12/12 - approximately 20 people on today's walk, including 1 Canadian lady, escaping the wet & cold winter of Nova Scotia. A ridge walk to the viewpoint of Cruz De Pinto. The shrine here built by a grateful sea captain & his crew after their miraculous escape from a ship wreck on these shores. A steep, slippy descent to a country road & the rio Chillar, spotting a Short-toed Eagle on the way.
We are so used to Spanish ways that we no longer remark when a car, delivery van or motorbike drives along the riverbed! It can't do the vehicles any good, but everybody does it. There are numerous properties to which this is the only access.
13/12 - exploring by bicycle country lanes north of Nerja. A few promising routes came to nothing, but all passing interesting little farms. Ate our picnic lunch at a well-tended shrine to the Virgen of Lourdes. Most of the avocado crop now picked, but there are plenty of oranges & lemons still on the trees, & bananas coming on behind.
14/12 - walked up rio Chillar & Hiqueron riverbeds, then by road up to the Castillo above Frigiliana, & back down to the village by wonderful windey cobbled streets.
15/12 - walked to Burriana Beach & up to Maro road, finding a little footpath back via fields. Noticed a few more holidaymakers about including children (school hols already?). Visited the very friendly Spanish lady owner of the Hotel Regina where we stayed when we arrived in Nerja. Joined her in the bar to watch a terrible Spanish soap. It made Eastenders look cheerful. It was obvious to our hostess we were not taking it seriously, so she gave us an old-fashioned look & assured us that the programme was "muy romantica"!
16/12 - 1st cloudy day for weeks! Cycled coast road to La Herredura, trying to spot mountain road turnoff recommended by Gill. Eventually found it obscured by roadworks,but no time to explore it on this trip - will definitely return now we know where it is.
Stopped for usual wonderful sea view at Cerro Gordo - searching with binoculars the natural park cliff slopes below the road for ibex. After spotting none we gave up & turned to our bikes, to see a family group of 6 ibex close by on the slopes above, silently watching us (no doubt wondering what we were looking for!)
Sunday, 16 December 2007
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Local News
The local papers make interesting reading - there is always some local authority scandal with a mayor being locked up for some misdemeanour or other. This week it was the turn of our neighbouring village of La Herradura - the sports centre has been built on protected land, so the mayor may have to pay for it to be demolished and be banned for life from public office!
The same paper explained the new penalty points system for drivers - amongst one of the more severe offences is "putting a cyclist at risk" - no wonder the drivers are all so careful to avoid us!
There is a general election here in March 2008 - both main parties are hoping to win votes with reduced tax and higher pensions (wonder who is going to pay for that?) Global warming is not high on their agenda. Spain is the EUs worst polluter with regard to carbon emmissions, but the opposition leader seems less than convinced on Global Warming (to quote) - "they can't tell me what the weather will be in Seville tomorrow, so why should I believe their forecast for 300 years time"! (In case you are interested the Spanish PM is the one who looks like Mr Bean).
The Christmas lights are on now in town - though quite a few bulbs have gone out already - electrics are not a Spanish strong point. Poinsettas are planted in all the roundabouts and municipal flower beds, and do look smart.
Our usual mix of cycling & walking this week again, in continued sunny weather. Animals spotted were black squirrel, ibex & a merlin.Walking chum Graham was convinced that every minor ground scraping was evidence of recent activity by wild boar hunting for food, however we have not heard or seen these beasts (yet!) As we near Christmas our local friends are preparing to return to the UK, abandoning us for the holiday. Any excuse for a meal out, we had an "Abandonment Lunch" with them on Monday, in a very Spanish local restaurant - great food, wine & company.
Final word this week goes to our improving Spanish - we learnt the word for "retirement" in Spanish is "Jubilacion" - very appropriate, as we are thoroughly celebrating ours!!!
The same paper explained the new penalty points system for drivers - amongst one of the more severe offences is "putting a cyclist at risk" - no wonder the drivers are all so careful to avoid us!
