My memories of visiting and enjoying Spain and everything it has to offer goes as far back as the early 70's. Spains national motto is "Plus Ultra" meaning "further beyond" and it captures the country, culture and people perfectly.
Tourism particularly in the Costa del Sol experienced a massive tourism boom in the early 70's transforming sleepy fishing villages into bustling International resorts. Affordable high-rise hotels and glamorous high end nightlife and upscale retail slowly built up to what is is today while staying true to its history and charm...Long before the euro the devalued peseta to the American dollar or the English pound made it very, very affordable... it was during this frenzied expansion when I had my first taste of life in Spain... what I remember really loving best was despite the fact that the country was still living under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco until his death in 1975 there was a true La Algeria De Vivir attitude ( a vibrant, cheerful enjoyment of life) and a laid back charm that still exists... My early travels to southern Spain were spent mostly in Torremolinos, Malaga and Marbella and eventually extending to Benalmadena, Fuengirola, and Puerto Banus. If you ever saw the movie "A Touch Of Class" with Glenda Jackson and George Segal it will give you a taste of the flavor of the region at the time.
James A Michener wrote a book in the early 70's titled "The Drifters" detailing the lives of six young people from different backgrounds as they travel through Spain, Morocco and Mozambique searching for identity during the height of the Vietnam war. As with all Michener novels its visually stunning in the descriptions of the locations and its in-depth examination of the political and cultural attitudes of the era...I enjoyed the book but felt very little connection with the characters and their motivations... but the books description of Torremolinos was mostly what inspired the first visit.
I was thinking about my early trips there recently and about the person I was then and the similarities and differences of the fascist dictatorship in Spain at the time and the one we are currently experiencing in the United States... I'm not going to go into any of that in this months installment... But what I really want to say is that Costa del Sol has grown and changed over the years and I've been lucky enough to be a part of the evolution.... The next photo is what it looked like back then...
and now...
I've written previously in almost every travel piece I've shared here... the reason I travel.. in a nutshell for those of you who have recently started reading... Travel has afforded me the best education possible for understanding different cultures and learning about the world and it's people... in addition I've been able to sample amazing cuisine and create unforgettable memories from my experiences... on top of that my travels have taught me to challenge myself and be adventurous and enjoy life... sometimes it's important to relax and escape reality for a short time and take a holiday away from worries and everything else life can throw at you... I said way back in a very early excerpt it's important to look at new landscapes sometimes to make new decisions about where you want to go and who you want to be and what you need to do next. There is a magical ingredient to travel that when we get home it's still the same...but the secret magical ingredient from travel somehow alters something in our mind and/or perspective...and it changes everything...
Always remember... tourists see the world... but travelers experience it.My personal motto has always been... any money you spend on eating well, dressing well and seeing the world... is never a waste.
Getting there is half the fun... but you will eventually find your way to the Airport in Malaga... I've been there more times starting in London (you can sometimes get a less expensive flight if you go out of Gatwick) it's about a three hour flight with a one hour time difference... From New York Kennedy Airport there is a direct flight that takes about seven and a half hours and it's 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
The actual airport and your next mode of transportation have overwhelmingly improved over time... when I started visiting you really needed to rent a car... now you can take a train from the airport as far south as Feungirola... there is also bus service and car for hire ride shares... I still recommend renting a car unless you are staying at a resort and plan to spend all or most of your time there... I personally like the freedom to get in the car and explore... it's about an hours drive from Marbella to Gibraltar...I highly recommend the short excursion for an afternoon or an overnight quick get away.
I've been going to nude beaches for about as long as I can remember and this is one of the best... It's a small beach but there are a lot of amenities...restrooms with showers, umbrella rental and a beach bar that serves beer, wine, mixed drinks and snacks... practically everyone is nude and there are signs that prohibit bathing suits.. but because it's a public beach it can't be enforced if you feel you must cover up.. but it is enforced at the privately run bar... you actually have to be naked to be served. Frankly I could spend my whole vacation here and enjoy the different shops and restaurants in the area.... there are two other beaches that offer clothing optional areas further west that could be more of a day trip...
In terms of accommodations... well there is wide variety that all depend on your needs and budget... there is a place I really like in Marbella that has rooms, suites, bungalows and villas... a spa... a tennis club and amazing restaurants and easy access to golfing about 20 minutes from the hotel... but I'll let you in on a secret... if it's clean, quiet and they have room service and do not disturb signs, maid service and a swimming pool and a decent restaurant... I'm happy.
There is so much to do in addition to a day trip to Gibraltar... you can take a ferry from Malga toTangiers Morocco in about 3 and a half hours... there are historic guided tours... you can visit wineries... I took a cooking class on a couple of trips...
I can spend the better part of a day and evening wandering around Marbella, there are great shops and restaurants...
I don't know if you are familiar with the phrase "Top To Toe In Tailbacks"... its an English expression that means being stuck in a long line of slow moving traffic... often with red tail lights visible in all directions. It's during such times... especially if snow is involved... that I start formulating an escape to someplace warm... like Spain...
The Costa del Sol has a Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and a very short mild winter...The hottest months are July and August and the coldest January and February... but even in the winter it's clear and bright and definitely beats the dark winter days and nights of Northern Europe and the Northeast in the United States.
It was here once that I got back to being myself again...the happy me that was not afraid... the unapologetic me... the fun, kind and adventurous me that was willing to take risks again. I learned sometimes there is no silver lining for certain events... because there are certain things that never should have ever happened... Period. A lot of water went under the bridge before I learned all the lessons and I looked at my reflection in the mirror one night and said... "you've been through an ordeal and you survived and found your way back to yourself"... I also learned an important lesson about everyone else in the world too... Everyone has a story... and there is a reason why people are the way they are...you have to be careful not to judge because you don't know their story.
Make sure your story is a great one that people will want to share and remember....
There is so much to Spain that I have not even begun to scratch the surface... so next month we will continue on to Barcelona and Sitges...Someone said something to me once there in the moonlight... "You will never no matter how hard you try... be everyone's cup of tea... but rest assured you will be someone else's double shot of tequila with salt and lime!"
I hope you will join me again next month... stay safe and warm... or cool depending where you are in the world right now.
