SPAIN
Over the years I have spent many weeks in Spain and each time I’m dazzled by the splendor of one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Spain today, compared with what Spain was centuries ago, is a roller coaster ride through history. The Spain of King Philip and his armada, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Picasso, Goya and El Greco, Cortez, the Conquistadores, the Inquisition all blend with the Alhambra, Granada, Cordoba, Seville and Jerez de la Frontera. Moorish influence in Spain dates back to the seventh century and the culture that was added is visible today.
I got into the habit of spending three weeks in Spain prior to skipping over to Lisbon to board Wind Spirit for the transatlantic crossing. Grand Circle Travel offers a two-week stay in an oceanfront apartment in Torremolinos (airfare to and from the USA included) at a very modest price. The apartment is clean and comfortable; has living/bed room, bath with tub and shower, a kitchenette and a balcony. The balcony with table and chairs offers a view of the Mediterranean and the Spanish coast that is a feast for the eyes of any traveler. Torremolinos is on the Costa Del Sol and I used it as my hub to take day trips to and from the city. It’s 15 minutes by taxicab to Malaga, a few hours by bus to Granada, Seville or Barcelona and a bit longer by train to Madrid. I have had the pleasure of visiting all of the most historic sites in Spain
In years gone by I traveled solo but that has all changed since Marion. In 2007 we booked passage on Iberia Airlines to Madrid and then onto Torremolinos. Our beachfront apartment on the Costa del Sol was cozy and comfortable and we began a two-week romp through southwestern Spain. The apartments at the Bajondillo are at the hub of the Costa del Sol and they open onto the Paseo Maritimo, a paved 10 mile promenade along the Mediterranean.
We left the apartment one morning and spent the entire day walking along the Paseo Maritimo watching locals fish in the surf or sunning on the beach. We popped in and out of innumerable shops, some filled with expensive leather goods and others filled with junky trinkets. We walked to the marina and looked at the sailboats and then had lunch: Marion ordered grilled catch of the day and I had a mixture of squid, some fried and some marinated. Fried potatoes, warm bread, olive oil and herbs to dip in and a glass of wine make a delicious meal.
I recall that we returned to the apartment about three in the afternoon, just in time for the local bakeries to bring fresh bread out of the ovens. I bought a loaf of warm Spanish bread, a wedge of cheese, a package of Parma ham and a bottle of Vino Verde. We sat on the balcony and drank in the warm sun sparkling off the sea, then literally drank the Vino Verde along with the bread cheese and ham. It was a relaxing way to end a joyous day.
Everything in Torremolinos is casual. At night we would choose one of local restaurants and try whatever the specialty was. We had fish, seafood and occasionally, paella or suckling pig. We made many day trips and an occasional overnight to a distant city. I will now tell you about some of our more memorable outings.
Everything in Torremolinos is casual. At night we would choose one of local restaurants and try whatever the specialty was. We had fish, seafood and occasionally, paella or suckling pig. We made many day trips and an occasional overnight to a distant city. I will now tell you about some of our more memorable outings.
Thirty minutes by local transportation brings you to Malaga, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. The Picasso Museum is worth as much time as you want to give it. There are more original Picassos than you will see anywhere else in the world. Once inside the museum there is no rush, you can stay as long as you want and look at the art but photography is prohibited. His drawings and paintings are there alongside his sculptures and pottery. Picasso is a world-renowned artist and I am not an esteemed art critic, but some of his work, particularly in the realm of pottery, leads me to wonder whether or not the great Picasso was putting us on in his later years. Some of the pottery looks like it was done by a seven-year-old.
Lunch in any of the local tapas bars is a hoot. Once you learn that everyone in Spain has lunch between 12 and one you make sure you are in the restaurant at 11:30 or after one to avoid the crowds. Although being with the crowd sometimes is a lot of fun, the locals are loud and noisy, cheerful and accommodating. What better lunch than tapas, warm bread and a glass of wine?
Not to be missed is the Plaza De Toros, one of the more famous bull rings in Spain. We took a guided tour of the bullring and the museum associated with it. Countless photographs of toreros with cape and muleta adorn the walls. Many of the beautifully embroidered “suits of lights” that adorn the torero were on display. We went down into the bullring to meet a real-live torero. A handsome young man, dressed in his skintight practice costume (with not an ounce of fat on him) led us to the center of the bullring and showed us standard maneuvers using the cape. The most surprising thing about it was the weight of the cape. It’s made of heavy leather and must weigh 10 pounds. You don’t swirl it around casually. It takes strength, timing and grace and it is difficult enough to do just practicing much less when the bull is charging at you.
