ever seen in a private home. And she is an expert in making delicious salads. So of course we enjoy visiting them.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8530"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoEt1hi ... 1.JPG"></a>
the pool
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5010"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoOwAT5 ... 8.JPG"></a>
hubby teases Lulu
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5970"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoTbmQy ... 0.JPG"></a>
a salad with smoked chicken in a tasty mix with other delicious ingredients
Meatball party
But we of course also have guests ourselves. This year we had our, among neighbours, well known meatball party. The tradition started some years ago. When we had guests or were to a party, it was nearly always barbecued meat, we got. One year we decided to try something else, we would make a typical Danish course, meatballs. And not only meatballs, but grandma’s meatballs! The story about grandma’s meatballs is, that when hubby and I were newly married, I have to learn how to cook. It has never really interested me, but at that time it was expected that it was the wife, who made the food. So trying to be the perfect housewife, I of course did my best. But he was never satisfied with the way I made meatballs, said that they weren’t so good as his grandma’s. One day I got tired of hearing that and told him that in the future HE could make the meatballs. He has done that since, and they are very good!
Our English guests became very enthusiastic about the meatballs (and the story) , and also liked the sauce very much. They asked me, how I made this delicious yellow sauce, and I just answered that it was a special secret recipe. The truth was that I have made it of powdered bernaisse sauce, which I had in our stocked food brought from DK! And the truth is that bernaisse sauce isn’t typical to meatballs. We normally serve them with white parsley sauce or a brown sauce. But why tell that? They liked it. And thought I was a good cook.
Now it’s a tradition that if we have foreigners on visit, we have a “meatball party”. We start with black bread with different sorts of marinated herrings, which we always bring with us from DK (people always love the type in curry). You have to drink beer and snaps to herrings, and that’s one of the reasons why people not forget the party. If you don’t know snaps, which is a strong drink, and not are warned, perhaps you drink too much or too fast, and I have to say, then you can become very funny, and you can get a terrible hangover the next day. That’s what has happened to some of the women, and they still talk about it. After the herrings we serve meatballs, cooked potatoes, sauce (I still make it in the same way, people like it, it’s easy, and I still say it’s a secret recipe), and sliced cucumber dressed with vinegar, pepper, etc. or preserved cucumbers. The dessert can be different from party to party. It’s often ice and fruit. Then coffee, cookies, normally brought from DK, and perhaps a “half and half”, which is half brandy and half a special liquor from Spain with the name “ 43”, “cuarenta y tres” , or a cappuccino with chocolate taste (made of powder too) and with whiskey in. Taste nearly as Irish Coffee.
This year’s party was as described. Totally we were 10 people. The welcome drink was a fruit bowl like the famous Spanish Sangria, and there were a lot of frozen grapes in. We served it in our “almond garden” and the tablecloth was an old white one with a crochet border, an inheritance from grandma. Thought it was both symbolic and a little funny to use such one on the table standing in the parched landscape. Instead of cooked potatoes I have decided to make mashed potatoes. I like to have so much food as possible finished before the guests come, and I had put the dish in the oven, besides the meatballs, on a low heat - ready to serve. The potatoes in Spain taste so wonderful, and I had mashed them with a fork and mixed them with cream, salt, pepper, paprika and dices of cucumber (cooked in about 5 minutes). The result was really good!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 5602"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHtE5xPCv ... 5.JPG"></a>
ready to serve the welcome drink
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7826"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJ_kdTr_i ... 7.JPG"></a>
would you like to have a glass?
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9538"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpVIrr4N ... 2.JPG"></a>
the 3 different sort of herrings are served – and the beer
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5250"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpVe7h7t ... 4.JPG"></a>
grandma’s meatballs
No one get drunk. The women were warned.
Fire
A late afternoon hubby, as he loves to do, was watching the birds in our binoculars. We see many hawks and have also seen a few eagles. This year hubby had a special experience, he saw an eagle and a hawk in a fight.
