December 21, 2016 by Rae

An Amazing Last Evening in Spain and Off to Amsterdam!

My host in Málaga asked for permission to have a friend over last night! In her own home! She really wanted me to meet him, she said, and she also wanted to put together a special dinner for my final night in Spain. Um, WOW. Her friend, D, is Chilean, but has lived all over the world, including in Bulgaria! They insisted on making food while I drank beer and then we sat and noshed “family style.” There was guacamole made from avocados from my host’s family’s farm (with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar!), cheeses, sesame crackers, store-bought fries with a yummy yoghurt sauce, and homemade falafel (so good!). And did I mention beer?

We gabbed and laughed in a way that made me realise how much I need to make friends who only speak Spanish to force me to converse more. I had a blast trying to explain the finer points of taxation as a sole proprietor in Canada with my limited vocabulary. It’s not like I had to learn that in school! D and I also had a “Bulgarian vocabulary-off,” trying to see who remembered the most of that language. Interestingly enough, he’s the first person I’ve met who raved about Varna, a city I was well convinced not to visit (I went to Veliko Tarnovo instead).

Our meal didn’t end that late, but by the time I’d wound down enough to sleep it was almost midnight, quite a bit later than I wanted to go to bed since I wanted to be gone by about eight. I woke up at 7:45 and packed as my host got ready for work, then headed out around 8:15. She’d advised me to take a train rather than the bus to the airport, which was almost half the cost! I stopped at the Deutsche Bank on the way since there are no Global ATM Alliance banks in the Netherlands.

I got to the train station around 8:30 and a train came at 8:50. It was then a very quick (about 15-minute) ride to the airport. My flight was at 11:25. The plan was to get through security and then have breakfast. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?

Security was backed up and slow. I listened to all the instructions (given in both English and Spanish) and followed them to the letter, including removing my boots. An agent approved my trays to be sent through the scanner and told me to go through the metal detector. I didn’t beep. So all clear, right?

No. That I don’t know what to call her agent who had approved my trays sneered at me and said I had to go back and put my electronic devices into separate trays and go through the process again. I went to grab my purse and she snapped that those things had been cleared and to leave them. I went back around the scanner and had to get back in line to send my electronics through. I was there a solid ten minutes with poor visibility on my belongings on the other side, which included my purse that had my passport, cash, and cards. Well, it happened — someone got interested in my bag. I yelled to the person to leave it alone and the same *** agent told me to stop making a scene!

I finally was able to push my trays through the scanner and was sent back through the metal detector. Just as I came out the other side, I saw my trays move back out in the wrong direction. And, sure enough, someone was eyeing them. I was just about to call out when the trays were pushed through the scanner at last… and then I couldn’t get to them for another minute because the line was so backed up. Talk about stressful! This was my worst airport security experience so far, but the nightmare my neighbour went through at the airport in Regina last week definitely put things into perspective. I was just glad to get through without losing anything!

I found a café after and got a very good Americano and a pain aux raisins, something I haven’t had since London. It was really good and reasonably priced by airport standards. At another café, I picked up a very expensive bottle of water and a decently priced ham and cheese sandwich for the plane (which ended up being a good call since EasyJet’s offerings were uninspiring). I then had about 45 minutes left to wait to board and I was able to get jump the queue for that since I’d paid for priority boarding in order to get both my bags on board as carry-on. I was pleased that there was no one in the middle seat for my row, but less pleased that an American business man decided that meant he had two seats and started crowding me with his stuff. I let him know that wasn’t okay, then promptly went to sleep!

So the flight passed very quickly. There was nothing to see since we were flying over dense clouds. We landed at Schiphol Airport 10 minutes early, but the captain made a sarcastic comment about how far the landing strips are from the terminal and that having to drive all that distance would eat up our advance. We finally made it and deplaned. I got my first taste of the cooler Amsterdam weather and it wasn’t as bracing as I expected.

I didn’t have to go through customs and had nothing to declare, so I was able to go straight to the train station. I like traveling within the the EU! 🙂

My host had given me very clear instructions on how to get to her home and I’d done my homework as far as paying for public transportation. I doubted I’d be able to recoup the non-refundable 7.50 euro cost for the OV-chipkaart (similar to the Oyster in London), so I bought a single to Amsterdam Centraal, which had a surcharge of 1 euro, and I was amused that the only way to pay was with a card and there was an additional surcharge to pay with a card.