There is a general election here in March 2008 - both main parties are hoping to win votes with reduced tax and higher pensions (wonder who is going to pay for that?) Global warming is not high on their agenda. Spain is the EUs worst polluter with regard to carbon emmissions, but the opposition leader seems less than convinced on Global Warming (to quote) - "they can't tell me what the weather will be in Seville tomorrow, so why should I believe their forecast for 300 years time"! (In case you are interested the Spanish PM is the one who looks like Mr Bean).
The Christmas lights are on now in town - though quite a few bulbs have gone out already - electrics are not a Spanish strong point. Poinsettas are planted in all the roundabouts and municipal flower beds, and do look smart.
Our usual mix of cycling & walking this week again, in continued sunny weather. Animals spotted were black squirrel, ibex & a merlin.Walking chum Graham was convinced that every minor ground scraping was evidence of recent activity by wild boar hunting for food, however we have not heard or seen these beasts (yet!) As we near Christmas our local friends are preparing to return to the UK, abandoning us for the holiday. Any excuse for a meal out, we had an "Abandonment Lunch" with them on Monday, in a very Spanish local restaurant - great food, wine & company.
Final word this week goes to our improving Spanish - we learnt the word for "retirement" in Spanish is "Jubilacion" - very appropriate, as we are thoroughly celebrating ours!!!
Monday, 3 December 2007
Coast & countryside
27/11/07 - cycled N340 east to Herredura & around old coast road, avoiding nasty tunnel. Natural coast park area known as Cerro Gordo. No traffic & wonderful sea views. Lots of sightings of ibex.
28/11 - Gill & Andrew gave us a lift to the hill village of Competa, where we had time to look around the lovely village square & cobbled streets before meeting up with a walking group they have introduced us to. Mike (another one!) & Ros led the 16 strong group up to a local summit with fine views from a Firewatch Hut. John in the group, (recently moved with wife Liz from Poole) is a very keen racing cyclist. He hopes to introduce us to some cycling routes. He has 4 bikes including a carbon fibre one that can be lifted with one finger - just a tad lighter than ours then!!! Hope we can keep up with him!
29/11 - cycled west along N340 to Torrox Costa via short detour into local hills. Then a few blissful hours on the beach promenade people/fishing boat-watching.
Each evening this week we have watched terrific sunsets at around 6pm over the sea, a back-drop to local men fishing off the rocks.
30/11 - took the bus to Frigiliana & walked a well-marked mountain path to the peak known as El Fuerte (The Fort) at 1005metres. Evidence of recent forest fires as all the trees on 2 slopes were burnt & dead. The herb undergrowth, lemon thyme & rosemary, have regrown.
01/12 - cycled our favourite route out north west past Frigiliana to the shrine of "Our Lady of Monserrat". Ate in the evening at the restaurant adjacent to the gates of our apartment block, newly re-opened after a 2-week refurbishment. Very pleasant & friendly staff.
02/12 - cycled out to Cerro Gordo again, & this time took the new road down to the beach. Lots of locals sunbathing in this very sheltered spot. The road up was too steep to cycle, so a long hot push.
03/12 - the tasteful Christmas lights are up in town, but not switched on yet (how sensible). We have splashed out 75cents on a tiny Santa to hang on our patio!!!
Our apartment block is called "Las Fuentes" (The Fountains). One week after our moving in on 01/11/07, the Caretaker drained down the extensive fountains which are the key (only!) feature of the complex. He has since painstakingly cleaned them out & repainted them. At long last today he refilled them & turned them on again, much to our delight & that of all the little birds who inhabit our orange trees. He has now however, taken his chainsaw to the beautifully flowering hibiscus bushes! (Alan Titchmarsh he is not!)
28/11 - Gill & Andrew gave us a lift to the hill village of Competa, where we had time to look around the lovely village square & cobbled streets before meeting up with a walking group they have introduced us to. Mike (another one!) & Ros led the 16 strong group up to a local summit with fine views from a Firewatch Hut. John in the group, (recently moved with wife Liz from Poole) is a very keen racing cyclist. He hopes to introduce us to some cycling routes. He has 4 bikes including a carbon fibre one that can be lifted with one finger - just a tad lighter than ours then!!! Hope we can keep up with him!