But suddenly we heard a strange noise and discovered that there was a fire on the hillside opposite us. There were high flames, and we could see that they spread and that some houses were in danger. We are of course always very nervous for fire, everything is so dry in the summertime. Luckily a big number of firemen arrived very fast and helicopters too. The helicopters flew back and forth very near us, and there was a terrible noise for some hours. The next day we could see that it seemed as if the damages weren’t so bad, no houses were burnt.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 4098"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpmHeMQU ... 5.JPG"></a>
Our sweet neighbours (Scottish) always invite us to a party, when we are in Spain. As if our visit is a good occasion to invite other people. It’s nice of them, and we appreciate it. The other guests are very often people living in the area, and it’s a good way for us to get information. We like to follow what happens around us, but it can be difficult not living there. Besides she is an excellent cook, and we always have different very tasty courses.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 1362"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJinzHWC5 ... 6.JPG"></a>
here a part of the courses, sorry it’s not so easy to see what it is, and I don’t remember it all.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9938"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpleRpYi ... 3.JPG"></a>
Frente a la Vista at night seen from our neighbour’s house
What we have experienced in Spain is that a party at foreigners isn’t like a Danish party. When we have a party, it’s normally that all the guests have the same welcome drink decided by the host. But in Spain you are asked, “what do you want to drink?”, and then the host get busy trying to fulfil all wishes.
Also it seems as if it’s common that the guests are placed at different tables in the house. We always try to collect all guests on the same place, wish that most people can see and hear each other, we like that better, but of course it depends of the number of guests, if it’s possible.
We normally also only serve 3 or 4 dishes, and all guests have the same. It’s only if we have really many guests that we make a buffet.
But we like that not all people are doing it on the same way!
A few days after the party we did another visit, which was a little depressing. We had a couple of very good friends in Spain, he was much older than she, but you couldn’t feel it. For some years ago she died of cancer, and last year he had a stroke. He seems to be glad seeing us, but he couldn’t remember our names, mentioned hubby as my brother, and the dogs as his children, and it was so difficult to have a conversation with him. So the visit was shorter than it use to be. We were very sad thinking of what an intelligent and witty man, he had been and even though he’s not a young man anymore, it was heartrending to see him now, and without a wife to take care of him.
But the next visit was a pleasure. Perhaps you remember what I told in the first part about how we ended up having a cottage in Spain? It started with me accidentally seeing an advertisement in a newspaper. On our first visit in Spain we met the man, who has written the advertisement, and we became later friends with him and his wife. They now live in Spain in the most beautiful house with the most beautiful garden and the most beautiful pool, we have ever seen in a private home. And she is an expert in making delicious salads. So of course we enjoy visiting them.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8530"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoEt1hi ... 1.JPG"></a>
the pool
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5010"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoOwAT5 ... 8.JPG"></a>
hubby teases Lulu
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5970"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpoTbmQy ... 0.JPG"></a>
a salad with smoked chicken in a tasty mix with other delicious ingredients
Meatball party
But we of course also have guests ourselves. This year we had our, among neighbours, well known meatball party. The tradition started some years ago. When we had guests or were to a party, it was nearly always barbecued meat, we got. One year we decided to try something else, we would make a typical Danish course, meatballs. And not only meatballs, but grandma’s meatballs! The story about grandma’s meatballs is, that when hubby and I were newly married, I have to learn how to cook. It has never really interested me, but at that time it was expected that it was the wife, who made the food. So trying to be the perfect housewife, I of course did my best. But he was never satisfied with the way I made meatballs, said that they weren’t so good as his grandma’s. One day I got tired of hearing that and told him that in the future HE could make the meatballs. He has done that since, and they are very good!
Our English guests became very enthusiastic about the meatballs (and the story) , and also liked the sauce very much. They asked me, how I made this delicious yellow sauce, and I just answered that it was a special secret recipe. The truth was that I have made it of powdered bernaisse sauce, which I had in our stocked food brought from DK! And the truth is that bernaisse sauce isn’t typical to meatballs. We normally serve them with white parsley sauce or a brown sauce. But why tell that? They liked it. And thought I was a good cook.
