Como Esta?
So last week I was busy packing and weighing suitcases for our trip. It was the kids fall break this week so we decided to go to a town outside of Malaga, Spain! It is right on the Mediterranean Sea. We haven't been to Spain at all yet. So when possible we try and use the cheap airline to fly around here, as most people do but they don't fly out of Lux. So you have to try and find a place that isn't too far so you can drive to their airport and then fly out.
With this airline, you have no pocket in front of your seat, and no free food. They sell food and drinks if you want them. You also have to pay for your luggage. You can either do a 33lb suitcase of 44lb suitcase. So when Jason bought the tickets he did 2, 33lb bags. Well I couldn't get 5 of us our clothes for the week in those so I had to buy more online before we left!
So the airport where we had to drive to was in Dusseldorf, Germany about 3:15 min. away! So we left this morning. We made good time and were at the tiny airport early. It was a hwy most of the way there and then you get off about 1/2 hour before you reach it and it starts winding through neighborhoods and forests. We were a little worried this might not be right and then all of a sudden you see this German military base and the airport is there.
The plane ride was 2:45min. So by the time we arrived it was after 7pm. Then we had to rent a car but the rental place was right by the baggage claim so picking up the car was very easy. We rented a 7 seater as it is just easier having room for the kids to be separated as we knew we were going to be driving around a lot. But it was a tiny car with basically 2 jump seats in the trunk. So from the airport there we had to drive an hour to get to the apartment we were renting. Seemed like a long day of traveling. I brought my GPS but it can take sometimes 10 min. or so to locate us. The owner had sent us these random written directions with a lot of what is around where we are suppose to be going. So I am reading them out load to Jason and he keeps saying "we have already past that, what is next!" My GPS is still searching and it is dark and harder to see things since the roads aren't lit very well. Jason had to turn on his phone GPS and that was the only one that could find the exact location of where we where going, thank goodness. Literally the last note from the owner was, after the exit for the zoo (which we didn't even really notice since it was just another slip road with no sign.) Take the next slip road. Um ok. As we were getting closer we pulled off on another slip road and I ran into the gas station to pick up a few things for breakfast until we could get to a grocery store.
So we finally arrived and it is a residential apt. building. So it is gated with a security guard who we had to get the key from. Also the apt. number was confusing. It was apt. 241. Ok I am thinking 2nd floor. Well no, it means building 2, 4th floor, apt. 1. Yeah that would have been helpful to explain to us as well.
We get in and it is a cool apt! It is a penthouse so we walk into the entrance area and then there is a long hallway kitchen to the right with a table that seats 3 at the end. Then there is a door on the side that goes to a tiny laundry room with just a washer and a sink. One of the tinest washers I have ever seen.
On the other side of the entrance is the dining room and family room. Off the family room are big sliding doors to the balcony with a beautiful ocean view.
The apt. is right on the beach. The balcony on this level has a table and chairs and then some comfy sitting chairs as well. Off to the side of the family room is a spiral staircase that goes upstairs. Here is another full bath and then the doors to outside. Outside are 2 huge lounging areas, one with a patio table for 6 I think. Then a pool. It had more great views as well. Back downstairs to the entrance and straight ahead were the 2 kid's bedrooms and a full bath. Then you turn the corner and there is a little master suit with an another full bath, closets and a bedroom with sliding doors to the first balcony. So, nice place!
I do wish rental places would include a couple of more basic items that you actually need to stay here, such as soap for the showers, they had nothing, soap to wash dishes, Kleenex, and some more toilet paper. We had 2 rolls for the apt. for the week.
Sunday was daylight savings time here so everyone was up a bit early even though we went to bed late. We saw the most beautiful sun rise this morning, and finally got to see what it looked like outside.
It is a gorgeous place, but we won't be able to enjoy the outdoors if the weather isn't nice.
So we ate breakfast and made sure we cleaned up all the crumbs. They said if you leave any food out ants and bugs will find it fast, yuck!
Then we set out to go to Espona, a close town about 10 min. So we thought we would go to the grocery store- ugh Sunday in Europe and nothing was open.
But down by the marina they have a market on Sundays. So we found that was neat. It was along the marina so we saw a lot of boats and some fish swimming.
The market had booths set up with non food items. So one side of the market was the marina and the other side was just a strip of restaurants. They had so many places to eat in all the areas we went to this week!
We shopped the market and then had lunch at a Chinese restaurant. We had so many different types of restaurants here and being such a touristy area I don't think we ever really ate at a traditional Spanish restaurant. So the food was good here. So then we had to stop at a gas station mini mart to pick up a few more items since the grocery stores weren't open. Nothing like grocery shopping at a gas station for 2 days in a row. Once back in the apt. we went and saw the apt. complex's big pool that was out in front by the beach. It was very cold so they must not be heating that. It was very windy by the beach and getting a bit cloudy. So we went up to the apt. and the kids went swimming in our pool there. The water was warm and they had fun.
