Walking To Bethlehem For Cotton Candy

Some days, the international news is just too much to bear. I stopped reading this morning and, instead, San Geraldo and I did the NY Times crossword puzzle together over our coffee. I prefer doing the crossword alone, but this morning I really enjoyed the togetherness.

Afterward, I went for a long walk. It began with a purpose but "the purpose" was closed because today is a national holiday, Fiesta de La Inmaculada Concepción (Feast of the Immaculate Conception). So I instead checked out the Municipal Nativity Scene (Belén) on the Plaza de Los Reyes Católicos. (Belén is Bethlehem in Spanish.)

I had no idea they had cotton candy in Bethlehem 2,016 years ago! (And candy apples!)

Thanks to San Geraldo and my walk in the sunshine, my day is so much sweeter.

(Click the images to sweeten your day.)

PLUS ... FRESH COCONUT SLICES, CHORIZO ...
AND SOMETHING WHITE SQUIRTED OUT OF A JUMBO TUBE?

A JEWISH SYNAGOGUE IN FUENGIROLA!!!

WE THREE KINGS...

NO ROOM AT THE INN...

LOOK AT THAT CROCHETING.

I WAS SO BUSY ADMIRING HER TABLECLOTH, I ALMOST MISSED
THAT GUY ON THE BALCONY IN HIS BATHROBE. 

THE BAKERY.

FIRST I THOUGHT, "COW." THEN I THOUGHT "WELL-ENDOWED BULL."
THEN I THOUGHT "DEFINITELY COW." BUT, HELL, I'M FROM THE CITY!
BESIDES, WHO EVER HEARD OF A BULL BELL?!?

ON THE PLAZA DE LOS REYES CATÓLICOS.
(THE CATHOLIC QUEEN AND KING STATUE AT RIGHT.)

"You're the apple on the stick..."

It's A Treat To Beat Your Feet

It was a bright, sun-shiny day! We walked over to El Jazzy for coffee this morning and, afterward, I took a 1-1/2-hour walk on the paseo. The City and businesses are out in force cleaning up the mess. Mountains of mud are being scooped up by trucks. Streets and walkways are being powerwashed.

MUD BEING CORRALLED ALONG THE PASEO.

There's a lot of work to be done on the beaches. Boardwalks and facilities were torn apart by the rain and mud. Huge trenches have been cut through the sand and the entire beach and shoreline need to be re-graded. I don't know what they do about all that mud on the beach. Maybe it's heavier than sand and will just sink? Right now, it's not very pleasant, but the tourists are back out there sun-bathing. I don't blame them. I saw many sad-looking people dragging their suitcases to the train station yesterday. (Click the images for bigger mud pies.)

SUNDAY AND...

... TUESDAY.

AT ANOTHER SPOT, THE SUN-BATHERS HAD ALREADY RETURNED.

It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mediterranean Mud, too...

Peacock, My Ass

When I was first out of university and looking for a job (with my degree in Art with minors in Psychology and English), my mother's friend, Leah Meis (name changed to protect the unkind) insisted I meet her son-in-law to see if he had a job for me. He interviewed me in Leah's bedroom (and, no, I didn't put out) and offered me a job in the mailroom of his factory-of-some-sort in New Jersey. I didn't like him much (nor did I like the offer); I thanked him and turned him down.

The next day, Leah arrived at my parents' apartment and demanded I take the mailroom job. I told her I was looking for something a bit more challenging and interesting.

Leah said, "Get the feathers out of your ass, Mitchell! You're not a peacock!"


Once I was gainfully employed, I walked into Saks Fifth Avenue and bought myself a very expensive, hand-painted, silk necktie. One spectacular peacock feather on a scarlet background.

(After another 15 years, Leah Meis retired to New Jersey and my mother, having finally decided she'd endured enough nastiness, refused to visit her.)


Dudo's Peacock Feather
On the subject of peacocks, when our niece Lindy's parents were visiting last month, her mother, Debbie, brought a bag of toys for the cats — two of each item. Included were a pair of peacock feathers from their own farm peacocks. Dudo and Moose were (and are) ecstatic.

My Ass
In preparation for our move to Spain more than 5 years ago, I finally retired that very old peacock feather necktie. I've at times considered having a peacock fan tattooed across my entire back (emerging from the crack of my ass).

(Click the images for a closer look... at Dudo, not my ass.)

DUDO AND HIS PEACOCK FEATHER.

SOMETHING FLEW BY.

WAS THAT AN ENTIRE PEACOCK???

Detour, There's A Muddy Road Ahead

It's been raining, at times torrentially, since yesterday afternoon.

I texted Tynan this morning to see if he had it in him to brave the weather and meet us for coffee downstairs from us at Barboru instead of at El Jazzy Bar, which is closer to him.

He lives uphill from us, across from one of the flood channels in town. He texted back that mud and water were flowing downhill from the neighborhood, Los Pacos, above theirs. His street had been turned into a muddy river and he wasn't going anywhere.

(Click any image for more mud.)

TYNAN SENT ME THIS SHOT OF HIS "STREET."

San Geraldo and I had coffee downstairs and then went for a walk in the rain. Mud had washed down from the mountains, over roads and pavements, before pouring onto the beach and into the sea. What a mess.

