Posted by: jllawson
I found Spain! - 06/12/01 10:43 AM
After five trips to Spain in 12 months; I have found the "real Spain"(sorry, I get to define real); it is out in the country among the people making a life for their families and trying to stay connected to the traditions.. I have visited too many big cities; so this last trip I flew into Malaga and went immediately to the car rental and headed for parts unknown... just one hour inland there is what may be the real Spain; families who for generations have lived in the same villages, done the same work and have a great appreciation for their traditions.. in 15 days I drove 2400 miles without leaving the Cordoba/Malaga provinces except to go to Granada for one day to pick up my new custom classical guitar... big cities, museums, art, crowds, tapas bars, tourista flamenco...been there done that... give me a quick breakfast(300pts) in a bar in a town of 1500 wonderful people(who can't believe I was were I wanted to be); cruise the backroads to see the ruins and miradors(lookout towers all over the countryside), lunch in a big village of 3-4,000(400pts) stop by the second largest resevoir in Spain and enjoy the cool water; dinner in a country bar that served a fantastic ensalada mixta; lightly battered fish(rosada?) cold beer(600pts) listening to the farm workers recount the day...hey it is suddenly 8:30p.m. and I head back to a B&B that is $17/night(has pool and good company).. I am returning in September to finalize the purchase of a "townhouse" in a small village(Villanueva Algaidas) and furnish the place for subsequent visits... this locale is one hour from Granada, two hours from Seville, one hour from Cordoba, one hour from the Malaga airport; a one hour flight to Madrid or Barcelona or Bilbao... the weather is much to my liking hot in summer and very tolerable in winter... THIS MUST BE SPAIN!!!!!