A Day with my brother, Rick

Over the years, it's been difficult to find brother-sister time with my brother Richard, aka Rick.  I've been the gypsy nomad in our family off and on since 1968.  My brothers stuck around Oregon while I was off to California, Ohio, Virginia and now Arizona.  So, finding quality time with my brother has been difficult.  Today, we changed that and it was a blessing to both of us.

I know only one way in to Fuengirola, the largest town near me on the Costa del Sol.  No matter where I go in the town, I always drive the same route... and today, I told Rick as long as we follow the Bioparc signs and then find the Plaza del Toros, I won't get lost.  And we did it!

First, cafe con leche at my favorite little cafe near the oficina turisimo (tourist office).  I remembered how to use the parking kiosk.  I lost my Fuengirola map on the bus a few days ago, so once we had that in hand, we meandered toward the beach... stopping in shops.  I wanted to look for a black blouse with a ruffle and Rick wanted to find his wife a gift from Spain.  I've nearly given up on the black blouse...maybe it's lost in a shop somewhere with my flamenco shoes.

We walked all the way from the cafe to the beach...stopping in shops along the way.  Rick is such a good sport.  How many men would wander in with a woman to check out the blouses looking for that elusive black one on my mind?  We were alike in our interest of the buildings, shops, people, cobblestone streets, turquoise sea with white crested waves roaring toward us.

When I spied a chiringuito restaurant on the beach with the espeto boat beside it, I shouldered Rick toward it.  We sat on the terrace with the sounds of the sea in our ears and a gentle breeze blowing against the straw/grass umbrellas on the hamacas in the sand below us.  Rick asked me to order la comida since he thinks I'm one of the Spanish locals now (smile).  So, salad, shrimp patties and deep fried fish balls (did that sound right?)  Ensalada mixta, tortillitos de camerones and pescado de adobo.  With sangria of course.  It was a long, leisure lunch brought in stages.  The waiters were obliging.  The food was good.  The sangria was chilled.  And we talked and talked and talked.

Once lunch was over, (he treated me) we knew it was time to go back for the car.  Our parking ticket was expiring and our plan was to move the car to the beach and spread ourselves on the sand.  Good thing I got a map since neither one of us remembered the street we'd walked down.  Talk about country kids going to the city...  Once we figured that out, we were in the car and driving El Carro toward the water.  A parking place?  Huh...where to go?  I found a spot and pulled in.

Me:  What are those blue broken lines in the parking spaces for?  I don't think we can park here.
Rick:  Well, there's one car here.  Why can't we park here?
Me:  Why don't you go ask that man in the cafe there...Ask if it's a problem to park here?
Rick:  Me?  You're kidding.  You're the one who speaks Spanish.
Me:  (to man across the way while I point toward El Carro)  Puedo poner mi coche allí? (Can I put my car there?)
Spanish Man:  *&*%$%&*))*^$#$^&)  (pointing south along street)  "...dos minutos" (two minutes).
Me:  (hmmmmmmm...) gracias (like I knew what he said)  I walked back to the car.
Rick:  Well?
Me:  I think we need a parking ticket and there's a kiosk two minutes down the street.  (I walk away and find a parking area that lists one hour of parking for 4 euros --- too much) and head back to car.
Rick:  Well?
Me:  I think there was some confusion (I ignore Rick's look) and drive El Carro down the street.

We find a spot and I spy a kiosk to buy a parking ticket.  (yay!)  When I put in coins, get my parking ticket and put it on the dash, we grab our swimsuits and head toward the chiringuito again since there are hamacas to rent next to it in the sand.
Me:  Our ticket says we can park here until 6:30.

The Mediterranean waits.  We change in the bathroom of the chiringuito restaurant.  We learn we will save 10 euros on renting two hamacas with an umbrella because we ate a meal there!  Within minutes, Rick finds us a spot right in the front row.  The waves crash around us and we stare up into the bright blue sky.  Ah, perfecto.

At 4:30, I've been snoozing a bit and I remember my friend, R, telling me how easy it is to figure out this 24 hour time because it's military time.  Huh.  Wait a minute, I think.  16:35 isn't 6:30 -- it's 4:30!  I jumped up (Rick was asleep) and count my coins to race to the car to get another parking pass for the car.  I'm barefoot because my sandals have ridden blisters on both feet.  The sidewalk is hot.  The road is hot.  The car is hot.  But we don't have a ticket from the ticket police, so I am happy.  I nearly run back to the sand.  It's hot too...
When I get settled again, I fall asleep and I'm rudely awakened by a woman's voice above me.

Asian woman: Mesaje?  Mesaje? Message?
Me: (groggy)  "What?"
Asian woman:  Mesaje?
When I don't answer immediately, she grabs my leg.  Now I am definitely awake.  When I realize she is asking me if I want a massage there on the beach, I say "no, gracias."
Asian woman:  she now moves to the end of my hamaca and grabs both my feet.
I sit up quickly and shake my head.  "No, gracias." I repeat.  (three times)
Asian woman:  Hummmmmmfff and walks away.
Strange encounter.  As she walks away, I wonder...maybe a massage is exactly what I need.

Rick slept through it all (smile)

It was a long, very nice day with my brother.
One that I will remember a long while.
And it took us so many years to find the time.
In Spain.
Life is full of surprises.

Tomorrow:  Juzcar - the Smurf village up in the mountains! http://www.andalucia.com/province/malaga/juzcar/home.htm