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Hike, Eat, Live

October - November 2021
1st trip since Covid came about. It's been awhile, there's anxiety, there's nervousness. There's also vaccination, face masks and hand sanitizer. A whole new level of appreciation and taking care. Read more
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  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 1

    Taking to the Skies Once More

    October 9, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    It's been 28 months since my last trip. 28 months of being home, hunkering down as Covid spreads around the world. It's been a bit nutty not being able to go anywhere, but work's kept me busy. Things have aligned finally for a trip, if it were not for time off, being vaccinated and a majority of the people following safety protocols, I might still be at home. Nonetheless, it's nice to escape the day to day and reset, relax and find inspiration again.

    Easing into the trip, I was lucky nobody sat next to him on my first 2 flights. The last one (but also the shortest one), I didn't have that luxury. Must say, I spent most of my 6 hour Lisbon layover people watching. The numbers of people looked like they could be pre-pandemic, but what stuck out to to me was the 5% or so of folks not wearing their mask properly.

    Like pants about to fall half, these masks had slipped below the nose. Yes, the nose has become a body part that we should not see given the current mandates to wear masks. What surprised me is the number of older people who weren't donning these properly vs the young people. There were almost the same, if not more. And then there are a few who blatently did not wear a mask. I tell you, I've never moved over so fast when a maskless person sat down next to me.

    Yes, perhaps I should say something, but I tend to avoid confrontation. Perhaps a little passive agressive, I look at them and mentally challenge "dude, put your mask on".

    The journey from the airport to the city for those curious is quite simple. Just take the train from Aeropuerto to Malaga Central for 2 euro 30. Not busy at all. A nice way to ease back into travels.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 2

    Ready, Set, Explore

    October 10, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    There's more to do in Malaga than one would think. As our trip planning went on, there became more places to visit (and that's outside the day trips you can do in Andalusia). Tonight, my friend and I headed out for a relaxing intro to the city. Being Sunday, there was a calm to the streets, and we were surprised it was so quiet for Madrid's 2nd most populous city.

    The beach was on the agenda of course, a welcome space especially since we've been in autumn back home, but along the way, we walked through Mulle Uno, Malaga's boardwalk by the port. Restaurants, tented shops, it reminded me of the Canada Place waterfront at home combined with a market. Here we also saw more people. A good number are wearing masks and keeping good distances. Having not been to markets since the summer before Covid, it was a real treat to wander through the stalls and check out the offerings. From crafts to jewellery, it was a beautiful space to check out.

    Onwards to Malagueta Beach, one of Malaga's most well known. The locals were out enjoying the sun and sea breeze. For a quieter beach, we headed further east to Playa de Caleta where I also took in my first sunset of the trip, and a reminder that it's vacation and perhaps to slow down and enjoy and relax as opposed to go go go.

    Dinner was a bit of a hunt. Folks eat later here, after 8pm and by the time we made it back to the center, many places were full, especially all the tables outside. There's definitely something about dining al fresco and here in Spain, the weather is too nice to eat outside. We ended up finding our way back to Taverna La Malaguena by the Cathedral.

    Our first lesson on the trip, the portions are bigger than we think. Our 2 person paella was enough for 4 people, especially since we added two appetizers as well - fried aubergine with cane sugar and ham croquettes. Yum! The paella was delicious and not too rich. Even though we didn't finish, we definitely gave it our best shot and made sure we at least finished the seafood.

    Too stuffed for ice cream after so that'll have to be another night. There'll be lots of stuffing ourselves with good food, but we're pretty confident we'll be walking more than enough to burn it all off.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 3

    Settling In

    October 11, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Settling in to the 1st full day of the trip, it was a bit of a sleep in. The AC stopped working last night, so that combined with a bit of jet lag made sleep a little elusive. A bit of a late start, but we sorted out our bus tickets for the next day to Granada and then headed towards the city centre.

    I really enjoy the city center and just wandering around. The smooth stones of the street challenged my feet for sure, or maybe I just haven't broken in my sandals yet. I was told by Ecco they didn't need breaking in, so I'll have to give it another shot on different pavement.

    1st stop - Mercado de Atarazanas. There's a beautiful stained glass at the back of the market. Make sure you go around to the outside so capture it all. A number of stalls were closed (perhaps due to the Spain's national holiday tomorrow), but there were some meats, veggies, fruit and even food stalls still open.

    From there we headed further into the center to check out Malaga Catherdral. Perhaps it's been awhile since my last cathedral, not many take my breath away, but there's something about Malaga's that you can't miss. Make your away around the various chapels and check out the stained glass as well. And above all, make sure you add the roof top visit. It will be the best 4 euros you ever spent. Don't let the 200 steps intimidate you. There is a break so you're not going straight up. The views from the roof are stunning as you are led up and around, affording you 360 views of Malaga. See Castle Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba. Take in the rooftops and the view of the sea.

