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My meaning of Lusofonetica

My birthday weekend in Tierra de Cádiz

Personal, Travel

Back to the topic of getting back on track, I recently spent a beautiful weekend in the inland of Cádiz province, triggered by the fact I turned 37 in January. Quite spontaneously, I shared the idea of travelling somewhere not too far from Malaga, on a train, and be surprised whatever happens there, with my closest group of friends.

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After researching the options of staying in a nice finca with a chimney and the stunning mountain views, the proximity from the train station, the culinary and hiking options, my finger pointed at Jimena de la Frontera. One can reach there from Malaga using AVANT or MD trains, with an interchange in Antequera. The timetables are very convenient, as you can easily leave on a Saturday morning and return Sunday evening, to make the most of your weekend. I also liked the way how sustainable and shoestring this plan was.

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I already loved the vibe of this trip when we got together in Maria Zambrano Station, and because not all of my friends knew each other, started mingling and breaking the first taboos already in AVANT train. We were probably those annoying people talking out loud in the mix of Spanish/English and German, grown up type of Erasmus students. And the train route between Ronda and Jimena is just breathtaking, especially when you pass by a very narrow bridge over a river canyon.

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Arriving in Jimena, we actually realised the train stop is in Los Angeles, a village about 20 minutes walk, situated in the proximity of train tracks, with one cafe and several storks nesting. Walking from Los Angeles, you can already spot the white buildings and a castle from 1000 years ago, on top of the village. It is a bit of a steep walk so one-bagging is recommended. We found our vivienda rural or a rural Airbnb quite easily and sat down at the lively street with three bars. We were late for breakfast and too early for the Spanish lunch, but the hospitable owner offered us scrambled eggs with chanterelles, a specialty of Alcornocales, and tasty croquetas with spinach and cheese.

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We engaged over a fascinating topics I will not quote and I could always count on my Spanish friends to share the new vocabulary and phrasal verbs with me. The one I liked the most was about the female friendship by Lola Flores. We then decided to explore Jimena a bit, including its Roman and Moorish ruins and baths (where we found a lipstick, and a lollipop – either geocaching activity or a sign of juerga from last night). Cádiz is so fascinating for its long history, and especially remote places like Jimena de la Frontera, they preserved very special remnants of incredible influences. The village is surrounded by extremely green landscape, to the point you think you are in Ireland, or a place of that kind, not Spain. Wondering how Andalusia would look like without the water crisis.

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We then started celebrating early in the afternoon, much before our planned dinner at the Restaurant La Cuenca. I chose it for its local vibe and vegetarian options (being inclusive of our friends dietary restrictions) and we were still all blown away by its authenticity. We probably came way too early, as around 20:30 there were still people ending up their almuerzo. It looked beautifully chaotic and as if the party will never stop. After a short deliberation, I ordered the best wine on the card and we had way too much food, joining the local bacchanalia.

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After the dinner we were so jolly and engaged in absurd wordplay games and dark stories, elaborated by ourselves and inspired by the remoteness of the village where you could still wonder about the times where wolves and wolverines were venturing out. Nowadays you can only spot the Griffon Vultures, which need a close monitoring and extra food supply, these days, due to the lack of wolves. Not to mention that Alcornocales Natural Park is a famous birdwatching spot, especially for the raptor species and during the migration.

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The next day we chose to hike in the direction of Hozgarganta river, and la Marchenilla. The closeness of the nature depicted itself in a stark view of a goat recently given birth and its baby goat already standing on its feet and enjoying its earthly presence. Not to mention sheep, geese, ducks and such, the encounter with the goat family was definitely *something*.

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We came back to Jimena late afternoon after having a picnic by the river, and mentally preparing to come back to our daily loop in Malaga. Experiencing disconnection was easy in Alcornocales, and I already dream about coming back, and exploring other villages on the train track. Our last view over the horizon, and the Gibraltar Rock showcased itself, like in many other special moments – at least for me and my friend Weronika who shared already a few beautiful winter days over years with me, here on Costa del Sol.

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I honestly loved to share these moments with my fellow passengers, Weronika, Alicia, Rosa, Xiomara and Adrian. Thank you for that beautiful weekend, you made it remarkable.

Over and out

Personal, Uncategorized

No one teaches us about the power of radical freedom, and solitude. They come along with all sort of emotions and, eventually, you need to face them when you least expect them. Why combining both at once? I recently started learning to sail in the open sea, and while taking practical classes and studying various themes, I thought exactly about the impossibility to decouple freedom from solitude. Especially when you are out in the open sea, making a distress call.

