Mike and Wendy's holiday blog

Monday 17 March

Ronda

More heavy rain.

The area has been in near drought conditions for the last 4 years so the rain has been welcome but it seems that the reservoirs are now at capacity and over full and the excess is being pumped back into the sea!

The rain even caused a power cut in the house as we were about to have breakfast but it was soon sorted.

We set off for Ronda in the pouring rain. Dora said one route and the Spanish sat nav said a different one. We followed Dora.

.. until we reached a Road Closed sign and had to retrace our steps - following the Spanish sat nav this time - which was probably saying 'I told you so' 🤣

Only about an hour and 50km out of our way.

There apparently had been a landslide the previous week with all the rain and this had damaged a bridge. It was going to take 6 months to repair!

So we followed the Spanish sat nav up into the clouds!

It was very foggy and misty - probably good as it meant we couldn't see the big drops! Still a hairy ride though.

We eventually got to the outskirts of Ronda and stopped for lunch then a short walk.

Lovely little square with loads of crocheted flags. Very nice.

Castle.

Colegiata de Santa Maria La Mayor.

Off to find out accommodation just a few km away but hard to get to directly as there were paving repairs going on in the area.

Eventually parked nearby and went off find our digs.

Found the man in charge who picked up his brolly and came out in the rain to where we were parked. Better to be in the square by the house he said. So under his direction Mike did an illegal three pointer in the middle the road, then went the wrong way down the one way street as the man beckoned him through the no entry sign into the square.. 😁

We had arrived and the car will not move until we leave.. 🤣🤣🤣

So quite a stressful day really - no wonder we're tired!

Tuesday 18 March

Ronda

More rain though Storm Laurence seems to be centred on the coast now.

Seems like we missed the worst of the storm here through the night.

We went for a wander - the usual rain and sunshine followed us.

Chocolate and churros for breakfast.

Views over the new bridge - my camera just held out and hope for the best.. 🤣🤣🤣

The park was closed due to the storms and rain so we couldn't look at the views from the far end.

Outside the bullring.

Buildings and churches around the town.

In one of the churches they were preparing a children's float for a procession for St Joseph. Twenty children would carry the float.

View from the steps near our accommodation

Orange trees and fountains in our little plaza - it used to be part of a convent which was built into the rock.

Patio at the back of the house - shame we won't have time to use it!

Took some shopping back to our accommodation and then set off again.

We walked to the Mirador de Cuenca but it was closed - probably due to the rain and wind as with other public places. Cuenca and Ronda were twinned in 1975 so that is where the name comes from.

Then we walked down to where we had lunch yesterday - not far at all! Found another little bar for a meal.

Hand written menu and very rustic setting but the food was delicious.

Meatballs for me and pig face (pig cheeks) for Mike.

Then a walk to the Mirador El Hoyo del Tajo - which we weren't planning on doing but seemed a shame not to as we were near it. A lot of up and down!

A very nice walk (4.57m) but that was enough for us!.. 🥴

Wednesday 19 March

Ronda

.. and so it goes on lol. But they have said that Spain will have a hotter than average April after a wetter than average March.. 🙄🤣

I also read that 12 motorways had been closed in the region yesterday due to flooding!

.. but we had sunshine so we decided to make the most of it and walk back down to the Mirador de Cuenca. It was open and we virtually had it to ourselves!

We walked over the Puente Viejo.

As we walked past the Casa del Rey Moro it was just opening so in we went.

Great views back over to the Mirador de Cuenca.

Down to the terrace for breakfast in their cafe.

As we walked back towards the main street we saw a procession assembling. It was the two floats that we had seen being prepared yesterday.

The smaller one came first. It was carried from inside by a number of children - don't know how many - you could only see their feet.

Then came the larger one carried by 20 school girls.

A short walk later past all the roadworks - the way we couldn't drive the car!. 🙄

It looked very like Cuenca.

Down to the Moorish bridge looking back up here to the Puente Viejo.

It looked like they were repairing the wooden walk way down near the water.

This is an alternative way to see the gorge - it has to be booked and numbers are strictly limited.

Arab baths.

The white houses of Ronda.

Thursday 20 March

Nerja

Hot on the heels of Storm Laurence came Storm Martinho 🙄 - the fourth storm in just over a fortnight. Yesterday was a brief respite.

Left Ronda in the drizzle but arrived in Nerja in sun and 20⁰ heat. A bit unexpected.. 😀 Seems that the storm has moved down the coast for now.

We were let into the room early which was nice. Not sure where I've booked us though.. 🤣 loads of English people and loads who look like they come here for the winter months and stay until they're brown and wizened.. 🤣

.. but I'm sure we'll cope.. 👍

Had a walk to the centre to the Balcon de Europa - didn't even need our fleeces! Nice to be in the sun.

Evening meal in the hotel was surprisingly good - perhaps it will be ok after all.

Friday 21 March

Nerja

Our first breakfast - and there was chorizo! Very happy. So much for us not eating too much lol. Another good selection.

We then decided to drive up the mountainside past Frigiliana to the Lost Village of Acebuchal - so called as Franco forced everyone to move out in 1949 as he suspected them of harbouring and helping the rebels who opposed him. In 1998 one of the inhabitants returned, rebuilt his house and slowly the village started to come back to life.

We said we'd go to Frigiliana on our way back.

The road got steeper and narrower.

But Mike drove carefully - in first gear for the last few km.

We parked just outside the village as we weren't sure how narrow the streets were.

There were a few houses and the bar/restaurant perched on both sides of the road.

