After months and months of winter weather, we had decided we needed to increase our vitamin D levels and a trip to the warmer part of Europe was beckoning.
The cheapest place we could get to from Turin and stay, was on the Costa del Sol, in the South of Spain and Benalmadena and Malaga were the two towns with a beach and airport closeby, serviced by Easyjet and with only one check-in heavy backpack, the other acting as our carry-on luggage, we saved ourselves another 27 euros, it all adds up!
Knowing that it would be cheap and cheerful and right on the beach, both these locations were an ideal fit. However, two things I had neglected to plan for, the inevitable rain for two days, which meant we had to stay indoors and also, the insane amount of bars and cafes, catering specifically for the British tourist, who wanted the same beer and food they get back in the UK, but in a foreign country.
The waiters who are often Spanish, actually speak English, so you don’t get the chance to practice and the owners of most of the bars are also retired Brits seeking a better life for themselves in the Mediterranean climate.
At this time of the year, it’s the start of springtime in the UK and the last chance for many landladies from the UK to get away from their guest house for a cheap and cheerful trip, before their own holiday season starts back home.
For the first time in a while, we were the youngsters in town 🙂
Overlooking the old centre of Malaga is a fortress providing great views across the enormous bull ring and towards the sandy beach. It’s definitely different here compared with Benalmadena, with mostly Spanish visitors around, and the street cafes and restaurants in the old centre, is a place to people watch and also to be watched.
My English slang returned while we were in Benalmadena, as my ear pricked up and tuned in, listening and guessing to the variety of accents from my birth country. Nostalgic and funny at the same time, while the Spanish sound the same, except the ones from Catalunya, which I can now tell the difference with their accent.
into the strange 
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