We are taught somewhat otherwise. That there is always the society and its limitations. We crave freedom and space but we are also told about all the dangers surrounding us, if we choose this kind of journey. In order to navigate it, you need a lot of sensitivity, insight into your inner voice, and discipline to remain safe. And we are told, it is one of the most difficult ways to live your live.

I have been fantasizing and preparing for years to be radically free, but there is probably no way to project it. Because creating bonds with your friends, partners, or family enriches our lives but eventually, you will end up all alone at some point, sooner or later. The career you’ve been working on for so many years may end up abruptly because of the economic cycles or for no reason. And as it ends, it will surely hurt at first. But then, you will depart from your previous point of reference not missing anyone, and not being missed. You will learn to embrace the moments of leaving a place where no one will be waiting, and arriving somewhere where no one expects you, and you are free, and alone at the same time. I will not even focus on the dilemma of ‘freedom to’ and ‘freedom from’. I don’t think there is a better place to experience it all than in the open sea.

I have ended my longest-enduring relationship so far last month (although the process of separating went on for a much longer period of time), and I got notified about the redundancy, a few weeks after. Two major crises at once, in the midst of the ‘tech winter’ and the humanity being pretty much fucked up after the years of the pandemic deprivation. Since I like to stay in touch with the reality, no matter how tough it is, I have been preparing for both crises in a way, with a long-term and in-depth therapy, asking myself and answering the most uncomfortable questions and bracing myself from all the angles: psychologically, physically, and financially. I surprised myself how strong I was. And while I do not know where this journey will take me, I stay calm, and at the same time, excited about what I will find out on the way. The winter will eventually recede. And I hope that the humanity undergoes some sort of cathartic activity through all these tough years.

Freedom is ambiguous, and there is no one to do the heavy lifting for you. There are life hacks and shortcuts, but they have their own price. You need to learn about being truly independent and it comes with its limitations. It comes with so much choice and so little time, at the same time. There are days and hours, when you will be very confused. Your friends will call you out on being contradictory. There are days you will use up all your energy, surprise yourself and be very creative and the other days you will barely get through the day and feel very numb. And it is ok not to be always ok. And it is even more ok to seek ways to get better. You need to create your very own set of safety mechanisms, and identify the distress before making the call. Put the metaphorical oxygen mask before helping others. Exercise self-compassion, self-love and self-reflection. Calculate your runway. Plan and execute what you can. Think about living without a goal for what you can’t, or define the anti-goals and know what happens a step away from it.

And this is where the bespoke magic happens. Once you don’t chase anything, you find a very powerful energy in you to be curious, be courageous and be resilient whatever your day brings, and it may surprise you in all the possible ways. Not being happy, not being sad, not needing much, just observing the world around you, while taking a step at a time. Or as my friend says, crossing the bridge when we get there. I am speaking a lot about the true meaning of the emotional resilience and agility recently while weathering the storm on a professional level, but I guess, the major learnings come from how I navigate the personal. Is there even a division between the private, and the political these days, I don’t think so.

It is also a very uncomfortable yet exciting state of not knowing what comes next. Being in control on a meta level of emotions, finances and your physical health (including sleep, sports, and diet), at the same time exploring the new data that enter our system and act accordingly. Looking back, I recall some character building and life forming years which led me to a completely different place than I would have expected. These would be the years I would depart from an important person in my life, a career, or a country – voluntarily or not. I would have grieved after the people, the places and still accept the fact that the only way is forward and we may need to leave people or places behind to evolve. And while you don’t know what the future brings, you can take control of how your emotions affect you, and have no urge to switch them compulsively, as some people do.

Then, you are somewhat irresistible. Even if I consider myself privileged, there is a lot of work and preparation that went into building that personal wealth, and it has been fucking hard at times. I am writing all this because some of you may wonder, how I am doing. I am doing fine, and there is a lot to it. And while I have all the freedom in the world, I don’t feel the urge to travel the world, to meet people every day, to act out, or to change the world. I keep looking at my Northern Star and remain calm while weathering this storm. I have been through a lot and can share all about the coping mechanisms and survival through the darkest moments but also, what happens when you get excited about the the possibility of something new coming up your way. I may travel here and there, I may meet some people, and help someone on the way to build something and get paid for my intel. But I avoid using great quantifiers or statements. I may also change the course as I am alone, and I am free to do anything I want to.

I am thinking that there are so many misfortunes in this world which are major, and there will be more trying times, while my personal crises mean nothing in the larger scale of events. This is why I want to keep that emergency channel clear for others, and metaphorically go ‘over and out’ to focus on sailing my little boat called life.

