Málaga (Part I - 1.8.17 to 1.11.17) and Madrid - Sunday, January 8th to Sunday, January 15th

Sunday, January 8th

Tonight (7:45pm) we flew south to Málaga, in the community of Andalusia.  We didn't really know much about Málaga nor had we planned to visit it.  However a friend we met in our Spanish school in Valencia, Kirsten from Germany, and her friend Veronica were taking a trip their and we decided to meet them.  We have been keeping in touch with Kirsten when she left to go back home to Köln, Germany for work.

Our plan is to visit them for a few days, then fly to Madrid for a few more days and return next Sunday on the AVE train.

Monday, January 9th
After breakfast we decided to go to see the Pablo Picasso Museum in Málaga.  I loved seeing this graffiti on the walk over.
  

Upon arrival we were told that this week the only part of the museum open was a temporary exhibit on Joaquín Torres-Garcia. He was a painter, sculptor, muralist, novelist, writer, teacher
theorist and wood toy maker. Joaquín is known for his collaboration with Gaudi in 1903 on the stained glass windows for the Palma Catherdral and the Sagrada Familia.

These are a few of our favorite works of his art.

Very interesting to learn about him but of course we were disappointed that we did not see the Pablo Picasso art.  However we did see a short video of called Picasso at work through the lens of David Douglas Duncan, which we all enjoyed.  I would like to look into purchasing one of his books when I return home.

On our walk to the Hop on Hop off bus, I saw and loved these Christmas shocks decorations still hanging across the street.  They are used as fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House.

We got on the Hop on Hop off bus.....it sucked!  Seeing these buses in San Francisco we promised each other we would never take one....yet we did and we regretted it.  We did use it to get to lunch at the beach at a Chiringuitos.  What a lovely day, warm for this time of year and we enjoyed eating outside in the sun on this beach.

They cook the sardines we had on this old boat fire pit....while the cook has a beer!

They were delicious, along with the octopus (pulpo) and other goodies from the sea.

We walked from lunch towards the Málaga port, second largest in Spain.

More graffiti

The Pompidou building

The Farola Málaga Lighthouse

We considered going into the Pompidou Museum, but it was getting close to sunset and we wanted to go to the roof deck of the AC Málaga Palacio Hotel to enjoy a cocktail and watch the sunset, we were glad we did!

We then walked to Calle Marquis de Larios THE shopping street of Málaga, beautiful!

We stopped in El Pimpi for a bit to eat and a glass of wine. It is situated inside an old 18th century Málaga mansion house and is one of the longest-standing bodega bars in Málaga.  Its name harks back to the "Pimpi", a local Málaga character who used to help crews and passengers from the ships that arrived at the city's docks. Before long, they became the first Málaga tour guides, famous for their service and good humor...tourism!

Generations of personalities from the world of flamenco, politics and the arts have visited: the Picasso Family, Carmen Thyssen, La Repompa, Antonio Banderas, The Duchess of Alba to name a few.

Tuesday, January 10th
After a nice breakfast we walked past the El Teatro Romano, the oldest monument in Málaga.

Beth, Kirsten and Veronica at the Roman Theater

Looking down in the Salazones' pools, belonging to a salting factory in the second half of the 4th century.  Garum, fermented fish sauce, a product obtained mainly from sardines and anchovies and other bay fish like the revered red tuna were also extracted here!

We then stopped into the newly opened Museo de Málaga.  Some of our favorite pieces.

Shipwreck/The Final Wave by Emilio Ocón and Rivas

This one we thought was appropriate for what we are experiencing in the United States of America!!!

The Political Charlatan/Elect Me and the Nation Will be Saved by Bernardo Ferrándiz y Bádenes

And "Anatomy of the Heart/And She Had a Heart! by Enrique Simonet y Lombardo.

After wards we took a cab up to the top of the hill to have an overview of Málaga, it is beautiful.  

The Plaza de toros de La Malagueta (Málaga bullring)

The Port

The City

The Castle of Gibralfaro, on Mount Gibralfaro

Then Beth, Kirsten and I met Veronica and her friend Maria Luisa (Veronica lived in Málaga for many years).  Maria Luisa drove us El Palo, Málaga to lunch at El Tintero, a fantastic beachfront restaurant that offers fresh seafood and an exciting environment during high season.  We had some beer and all kinds of fish, shrimp, octopus, etc.

Kirsten, loves beer!

Tiny fish, they were delicious!

What else sardines....yummy!

 After lunch Maria Luisa drove us back to her home and we all shared a couple of bottles of Cava, some Christmas/Three Kings candy and good conversation.  How warm and welcoming many Spanish people are, we had a great day.

When we got back into Málaga we checked out the Carmen Thyssen Museum, very nice!

"Dusk over the Coast of Málaga" was our favorite by Guillermo Gómez Gil

We then went to the rooftop terrace of the Alcazaba Premium Hostel with breathtaking views of the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castles.....have I mentioned that Beth is obsessed with rooftop terraces!

After wards we had a nice Greek dinner to finish our visit with Kirsten and Veronica in Málaga.  Tomorrow we fly to Madrid!