    We attempted to go the Alcazaba today but got misled and started the trek up to Gibralfaro instead. There's a good viewpoint if you make it up there, but we decided we were good with the Cathedral climb and no need to climb higher. That said, the Alcazaba remains on our list when we're back in Malaga next week. If you're interested in visiting the Alcazaba, the entrance is just up the path right next to the tourist info centre. Do not go around per the map.

    The rest of the day was spent meandering around, taking in food and shopping. Treats like cheesecake and homemade lemonade from La Tarta de la Madre de Cris. It's small cute shop not to miss, especially if you're a cheesecake lover. They've got regular, blue cheese and hard cheese. The regular is nice and fluffy and the lemonade just refreshing.

    Another stop later, my friend brought me to Bodegar Antigua Casa de Guardia. This non descript wine bar has barrels of wine you can drink inexpensively and some tapas. I'd only previously read of this as something to experience on a Rick Steve's show, and it's as cool as it sounds. We had the moscatel of course, and then realized they had 4 kinds, so we'll be back to have more and some tapas ;)

    Also ventured to the northern section of the centre for bubble tea at Tapio. Yes, even on my trips, we seek out bubble tea to see it fares in each country. For bubble tea fans, I'm happy to the say the pearls are chewing, the flavor is pretty good and it's a good if you have a craving. I ordered the lychee green tea over the classic, it's good, but they added slices of lemon, which changed the taste from what I'm familiar with from home. Still, if bubble tea's your thing, why not if you have time.

    Shops galore fill the streets of the centre, so whether you're into shopping or not, there's something cool to check out. There's a few familiar stores like The Body Shop but there's also Spanish clothing stores like Pull & Bear.

    Dinner was fried mixed seafood at El Chinitas Restaurant. We were smarter tonight and made reservations so we didn't have to wait. The food was delicious, and for you sangria lovers, you can a enjoy a glass here for just 2.75 euro. Once again we found out how big portions are. Even a half portion is enough for 2 people, that said, perhaps the warm weather is making us eat less.

    One last treat for the day, ice cream! Catching a break where they had no line up, it was the best way to the end the day. Both the oreo and the kinder bueno for A-awesome. Casa Mira Helados is a good bet, and there are others we intend to try as well when we return.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 4

    Hiking Southern Spain

    October 12, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    How everything feels almost familiar (minus the Covid situation), when we met our first tour group since pre-Covid. For the next 6 days, we're taking in some hikes in the Sierra Nevada. And yes, covid was a discussion that came up in pre dinner beverages. It's interesting hearing from people and their experiences in other countries.

    The last time I came to Spain, I'd regrettably missed the mountains, so I'm glad to have this second chance. I'm also excited to be staying in my first cave hotel at the Cuevas la Grande Hotel. It's a cute complex here in Benelua de Guadix, complete with pool.

    G Adventures, the tour company I travel with, has come out with more hiking itineraries to enable us to spend more time outdoors. This particular tour, Hiking Southern Spain, is new. I've done a few new tours and the best way to approach them is to have an open mind and be excited. So we shall see how this unfolds.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 5

    Hiking the Sierra Nevadas - Day 1

    October 13, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Day 1 of our hikes here in the Sierra Mountains of Southern Spain. Today we're trekking in the foothills near Jerez de Marquesado. It's been a long time since being out in nature like this, or a workout like this for that matter. As we all know, travel stopped mid-March 2020, and I haven't really gone out for similar hikes near home in the time since.

    Prior to our hike, we made a pit stop at Castillo de la Calahorra. It belonged to the Marquis in this area as a gift from the king and queen of Spain at the time. We weren't able to go closer though as they were filming something in the castle.

    The hike itself was meant to be the easies on our trip. There's a bit of up and down, but it flat for the most part. The pinecones were huge and the trees were green and a vibrant yellow. As we climbed up, we saw more and more sweeping views of Sierra Nevada forests. Definitely felt great to be back out and about, even though it was tiring. This was probably the most exercise I've done in one go in a long time.

    After the hike, we checked a cave musuem in the town of Guadix. It was cute to see it was decorated, and we were also treated to a view of the town's fairy chimneys and cave dwellings. For a moment, I felt like we had gone back to Cappadocia.

    One more stop for the day, sunset at Mirador Geologicos. Another sweeping view of the landscape. This time I felt I was back in San Pedro de Atacama. Mother Nature sure is amazing for these formations to have been created, and we'll see more of that to come.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 6

    Hiking in the Sierra Nevada - Day 2

    October 14, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Day 2, a little harder, a bit more up and down in our hike, but the views were even more spectacular. We liked this trail about more, there were more trees and bushes along the path, and way less flies. Yesterday, I felt like we were brushing them off more often, and they were buzzing in our ears. Today was a lot more peaceful.

    There was one steep section up to a view point where we stopped for lunch. A stunning 360 that's worth every step up and down.

