For all that we're flying from Manchester, we still have to
get up at 4.00am to get to the airport to park the car and
check-in.
The plane leaves an hour late and arrives at Malaga at 11.40am
local time (1 hour on from BST) as the music in the aircraft
bellows out "Homeward Bound, I wish I was homeward
bound" - Great choice Britannia!.
We wait for the suitcases - it seems that they send them through
in batches, the second lot comprising almost entirely of green
fabric cases.
Our instructions from Thomson Holidays says pick up the car from
the Europcar desk who, we find, do not deal with Thomson in
Malaga. In case of problems, the instructions tell us to contact
the Thomson Desk - what Thomson desk? I strike it lucky and find
a roaming Thomson courier who sends the airport representative to
me (showing no visible signs of having anything to do with
Thomson!!).
Thomson deal with Niza cars in Malaga, who know nothing of us and
have to hunt around to find an available car - a Fiat Punto.
The full tank isn't, but we've wasted an hour messing about so we
set off to Malaga and find a parking space on the front (Paseo
del Parque), and are immediately accosted by a man who appears to
be selling raffle tickets for some invalid organisation, though
with a certain amount of sign language we determine that he is
quite possibly a parking attendant - that and everyone else
parked on this main street are displaying similar raffle tickets.
Our tour starts with finding something to eat - coffee and donuts
then we're off on our walking tour of "old" Malaga
starting with the Alcazaba where there is an attendant handing
out tickets that are free admission - Why hand out tickets -
perhaps it is an easy way to count visitors. Most of the place is
closed for restoration but we still go round what we can and see
some nice views out. Normally you would pass through to the
Castle, but that is closed, too, so we back track and go to the
Cathedral. It looks very impressive from the outside, but alas
that is also closed. We walk right round the outside before
heading back to the car and setting off out of Malaga on the
coast road.
Next stop are the caves at Nerja. They are massive caverns the
size of cathedrals and it is this aspect that makes them
particularly impressive. Their height, stalactites hanging down
and enormous column structures are quite awe inspiring. There is
little colour to the structures and no rushing water, which are
the features that make some of the British show caves exciting,
but the sheer size makes up for that.
We continue along the coast road and then turn up towards Granada
on the N323. We have a town plan of Granada to help us find our
way to the Hotel Reina Christina on Tablas. What we didn't know
was that make a wrong turn and you will have considerable
difficulty getting back to where you were. It took us an hour of
driving round the very narrow one way streets and asking
directions twice before, by pure chance and I am sure by
accident, we stumbled on the street and were actually pointing
down it the right way. I am convinced that there is only one
possible route to Tablas, and that the city was built by a maze
designer.
So quite exhausted, for it was now about 8.30pm and it had been a
pretty full day, we had arrived. The receptionist offered to park
the car in the hotel parking (some streets away) and I was in no
condition to say no thanks.
Bed at 11.00
Go to Day 2
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Author: val_and_andrew@hotmail.com
Copyright © 1998 Andrew J White