Just mucking about at a marina...

It's cooler down near the water than inland certainly at this time of the year.,

Another warning in Malaga area for hot weather..

So today down at the coast..

Bit of a sea must rolling in though today keeping it cooler..

Above and below a feria at a very small Pueblo... So small, the fair was watched by an equal amount of participants!

Very relaxed and everyone having fun... Was a great evening a couple of weeks ago.

Great tapas and a glass of wine for not much more than two euros.

TTFN
Marian

Yesterday afternoon I came up onto the terrace after watching the movie... bit of sun cream... because we all should! Factor 30 for me... even more need to protect my skin than ever.

After a while I got tired reading, although my head was in the shade... of the washing drying on the line... it was hot hot hot!

So I drank my glass of water, slung up my hammock and got comfortable, in the shade... the beautiful breeze keeping me gently moving and I closed my eyes... drifted off for a moment listening to the birdsong... the occasional motorbike in the distance... and nothing much more, no voices, no cars on the street... nothing..

I was thinking how we are all on a road... we're not driving... its like being upstairs, up front, on the 312 from Berkhamsted to Hemel Hempstead... the big old double-decker bus... You couldn't see the driver, you couldn't see who boarded or left at any time, all you could do was sit, watch the road, and the bus took us.

Life is like that, you're headed down a road, there may be twists and turns, maybe you can see them as you approach, but that's it... you don't own the choices all the time, even if you think you do.

Life takes it away...

May 25, Saturday

I came down after what felt like a couple of hours, not having my phones with me, totally unaware of the time... and not minding one little bit!

Last night I had trouble negotiating this route with the hundreds of people flooding this street and all along the lower road... Looks so calm here at ten this morning! Apart from plastic glasses, some bottles and wet places along the way!!

Meeting my friend at a tapas bar... but we didn't stop there, too busy... correction, waaaayy to busy! So we walked along and up past the Cruz roundabout to a bar much further up the street.  Sitting outside in the beautiful warm evening, watching the world go by... which included women dressed in the very best flamenco dresses... beautiful colors and designs... everything perfect, their hair, make-up... Stunning!  The guys on their horses... sat on the front seats guiding the well dressed horses along c/Gerard Brennan, their passengers wearing the beautiful flamenco dresses or smart suits for the men...

Another couple of friends joined us about ten'ish I think... and I got a lift to the roundabout nearer my house, and only had to walk back down, instead of a long haul up to it! Got home about half eleven, so not too bad... I watched some TV, ate ice-cream and got to bed about half twelve..

Today I was awoken by birdsong at six am! They let me sleep for another hour but I was up and ready for the day by then!

The pretty pom poms on this shop window are actually for voting here tomorrow, the European election... I better read the stuff tonight and be ready to see who I am voting for tomorrow!!

Had coffee in town early this morning, back out this afternoon for more feria fun!

TTFN
Marian

Very quiet down in town this morning... most of the business's are closed, feria day today.. Lots going on! Day and night!

A one man feria machine came up the street past the bar about 8:30! All music, all balloons and all party party party!  We could all hear his approach well ahead of him appearing before us! Everyone was stunned! Lol... I couldn't get a front shot of him... and later headed home he was driving up the middle of the street so fast I missed him face on again!

All the bars are out already for the main day events... being stocked with glasses and plates... barrels of beer and pumps... everything from the Plaza Baja back up the street!

Later on this street will be heaving with people, fun and laughter and music and everyone dressed up to the nines! 

Tonight I am into town for tapas! I better dress feria styling!

As I write, I am also watching a great movie... Trainwreck its called, bit of a chickflick maybe? But good nonetheless... and just seen the area of the park where I scattered my mom...

I am so looking forward to seeing and spending time with my family in LA in July... but also makes me miss New York all the more..

TTFN
Marian

VidBlog

Don't freak out on me!  My first VidBlog!

Crazy chick that I am! Its this Facebook 'live' thing everyone seems to be doing, and I don't!  I don't know most of the people on my fb any more, and of course I know all of you!!!

I am very confused as to how to turn it off at the end, this is the end of a 27 second vid! Not the longest, I promise future vids will be longer, and only from interesting places, not the safety of my sofa! Because, really, what is the point of that!?!

A trip to Mijas Pueblo today could have been more interesting but I chick-chick-chickened out on that!

So here are some photographs instead!

An insects view from beneath this beautiful flower...

A birds eye view of this human rock climber!

Small frog who I am sure was in the exact same spot last time we were here!

Tiny lizard soaking up the sun before getting frightened away by my phone...

Y al final.... the stairs up from the plaza [still in reform], the beautiful blue flower pots matching the beautiful blue beyond...

It was very windy up in Mijas today, stood in certain spots one could be blown right over!  We had coffee in the little bar up near the famous steps and the small church, lots of tourists about which is great, the roads are closed all over the place, but still accessible by car into the big car park, so no problems for anyone wanting to visit right now; we did see lots of people seemingly lost in their cars [driving!!!], but then, they could have been lost anyway regardless of the roads!

And we are still trying to work out where a new road that has recently appeared starts and finishes, so next time, we will try to find it, and end up lost no doubt! Hmmmm, maybe that is what those people today had been doing, all has become crystal clear... as mud!

Tapas in the bar on the way home and now... home!

And now I must 'publish' or the vidblog will be lost!

TTFN

Marian

Wonderful day in Ronda yesterday, after so many trips by car we thought a trip by train would be really great!  As aforementioned we had checked out the train times and got there in plenty of time, got a coffee first in nearby bar... When we got onto the platform two guys got off the Malaga train, they needed to get to Malaga airport and had inadvertently got the wrong train, they needed to be on a plane in an hour!  They walked into Cartama Estacion to get a cab, wonder if they made it...

The lookout from near the band stand at Ronda, view from the Parador

I tried to take photos that I had not before!  Bit difficult after going to Ronda for 28 years now!  I don't think I had been there since mom passed away... not sure... It was her birthday on Sunday...

The train journey was lovely, took loads of photos... as did most of the people on the train! At one point, we stopped at Bobadilla, a strange, very old station, seems to be out in the middle of nowhere!

 

Blossoms and cactus fruit... best served cold!

 ...And pulled out the way we had come in, so spent the last part of journey going backwards!  Most people moved seats, seeing as there were plenty of free ones, probably not the case in high season! and on the way back Franco and I swapped seats so I did the last part of the journey in reverse!  I don't think I used to like to travel backwards but don't mind it now! Which is pretty good seeing as the amount of train journeys I now have to make are leaving me going backwards most of the time!

           

View from the Parador, looking down at a faraway house and looking up at a hotel balcony...

It was a festival in Ronda, unbeknownst to us!  So 90% of the shops were closed! Dammit!! But, one shop was open, one I have been going into since our first visit there... A shop that sells all sorts of bits and pieces, toys at the back, kitchenalia to the left, and gadgets all over the place! Wonderful shop, full of so many things I have always wanted but didn't know it until I walked in!

    

Weather vein on an old palace and a bullfighter outside the Ronda Bull Ring

I bought a little gadget for my camera or phone, not actually supposed to be for such a use, but I will use it for photography!

Great visual effects with new gadget!

The lack of shopping opportunity also didn't stop me buying a bag, I needed a new one! Of course! Who doesn't??  By travel bag is shot, so bought a replacement!

We had tapas in a great tapas bar... a few cups of coffee, and a far bit of walking, the journey was great, train comfortable, all good, except, I have never watch watched while in Ronda before! Although I knew we had plenty of time I was worried about missing the train home!

Tapas!

TTFN

Marian