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| PLENTY OF TIME FOR A COMPLETE IRISH BREAKFAST AT DUBLIN AIRPORT. |
With our recent and continuing wanderings: Irvine, Pierre, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis, Pierre, Sioux Falls, Los Angeles, Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, Dublin… I’m so confused that the only way I know we’re in Málaga is because yesterday was Tuesday and I know for certain that we were scheduled to arrive in Málaga Tuesday. It feels like one of those really cheesy, hectic tours spoofed in the 1969 movie (“If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium”). Well, maybe not cheesy. But, at times, hectic. I’ve got a mix of camera photos and iPhone photos to share some highlights of our trek from New York to Málaga.
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| VIEW DURING BREAKFAST AT THE BEAUTIFUL NEW TERMINAL 2 AT DUBLIN AIRPORT. |
We arrived here in Málaga mid-day Tuesday, flying Aer Lingus via Dublin from New York. The entire trip was uneventful (mostly) and surreal. You probably all know by now that Spanish is my second language (DISTANT second language). But I was so tired by the time we arrived in Málaga that English was beginning to sound like my THIRD language. I could not successfully complete a sentence. And conversation with Jerry — which as you also probably already know can be entertaining at the best of times — had begun to sound like an Abbott & Costello routine.
But, every so often, when the fog of jetlag lifted, we were both elated. After making our way to our temporary apartment here in Málaga, we settled in and took brief naps. We woke up feeling refreshed only to feel completely muddled a few minutes later.
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| ON THE STREETS OF MALAGA TUESDAY NIGHT. MARQUES DE LARIOS, THE MAIN PEDESTRIAN/SHOPPING THOROUGHFARE. |
So we took a walk around town, picked up a cheap temporary mobile phone to use until we figure out what plan and contract is best for us, and we enjoyed some of the sights. Málaga is mobbed with tourists. Obviously, it’s quite different from the way it was when we were here in January. Feria de Málaga, the annual summer fair, will be here mid-August, and that will really liven things up.
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| ENSALADILLA RUSA CAN BE GOOD! |
We stumbled upon an obviously popular tapas bar, Azahar, just two streets away from our apartment. Below the restaurant name, the sign read (in Spanish): “More than tapas.” We figured it was going to be good, because it was only 8:30 p.m. (20:30), which is about two hours early for a stylish dinner, and it was filled with locals. So, we sat and ordered and had an excellent dinner, including Azahar’s version of ensaladilla rusa. Do you remember our ensaladilla rusa disaster in Sevilla? (If not, click this link.) This time we were smart enough to order a tapas portion. And this version was delicious and filled with a variety of foods — tasting nothing like the mayo- and cheese-choked blunder we ordered in Sevilla. We are learning!
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| A CLEVER WAY TO PAY FOR THE WEDDING. THEY HUGGED AND CHANGED THE POSE WHEN MONEY WAS DROPPED IN THE BOX. |
It’s now 2:20 p.m. (14:40) Wednesday. We rolled out of bed at 11 and finally got to breakfast at 12:35, which meant there weren’t many places in the neighborhood to grab breakfast. They had mostly closed for siesta at 12:30. But we found one very good little cafe on a shady corner of a beautiful plaza and we had two “French breakfasts” — cafe con leche, croissants and jam, orange juice. It wasn’t necessarily healthy and it wasn’t substantial, but it was good.
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| THE VIEW WHILE WE ENJOYED TODAY’S FRENCH BREAKFAST. |
We then strolled around town for an hour or so, visiting El Corte Inglés to browse home furnishings and electronics (because we’ll need some things pretty soon) and to pick up some necessities. In a few minutes we’ll head out for lunch and then naps before, we hope, dinner with an online friend who is recently here from Texas (and who just happens to have rented an apartment in the building right next to ours). We plan to take the train to Sevilla Thursday, where we’ll settle into a hotel until we find a place to live!
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| WALKING BACK TO OUR APARTMENT TODAY AFTER SHOPPING. |
Welcome home, boys! Even if it is temporary.
mark.
Great to hear that you are there and you can now start your life there.
It's fun to explore a new neighbourhood when you arrive in your new home town. Dublin's new terminal looks nice – so that's where all the EU's bail out money went!
Mark: Muchas gracias. (Everything in life is temporary!)
Craig: So happy! Yes, Dublin's new terminal is really something. Money well spent?
What beautiful pictures. it's like living in a postcard!
Bob: Thanks. You're exactly right. I could snap away at everything.
Mitch,
Congratulations and good luck, I am already jealous. I know your going to Sevilla, but if you get a chance to visit Sant Sadurni D'Anoia, go on a tour of Codorniu Winery. I have recently done this and it is fabulous, you can read about it here.
http://www.travelwithscott.com
I look forward to reading more of your trip.
Welcome to Europe! Best of luck with the house hunting. When does your stuff arrive?
Those pics are most impressive. I can see that we're in for a treat in future with your photographic eye.
Only been to Dublin and Eire once (1989), but must say that, having done travels through large parts of Europe, must say that I found the Irish the absolutely friendliest people out of all the countries I've ever visited. Hope you're finding the same thing – at least until you get to Spain!
Our wishes for a happy journey for you are still there, and I hope that you'll be able to confirm that they are having a positive effect in your next blogs.
so beautiful, European street scenes are amazing.
Scott: Thanks for the good wishes and for the link. I will check it out. We're focused on Sevilla right now, but once settled we'll have all the time in the world to check out anything of interest. Recommend away, world traveler!
Walt the Fourth: Thanks! Our stuff has been shipped to a holding site and is just waiting word from us to deliver to our new address. So, we hope to not be without it for long.
Raybeard: I have never been to Ireland (unless you count this stop at Dublin's airport). Would love to visit there some day. In '70, my sister flew back to NY from Athens and stopped to refuel in Dublin. When she got off the plane in NY, she said, "Next year, I'm going to Ireland!" She was that impressed with only what she had seen flying in. She went back and was not disappointed.
Todd: Very different from what we left behind in Irvine, California.
Being Irish, I am really proud to read some of the comments made about us being the friendliest people. It is true.
I am shocked that your Irish Breakfast does not have white pudding. I miss white pudding so much, you can never get it here in the UK.
Welcome to Europe, especially Spain!
Hope the house hunting will be successful, so at least [or should that at last] you've your own stuff around you.
Mind of Mine: Oh, there were both white and black pudding. But they had already been eaten! What's it made of, by the way? (And there was toast & jam.)
Peter: Thanks!
It is made up of Pork meat, oatmeal, pepper, basil and garlic. We can't get it here in the UK without going to a specialist butchers, so I always make sure I have loads when ever I go home.
Sorry, Mitch. I obviously read things (Ireland) into your blog above than was actually there. But they're still very fine pics.
Also pleased that MindofMine agrees about the friendliness of the Irish – even though he MIGHT be just a tad biased. Nevertheless, it's true.
Ian: Thanks for the ingredients. I had had it once before somewhere and the airport version was quite different. The breakfast was great and the Irish hospitality at the airport was wonderful.
Raybeard: It's OK. It's not a test. Besides, it shows how empathetic you are; a big point in that post was the fact that WE couldn't keep track of where we were anymore!
Stunning. Envious. ;~)
Nubian: Don't envy. Just enjoy along with us (no jet lag, no language stress, no living in one room for a month). Thanks for following me!