"Mañana" - The Andalucia Guide & Diary

Robert Mapplethorpe at the CAC, Malaga - 11th sept - 15th Nov

With Malaga just 40 mins away, it's great just to get an urban fix now & then. We went to see the Mapplethorpe exhibit at the CAC (Centro de Art Contemporaneo).

Some cool stuff, plus pieces you just want to giggle at.  They're a progressive bunch there at the CAC and this was the first time Mapplethorpe had been exhibited in Andalucia!
Malaga is really working at its candidature for European City of Culture 2016.
On the way over to the gallery I passed some old, period buildings ( here uses to be mechants offices, then lawyers offices and now they are being renovated) and in the afternoon light they look like a scene out of Cuba. 

(if you read this on FaceBook or Plaxo, it's being syndicated from my blog at www.andaluciadiary.com )

Ronda to Tolox - the 4 x 4 way

Driving home today was an adventure. I took my tonka toy style 4 x 4 truck from Ronda to Tolox without using a single road! 
Amazing, cut into the mountainside, across the Sierra de las Nieves natural park, are a network of tracks that cover hundreds of kilometres.
It was over 40 km from Torrecilla to Tolox and it took in some superb vistas from some an exceptionally privelidged view point. After a day of serious hiking, it was a luxury to cruise in style in my gas gussler and take in the views without getting any blisters or sunburn.

The routes are really well maintained - and as we were driving through we saw environment department staff maintaining the forests minimising fire rosk - looks like Andalucia is no longer taking it natural environment for granted.

We ended up in Tolox and joined the normal road at the Amargosa Spa / Balnario
- the spa health resort dating back to the last century. The natural, mineral spa waters are collected and given to clients as steam and baths...it's that whole sulphorous, magnesium thing goin' on...

Conquering La Torrecilla, Sierra de las Nieves - 3 years in the waiting

Well, didn’t make it to Sierra Nevada in the end – instead we climbed to the very top of Torrecilla, the highest peak in Sierra de las Nieves – over 8 hours!
The Sierra Nevada trip was going to involve staying the night in a cave and I thought we stopped doing that a few millions years back! Returning to the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves, it was great to see that the Junta de Andalucia has really improved the signage for the routes in the area.
I recalled how the last time we attempted to reach the summit, we failed as we took a wrong turn and lost valuable time and only managed the first stage (October 15, 2006). This time we arrived early...in fact when we drove up to the park entrance, right in the middle of the road was a pair of wild boar - black beasts with little tusks and they had such a muscular stance on the road, but then quickly legged it into the undergrowth.

It was also really rewarding to see some major investment in protecting the rare plant life including the Pinsapo tree – a sort of dinosaur tree that has supposedly stopped evolving and is therefore super rare. In fact as well as these compact spruce there are some amazing ancient pines
and cedars that hug the mountainside as you climb. 
The going is pretty tough and steep in places, but there are superb views across to Ronda and beyond and as you get higher, to Gibraltar
and the Costa del Sol from the other side. Plus overhead, at this height you are almost guaranteed to see vultures and golden eagles as well as more common Jays and Black Wheatears amongst the oaks below.

There are plenty of places to stop, take in the view and catch your breath.
but don’t be tempted to eat too much until you’ve made it to the summit, as the last bit is really steep and demanding and with a full stomach it would be impossible!

It was a great feeling to make it and place a stone at the summit. Once down at the bottom we have coffee and cake!  But I realised I had really caught the sun.
It’s a good 3 – 4 hours going up plus the same coming down, so you’re out for over 8 hours.  

We got back to the car before sunset and headed for a small hostel/hotel in Juzcar and had a few drinks and some great home-cooked food. I don’t think I’m happier than when I am on one of my tree-hugging days out!

