Estoy Terminada
My last days in Malaga leave me wanting more...
I thought I’d sum up my last days in Málaga in a final post. I’m pissed because I wrote some of this already and realized that “save” is a good option. This wasn’t my first rodeo to Spain, but with every trip comes a different experience. This trip was definitely focused on family and I’m ok with that. Spain is a lot like NY for me, it leaves me with utter devastation to leave it, a longing that I crave on days I’m alone with my thoughts.
Málaga is more of a resort town and having visited for the first time in resort season, it left a different exposure. I enjoyed it all the same. I loved reconnecting with my cousin, Nena after some forty odd years. She lost her husband recently and I felt that sorrow in instances, but I also felt her pride for her three girls and all that they’ve accomplished. It was fun to talk to each other before bedtime and to get to know each other’s lives for what they are now. César is a constant, charming as always, fun and vibrant while also so caring and gentle with our family. My Tia who is a beast, I admire her life and how she lives it. When you say “Zero f**ks given” you’ll find her avatar there. She is truly a free spirit, but strong and defiant when she wants to be (I see where I get it from). I really enjoyed my mom. I enjoyed hanging out with her and caring about how she felt. It is hard to notice when you don’t see her every day, but she is quite fragile at times. I also also noticed how American she is in some ways, like you can tell she hasn’t immersed herself in travel as much. I really loved getting to know my cousin’s girlfriend, Irena, who is just sunshine, so sweet and friendly, and a real sweetheart of a woman. I’m happy that my cousin has found her. My family hasn’t had the easiest of life, there are traces of hardships and unknowns with every migration, but one thing is for sure, we do don the recovery of a phoenix.
There is an ease to Målaga that forces you to just submit to the tranquility of things. It is not a place for worry or ire, it instead lends itself to the simplicity of enjoying what is there for you. From the Jacaranda trees to the calm seascape to the sophistication of it’s Port to the architecture, Målaga is a place to breathe in. I enjoyed breathing for a moment. I did have the stress of the job with me, and I also realized that I have become very American. The American who has to check their email daily, to answer those unanswered queries that can wait, to feel anxious and guilty about soaking up Vitamin D, and to remember this is for a brief moment, that responsibility lingers beyond the sunset. It really makes me sad when I think of the ascent through the clouds upon leaving.
I think of this life and what I’ve made with it, how I want to live it in my golden years. Am I happy? Is this everything I could dream of? Will my mortgage be paid? Will the lights be on when I arrive? Will I fit just as comfortably as I did when I left the desk chair I so intently need to settle in daily? When will I arrive on these shores again and feel the sand between my toes? Hopefully sooner than another ten years. For now I’ll just sit back and have paella and cake while my Aunt celebrates 81 years of life where it looks as though she is just getting started. I know I leave loving my family more, loving this country more, and appreciating my time here.
Día Dos
Day two in El Centro Histórico and at the Port…what a walk!
I slept like complete crap. You know those sleeps where it feels like you fueled yourself on a pot of coffee and you sleep, but your dreams are lucid and you toss and turn until you finally reach exhaustion and sleep heaven only to woken up by your alarm? Yes, that kind of sleep. I was not happy. I woke to the voices of my Aunt, my Cousin, and My mom chattering in the kitchen…loudly! My aunt was making breakfast, eggs, toast, and jamon with her delicious coffee. I had a nail appointment at 10am so there was a bit of a bustle and hustle this morning that I was not ecstatic about.
Once dressed and showered my cousin and I hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I found myself at Mara Nails. I was answered in English when I reached out to them before my trip, but unfortunately my nail tech spoke nada ingles. No problema! A friend had told me to get my nails done while I was here and I didn’t think about doing that, but was he ever right. I paid the whopping price of 30 euros to get my nails done and they are on point, no to mention you don’t tip here, which has always weirded me out. 30!!!! I couldn’t believe it.
