Malaga, France 2012
As you may well remember we arrived in Malaga,28th April Made It......and not a single iceberg was encountered along the way. But one helluva rainstorm greeted us in Malaga when we got to Spain. We disembarked the vessel with our 2092 new best friends and from what we could tell, with the exception of the boys who call Malaga home, the rest of us were looking for taxis, buses or rental cars.
We had made arrangements to have both cars delivered to the cruise port by 9am. After locating a cell phone we could use, we made contact with the Sixt agency who said they would be there in the next 20 or so minutes.True to their word, they arrived and we piled into two brand new rental cars. We had a Peugot (sp) that was just perfect. Took all our bags with a bit of room to spare.....plugged the GPS into the cigarette lighter (thanks John) and we were on our way to Nerja.
Had a bit of a hectic start as we tried to get out of town a few minutes later, with a frustrated Marquis family following behind. We made it onto the A7 and we were on our way to Nerja where we had booked a Hostal with partial ocean views.
It seems when we come out of a tunnel our GPS takes a major dump and we lose all info and have to re-boot the system. That was exactly our situation as we approached Nerja. A few failed attempts at getting to the center of town resulted in a bit more frustration but eventually we did find the hotel with no help from the local police as they kept diverting us away from the hotel due to construction near the hotel.
We finally arrived on foot, as parking turned out to be a major problem Underground parking came at 29 Euros a day. Did find some free parking after checking into the hotel and then we all set out for an inspection of the town and a bit of lunch. Great lunch, but in the wrong section of town.
Our first impression of Nerja was not a favorable one since we turned left out of the hotel instead of right. Had we ventured right, we would have ended up in a most scenic section of town. After circling Nerja we did manage to get our bearings and had to agree with Rick Steves, that this was well worth the visit to the seaside town.
We had a coffee in the plaza that afternoon and watched a continuous flow
of people heading to the churck to what we assumed to be a wedding. They
continued to come and go for the entire time we were seated. We later figured
out that they were in fact all headed to the same church but for different weddings
all conducted by the same priest. One party would leave and the next group followed
up to the alter in quite the assembly line fashion.
After finishing our coffee and watching a pigeon being run over by a car, Bob felt it was time to move on. A walk about the town proved to be delightful; the rain left and the sun arrived to end the day. The plaza we ended up in was just above the Balcony of Europe quite the overview of this section of the Costa del Sol
Its now cocktail hour on the veranda, and soon we are headed out for a late bite since the evening hours do start later than we ole folks would prefer hopefully we'll get used to it. That evening we had our first introduction to Tapas, not quite the ambiance that Bob would have preferred but this traditional meal of snacks proved delightful. Just like one long and continuous hors de oeuvres party. In the case of this Tapas bar, a waitress followed behind you as you made your selection and then you were served at your table. We found as we traveled on that the system of tapas service varied from restaurant to restaurant.
As it was raining the next morning we set off for the caves of Nerja, which are said to be some of the finest and largest in all the world. We would learn later that the central cathedral in the cave is said to have the largest stalactite known to exist. When we arrived at the entrance to the caves we concluded many others had the same idea about visiting the caves in the midst of a downpour.
We took turns standing in line, in the rain, to purchase tickets and we were not to be disappointed. They were truly enormous and the most spectacular caves I had ever visited. The Orrs had other plans for the day as Barbara is not a big fan of caves as those of you have traveled with Barbara will attest. .Barbara, you missed out.
The brothers who discovered the caves share one other must see spot in Nerja and that being their famous "all you can eat" 6 euro Paella feast at Ayo's on Burriana Beach just up the way from the town center.
The Paella is cooked in enormous cast iron pans that serve between 100-200 dishes all cooked over blazing hot fires of pallets and assorted hardwoods.
The service is quick and casual, and the meals are served under lattice work on small tables on the sandy beach. While menus are available it appears that all anyone ever orders is the Paella which translates to rice, chicken and seafood to include shrimp, longostinos, clams all spiced and cooked to perfection.
On our way out of the restaurant, I lined up a shot of the Paella being cooked with the owner in the back ground. Bob went over and asked him to turn towards the camera when he promptly got up from his table and came to pose with the group Quite a character, who has vowed to stay and serve his famous dish until he dies. While his caves were wonderful his paella was the best.
The next day the group was due to part ways. We were headed up to Barcelona with the Orrs; and the Marquis were going to hang out in Nerja and wait for the sun to shine. Feeling a bit guilty that the Orrs had missed the paella, we decided to drop by for an encore meal and performance on our way out of town.
Needless to say the meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Prior to leaving, we all tried to get up to speed on the new app called VOXER so we could stay verbally in touch throughout the rest of the trip.
