For most people a trip to Spain in July equals lots of pork, cheap lambrusco and Chesterfield cigarettes. People from Scandinavia, Germany and England make each year thousands of peregrinations to enjoy some sun and warmth - and you probably can’t find anywhere else in Europe with such good chances for perfect summer weather, as in Spain. This means, that even though most probably won’t admit it, Ray Winton’s life as Gal Dove in Sexy Beast is daunting. Costa Del Sol. The North European bourgeoisie’s Elysium, if I may. The asocial Neo-Nazism as CV Jørgensen calls it. The world is a cliché.
But during the last couple of years some things in Andalusia have changed. With a great deal of books starting with either ‘A Locals Insight To…’ or ‘An Insiders Guide To…’, a lot of people are starting to move from porky Fuengirola in West to the more unspoiled villages such as Nerja and Torre Del Mar, East of Malaga. This is mainly because you won’t sit at the Irish Pub next to your neighbour, Joe, from back home in Chesire. Or will you?
I am pretty sure you can’t escape tourism or the before mentioned clichés when going to South Spain. And that I understand. With cheap accommodation, nice affordable restaurants and great wine, the sunny Costa Del Sol is a perfect choice for retired couples, teenagers in party mode or simply just the regular family next door.
I’ve just spent a week in a country-house between Sayalonga and Competa, an hours drive east of Malaga. Competa, which I’ve been coming to regularly the last 6 years, has become more touristed than earlier, which is quite a shame. Sayalonga is still more local though, and has a very charming street life in the evenings, and no British Pubs where Cruz Campo or San Miguel is substituted with John Smith’s or Strongbow.
All pictures and illustrations above are taken or made and copyrighted by Christian Halsted ®
0 Responses to “España pt. 1”