When we travel, we always prepare our trip prior to departure day. But how much preparing should you do? Of course, a lot depends on your destination. Do you need a visa, do you need any other special arrangements to enter a country? But how much is too much. Nowadays, you could see your whole itinerary without having to set a single foot in the country you are going to visit. There is google maps, 1000's of pictures,... which will all show you everything there is to see and know. We are firm believers that most trips require minimal preparation. Traveling is all about the unexpected encounters and discoveries. For example, one of the best evenings we ever had was in Gran Canaria where we met a retired couple from Norway. We chatted the whole night while drinking a few glasses of wine, and although the couple only had a few words of English, we managed to chat and have the banter for a couple of hours. Or the old lady in Alvor, Portugal who chatted to us for an hour in Portuguese. And although we didn't have any Portuguese, we still managed to get great tips from her regarding the surrounding area. The same goes for the local food. Try it, embrace it, sometimes it might disappoint, but most of the time it results in a great meal, sometimes shared with the locals. But back to preparation time, we tend to book our flights and our first night or two of accommodation, but after that, we just see what happens. That being said, sometimes we rent or housesit for a longer period. In regard to tourist attractions, we always have a good idea what to expect and see, but we just go with the flow. So next time you book a holiday, go with the flow and immerce yourself in the local culture, food, festivals,... and discover a country like it should be discovered.
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Malaga, although a large city with a population of nearly 570,000, is great for walking. Getting up very early, we decided to take the bus from El Palo to Torre de Benagalbon. The bus follows route N340-a , and although it was early in the morning, the bus was well packed with locals heading to the market. The bus stop in Torre de Benalgabon is right beside the beach, and the beach was the start of our walk. A sandpath flanked by villa's on one side and the beach on the other side was glowing in the early January morning sun. The great thing about Malaga is public transportation. You can take buses and trains to any place and walk back to Malaga city, and that was our plan for this lovely January morning. The coastal towns within this region have slowly expanded and are now all interconnected. When we reached Rincon de la Victoria, we needed a well deserved break. A coffee and churros got us back on our feet in no time and we strolled further along Paseo de la marina. From here, you have 2 options, follow the old railway route which goes through some small tunnels or follow the coastal path . We opted for the coastal path which opens up views towards Malaga and further afield. The old railway option is both a viable option for walkers and cyclists. The old railway has been transformed in a nice paved path and the tunnels are now litup. Reaching La Cala del Moral, we decided it was time to cool down with a refreshing beer. The next location along the route is probably our favorite one, although the area is flanked by a huge cement factory. So why do we like it, the village across from the cement factory hasn't changed for years. Although covered in a fine layer of dust, the village is marked by small fishing cottages nearby the beach. The restaurant, which is on the beach would be a brilliant location to watch the amazing sunsets. Luckily, the cement factory doesn't really operate that much anymore, so it is quiet as well. After leaving this area, the path turns towards Playa Peñón del Cuervo. This beach is popular with daytrippers as there is ample carpark space, picnic areas,... But as it was January, we were the only souls on this beach.
The beach is flanked by a large rock , " Peñón del Cuervo", which is connected by a small isthmus which might be covered pending the tide. We reached El Palo again, a popular location for it's seafood restaurants, around lunchtime. |
About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
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