Her name is LOLA

Lola is my new, fancy rental MINI Cooper.  So fancy, in fact, that I sat in the car looking for the little key fob slot like Millie’s in Arizona.   She is either wider than my MINI Millie or she feels bigger because the roads are so narrow.  When I drove Lola back to Los Nuñez today, I feared the side mirror was going to scrape the mirror of the oncoming cars.  Millie has so much character and sadly, Lola is so new that all the character was changed to elite and fancy.  I prefer Millie, but I will certainly keep that to myself and allow Lola to escort me around Spain with my lips zipped.  She sure has more power than Millie too.  But I’ll not tell Lola that either.

After Lyn and I ate the Menu del Día at José Carlos Restaurant in Puerto De la Torre, and I ate eggplant with tuna after ensalada Malagueña with oranges, fish, cucumbers, potatoes and it was delicious.  She shared her beef and potatoes and scooped up some of my beren de atún (eggplant).  After we finished tinto verano and beer (Lyn’s) we had dessert because when you order the menu of the day, it includes soup or salad, entree, beverage and dessert all for 10 euros...

Afterward, she drove me to a beach town, Benalmádena where she owns a condo near the beach.  The port is beautiful, blue sky, fresh breezes and so many fascinating azulejos (painted ceramic tiles).  The soft sounds of sea birds accompanied our chat over our fresh, chilled Spanish sangria.  Happy hour sangria for 3 euros.  Amazing. (And delicious of course).

 We walked up and down the boardwalk alongside young women in bikinis, older women in loose, flowing dresses with huge ruffles around the neckline and bare shoulders and lots of handsome Spaniards.  Also, woven among the crowd are black men with shoulders straining to hold up their wares that include everything to trays of sunglasses, fake name-brand leather purses, tennis shoes and jewelry.  One can’t get away from them as they come up to you when you are sitting in the outside cafes or just walking along to enjoy the ambience of the Spanish coast.  They were all gentlemen, though, and for that I was pleased.  No, I didn’t buy anything...I can’t fit anything else into my 22” bag.  (Yet).

It was hot, but not as hot as I hear it is at home in Arizona.  But, we have old fashioned air conditioning in the car, with partially open windows.  With that in mind, Lyn drove her car like a pro and got us back home on the A7 without a problem.  She went out of her way to take us back to an sit that will help me when I’m on my own.  Even though I’ve driven a lot in Spain, I ALWAYS got lost trying to find the Puerto De la Torre exit.  Now, I’m saved.  Lyn is fantastic and treats me like a princess telling me I should relax as I’m on holiday.  She is so gentle with my bruised heart and I am finding a lovely peace here with the hills of olive and orange groves surrounding me here at la casa redonda, the round house.  

Swimming every day is lovely as I walk out the kitchen door and step down into the cool blue water of her swimming pool.  Her dogs, Scamp and Scally remembered me and that was so nice.  I miss Pesky, their sibling, who Lyn lost a few months ago.  The three musketeers are now down to two.

Tinto Verano is the Spanish wine mixture that I’ve longed for that America can’t seem to mix for me. Ice cubes float inside the glass and make me smile because this drink is SO SPAIN for me.  Lyn, of course, had some waiting for me.  I am blessed.

Right now...Friday night, I hear dogs barking down the hill, doves cooing and chickens nearby.  I haven’t seen the local goats and the donkey has evidently gone away, but the breeze floats in the window and the lights are just beginning to flicker in the houses that litter the tiny valley below me here on the hill.  Spain is beautiful and this little bit of peace continues to touch my heart.  And it’s sorely needed for sure.

Tomorrow, we are relaxing with a good book, a swim and a bit more wine.  I can’t wait.