Underground, Overground Wombling Free

Another reasonably late start, but it's been nice sleeping in as it gives us a rest. We went fort another run, all four of us this time, and rather than running down into Fuengirola, we drove to the seafront. It took a while, as we got a bit lost through the many winding streets, but we found a good parking space - somewhere without too many other cars surrounding us. We said we'd run for about 20 minutes out along the seafront, and then back. 

It was sweltering and we were all dripping by the end but it was so lovely to see the glittering sea in the sun. We all met back up by the car and after some more lengthy driving, up and down, we made it back to our house in Mijas. Breakfast was again, a bit of everything, but I mostly had strawberries which was very tasty. 

We shifted our plans from going to Gibraltar, and decided we'd visit a well known cave in  Nerja   . The cave was made up of    stalactites and   stalagmites that had formed over the years. They looked like solid icicles and were very interesting. We were taken around the cave by a guide, and listened to a recorded track that told us all about the Nerja cave. I learned that 5 teenage boys came across the cave back in the 1900s, and discovered skeletons of people who'd lived there in the stone age.

Later on, we took a slightly spontaneous trip up to a beautiful old town called Frigliana where we strolled around. It was made up of sweet little shops and cafes, aswell as white hoses with colourful doors and pretty restaurants. It was overlooked by a large hill, which we began to climb, but it ended up having some sort of dead end, so we wandered back into the main town again. 

I'd fancied some churros all week, considering they are a famous Spanish delicacy, so when we saw a cafe advertising churros with chocolate, we decided to sit down and have some. They were much bigger than I expected and even though the chocolate was darker than I usually like it to be, it tasted really delicious. It was still hot out, even though it was around 6pm but we still headed back as we needed to make a start on dinner.

We had a bbq in by the pool back at the house, along with salad, cheese and various other snacks we'd bought on our shopping trips. I'm hoping to get an earlier night today, so i'm all fresh for tomorrow.

(Lloyd)

Must be tired as everyone sleeping in until nearly 9 o clock, which is unheard of, and we are hardly having late nights!

The whole family wound our way by car into Fuengirola looking for somewhere to park up so we could do a run along the front.  Becoming a bit of a theme this parking lark, as well as getting lost in town centres, but got a space eventually and then did a 20 minutes and turn trial.  Bryn shot off like a bullet, and I assumed he would tire up, how wrong I was as he passed me fairly early on in the turn, and kept accelerating. I struggled to keep any sort of pace, my word it was hot!

Williams beachfront run route

More confusion getting out of town, up one street, down the next, little scuff on the kerb to add to yesterdays nonsense.  Have driven in France, Spain, USA, South Africa and most several times, and this has been the most irritating period of driving abroad I have encountered. Surely luck will improve ...

What we won't do is let this stop us from exploring and expanding our horizons, although I might stay away from town centres for a while :) We gave Gibraltar a swerve as time marching on, and went for one of our other daytrips, the Nerja one!|

So the World Cup of caves began, after around an hour on the freeway heading east.  Had 30 mins to kill before our tour of the caves, took the time to check out their botanical gardens. Millions of species I failed to recognise, no time for any David Bellamy moments, olives and melons being the highlight for a simpleton like me.

Back to the World Cup. Dan yr Ogof (Wales) long since knocked out Cheddar (England) in the preliminaries, dinosaurs trump cheese right?  These Nerja ones have all the cathedral ambience and spiritual aura of Dan yr Ogof, and seem to have been resident to quite a few generations of man back in the day, so I'll give them an early goal, but you don't beat dinosaurs do you? There was talk of cave art but that was kept away from visitors so I can't really throw that into the mix.  It does however suggest, as a Swansea Jack, the Red 'lady' of Paviland might sort them all out though, dinosaurs and all.  I really do need to get round there one day.

Having emerged from an underground lair without any damage, confidence restored enough to get on the road and up to the mountains. Up and Up to a pretty awesome village nestled into the hills called Frigiliana.  Apparently it has been there a few years, and a major last stand by the Moors in the 16th century was their eventual downfall as the Spanish Christian forces moved in.   Many of the moors threw themselves to their death rather than be converted. Religion eh .. ?  People should have kept to living in caves.

Took a bit of time to soak up the views and Spanish culture, enjoying a bit of tasty churros and the white houses in the side of the mountain. Quite a place to live I'm sure.

About an hour to drive back to our home, where I sparked up the BBQ for the first time in 2019, and washed down a bit of local meat with some sweet rose. Carys has turned vegetarian so more for the rest of us, although the cheese, chocolate and crisps seem to be disappearing pretty swiftly.

Today our car is Carlos the waiter from Duty Free, the slightly nervous one.

What will tomorrow bring?