20 Thursday Dec 2012
It’s never long enough. Took this photo of Málaga port on my way back to the apartment to pack up and get ready for an early departure in the morning. But I still have one evening left to meet Justine for tapas and walk around the center of town enjoying the Christmas lights. It’s been a whirlwind week filled with friends and food, sea and sun… my Málaga.
How’s your week been?
17 Monday Dec 2012
So I made it! But shades of Christmas past came back to haunt me after Justine and I met up at the train station in Málaga and we went of to grab a quick taxi to the apartment. I wondered why there wasn’t the usual long queue of taxis in front waiting for passengers and then I saw The Sign. Another goddamm taxi strike! I couldn’t believe it. So we walked to a nearby bus stop and saw that it was for a bus that would take us close to the Malagueta. And then we waited. And waited. Turned out that at that very moment – lunch time of course! – there was a taxi driver demonstration going on in the centre and so the buses were being rerouted.
We finally got to the apartment over an hour later than planned – if I hadn’t overpacked (as usual) we probably could’ve walked there faster – and after dropping off our stuff we went to a near and dear spot called La Moraga for a snack of fried baby squid and their famous bulltail burger, washed down with a couple of glasses of perfectly chilled Botani. And suddenly it felt like I was home!
After lunch Justine went off to explore on her own and I stopped off at the supermarket for a few things before coming “home” to unpack and set up my little office. It feels a bit weird not staying at Manolo’s (which is just the next street over) but this place is also quite charming. Steffen from GlobalCityBreak joked that people often comment it’s like staying in an IKEA showroom, but I quite like that. Everything is bright and clean. And there’s free 4G WiFi!!! So I’m all cosy and happy that I “overpacked” because I’m listening to music on my iPad speaker dock and am comfy in my “house sweats” and slippers. This evening we’re meeting up with Fred and Arpi to try a new tapas bar. Not a bad way to start the week, especially when it was 23º on the beach this afternoon.
What are you guys doing this week?
08 Thursday Nov 2012
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I was absolutely thrilled and honoured when Mr David Whitley – AKA Grumpy Traveller – asked to interview me – AKA Sevilla Tapas – for the new Expert Tips section on his website.
I have followed David on Twitter for ages now, and love his no-nonsense and very honest approach to travel writing. If more people had the same low bullshit threshhold as David the world would be, well, a much less bullshitty and interesting place.
So check out David’s site if you are looking for the real deal when it comes to travel writing. And also check out my interview!
[also posted on azahar’s Sevilla]
17 Monday Sep 2012
Posted in 20th anniversary, cats, Malaga, travel, trips
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…
08 Saturday Sep 2012
Posted 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
casa azahar 