View off the back of the balcony for what is behind the apt.
We spent the afternoon hanging out, reading books, watching movies and having a little siesta!
For dinner we walked down the street to a restaurant that people who had stayed here before had recommended. We had made reservations and we got this table in the center of the restaurant that was tucked away by vines. It was kind of cool, but also like being in a forest. The food was excellent. Jason and I both had fish dishes and split an asparagus soup- yummy! Jacob ordered a pineapple seafood salad and it came in a pineapple!
Monday we hung around the apt. in the morning so we got a late start. Then we headed to a town called Marbella about 20 min. away, but it took a bit longer as we got lost and then traffic going into these towns can be backed up. In general signs and directions here seem to be confusing and I find it harder to get around here then other cities we have visited.
So in this town people were parking everywhere and would just put their hazards on and hop out. So the one part of the road had a tiny white median painted on it and a ton of people were either parked there or had their hazards on. This was a town with a lot of pedestrian areas. So we parked, not in the median, and walked around the downtown area.
Old churches.
Some pretty Spanish colorful pottery. We stopped and had lunch in a cafe.
After lunch we found some roads that went down to the beach and had a great boardwalk. It was wide and had a lot of restaurants, then a big sandy beach, more restaurants on the beach and a playground on the beach.
After enjoying that we walked back up another road to see if we could locate the travel agency to book a trip to Morocco. Yeah, it was closed 1:30-5pm. We missed it by 10min. A lot of stores were open so we figured it would have been too.
Finally we walked back to the parking garage. It is amazing we can always find our car. But I think Jason might be mapping it on his GPS. The parking here is just as tight if not worse then Lux and Jason is starting to wonder if maybe he should have taken out the extra insurance!
Next we drove to another town about 10 min. away called Puerto Banus. This is a small town known for its famous port area. Here all the rich and famous park their beautiful, big boats and stay. So we parked, not our boat, and walked down to the port. Oh my gosh. Amazing, beautiful, big boats! and it is on board walk between the boats and the upscale restaurants and upscale shopping stores. The restaurants all have their doors/windows all across the front open so it was a very neat setting. All 3 boys were loving the boats!
Right when we started walking down here about 4 Bentley cars were leaving. We didn't see anyone famous, or not that I know.
At the very end of the boardwalk was a little tower with a cannon.
From here we walked back up to the main street and found a Hard Rock Cafe, we will have to try and get back here! They also had a movie theater but we weren't sure if the kid's movie would be in English and it was closed right now.
So we headed back and finally found a grocery store- it was ok. They do sell Chips Ahoy cookies here so we were excited and bought some. We picked up the rest of the stuff we needed for the apt. and some food for dinner since the kids were tired of being out for the afternoon.
We came home and soon after fixed dinner. Then Amber and Sean went swimming. After everyone was cleaned up we all watched "The Great Pumpkin" movie- love it! I had downloaded it to the Ipad before we left. 2 other Charlie Browns shows came on after that one, so we watched one and then Amber was too tired so we will save the other one for another night.
Tuesday morning I made pancakes with these 2 package mixes I had found at the store that said "True American Pancakes" Yeah they tasted more like crepes. All you added to the mix was water and I had found some little chocolate chips to put in there as well. They were ok. We didn't have any butter or syrup to put on them, only jelly.
Today we decided to go to the mountain town of Ronda. It was about an hour away and today it was just pouring all day long. To get to this town you turn away from the coast and head north right into the mountains. Once at the base we got on a road that we stayed on the for about 45 min. It was a beautiful winding road up the mountain.
My ears were popping. They had places to pull off and take in the views except it was raining and foggy most of the way so we couldn't see into the ravines.
Once in the city center we parked and walked to the main pedestrian street with shops and cafes. The 1st store we see is a shoe store and I noticed how cheap the shoes were. Then Jason found the next shoe store and we looked in the window and they had really nice Gortex hiking boots for 29 Euros, that is about $45. There was a sign in the window that said "Cheapest shoe store in Spain". Ok these were really good European prices so we went shopping! Jason and Jacob got a pair of those hiking boots. Jason also got a pair of work shoes. I got a nice pair of tall casual black boots for $45. So I am not sure what we won't be able to fit back in our suitcases now, but it won't be the shoes! I think we may be wearing these home!
Jason asked me if we wanted to walk around some more and then come back and buy them so he wouldn't have to carry them all around and I told him no. Thank goodness we bought them, b/c by the time we walked back up this street to leave it was around 3:30 or so and it was dead. All the shops had closed for their siestas! So after we got the shoes we walked all the way to the end of the street in the rain and there was the bull ring. It is one of the oldest in Spain. You can tour it so we went in. It is smaller then I imagined it would be. The first fight took place here in 1785.
