Sunday morning generally means one thing – churros for breakfast at Cafe Barrio. They’re the best in town, but not actually cooked at the cafe. You sit down and place your order with the waiter who brings your coffee and takes a plate across the narrow street to the bakery opposite. The lady there cooks them and when they’re ready you hear her shout “Jose!” Jose, the waiter, goes across to collect and brings them back to your table. The portion we share, as in the photo, costs €1. Yes, that’s right, cooked to order, served and eaten at the cafe table for less than a pound (at current exchange rates….!). The coffee is a steal at €1,10 so our Sunday breakfast treat comes to €3.20. Don’t know how they make a business pay, but we’re glad it continues.

The churros isn’t the only attraction at Cafe Barrio on Sunday morning. The bakery opposite is a hub of activity as locals buy their churros and bread to take home. The street leads towards the main part of town so it’s a thoroughfare and a great spot for people watching. On this visit, an elderly Spanish lady stood further up the street for a little while. She used a wheeled buggy to help get around and was maybe catching her breath. Clearly well known, she was greeted by almost everyone who passed by with the usual double cheek kiss. As she made it to the bakery, this greeting was repeated by a young man with a good array of tattoos over his arms and legs. Along with the sense of community we see here, the values of family and respect for the older generation remain strong.

The cafe is also frequented on a Sunday morning by a group of Italians who are resident here. A couple of older guys, one of whom always wears shorts and a flamboyant shirt, greet each other with a ‘buongiorno’ then put the world to rights in animated Italian. They don’t always agree and it can get loud. A woman with pink hair checks in with her dog, joining a man who we think is her partner but might not be! Occasionally they’re joined by another man and they play a few games of backgammon whilst drinking their coffee. Not much profit for the cafe, but definitely part of our Nerja experience!

The rest of our day was relaxed, doing what we often do – wander up to the Balcon where we sat in the sun for a while, a drink at Cafe Mediterraneo in Plaza Iglesia for more people watching, then back down to Torrecilla Beach where we opted for a sunny bench in view and earshot of the sea. The afternoon became a bit windier and the waves strengthened prompting the lifeguards to fly the red flag on the beach. A late lunch of a Greek salad with a glass of wine followed by a short siesta back at home, then a short evening walk up the road to Bar Turry for a few tapas. Another day in paradise!