With a busy day ahead we set alarms for 7.00am and are on the
road for 8.30.
Val is not content with going directly anywhere and has managed
to find somewhere to stop off and today it is Medina Sedona. The
reason is the guide book says the Inglesia Santa Maria la
Coronada has "a collection of religious works of art dating
from the renaissance, including paintings and a charming retablo
with beautifully carved panels" - it was O.K., I suppose.
Today is Sunday, so all the shops are shut on Gibraltar, which is
a good thing because it makes parking very easy, and we park very
close to the border crossing in La Linea. It is advised not to
take your car over because of variable delays, especially if you
have planes to catch.
Having parked up we walk across the runway and look at "the
Rock" ahead shooting up to the clouds which seem to
persistently blow across the peak. It may have been a mistake
rejecting offers of a taxi because having walked over the runway,
which I suppose you must do, there was nothing really to see
until you hit town.
Not sure how best to see the island, a taxi tour conveniently
manifests itself and solves the problem. the tour route is:
1. Europa Point - nothing to see, but we felt we had to go there
2. St Michael's Cave - Ooh what a nice cave, used during the war
as a bomb proof military hospital
3. Up to the highest point and a look at the Gibraltan barbary
apes
4. Siege tunnels - Soldiers barracks and store rooms. Allegedly
80km of tunnels
Dropped off in town we walk through the town, stopping for fish
and chips for lunch at Roy's , and gradually make our way back
across the runway to the border, back into Spain and the car then
take to road to Malaga, with a few stops and leisure drives on
the way.
Estepona and Marbella are driven through - we tried to stop in
Marbella but got caught out with a combination of Spanish one way
streets and 20 thousand people parking their cars in space for 15
so we give up.
Back on the coast road and we stop in Fuengirola with a similar
problem to Marbella, but this time we strike it lucky and there
is a space "reserved A White" right on the front. Val
strips off (her shoes) and goes for a paddle.
We are now faced with a dilemma - do we go on to Torremolinos for
the sake of it and to see if they really sell Watney's Red
Barrel, or do we go to a picturesque Spanish village, Mijas, for
a panoramic view over the Costa del Sol.
Mijas wins - it is a bit "tourist picturesque"
highlighted by the 6 coaches parked up with holiday makers on
them riding the local donkey and having their picture taken with
it, so we go a mile or so further on to the panoramic viewpoint
over Mijas - excellent - a nice finish and final view of Spain.
Time has caught up with us so it is hard right foot to Malaga
airport to catch our, what turns out to be, four and a half hour
delayed flight back to Manchester. The only good(ish) aspect is
that I am able to listen to the World Cup final on my walkman
tuned into BBC World Service.
We get home at 3.15am and to bed at about 4.00am local time
(5.00am Spain time). A 22 hour day and a typically tiring Andrew
and Valerie type holiday.
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Author: val_and_andrew@hotmail.com
Copyright © 1998 Andrew J White