La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I RETURNED FROM MESÓN SALVADOR after having morning coffee and afternoon beer with Tynan. I started my coffee at 11:50 and then followed it with a beer at 12:30.
When The Kid Brother was young (up to around the age of 8 or so), he got lots of words confused. Coffee was coffeetea. Hot chocolate was cocoamilk. Salt was sugar. Sugar was salt. Pepper was peppersalt. So, I figure today I had coffeebeer.
Tynan and I had a great hour and fifteen minutes together, talking about life, careers, family, kids. I wish I could say we solved the world’s problems but all we did was touch on them in conversation.
The other evening, instead of walking any of my usual routes here in Fuengirola, I tried something new. Torreblanca is the neighbourhood next to ours, although when you walk along the Paseo, you really wouldn’t know when you passed from one neighbourhood to the next. But, unlike Los Boliches, Torreblanca has a section that heads up into the hills; it’s known as Torreblanca Alta (Torreblanca Heights). I’ve never walked up into the “Heights” and am so glad I did Friday.
A major discovery for me was a 27-acre nature preserve called Senderos Las Presas, which is known in English as Las Presas Park. (Senderos means walking trails). I hadn’t intended to take such a long walk, the sun was beginning to set, the mosquitoes were beginning to bite, and it was almost dinner time. So I only stopped long enough to scan the trail map. Since the light wasn’t right for photos, I didn’t take many, but I can’t wait to go back. And to think it only took me seven years to discover this. San Geraldo and I just finished lunch, so I think it’s time for me explore some more. Or maybe I’ll just hit the beach.
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REGRESÉ DE MESÓN SALVADOR DESPUÉS de tomar un café por la mañana y una cerveza por la tarde con Tynan. Comencé mi café a las 11:50 y luego lo seguí con una cerveza a las 12:30.
Cuando El Hermanito era joven (hasta alrededor de los 8 años más o menos), confundía muchas palabras. El coffee [café] era coffeetea [cafeté]. El cocoa [cacao] era cocoamilk [cacaoleche]. La sal era azúcar. El azúcar era sal. La pepper [pimienta] era peppersalt [pimientasal]. Entonces, me imagino que hoy tomé una cafecaña.
Tynan y yo pasamos una gran hora y quince minutos juntos, hablando sobre la vida, las carreras, la familia, los niños. Ojalá pudiera decir que resolvimos los problemas del mundo, pero todo lo que hicimos fue tocarlos en la conversación.
La otra tarde, en lugar de recorrer alguna de mis rutas habituales aquí en Fuengirola, probé algo nuevo. Torreblanca es el barrio contiguo al nuestro, aunque cuando paseas por el Paseo no sabrías cuando pasas de un barrio a otro. Pero, a diferencia de Los Boliches, Torreblanca tiene un tramo que sube hacia los cerros; se conoce como Torreblanca Alta. Nunca he subido allí y estoy muy contento de haberlo hecho el viernes.
Un descubrimiento importante para mí fue una reserva natural de 11 hectares llamada Senderos Las Presas. No tenía la intención de dar un paseo tan largo, el sol comenzaba a ponerse, los mosquitos comenzaban a picar, y era casi la hora de cenar. Así que solo me detuve el tiempo suficiente para escanear el mapa del sendero. Como la luz no era adecuada para las fotos, no tomé muchas, pero no puedo esperar a volver. Y pensar que solo me tomó siete años descubrir esto. San Geraldo y yo acabamos de terminar el almuerzo, así que creo que es hora de explorar un poco más. O tal vez simplemente iré a la playa.
Cerca del andén del tren de Torreblanca, que estaba tan arriba como yo había ido antes.
Realmente quería ser amigos. Yo tambien.
Playa de Torreblanca a lo lejos.
Excelentes vistas en todas las direcciones, pero mucha escalada.
La vista desde nuestra sala de estar hace una hora, y solo tres tramos de escaleras o un breve viaje en ascensor.
What a lovely Russian Blue cat! I used to cat sit a kitty like that which belonged to an old friend of mine in Winnipeg when she would go to Calgary to visit her daughter. Gawd, he was a miserable sonovabitch though. Always tried to bite my ankles. He only loved his owner.
Debra:
We had a Russian Blue we adopted in Las Vegas. What a sweetheart.
Honestly, looking at your photos, I can’t think of another place that is as pretty and completely orderly as your neck of the woods.
As for the newly discovered nature reserve, as Roy Rogers would have said, “Happy trails to you.” (Clearly, I am Officially old.)
Mary:
Oh, I’ve had Happy Trails in my head since first reading your comment on my phone Sunday! To think I loved that show when i was little (VERY little).
Ha! Senderos is the name of a textbook series for Spanish, put out by Vista Higher Learning (way too fast and way too much info for high-school level, yet it’s included in the marketing to high schools). Now, I know what the meaning of the title is! (I never thought to look it up. ; ) ).
Judy C:
We’ve got a lot of senderos around here. It took me forever to remember the word for some reason.
I like the house with the backyard pool. and the pussycat. looks like a great area to explore.
anne marie:
I liked that house, too. I’ll be they’ll be a lot happier when their hedge grows.
Pretty place, it is amazing what is on our backyards that we haven’t seen
David:
It’s nice to know there’s always something new to discover.
Nice view from the Heights.
And, I won’t say that I’d have stolen that gorgeous Russian Blue, but I’d have stolen that Russian Blue,
Bob:
Oh, that cat was SO sweet. I didn’t dare pet it for fear it would follow me home. It looked well cared for and most people here let their cats come and go. But it was sure a beauty.
What fun you have in store for yourself! Coffeebeer sounds fun, too, but the timing is critical.
Wilma:
I had never really thought of coffee with a beer chaser, but it wasn’t bad at all.
Did you hit the beach?
Urspo:
I didn’t hit anything … but myself in the head. Just one of those afternoons. The beach is still there, however.
Yes, why do we wait so long to explore our ‘next door neighbourhoods’ ? Happy exploring!
Loved the photos!
Jim:
It’s often the case that tourists see more of our home surroundings than we do.
is that gorgeous grey pussy called ‘Smokey’? Well, s/he is now.
Raybeard:
She/he looked very Russian Blue. I’ll ask her if her name has always been Smokey the next time I see her/him.
That cat is beautiful. How great to make a new discovery practically in your neighborhood! (Or in an adjacent neighborhood, anyway.) I can’t wait to see some photos. I have no mental picture of what nature in your part of Spain might look like.
Steve:
Nature here looks very much like natural San Diego, California. So much was familiar to us when we arrived in Southern Spain. I’m excited about walking those trails, but think I’ll wait for cooling weather (and less bugs) for major exploration.