Ben's Blog

day 11, Belearic bathing.

I have spent the day at Fonda C’an Rafalet, on Formentera, the smallest inhabited island of the Belearic archipelago. It’s a little hostel and restaurant, at the fishing port of Es Calo; when I say port, I meen a humble haven. There is scarcely enough room for a dozen small elderly wooden boats. I noticed at reception, a painting of the spot, the detail had a recognizable likeness; I then saw the date of the picture, 1986. It’s great knowing that this place hasn’t changed for at least 20 years.

Day ten?

I must be relaxed, I have to think twice to remember what day of the week it is. It is great to have the freedom to sleep when tired and wake up when I want, refreshed, without the need of an alarm clock.

Day nine, costa blanca

I was harsh about Benidorm in the last entry, I could have avoided it, but I went there for a reason. It marks on the map the furthermost south of Costa Blanca that I knew, the area I loved going to on holiday as child.

Day 8 on the move...

On Friday morning, I was still in Granada. The guide book I have is the rough guide to Andalucia, it’s great, but doesn’t cover the whole of Spain. So, I spent Friday morning looking in the bookshops for a new guide, one that would cover the next part of my journey. It was easy to find Spain – Lonley Planet, but I’m not a fan of LP, it’s too popular, if it’s in the guide, it quickly becomes the beaten track. I think the editors know this, so they deliberately fail to mention small interesting places. I couldn’t find a rough guide, so I bought the only other one “Fodor’s Spain 2006” I was impressed that it mentioned Moraira, LP didn’t even mention it.

day 7 - part 2

Yesterday evening I explored Albaicn one of the oldest parts of Spanish Granada, located on the other side of the vally from Alhambra. It is beautiful, the streets are paved with small pebbles, painstakingly laid by hand, using the different shades of stone to form patterns, shapes and swirls. I kept climbing, just before dusk I found a spot with an amazing view of the city and Alhambra. I sat and watched as the light of the day faded into the glow of the city night.

Day seven - part one...

Today has been wonderful, Granada is great, I will feel sad to leave. I look forward to the next time we come back.

Spainish pomegranate, day seis

I’m still in Andalucia, but no longer in the costa del sol. I left the Parador and Nerja behind. I didn’t see anything to keep me there and work phoned about podcasting. I bought a great postcard that summed up the place. It was a Photoshop close up of small dog, smiling, sitting on a beach, listening to music with 80’s headphones and a Sony FM cassette Walkman; the caption read ”Costa del Sol”. I caught the first bus to Granada.

costa del sol - day five

Yesterday, I started in Malaga, the birth place of Picasso. He was born there in 1881. Recently they set up Museo Picasso Malaga it’s a permanent and temporay collection of his work, over 200 lesser known pieces.

Monday, day cuatro. Quisiera desayuno por favor...

It’s now Monday morning, I’m sitting in Ronda Bus station, glass of cerveza in hand, waiting for the next direct ride to Malaga. I just paid two euros for the beer, I’m sure she asked for one euro though, must have decided I’m a generous tipper. I feel rude and slightly helpless not knowing how to speak Spanish, I’m reduced to helplessly saying things slowly one syllable at a time.

Buenos dias, day two.

I’m now in the the Spanish town of Ronda, it’s set in the heart of some breath taking angular mountins. The town is split in half by a gaping river gorge that’s some 130m deep. They built a stunning arched bridge in the 18th centry to span the gap.