Now it’s a tradition that if we have foreigners on visit, we have a “meatball party”. We start with black bread with different sorts of marinated herrings, which we always bring with us from DK (people always love the type in curry). You have to drink beer and snaps to herrings, and that’s one of the reasons why people not forget the party. If you don’t know snaps, which is a strong drink, and not are warned, perhaps you drink too much or too fast, and I have to say, then you can become very funny, and you can get a terrible hangover the next day. That’s what has happened to some of the women, and they still talk about it. After the herrings we serve meatballs, cooked potatoes, sauce (I still make it in the same way, people like it, it’s easy, and I still say it’s a secret recipe), and sliced cucumber dressed with vinegar, pepper, etc. or preserved cucumbers. The dessert can be different from party to party. It’s often ice and fruit. Then coffee, cookies, normally brought from DK, and perhaps a “half and half”, which is half brandy and half a special liquor from Spain with the name “ 43”, “cuarenta y tres” , or a cappuccino with chocolate taste (made of powder too) and with whiskey in. Taste nearly as Irish Coffee.
This year’s party was as described. Totally we were 10 people. The welcome drink was a fruit bowl like the famous Spanish Sangria, and there were a lot of frozen grapes in. We served it in our “almond garden” and the tablecloth was an old white one with a crochet border, an inheritance from grandma. Thought it was both symbolic and a little funny to use such one on the table standing in the parched landscape. Instead of cooked potatoes I have decided to make mashed potatoes. I like to have so much food as possible finished before the guests come, and I had put the dish in the oven, besides the meatballs, on a low heat - ready to serve. The potatoes in Spain taste so wonderful, and I had mashed them with a fork and mixed them with cream, salt, pepper, paprika and dices of cucumber (cooked in about 5 minutes). The result was really good!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/Spa ... 5602"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHtE5xPCv ... 5.JPG"></a>
ready to serve the welcome drink
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7826"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJ_kdTr_i ... 7.JPG"></a>
would you like to have a glass?
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 9538"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpVIrr4N ... 2.JPG"></a>
the 3 different sort of herrings are served – and the beer
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5250"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpVe7h7t ... 4.JPG"></a>
grandma’s meatballs
No one get drunk. The women were warned.
Fire
A late afternoon hubby, as he loves to do, was watching the birds in our binoculars. We see many hawks and have also seen a few eagles. This year hubby had a special experience, he saw an eagle and a hawk in a fight.
But suddenly we heard a strange noise and discovered that there was a fire on the hillside opposite us. There were high flames, and we could see that they spread and that some houses were in danger. We are of course always very nervous for fire, everything is so dry in the summertime. Luckily a big number of firemen arrived very fast and helicopters too. The helicopters flew back and forth very near us, and there was a terrible noise for some hours. The next day we could see that it seemed as if the damages weren’t so bad, no houses were burnt.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 4098"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpmHeMQU ... 5.JPG"></a>
The nature park, Montes de Malaga
About 10 percent of Spain is covered of nature parks, and many of them you can find in Andalusia.
During the years we have visited different nature parks. Some of them are very big up to 86.000 hectares - it will not be overcrowded there. In all of them the area is protected and with a great variation of trees, plants and animals. There are a lot of trails, and you can also find places where you can grill, and places with toilet facilities and campgrounds for small tents. The roads are very different, sometimes it’s asphalt and sometimes it’s narrow mountains roads in a bad condition. So I have to admit that it has happened that I have been a little worried being there. If you are high up in the mountains on a small road perhaps occupied of stones fallen down, you haven’t seen other people the last 3-4 hours, and you are no totally sure, if you are on the right way, it’s easy to forget seeing the beauty around you! Especially before we had a mobile telephone, or now, if we don’t know, if we have a signal. But the nature experience is so special that we still wish to continue exploring the parks.
This year’s excursion was to Montes de Malaga. Montes de Malaga is no so far away from us, so we only planned a one days visit. On our way to the park we passed the man made Lake Vinuela, which is used as a water deposit. We have been there before and were very surprised to see, how low the water level was. It was obviously that the area missed rain.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5314"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppsbZ26 ... 3.JPG"></a>
The nature park was not so impressing as the others we have seen. Not so much variation and not so many fantastic views. But some mules were very interested in me.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5682"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppxza3g ... 5.JPG"></a>
haven't I seen you on St.John?
We also saw "black" and "white":
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 3458"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpp4zXuJ ... 8.JPG"></a>
From Montes de Malaga we drowe to Malaga, and there we had some nice views over the sea.