29/11 - cycled west along N340 to Torrox Costa via short detour into local hills. Then a few blissful hours on the beach promenade people/fishing boat-watching.
Each evening this week we have watched terrific sunsets at around 6pm over the sea, a back-drop to local men fishing off the rocks.
30/11 - took the bus to Frigiliana & walked a well-marked mountain path to the peak known as El Fuerte (The Fort) at 1005metres. Evidence of recent forest fires as all the trees on 2 slopes were burnt & dead. The herb undergrowth, lemon thyme & rosemary, have regrown.
01/12 - cycled our favourite route out north west past Frigiliana to the shrine of "Our Lady of Monserrat". Ate in the evening at the restaurant adjacent to the gates of our apartment block, newly re-opened after a 2-week refurbishment. Very pleasant & friendly staff.
02/12 - cycled out to Cerro Gordo again, & this time took the new road down to the beach. Lots of locals sunbathing in this very sheltered spot. The road up was too steep to cycle, so a long hot push.
03/12 - the tasteful Christmas lights are up in town, but not switched on yet (how sensible). We have splashed out 75cents on a tiny Santa to hang on our patio!!!
Our apartment block is called "Las Fuentes" (The Fountains). One week after our moving in on 01/11/07, the Caretaker drained down the extensive fountains which are the key (only!) feature of the complex. He has since painstakingly cleaned them out & repainted them. At long last today he refilled them & turned them on again, much to our delight & that of all the little birds who inhabit our orange trees. He has now however, taken his chainsaw to the beautifully flowering hibiscus bushes! (Alan Titchmarsh he is not!)
Monday, 26 November 2007
Malaga & mountains
Took a very comfortable local bus to Malaga this week (great value at Euro 3.5). It has an extensive old quarter with some Roman ruins, a castle, & the Picasso museum (including some fabulous early works showing how talented a conventional artist he was at a very early age). In the basement of the museum were some remnants of Phoenician (6th Century BC) & Roman (2nd Century BC) buildings. At the museum the loos were so high tec Sue could not work out how to get wash or flush water - then it turned out to be all automatic anyway!. The Produce Market was 3 large halls of mouth-watering produce (meat, fish & fruit). Lunched on delicious salads in the Plaza de Merced under sunny skies.
Walks this week included a wonderfully scenic route with Gill,Andrew, Sue & Graham. Set off from a small car park area above Frigiliana village & did a circular walk of 13 miles climbing from 400m at the start to 900m at the highest point. Saw a family group of ibex & a half-metre snake crossed the path immediatley in front of us as we walked. Lunched at a remote hotel & got back to the cars just before dusk. Also walked up the rio Higueron to Frigiliana & back Sunday. People-watched in the sunny square whilst we ate a picnic lunch.
With a full moon & storms across the Med in N. Africa, waves have been crashing onto the Nerja shoreline for the lastfew days. This has not deterred the local shore-fishermen who have been out in force in front of our appartment block (& we actually saw a fish caught as well!)
Walks this week included a wonderfully scenic route with Gill,Andrew, Sue & Graham. Set off from a small car park area above Frigiliana village & did a circular walk of 13 miles climbing from 400m at the start to 900m at the highest point. Saw a family group of ibex & a half-metre snake crossed the path immediatley in front of us as we walked. Lunched at a remote hotel & got back to the cars just before dusk. Also walked up the rio Higueron to Frigiliana & back Sunday. People-watched in the sunny square whilst we ate a picnic lunch.
With a full moon & storms across the Med in N. Africa, waves have been crashing onto the Nerja shoreline for the lastfew days. This has not deterred the local shore-fishermen who have been out in force in front of our appartment block (& we actually saw a fish caught as well!)
