We’ve been quite lazy the last few days – as opposed to the frantic way in which we spend our days normally, ha ha! On a couple of mornings, we’ve been up and down to the beach by around 10am, making the most of the sunshine before it gets too hot. It really is the best part of the day and the beach is fairly quiet , at least for an hour before all the sun bed reservations turn up. Again this trip, all the sun beds on Torrecilla have been fully booked every day – seems people arrive and pay for the week in order to secure one. Can’t see the attraction myself – stuck in close proximity, with hardly anything on, to people you don’t know! No thanks!

I managed a swim in the sea one day, but it was a bit rough on the other morning – people were going in but struggling to get out as the waves crashed into them just as they’d regained their balance from the last one. I was glad I did, as we came back on Monday evening to a notice on the door of our block advising that the opening of the swimming pool was from 1 April to 30 September! Don’t know who decided that, or when, but if we’d rented an apartment here we’d probably be a bit hacked off! September does seem rather early, but is definitely geared to the Spanish holidays…..🙁

We’ve wandered to the park and had our usual drink up there. The flowers are really beautiful just now. See what I mean here…..

Chris tested out the mussels at Redondo fish bar – he reckoned mum would want to know if they were up to standard! Pleased to report that they were! A tasty tapa with a glass of Manzanilla..mmmm!

We’ve also found a new favourite place for cocktails during the early evening – the Hotel Balcon de Europa. It’s not somewhere we’ve frequented much in the past, but its location on a warm evening is good. My mojito was exceptionally good – so much so Chris had it the next evening! His gin martini and my pina colada were also well made! Might just work through the menu!

Lovely skies now in the evenings – photos don’t do them justice (unless you’re Gary and do magic tricks), but you get the idea.!

A bit of culture on offer over the weekend, starting with a Saturday night performance on the Balcon of Carmina Burana. Two large choirs, one local and one from Córdoba, joined with an orchestra from Granada to present this work and, as always, the people of Nerja came out to support the event. Chairs were set out along the whole length of the Balcon and there were lots of people standing too. Sadly the sound quality wasn’t great so we listened for a while then moved on.

Sunday evening is Flamenco night at Sevillano on Calle Los Huertos. You can have dinner in the restaurant or do what we did, which was get there in good time and perch at a barrel with a view. Tapas are free with drinks and they are really good. We’d already been to Redondo fish bar – gambas, octopus, paella and small chicken skewer – so weren’t too hungry but managed an ensaladilla rusa, tortilla and cheese with our drinks. Flamenco was late starting but we were kept entertained by a Spanish couple at the next barrel who alternated between very full on PDAs and what seemed like threatening behaviour on his part as he leaned in close to her face and spoke quite aggressively. The guitarist wandered in and seemed rather drunk and his guitar could have done with a bit of a tune. Even my ears could detect it and Chris was cringing! The dancing, however, was excellent. One male, one female dancer, both young and very competent. As well as various individual and dances done together, the ‘fight off of the feet’ at the end of their segment was incredible. How do they manage to move their feet so quickly and respond to the challenge laid down by the other dancer?

This morning dawned warm and sunny with a slight haze over the sea. It was clearly going to be a hot day, so we were out relatively early and headed into town. There’s a big musical event on the Balcon tonight – three choirs and an orchestra performing Carmina Burana – and there was lots of activity up there as the staging, lighting etc was being installed and tested. We took a walk along Calle Carabeo to the Parador Hotel. Having visited this very upmarket hotel in the Spring during the Ruta de las Tapas, we know the terrace bar is open to the public and has great views down over Burriana Beach. Residents have use of a lift down to the beach, whilst the rest of us have to walk down and face a steep climb back. Today, we just admired the view and saved our energy!

Plaza España is hosting a food fair this weekend. Lots of stalls offering a range of local produce – lots of olive oil, cheese, chorizo, honey and other delicacies – and the inevitable bar.

We wandered through, but didn’t buy. We did, however, stop off for a couple of tapas at Bar Redondo – lunch sorted!

An hour on the beach this afternoon was about as much as we could manage. It’s still very humid and quite unpleasant when those rivulets run down your back! Think these ladies were feeling the same!

The beach is looking quite good at the moment. No major damage has yet been caused by stormy weather, and guys like this work hard to keep it clean. Wouldn’t want to be wearing his uniform in this weather, never mind sweeping the beach with a dustpan and brush!

Think it will be a relaxed evening in then we’ll check out the music on the Balcon. In usual Spanish style it doesn’t start until 9.30. Well, that’s the listed time so probably nearer 10pm! If you want entertaining here in Spain, you’ve generally got to be out late!

The last couple of days have been a mix of enjoying the pleasure of being here and getting frustrated by some of the maintenance issues we have to deal with from time to time. The company we use as a sort of agent for any maintenance jobs sent a plumber out on Monday to look at the issue with the water heater. He didn’t turn up here and had, apparently, gone to a wrong address! He did turn up on Tuesday, flukily as we were just coming back into our building. He huffed and puffed for about three hours, draining the tank and refilling it several times as he seemed unable to fix the leak. There appeared to be lots of calcified gunk around the element which he cleaned, but then couldn’t get a good seal. After using up several of his spare parts he managed to get a fix he was happy with and left it. Hot water ensued and everyone was happy. Until 11pm when we heard the tell tale drip drip drip and found it to be leaking again. Quickly we filled a bin with water for loo flushing, filled the kettle and turned the water off.