The Marquis were eventually headed to Gibraltar while we journeyed north to Granada and Sitges just south of Barcelona. We decided on Granada so as to view the ancient structure of the Alhambra Fortress that sits atop the city that was once the grandest city in all of Spain. The Alhambra fortress was the last stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain and requires reservations months in advance in order to insure a visit on the day of your choosing.
We had decided to visit the Alhambra on April first and wee had been warned that driving in certain parts of Granada were restricted to private autos without prior consent of the police. This proved to be fact as we noticed after our arrival in the Old Town part of the city that we were in fact the only private car on the road in addition to the buses and taxis. Traffic tickets and citations to follow.
After a frustrating hour or so of one way streets and gated entry ways, I was forced to play the "Amazing Race" trump card. I parked behind a cab and had Don instruct the taxi driver to take him to the Casa del Pilar.
Brilliant move.if I might say so myself. He took us to within a block of our hotel after passing thru restricted barricades that could only be accessed with special passes, that lifted serious barricades.
At our Hotel, parking came back into play but only after a few glasses of wine and a few deep breaths while all the time toasting the TV show, The Amazing Race. The directions to the parking structure were so convoluted that the hotel assistant felt it best to show us himself how best to get there and back again on foot to the hotel.
Our location was indeed perfect as we were situated on the Plaza Nueva at the foot of the Alhambra. We had our reservation for 9am the next morning and we're warned not to be late. The walk out of the hotel to the taxi stand proved immediately how poorly we had packed and how ill prepared we were for the cold weather. We had noted the snow capped peaks driving into the city, but assumed they were far enough away so as not to affect our stay in Granada.
The time and temp sign on the way to the taxi stand said otherwise. It was 4 degrees Celsius +/- 39 degrees Fahrenheit and me, dressed in my Tommy Bahama (not known for his winter wear) pullover found me underdressed for the assault on the Alhambra.
The Moorish Fortress was all that was promised and we were more than grateful for our prior reservations as we were greeted by hundreds of people standing in line waiting for cancellations. We were free to roam the grounds until our appointment at 9am to view the castle. The tour itself was self guided with the aid of an electronic tour guide. The tour took about two hours and we then went back to see some of the areas that we had originally overlooked.
The walkers in the group, felt it was an easy walk back down the hill to the Plaza Nueva just as I was about to get into a taxi. While the map was clear and the route looked to be direct, the steepness of the cobblestone walk way was not accurately depicted. While I had the right shoes on, I brought the wrong set of knees for the hike down I'mvisiting Barbara Orr's knee doctor as soon as I get off the plane. Our downward trek finished in a most scenic plaza. We all collapsed for a beer and a light lunch before heading back to the hotel and a bit of a nap.
The next day found us up and at um early as we had to keep moving so as to be in Sitges for a few days prior to the Orr's flight home from Barcelona. We decided to break up the drive from Granada to Sitges with a stopover somewhere.
That stopover turned out to be a place called Alicante right on the coast.
Susan and Don did a grocery store fun for wine and stuff for breakfast. They scored 5 bottles of wine and breakfast goodies for 12 euros. Lesson learned, always let Don book your cruise and buy your wine as he's bound to snag some sort of a deal.
We enjoyed our wine poolside, then headed across the street to a well hidden Tapas bar in the middle of a little shopping plaza. We were finally enjoying a true tapas experience thanks in part to a local and the lady owner who helped us navigate our way thru the meal.I bought my helpful, new friend a beer and he repaid me with a glass of wine on his way out What a "Lovely" evening!
There was a bit a rebellion the next day in that some in the group wanted to spend the nite in Valencia. A drive down the main thorough fare showed Valencia to be just another big city and since I had the steering wheel on my side of the car, we continued on to Sitges. A bit longer of a day on the road than I planned, but I am real glad we pushed on to Sitges.
Even though we had reservations at a sea side hotel in Siges we couldn't find the damn place. Barbara finally took charge of the Garman and located the hotel. Marginal but comfortable and a block from the beach. The weather began to change in our favor and we had almost beach days for the next couple of days. The girls laid on the beach one day while Don and I rented bicycles for a ride along the promenade.
We thought we would do Barcelona the next day by taking the train into the city in the morning and returning that evening. Found a great tapas bar thanks to the owner of the Hotel and then settled down for the evening prior to our venture into the big city of Barcelona.
The train station was just a short distance from our hotel. Bob and Debbie had first discovered Sitges a few years ago after riding the train south and getting off by chance at this lovely seaside town. Sitges is just a 30 minute drive to Barcelona International Airport so its an ideal place to stay prior to flying.
