Coffee beans? Windmill?

The weather continues to smile on us, so I was ready for a walk early this morning. After strategizing and listing my priorities, the narrow streets called.  Here in Benalmádena, there are two parts; a traditional Spanish village called Benalmádena Pueblo and here in the coastal area where several districts intertwine.  It has become one of my favorites because no matter which direction I walk, I find something new to enjoy. And then there are also those intriguing sights that I have no answers for…

Street walking has become a favorite pastime for me (I was just walking…)  A naked statue with no head and arms caught my eye, aptly called the Torso.  It sits on the seafront of Benalmádena, near the Bil Bil Castle. The sculpture is made of Calatorao stone by José Casamayor in 1998 and represents a male torso.  Notably, it has screws instead of nipples and a nut instead of a navel. Yes, the front was “completely” intact, but I am only sharing his backside with you. I kept both sides of him in my camera though (smile).  

Those narrow streets are steep and narrow, but charming.  When I saw the stone building with the fancy name painted on the side to store ice, my brow furrowed.  Parking one’s car is an adventure since open spots are hard to find, so how much ice can one carry? I wondered. 

The windmill roundabout is a huge, mesmerizing surprise when you walk or drive down toward the Mediterranean Sea and the little “sails” whip around like tops, a sure sign of wind. It is located at the end of Calle Federico Garcia Lorca, a perfect landmark to help me find my way home.  There are Chinese grocery shops, Spanish shops and shops of other various nationalities. When I saw the windmill, I turned into the shop Steven had introduced me to and once inside, the woman spoke English.  Janet Russell would have been proud of me because I chose to speak Spanish; the woman’s eyebrows rose and her eyes lit up.  She understood me. AND imagine my surprise when I walked out of that grocery shop with my bag filled with 2 tomatoes, 1 English cucumber, 4 plums, 1 nectarine, a quart of milk, a small jar of instant coffee, a package of chorizo and a miniature bottle of gin and tonic water (a gift for our friend) after paying only $14.78.

On my way back from my walkabout, I took a shortcut along another narrow avenue lined with palm trees.  At the base of every tree, I thought someone had tossed coffee beans around the base of the tree trunks.  Fertilizer? Rabbit poop?  Coffee beans? I stood there and did what I do best, I snapped a photo and hope someone can give me an answer to that one…

My energy was fading.  The thought of sitting on the balcony with the view of the pools sounded good.  And food. The bag was getting heavy and so were my feet.  As I write this, I have snuggled down into the lounge chair.  Sitting on the balcony, I can hear the sounds of a water fountain that is bubbling below me as if the surf is a constant shadow. It is pleasant and peaceful as I study my speech and drink tinto de verano.  The large swimming pool and a smaller one beside the kiddie pool sits at the center of a large courtyard between two 10-floor buildings creating a coziness I wish I could share. Across the way, there is laundry fluttering in a breeze hanging on or around the many balconies.  We have a “dryer” — a folding apparatus that works very well; our laundry dried in less than three hours. I like it. 

A Spanish breakfast and then Malaga, the big city

This morning, I followed Steven down several streets toward the sea for breakfast.  I have been yearning for pan y tomate con zumo de naranja - toast with shredded, fresh tomato and OJ. It was exactly as I’d hoped for. And of course there was café con leche… On the table, was a white ceramic bowl half filled with water, covered by a lid with a hole in the top.  We tried to guess what it was, but finally asked the waiter if it was a finger bowl (well, it had water).  He raised his eyebrows and chuckled.  An ashtray. The water puts out the ash. I am trying not to roll my eyes.  

Today was an adventure as we followed cousin Manolo and Maria Angela through the streets of Malaga with a cousin we had never met, also named Maria.  This story is a bit convoluted…Maria del Mar sent me a text message in January 2019, telling me she was Maria Angela’s cousin and she liked The Girl a Immigrant book. I did not know how she was related, but we corresponded now and then and she sent me family photos.  About two weeks after she first sent me the note, I received a text from a man named José Antonio. He said his mother was Maria del Mar and he had heard about the documentary I was in, Pasaje a Hawaii.  He wanted to see it.  At that time, the film was not yet public, but only on Spain’s public television station. Fast forward to April, 2022. I asked him if he’d seen it yet?  No. After I sent him the link, he sent it to his mother, Maria del Mar and told me his grandmother had also seen it.  Everyone loved it and he invited me to the family bar called Café Bar MariMar. His mother owns it. I promised to see them when I arrived in Malaga.  I was slow to decipher the family connection, but I did it!  Both Marias are first cousins.  José Antonio’s grandmother is sister to Maria Angela’s mother.  My eyes were opened.