If you read this, you can check in from time to time, or join me for the part of the journey, you are welcome. The majority of it I will navigate alone, and will take this current gift of freedom very seriously, and responsibly. This is not a distress call, this is a routine weather forecast prognosis to all the vessels in my radius.

Tarifa – in between Europe and Africa

Personal, Travel

Last month I returned to Tarifa for a couple of days, where I have already ventured out a while ago, in search of its (pirate) treasures. Also, this time I managed to rent out a beautiful rural apartment in El Pozuelo, a nearby village which is close enough to the historical old town, and sufficiently far away from the civilization, to wake up with the sound of bird songs, and go to sleep hearing the flapping wings of some larger birds like egrets, or cranes.

On my way to the rural apartment, I already met a friendly, fellow birdwatcher who helped me spot a beautiful pair of sanderlings foraging in La Jara river. During this 3,5 km walk I then repeated at least twice a day, I would always keep my camera ready for action, just in case I saw a worthwhile situation to document. October is still such a great month to witness different migration routes in this extraordinary place, just 14 km away from the African shore.

During my stay there were numerous goldfinches gatherings around the Atlantic meadow, before they passed the Gibraltar Strait in search of the warmer temperature, food and water in Africa. Although this bird species is considered an all-year resident in Spain, I could witness that some goldfinch flocks dare to take the passage. Similarly to some other passerines and larks.

I worked pretty intensely during the week and in order to recharge after / before work, I did long hike trails along the shores of the Gibraltar Strait, a magical place where one can see and hear the boats passing by, and look ahead to spot Tanger and Ceuta on the other side. If you are lucky, you can even spot a dolphin or a whale, while for them this passage is often deadly, due to a large number of vessels.

And I realized how the natural landscape always impresses me, especially in the morning and in the evening, when the animals can be seen in the most active situations. Here is a flock of cattle egrets collaborating with the Iberian cow herd. Sometimes, starlings would join them.

It looked like as if, for each cow there was about 2-3 egrets commensals and they would closely mimic each other. I have never seen egrets as close, which gave me a great opportunity to take some very detailed pictures while observing that co-op in real time.

Tarifa is not only a natural paradise (in danger!), but also one of the most strategic locations in Europe, highlighted by the presence of the bunkers and maritime towers from the distant past.

Los Lances lagoon at this time of the year is a fascinating birdwatching site with hundreds of waders of different sizes cohabiting. The lagoon commensals specifically benefit from tiny shrimp species, a local specialty of the Cadiz cuisine for humans, too.

I could speak so much about the magical sunrises in Malaga, and sunsets in Cadiz – that is probably why I am spending so much time in between these both locations, thanks to the benefits of remote working from different parts of Spain. Practically, you can wake up in Malaga and go to sleep in Cadiz, which would be a dream come true.

Finally, I visited La Isla de las Palomas (also known as the Island of Tarifa) thanks to the Andalucian Bird Society field trip. Currently, this Southernmost Continental Europe peninsula remains as a military object and is only subject to Guardia Civil’s admission. Our guide for the day, Javier, identified three types of migratory bird routes: from Europe to Africa (passerines, goldfinches, kites and even a stunning Eurasian Black Vulture), from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean (Balearic Sheawaters, Gannets, Puffins), and vice versa (Cory’s Shearwaters – known to me so well from Ilha das Flores).

The day passed by with some stunning sightings (e.g. mom and baby gannet making their way to the Mediterranean). To top this fantastic trip up, in the afternoon, before leaving to the next stop in Cadiz, I could witness a mysterious haze which overtook Tarifa for a few hours, turning it into a movie scenery, with a very original soundtrack of the ship horns.

Tracing back to the North

Personal, Travel

Summer is so beautiful up North, and this blog witnessed many times the short intensity of the season, which I explored in different locations over years. Living all the way South of Europe, it is exciting to pack light and experience the hot and sunny weather also thousands of miles away. This is the tribute to my recent trip to Poland, where I re-visited the Northern landscapes, starting in Pomerania, travelling through Warmia, Mazury, and ending up in Sejny, bordering with Lithuania and Belarus. 

I have returned to Suwalszczyzna region regularly over years thanks to my partner and his family. Each time I discovered something new, and mysterious about this remote, green region spotted with lakes. Since there is no airport nearby, we mostly choose travelling by train to get there from main cities of Poland, as I find it very relaxing to window-watch the landscapes and its inhabitants. Summertime is also a great season to spot birds of prey, waders, among the emblematic bird of the Polish summer: a white stork. It is interesting how welcome are storks, while egrets or ospreys are not. It may be a good metaphor about how certain refugees are welcome in Poland, while others are not.