Chris had already been a bit unsure about whether the boiler should have been repaired or replaced so we now opted for a replacement. The young plumber wasn’t surprised that his fix hadn’t worked and we weren’t impressed he hadn’t told us it might be a bit iffy. Good job we hadn’t gone out for a late night! He and another plumber duly turned up in the afternoon to install the new boiler. It’s far more efficient, but is slightly bigger which means the cupboard we had next to the boiler and which housed all the washing liquids etc won’t go back. Far more troubling is the fact that although it has four mounting brackets they’ve only used two with one of those being a bit dodgy. So, 150 kilos of boiler and water is fixed to the wall by one and a half mounts. Hmmm…….. They say that’s adequate, we don’t think it is. English plumber coming to take a look on Monday and give his view. Hopefully no earth tremors over the weekend! 😱

Despite all that aggro, we continue to enjoy our time here. Who could get bored of views like this…..

……….and food like this… La Piadina is immediately outside the door to our building and run by Gabriele and Antonella. They are lovely people and the food is great. I might have indulged with a tiramisu for dessert too……☺️

Sometimes it really is all about the food. Couldn’t resist taking this photo of the fish counter at Mercadona, one of our local supermarkets. It all looks amazing! Equally good was the tapas on offer at Bar Redondo fish bar last night. Chris’s octopus and my prawns lived up to expectation.

The highlight of our evening, though, was a little dish from the menu – a stack comprising a layer of caramelised apple, a layer of pate and a layer of goats cheese. The latter is drizzled with molasses which is then blow torched in front of you to give it a creme brûlée like topping. It was so tasty and will definitely be on our list to have again.

In between a bit of shopping and a bit of eating we fitted in a visit to the park. Laura, who runs the kiosk there, is always so welcoming and cheerful. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy a drink, read for a while or maybe a game of pétanque.

The afternoon was a bit of a disaster as is often the case when Spanish administration or tradesmen are concerned. We’d arranged for a plumber to check out our water boiler which had a slight leak which was fixed by tightening a valve, but meant we have no hot water. He was supposed to come ‘after three’. We stayed in until eight which is when work ends here, but it was a total no show! Sadly, that can be typical, but you just have to go with the flow!

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!

Wandered up to the old part of Nerja today as we knew the local neighbourhood, La Barriada de Protegidas (which very unhelpfully gets translated here to Neighbourhood of the Slums..🙁) were celebrating their own festival, La Veladilla de San Miguel. Last night the statue of San Miguel the Archangel was processed through the town, from the main church near the Balcon to the church around which the neighbourhood is centred.

Today we arrived in the square just as the bar was opening to see a longish queue had already formed down one side of the square. It turned out it was for free paella – you found the lady with tickets, she gave you one which entitled you to two plates and you joined the queue.

Not since Charlie Bucket found his golden ticket has a voucher caused such pleasure! We just managed to get ours in time as about four or five tickets after us she announced all had gone. Without a ticket, it was €3.50 a portion- still a great bargain! The paella pan was huge, probably bigger than the one we’ve seen used at Ayo’s on Burriana Beach, and the paella was deep. Wonder how many portions they served?

Live music followed with a singer/guitarist performing lots of well known (to the Spanish) songs and a fair amount of dancing taking place. The announcement of the infant Reina (queen) and Caballero (king) of the festival was next on the agenda. Lots of young children dressed in traditional clothes had registered by putting their names in big boxes. Third second and first place winners were drawn at random and presented with flowers, a prize, and the all important sash and crown for the girls or stole and laurel wreath for the boys. Not a contest, not dependent on looks or personality, but definitely another example of what we see so often here – the children are involved in traditions from the youngest age and grow up knowing and participating in their heritage. It was funny, though, that the first placed queen was just a little tot who had to be carried onto the stage by her mum and clearly wanted nothing to do with either a sash or a crown being placed on her!

Next was the Grand Cancuna – a five metre high pole erected in the street with a member of the Policia Local covering it in Fairy Liquid to make it slippery. Not much in the way of Health and Safety, just community fun as various age groups tried their best to climb the pole and touch the leg of ham hoisted up the pole. Various techniques were evident, some more successful than others, but the pole beat all but the most agile! Those who won carried off their prizes with great glee, those who failed either looked downcast or found it amusing!

All throughout the afternoon we were among the Spanish enjoying their own festival. This wasn’t for the tourists, who were conspicuous by their absence, but then again, so many of the tourists don’t make the effort to check out this part of town. Just as well, really – we might have missed out on really good paella!