During my time in Spain I saw several bullfights and enjoyed all of them. Most of the matadors are young men, physically fit and drop-dead handsome. On warm Sunday afternoons when the bulls cooperate and the matador brings the animal closer and closer as he makes passes with the cape, the crowds go wild. Screaming “Ole” with each pass, the tension mounts. The matador mesmerizes the bull as he looks him in the eyes. Like a ballet dancer up on his toes, he runs up and over the head of the bull and plunges the sword between the shoulder blades, into the heart. The bull staggers, drops to his knees and the crowd explodes. The next 15 minutes is one of pomp and parade. The girls in the audience go berserk and throw everything, including their underwear, while the matador struts around the edge of the bullring and plays to the crowd. Some people think it’s a cruel and bloody afternoon. I find it to be stunning drama and I’m always anxious to return.
One Sunday afternoon at a small bullring in the town of Benalmadena, I saw a display of horsemanship that literally left me speechless. A Rejoneo is a classic bullfight with a Rejoneador; a bullfighter who fights the bull on horseback. The point of the bullfight is to demonstrate the skill and nerve of the rider in controlling both the bull and the horse. The Rejoneador is on horseback throughout the entire event. After the bull enters the ring, the Rejoneador provokes the bull to attack and run after the galloping horse. He moves the bull around the ring guiding the horse with spurs while he waves his hat in the bull’s face. The Rejoneador then places one or two "lances of punishment" into the bull's back. This is analogous to a picador. He then places up to six banderillas ("little flags"), harpoon-pointed colorful sticks, on the bull's back. Displays of skill and nerve include touching the bull's head while it charges, pirouettes and other equestrian tricks.
Finally the Rejoneador kills the bull with a sword shaped into a lance. Ideally the bull dies quickly and cleanly. The beauty of the performance is that it is done on horseback and the horses are so well-trained that they respond instantly to the touch of the rider. Again, some people think that this is a bloody brutal sport but I find it to be a display of horsemanship and valor that is unparalleled.
Lunch in any of the local tapas bars is a hoot. Once you learn that everyone in Spain has lunch between 12 and one you make sure you are in the restaurant at 11:30 or after one to avoid the crowds. Although being with the crowd sometimes is a lot of fun, the locals are loud and noisy, cheerful and accommodating. What better lunch than tapas, warm bread and a glass of wine?
Not to be missed is the Plaza De Toros, one of the more famous bull rings in Spain. We took a guided tour of the bullring and the museum associated with it. Countless photographs of toreros with cape and muleta adorn the walls. Many of the beautifully embroidered “suits of lights” that adorn the torero were on display. We went down into the bullring to meet a real-live torero. A handsome young man, dressed in his skintight practice costume (with not an ounce of fat on him) led us to the center of the bullring and showed us standard maneuvers using the cape. The most surprising thing about it was the weight of the cape. It’s made of heavy leather and must weigh 10 pounds. You don’t swirl it around casually. It takes strength, timing and grace and it is difficult enough to do just practicing much less when the bull is charging at you.
During my time in Spain I saw several bullfights and enjoyed all of them. Most of the matadors are young men, physically fit and drop-dead handsome. On warm Sunday afternoons when the bulls cooperate and the matador brings the animal closer and closer as he makes passes with the cape, the crowds go wild. Screaming “Ole” with each pass, the tension mounts. The matador mesmerizes the bull as he looks him in the eyes. Like a ballet dancer up on his toes, he runs up and over the head of the bull and plunges the sword between the shoulder blades, into the heart. The bull staggers, drops to his knees and the crowd explodes. The next 15 minutes is one of pomp and parade. The girls in the audience go berserk and throw everything, including their underwear, while the matador struts around the edge of the bullring and plays to the crowd. Some people think it’s a cruel and bloody afternoon. I find it to be stunning drama and I’m always anxious to return.
One Sunday afternoon at a small bullring in the town of Benalmadena, I saw a display of horsemanship that literally left me speechless. A Rejoneo is a classic bullfight with a Rejoneador; a bullfighter who fights the bull on horseback. The point of the bullfight is to demonstrate the skill and nerve of the rider in controlling both the bull and the horse. The Rejoneador is on horseback throughout the entire event. After the bull enters the ring, the Rejoneador provokes the bull to attack and run after the galloping horse. He moves the bull around the ring guiding the horse with spurs while he waves his hat in the bull’s face. The Rejoneador then places one or two "lances of punishment" into the bull's back. This is analogous to a picador. He then places up to six banderillas ("little flags"), harpoon-pointed colorful sticks, on the bull's back. Displays of skill and nerve include touching the bull's head while it charges, pirouettes and other equestrian tricks.
Finally the Rejoneador kills the bull with a sword shaped into a lance. Ideally the bull dies quickly and cleanly. The beauty of the performance is that it is done on horseback and the horses are so well-trained that they respond instantly to the touch of the rider. Again, some people think that this is a bloody brutal sport but I find it to be a display of horsemanship and valor that is unparalleled.
