MaryAnn asked me what I would like to do today. I was tired from all the walking and rain yesterday so I suggested we walk into Caleta de Vélez along the seaside promenade. But first, let’s have some breakfast.
A traditional breakfast here in this region is the molette, a traditional bread roll. It is soft and round with a crispy outer crust that is hollowed out drizzled with olive oil and filled with ground tomatoes. You can also add avocado and Serrano ham. Wash it down with a café con leche, and you have a fantastic breakfast.
I have this at least 3 times a week. MaryAnn finally tried it and loved it. It is healthy, colourful and satisfying.
Off we head to the seaside promenade, the Paseo Marítimo, to begin our walk. The sun is just behind the clouds trying to warm us up.
We stop along the way to look at the ceramic pictures on the walls of the buildings, laugh at the parakeets who are rebuilding their nests after the storm and snap photos of the plants and flowers.
Our nickname for the orange frump back in the U.S. is ‘el paraquete’ due to his constant chirping. LOL
The sea is still churning but not as violent as yesterday. The wind has died down a bit making for a lovely stroll. We aren’t pushing it today. The knee is slightly sore but not holding me back from walking. Descents put more strain on the outside of my knee. We think I jammed it when I was quickly changing bus seats the other day. I’m watching it carefully. For the moment, I am enjoying the walk.
In the distance, we can see the snow-capped peak of La Maroma. The Sierra de Tejeda mountains are west of here, and usually protect us from inclement weather but the DANA seems to be winning for the moment.
There are many avid hiking groups. I learn that there is an amazing hike up La Maroma, which stands at 2069 metres and is ever present from Torre del Mar. I brought my hiking boots with me but unfortunately haven’t found a group that I gel with yet. Maybe next time. Given my knee situation, it can wait. Getting my steps in every day is my priority.
We approach Caleta de Vélez, a fishing port connected by the promenade and observe fishing boats returning to their pier and fishermen drying and repairing their nets. There is a look out point, perhaps an old caution marker that MaryAnn walks to. Unfortunately, this area is not as pretty, like many fishing ports. The concrete is broken and you can see the graffiti scribbled and sprayed on the light post.
Catamaran tours and fishing excursions depart from the port of Caleta. I envision hooking a tuna while bobbing on the sea. The tuna here is delicious. The wild bluefin tuna (atún rojo) is a delicacy. I try to buy a piece every week since back home no one in my household eats fish or seafood.
Walking along, we come across a feeding frenzy of paraqueets and pigeons. It looks like someone dropped down some seed. There is a real love of animals here. Domesticated dogs (perros…roll those rrrr’s) of all shapes and sizes. Pet rescue is also huge here. When you visit the local Facebook pages, there are pleas to help abandoned animals and you can donate your used clothing to a second hand store that helps with pet rescue. This warms my heart.
We are thirsty and in need of a washroom. While searching, we find a Michelin restaurant, Chinchín Puerto. We didn’t have a reservation nor was it open for only drinks, so we moved on and eventually located a beach bar with a washroom.
Enjoying a cerveza overlooking a fishing port is not too bad, but we didn’t hang around too long. We headed back to Torre del Mar.
Tonight we are dining at a local Chinese restaurant. Our bodies are a bit chilled with the dampness. It still gets cool in the evening and you definitely need a jacket or a hoodie. We enjoy some soup, a giant spring roll, shrimp sticks, and stir fried dishes. Surprisingly, it is pretty good although a little too much salt for my liking.
The entertainment for the evening is a date gone bad! MaryAnn has the perfect viewpoint to watch it all unfold. A couple who had come in earlier were all cozy at the beginning. After the woman downed a bottle of wine, she got louder and louder and her dinner date was looking more and more uncomfortable as the evening unfolded.
The restaurant is quite large and voices do echo. There were two other tables occupied who just kept their heads down and ate trying not to be a voyeur to the happenings around them. We had another giggle moment.
Rain has returned, so after paying the bill, we collect our umbrellas that we had left dripping at the front door and headed home for the evening.
