La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
You may have heard about our recent heatwave in Andalusia. We didn’t get the worst of it down here. Monday, Málaga City had temps as high as 35˚C / 95 ˚F, while here in Fuengirola we maxed out around 30˚C / 86˚F. Unusually high for this time of year, but not too bad. The average for May is around 24˚C / 76˚F. My friend Jessica, a wedding planner, had an outdoor wedding in Sevilla last week. 39˚C ⁄ 102 ˚F. Two people fainted.
Last week and over the weekend, we had some dust from the Sahara but not accompanied by rain, so no mud. Yesterday we had near gale-force winds and rough surf. Our newly washed glass curtain still looks OK. I stewed about that. The photo above was near sunset last Tuesday, when the blowing desert sand remained over Morocco and Algiers.
The other photos are from my wander around Málaga last week. I plan to pay the city another visit Thursday. The Pompidou Museum awaits.
My workouts have been excellent and I still plan to share a photo of my pretzel stretch, which gets easier every day. Sciatica causes an “uff” every now and then, but not a single yowl of pain in months.
We’ve been in a four-month renovation cycle in our building and, if I had any hair left, I’d be pulling it out. First, there was a month of bathroom and kitchen renovations next door (remember the holes in my bathroom wall, click here). Then a gutting and renovation of the apartment below the one next door to us. Month three is almost over and they’re now doing finishing work — which means not much banging, an awful lot of drilling. But the moaning comes from our apartment. The building interior has been covered in plaster dust and worse. The portero has cleaned it up once I think (the contractors don’t bother). We’re over it and are grateful season is fast approaching when this kind of work ends. Our downstairs neighbors who live most of the year in Córdoba weren’t at all bothered by the noise and mess. How would you be?
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Es posible que haya oído hablar de nuestra reciente ola de calor en Andalucía. Aquí no pasamos lo peor. El lunes, la ciudad de Málaga tuvo temperaturas de hasta 35 ˚C / 95 ˚F, mientras que aquí en Fuengirola alcanzamos un máximo de 30 ˚C / 86 ˚F. Inusualmente alto para esta época del año, pero no tan malo. El promedio para mayo es de alrededor de 24˚C / 76˚F. Mi amiga Jessica, planificadora de bodas, celebró una boda al aire libre en Sevilla la semana pasada. 39 ˚C ⁄ 102 ˚F. Dos personas se desmayaron.
La semana pasada y durante el fin de semana tuvimos algo de polvo del Sahara pero no acompañado de lluvia, por lo que no hubo barro. Ayer tuvimos vientos casi huracanados y oleaje fuerte. Nuestra cortina de vidrio recién lavada todavía se ve bien. Me estresé por eso. La foto de arriba fue cerca del atardecer del martes pasado, cuando la arena del desierto se mantuvo sobre Marruecos y Argel.
Las otras fotos son de mi paseo por Málaga la semana pasada. Planeo hacer otra visita a la ciudad el jueves. El Museo Pompidou te espera.
Mis entrenamientos han sido excelentes y todavía planeo compartir una foto de mi estiramiento de pretzel, que se vuelve más fácil cada día. La ciática provoca un “uff” de vez en cuando, pero ni un solo aullido de dolor en meses.
Hemos estado en un ciclo de renovación de cuatro meses en nuestro edificio y, si me quedara algo de cabello, lo estaría arrancando. Primero, hubo un mes de reformas en el baño y la cocina de al lado (recuerden los agujeros en la pared de mi baño, haz clic aquí). Luego, un desmantelamiento y renovación del piso debajo del que está al lado. El tercer mes casi ha terminado, lo que significa que no hay mucho que golpear, sí una gran cantidad de perforación. Pero el gemido viene de nuestro piso. El interior del edificio está cubierto de polvo de yeso y cosas peores. El portero lo ha limpiado una vez, creo (los contratistas no se molestan). Lo hemos superado y estamos agradecidos de que la temporada se acerque rápidamente cuando termine este tipo de trabajo. A nuestros vecinos de abajo que viven la mayor parte del año en Córdoba no les molestaba en absoluto el ruido y el desorden. ¿Cómo estarías?
• Amarillo suave (no rima en español).
• ¿Está apuntando hacia el “infinitud del universo”? ¿Deberíamos ir todos al noroeste?
• Esas dos pelirrojas quedarían genial en nuestra terraza.
