Never Enough Malaga...
Turning the corner toward Placa Merced… took my breath away! It was so incredibly beautiful! The perimeter of the Placa was lined with fully blooming Jacaranda. The sweet smell of the flowers added to the experience!
Two flowers that dominated not only the Placa Merced, but the whole town! I returned several times to just sit on a bench and enjoy the beauty… it’s a rather active gathering place. Just outside the main square stand dozens of outdoor cafes. At one point, I was looking at this area to rent a flat but ended up with the cathedral location.
A couple visits ago, Barry and I toured the Alcazaba. This time, Corey and I wandered around the lower portion of the fortress. We bought tickets at the entrance next to the Roman Theater and began exploring. Built during the period Malaga was under Muslim rule, the rock craftmanship is reminiscent of materials used during its construction during the 11th century and up until the 14th century. Impressive!
Different materials were used depending on the time period the construction took place. This museum section was slightly more modern. The impressive ceiling in the left photo, gave me a stiff neck! Looking up at a weird angle got me… but it was worth it! I ended up putting the iPhone camera in “selfie” mode and looked down into my phone, to see above me :-)
No simple entryways here… creative architecture could be found all over the courtyard on the interior of the fortress.
Inside the walls of the fortress are a series of arched walkways. Some lead to gardens, some to viewpoints. It was a maze of cobbled paths.
Had we gone to the upper castle, the views would have been from higher up… but these gave a nice perspective of the port and the historical district.
We still had much of the day left after the Alcazaba… so we headed into the Cathedral de Malaga. Thankfully, Corey is happy to oblige my obsession with churches… he was happy to join me.
So much contrast inside one building… from ornate chapels to intricately carved wooden seats for the choir. Tiled floors added to the beauty!
From the organ to the stained glass… and everything in between… the architecture and design of the building was stunning. As I’ve said before, I never tire of cathedrals. Built between 1528 and 1782, the Baroque exterior is in complete contrast to the Renaissance Era interior.
On the first day in Malaga, I posted photos from our cathedral view at dinner. Corey is standing on the “balcony” overlooking our dinner location. The massive structure is the centerpiece of the historical district. Corey listened to a narrated tour on the wand provided with our entry fee.
More shots of the exterior from the balcony. Hearing the church bells every half hour from our flat… or actually anywhere in town, added to the entire Malaga experience.
Based on a recommendation from a friend, we had dinner at Mamuchi’s - Cocina del Mundo. Oh my gosh! It was incredible! The restaurant was unique in that the menu was presented on a chalkboard. Each item was described by the waitress. Her descriptions made my mouth water! The reason for the chalkboard is that every day different options were offered. What a fun way to have a restaurant and not get tired of serving the same exact items night after night!
A crazy good Thai Coconut Milk soup… Dolmas… and stuffed to overflowing tacos! Everything was cooked to perfection. It’s always a treat when there are things on the menu that fit my dietary restrictions AND with all the tastes! It’s meals like this that almost make me forget I can’t eat everything I want…
Adorable and inviting inside and out… the colorful entry attracts attention. There wasn’t a table for two in the outdoor eating area but the inside was equally special. The decor was eclectic! From antique looking furnishings to wall decor of family members.
Another recommendation… that I could not enjoy but Corey loved… churros! His friends in town, told him about this churro stand. I was able to get my daily coffee and Corey had coffee and churros!
The verdict is in… churros were excellent! A busy stand that can be a sit down with coffee or take away. Looking around, I notice people ordering stacks of them! Corey only ordered two… but he said that was enough for his morning snack.
Heading down to the port area, we passed the horse and carriage. During our stay, I have noticed people touring around in one of these. There is also a hop on hop off bus, but I prefer walking to make sure I see it all… every alleyway… every cafe.
A must take “selfie”! We walked down the beach until we reached the Malagueta sculpture. Mountains, ocean and palm trees as a background, this is a fun area of the beach. People were surprisingly respectful of letting everyone get a picture without it being overcrowded. There were several people waiting their turn…
All along the beach, there were outdoor restaurants on the sand. Most had a grill like this… we couldn’t resist, it was time for a little seafood!
Fresh… so fresh! Sitting by the water, a coke for Corey and Sangria for me… it was an awesome midday snack! Lots of families at the beach. The weather could not be more perfect! Eighty degrees, not a cloud in the sky and no breeze. After a cold Tahoe winter, the warmth was a nice change!
Even I can go to the beach in Malaga! How nice to pay a little fee to get a lounge chair and umbrella. Great place to be by the water and read, without breaking my limited sun rule…
Spring is in the air! Flowers, flowers everywhere! We have been walking about five miles a day without knowing it because everything we see distracts us from the steps we are taking!
Another day… another recommendation… and another Antonio Banderas restaurant! This was one was more pricey than others in the area but worth every taste :-) Here you see a sea bass and steak that Corey and I shared.
Not sure why I skipped to posting the entrees first… and more importantly, why I haven’t just switched the order… but we started with two appetizers. Mussels are a common pupu but it probably seems strange to have carrots. These were exceptional… cooked to perfection (not overly mushy), on a bed of hummus, olive oil and pine nuts. Wow! Loved it more than I expected.
Allowed to select our own table because of our early dining time, we sat with a view of the Roman Theater, under these palm trees. By the time we were finishing up, there was a line waiting to get in… it’s quiet a popular restaurant.
Street art on the way back to our flat…
Of course, there were many souvenir shops full of trinkets, but there were also unique stores with different items for sale. No one is begging you to come in like some tourists locations.
Sadly, it was time for Corey to head back to the USA. We’ve had such a great time… at least from my perspective haha. His leaving means I have another week before meeting Roxanne in London. How would I fare on my own?
Basically, I ate a lot… had cappuccino and Aperol Spritz at the same time. It really wasn’t bad at all, dining alone day after day. It seems a good idea to spare you the numerous meals I ate…
Due to the fact that I kind of melded in with the Malaga lifestyle, I didn’t take many more photos. I read, worked on photos and just walked around. It felt good to walk the cobbled streets … ducking through alleyways, people watching. This is my last Malaga photo… just outside my door, but hidden behind the maze of shrubbery, I had taken photos of the fountain from the sidewalk, but never ventured into the garden itself. I thought it would be fun to get a closer shot of the fountain… when I approached it, this is what I found! After multiple visits, I had never taken the time to have a closer look. Thankfully this time I did or the beautiful pool would have been missed again! Until next time Malaga…