Like with Oyster, I had to tap in before going to the platform and then would have to tap out, even with a paper ticket. I did that and then found the platform I needed. I barely had any wait before an Amsterdam Centraal bound direct train pulled up. It was then a very quick ride to the station. The scenery was nothing special, just rather bleak. Things got more interesting as we pulled into Amsterdam and I saw an iconic canal with houses lining it.

At the train station, I had to go to street level and catch a tram. I wasn’t sure where to get a ticket, so I went to an information desk. The agent there was odd, but spoke English and answered my questions. He sent me in the right direction knowing that I could pay the driver 2.90 euros cash.

The tram I needed was waiting out front! I still took the time to snap a few pictures of my first real glimpse of Amsterdam.

The tram driver was very pleasant about my not having change and got me sorted. I found a seat and was relieved to see that not only are all the stops announced, you can see the next several ones coming up. So I knew when it was time to make my way to a door and to request my stop. Slight hiccup at the stop, the doors didn’t open. A nice guy called to the driver to wait and showed me that I was supposed to press a button. Live and learn! 🙂

My host’s directions from the tram stop were fantastic. and I got to the house without any trouble (it was just a couple of blocks). She’d warned me she probably wouldn’t be home and would leave me a key, which was exactly where it was supposed to be. It was a bit odd to let myself in and make myself at home, but I did since I’d been sent the wifi password ahead of time. 🙂 I also introduced myself to my new charges. One is very friendly, the other will need some time to get used to me.

It was perhaps an hour before my host showed up. She is an American from New Orleans and “totally chill,” as she puts it. I felt very comfortable with her. She explained a few things to me and then introduced me to her fiancé when he came home. He’s Dutch, but speaks good English.

They suggested we go out for dinner to a nearby Greek café and that sounded good to me! It was a short, but cold and drizzly, walk there.

The place was tiny and felt more like being in someone’s dining room. The owner is Greek (of course), speaks perfect English, and is very friendly. She made me feel right at home. My hosts are vegans and the café has vegan options, but there’s also meat. The meatball special sounded good to me and I made sure that wouldn’t cause offence before ordering it. It wound up being a wonderful choice, coming with a tzatziki sauce, a salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, and roasted seasoned potatoes, just the way I like them, plus a very dense whole grain bread. It was just like eating home cooking. For dessert, we tried these crumbly honey-soaked cookies coated in crushed walnuts. I also ordered a saffron/lemon grass/mint tea that came with a sliver of walnut cake that I actually preferred to the cookie as it was moister. Prices felt very reasonable (my main was 8.50 euros), but I found out as I was about to pay that I was being treated!

We took a slight detour on the way back so I could get breakfast stuff for tomorrow, just bananas, raisin bread, and a hunk of cheese. All I can say about the price of cheese here is that I’m now convinced that Canadians are the only cheese-eating people of the Earth who get ripped off… The price of my purchases wouldn’t have even covered the cheese in Canada. So I’m encouraged that I won’t go broke eating here as long as I cook for myself as much as possible.

So I’m in Amsterdam! The next two weeks are going to absolutely fly by. There are only two things on my list, but I’m sure there’s more to do. I’m investigating a museum pass since I think that work will be light and I might have enough free time to visit enough museums for the pass to pay for itself. The house I’m in is very comfortable and my location is just off of downtown and walking distance to just about anything I’d want to see, hence why I decided to skip the public transportation pass. Can’t wait to start exploring!

December 19, 2016 by Rae

Monday in Málaga

Today was the day I had to get myself sorted in terms of footwear and a coat. My host in Almería told me about a place called Cudeca, which is a charity shop. There happened to be one right by my flat, so I went there to look for a coat.

They had tons of coats for 15 euros each. Unfortunately, most were way too big or too small for me. I found a camel coloured one that would have been awesome had it been three sizes smaller. As it was, I was wearing every layer I plan to where under a coat and I was swimming in fabric. So pass. I settled on a really lovely charcoal one that was just a smidgen snugger than I would have liked and with slightly too short sleeves, but it was clearly the best I was going to do and I’d spent enough time looking at new stuff to know I was getting a bargain. Four ladies in the shop told me that they were voting for that one, so it must look okay. 🙂

I ambled to my next destination and found the Sherlock Holmes pub. Rather random!

So many churches…

I found myself at Plaza de la Merced.