The European championship in football
We were so lucky to be in Spain during the European Championship in football. As I think you know, football is what the Americans name soccer, and the European especially the South European are just crazy about it. So even though our neighbours invited us to see the games in their house, we prefer to be near the Spanish people. We only saw two games, the semi-final and the final. Both times we went to the promenade in Torrox Costa looking for a restaurant, where we could have our dinner watching the game in TV. To the semi-final there wasn’t so many people there, as expected, it seems as if they had parties at home. We could see a lot of Spanish flags hanging out of the windows in the different buildings. But we found a nice place, where we haven’t been before. What to eat?? Can be a difficult decision! They had paella on the menu card, which surprised us a little, it was more a bar than a restaurant. Should we order paella, we haven’t had it yet in this vacation? OK we do! For a starter we had shrimps and some salad. The waiter said that we have to be a little patient concerning the paella, it would take about half an hour to make it. No problem, we are going to see the game! The shrimps were delicious and the salad too. About the paella we really need to be patient, it took about an hour, before it was served, I don’t know if the cook looked football too or what. But it was worth waiting for. It was perhaps the best paella we have ever tasted. Surprisingly to find that in an unimpressive bar on a promenade with a lot of bigger and more expensive restaurants.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 4834"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpnQ75u- ... 2.JPG"></a>
the delicious paella
Spain won the semi-final and a lot of firework was let off. From the promenade we went up to the
square in Torrox to see what happened there. The streets were full of tooting cars with many people in each, waving with flags, singing, making fun. Also the square was filled with happy people, and a not totally sober man has brought his horse with him to the bar. The horse wouldn’t really obey him, so they disturbed the traffic a little. But the policemen, who came just smiled, said something to him, after which he disappeared drawing the horse after him. Very funny! We like this attitude.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7682"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpntklce ... 9.JPG"></a>
The final we saw in a big restaurant on the promenade, where we have been before. It still amuse us to think of our first visit there. The waiter, who met us, wore a very conspicuous bracelet, wide and in different colours, and after he was gone, we discussed the bracelet, thought it was a little strange to see it on a Spanish middle-aged man. When he served the wine, he didn’t wear the bracelet, so we discussed, if he in any way have been able to hear and understand, what we have said. But to our surprise he wore it again, when he served the food. A new discussion. Suddenly we saw two of him. One with bracelet and one without. And we hadn’t drunken too much. It proved to be twins, owners of the restaurant!
This year it was easy to tell the one from the other, because one of them wore a jersey in the Spanish colours, while the other was dressed as usual in black trousers and a white shirt. Totally there were 3 TV in the restaurant, so everybody had a chance to see the game. It was very entertaining to be there, both the guests and the staff were wrapped up in the game. Spain played against Germany. There were no German in the restaurant, so all of us cheered on the Spanish team. Spain scored a goal in the first half, everybody shouted with joy and firework was let off, and in the halftime the twins pour champagne to all of us. No more goals were scored, and Spain became the champions, which they haven’t been since 1964. More bottles with champagne were served for the guests, and there was an unrestrained hilarity in the restaurant. The staff and the guests celebrated the victory together. So funny to be a part of this.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5122"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpo9yIIg ... 2.JPG"></a>
everybody is happy for the victory
By the way. As main course hubby had lamb, which he was satisfied with. I had “pescados variados” different fishes, but I was a little disappointed. It was difficult to taste one fish from the other. Perhaps they put all fishes in the same deep-frier, but I have had this course better.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7634"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpmthQX- ... 3.JPG"></a>
We had to drive home, so even though the twins still brought bottles in, we left and went to the square. Here there were many more cares, more song, noise, people and joy than to the semi-final.
Here some pictures:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5554"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpngrgB8 ... 6.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 0434"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppEzYWz ... 6.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8722"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJ_mmsKB3 ... 8.JPG"></a>
A few days later we were in the town hall, and the walls in the office was plastered with these posters:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7090"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpqGN_fW ... 4.JPG"></a>
Departure
The day before the departure we already began to pack on a small way knowing, there is a lot of work to be done, before we leave. But we also needed some beach time and decided to have lunch there. We had only had lunch at “Jimenez” and wished to try a new place, we have been recommended for the cheap and very good “Menu del Dia”. As a starter we got Gazpacho, the Spanish cold soup. It was so tasty and was served with seasoned butter and warm bread (which we very seldom have in a Spanish restaurant).
