VIVA ESPANA!

When I lived in Ireland, regular visits to Spain were on my happy calendar. Unlike Canada, it was easy to get to, and the weather a lot warmer. To celebrate our March birthdays this year, daughter Alison and I decided to go to sunny Spain. The last time I was there, I was 30 years younger, and the only thing on my wish list was to tan myself silly on a beach by day, and disco dance the night away to Sylvia’s Y Viva Espana! Go to youtube and check it out!!

This time it was different. I wanted creature comforts, culture, and great cuisine. Two out of three ain’t bad. We scored on the creature comforts and culture. Alas, cuisine left some room for improvement! We enjoyed a great Moroccan feast one night (at Al-Yamal in Malaga), and an Indian dinner another night, which was excellent. The BEST paella was actually in Dublin — at a Spanish restaurant of course! (Salamanca)

Ali, being a seasoned traveller, suggested we stay at the Mariposa Hotel in Malaga, Southern Spain. It was perfectly located in the Centro area, a 4 star hotel, close to Malaga Cathedral, and right in the middle of all the action. The bedrooms are painted in vibrant colours — blue, green, red, orange, etc. Ornate Picasso-like sculptures graced the lobby and reception areas. As luck would have it, we were put into the blue room. Fortunately, we didn’t get the blues while in residence there. An enormous comfortable king size bed ensured we got a great night’s sleep each night, and the spacious en-suite bathroom delivered my wish for creature comforts.

Hotel Mariposa had the BEST breakfast ever! For 11 euros per person, you could eat as much as you wanted. The buffet breakfast went on until after 11 each morning and you needed the time lol! You got to squeeze your own oranges and make the most delicious juice. Southern Spain has oranges dripping from the trees. No shortage of Vitamin C. There were several selections of fresh juices, sweet and salty cereals, followed by hot food such as Spanish omelettes, scrambled eggs (which, surprisingly for buffet food, actually tasted like eggs!), bacon, sausages, fried peppers and mushrooms. For those wishing to eat less savagely, you could have yogurt, fresh fruit, ham and cheese slices, etc. You got to make your own toast if you wanted, and your own espresso, cappuccinos, or lattes, which were totally delicious!

A tray of small delicious pastries and various artisan breads completed the feast. That meal kept us going until evening, with a little cappuccino break in-between. The breakfast room had large floor to ceiling windows overlooking the busy street and was a bright and cheery start to our Spanish day. Going to bed at night, I would look forward to my big, bright, sunny, Spanish breakfast. During our stay at Mariposa, there was a writer’s group from California also staying in the hotel. Ali and I got a kick eavesdropping on their literary conversations!

We started our holiday doing what every smart traveller does — the hop on-hop off bus. Ours covered two days, and all the major attractions, which included the Picasso Museum, the Russian Museum of Art, and the fashion and automobile museum which was absolutely incredible. With my love for fashion, it was one of the highlights of my trip! The castle had incredible views, but not a lot to see inside. The modern museum was certainly worth a visit too.

I love visiting churches in foreign countries, so Malaga Cathedral did not disappoint. It was truly magnificent with its vaulted domes and stunningly beautiful religious artifacts. Centuries of prayer were ingrained in the wooden seats and pews. Situated right in the heart of the city, it’s worth a visit.

One of my favourite things to do on holidays is just to walk around a new city, dig in the city vibes, wander into small random cafes where tourists don’t normally go and observe local people going about their day. Ali and I did a lot of that and enjoyed each new adventure into the unknown, the strange, and sometimes the quirky! Window shopping is another favourite pastime. That’s where the quirky part comes in!

The fashion shops were pretty much the same as those in Dublin or London, boasting big box stores such as Zara, H & M, Massimo Dutti, Mango, etc. Spanish women are meticulous about their hair and shoes. They also love their silk scarves. My abiding memory of the Spanish Senoritas is thick lustrous hair, expensive shoes, and vibrant silk scarves. I actually returned with a few scarves which I purchased from the Fashion Museum. I met the charming owner of the Museum who told me I looked 12 years younger than my age, so I bought his book, and some scarves from his museum! Charm will get you everywhere!

Spanish families go out together at night and sit in cafes, observing life, and chatting together. It’s all very civilized. Everybody, from the grandparents to the smallest babies. So sweet to see the oldest and youngest members of families hanging out together. The city square in Cordoba was a perfect place to observe the Spanish at play, eat your olives, and lazily sip your sangria. Children joyfully following bubbles made by a busker in the square, others feeding the birds. Picture-perfect, which is what you want on holidays.

Taking the train from Malaga to Granada was an ‘experience’. One has to go through security and then find the correct carriage. Easier said than done, as the trains are enormous and people are rather highly strung. Private carriages are manned by stylishly attired staff wearing gloves who don’t like to be photographed. Way too Plebian darling! We accidently boarded the private carriage (right seat number, wrong carriage) but were soon put right by an awfully posh Spanish man, boasting an enormous moustache which could house a mouse. Unlike most Spaniards we encountered, he could actually speak English. Maybe it was because we were sitting in his seat.

I would highly recommend learning some Spanish before you go to Spain. It was an impediment trying to negotiate with the Spaniards. Everything from telling them No gracias! I don’t like cinnamon on top of my cappuccino, to asking them where the nearest toilet was. On occasion, I was almost driven to the point of playing charades to show them what I was trying to say!! So, yes, brush up on your Spanish. Spanglish did not work for me!

If you asked me what the three cultural highlights of my trip were, I would have to say, the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba, and the Fashion and Autobmobile Museum. All are definitely worth a visit! The Hop on Hop off is also definitely worth the investment, and you gain free entry into several museums with it. So Bon Voyage off to Sunny Spain!