After a rather lazy morning we took a walk along Torrecilla beach to enjoy a little breeze where we could find it. Beyond Torrecilla we continued on to El Chucho beach, at the end of which is where the Rio Chillar runs out to the sea. It’s generally quite dry and crossed by way of a hump of shingle piled over a drainage pipe, with a 100% likelihood of getting stones in your shoes en route. For those with pushchairs or buggies, like mum’s walker, wheels have been almost impossible and it’s often been necessary to carry said items across.

For as long as we’ve been coming to Nerja there’s been talk of a bridge across this section, but the funding never seemed to be available and nothing happened. Our last visit, at Easter, saw this change and the project actually get started (along with various pavement repairs and other minor works, just before the town council elections took place….😉). This week, we’ve seen the completed work and used the bridge to cross the river to Playazo Beach. All looks good and no stones in our shoes! Mums buggy would wheel over it quite easily!

Further along Playazo beach we headed for Chiringuito Mauri, our favourite on here. The food is good, the wine is cheap and the toilets are clean. Oh, and the view out over the sea is pretty good too! A lovely mixed salad with tuna for me, chicken kebabs with chips for Chris, and there’s more than enough. It very rarely happens, but Chris actually left a couple of pieces of meat today! Add in the bread with alioli, wine and water and we pay another bill of just over €20. It’s becoming a habit! Wonder where we’ll spend our €20 tomorrow?

We’ve been here a couple of days now and are getting reacquainted with favourite locations and people we know. Of course we’ve done a few loops around the Balcon, where the view never ceases to impress. We’ve found ourselves, again,  in Bar Redondo enjoying a wonderful selection of tapas and rations and continue to marvel at how they provide such great food free with a €2 glass of wine.

Having enjoyed the ambience  and offerings of the main bar on Wednesday, last night we crossed the alley to Bar Redondo’s fishy sister, where as well as the tapas choices on show behind the glass at the bar, they have a huge griddle plate for cooking to order a selection of amazing fish. My first choice to go with a glass of cider was gambas a la plancha. Four huge juicy prawns cooked in front of me, served with a sprinkle of salt and a wedge of lemon. Divine!  Chris opted for his usual red wine and octopus – a little tentacle cooked to perfection, with olive oil and a piece of bread. To make a meal of it, we ordered a couple of side dishes – a salad of avocado with smoked fish and a half ration of tortillitas de bacalao – a serving of four thin crispy fritters with cod. We normally opt for the shrimp variety of these and although the cod ones were delicious we prefer the shrimp ones as they are a bit thinner and therefore more crispy. The salad was great – fresh , well presented and plenty for the two of us.  In need of another drink, it would be rude to turn down the free tapas, so my second choice was boquerones – fresh white anchovies in olive oil served on a slice of baguette with a few olives. Chris had sardines cooked on the grill and chose a glass of manzanilla sherry to wash them down. The bill was a few cents over €20 for everything. Avoid the tourist trap, three course, restaurants and  you can eat out regularly without breaking the bank. And we will!! 😀😀

Early alarm this morning ready for our flights to Spain. No, I mean a really early alarm – 3am! Why do we go for the early flight each time? We know it’s painful, being ripped from a sleepy happy place in the middle of the night, but still we persist! Gluttons for punishment, or what?

All good getting to the airport – no surprise that there is hardly any traffic on the road! Through to security for the first hiccup of the day. I generally bring some crafting supplies when coming to Spain and this time I thought I’d do some beading. Unfortunately, my little jewellery pliers showed up  clear and bright on the scanner and precipitated a complete search of my bag. The young man was very polite as he removed everything from my cabin luggage and informed me that the pliers wouldn’t be coming on the flight with me. I hadn’t even thought about them as a problem, but suppose after all the flights I’ve taken it should have crossed my mind! All my unpacked belongings were dumped in a tray for rescanning  and then returned to me for placing back in my bag. God knows what the security guy thought of my bag contents- king size sheets, coffee, embroidery  threads,  odd bits of clothing and a pair of sandals. Meanwhile, Chris is feeling quite unimpressed as he is sent in one direction to the body scanner whilst his valuables trundle down the conveyor belt the other side of the security station. My little situation just causes the odd raised eyebrow and a bit of harrumphing (that must be a word, ‘cos spell check recognises it!)

Great flight – Ryanair does  us proud again- and after landing we head to the station at the airport to take the train into Malaga and catch the bus up to Nerja. Oh no…..that’s not happening! Huge queues at the ticket machines so we join one of them. Finally we get within touching distance of the machine and it breaks down…aarrgghh!! No way are we joining the back of another queue so it’s either have a beer and wait a couple of hours  for the bus direct from the airport or fork out for a taxi. Taxi won and an hour later we are here in our apartment, changing into shorts ready to head out. Oh, and my purse is €100 lighter than when we landed! 😡😱   Annoying to think we’d decided against car hire on the basis that we generally just want to chill for a few days when we get here and if we had a car we’d feel the need to be out and about to get value from it. That €100 would have paid almost the first week’s car hire and even leaving it parked up we’d have been no worse off!

A glass of wine by the sea and a siesta and all is now well……🍷