Making the Most of Marbella

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There is nothing to say for today. We ordered much of the same food for lunch and continued writing and posting pictures - or did you not notice that there were almost 10 blogs posted during our stay in Marbella? We read books. Leroy is now reading Barack Obama’s book, and I am reading some less than good novels that I pilfered from Bett’s Paris apartment. First there was “Which Brings Me to You” by Steve Almond and Juliana Baggot, which is a quick read but easily forgotten, and now there is “Good Grief” by Lolly Winston, which I give the same review. It’s hard to find a good book. On our last full day in Paris, Bett and I spent a good half hour in the books section of the Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Elysées and still could not find an English language book worth buying. Certainly, if some of those had been free, I would have picked one up. But now I just have to read what’s available. Next on the list? A book I’ve already read and that Leroy just finished reading - “Paris to the Moon” by Adam Gopnick.

So there was reading and blogging, and a failed attempt to get some sun at the pool in the afternoon (too cold). At 7pm, we walked down to the main common area where they have set up a little bar-like section with barrels that serve as tables (for you New Yorkers, kinda like Xunta, the tapas bar on First Avenue). They gave us a voucher for complimentary aperitifs and tapas at “Unwind,” a new sunset daily event they are promoting with drinks and tapas. We enjoy manzanilla, a Spanish sherry that is pale and dry. The only other time I’ve had it was during Las Ferias de Abril (April Festival) in Sevilla - a huge party where people go to private parties in big tents, drink individual bottles of manzanilla, and dance sevillanas (a type of flamenco dance) until 8am. Our tapa was a set of three different ones - one with smoked salmon and honey in a small wrap, croquetas de jamón (ham croquettes), and another one (I don’t remember). We also ordered up a small tapa of jamón bellota, traditional cured Spanish ham. The ham slices were cut thinly from a leg that was mounted on one of the barrels. Qué rico!

More chilling out, and then it’s 10pm and dinner is at Kaede, the Japanese spot in the hotel. We ordered the menú and a sashimi plate to get the most for our money, and it was good, although I still miss the large pieces at Monster Sushi in Mountain View.

Then, it was back to dreamland. It’s a pity that the weather has been cool, but then, I’m happy to get out of Marbella exactly what we’re getting out of it - complete relaxation.

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Photos

Marbella, the way we see it
Pretend it's time-lapse photography.

Marbella, the way we see it
Ooh, clouds.

Marbella, the way we see it
Ooh, no clouds.

Marbella, the way we see it
Must be about 9:30pm... sun sets then.

Marbella, the way we see it
You get the point. We did not do Marbella beaches justice by visiting, but it was good times!!!