There are numerous ferry options out of Tangier to ports along the Spainish south coast, we chose a high speed ferry to Tarifa and then a free bus to Algerciras. Not sure why it was free but that word is worth a million dollars to a budget traveller and try as we might, budget still enters our conversation if one hand is on our wallet. From Algerciras we took a train through South Spain and up to Ronda a small holiday resort town if you don't fancy a beach. Spain is straightaway different. There are no loud speaker yodelling calling anyone and everyone to prayer. Those calls are made five times a day everyday, must be heaps of sinners I reckon when we only have a few bells on a Sunday. We can also walk along the street without someone trying to sell you something that you obviously don't need or want. It was regular to have an Arab encouraging you to buy a watch when clearly the one on your wrist was doing the job. A hat, even though there was one on your head, a suitcase, a meal, a pair of sunglasses even though you are wearing corrective lenses.
Morocco was certainly different to Europe but we love that cultural stimulation and would be first on the plane back if the opportunity arose.
Once settled in to our apartment in Ronda we got out and did a bit of exploring. The city seemed so clean after Morocco and the population clearly European but still not much English to be heard. Ronda is an old city and has a similar history to Lisbon where it has been colonised by different tribes over thousands of years including Muslims in the past. It is built on the edge of a rock cliff so had wonderful views out over the countryside below. Like all European cities Ronda has it's share of town squares or quiet areas where there are numerous monuments to dead heroes and a fountain. That is something different to Morocco, no statues of dead heroes anywhere there. We had time for a bit of geocaching as we wandered along the narrow streets and off the beaten path.
Following Ronda we took a bus down to Malaga, a coastal town with an international airport, most used to flying Brits in to catch some sun during their winter. We had rented an apartment through AirBnB and the owner Sergio kindly picked us up and delivered us to his wee house. This was close to the centre of town and had everything we needed. We could catch the bus to downtown and once again meet the dead heroes but the bird watching on the beach was more interesting, in my opinion. The town has 15 urban beaches where some of the swimwear was fairly brief. Even though temperatures were into the thirties we couldn't be tempted to get our swimming kit on and venture into the flat calm deep blue Mediterranean Sea.
 |
| Malaga |
Malaga, like Lisbon, has the similar history and a castle or two as well. We spent a few hours wandering among some well maintained ruins and hunting out a cache or two. This blog I am writing as we are winging our way, courtesy of British Airways into London City. So it is goodbye to our last town on continental Europe and a sort of closure of another leg of our travels - I have the feeling we won't be coming back. However, we have family and friends to visit in England and Scotland and we are looking forward to seeing the New Zealand sevens team winning the gold medal in Glasgow in less than a fortnight now.
Posted with Blogsy