SAN GERALDO SURVEYING THE DAMAGE ON OUR STREET.

WHERE THE TURF MEETS THE SURF?

THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SAND.

OUR NORMALLY SOFTLY UNDULATING SHORELINE.

CLOSED ROAD AND OUT-OF-SERVICE STATION?

MORE POOLS FILLED. MAYBE THE ROMAN BATHS CAN REOPEN!

THE ROMAN FISH-SALTING FACTORY.
I HOPE THOSE POTTED OLIVE TREES SURVIVE THE FLOOD.

ROAD AND PAVEMENT.
(OR, IN AMERICAN, STREET AND SIDEWALK.)

WHERE THE WATER WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY.
(SURGE WAS SO STRONG, THE BRICK FOUNDATION WAS TORN UP.)

WHAT TO DO WHEN IT'S RAINING: COFFEE, THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE, AND
CHEF ROBBIE'S FRESH-BAKED ORANGE SHORTBREAD AT BARBORU.

"Should have read that detour sign..."

Gonna Build A Mountain

By Friday afternoon, a day with some sunshine and only a little drizzle here and there, the City of Fuengirola had finished piling up all the debris washed ashore from our previous week of storms. There was, of course, the typical trash, but the primary flotsam was bamboo stalks.

San Geraldo wondered where all the bamboo had come from. I said I thought it had all come from the sea. He said he thought I was a smart ass.

Throughout Friday, the pile of bamboo and other debris grew higher and higher right across the street. I wanted San Geraldo to climb on top for my photos. He thought about it and decided it was too dangerous. Sometimes he can be so mature.

FROM THE TERRACE FRIDAY MORNING.

FROM THE PASEO FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

DUDO AND MOOSE ENJOYING FRIDAY'S BIT OF SUNSHINE
ON THEIR TERRACE RETREAT.

It's raining again, and it's supposed to do so with a vengeance. Over these next few days, we're expecting double the accumulation of the last round of storms. But despite the weather and the news from around the world, Fuengirola has built a mountain and I'm 'gonna' push my daydream up that mountain slope (it's all in the song below).

"I don't know how I'm gonna do it; only know I'm gonna try..."

Light Eating After Seeing The Lights

Our favorite restaurant in Málaga is now our favorite three restaurants in Málaga (and they have a fourth on the way). We discovered El Meson de Cervantes nearly six years ago during our first visit to Spain (eight months before moving here). Then, Matt and Lindy told us about their other restaurant, El Tapeo de Cervantes. And, now there's a third restaurant, Vinería Cervantes. So, that's where we went Monday night after we saw the light(s).

I've provided English descriptions beneath each photo. Their Spanish menu wouldn't load for me to copy the info and their translations don't always tell the whole story, but you'll definitely get the idea.

It seems impossible we managed to eat all this. (But, click the pics and I think you'll understand.)

SEA BREAM WRAPPED IN COURGETTE,
CARROT PUREE, AND A JUNIPER SAUCE.

RED PEPPERS STUFFED WITH COD
AND SERVED WITH A TOMATO SAUCE.

OXTAIL EMPANADILLAS.

BATTERED PRAWNS WITH TREACLE
AND A CORIANDER MAYONNAISE.

GRILLED OCTOPUS (IN AN INK SAUCE!!!) WITH SMOKED MASHED POTATOES.
(NONE FOR ME. THE SUCTION CUPS GET STUCK TO THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH.)

BOAR STEW WITH SWEET MÁLAGA WINE,
TOPPED BY A SPANISH TORTILLA.

FRIED EGGPLANT WITH TREACLE.

IBERIAN PORK WITH BAKED PUMPKIN.

PUMPKIN RISOTTO AND WILD MUSHROOMS.

WARM APPLE TART WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM.
(I DID NOT SHARE...)

Brighter Than The Lights On Broadway / Más Brillante Que Las Luces De Broadway

THE CITY OF Málaga beamed with joy because our nephew and niece-in-law, Matt and Lindy, were here. The lights speak for themselves, so I'll shut up. (But, be sure to catch me with my mouth wide open at the end.)

(Click the images; if you don't know why, you will.)

LA CIUDAD DE Málaga brilló con alegría porque nuestro sobrino y sobrina, Matt y Lindy, estaban aquí. Las luces hablan por sí solas, así que me callo. (Pero, asegúrate de cogerme con la boca bien abierta al final.)

(Haz clic en las imágenes, si no sabe por qué, lo hará.)

CALLE MARQUES DE LARIOS, MÁLAGA.
THE MAIN  PEDESTRIAN SHOPPING STREET IN THE OLD CITY.

PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN.

ANOTHER TREE; BESIDE THE CATHEDRAL.
OTRO ÁRBOL; AL LADO DEL CATEDRAL.

THE BISHOP'S PALACE.
EL PALACIO DEL OBISPO

DRIVING THROUGH THE CITY AS WE HEAD HOME.
CONDUCIENDO POR LA CIUDAD CUANDO FUIMOS A CASA.

LINDY TOOK AN "USSIE."
NO ES UN "SELFIE"; ES UN "USSIE".