Where they had a great beer and wine special for breakfast.

My destination was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and museum about his life, not to be mixed up with the museum where you can see his artwork. So here’s the house where he was born. His family had an apartment within this house, but the museum now encompasses the whole building. Admission is 4 euros, which includes an audio guide in several languages.

Am I glad I came today as they are closed tomorrow and all the other museums I want to see are closed Mondays and open Tuesdays!

Photography is not allowed in the museum, which was small but very interesting. The most memorable part for me was seeing Picasso’s original sketchbooks with his initial ideas for Les demoiselles d’Avignon, arguably his most famous painting, sketched out in ink. I also saw documents and photographs related to Picasso’s life and learned about his passions for bull fighting and flamenco as well as the enormous influence Málaga had on his life, as he spent his formative years here. It was wonderful little museum and the audio guide was interesting.

Here I am back outside in front of the Picasso statue. By the way, I didn’t get a single guess or even request for a hint yesterday as to the statue I photographed. It was Hans Christian Andersen!

The obelisk that anchors Plaza de la merced, which hasn’t not changed much since its early days.

It was about 12:30 by this point and I hoped to find lunch. So I ambled my way back to the touristy core of the old town. Here’s a neat fountain. Wolves or dogs on this side…

…frolicking ladies on this side. Name of this side is “Diana’s bath.”

I must have a sushi radar or something because I found an all you can eat for 13 euros restaurant! But I went for the 8.50 menú del día as it promised as much food as I really should be eating at one meal. I started off with a beer, then my first miso soup in way too long. Even though it was sunny today, it was still very chilly and this hit the spot! Yum!

I also got fried noodles with veggies (mmm!) and ten pieces of sushi that were very good. For the menú del día, I wasn’t allowed to choose what I would get, so I advised the server about the egg thing so I wouldn’t be brought anything with mayor or, heaven forbid, the omelette sushi (tamago) that featured prominently on their menu! The server was very understanding and I was very happy with the selection.

Their windows were neat as they had barcodes!

Next, I found this hilarious store, the perfect place for those who crave 9-euro bags of Oreos and 10-euro boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal.

Please do not give me this gift basket. I don’t miss American-type food. 😉

“The stars have no boyfriend” is the first line of a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca. Like all good poetry, it’s very evocative, but I have no idea what it means. 🙂

This part of Málaga is all very narrow alleyways, but, for some reason, it wasn’t hard to get orientated.

I passed a Chinese bazaar store as I headed towards the El Corte Inglés department store for footwear and decided to pop in to see what clothes they might have as I want a second fleece. I found one I liked a lot at a “nice” store for a reasonable 15 euros and one that I didn’t like quite so much (pull over versus zip up) at a different Chinese bazaar store for 10 euros. I hoped to find a third option to help me make a decision. Well, this store had the exact same 10-euro sweater, but for 8 euros. Decision made! I brought it to the till and the man told me that he could not get rid of that colour (a coral pink) and if I had exactly 5 euros so he would not have to make change, I could have it for that price. SOLD. 🙂

BTW, I am XXXL in Chinese sizes. LOL I’m anywhere from a 38 to a 40 in European sizes (encompassing the variability that is a North American size 8). I was worried I’d have a hard time finding clothes here as there are so many tiny people, but, thankfully, I’m just as average sized here as I am in North America and I can shop in any store that isn’t focused on “plus sizes,” which seems to be 50 and up here. Clerks here also seem to have a better eye for a client’s size. While I’m still mistaken by Canadian and US store clerks for being a much larger size than I am, Spanish clerks have been correct every time. It’s definitely been a lot more pleasant to shop here.

At any rate, with the fleece bought, I was all set to brave the weather I’m heading into… Well, I may add a hat, but with my scarves covering my ears, they may be enough. I’d rather wait. I have “glittens” I brought from home, fingerless gloves with a mitten cover, so I’m set on that end. I will need wool socks at one point, but I haven’t found any here. I can definitely land on Wednesday with what I have and not freeze.

Where was I? Oh, right, on my way to get boots. 🙂

There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts across from the El Corte Inglés department store that made me laugh. Look at the Cookie Monster doughnut!

After checking out many shops, I conceded that if I could afford them, which I could, a pair of Panama Jack boots would be an investment I would never regret. They are handmade of Spanish leather and while not easily found in North America, known enough there for me to have wanted a pair for a long time.

