Malaga

Another Spanish resort town by the sea and oddly their seaside resorts are busier in summer than winter, unlike ours in Florida.  But the altitude is higher here even though in my head we are on the same parallels.  Malaga is the heart of the Costa del Sol and just east of Gibraltar.  At least 300 days every year are sun filled and cheerful which makes for very mild winter weather.  Like all of Spain, but particularly in the South, every civilization from the Iberians on took control either through war or trade.  This was also our stop for Granada and the gateway to the Alhambra.  Tours there were not offered but because of a long day some passengers went on their own.  Some did their research and gained entrance and some did not.  But all made their way back aboard on time.  Only once have we heard someone paged and that was one gentleman who somehow came on the ship without swiping his sea pass.

Elva and I had planned to do the Nerja Caves but chickened out.  I have seen so many caves of great interest and we are both less steady that we used to be.  Plus with the beautiful weather I really didn’t want to be underground.  We changed our included tour tickets to the first of the day so set out early for a lovely tour of this lovely place.  It kept feeling like an island to me!  Again there was the overview and again there was a fort.  Near the shore was another Roman fort and another amphitheater on a minor scale.

Long, steep climb to the lighthouse.  Shipwreck story was interesting.

State owned hotels offer cheap rates even for foreigners.

View of the bullring from the hotel patio and of our ship in the harbor.

Gate in the walled city.

Always love the ceiling detail!

Thought this crocheted nativity is cute.  Maybe Katie will  make us one!

Back of the cathedral.  Interesting how it was a refuge during the Spanish civil War and families even moved in. Pews and other woodwork were used to make fires inside for cooking and warmth.

Pablo waits for some attention in his home town.  The corner apartment was the family home.

Once our tour was over we had about 45 minutes on our own to explore and really the old city is very small and we felt we had seen it all.  So instead of staying ashore we all decided to go back with the tour.  Have we traveled too much?  Are cool temperatures also cooling our interest?  Is one city beginning to look like another?  I will have to think on this a little.

We had lunch on the back deck of the World Café in bright sun but a slight breeze.  Food on Viking is so very good that I really do eat way more than should.  I usually lose a little weight on a trip because of more salads and fruit and more walking.  This is not a big boat and the food is exceptional so I think the scale and I won’t be happy when I get home!

We did indulge in the elegant Afternoon Tea.  I love the scones and ship made strawberry jam and Devon cream served with them.  There is actually a menu of teas and today I chose Bombay Chai.  So cinnamon and steaming hot in its little white ceramic teapot with built in strainer.

We decided to go to the early show at 6:30 and once again enjoyed the ABBA Songbook.  There are so many tunes that I did not know for which they were responsible.  Since we have free WiFi and no cell tower on Viking Ocean ships I can email and text at will.  Not sure the girls and kids love that feature but I do.  I texted Maddie to suggest Thank You for The Music to be added to her repertoire.  She said they sang it in grade school but how good would that be for her to begin or end a future performance?

Dinner in The Restaurant was a leisurely feast.  Service is much slower than in the specialty restaurants and of course not as quick as the buffet.   We have nothing but time.  I think we will do this again!  Then after dinner there is always music in many areas of the ship.  Singers or musicians or both.

Tonight we started to work on the puzzle table.  A round 1000 piece one has just been began and we made some progress.  Not me as much as Carol and Elva so I actually went to the cabin ahead of them and read in my comfy bed under my cozy comforter.

Good night!