This brings me back to today.  Malaga. Narrow, zigzagging streets. Basement parking garage. Good news is that we went to La Plaza de la Merced, where Picasso sits on a bench.  I’ve been there several times, and the day was beautiful, conversation was very Spanish and the tinto de verano was refreshing at an outside cafe.  The ladies led me inside and I immediately knew why.  Books! It is a very old place with piles of books.  I was in heaven and they couldn’t stop smiling at me. 

We were invited back to Malaga Friday night for a paella dinner in honor of José Antonio’s 30th birthday…at 10:30 pm. (😳) Manolo and Maria Angela (photo above) have graciously offered to lead us there from Los Nuñez (thank goodness!) 

Steven and I lost his car in the car park as we walked on three floors of cars.  I always take a photo of the floor and car stall number, but not this time… and then the ticket machine wouldn’t let us out.  Sometimes there are just too many adventures for one day…

A Sunday paella with family in Salinas

Today my brother and I immersed ourself in a traditional Sunday dinner with the Juani Ruiz and Mari Fernandez family.  Juani is our third cousin and his getaway is a farmhouse in the country (el campo).  We have heard about his el campo property for years, but this is the first time to be part of their tradition of Sunday paella family time.  He met us at another cousin’s restaurant and we followed him on his motorcycle. The road was narrow, steep and filled with ruts as he carefully rode upwards and upwards some more.  When he arrived, the view was wonderful.  The huge patio was nearly the same size as the house and Juani told Steven he had built it all by himself over the past twenty years. The house has open beams, a huge inside kitchen shared with the living room, one bedroom and bathroom.  Ceramic tile and beautiful wood all around. Now, the outside patio has an oven built into a brick wall, called el horno and a hand-made BBQ where a bubbling pot was sending a mouth-watering aroma our way.  Juana’s wife, Mari, was stirring peppers and onions and I hurried over to her with my camera.  Beside her, sat another deep frypan with pieces of cooked chicken.  I saw chickens running around and squawking above us on a ledge above the cooking area.  I pointed to the hens and asked,  “Pollos?”  She laughed and shook her finger, “no hoy,” she said with a laugh (not today.)

I reacquainted myself with their children, Angela and Juan José and their mates and children. I was disappointed their daughter Margari and family had other plans for the day.  Within minutes, a red and white checked tablecloth covered one of the tables, chairs were pulled around, a plate of olives (Mari brined them) and glasses appeared with a bottle of rioja wine.  Smelling the paella and watching Mari add mussels, clams, shrimp and saffron with rice had me counting the minutes to eat.  

I loved talking with the family, teasing the children and showing them the pages of their family in the Ruiz  Legacies book.  Mari loved seeing their family photo when she was 20 and Juani was 28 with their first two children.  It was all very simpática (sweet).

When dinner was served, nobody was disappointed, especially me. The ensalada mixta was placed on the table, then quarters of what I thought were limes.But, no! They are green lemons. Juani and Angela explained that this time of year in Spain, only green-skinned lemons that are good. It was strange to me and Steven.

We spent a lovely afternoon talking (in Spanish because they do not speak English except Angela a little). I am amazed that I understood so much of the conversation. Steven, of course, sounds like local with his fluency in Spanish.  Juani was surprised to see a photo in the book about Lola Nuñez because he knew all the siblings in the particular family and he had never heard of her.  I showed him the photo of me, Lola and cousin Maria Angela and he shook his head and muttered, “no me suena” —- translated as I don’t get it…

After hugs and photos, we knew it was time to go.  The ride back down that serpentine road was a little dicey, but the views of the surrounding valley were amazing. Steven pointed out the cousin’s restaurant from the hill and we both felt the family camaraderie sift through the air.

After the long day, we took a siesta.  Steven’s apartment has a portable induction cooktop that we both tried to figure out.  There was a red light, so it was on, but the burners would not heat. We finally resorted to google and found instructions.  The cooktop doesn’t get hot, but instead, the pot of water is supposed to boil without traditional heat, but electromagnetism. It’s called an induction stovetop that magnetically induces the atoms in the metal of the pan to create friction from an alternating electrical current flowing the metal. No radiant heat. Magical. Kitchen remains cool because there is no wasted heat. 

And then Steven created our dinner of freshly-diced tomatoes, avocado and bits of cheese in gazpacho soup.  I loved being waited on, so I did the dishes.

Moving to the coast and putting on my Spanish persona

Today I transitioned from Lyn’s very English condominium to my brother’s apartment near the Mediterranean, but before I “moved in” he headed toward Los Nuñez where our RUIZ cousins live in small barrios near one another. First, we returned to Venta el Gloria restaurant for my first real Spanish breakfast of Tortilla Española,  an egg and potato omelet.  There is nothing quite like this national dish to compare with, a little bit wet and potatoes that melted in our mouths. The creamy coffee with milk, café con leche, was delicious and we both enjoyed the camaraderie among the owner, bartender and waiter who are all family. 