From here I stopped in the tourist office to get a map and ask where their famous bridge was I had read about. It was just down around the corner. So we walked along the edge of the cliff to it.
Then there was the bridge, beautiful!
The other side of the bridge.
It separated the old town and the new town.
From here we walked back towards the car and one cafe hadn't shut down but you could only get churros to go. So we got 2 chocolate churros. We ducked in an overhang of a closed store and shared them. It was a fried dough with sugar on top and in the shape of a long sausage wound around and then we dipped it in a thick hot chocolate sauce. They were good!
We left the town and drove back into and down the mountain. It is a hard town to get to because it only has 2 ways to get in and get out.
Here are some pictures of the houses as we were coming to the bottom of the mountain.
We made the hour drive, which was good it was this long b/c everyone but me had soaked shoes and socks. Once back down we went back to the town we were in yesterday to go to the Hard Rock Cafe.
I think we have hit Hard Rock in 6 countries now, America, Italy, Germany, UK, Holland and now Spain. We are never disappointed here!
After dinner we tried to go and see a kid's movie but since it was for kids it was only available in Spanish. They had some adult movies in English.
So we just ended up coming back to the apt. It was still cold and rainy and the kids didn't even ask to go in the pool tonight.
Happy Halloween!!
Wednesday we got up very early and headed off for a little over an hours drive to Tarifa, Spain.
This is the southern most tip of Spain. From here we boarded a fast boat like ferry, but it really didn't go that fast.
It was all indoors with seats a little bit like you are on a train. They have 4 seats around a table.
So the ferry took about an hour and took us to Morocco! We went to Tanger, Morocco. We had bought a private tour instead of doing the bus tour. So a private guide took us to his van and we spent the day with him. We first drove around the newer part of Morocco and it wasn't too bad looking.
From here we drove over to the old part of town. Here was a walking tour as it was mostly through alley passage ways that are barley wide enough for a couple of people let alone cars.
We started out visiting inside the old fortress walls. Here was the entrance.
From here we walked around inside. Now it is just where people live and shops.
Here on people's doors if there are 2 rows of button like things below the door knocker, then that means 2 families live there, otherwise there would just be one row.
Another part of the fortress wall and then we exited out with a view of the sea.
I like the window shape they use here.
Next we saw the snake guy.
I liked the tile design.
Some pictures as we were walking out of the fortress.
The chickens on the walkways.
Walking down some more narrow passage ways.
Look at how close these 2 buildings are too each other. I think they are just apartment buildings.
Here he said it is not uncommon for there to be no running water in these places.
So there are water sprouts around and you see people filling up their jugs. There are also bath houses. The woman can go one time of the day and the men another time of the day.
Here b/c of the religion they have to pray 5 times a day. So we heard these siren like noises go off and it was to tell people that it is time to pray.
From here we walked to a typical Moroccan restaurant and had lunch.
Here is the band.
bread, and then a layer, flaky caramelized dessert.
Our lunch was at 11 or so, but the guide said locals get up at 5am and pray and then go back to bed and don't eat breakfast until around 9am, lunch at 2pm, and dinner at 10pm!
After lunch we continued on our walking tour.
This tree is around 500 years old.
Here they don't have full grocery stores. They have an underground market. Everyone has a booth and they sell chicken and meat, no pork, fruits and vegetables. The meat is just sitting on the counter.
This is the tour guide on the left. He took us into the bakery. They only make one thing here, this round bread. Which is the same for all the bakeries. No cookies here! They sell it in the front of the store, which looks like a storage locker. The oven is like a brick pizza oven.
These is one of the really nice hotels here. It was our last stop before getting back on the ferry boat.
Back to the boat.
The fort at the Spanish port.
Back in Spain and driving back to the apt.
That island looking place is Gibraltar which is where we are going tomorrow.
By the time we got back it was dinner time and I had gotten a recommendation of some good restaurants in a little shopping mall on the beach not to far from our place. So we stopped here. There were some upscale shops here, and restaurants and then a pool in the middle. Kind of weird and then it was on the beach. We ate at a yummy Italian restaurant.
Here is us on the beach with our Halloween shirts on today!
Thursday we slept in and then hung out a bit in the apt. I made lunch and we took it to eat in the car on the drive to Gibraltar. It is a little country attached to Spain but looks like a peninsula. And it is connected to Spain by a thin strip, the airport. It is a British colony and so the main language is English, so funny. And the currency is pounds. They have the red telephone booths and fish and chip restaurants.
So the drive was about an hour away.
We can see the big rock from our apt. There was a line to get through customs by car so we parked in a lot in Spain by the border and walked over. After you cross you have to walk across the airport runway. Kind of funny. And then you are in their country.
