In view of the overcast day today we decided to have a history day: Sohail Castle and the Roman site of the Finca del Secretario, a villa with pottery ovens, salting factory and thermal baths, discovered when the Malaga - Fuengirola metro was constructed.
Up early and out for a run this morning. That sounds simple, and would have been at home, but here it was either fiercely steeply down or up with very little flat. I had been warned by Katy whose parents also have a villa here!! I eventually found a route which, although tough, was enjoyable and involved a half mile stretch along the beach road with wonderful views. This week was probably the only time this year that I shall run in a vest; by and large, at home, I don't move fast enough to keep warm in a vest any longer.
Run and breakfast, over we drove back towards Malaga to the superb estuarine reserve of Guadalhorce. It is a typical marsh land but rather than reeds as there would be at home it is bamboo. We had a very productive and enjoyable visit with 37 species, 14 of which, at home, are either extremely rare or not possible to see at all. Highlights included sardinian warbler, zitting cisticola (fan-tailed warbler), hoopoe, nightingale, black-winged stilt, squacco heron, mediterranean gull, gull-billed tern, glossy ibis, marbled duck, kentish plover and yellow-legged gull. There were quite a lot of clouded yellows about and we saw pond turtles as well as a cattle egret doing what they should among a small herd of horses.
From the reserve we went into Fuengirola to have a late lunch at one of the famous chiringuitos beach bars specialising in seafood, especially grilled sardines BBQed over olive wood fires and which were delicious. Next up was ice cream and a walk along the beach which was lovely and the sea excitingly rough. A wave was misjudged resulting in two very soggy Pickwells.
M&M were keen to take us to a local market to buy provisions for the week. I was unsure about Marbella but avoiding the sea front and busy areas we arrived at the market on the outskirts. I love markets and I was not to be disappointed. Part food and part clothing this local outdoor market was absolutely superb. We mooched around buying wonderful produce and I even bought a shirt. Heather and I were delighted to be able to practise our Spanish on the friendly and patient stall holders. Excellent.
Arriving back in Fuengirola, there were huge queues everywhere, especially at those filling stations that were open (perhaps with their own generators?). Back at the villa not only did we have no power, we had no water as the system required electric pumps to get it up the hill. To flush the toilet we had to fetch buckets of water from the swimming pool and use bottled water for drinking. Our power eventually came back on at about 1.00 am but we heard later that there had been much looting and a state of emergencey had been declared. Interesting times. A taste of a Doomsday Scenario and proof that we are not prepared!!
As the aircraft began its approach to Malaga airport and we lost altitude I could pick out El Torcal and the Caminito del Rey that we had walked with Peter and Linda a few years ago. Fabulous views. Once landed, we soon had the car picked up and arrived at Malcolm and Maureen's timeshare villa to the south west of Fuengirola. The villa is excellent, well appointed, attractive grounds and a swimming pool. More importantly it is backed by some excellent scrubland. You can't beat a bit of scrub!! We soon began to see some interesting and different birds: crag martins and monk parakeets, a first for me. Later in the evening we walked down to the local beach bar/restaurant with cicadas and feral pigs calling from the undergrowth. Clams with green sauce for me - yums.