A pair of boots of comparable quality in Canada has set me back over $400 and the pair I bought today were $230… These are not the ones I wanted, but rather their base model. The ones I wanted were more aesthetically pleasing yet functionally identical and $30 more. Part of financial responsibility is conceding that you really don’t need pink soles and laces for traipsing through puddles, snow, and jungle! 🙂 These were phenomenal value in that they come pretreated to be waterproof and you get a cleaning kit with leather protecting wax, extra laces, and a carrying bag. Last time I bought boots in Canada, I had to buy all those things separately.

The shopping experience was good. You have to ask for service in Spain, so I had lots of time to comparison shop and think through my decision. I saw these on Saturday night so I’d already had time to pretty much make up my mind, but it was good to have a moment before making the plunge without having a sales clerk breathing down my neck. When I was finally ready for help, I went to a cash register and asked the lady there if she could help me. She said she could and followed me to the boots. I showed her what I wanted and said that I might be a 39 or 40. She went to the storeroom and came out with several sizes. I think 40 was the biggest pair they had for all models and it felt just a bit snug for me, especially since I was only wearing thin socks. The clerk reminded me that leather stretches and had me walk around a bit. Doing that made me realise the boots were going to be perfect once I’d broken them in as they were a little loose at the heel and toe. So sold!

I went home for a bit and then headed out to start the breaking in process. I found this rather fancy alley:

And this not so fancy alley:

So many stockings!

Here I am back at the American store. I agree with them that, “Clients don’t expect us to be perfect. They expect us to deal with things when situations arise.”

Sign outside an apartment building: “Your right to smoke ends it impedes the rights of your neighbours to relax. Let’s respect the silence of the night and avoid police presence.”

I walked for a couple of hours in my boots and while they were stiff, they felt very good. They will mean having to drop my Keens, a decision I feel better about now that I found a charity drop off box. I’m sure someone else will get some use out of them. I’m at the point where I’m sick of them and I know I won’t have occasion to wear them again for a long time. So there’s no point trying to find room in my suitcase for them. I will also have to dump a couple of tee-shirts to fit the new fleece. I’ve worn through two of them, so that won’t be any hardship either.

Another thing I found in my travels was a train station my host told me about where I can catch a ride to the airport. She said it’s faster and cheaper than the bus! So that’s where I’m headed Wednesday morning. I just need to solidify the trip from the airport in Amsterdam to my hosts’ place. They gave me instructions, but I’m still not quite sure where to get off on the tram. I guess I should email them. 🙂

It was another good day here. I should have time tomorrow to do a little more exploring!

December 16, 2016 by Rae

Goodbye Almería and Hello Málaga

My host was due arrive in the early afternoon yesterday. I had planned to take the day off, but, of course, a job I couldn’t turn down came in. I had kept on top of all my chores in the house, so there wasn’t much to do for her arrival and I was able to just barely get my job done before she got in, woohoo! We spent part of the afternoon catching up and gabbing, then she went to unpack while I went to pack. This was aided in part by the fact that she’s brought me back a very useful little gift! I couldn’t believe that a) she thought to pick up something for me or that b) it was so me and exactly what I needed:

Pic taken in Málaga with a cameo by my new feline friend. 🙂

I’ve been resisting the urge to buy a few little pouches to organise my Sarajevo bag, but really wanted one to separate currencies and to hold little odd bits like my ear buds and charge cords. So it got put to good use right away. I like the quirky triangular shape and and, of course, that it’s pink! 😀

It was tough, but we made to 8PM, just barely, and went out for my last tapas. We might have been hungry and had three each… 😀

I went to bed early but had a hard time getting to sleep (beer’s fault) and was awake too early. I dozed till eight, then finished packing and said my goodbyes to the cat (who gave me a proper final hug and cuddle!) and my host. The bus station is quite convenient from the bus route I take, so I decided to make my own way so my host could ease into her first day back home. I headed out into the rain around 8:30 and was pleased that I’d timed my last bus perfectly as it was pulling up as I was arriving.

Traffic into town got increasingly worse and I ended up getting off a stop earlier than I would have otherwise, which was a smart move — by the time I got to that stop, the bus was still a block behind me!

I got to the bus station at about nine, an hour and a half before my bus. I elbowed my way to the counter at the café there and ordered a whole tomato toast (both sides of the bun) since I wasn’t sure when I’d next get to eat and I hadn’t been smart and bought snacks ahead of time for the ride. There was nothing at the café that I particularly wanted to go.

