La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
We arrived in Spain in 2011 and our first stop was Málaga. When we scheduled our flight we thought that’s where we’d settle. But our residency visas were based on our first plan, Sevilla. The day we received the visas we learned that if we wanted to live in Málaga we’d have to apply in Sevilla for a change of residency and then apply in Málaga for residency. It was confusing enough as it was, so we decided to start off in Sevilla. It turned out to be an exceptional experience and we have no regrets. Sevilla was the best introduction to Andalusia.
We’ve now lived in the Province of Málaga for 10-1/2 years and I couldn’t be happier (although, as you know, I do have my off days). It’s been a joy to get to know the city and to watch it grow as a center for culture and the arts. Restoration and redevelopment has been on-going since we arrived, which is a blessing and a curse. The city grows more art-filled and beautiful while growing less affordable for so many. Still, my days enjoying the museums, food, and shops are uplifting. Here’s more of what I saw last week.
Llegamos a España en 2011 y nuestra primera parada fue Málaga. Cuando programamos nuestro vuelo pensamos que allí nos instalaríamos. Pero nuestras visas de residencia se basaron en nuestro primer plan, Sevilla. El día que recibimos los visados supimos que si queríamos vivir en Málaga tendríamos que solicitar en Sevilla un cambio de residencia y luego solicitar en Málaga la residencia. Ya era bastante confuso, así que decidimos empezar en Sevilla. Resultó ser una experiencia excepcional y no nos arrepentimos. Sevilla fue la mejor introducción a Andalucía.
Ya llevamos 10 años y medio viviendo en la Provincia de Málaga y no podría estar más feliz (aunque, como sabes, tengo mis días libres). Ha sido un placer conocer la ciudad y verla crecer como centro de cultura y arte. La restauración y reurbanización han estado en marcha desde que llegamos, lo cual es una bendición y una maldición. La ciudad se vuelve más bella y llena de arte, al mismo tiempo que se vuelve menos asequible para muchas personas. Aún así, mis días disfrutando de los museos, la comida y las tiendas son alentadores. Aquí hay más de lo que vi la semana pasada.
• Catedral de Málaga. Construido entre 1528 y 1782.
• Hammam al Ándalus. Baños árabes construidos en 2013 sobre unos baños árabes del siglo XVI.
• Built in 1487, Church of the Holy Martyrs Ciriaco and Paula, Málaga’s patron saints put to death by the Romans in the 4th century for refusing to renounce Christianity. I wonder how they would have felt had they known about the Inquisition.
• Construida en 1487, Iglesia de los Santos Mártires Ciriaco y Paula, los santos patrones de Málaga ejecutados por los romanos en el siglo IV por negarse a renunciar al cristianismo. Me pregunto cómo se habrían sentido si hubieran sabido sobre la Inquisición.
• Otra hermosa renovación en progreso.
• Ya reformado.
• Me encantaría tener uno de esos apartamentos, pero no sé si me gustaría vivir encima de una tienda de cosméticos Druni (con descuento). Entonces me pregunto si sentiría lo mismo si viviera encima de Hermes. Que hipócrita.
• Bajo renovación. San Geraldo preparándose para salir anoche. De hecho, le pregunté si se estaba poniendo pantalones cortos sobre la ropa interior. Pensé que lo había olvidado. La combinación de colores era un poco discordante. Esa no habría sido la noche para ser atropellado por un autobús. Al menos llevaba ropa interior limpia.
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Ooooo, that hot pink t-shirt! Were you and SG going out to the Barbie movie, lol?
Debra:
That’a a name-brand fuschia polo shirt! We’ll have to keep it in mind if we ever DO go to the Barbie movie.
As always the architecture is stunning, though sad that this progress and gentrification makes the area less affordable for the people who work there.
Anon:
It’s truly a shame. The city has gotten so much nicer in these 12 years, but prices keep going up.
I don’t know why it went all Anon on me, but that’s me … Bob
Bob:
And I’m lately not going Anon anywhere… as long as I write from Chrome.
I often daydream about being an expat in another country. It sounds like your life in Spain is really good. I always seem to see on the internet that Portugal is a good place for Americans to move to as well.
mcpersonalspace54:
We did consider Portugal at the time. Spain won out. Still, I would love to visit. We just have so many other travel obligations and desires that that always gets pushed to the bottom of the list.
What a beautiful city! And what great colours for SG!!
Jim:
He can really carry off the shirt color. I couldn’t. But I’m glad no one could see it paired with the underwear.
It is such a pretty place, with so many side streets to divert down. You could spend a lifetime exploring and still discover new things.
David:
I discover new things every time I’m there.
Oh, as I started reading, I thought you guys were on the move AGAIN! Has it really been 10+ years?
Frank:
Unimaginable. We have lived in this same apartment for 10-1/2 years.
As I started reading I thought you guys were on the move AGAIN! Has it really been 10+ years?
Were you both fluent in Spanish when you arrived?
I never understood my mother’s clean underwear directive. I figure if you’ve been hit by a bus it’s no longer going to be clean anymore. (for one reason or another)
Kelly:
I studied Spanish for nearly 7 years starting at the age of 12. But then started to learn Italian and made a point of forgetting Spanish because it was too confusing. So I hardly used my Spanish before arriving here. SG had a semester of Spanish before learning Russian. So his Spanish was almost non-existent. He liked the word “perfecto.” Still does.
Wow! And I thought I had some shocking pink items in my wardrobe… Jx
Jon:
SG can really carry off these colors. I would look like a flower.
10-1/2 years? already? I’ve been reading your blog and commenting since you lived in Seville, so that means… it’s been a long time! Ha! I’m glad, but, wow, time moves so quickly!
J Chabot:
I feel like we’re old friends!
You are quite fortunate to live in a place you love.
Urspo:
No love for Phoenix?
LOL!!!! clean underwear, that is an old one but a good one. What about going commando.
Laurent:
I’ve tried commando and find it so uncomfortable.
WOW!!!!!!!! The Málaga Cathedral is breathtaking!!!! I love architecture like this on churches and cathedrals. Took my breath away this late-night sugar plums.
Mistress Borghese:
The different views of the cathedral from the streets are stunning. Seville’s cathedral is much more impressive, but it doesn’t have the movement on the ground.