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 3170"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpq2Xh6C ... 7.JPG"></a>
Next I had grilled salmon with a baked potato. Both the salmon and the potato were just perfect.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7122"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpq93xqH ... 9.JPG"></a>
Hubby had ordered mixed grill, though it was different meat pieces on a spit, but it was 4 different sort of perfect grilled meat.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2866"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpq5Z1nq ... 8.JPG"></a>
To desert I got some ice and hubby had coffee.
We each drank 2 glasses of what…..? Vino de Verano, off course.
For all that we got a bill for less than 20 Euro!! Twenty Euros, not to believe - we tipped a little more than the usual about 10 per cent.
The swim and the relaxing time was on the usual beach, then we had a little shopping buying goods
to bring home to DK, among that four one kilo Spanish cheeses, which we know our friends appreciate.
GTI and dinner at home (bread, fish and cold meat) and some more packing. Bedtime- how the time has been running fast, are we really already leaving tomorrow?
The departure day is always busy. When you leave your house for perhaps a year, and some windows still will be open, there are a lot of things to be done to prevent damage and too much work, when you arrive again. Many things are packed down in plastic boxes, and other things we try to cover for the dust. We also try not to have too much stuff standing on the floor because of the humidity from the tiles, the water and the electricity have to be closed, etc,, etc.. But we know what to do, don’t need many discussions, and about twelve a’ clock we were ready to leave. Said goodbye to the neighbour, drove to the airport, delivered the car, and about 6 AM we landed in Hamburg, found our car, paid about 50 Euro for the parking and went home.
What a nice vacation it had been!
Why?
Some of you might think “ Why is Linne writing such a long report, and why is she telling us so much about her life?”. Other perhaps wonder – as it has happened among our friends - how I can say that we love Spain and our cottage in DK, and yet still travel to other parts of the world.
Well- here is another story from my life!
When I was a child going to school, once we had to write about, what we wanted to be, when we grow up. I wasn’t in any doubt. I wanted to be a journalist, and I wanted to travel to other countries and write about it. I never became a journalist, but I still like to write and tell stories. And it’s most funny if other people read your stories. So I have written trip reports from some of our journeys, and you can see them on the Internet- in Danish . To write in English force me to practice the language, which I hope will improve it. It also means that the reports are longer, because in the reports in this forum, I also tell about my Spanish and Danish life and culture, thinking that it perhaps interest you, as it interest me to learn about other countries.
And the wish from my childhood about exploring the world still exists, but this doesn’t prevent me from enjoying the well-known places with all the memories. Luckily hubby feels in the same way.
How can we afford it? Well, both of our cottages were cheap, and when we travel, we don’t use a lot of money. We very often stay in simple cottages on the beach, and we seldom go to the expensive restaurants. Being older we like a little more luxury, but still we try to save money.
So I really enjoy to read trip reports, and some of the places, I have read about in this forum, are now on my wishing list.
Linne
About 10 percent of Spain is covered of nature parks, and many of them you can find in Andalusia.
During the years we have visited different nature parks. Some of them are very big up to 86.000 hectares - it will not be overcrowded there. In all of them the area is protected and with a great variation of trees, plants and animals. There are a lot of trails, and you can also find places where you can grill, and places with toilet facilities and campgrounds for small tents. The roads are very different, sometimes it’s asphalt and sometimes it’s narrow mountains roads in a bad condition. So I have to admit that it has happened that I have been a little worried being there. If you are high up in the mountains on a small road perhaps occupied of stones fallen down, you haven’t seen other people the last 3-4 hours, and you are no totally sure, if you are on the right way, it’s easy to forget seeing the beauty around you! Especially before we had a mobile telephone, or now, if we don’t know, if we have a signal. But the nature experience is so special that we still wish to continue exploring the parks.
