Category Archives: 20th anniversary

málaga afternoon

19 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in 20th anniversary, Malaga, tapas, travel, trips

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Walking back from lunch this afternoon I saw this…

Been having a great time in Málaga, but it suddenly seems too short, that there is too much I want to see and do in too little time. I am already thinking of another time I might be able to come back for a whole week and spend at least some of that time doing nothing at all. It would be great to just spend a couple of days hanging out in the apartment, walking on the beach, and making snacky meals at home. But I am very happy and grateful for these few days this week. If you want to see what I’ve been up to there are photo tweets up on both @azaharSevilla and @SevillaTapas.

What have you guys been up to?

back to málaga…

17 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in 20th anniversary, cats, Malaga, travel, trips

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Tomorrow Peter and I are heading off to Málaga for a few days. Well, Peter will come back on Thursday to do a tapas tour and I’ll stay on until Friday because I want to meet up with some Twitter friends who won’t be in town until Thursday. As usual we’ll be staying at Manolo’s fabulous apartment. You may remember that I postponed my Málaga trip in August because I couldn’t leave Azar, even with Peter staying at home with him. Now we can go together (next door neighbour Colm will be checking in on the young’uns) and it will be the first time in 17 years that I’ve ever gone anywhere without fretting about Azar. Even when he was young and in good health he was always so hard to leave, even just overnight, because I knew how much it upset him. It’s going to feel strange and sad, not fretting.

Anyhow, since everything is still so painful here, and this week is the only time until mid-October that I’ve got three free days in a row, I thought I should take the opportunity to get away. There are a couple of museums in Málaga I still haven’t visited as well as lots of places to revisit. The renovated wharf area should now be fully opened up and of course I will be dipping my toes in the Mediterranean.

But the first thing (a new “tradition” we started last visit), after unpacking and settling in, will be to go up to the Gibralfaro Parador Hotel and have a drink on their terraza while taking in the fabulous view (see pic). And then just enjoy a couple of days in my second favourite Spanish city. Well, as long as there isn’t another train strike, like today’s…

more córdoba!

08 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by in 20th anniversary, spain, travel, trips

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I realised today that I haven’t posted anything here about my trip to Córdoba a couple of weeks ago – the one that caused me so much worry over Azar and leaving him overnight. Well, as you all know he was fine and, as luck would have it, the damn tumour didn’t explode until two days after we got back. I still shudder to think what would have happened if it had burst while we were away…

But it didn’t and Peter and I had a wonderful time. I have to say that Córdoba is becoming one of my favourite places and already I want to go back. I used to say to friends and tapas tour clients that it was a good day trip spot, or at the most overnight, but I each time I go I discover something new and find out there is even more to discover.

And then I run out of time.

This last visit was extra special because I was invited by Hospes Hotels to spend a night in their fabulous five-star Palacio del Bailío and enjoy a flamenco-themed dinner there. So… wow. It was my first ever five-star experience and I sure hope it’s not my last. Everything at the hotel was perfect and the hotel itself has such an interesting history that you feel like you’re staying in a historical monument – which is exactly what it is. Various treasures were discovered during renovations, such as old paintings hidden under wallpaper and Roman ruins in the basement (!!). I could’ve happily not left the hotel during the entire visit, but there were things to check out in town.

Peter came with me as he was doing research for his Córdoba day trips as Seville Concierge. We went to the Mesquita again, as we hadn’t been for a few years, and also to the the Alcázar for the first time. And of course we were keen to try out a couple of restaurants that came highly recommended, only to find that they were both closed for holidays. Instead we happened upon a real find – the world’s first “salmorejería”! Anyhow, I have written and posted photos about the highlights of this fabulous trip in various places, so you can have a look at them if you like. And meanwhile I’ll keep dreaming about returning to Córdoba soon…

My blog post on azahar’s Sevilla: Dreaming in Córdoba

You can see all the hotel photos here: Córdoba | Palacio del Bailío

And other Córdoba pics: Córdoba | August 2012

And if you’re wondering what a salmorejería is… Salmorejería Umami

azar waited for me!

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 20th anniversary, animals & pets, cats, hope

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I wouldn’t say he was pleased about me “abandonating!” him for a whole 34 hours, but he seemed very pleased when he knew I was home again. And me? I was over the moon. Thing is, I know this cat is clever enough to keep himself fed and watered because I know he really wants to live. I just had to trust that he’d wait for me. And he did.

Córdoba was wonderful, the whole experience was so full of STUFF that it’s going to take days to process it all and get photos edited and articles written. But for now I am happily sitting here at home with this gorgeous darling next to me on the sofa. Peter is out doing a tapas tour. I knew I couldn’t come back from Córdoba and then turn around and leave Azar again an hour later. So Peter is out there bringing in a bit of bacon and I am here answering a monster pile of work emails and sorting through photos. With this beautiful boy beside me. Life is good…

off to córdoba (again)

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in 20th anniversary, culture, spain, summer, work

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So you may recall that two weeks ago I was in a quandary about whether to go on this overnight trip to Córdoba, with Azar being so frail. And one of my problems about waiting to see how the old darling was doing was that I didn’t want to cancel the hotel at the last minute, since I was being invited to stay there. Then about a week ago I realised that I could always go on my own and leave Peter at home to look after Azar, which set my mind at ease. And then this morning came and we took a long look at Azar and thought – he’ll be okay overnight – so now Peter is coming with me. I hope I don’t end up regretting that decision, but the truth is that Azar has been eating well, doing his “business” regularly (though he sometimes misses the box), and drinking plenty of water. He mostly snoozes the days away, waking up to eat and get a cuddle, much as any cat his age would do. Poor thing is pretty much blind and that nasty tumour seems bigger and uglier every day, making it difficult for him to walk. But as he’ll be staying on his own in my bedroom, separated from the other two, he won’t have far to go to get everything he needs.

It’s still a tough decision but my gut tells me that Azar is strong enough right now to be fine on his own from 8 am tomorrow until 6 pm on Wednesday. Now if I can only keep myself from worrying the whole time!

We are going to be staying at the Palacio de Balío Hospes Hotel, which is stunning. They have also arranged for us to enjoy a flamenco guitar concert and dinner there, and we are also invited for breakfast. If it’s anything like the Hospes Hotel here, it should be amazing. But let’s not forget that this is primarily a work trip, which is the other reason Peter really should come along. During the day we’ll be revisiting places we’ve been before so that he can organise a couple of routes for his Seville Concierge day trips. And of course we’ll have to try out a couple of restaurants. When we were there for that day trip in June it was mostly to see the Feria and have a look at the new Patio Museum so I’m looking forward to seeing the Mesquita again, as well as a few other things I’ve never seen that Peter has lined up.

And so now all I have to do is NOT WORRY!