Estepona--my favorite!! We've spent many wonderful vacations in the area. Weeks at a time. I'm really regretting that we won't be going there in May. It's been so, so long (14 years). Has it changed much since then? We used to rent a house in Bahia Dorada, an urbanization west of town. We'd sit out on the terrace with a bottle of sherry and some olives from the market. Lovely view of the Sierra Bermeja and the twinkling lights of Estepona. Heaven! And I loved going to town to shop--the freshest fish, eggs and produce. A special stop for bread. Anchovy Front, do you know the "lechuga man"? I remember him well, standing out on the street growling "lechuga, lechuga!"

My husband and I had pretty much ruled out "retiring" to Spain. Maybe we should reconsider?

What's happened? I leave the office for the weekend, get back, log on and ......I've had a sex change!! It's Mr Anchovy, actually, billy ski, but what the heck, I'll still have a cafe solo with you next time you're down here! (This last line delivered in a VERY deep voice!)

Carole, Bahia Dorada still seems the same as it was when I first saw it fifteen years ago. All those entrances and neat gardens is what you see from the road as you drive past. I must say, I've never walked around but it looks lovely through a car window!

Estepona has changed for the better over the last few years. Lots of plants, trees, new promenade, pedestrianised streets and in general it's being cleaned up and improved constantly, although without losing any of the character of the place.

Never met the lettuce man! We did see the knife sharpener though the other day. He has a grinding wheel on the back of his bike and blows on a set of pan pipes to let everyone know he's around and people bring out their knives, scissors.