After breakfast, I decided that I should buy myself a magazine or two as a treat to read on the bus. Hmm… no magazine kiosk around. First time I’ve ever been to a bus station without one. I went to the information desk and asked. The lady gave me very clear directions to the one she felt was closest, about a five-minute walk away. I got there (stepping in a very cold puddle on the way) and… it was closed. But my soggy quest was not in vain as I found a Mercadona and was able to get a slice of “pizza” for my lunch later. I had fruit and water on me, so I was set. Before anyone asks, no, grocery stores here do not carry magazines. So so much for that idea.

It was about 10:15 by the time I made my way back to the bus station. I headed for my platform and discovered that I know a word in Serbian that I didn’t know in Spanish!

I was delighted to discover that the bus had decent wifi, which made up for not finding reading materials. So off we went. It’s not a long distance, about 250KM, but I had a five-hour trip ahead of me since the direct bus was 24 euros and the local bus was only 9 euros!

The ride along the coast was lovely, especially as the sky began to clear as we headed west! It reminded me a lot of the Montenegrin coast.

We stopped in Motril for 30 minutes. The entrance into that bus station is really small and awkward and I’d find it tough in my truck! I can’t believe the buses can get around without hitting anything. I went into the café and had one of those really special coffees that will stick out in my mind. I don’t know what the guy did to it, but the crema tasted like toasted caramel. Sooooo good. I went out to look for a news kiosk and found one. It was closed. You know, because it was almost siesta time and all that. Like I posted on Facebook, Spain continues to be the most ridiculous and exasperating country I have had the pleasure of visiting. 🙂

We picked up a very chirpy new passenger:

At one point, we passed this store that made me laugh. Related to OK Tires in western Canada? 🙂

I forgot to make a note of where this was, but what an impressive city!

Just as I judged this trip to be the second-most interminable and twisty since Belgrade to Sarajevo, we made it to Málaga!

Kind of a London feel to the skyline…

I’d pre-Googled the directions to my accommodation and it was super quick and easy walk there in terms of navigation (not so much in terms of dodging construction). My friendly host was waiting for me. She has a really nice and newly renovated apartment in an older building. She made me feel comfortable straight away, telling me I have full use of the kitchen (including designated space to store groceries in both the pantry and the fridge). We gabbed a bit and she told me that outside of the core of Málaga, I will find the same scheduling issues I encountered in Almería. But, thankfully, I’m right on the edge of the core.

I went straight back out to get some groceries and to make a withdrawal since I’d seen a Deutsche Bank on the way. I hadn’t known if my PayPal transfer had gone through at the time, but I’d been able to confirm it when I got online at the apartment. I was famished by this point (just past five) and was going to turn around and get groceries at the small supermarket right by the apartment, but figured that since I was just a few blocks from a restaurant I’d passed and was curious about, I’d go check it out first. It’s a chain called “Mr. Noodle.”

I passed a pretty church en route:

I got to Mr. Noodle and was happy to see a menu on a table outside, so I grabbed it and saw that the offerings were interesting (Chinese and Thai) and the prices reasonable. So I decided to attempt to try it out at some point in my stay. Just as I was turning to go, a server came outside to ask me if I wanted to eat.

Wait. What? The kitchen was open? At 5PM?! What rabbit hole had I fallen into?!

Let me repeat that I was famished, so that was a definite yes on wanting to eat. 😀 It was chilly out, but they had a covered seating area with a fireplace that was quite cosy. I ordered a beer and went through the menu. Pending disappointment be damned, I ordered their chicken pad thai, no egg please, but spicy.

What was served looked suspiciously like pad thai. Notice the two bottles of sauce at the top left, Sriracha and sweet chile so I could control my own spiciness level.

This was in no way the best pad thai I’ve ever had, but DANG. It hit the texture and flavour profile I’ve been craving. I left very satisfied. The price was right, too, at 10 euros (including the beer), or about 15CAD. So not cheap, but definitely in line with what I’m used to paying for pad thai of this quality. What an amazing end to my day!

I learned another new word while look a their menu. Not just in Spanish:

Top middle, altramuces. They translate as “lupines” and are a type of legume.

It was getting properly cold out as the sun was setting and I was beat, so I headed home, stopping at the supermarket (Día) for a few things. It was a bit pricy compared to other supermarkets, so I just got enough for breakfast and will look for a Mercadona tomorrow.

