Blogs from Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

On our return visit to Ronda, we took a tour of the bull fighting ring, one of only a few operating in Spain. Bull fighting is still legal in many regions although its popularity has been diminishing. In the early days, bull fighting was forbidden by the church as it was a sin to put your life (soul) in danger. Originally bull fighting was done on horses but transitioned to the matador on foot which is today’s practice. Debra refused to attend a performance and I’m less enthusiastic about a sport where the winner is pre-determined! The tour of the Ronda bull ring was interesting as it’s one of the oldest in Spain (built in 1785) and still in operation holding appx 5000 people. There is also an information/museum section that provides a good background on ... read more

We have arrived in Estepona which is about an hours drive from Malaga on the “Costa de Sol” (Sunshine Coast). Our Villa is only a few steps from the beach with easy access to a long, well maintained stone walkway that hugs the coast for miles. So far the weather has been comfortable with daytime highs around 18-22 C and the abundance of sunshine makes outdoor activity very pleasant. The Villa is somewhat compact, particularly in the kitchen, however, with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, it provides adequate space and is complimented with large back and front patios that includes a hot tub, barbecue and numerous pieces of outdoor furniture. Within a few minutes drive, there are a good selection of grocery stores, golf courses and restaurants etc. Of course, as with many places now, the ... read more

First cab off the rank this morning is La Malagueta, the Malaga Bullring. Issy’s anti-bullfighting so she’s staying in to work on one of her artistic masterpieces. I’m anti-bullfighting too, the problem being that I can’t paint. I read that the first bullfight was held here in 1876, and the ring can seat a little over nine thousand spectators. It was used to hold prisoners during both the Spanish Civil and Second World Wars. I thought Spain stayed neutral during the latter so I’m not quite sure where those guys would have come from. Anyway, a renovation completed in 2019 meant that it could be used all year round to hold events other than bullfights, and if the number of posters around the outside is anything to go by more than the odd concert is held ... read more

We were supposed to be going for a hike through the apparently legendary Caminito del Rey (Path of the King) tomorrow, but we get an email from the tour company to say it’s been cancelled due to “weather conditions”. Huh? We’ve scarcely seen a cloud since we got here, so I think “weather conditions” might be code for something else. The road there looks a tad on the windy side, so if that’s got anything to do with brakes we’re happy to delay for a few days. I head out for a stroll around the corner to Malaga’s main market, the Mercado Central de Atarazanas. I read that this 1870s structure was built on the site of a Moorish-era naval workshop. Renovation works carried out between 2008 and 2010 added a spectacular stained glass window depicting ... read more

Issy decides on a rest day so I head off exploring on my own. First stop is Malaga’s spectacular Cathedral, or more completely and “Spanish-ly“ the “Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnacion”. It’s very big, but other than that doesn’t look particularly different to other Spanish cathedrals we’ve seen in our travels. I read that it was built between 1528 and 1782, so they took their time. I’d hoped that was maybe because they wanted to make sure they got everything just right, but no, it seems they just ran out of money. All good there though; they started taxing ships that came into the port, and that suddenly sped everything up and got the job completed. The ever reliable Wikipedia says that the “south tower remains unfinished”. Huh? So it’s not really “completed” at ... read more