Santiago Del Calvario Restaurante, C/ Calvario 40 29120 Alhaurin El Grande, Tel: 952 499 057 ("Santiagos")

Santiago Del Calvario Restaurante, or simply "Santiago's" as regulars refer to it, is a real gem.  Tucked away in Alhaurin el Grande's old town, the restaurant combines superb cuisine, friendly, professional yet informal service with really great prices.  Natalie & Allen have worked exceptionally hard to build a great reputation, which attracts clients locally, and from the coast ( 30 mins away) as well as from further afield.  For the past few years a new institution has started at the restaurant - the wednesday curry night!  Well, this is no "spit-n-sawdust" curry night in a local pub, but a exploration of international cuisine, each week a different nation or region is explored. The other week, we enjoyed the Lombok Menu - the romantic Indonesian island, east of Bali.  Wow, what a night!  Not only is the fixed menu great value, but the courses just kept coming! Take a look at the menu below...
As well as something "piquante" on a wednesday night, you can enjoy a classy traditional Sunday Roast and flamenco in the evening, or why not just go al a carte during the week. 
Santiagos in Alhaurin has very much been part of my life here in Southern Spain. I was seduced by the romantic yet understated Moroccan interior design that Natalie has created. In fact Santiago's was the place that inspired me to decorate my country place in the same style - Natalie's dad & I caught a ferry to Morocco 6 years ago and filled a rental car with furniture and accessories for the same store that Natalie used - but there's a whole story there I don't have room to cover here!

I've been a customer ever since and unlike so many restaurants where standards decline over time or experiences can be unpredicatable, each time I've had a great time and eaten exceptionally well at Santiago Del Calvario, Alhaurin el Grande. In fact Rafa is now convinced that its not true that Brits can't cook - he says it's some of the best food he's had and without all the pomp and ceremony and crazy prices that seems to sadly go hand in hand with fine dining here in Malaga province.

There is a charming Andalucian patio open in summer, with fountain, subtle evening lightening amongst the fruit trees and a beautiful al fresco bar,

So, there's my plug for Natalie & Allen. So, go and try Santiagos yourself.

Santiago Del Calvario Restaurante,
C/ Calvario 40
29120 Alhaurin El Grande
Tel: 952 499 057

Follow the signs when you enter the town. There is street parking and a car park near by.

Coin & Alhaurin el Grande - from the gloriously kitch and dramatic cinematic shorts, "Andalucia es de cine"  - now available on DVD in English and Spanish.

The Eagle has landed

It’s no secret that with our proximity to Africa, here in Andalucia we have more than our fair share of raptors.   In fact twitchers make a point of booking holidays here to catch and the spring and autumn migrations across the Strait. With some patience and a case of the right time and the right place you’ll see Eagles, Falcons, Buzzards, Kites & Harriers.

This morning I woke up really early, about 6.30am, so enjoyed the sun rise from the terrace looking out over the sea, well over towards Nerja and inland towards El Torcal near Antequera and started snapping away with my camera! Then later, once the heat of the sun began to kick in about 90 minutes later, I started to hear the screechy call of the eagles & buzzards that habitually ride the thermals over La Mairena. Despite the urbanization of the area, they still scan the remaining forest area in the mornings and afternoons.  Today was different; I could see a group of birds – sometimes having a tussle with each other. I’m no ornithologist, so I’m not sure what these are, but they look like Booted Eagles and maybe one of them is a buzzard. Well, I gotta go. I have a meeting in Marbella at 11am!

Art in the Park - Marbella

Last weekend, saw Marbella's Parque de la Alameda and Avenide del Mar transformed into an art expo - festival international de arte, Marbella.  The brain child of Pixie Glore, this was the first event of its kind here so I felt compelled to go along and show support.
There were some familiar faces there with art tents and friends like Conrad Crispin, who was exhibiting his photography as well as his original canvases.
There were a few surprises for me too, like the Dutch artist Antonius Kostermans, with his fun, irreverent collection. His web site features other work.
There was the beautiful work of Gabriela Herrera and the ceramics of Salvador Luna too - all in all an impressive kick off to what I hope will be an annual event.  Just need more buyers I am sure...

Hiking Trails, Ojen Mountains, Marbella

Walking from the house in Monte Elviria, towards the white village of Ojen.

Ermita de Calvario

Overlooking Mijas Pueblo and the tower blocks and highways of Fuengirola and Mijas Costa.

 

 

Fuengirola - from the gloriously kitch and dramatic cinematic shorts, "Andalucia es de cine" - now available on DVD in English and Spanish.

Sierra Nevada - learning to snowboard...

...wearing 8 euro sun glasses bought from the lookie lookie man in the car park ( which was underground and dark, so unable to have made a better choice!)

..and that Andalucian cliche - skiing in the morning and then, later, sunset on the beach

"Designer tapas", Malaga capital