We have five families to visit in the small towns, so today we started with two, Juani Ruiz and his wife Mari Fernandez in Los Nuñez.  They enjoyed seeing their photos and family information in the Ruiz Legacies book and Mari showed us their large flower and cacti gardens.  From their patio, we had a view of la casa redonda (the house our father built) and reminisced about the memories we enjoyed there. 

Tomorrow, we are invited to join their entire family (14) at “el campo” which is a small piece of land nearby where Juani grows vegetable and fruit gardens near a small patio house. Every Sunday, their family gathers for their big meal of the day.  The family culture is pretty amazing here and the family members rarely miss their family day. Tomorrow, there will be 16 at the big cookout. 

Next, we arrived at El Corrito, a family-run business that includes a market, a bar/restaurant and a bakery. Maria Angela and her husband Manolo welcomed us with their teenagers, Adrián and Esther. When I met these children in 2012, they were 6 and 8 years old. Today, they are young adults in secondary schools. Both speak English cautiously and their parents smile with pride, neither being able to speak our language.  Manolo brought plates of Serrano ham and Manchego cheese along with Ribera del Duero red wine.  Steven and I both enjoyed the vino and when we walked out of their house two hours later, we carried a bottle with us as a gift.  My Spanish seems to be coming back to me (thankfully) and I was delighted to receive a miniature verdiales hat, with colorful streamers on it from Maria Angela.  She remembers how much Steven Alonzo and I enjoyed the Verdiales Festival in Benagalbón, where the Ruiz family originated I am always touched by the thoughtfulness of these people. 

Steven and I created our dinner from polla asado (roasted chicken) and a perfect salad filled with a lot of vegetables I found in his fridge.  And I found a bottle of tinto de verano at the little market at the end of his street.  This is red wine diluted with lemon soda, a very favorite drink I can only find in Spain —- I have tried to recreate it at home, but cannot do it!  Something so simple should be so easy…

Shrimp, Shopping and Surprising my cousins

 

My heart seemed to expand today when I walked into my cousin’s restaurant here in Spain…first off, another cousin (Juani Ruiz) was sitting at the bar and when he recognized me, he did a double take and hugged me several times.  I love all those double cheek kisses. It was a day filled with those hugs; the bartender (Paco), the cook Joaquina (the bartender’s wife and owner’s sister, Pedro Ruiz (owner of Venta Gloria Restaurant…as well as Andres, the waiter/server — all of these people I have known for ten years now.  The hugs and warmth I received are still reverberating with me.  But, the best part of seeing them is when I showed them the book I wrote about our family.  Their eyes lit up, their voices became emotional and they could not stop smiling as they turned the pages and saw their own faces, their families and the family trees outlined for each cousin’s chapter.  It was amazing and my heart clenches when I think of it.  And there are five more families to share this book with as my brother, Steven, and I prepare to visit them all in the next week.  My only regret is answering them when they ask me, “en español?”  I must answer, “uña día en español, pero no se cuando.” One day in Spanish, but I don’t know when.

I wandered through a grocery shop this morning (Mercadona) because I wanted wine and gambas (prawns) to treat Saidie for her birthday dinner. There are so many different items that are foreign to me.  The fresh seafood (on ice) was mind boggling, the wine prices were amazing and all those cans of different foods… Lyn said to find the largest gambas, but there were gambas, gambóns (shrimp) and langostinos.  There were tiny little gambas for 24.00 euros, but gigantic langostinos for 9,95 euros.  Everything was beautifully spread out and my mind was awhirl with indecision.  I went for size and cost and the ladies were delighted.  The wine? Wow. I paid only 2,75 euros for a bottle of Tempranillo Reserve. The walk back to the condo was uphill, but worth it.  Another delight for me was the orange juice station…you weigh oranges, pull off a plastic bottle and then a machine squeezes the juice and it fills the bottle.  Very cool. 

The ladies took off the shells of the langostinos (eyeballs and feet put me off a bit, so I photographed the event).  As you can see, Scamp hoped for a treat.  Lyn squeezed the juice and bits into her dish and she was a very happy dog.  And I must say, our dinner with a spring greens salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and garbanzo beans certainly ended the day with a smile.  And the wine was perfecto. 

I didn’t post onto my blog last night because Saidie’s birthday bash at a nightclub kept us out very late.  There was music, singing, dancing and wild women as we treated Saidie to laughter and love. She has alopecia, a condition she has endured for many years, and your hair falls out.  So, last night, champagne, cake and balloons.  AND we all wore wigs in her honor…

Tomorrow my brother picks me up and I look forward to spending quality time with him for the rest of my Spanish sojourn. He has prepared a little corner of his apartment for me and there is a small bistro table set on his balcony. He works evenings, so I will have a very different week ahead from this one spent with my lady friends.  Steven and I travel very well together and I look forward to every minute as we plan our “cousin visits” and other stuff. 