We walked about 10-15 min. to the Casemates Square which is a lively place of restaurants and shops and then leads to the main street which has a ton of shops as far as the eye can see.
Here it is tax free shopping so very popular. We skipped the shopping and signed up for a tour from here. We did the big rock tour, since that is what they are known for. The big rock the British wanted b/c here it controls the Straights of Gibraltar, the water passage between here and Morocco. They also made a military base on top of the rock, private area now for military.
So on the tour it was just us in the van and it was climbing up back and forth across the rock.
There were some viewing stopping points.
Some views from the van on the drive up the rock.
Then we stopped at St. Michael's Cave. This was the neatest cave I have ever seen! And so big. Amazing structures inside.
Here on the rock live wild, government owns them, apes. Our guide had peanuts in his pockets and would feed them out of his hand. They come right up to you. He said you can let them come up to you but never try and touch them first. The apes also climb on top of the vans.
This is Jacob feeding them peanuts.
This is Sean.
Two little babies playing.
Jacob again.
The top of the rock is their feeding spot were the government drops off fresh fruits and veggies for them twice a day. An ape jumped on Jason and Jacob's backs as a stepping stone. Views from the top of the rock.
Next we stopped at some of the tunnels the military dug and then blasted out a hole in the side and put a cannon. Neat tunnels all down in there. We saw the remains of a fort.
Then the tour ends back in the same square. So we walked back to the border and got our car and drove back.
Today was a beautiful afternoon, sunny, so the kids got to swimming in the apt. pool and Jason got to read a book,
and then Jacob and I went down to the beach. Me in my clothes and Jac in his suit!
Tonight for dinner we went to an Argentina steak house that was recommended by the apt. owner. It was good food.
Jason and Jacob got a steak. Jacob ate almost all of it! The restaurant was in the neat boat port town so then we walked down to the port area and got ice cream and looked at the boats. Some had people on them and were all lit up.
Views at night from the apt. balcony.
Because we had to drive to the airport to fly here we have been in 7 countries this trip! Driving from Lux, through Belgium, Holland and to Germany, then Spain, Morocco and Gibraltar.
Friday, since we had now covered most of the close by towns we decided to stay in today and see if the weather would hold out for the kids to play in the pool and on the beach. View of Gibraltar from the balcony.
After lunch the kids played on the beach, we had the whole place to ourselves. Of course I forgot my camera! But I was all bundled up and they were playing in the sand and the edge of the water. They wrote their initials with stones so I went back later with the camera.
One of my closest friends here in Lux told me that they are moving back this month to the states. They arrived in Lux right before we did so they didn't live here too long. This is also Jacob's best friend here so it will be sad for us to see them go.
After the beach the kids spent a couple of hours in the pool.
Jason and I got to sit by the pool and read, very relaxing! I am reading a book called The Expats. The author was living in Lux at the time he wrote this and it makes a lot of references of the expat life here. One of my friends knew him from school. So far the book is pretty good.
For our last dinner here we went with another recommended restaurant. The owner had left a list of some and then from their website under the reviews people had mentioned some I had written down as well. It was an All American Restaurant. They had a lot to choose from and everything we had was good.
Saturday we had to be out of the apartment by 11, so a bit before that we packed everything up, checked all our weights on the suitcases, made lunches and set off. We drove about an hour back to the town where the airport was and went to the aquarium there.
It wasn't as big as I thought it would be and it only killed like 45 minutes. But outside the back of the aquarium was another port with a bunch of shops. They had this lovely, colorful Spanish pottery all over down here. If my suitcase wasn't already filled to the max I would have loved to bring some back..
There were also a lot of restaurants around here, a lot of them around American cuisine. We walked around and had some ice cream too! From here we drove to downtown Malaga and there was a big beach area and a docking for cruise ships so we walked along that.
It had been raining earlier so the sand was all wet but we walked along the board walk. Then we turned the corner and there was a boat landing so we walked along and saw some more boats and there was a park there that the kids played at. Walking back to the car we saw their town's bull ring. It was pretty big. I think that was like the third bull ring we had seen on our trip.
From here we just went to the airport. We were just trying to find things to do until our flight left at 7:50! Once at the airport we checked in but then somehow got lost trying to find the security point. They said it was in a different terminal so we walked all around and the signs were confusing but we ended up finding it. It was right in between terminal 2 and 3 and we were walking all through terminal 3 looking for it!
We had dinner here at an American style restaurant. I said I couldn't believe the amount of American want to be restaurants they had here. Good for us, but surprising. The flight back went well and Amber slept most of the time, but wasn't happy when I had to wake her up after 10:30 to get off the plane. Once in the car we headed back to Lux, so it was a long drive. We didn't get back home until 2:30am. We put the kids to bed and headed to our own!
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