Plaza de los Olivos

My final three days in Spain. Marbella has been a restful place living here this past month of March. I have been immersed in a different culture which was my primary reason for spending so much time here. Indeed I have been saturated with Spain so much that I am now ready to move on. But have learned that next time I will hope city to city instead on staying in one place.
However, Marbella is a resort oriented town so beyond the initial introduction to the city there isn’t much to do. A lager city would have offered more entertainment. What I love about Chicago is it’s vibrant music scene. That seems nonexistent in Marbella although the summer will bring Rod Stewart to play at an outdoor venue. Ugh! I haven’t even found record store.
Additionally, Marbella is filled with expats from Europe including a lot of Russians and Eastern Europeans. Some are permanent resident with strong roots back home others are visiting. They probably go to Puerto Banus or Cala de Mijas. But certainly they all come for the weather, the good standard of living, and the Spanish laid back culture.
Yes lunch at 2-2:30; dinner at 8:30-9. Prime time programming doesn’t seem to start until about 10 pm. The surrounding building apartments are lit up well past midnight. When I awake at 6:30 or 7 its a ghost town with all the apartments dark. Life usually starts if not ( Am then 10 AM.
The condo I am staying at is well appointed in the center of town, grocery stores, markets, shops, beaches and restaurants all within walking distance. Even the gym I have been going to three times a week is just around the corner. So a car, in which we Americans spend so much of our lives in has been unnecessary. Of course I did rent to get up to Granada, Córdoba and Ronda but could have just as easily commuted to those cities using the Spanish train system RENFE as I did for Sevilla
So what do I think of Spain? I love it. The people are friendly and warm. The food is wonderful. The tapas particularly are a good way to not overeat. The climate here has been terrific. Early in the month the nights were cool but now that Spring is finally here the temps do not dip below 60. And they are a pleasant 75 during the day. The sun shines everyday no wonder this is called the Costa del Sol. The transportation system is top notch allowing me to get to any city in Spain or beyond the Spanish borders by train if I so desire. The local buses are clean, run on time, and are inexpensive $1.25.
In contrast gas is around $6.00 per gallon which is probably why most cars are small. Scooters and motorcycles are ubiquitous but nothing like the horde of motor scooters seen in Rome. I must add that the discipline of the drivers (no left lane bandits) and the courtesy given to pedestrians at cross walks is incredible. Similar to what I have experienced in Germany or the UK. Maybe hitting a pedestrian will ruin or bankrupt you.
Marbella streets and sidewalks are constantly being cleaned. But those in other cities were well maintained. Tourism drive a lot of this economy. There are street beggars, huskers and the lookie lookies but overall the economy seems to run well. There is a strong environmental emphasis especially now that the war in Ukraine has driven up utilities.
Television programming available in this condo has been limited of course. So I have watched mostly news and games shows. Male newscasters wearing neckties are out. A smart casual look is preferred both by men and women. One in particular, a word game show has increased my vocabulary a bit. The news programming is typical of news feeds, politics, fútbal, the Royal Family, fraud, taxes, healthcare, environment, crime. But no gun violence crimes have been reported until today, Nashville. When will we learn? Everyone here is horrified. I’ve been asked about it but have no answers. My trainer Fernando does say that special licensing is needed to own a firearm but it doesn’t include semi or automatic rifles. There are guns in the black market and these are usually involved in family disputes or drug related deaths.
One story recently centered on the king’s daughter who will be the first female monarch to lead the Spanish Armed Forces.
It has been a good experience spending this much time in a foreign country. We Americans do love visiting France and Italy but I strongly recommend Spain. The history, culture, people, cuisine are all worth it.
The shorts and polos are packed the warmer clothing is ready. I’ll have a new entry after settling in Berlin in the next few days.

Fun news today. King Philip VI and the Queen visiting Cádiz came upon a plaza with a group of box drummers whom they both joined. The King turned out to keep a good rhythm going. So there is good news to be had.

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