This year’s excursion was to Montes de Malaga. Montes de Malaga is no so far away from us, so we only planned a one days visit. On our way to the park we passed the man made Lake Vinuela, which is used as a water deposit. We have been there before and were very surprised to see, how low the water level was. It was obviously that the area missed rain.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5314"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppsbZ26 ... 3.JPG"></a>
The nature park was not so impressing as the others we have seen. Not so much variation and not so many fantastic views. But some mules were very interested in me.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 5682"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppxza3g ... 5.JPG"></a>
haven't I seen you on St.John?
We also saw "black" and "white":
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 3458"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpp4zXuJ ... 8.JPG"></a>
From Montes de Malaga we drowe to Malaga, and there we had some nice views over the sea.
The European championship in football
We were so lucky to be in Spain during the European Championship in football. As I think you know, football is what the Americans name soccer, and the European especially the South European are just crazy about it. So even though our neighbours invited us to see the games in their house, we prefer to be near the Spanish people. We only saw two games, the semi-final and the final. Both times we went to the promenade in Torrox Costa looking for a restaurant, where we could have our dinner watching the game in TV. To the semi-final there wasn’t so many people there, as expected, it seems as if they had parties at home. We could see a lot of Spanish flags hanging out of the windows in the different buildings. But we found a nice place, where we haven’t been before. What to eat?? Can be a difficult decision! They had paella on the menu card, which surprised us a little, it was more a bar than a restaurant. Should we order paella, we haven’t had it yet in this vacation? OK we do! For a starter we had shrimps and some salad. The waiter said that we have to be a little patient concerning the paella, it would take about half an hour to make it. No problem, we are going to see the game! The shrimps were delicious and the salad too. About the paella we really need to be patient, it took about an hour, before it was served, I don’t know if the cook looked football too or what. But it was worth waiting for. It was perhaps the best paella we have ever tasted. Surprisingly to find that in an unimpressive bar on a promenade with a lot of bigger and more expensive restaurants.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 4834"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpnQ75u- ... 2.JPG"></a>
the delicious paella
Spain won the semi-final and a lot of firework was let off. From the promenade we went up to the
square in Torrox to see what happened there. The streets were full of tooting cars with many people in each, waving with flags, singing, making fun. Also the square was filled with happy people, and a not totally sober man has brought his horse with him to the bar. The horse wouldn’t really obey him, so they disturbed the traffic a little. But the policemen, who came just smiled, said something to him, after which he disappeared drawing the horse after him. Very funny! We like this attitude.
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The final we saw in a big restaurant on the promenade, where we have been before. It still amuse us to think of our first visit there. The waiter, who met us, wore a very conspicuous bracelet, wide and in different colours, and after he was gone, we discussed the bracelet, thought it was a little strange to see it on a Spanish middle-aged man. When he served the wine, he didn’t wear the bracelet, so we discussed, if he in any way have been able to hear and understand, what we have said. But to our surprise he wore it again, when he served the food.
A new discussion. Suddenly we saw two of him. One with bracelet and one without. And we hadn’t drunken too much. It proved to be twins, owners of the restaurant! This year it was easy to tell the one from the other, because one of them wore a jersey in the Spanish colours, while the other was dressed as usual in black trousers and a white shirt. Totally there were 3 TV in the restaurant, so everybody had a chance to see the game. It was very entertaining to be there, both the guests and the staff were wrapped up in the game. Spain played against Germany. There were no German in the restaurant, so all of us cheered on the Spanish team. Spain scored a goal in the first half, everybody shouted with joy and firework was let off, and in the halftime the twins pour champagne to all of us. No more goals were scored, and Spain became the champions, which they haven’t been since 1964. More bottles with champagne were served for the guests, and there was an unrestrained hilarity in the restaurant. The staff and the guests celebrated the victory together. So funny to be a part of this.
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everybody is happy for the victory
By the way. As main course hubby had lamb, which he was satisfied with. I had “pescados variados” different fishes, but I was a little disappointed. It was difficult to taste one fish from the other. Perhaps they put all fishes in the same deep-frier, but I have had this course better.
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We had to drive home, so even though the twins still brought bottles in, we left and went to the square. Here there were many more cares, more song, noise, people and joy than to the semi-final.