I really haven’t seen enough of Málaga yet to have an impression of it other than it’s a large bustling city. It’ll be a fun few days if things are open for long hours and I can get different cuisines, but I don’t think it’ll be as nice a city to walk around in as Almería. I’m not on vacation while here and do plan to work, but I will go exploring tomorrow!

Here’s a map of my day:

December 13, 2016 by Rae

Almería After Dark

Late yesterday (Monday) afternoon, I still had about 30 minutes of work to do, but I needed a break and got hit with a case of claustrophobia. So I impulsively dressed for town and headed to the bus stop! Buses don’t run as often at that hour, but I only had to wait ten minutes for one, not enough time to talk me out my non-plan. 🙂

It was past four and just from the bus, I could tell I was about to discover a whole new Almería since there were businesses open that I’d never seen open before.

I got off at my usual stop and started ambling aimlessly, passing a restaurant with this quote outside that made me laugh really hard:

Notice the name on the fake quote and think back to the movie “Braveheart,” (still one of my favourite movies of all time). This quote says, loosely translated, “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our enjoyment!”

I was famished and decided to see if the fast food Turkish restaurant might be serving food that odd hour. Yes! I ordered chicken and rice and paid the extra euro to get veggies, which was a good choice since one of the veggies was a really good oil and vinegar coleslaw that made my tastebuds very happy! And of course, I asked for their garlic sauce. 🙂 I really hadn’t gone to town to eat there, but I’m glad I splurged on dinner!

I continued to amble. Downtown is compact and I can wander around now and not get lost, although with the streets being at weird angles I couldn’t give anyone directions and it takes me a few turns sometimes to get back to the main thoroughfares.

The varied architecture is lovely.

A stature of Dr. Nicolás Salmerón y Alonso, president of the first Spanish Republic.

I’m really not into the whole holiday season thing, but who doesn’t like pretty lights?

It was chilly and I was acutely aware that I need a proper coat and footwear before I leave Spain. I checked out a few dozen shops, but found nothing that was quite right. Prices were generally very reasonable, so that’s not the problem. I also discovered that clerks will ignore you unless you specifically ask for help. I’m glad my host told me that a major etiquette thing here is to greet people when you come into the shop, otherwise you’re seen as rude. So I would say hi, browse, and ask questions if I had some and clerks were happy to help.

I had just barely enough vocabulary for this exercise and didn’t know how to say things like “high heels.” So I’d point to high heeled boots and say, “I don’t want them like this, rather like this,” and point to flat shoes. Like in Mexico, it’s hard to find sensible shoes without heels in Spain. I was shocked that leather shoes that would be 100CAD+ in Canada were around 45 to 60CAD here. Anyway, the shoes were all either way too urban or way too rural. There was, however, a surprising amount of proper lined cold weather footwear, but I didn’t want actual winter boots, just something I can waterproof and wear with heavy socks.

Coats were difficult because I don’t have the shape of the average Spanish woman (same problem I have in Mexico), where you either have to be a stick or an hour glass figure. Amusingly enough, I saw a woman about my size and shape wearing exactly what I’m hoping to find, so I actually stopped her to ask where she bought her coat. Madrid. That was not helpful. 😀

I’m staying with someone about my age in Málaga and I think I will wait till I get there and get her advice as to where to shop. I haven’t found many used clothing stores here. Population-wise, Málaga is about five times bigger than Almería and gets more foreign tourists, so it definitely sounds like a better place to look. Anyway, I have a better idea now of what I’m looking for.

One thing I really liked as I shopped is that most stores will list what the storefront mannequins are wearing, along with the prices. So I could know at a glance if I could afford to shop in that store or not.

I loved this pretty pink store and that grey coat would have been awesome, but, of course, it was the most expensive thing I’d seen all night (200 euros)! If I thought I might get regular use out of it beyond the next three months, I would have bought it, but since I don’t, I’d prefer to stick to my plan of buying something new for less than 60 euros or, ideally, at a used store for much less.

The sign in the window has a list of the owner’s wishes for 2017: peace, love, health, friendship, work, happiness, and prosperity.

I found an ice cream at one point and could not resist even though it was really not ice cream weather because it was chocolate-hazelnut, not a popular flavour here and one I’ll forever associate with the Balkans. A tiny scoop was reasonably priced.

