We decided that it would be best if he went by bus and although many people have told me how good the Long distance bus service is in Spain I have never really had cause to use it.  I booked the ticket from Malaga to Almeria on the Internet at a cost of 16 Euros plus a 2.50 Euro Internet booking fee and printed the ticket out in the Office.

I drove him to Malaga this morning and after a quick coffee in the Cafeteria, the bus was there, on time ready for boarding and left on time at 9.00 am.  Once at Almeria he had to pick up another bus to Almeria Airport where he was due to meet his friends.  By just after 12.30 I had a text to say that he was at the Airport and going for something to eat whilst he waited for his friends to arrive on a flight from the UK.

My original thought had been that I would drive him over to Almeria.  I am so glad I didnt.  Apart from the fact that the round trip would have taken me more than 8 hours and the car would have chewed its way through about 80 euros worth of fuel, it would have been a nonsense not to use what is an excellent service.

I would strongly recommend that anyone visiting the Costa del Sol who fancies a trip to Granada or Sevilla takes the bus.  No driving worries, no parking worries, no drinking and driving worries and also much cheaper than the car!  And if if you want to see Madrid, try the new fast train service.

Until next time

Michael

Saturday was one of those days and I love the contrast between cosmopolitan Marbella and the almost Bohemian ambiance of Tarifa.  The little fishing Village which has become a major location for Kite and wind surfers from all over Europe fills with mostly young people whose main interest is the beach, the wind and the sea.  I love the atmosphere and the non materialistic feeling of the place.  Tarifa’s 10 kms of white sandy beaches never really feel over crowded even at the busiest time of the year and the site of all the kites and windsurfers dotted in the sky and sea is a sight to behold.

We arrived in time for a very late  breakfast at Kokko, a roadside coffee shop and furniture store which specialises in artesanal furnishings and home-made cakes.  It is situated on the main road just the other side of Tarifa and makes a great stopping off point.  We spent the afternoon on the beach at Punto Paloma people watching and taking the sun followed by Mojitos at Los Lances beach watching the sun set over the distant mountains.  Fortunately I was not driving so a second Mojito seemed to be the order of the day!   We finished the evening with a late dinner at the Vaca Loca, my favourite eating place in the town.   The drive back to Marbella takes just over an hour and I arrived back totally relaxed.

If you havent been over to Tarifa and the Costa de la Luz then I recommend making the trip, its a different world and well worth the effort!

I often think that people have a very singular view of the Costa del Sol and don’t fully appreciate that there is so much of Spain to see within about an hours drive.

Until next time

Michael

 
This is great news for Marbella not only because of extra tourism it will generate but also for the positive publicity that it will almost certainly bring to the Town.

 
For me the greatest pleasure is to see the Bull Ring being refurbished.  The hideous metal fencing and graffiti which has surrounded it for the past few years has now been removed and the building is now regaining its position as one of our most distinctive landmarks.

 
It is great to see Marbella re-emerging from the misfortunes of recent years and I applaud the Town Hall for the efforts that are being made throughout the town to smarten it up to help regain the civic pride and re-establish its position as the jewel in the Costa del Sol’s crown.

 
What we now need is lots more positive publicity and more events of this type.

Until next time

Michael

Whilst it has become very fashionable to complain how expensive everything has become and how standards are falling, I have decided to champion one of my favourite aspects of Spanish life – The menu del día!

In Northern Europe it is now no longer acceptable to leave work to go out for lunch. Workers in the U.K. and other Northern European countries are far more likely to eat a soggy sandwich in front of their computer screen than they are to go and have a 3 course lunch in pleasant surroundings.

Thank god, here in Spain, the idea of going out for lunch is part of the lifestyle. Virtually everybody does it from office workers to lorry drivers and construction workers.

Even in Marbella it is still easy to find good restaurants who for around 10 Euros per head will serve a good quality 3 course lunch with a glass of wine or beer.

Over the last years I have found lots of these restaurants up and down the coast and have decided to use this blog not only to champion some of the best I have found but also to ask for recommendations from my readers. Therefore if there is anyone out there who can give me recommendations of restaurants that have impressed with the quality of their menu del dia let me know and I will certainly try to go and test them out for myself.

For starters (no pun intended!) my business partner and I today went for lunch at Japanese Restaurant in the centre of Marbella, just meters away from the Paseo Maritimo. The food and service were great , and the menu price was just under 12 Euros. I can heartily recommend Chipilo which is located on Avenida del Mar Nº 18 in Marbella. Telephone : 952 868 102.

Looking forward to your contributions

Michael Moon