• Iglesia San Juan Bautista, siglo XVI.
• 1899. Monumento al Marqués de Larios (que vivió entre 1836 y 1895) en la cabecera de la calle que apoyó como parte del desarrollo urbano y la preservación de la ciudad. La figura en la base es un trabajador. ¿No echas de menos los días en que los hombres sexys trabajaban desnudos?
• ¡Taxi! (Y los arcos dorados.)
• Esto me recordó a Central Park, cerca del Plaza Hotel.
• Entrada al puerto.
Great photos! Love the jacarandas. Funny that you all are warmer than usual, and up here, we’re cooler than usual. (57º F as I write this at noon!) I’m glad to know where the Infinitude of the Universe is. I was wondering. Maybe all the naked workmen are there?
Steve,
I hope to be in the infinitud again tomorrow and I’ll try to find those naked workmen.
It was super hot here over the weekend, high 90’s on Saturday, Georgetown has graduation, on the Mall, one of the graduates passed out in her chair.
David,
It was 95 the day of my graduation. I nearly passed out, too, but that was more due to my hangover I think.
Love the walkabout. I think that woman is an ad and she’s pointing to a chocolate store for you to try.
I’d be crazier by now if I had to live through other’s people’s renovations.
Bob,
The demolition and construction can be awful. We put people through it for a month, but hardly anyone was here and we cleaned the hall every day so the mess wouldn’t be tracked everywhere. I plan to follow that woman’s finger next time.
I always enjoy your pictures from touring around towns. So many good ones too. My favorite is the one with the carriages. A stunning picture. I really needed the first picture today, and the window with all the yellow…a bright spot.
Mistress Borghese,
Thanks. I have so many more photos. The carriages in old cities have so much charm. We have them in Fuengirola, but the contemporary backgrounds don’t have the same effect.
Like Maddie, my favorite photo is of the carriages. To me there is something very special about it. The construction noise and dust would undo me. Hope it is almost over.
Wilma,
The noise is almost at an end. The portero still hasn’t cleaned that floor, which means it gets tracked everywhere.
I love those tourist trap horse carriages! Whenever I see them in a city, I’ll hire one no matter the cost. I’m easy pickins alright.
Debra,
I’ve never taken a carriage ride. After seeing the film Barefoot in the Park, I wanted to go. (Because I wanted to be Robert Redford.)
I too am a carriage whore. That doesn’t sound right, but I’m sticking to it. All of your pictures could be turned into jigsaw puzzles. So can Maddie’s. It was 101F here yesterday. It will be 102 today. Dropping into the 80s the rest of the week, after I’m dead from heatstroke! Good thing I have working a/c and nudity. Life saving!
Deedles,
Hmmm, I’ve heard of cottaging but never carriaging. I’ve thought of making jigsaw puzzles of some photos. Have you ever visited jigsawplanet.com? I used to put my photos up there. It’s fun. And, yes, working AC and nudity are top of my list.
I’ve never visited that jigsaw site. I have The Jigsaw Puzzle .com in my favorites.
Deedles:
If you feel like it, check out mitchellismoving on jigsawplanet.com.
I’m in Sitges in early June
Fancy a meet up
John,
I would love it! Have to see if I can afford a day or two. We’re spending another small fortune on Norway the entire month of august. Email your info.
Málaga looks beautiful! Can’t wait to see more.
Walt the Fourth,
Thanks. I’ll keep them coming.
Oh! The jacarandas! There’s a beautiful old specimen that greeted us on our arrival at Arroyo de la Miel last Saturday, and we took some photos that will no doubt appear on my blog post about our trip.
We had 32C in Benalmadena on Monday, and the locals were all commenting that this was the hottest May on the Costa in 30 years! Remarkable timing for a holiday, I’d say! Jx
Jon:
Glad you’ve been enjoying the warmth and sunshine. A great week for a visit. The jacarandas! We had them in abundance in Southern California. They make a sticky mess, but they’re so worth the trouble.
Hot men working naked? that breed died out before my time, worse luck.
Urspo:
There were still a few during the Roman era, when I was young.
I would not do well with the constant construction nearby. It’ why I dread living in a ondo or townhouse, although I think we will one day.
Sassybear:
We’ve lived in all different kinds of places, so are used to (reasonable) noise around us. But the construction noise and especially mess does get old. And given the age of our building, it’s an annual occurence. Thankfully, it’s over because season is starting.