We purchased our tickets and waited for the next train to Barcelona. Quite a convenient commute as the trains left every fifteen minutes for the trip up the coast and into Barcelona. Its quite a scenic trip and reminiscent of the ride up the coast and into Santa Barbara with the tracks hugging the surf line.
With Rick Steves Snapshot book of Barcelona firmly in hand we ascended the stairs out of the train station and into the bustling city to begin our stroll along the world famous Ramblas, the pedestrian walkway that dissects the city. The Ramblas is home to street entertainers, coffee and food stations and seems to be the major artery of the city. This beautiful tree-lined walkway while lovely to stroll is indeed the tourist mecca of the city.
We were warned to mind our purses and wallets as this street is said to be a pickpocket's paradise. We were also advised that a oneway trip down the Ramblas was all that was required and that we should explore the labyrinth of streets and alleyways of old town and then return by taxi to the train station. As promised, old town proved to be collection of winding streets, small hotels and a variety of shops.
Lunch and a beer revived our tired legs that were not yet used to the undulating cobblestone walkways that lead you thru this part of town. We discovered a most interesting underground museum which featured the early beginnings of Barcelona. Cathedrals were everywhere many of which required a rather steep admission for entry. While we missed many of the the must see sites of the city and the weather did cooperate, we found Barcelona to be just another large European City, complete with the masses, the traffic and the ever present McDonalds. Next trip we hit the Gawdy Cathederal.
Susan and I have long ago realized that we do much better in the smaller cities, as the larger ones tend to look all alike and are far less easy to navigate and feel comfortable in. I was in Barcelona in ˜63 and we stayed for several days and thoroughly enjoyed the city. Today, however, Barcelona takes on the look and feel of any major metropolis which in a way is rather disappointing. Your sense of adventure and exploration are diminished as you set out to explore the unknown only to find that the masses have beaten you to it. I feel bad for our kids and grand kids who have yet to travel and experience these cities that at one time seemed so exciting and full of new surprises. While I enjoyed the visual of my few hours spent in Barcelona, I don't need to go back again. The Barcelona that I visited in "63 staying in a youth hostal with a paella joint across the street doesn't exist today......sounds like I'm getting old and jaded and spending a bit too much time looking to the past
.
Enough of the philosophical. We somehow managed to find the train station and after a few anxious moments we boarded a train that we hoped would take us back to our Sitges. While not totally confident of our decision to board the train on the number two track, we were assured by our fellow travelers that we were indeed on the right train. Between the four of us we know just enough Spanish to keep us out of serious trouble.
Back in Sitges and another Tapas dinner at our new favorite restaurant and we were forced to call it a day. As the Orrs had to fly home on the 6th we spent our last day with the girls laying on the beach as Don and I on rented bikes to give Sitges one last look A rather expensive Mexican dinner that actually translated fairly well got us geared up to part ways with Don and Barbara.
We got to Barcelona Int'l Airport in short order from Sitges and dropped the Orrs off for their flight home and then Susan and I headed north to Salvadore Dali's original home in Cadaques where he lived and painted with his wife Gala for many of his later years, We have had good luck booking our stays in advance thru Bookings.com and our stay in Cadaques was no exception. Our hotel located on a quiet bay in a town similar to the one we just left immediately put us at ease and comfortable in our new surroundings.
We headed out of town a short way to Dali's home. Dali was born just up the road in a town called Figueres. Showing early promise as an artist and after a successful showing in Barcelona, he moved to Paris to paint with the likes of Picasso and Muro and became the chief spokesman for the Surrealists movement. After marrying Gala, he returned to Cadaques and began painting in earnest in a collection of lovely buildings he wove together to create his home.
The house stands today exactly as it did when Dali left after the death of his wife. All of his personal items are still in place along with some of his original art that was in progress at the time. After Gala's death he moved back up the road to his birthplace in Figueres. On our way out of town we tried to visit the museum there that houses many of his works, only to find it closed for the day. Our intentions are to visit it again when we return from Hank and Cindy's on our way back to Barcelona for our flight home.
After our visit with Salvadore, we had a pleasant walk from our Hotel to the town center for dinner. The town is much smaller than Sitges, about the size of Avalon, and made us feel right at home.
The next day found us on our way to the farm in France. It was going to be a long day on the road but we are both looking forward to seeing the kids again and the progress they have made. After encountering only a few toll roads in Spain, we crossed the French border and were greeted by the sign with the French Soldier's hand out collecting toll charges. I admit that while the roads are lovely and high speed they are expensive as I found myself wearing my pant's pockets out once again searching for euros.