Here some pictures:
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 0434"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHppEzYWz ... 6.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 8722"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SJ_mmsKB3 ... 8.JPG"></a>
A few days later we were in the town hall, and the walls in the office was plastered with these posters:
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Departure
The day before the departure we already began to pack on a small way knowing, there is a lot of work to be done, before we leave. But we also needed some beach time and decided to have lunch there. We had only had lunch at “Jimenez” and wished to try a new place, we have been recommended for the cheap and very good “Menu del Dia”. As a starter we got Gazpacho, the Spanish cold soup. It was so tasty and was served with seasoned butter and warm bread (which we very seldom have in a Spanish restaurant).
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Next I had grilled salmon with a baked potato. Both the salmon and the potato were just perfect.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 7122"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpq93xqH ... 9.JPG"></a>
Hubby had ordered mixed grill, though it was different meat pieces on a spit, but it was 4 different sort of perfect grilled meat.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/benthe44/080 ... 2866"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/benthe44/SHpq5Z1nq ... 8.JPG"></a>
To desert I got some ice and hubby had coffee.
We each drank 2 glasses of what…..? Vino de Verano, off course.
For all that we got a bill for less than 20 Euro!! Twenty Euros, not to believe - we tipped a little more than the usual about 10 per cent.
The swim and the relaxing time was on the usual beach, then we had a little shopping buying goods
to bring home to DK, among that four one kilo Spanish cheeses, which we know our friends appreciate.
GTI and dinner at home (bread, fish and cold meat) and some more packing. Bedtime- how the time has been running fast, are we really already leaving tomorrow?
The departure day is always busy. When you leave your house for perhaps a year, and some windows still will be open, there are a lot of things to be done to prevent damage and too much work, when you arrive again. Many things are packed down in plastic boxes, and other things we try to cover for the dust. We also try not to have too much stuff standing on the floor because of the humidity from the tiles, the water and the electricity have to be closed, etc,, etc.. But we know what to do, don’t need many discussions, and about twelve a’ clock we were ready to leave. Said goodbye to the neighbour, drove to the airport, delivered the car, and about 6 AM we landed in Hamburg, found our car, paid about 50 Euro for the parking and went home.
What a nice vacation it had been!
Why?
Some of you might think “ Why is Linne writing such a long report, and why is she telling us so much about her life?”. Other perhaps wonder – as it has happened among our friends - how I can say that we love Spain and our cottage in DK, and yet still travel to other parts of the world.
Well- here is another story from my life!
When I was a child going to school, once we had to write about, what we wanted to be, when we grow up. I wasn’t in any doubt. I wanted to be a journalist, and I wanted to travel to other countries and write about it. I never became a journalist, but I still like to write and tell stories. And it’s most funny if other people read your stories. So I have written trip reports from some of our journeys, and you can see them on the Internet- in Danish
. To write in English force me to practice the language, which I hope will improve it. It also means that the reports are longer, because in the reports in this forum, I also tell about my Spanish and Danish life and culture, thinking that it perhaps interest you, as it interest me to learn about other countries.And the wish from my childhood about exploring the world still exists, but this doesn’t prevent me from enjoying the well-known places with all the memories. Luckily hubby feels in the same way.
How can we afford it? Well, both of our cottages were cheap, and when we travel, we don’t use a lot of money. We very often stay in simple cottages on the beach, and we seldom go to the expensive restaurants. Being older we like a little more luxury, but still we try to save money.
So I really enjoy to read trip reports, and some of the places, I have read about in this forum, are now on my wishing list.
Linne
Linne - I absolutely loved your story! You gave so much background information and detail! You would make a wonderful travel journalist! I told hubby I now want to take a vacation to the south of Spain after reading your report (he thinks I am crazy, but that's nothing new).
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your life with us!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your life with us!
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Rachelle & Joe
- Posts: 677
- Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:23 pm
- Location: ohio
linne's spain report
Hi Linne, have been away from computer....... have just now caught up with your creative writings ! Thanks for taking us to Spain !! your photo's are quite vivid & & tells a story of it's own ! Thank You for all your time & Heartfelt stories ! A Very enjoyable Read . Our Best to You, & your Family, Rachelle & Joe
