La Luna
Coming back from Ronda, we are hankering for something crunchy and decide on nachos at Restaurante Tulum on the Paseo Larios. Delicious! We walked off the calories along the promenade. It is a full moon tonight and the sea is calm. Look, it’s not raining!
Nerja
After a good night sleep, we head to Cafetería Bar Las Yucas for our daily cafe con leche, a terrific way to start the day.
At breakfast, we decide to take the bus to Nerja which is east of here, The weather has been extremely unsettled, and any advance planning has been challenging. Sometimes even if we plan, we still get wet but we don’t let it hold us back. We are trying to make the best of the two weeks MaryAnn is here.
This time we are not going to purchase a return bus ticket and we intend to stay until the evening.
We depart around 10:40 am and land in Nerja 40 minutes later at a cost of 2.10 euro (senior fare) each way. Buses are reasonably priced with locals and tourists using them frequently.
The landscape dramatically changes to rocky outcroppings, and we are moving to a higher elevation. The bus follows the sea and waves are crashing against the shoreline. It is beautiful blue skied day.
Once off the bus, I lead MaryAnn downhill, to the main square. Her head is turning towards the water, but I asked her not to look yet. In time Bella, in time. It is fun showing her around.
We enter the beautiful little church of El Salvador. I discover MaryAnn is not behind me only when I turn around to find myself face-to-face with another tourist. I think she was enjoying my tour. LOL
At the church entrance, there is a gentleman asking for donations, who I don’t believe is affiliated with the church, so I move past him. Perhaps I am wrong, but he was sitting there on my last visit.
It takes MaryAnn longer to get into the church. She was either chatting with the man or digging into her purse for money. I spot her lighting candles. We spend a few minutes walking around enjoying the beautiful statues and gilded altar. Soon they will be preparing for Holy Week (Semana Santa).
In Nerja, you can’t help but be drawn to the water. We walk towards the Balcón de Europa (Balcony of Europe). As we walk along the promenade, the wind is whipping up. We pass people enjoying café treats, gelato cones, and beverages. There are antique cannons decorating each side of the balcón. You can imagine the cannons protecting this territory from foreign enemies.
As we approach the end of the balcón, there is a riser where you can get a better view of the wild and rugged coastline. Off to the left I see a busker playing a Spanish guitar which causes both of us to put our hands to our hearts and smile soulfully. The view is magic and the music adds to the ambience. This view and the look on MaryAnn’s face is worth waiting for!
Apparently King Alfonso XII came to visit Nerja in 1880 after an earthquake and commented that it was the Balcony of Europe and the name stuck. There is a statue commemorating King Alfonso on the Balcón.
We walk up and down the streets of Nerja; in and out of shops and galleries before getting hungry. We locate a table in the sun at La Taberna de Paseo and I introduce MaryAnn to some local delicacies.
Padrón Pimientos – are blistered peppers with sea salt. I’m not sure of all the rules, but apparently there is a drinking game called ‘Tapas Roulette’ where the person who gets the hot pepper buys the round. You pick one up and eat the whole thing, except the stem. They are definitely meant to be shared. Some are sweet, some are more bitter and if you like to gamble you might find the hot one. A perfect accompaniment is a beer.
Berenjena con Azucar de Cana – this is fried eggplant drizzled with sugar cane molasses. The sweetness of the molasses offsets the bitterness of the eggplant. Add a little sea salt and your taste buds sing.
Making Our Way Back
While wandering through the narrow, cobblestone streets we bump into the Danish couple (Ulen/Lina) from our Ronda trip. They let us know that they found a blue scarf in the van after we left. It was MaryAnn’s. We walked over to the office of Oletrips but it was closed. I would speak with Maria during the week.
Instead of staying for the evening in Nerja, we found ourselves tired and chilled and decided to make our way back to the bus station. The ticket booth is closed until 4:30 pm and it is only 3:30 pm. Also, there is no machine to purchase a ticket. We eventually learn that we can pay in cash on the bus when the booth is closed. There is chaos once again no signage.
Fortunately, we find some English speaking seniors who seemed to know the routine. We are directed to a specific bus, pay our fare and grab a seat. After a few minutes, we are asked to change to a different bus. We guess it is because there are quite a few of us heading to Torre del Mar.
El Yate
Tonight we are dining at El Yate for some fish. It’s a cool place where the locals come for tapas. The bar area is bustling with people enjoying their nibblies at the bar and at high tables both inside and out. The servers are informed, friendly and courteous. One young server is a ringer for Carlos Alcaraz (Spanish tennis player). I ask him if anyone has told him that, he smiles broadly and laughs, “Sí!”
We ordered calamari, rosada (fish) and a salad. The salad is okay, but the calamari with aioli and rosada are a hit. We will definitely be returning to this restaurant.
We pay the bill which is incredibly reasonable for everything we have enjoyed. They bring us a free digestif in chocolate cups, which is all part of the sobremesa culture.
Sobremesa (Over the table)
Definition: This is a Spanish tradition where you linger at your table after a meal is finished, enjoying the company and conversation. It can include a coffee, a digestif and smoking of cigars.
There is none of the timed table service we see in North America, and you can occupy the seat for as long as you like. Also, take out (para llevar) is not the norm for the Spanish. They sit and enjoy their meals. It takes a while to get used to, but I love it! No one seems to be in a hurry. I’m sure it is different in the larger cities.
We hit the paseo, but not before MaryAnn slips two bread buns into her purse for tomorrow’s breakfast.
In Spain, you can be charged between .50 and 2 euro each for bread even if you don’t touch it. You can refuse and shouldn’t be charged but honestly it is not worth the hassle. The same can happen for olives on the table. It is important to review your bill. The menu must declare what you can be charged for. It is law. If you are having the Menu Del Dia (Menu of the Day), bread is included.
A Kind Gesture
We head to the main square across from our apartment. MaryAnn sees a young girl curled up in a sleeping bag on the steps of the church. She walks up and donates our bread to her. The girl is grateful. It is heartwarming to witness this kindness. Nice one Bella!
Another wonderful day comes to an end.
