Fuengirola, Andalusia, Spain Entry 1

Andalucía, España

Hola a todos!! 😊

It is said that Andalucía is the passionate heart of southern Spain,...

.....and this year, we’ve come to Spain to discover why.

This large autonomous region of mountains and hills, rivers and farmland, caps the whole southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, and so, borders Portugal, the Atlantic Coast, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Mediterranean coast. 

Part of Andalucía’s allure is its Moorish architectural legacy left during their Islamic-influenced rule from the 8th-15th centuries. 

Over our 3 month stay, we hope to discover some of the culture that makes this area unique and, along the way, have the opportunity to visit landmarks such as the Alcázar castle in Seville, Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral and Granada’s Alhambra palace.

Our “home” for the next three months will be a beach front in Fuengirola,.........a larger town on the Costa del Sol, nestled between the mountainous embrace of the Sierra Nevada and the generally mild-tempered Mediterranean Sea.

But a busy day of flights and car rentals, finding our way to Fuengirola and settling in, had the Andalusian sun all but setting before we could even notice.  And, frankly, we were kind of thankful because, for the first time in two days, we could settle in for some much-needed sleep

Curiosity did get the better of me though. 

Up at 7:30 for a peek at our new surroundings and a couple of deep breaths of fresh morning air, I hurried into the living room so as not to wake Linda and gently pushed open the curtains and doors, only to be surprised by…complete darkness. 

In fact, only the sound of waves spilling gently up onto the beach, confirmed that we were indeed here.  Patience, Charles. The sun will rise.

My next move was to strategically place a lounge chair next to the window....

....and wait...no pray… that our first Spanish sunrise would happen where I had hoped…right in front of our window. 

And did it ever!!!

Not to digress, but we do wonder about flags sometimes, don’t we?  You know: where they come from, their history, their purpose. 

Why even Sheldon (Cooper), in Big Bang Theory, had an ongoing Vlog about flags. 

As for Spain’s flag, I for one, had no prior knowledge but,....

.....were I a gambling man, I would bet that part of the inspiration for that red-yellow-red banded piece of cloth was a Mediterranean sunrise. 

It was SPECTACULAR!!!

And so now, every morning, I and a hot cup of fresh coffee, remain true to our morning rendezvous...

with this late-rising Spanish beauty, which somehow, each day,....

...brings a fresh new view to the Mediterranean Sea and....

....fresh hope to the fishermen, working just meters off our shores.

We’re so glad to be here.

Historically, Fuengirola has run the course of historical twists and turns...

...that many once-tiny Mediterranean fishing ports turned tourist-haven have endured. 

Historical records show that all the big names in European history showed up here at one time or another. 

From the Phoenician colonizers, who founded Fuengirola as a salted fish trading post, and for which it is still famous (had some, they’re delish).....

.... to the fierce Romans, to the Visigoths (a Germany inspiration), to the Islamic North African Moors, whose reign lasted over 800 years and exercised a profound impact on the area.

It wasn’t until 1492 that the Christians (under Ferdinand and Isabella) sent the Moors hoofing it back home, to Northern Africa. 

By the way, did you notice that date?  Interesting, n’est-ce pas?  Someone sailed the ocean blue that year, from Spain, and changed, well, EVERYTHING. 

And thereafter, this little fishing town continued to endure all that European history had to offer….

.....right up to and including that harsh period of squalor and poverty under a recent Spanish dictator called Franco. 

But since the early 80's, this 10-square kilometer gem, with its 7 km. beach, continues to grow without yet bursting at its narrow seams. 

With a population of 76,000, it lives at peace with itself and with all those who come to visit her. 

In fact, it takes little time to realize that Fuengirolans are simply courteous, friendly, and welcoming people that you can easily live among. 

Did I say that it was a pleasure to be here?

More to come.  Hasta la vista!  :)