THE CITY I FELL IN LOVE WITH- MALAGA (Part III)

THE CITY I FELL IN LOVE WITH

MALAGA (PART III)

When we checked into the hotel we didn't notice that there were actually elevators on both sides of the hotel, we only saw the two elevators that were adjacent to our room. So when we decided to go to the bar on the roof of the hotel, we were surprised when we realized that the elevators only go to the 5th floor, which is actually the floor where the hotel rooms are located. After wandering around the corridors of the hotel for a bit, we finally came to the stairs that led to the roof of the hotel where we actually realized that there were other elevators facing the other side. Anyway we managed to get up and find the bar. Since it was December and the bar was on the 6th floor, I can say that it was quite cold. We settled on a table by the fence which offered a phenomenal view of the city center and the cathedral. A few steps separated the bar from the pool which although quite small looked very cute and was nicely decorated with sunbeds and umbrellas. The waiter working at the bar was very polite and helpful. He immediately brought a heater to our table and kindly served us. On his recommendation, even though I'm not a fan of gin, I decided to try Nordes Spanish Gin. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this gin, I could feel the various floral aromas that went well with the gin itself. Carried away by the conversation and the beautiful view, we didn't even notice when midnight came and we had to leave the bar so the staff could close. Tired from the active day, we went down to the room and got ready for bed.

The next day we woke up around 9 am and went down to the hotel restaurant for a continental breakfast, which was included in our price. The buffet breakfast was delicious and varied, I don't have the habit of taking pictures of the food because I'm always ravenous and can't wait to eat, so I always remember to take a picture when I'm done eating. The breakfast looked like any standard breakfast buffet, and included scrambled eggs, hot dogs and sausages, cooked vegetables, fresh fruits and vegetables, various Spanish cold cuts, a large selection of muesli, croissants, of course several different types of coffee, tea, juices... After the good breakfast we went back to the room packed and checked out of the hotel. We headed to the marina and decided to enjoy the strong sun that was already burning hard and sit in one of the local cafes and ordered coffee and freshly squeezed juices. The feeling is incredible when you enjoy 17 degrees in December and smell the sea calling you to enter. 

After we were filled with warmth, we headed to the cathedral in the center of Malaga, for which we had already reserved tickets for 1:00 p.m. to enter inside as well as to enter the lookout point that is on top of the cathedral. I quite liked the fact that only a small number of people are allowed to go up to the observation deck at a time, about 30, which is a big plus because there are no crowds and jostling and everyone can take pictures and enjoy the view without being weighed down by a large crowd of people. Since I have a very interesting phobia that even I can't explain exactly what caused it, I was afraid if I would be able to climb to the top of the cathedral, because I couldn't find any pictures or information about the stairs and the way up. Namely, fear is a combination of height, open space and stairs. There is no rule when and what exactly I will be afraid of. That's why I always look in such cases if it's possible to be the last in the group, if it happens that I can't continue further, to be able to go back without considering the others. We started to slowly climb up, the stairs were quite wide and luckily, round, where I couldn't look down, that is. I couldn't see what height we were at. As we went up the stairs got narrower and I have to admit that I felt uneasy going up, but for no moment did I think of turning back. we passed through several narrow corridors and stairs again and finally went upstairs. A security guard always came with us to make sure that we would all reach the top safely and that no one would wander through any of the forbidden places to visit. 

When we saw the view from the cathedral I realized that all the fear was worth it. On one side you see the beautiful blue sea, on the left the beautiful Alcazaba Palace, which I already wrote about in the first post about Malaga, next to it is the incredible and beautiful city center. I can say that this cathedral really left me speechless when it comes to the view. It is quite interesting that a platform has been built around the cathedral and you can see the city from every side. We stayed here for about half an hour, took many pictures, admired the view, and then slowly started to descend. 

You end the tour in the gift shop located in the cathedral and if you have paid entrance to the cathedral you can freely enter and visit it or exit if you have not. We entered the cathedral and the first thing that catches your eye is its size, the beautiful sculptures and carvings as well as the huge organ. I have always been interested in Catholicism, considering that I am an Orthodox Christian, I find the confessionals quite interesting, and now I had the opportunity to see them up close. It may not be the most beautiful cathedral in the world, or it doesn't have beautiful carvings like the Duomo Cathedral, but this cathedral left more of an impression on me than any other cathedral I have visited. 

You haven't been to Malaga if you haven't visited at least one of the beaches. After visiting the cathedral, we decided to head to the neighborhood of La Malagueta, where the beach of the same name is located. This neighborhood is known for its great bars, branded shops, good entertainment and a beautiful beach. Located in close proximity to the city center, La Malagueta beach is one of the most visited beaches in Malaga due to its location and accessibility. It is 1200 meters long and the average width of the beach is 45 meters. It is equipped with showers, bathrooms, children's playgrounds, sunbeds and umbrellas, beach bars and is very easily accessible due to the city buses that pass here. We decided to buy some refreshing juices and snacks from a small shop and headed to the beach. We settled down on the fine white sand and enjoyed the view of the restless waves. The warm sun burned our faces and the smell of the sea took us to another dimension, where it was July and people were swimming in the sea. Of course I was tempted to join the brave few who mustered the courage to step into the cold water, but the moment I touched the water with my feet I realized that it wasn't such a good idea. We stayed to enjoy the view for the next two hours. If hunger had not prevailed, I believe that we would have stayed for a while longer enjoying the view of the restless sea.

Now a little tired and hungry, we decided to find a restaurant and sit down for lunch. Our goal was to find a restaurant near the Picasso museum, and if we had time to visit it or at least visit the house where he lived. We decided to sit down at the Picasso Bar Tapas restaurant and bar. We ordered two sangrias one white one red which cost only €5 each and were served in half liter glasses and decided to try their local speciality, Rueda de tapas, chef's choice which cost only €16 and included 5 tapas and sauce, as well as a small portion of Fritura Malaguena, which cost 15 euros and included a huge portion of fried seafood, i.e. fish, mussels, shrimps, octopus. I have to admit that their portions were huge and of course delicious.

Surprised by the delicious and abundant food, we stayed here a little longer than planned and we didn't have time to go to the Picasso museum, which we certainly plan to visit on another occasion. We just saw Picasso's birth house from the outside and headed to the bus terminal where we were supposed to catch a bus that would take us to the airport. 

We arrived on time, we waited for the bus for no more than 5-10 minutes, we bought a ticket from the driver which cost 4 euros per person, and so sad that we have to leave this beautiful city that amazed me with its diversity, identity, beauty, happiness, positivity and comprehensiveness and made me fall in love with him in just two days, we headed to the airport. One very interesting fact that we found out after going through all the controls and heading to the gates, and which I believe will be of interest to many people, is that there is no smoking area at Malaga airport once you go through the controls. That is, the only place where you can smoke cigarettes is in front of the airport. Which means if you are a smoker I strongly recommend you light a cigarette before entering the airport because the next cigarette you will be able to light will be somewhere else on the other side of the world. Tired but full of wonderful experiences and memories from this city, we sat down in the chairs in the waiting room in front of our gate and waited for them to announce boarding for our flight to Zagreb. Spain is a country full of surprises and amazing cities and a very interesting culture that I can't wait to explore and experience in more detail. So, Spain, wait for me on the next occasion.