Summertime Adventures

July 2022

After a relatively short spring, suddenly the town is full! The flocks of language students started arriving while it was still chilly, rushing in giggly clumps from one bar to another, then the Scandinavian tourists began to appear, and even the Malagueño families admitted defeat and packed away their parkas and scarves. At the beach, we are all enjoying the cool ocean breeze and the bracing Mediterranean water temperature. We usually do one beach day per week. Chiringuito Cachalote has loungers and umbrellas on the sand for rent. It’s almost like a drive-in movie: relaxing with a mojito while watching the first-timers plunge into the water then rush back out screaming. Afterwards, we walk up to the cafe for gambas, boquerones, and fresh-grilled lubina, cooked over the olive-wood fire (shrimp, anchovies, and sea bass!)

Spring was busy. Dog-sitting for Al and Marc at Cortijo el Carligto, while they went off to visit family in the US and Holland. Then at Hector’s birthday nephew Carlos Ramirez visited us from New York, with his girlfriend Cienna. Our friends, detako, (David and Elena) opened their own restaurant in La Herradura, so we drove over with the kids for a wonderful dinner one evening. Then they got the VIP Tour of Malaga and we hopped on the train to spend a couple of nights in Madrid together before they went home. It was a wonderful visit.

In June we went over to Alhaurín de la Torre to visit our friends Anna and Juan, to check out their summer feria and see what the locals look like. All these little towns have a yearly community fair, Malaga has a big extravaganza every August. This was the first year in a while for most. Alhaurín’s feria was colorful and very family oriented. There was a midway with rides and all the usual perils, lots of enthusiastic dance performances by the amateur local kids, but a very serious lack of the kind of fair food I grew up with. Where were the deep fried donuts? No giant turkey legs, not one corny dog to be seen. However, one improvement over fairs in the US–lots more beer gardens.

Plenty of friends-of-friends continue to pass through Southern Spain. Some are exploring potential future homes, some just wandering after the long travel pause. It’s fun to show them our Malaga and compare stories, not to mention making some friends. Virtually without exception, the travelers we have met are grateful for the privilege of post-lockdown travel. Let’s face it, travel can be inconvenient and tiring. It’s not for everyone. But for those who choose it, travel means more now. It feels like more of a gift, and it shows on everyone’s faces.

As Spain started to experience its usual summer scalding heat, we packed up our apartment, put ten boxes into storage (how did that happen after a year in Spain?) and hit the road for a 2 month Mexican adventure. Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta! Stay tuned for updates on the enchiladas, mole, birria, and chilaquiles in our immediate future. Somos patas de perro!