Monday, 19 November 2007
Walking with friends
Have met local Brit expert walkers & enjoyed a wonderful day led by Gill & Andrew walking the Sierra between Frigiliana & Maro.This included 'river-leaping' & some steep inclines. Saw our first black squirrel & many wheeling vultures. Also the effects of the 21stSept rains washing 2metres of riverbed away from the rambla.
Visited Tuesday street market in Nerja. Streets full of cut price & fake designer goods stalls & great local produce (esp. nuts)
Equally exciting walk with our first visitors (Barbara & Will) took us up an initially dry rambla, but we ended up wading up to our knees in the swift flowing stream in the narrow gorge (Mike managed to keep dry feet as Will provided an obliging piggy-back! Sue's shoes still drying out).This was north of Nerja towards Frigiliana,but we could not reach the village so turned back. With B&W found some great restaurants to take future visitors.
Don't worry,we are still keeping up our cycling, with several trips around the local hills in the last week.
Weather still great, but evenings getting cooler. Little Christmas hype here as yet - what a pleasure to be free of that (bah humbug)!
Visited Tuesday street market in Nerja. Streets full of cut price & fake designer goods stalls & great local produce (esp. nuts)
Equally exciting walk with our first visitors (Barbara & Will) took us up an initially dry rambla, but we ended up wading up to our knees in the swift flowing stream in the narrow gorge (Mike managed to keep dry feet as Will provided an obliging piggy-back! Sue's shoes still drying out).This was north of Nerja towards Frigiliana,but we could not reach the village so turned back. With B&W found some great restaurants to take future visitors.
Don't worry,we are still keeping up our cycling, with several trips around the local hills in the last week.
Weather still great, but evenings getting cooler. Little Christmas hype here as yet - what a pleasure to be free of that (bah humbug)!
Monday, 12 November 2007
Sierra de Tejeda
Local exploring within 40miles of Nerja we have been to Competa @ 600m high. Great scenery & weather. Also visited the church at Velez Malaga where annual easter passion processions take place. Upto 120 people needed to carry each religous effigy around the town!!!
Walked from Nerja to the Rio Chillar valley & also from Maro into the foothills of the Sierra de Tejeda, where we saw ibex roaming the slopes.
Looking forward to seeing our friends Barbara & Will who are flying in from London at the weekend for a few days visit - hope the weather holds for them.
Continuing to explore new tapas bars & paella restaurants - it's tough but somebody has to do it!
Have spoken to Chris a few times & he is working hard & playing hard - has got his first rowing competition this week. Apparently apart from the cox he is the shortest one in the boat - god knows how tall the others are.
Walked from Nerja to the Rio Chillar valley & also from Maro into the foothills of the Sierra de Tejeda, where we saw ibex roaming the slopes.
Looking forward to seeing our friends Barbara & Will who are flying in from London at the weekend for a few days visit - hope the weather holds for them.
Continuing to explore new tapas bars & paella restaurants - it's tough but somebody has to do it!
Have spoken to Chris a few times & he is working hard & playing hard - has got his first rowing competition this week. Apparently apart from the cox he is the shortest one in the boat - god knows how tall the others are.
Monday, 5 November 2007
Nerja in Andalucia
Reached Nerja on 26/10/08 & booked into charming small town centre hotel as nearby campsite closed for October holidays. Within a few days we have been able to rent a ground floor apartment (easy bike acess) handy to the town centre, beach & tapas bars - ours until the end of March 08.
We are exploring the local hill villages (great to be cycling without the luggage!) Weather has been brilliant since we arrived - big blue skies, sun from 8.00am til 7.00pm (can it last?) Planning longer trips to Malaga, Granada etc by bus.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO HARRIET (4th Nov) & CHRISTOPHER (10th Nov) THIS WEEK - XXX
We are exploring the local hill villages (great to be cycling without the luggage!) Weather has been brilliant since we arrived - big blue skies, sun from 8.00am til 7.00pm (can it last?) Planning longer trips to Malaga, Granada etc by bus.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO HARRIET (4th Nov) & CHRISTOPHER (10th Nov) THIS WEEK - XXX
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