A shower mishap and pole dancing

 I had a rude awakening this morning when I turned on the shower spigot and it flew off its pipe and fell onto the shower drain pan…and water sprayed everywhere in the bathroom. The good news is that Lyn’s shower and bathroom is completely covered in ceramic tile from floor to ceiling and I planned to wash my hair anyway. The bad news is water dripped from the wall, mirror, doorframe, and door, puddling all over the floor.  How on earth so much water could travel so far and in such abundance before I pushed off the flow is beyond me.  Big breath. I hadn’t realized until tonight that water had slid beneath the closed bathroom door onto some pillows and Lyn’s stuffed animals that had emotional links to her heart. My fingers are crossed that they dry Luana can be spiffed up again.

We had a relaxing day and Lyn gave me and Saidie a tour around this nice housing community.  It is beautiful and the views are gorgeous, with palm trees, vibrant flowering plants, and water fountains that house terrapins and gold fish.  We can hear the sounds of one splashing fountain from her patio beneath her gardens below the windows. It is, indeed, a welcoming and peaceful place to be.

The little newspaper I found had some very interesting articles in it, from the oldest man in Spain, to Spain’s first craft beer festival and the Spanish up in arms for the audacity of an innovative entrepreneur to make a paella sandwich.  The kicker was reading about luggage thieves at the train station in Malaga.  I guess I was lucky I only lost a wheel and a half and had my luggage replaced.  Oh, and on the last page we’re several advertisements from ladies of the night…

And there is a library here. Since I love books so much, it was hard to drag me out of the rooms. 

When she decided she wanted to go for a swim in the pool, Saidie and I found lounge chairs amid the shaded hamacas (straw-covered umbrellas).  But when I saw one of these Spanish umbrellas, I knew we would finally get a photo of the three of us together instead two here and two there.  The pool lady laughed at us and snapped about ten photos as we tried to wrap ourselves around the pole.  So, pole dancing sounded like fun and we all giggled like kids.

At the end of a quiet, enjoyable day, we made our plans for tomorrow and added my brother Steven to the itinerary.  I now have a map of the streets within Benalmádena to help me in the morning…another long walk is my first plan for Thursday morning.  Lyn told me to ignore Google Maps because it took me the long way around the other day.  Guess I will use both and compare.  I will see if I can get to Steven’s in the 45 minutes that the map promises.

Get old or be classic.

Get old or be classic is an advertisement I have seen several times while in Spain and I have adopted the mantra.  For me, being 75 years old has brought many changes in my life, but I still choose classic over old.  So, todayI decided to act the vagabond or gypsy and took off walking from the top of the hills in Benagalbón downward to the beach and boardwalk.  I needed a city street map so I can route out my adventures here, so blessing Google Maps, I followed the little blue dots down Avenue de Tívoli, made a few Avenue changes and within one hour and nearly five miles later, I found it.  Imagine my surprise when I sort of scratched my head because the beautiful building looked so familiar.  Three arched doorways made of brick with two 💦 water fountain ponds in front.  Hmmmm. I checked my phone for photos and sure enough, my brother Steven had walked me there the day I arrived and I had a photo of myself in the main archway —- the Oficina de Turismo, tourist office.  I had a good laugh and nobody to share it with.  It had been closed when we had seen it nd now I realized it was probably because siesta closes many shops and services from 2:00 to 5:00.  Inside, now open, was remarkable and I loved the water colors on the wall (taken especially for Donnie and Cheryl) and the auditorium set up for lectures. 

On my way down the avenues, I kept pulling out my phone to take photos because I just can’t get enough of the wonders of this area.  Lots of white buildings, flowing flowers everywhere and enclosed patios strewn along the way. When I arrived at the Parque Paloma, I found a half wall to sit down to rest (classic is good, but old news still sets in)…I glanced down the street and saw two MINI Coopers and incongruous  nearby was also a smart car that isn’t so smart to me since I could not go anywhere in one.  

Since walking down to the beach, obviously getting back to Lyn’s condo was all uphill, so I found a bus.  I’d memorized the numbers 103 and 121 to head inland, and Google Maps came alive once again. Not only did the map tell me where to catch the bus, but what time it would arrive and how many stops before mine to get to my location.  Along the way was Café Antonio again where there was an empty table…. Then a frutería (fruit market) where I found plums and tangerines.  Near the pay station, I found our Merienda snack to go with our tea. Perfect! I was very proud of myself. A pound of each of the fruits and the anise cookies were less than 5 euros.  

Riding the bus back home again was special because I am always offered a seat. People actually jump up and wave me to their seat.  Old people, you know.  But, classic no less. And waiting at home on Avenida Arroyo Hondo to pour me a glass of wine, was Saidie feeling better after her doc appointment.