While I had every intention of getting a beer to cap my night, I started to droop around seven and still had some work to do. So I went to the bus stop and a bus pulled up in less than five minutes!

The ride home would have been freaky in my early days here since it was pitch black out and for some reason, the stops weren’t being announced so it was hard to know where I was at times. The bus emptied out at the university, with just me remaining, and the driver asked if I knew where I was getting off. Yes. It’s very easy because the bus makes one turn after the university and I’m the stop immediately after that turn. Didn’t remember the name of it the stop, though, but he understood what I meant. It was then a walk of a couple of blocks to get home.

Almería after dark was a whole different world than I’ve been used to, much busier than in the earlier part of the day! I think Spaniards are vampires!

December 3, 2016 by Rae

A Lovely Saturday Morning in Almería

I slept the sleep of the dead (my room is pitch black and dead quiet if the wind isn’t blowing!), waking up at just shy of 10 this morning. Well, there went my plans to get on an “early” (9:30) bus to town! But, hey, this is Spain and things move slowly and I wasn’t going to let myself be rushed by this change of plans. 🙂 I made the 10:30(ish) bus with the plan to get partway to town and then walk along the Malecón.

I keep forgetting to mention that I live near the university, with the presence of a university being another reason I like Almería as a potential Spanish home should I move here.

I got off at the senior citizens home, which, like in French, is called a “home for those of the third age.”

It was supposed to be sunny today and good Malecón walking weather. At least, it wasn’t windy and the temperature was comfortable!

First stop was a shop to see if they had boots and a coat. Yes, but nothing I wanted. I need to shop in earnest for these items before I leave for Amsterdam as they will be much less expensive here, plus I’d rather land there with season appropriate clothes, never mind that I can actually describe to shopkeepers here what I want! There are a few used clothing stores that I am going to make a point to visit for the coat. And, yes, I should have no problem finding what I want here. I’m going to temps hovering above freezing so I’m not even looking for lined boots, just something leather that I can waterproof.

I had had only coffee at home and my tummy was growling when I came out of the store, so I went to the café right next door for sustenance. No complaints about breakfast in this part of Spain! 🙂 It was only 1.90 euros!

View from breakfast.

And then off I went towards downtown Almería.

Here’s an example of how you can make an area look better than it is if you select the right camera angle. So rather ugly with those light posts:

And rather paradisal without!

Interesting apartment building.

This “Indian” restaurant had a really varied menu! They do have Indian (Hindu) food on the right-most part of the menu, but they also have pasta, falafel, pizza, and chicken fingers.

Love the name of this ice cream parlour/café.

Looking back the way I came.

The water was so clear!

Can you see the lighthouse in the distance?

How about now?

Nearly there, I found some lovely flowers.

At the “nautical club,” I found this interesting subterranean entrance.

There’s another one.

And another!

This bridge leads to the “English Cable” (ore dock).

On the yellow entrance, I got some answers! They are entrances to parking garages. Quite a lot of instructions for getting to your car between midnight and 7AM. You can only enter at that time through the blue and green entrances.

I really like that brick bridge.

Rather sudden stop for the railway line!

Saddest forest I’ve ever seen… 🙂

The English Cable from beneath it.

Here’s the defunct Gran Hotel Almería.

The name of it tickles my fancy since I’m a fan of the Spanish show “Gran Hotel” and have been frustrated to not find the last season with (Spanish) subtitles. I got through the first two seasons without any issue, but I’m still not at the point where I can handle Spanish-language audio without the aid of subtitles, which can be in Spanish. I’m just more of a visual person. Anyway, this was a reminder to go search again as I was left on a cliff hanger!

The city was starting to be decorated for the holiday season.

The art museum was open and I had time to visit the exhibit about fashion at the time of Queen Isabel I (late 15th, early 16th century — the time of Christopher Columbus). Entry was 3 euros.

Can you believe this was a mere lady-in-waiting’s outfit?

All the informational placards were in Spanish only and I learned a lot of new vocabulary! My dictionary app got quite a workout. Most of the clothes in the exhibit were made of silk and/or cotton.

This dress belonging to a sultana was my favourite of the entire exhibit. Just love the teal with the purple and lime green (same colour scheme as my Isla casita my last winter there!).

More Moorish outfits.

Armour with a magnificent cloak.

More armour.