The menu looked good so even though we weren't in the slightest bit hungry after our big breakfast we ordered padron peppers and a dish called Patatas a lo Pobre - Poor Man's Potatoes. Both were delicious.

A little old man was sitting inside the doorway to the bar - he was holding a sign which said 'please visit my shop'. So we did.

Loads of dusty bric a brac that we didn't want but we picked up a bottle of home made wine and some fig jam.

Two ladies were trying to buy some things and trying to work out what he was saying. He added 15 + 18 and got it to 38. Not sure if they'd bought anything else but I was looking at the numbers with them and translating, saying in English no that's wrong. They'd put down a €50 note then at his request they added another €10 and he eventually searched through his drawer and gave them some coins in change.

I couldn't say anything as I didn't know if they'd bought other things so we all shrugged - but I made sure I just gave him the correct money for our purchases.

We eventually went back to our car and started the journey back down the mountain side.

We went round a sharp bend and the sat nav(s) seemed to indicate a road going upwards on a very rough track so Mike carefully started to drive.

It didn't look right then we saw the 'Privado' sign and knew we were wrong.

Reversing back towards a steep drop was not fun but Mike managed it and we gingerly set off going the right way.

A bit further on we came across the two ladies from the shop so we asked if they wanted a lift. They were very grateful as they'd walked up from Frigiliana which was a few km away.

We talked about the man in the shop and we all said that we didn't know if he was very canny - or more likely that he didn't know what he had done as had been trying to add up the 15 and 18 on his fingers.

We dropped the ladies off and went back to our hotel for a glass of wine. Frigiliana would have to wait for another day when our nerves had calmed down.

Saturday 22 March

Nerja

The weather suggested that the morning would be sunny with cloud later on so we decided to be up and about early.

First breakfast - more chorizo but different sort. Happy!.. 😁

We went to Frigiliana and had a good wander round. Not too many tourists around.

Molly would have been straight in here adopting all the strays.. 🤣🥰

Beautiful white houses and fairly empty streets.

Mike dropped me off in Nerja to walk back along the coast.

Then we sat out on the balcony and had some snacks and a drink..

.. and did nothing until our evening meal and more eating.. 😁🤣

Sunday 23 March

Nerja

Today we found the 'Cava Corner' at breakfast 😁 so full English (but with chorizo 😋), bucks fizz and cava it was!.. 🤣

The forecast was for rain later so as it was sunny off we went for a walk into Nerja.

The cloud thickened and as we arrived there it started to rain so we ducked into a bar for a drink - and watched as the brollies started to go up.

We had broken our own rule of taking out the brollies no matter what the forecast said - and the rain had arrived early.

So Mike had his cagoule and I bought a new brolly and we set off back.

The rain was very heavy and we were both soaked by the time we got back - and we had to get changed. It was the wettest we'd been all holiday.. 🤣🤣🤣

.. and then within the hour it started to fair up and the sun came out!

.. this weather!.. 🙄🤷

Monday 24 March

Nerja

We went to Torrox in the sunshine.

Pretty street with crocheted flags etc.

Then to Torrox Costa.

Drink in the sunshine - still very breezy though.

Annoying sign!

Fresh snow on the mountains.

I went for a walk later towards Torrox from Nerja - only to where the footpath stopped & didn't fancy walking at the side of the road.

The white building is the hotel.

Lovely evening - and no rain all day!

Tuesday 25 March

Malaga

Back on the road early to drop the car off. Soon sorted with no problems so rather than wait for the transfer bus we walked round the corner to the hotel.

It wasn't even 11am but they let us into our room!

Asked the best way to get into Málaga centre and decided to go back to the airport to take the train rather than risk a bus and ending up anywhere.. 🤣

We also wanted to find out if there was a left luggage facility and if so how much it was.

Google maps said it would take about an hour to walk to the airport on a very convoluted route. The receptionist said otherwise.

Off we went. Back past where we'd dropped the car off - so at least we knew that bit.

Look for the BP garage she said. We could see it but couldn't see how to get to it so we started walking back and a nearby worker told us how to get there. We tried again. Still couldn't see a way through.

As we trudged back the same worker saw us again and eventually ended up walking with us to show us the gap through the fence and the well worn path by the dual carriageway!

We got there in the end.

Found the left luggage - €18 per item! So two suitcases and two rucksacks would cost €72! So the luggage is being left at the hotel and we'll leave a bit earlier for our evening flight!

Train into centre of Málaga only took 10 minutes.

We'd left our hotel in bright sunshine. We arrived in the centre of Málaga a rain shower 🙄 so we popped into the nearest bar for a drink til it passed over.

Cathedral. Known as La Manquita as only one of the towers was finished. Now working on the roof to stop leaks - using the original design.

Beautiful inside. Gorgeous lighting.

Beautiful domes on the ceiling.

Impressive choir stalls.

Central semi circular half height columns.

A further wander round the port area - in the drizzle. And tapas.

Then the train back to the airport and a walk back to the hotel.

Wednesday 26 March

Malaga

Breakfast in the hotel then the walk to the airport etc..

Mercado central de Atarazanas - lovely to see it so busy.

Fabulous fish - the sardines looked so fresh.

Great mural on the side of the building.

A wander through the old town.

Church.

Park with parakeets.

Cruise liner in the port.

Amphitheatre - decided to leave the Alcazaba visit until tomorrow.

No idea who this man was - found him in a plaza somewhere.. 🤷

Back to the train station.

.. and our walk back from the airport.

.. through the taxi rank, little track next to the dual carriageway past the BP garage, another little track and through the railings into a car park/car storage facility, under the dual carriageway and eventually onto an actual road . 🤣