Mis Uñas by Mara Nail Studio
I reunited with the ladies after and it was a nice opportunity to walk alone in the area. We then walked to the shopping plaza where you will find jewelers, fabric stores, art galleries, retail boutiques, and so forth. I walked into Galeria de Arte Alma where I discovered the artist, Paco Aguilar and now have a new art crush. There was also an illustrator’s work there that did these cool geometric birds, but the name escapes me and I will have to go back. The plaza we were exploring was in the Centro Histórico which is lined with stores and reminds me of NY in some ways and Paris in others. There are a lot of people right now because it is Resort Season so you hear many different languages and find people, including myself snapping shots all over.
My mom was quite tired and so she and my aunt went back to the condo while Nena and I decided to go to the Port where we found a lot of very large boats. Side note: I often wonder what the appeal of being on a cruise ship is. It seems so large, so over the top and if I wanted to go to a mall or visit shops, I would just do it on land. Perhaps it is my fear of vast things like the ocean, being stuck in the middle of the ocean frightens me way more than people’s fear of plane crashes.
As we walked towards El Puerto, we encountered the horse carriages. I’ve never been a fan of these. I feel for the horses as they carry tourists from place to place in the heat. I always see them standing on one hind leg as if to rest the other. I just don’t like it and think it a cruel practice. If you want romance in a foreign city, walk hand in hand or take a bike ride! The port is adorned with shops and cafes around it and is a nice place to walk and see the Mediterranean and to sit for spell as you sip on Cava and have a snack. Speaking of snacks…
Holy hell I never thought I’d say this, but eating in Spain is like sport. You wake, you eat. You lunch, you eat even bigger, most meals consisting of “courses”. You sup at 8-10pm and that consists of tapas and smaller, lighter portions. I feel like I’m eating all the time. For lunch we had “spaghetti” which was actually Lo Mein and then we had lemon chicken with either salad or fries. Such a variety of food and plentiful in portions. I still have dinner to go! It is all very good though and luckily my aunt lives near a lot of really great dining options. I would like to make my way to the beach this evening, but I don’t know if that will happen. As I said before, it would be helpful to have someone who is versed in venue hopping or art exploration. I always want to see the underground of a city. I just got started this go round though so we will see what I can discover.
I love watching the midnight blue swallows (golodrinas) at night circle around the building. It was particularly amusing to watch the seagulls chase a cat through the plaza though! There are flowers everywhere here and it is quite a vivid scene. I walked about five miles today in great weather, now I just want to siesta and then feel the sand beneath my feet. Til then, ciao.
Día Uno
Day one was one of relaxation and recuperation….
Terrace I
Jet lag is a real thing, but this time I decided to skip it. I stayed up for a full 34 hours after a very noise ridden flight to Lisbon with a two hour layover and then to Malaga. To say I was tired was an atrocious understatement. In addition to all the talking that pre-cursed my slumber, I also had to endure my mom mentioning my black-heavy wardrobe several times as if some apology were needed. I digress, sleep, yes sleep was very much needed.
When I awoke at nine fourteen this morning, I felt rested and ready to begin my day where my Tia greeted me with homemade Arepas, jamon serrano, and coffee. My Aunt has the terraces, one with a view of the mountains and the other of the sea. You cannot evade the beckon of tranquility as the breeze whips lightly through the curtains, sun beaming. Speaking of sun, it’s hot as hell here. I came here during the winter last time and so this is a different climate I’m in this time. Thankfully, I brought clothes to endure the heat.
Arepas y Jamon for Breakfast
We pretty much lazed today. I do miss having a person of the lifestyle I’m accustomed to here, my family is fantastic, but I hardly think they’ll want to come to a show or a bar with me. Today was more about recuperation and conversation. This afternoon, my cousin, Nena and I decided to head down to the beach where I found many lying half naked on the sand. The wind was very strong today so it did not make our walk the most enjoyable, but still, it was nice to leave the apartment.
Our night ended with pizza from Carlos, some beers, and me watching seagulls yell at a cat down below. I was able to watch an episode of Bridgerton in Spanish to appease my mom since I watched all four episodes hastily before this trip.