I saw some original 16th century documents signed by Carlos I himself regarding repairs to the fortress of Alcazaba after the earthquake of 1522. And other document that let me see the signatures of the “Catholic kings.”

The next room in the exhibit had clothes related to the court of Isabel I.

Why don’t we dress so beautifully anymore?!

I could see myself in this “simple” lady-in-waiting’s dress.

Queen Isabel’s coronation gown.

I learned that Queen Isabel like bright colours, stiff fabrics like taffeta, and also favoured brocades.

The final room was about the world of Isabel.

Love these knitted leggings. They seem to be in what I know as “point de sillon,” which is knit two, purl one.

Isabel’s mourning (luto) gown.

The dress she wore for her wedding to Ferdinand of Aragon.

Her books of prayers (rezos — told you I was learning a lot!).

I learned that the Catholic kings got control of Almería and forced out Muslims who would not convert.

Here’s Queen Isabel. Rather a shame they didn’t have a portrait of her in one of the dresses on display.

Queen Isabel was very interesting! She was a woman ahead of her time who put forth the interests of women in a world governed by men. She introduced Spain to the Renaissance and to the spread of Christianity through art, politics, and fashion. The sign I’m translating from also says she was the first queen in history to be queen in her own right and not a consort, with all the powers of a male sovereign, but surely they mean that for Spain only.

There were many signs that claimed that she was all for the rights of Native Americans and prevented them from being treated like slaves, proclaiming them humans equal to Europeans, but I took that with a grain of salt…

Familiar looking armour:

Spain was unified through the wedding of Isabel and Ferdinand, creating the strongest state in Europe at the time and the Spanish hegemony.

And here is Queen Isabel’s will… which spells out her defence of Native Americans. Wow!

Incredible inventions of the 14th century included the compass (brújula) and the astrolabe.

Finally in this museum, I saw a painting that made me think of early fall in Quebec when folks go apple picking (“aller aux pommes.”)

Here’s the coronation gown in the context of the museum. Well placed! I also loved the period appropriate music that played softly.

Exterior of the museum:

I next head towards the central market to pick up some produce when I came across this wonderful little street market! It’s that time of year. There were so many lovely things for sale and prices were very reasonable.

I saw these earrings marked just 2 euro and had to have them! The seller and I chatted for a bit since he was curious to know where I was from because he rarely sees non-Spanish tourists, especially in the off season. When I went to pay, he would only accept 1 euro!

Since I had dinner out last night, I didn’t need lunch out and so decided to get an ice cream. I went with cappuccino flavour, which, as expected, tasted very similar to a Tim Hortons iced capp.

I continued on to the central market and it was much busier than last time! I wanted a few things to turn a chicken carcass into broth and looked for someone who would sell me only two stalks of celery.

That was easily done and I also got a few other things from him since he had really nice produce, including grapes. My total was almost 5.50 euros and he would only accent 5, even with my having exact change! Have I mentioned recently just how lovely Almeríans are?!

I walked around a bit and saw something I haven’t seen in a very long time, romanesco, which I had discovered in Yukon of all places.

I felt a little silly walking around with the end of my celery sticking out of my bag. The seller had offered to cut it off, but it adds so much flavour to broth that I declined. He thought I hadn’t understood him and had held up a knife to mimic doing it. So I told him my plan (yay for knowing “caldo de pollo”) and he went, “Ah! Of course!” But I took him up on his offer to cut the greens off the carrots.

I popped into the Carrefour Market to get some soup noodles of some sort and stored my purchases in one of their little lockers (1 euro deposit).

As it turns out, the edible polystyrene is called “prawn bread.” I picked up some Chinese noodles on the same shelf.

I examined a full wall of “turrón,” which my dictionary informed me is nougat. Hard to resist!

Especially the marzipan!

My purchases were a bit heavy (I hadn’t brought the cart) and it was getting close to two, when everything closes, so I headed to a bus stop, where I had to wait 15 minutes. I made the mistake of riding home on a seat facing the wrong direction and got in feeling quite nauseated!

Here’s a map of my route today:

I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable Saturday morning off! Back to the grindstone tomorrow. 🙂

A Life By Design

"Sometimes in life, we reach to a right place by departing from a wrong port with a wrong ship!" ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan

Restaurants

An Amazing Last Evening in Spain and Off to Amsterdam!

Monday in Málaga

Goodbye Almería and Hello Málaga

Almería After Dark

A Lovely Saturday Morning in Almería