We arrived at the kids place early afternoon and were greeted by their collection of cats and dogs and most importantly our new bathroom en suite. Since I was last there, Hank has completed both upstairs bathrooms as well as various other improvements to their home and on their grounds.
Many of Hank's efforts go unseen, as they pertain to the mechanicals and plumbing of the house. A new gate welcomes visitors to Petit Clos and onto the new crushed stone driveway that leads to the house.
Their home in Topanga Canyon while it is still being leased is now in escrow and will be sold to the present tenants in the months ahead feeing ups some sorely needed cash. They will have two rooms ready to let, just in time for the 2012 tourist season that begins in a few weeks. Cindy continues her battles with the French bureaucracy trying to secure their driver's licenses and selling off a parcel of land all the while trying to establish their legal residency and smoothing over the issues of establishing their own business.
It seems insurmountable what they chosen to confront on a daily basis. They have secured the services of an accountant to help with the legal forms required to make all this happen as well as coordinate the tax issues they are forced to deal with both here in France and in the United States. They must be very careful with their farming as they are functioning under centuries old laws and regulations that at times can be quite onerous to foreign nationals. If not followed to the letter of the law, they are in danger of losing rights to their property and in some cases it could be taken from them.
As I write, Hank is continuing his love affair with his vineyard. They have decided to manage their own vineyard this year to include all of the maintenance and sale of the grapes that will be harvested. A few days ago he attacked the vineyard with a vengeance as he weeded with a lawnmower and weed wacker. Previously he had staked and tied up the vines and as they begin to flourish so also do the weeds. The results he achieved with all the wrong equipment is quite a testimony to his hard work and perseverance. The vineyard looks marvelous and if the grape gods are willing they can make a few bucks out of their 2½ acres they have under cultivation.
A lot of their land is what is called prairies and is cared for by an outside tenant who maintains the land in exchange for the hay that is harvested. As they must maintain their acreage (50+/- acres) to certain standards, this arrangement seems to work out quite well.
Caleigh continues to amaze everyone with her mastery of the French language and her overall achievements in school. She is at the top her class in all subjects, including French where she consistently outscores and out performs the locals even though she has only been in the system for a year and a half.
Currently she is choosing a school for her next 3 years. If the kids test well, they are forced to choose a direction for high school that will eventually determine what they will be doing with the rest of their academic life. School is essentially free, but she will be forced to live away from home and so the cost of boarding will fall on Hank and Cindy. She will probably end up in Bergerac about a half hour away; boarding their, Sunday thru Thursday.
All and all, life goes well for the Petterson Family. We have taken some leisurely outings to some of the surrounding areas for Market Day. Susan and Cindy are making items for these markets that she will sell in the months ahead, and Hank is back in the vineyards doing what vintners do. Yesterday Hank and I laid out the area for the new pool which will installed shortly after we leave. The pool is an in ground prefab pool which seems to be all the rage and the kids consider it an absolute must in attracting their future clientele.
The days are long with sunrise around 6-7am and the sun setting at 10pm Cocktail hour begins a bit later here on the farm usually after 7pm and dinner follows around 9pm so for the most part we are in bed when the sun goes down. I guess thats what farmers do.
Had dinner at a wonderful little restaurant just down the way and have chosen to visit it again for our bon voyage dinner next Monday nite.
A day trip on Saturday, will take us to the wine district of Saint Emilion for lunch and a walk about of the town. Hank swears by a truck stop that he has heard about as a possible lunch venue???????? Really,Hank? I didn't fly 5000 miles to the gourmet capital of the world to eat at a truck stop we'll see.
As I mentioned, Susan and I begin our trip home Tuesday 22nd for our flight home from Barcelona on the 24th . We'll stop for an overnite stay back in Figueres and try to catch the Dali museum open this time and then on to Sitges for a final Tapas dinner in preparation for our flight the next day to the states. If ever you have the occasion to fly from Barcelona, Sitges is the perfect place to stay prior to your flight. An easy 20 min drive to the airport while avoiding the chaos that is Barcelona.
Its been an interesting and varied seven weeks and we are both anxious to head home and see the rest of the family and re-acquaint ourselves with Isabella, the newest member. We had Mother's day with Matt and Natalie. on the phone. It was a relief to me that Aiden remembered us and seemed anxious to talk to us in this new format. It took him a few moments to get the hang of what was going on, but in the end seemed reluctant to say good bye.
Well, I'll say good bye for now.and thanks for reading and being a part of the journey. I'm already looking forward to the next journey and I hope you'll tag along again.......................................gb
Ps. We did eat at theTruck Stop that today after a rainy day visit St. Emilion and the lunch was wonderful. Apologies to Hank.