    Our home for the next 3 nights was a villa at Posada La Plaza in Canillas de Albaida, one of the small towns here in Southern Spain. The rooms were a pleasant unexpected surprise as we had the whole place to ourselves, complete with pool. It was like we'd stepped into another lifestyle. Feeling like vacation now as we try to relax when we're not on the trails :)    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 7

    Caminito del Rey

    October 15, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Our only early start today, off to the famous Caminito del Rey. The ticket process was a bit of a concern earlier this week as our CEO had to exhaust her resources to procure our tickets. In the end we were still a little short, but were able to grab the last 2 we needed at the door.

    Once dubbed the world's most dangerous hike/walkway, today's route is fairly easy for visitors to follow. The beginning and ending sections have hanging bridges and boardwalks, while a section in the middle was more traditional terrain. The most important thing here I think is simply to take in the gorge as you walk through and once again be in awe of Mother Nature.

    The skies were blue and the waters were green. The first section is just a warm up of what is to come. Continuing on with places this trip has reminded me of, today gave a sense of Jurassic Park Lost World. Stunning views all around, especially as we reached the end with the waterfall and suspension bridge.

    A shorter day today and much needed to relax and chill out. Back in town, it's pool time and then a pool party before live music at night. Tomorrow is our last full day together, some headed home from a lovely short holiday, and for the rest of us, onwards and upwards. Arriba!    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 8

    Final Group Hike - The Hardest of All

    October 16, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today was our final hike of the tour in the Sierra Nevada. They've gotten harder as we go, and I'm glad I managed to procure hiking poles for the day. There were steep sections where they really helped, and helped keep a rhythm. The trail was perhaps the most natural of the paths, and we were crossing streams along the bottom portion.

    After our second hill, we reached a gravel road and embarked on a less steep variation of the Fabrica de la Luz trail. Didn't quite make the original summit as planned, but most of the group did get a different summit while a few of us opted to carry on without that final hill. The views were amazing, and most stunning of all our days, so while it was tough, it was definitely rewarding.

    On the way down, I got a little lost at a fork in the path. One path had a trail sign while the other was roadlike. Turns out I was on the right path, until I got paranoid and ran back to the fork and called our tour leader to confirm. Thank goodness I picked up a SIM card here in Spain. I'm sure it would've turned out fine eventually, but admittedly I did have a few "oh crap" moments.

    Eventually made it down the mountain into Competa where we stopped for much needed cold refreshments before a wine tasting at a local winery. Moscatel was the grape of choice, and I learned the difference between a dry moscatel, a sweet one and a very sweet rain, that I correctly tasted raisins in! Haha!

    It was our last activity as a group, and we sat down to a lovely farewell dinner. Tomorrow, we're departing Canillas de Alabaida in several groups, leaving behind our lovely villas. While it was a short trip, there was some bonding as a few of us made plans to meet up in Malaga.    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 9

    Back on our Own

    October 17, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    A late transfer back to Malaga, it was a quick drop off of bags at our hotel before jumping on the train to Castillo de Colomares, a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus. Located about an hour outside of Malaga (if you take public transit), it's a cool looking castle structure with the bow of a ship. It's not large by any means, but we spent about an hour or so just taking photos and exploring.

    It's definitely an instagrammable spot, so just fun to visit. For a balance of time and cost, take the train to Benelmadena and then an Uber.

    Tonight, we met up with most of our tour mates who are also staying in Malaga. Our attempt to tapas crawl resulted in only 2 places, El Pimpi and Cortijo de Pepe. The first is a popular wine/tapas spot also popular with locals, and then we sampled the grilled octopus at Pepe. Delicious!    Read more

  • Rita YeeHike, Eat, Live
    Day 10

    One More Hike for Good Measure

    October 18, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This time, we're off to the Torcal de Antequerra for our final hike in Spain. Crazy, yes. Initially this was sort of a filler for our last day here, but things got a little shuffled. I'd found the tour on Viator and chosen it based on the cool geological features there. It's a rocky limestone landscape that looks a little out of this world.

    Our guide explained that the park's features was attributed to the erosion of wind, rain and ice. I loved the pancake fixtures (though they don't call them that here in Spain because there's no pancakes here), and I loved the rock formations that looked like shapes. We saw chickens, camels and a turtle! Just a wee bit of imagination is needed. There was a bit more climbing among the rocks that we'd anticipated, but the past few days of hiking prepped us well for it.

    Back in the city, one last afternoon/evening in Malaga. We met up with Savannah's friend Tessa and went back to El Pimpi for a scrumptious lunch. Fried seafood, patatas bravas and a ham/cheese platter. We split off after, with Tessa and I heading to explore the Alcazaba nearby. It's a small version of the Alhambra in Granada, so a little underwhelming but a nice walk about. There's actually a path around the left side of them amphitheatre that you can walk up to Mirador de Alcazabar for some great views for the city. For the adventurous, you can also check out the Castle Gibralfaro nearby too. It's a bit of a hike, so be warned =) I think there's a bus up, but can't be sure.

    One last beach visit and then a final final dinner as we say bye to 2 more folks from our tour. One more night for us here as tomorrow is our Ronda day trip!    Read more

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