While visiting the Foundation Borderland in Czesław Miłosz’ Manor in Krasnogruda, besides witnessing some impressive art exhibitions of its residents (currently hosting Ukrainian painters and poets), we could see how children are discovering the stunning, local nature through their senses. Because of its remoteness and forestal density, the region hosts hundreds of bird species, and this educational centre teaches even the youngest children how to distinguish, and protect the fellow inhabitants. 

On our way through the region, we visited Wigry National Park, full of well-prepared hiking and bike trails. Last year we almost completed a 70 km ride, failing only to immerse our bikes onto a full-on downhill ride through dense forest. Nearby, there is a famous old monastery of Wigry, with a fascinating exhibition of a daily life of its monks, including the catacombs where some of the buried ones are on display.  

Wandering through the woods, one may also find the memorials of the past. Inhabitants of various origins, religions, which settled in and then vanished throughout the past centuries. However, the traditions prevailed in language, gastronomy, and remnants of the architecture. Thanks to the work of the Foundation Borderland, we could witness the Klezmer Orchestra, performing at the White Synagogue of Sejny. Their sounds brought joy, sadness and all the emotions at once. 

Sailing on different types of vessels and boats, swimming in the refreshing, ice-cold water of the deep, post-glacial lakes, we enjoyed this short trip a lot. And quite recently, given the updates from the well-known ancestry platform, I found out that my intertwined family roots may be tracing back all the way to the borderland of Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. 

Moving sand, ebbs and flows

Personal, Travel

Last month I visited Poland for an extended period of time and a series of family reunions, wedding celebration of my friends, and spending quality time after all. The timing was sensible too, as a lot of important matters happened in my family during this period. Even more so, I was so happy to stay with them for a few days in the magical place: Słowiński National Park on the Baltic Sea coast.

In June, it was still a fairly reclusive place and I managed to walk more than 30 kms on the fantastic trails next to the dunes, sea and divine forests. Słowiński National Park is a vast coastal area including the surrounding lakes Łebsko, Gardno and Dołgie, which were created from the bay areas by the ‘moving dunes’ formed by the currents, winds and erosion. There is nothingness and so many things to see at the same time. Like a perfect meditation.

Walking towards a 16 km beach trail to Rowy, you can spot remnants of the forest inundated by the moving sands and there is evidence of having at least one village, Boleniec, covered entirely by the migration of sandy dunes. I managed to explore also the forest trail towards the lighthouse of Czołpino. It offers fabulous panoramic views towards the Rowokół mountain (known for Pagan rituals), the sea and all of the surrounding lakes and forests.

Słowiński National Park means a lot to me: it is a place where my father used to take me as a child and there was literally no one in the area, as it was a remote, post-military terrain with a lot of protected areas. I saw the beauty of nature, my first bird sightings and the Baltic coast covered in the snowy and icy layer, too. It was a magical place for all my family where I spent a good portion of my summer holidays and always felt the mystery of the abandoned villages, fantasising about the life under the sand.

This made me think about the nature of life and death, and the passage of the sand, as in the time capsule. Nowadays one can wander around the swampy Łebsko lake and discover the restored village of Kluki where all the roads end and the lake water ebbs and flows to the historically preserved housings. There is nothing left from the time where the native inhabitants, Słowińcy, used to live there – only a heritage museum. Now, it’s been over 11 years that my father passed away and I didn’t dare to revisit the place which connects me so much with his memories. I felt very connected and complete going there once again, reconnecting after the grieving period.

I also managed to visit Słupsk, a town where my parents met and we had a lot of friends, so I naturally spent time with them during my childhood. Now most of them are gone, too, but the town is flourishing with culture, lively city centre and I did not feel sad for most of the stay. Naturally, it was always a beautiful town but riddled with problems.

I was really impressed how green, cheerful and beautiful restoration it underwent from the time that I remember the town as post-industrial, unemployment-ridden town not living to its full potential and fantastic location close to the sea, national park and lake district where eagles, owls and wading birds nest during the summer. I do believe the recent

I only spent four days in the area, and still realized how many memories rest within my brain for this special place. The memory of the smells of the pine forests, the feeling of the sand under my feet and blowing to my face, and the music of the sea wind, choppy waves brought up the best, childhood happiness time to me, what I needed now.

From the airplane window – 3 years in Malaga

Personal, Travel

2022 went flying by and most friends I know gets to feel the similar intensity in life: be it new born babies, travelling more than in two years’ time and also taking part in social, company or conference gatherings. The world is not in the best place, but when was it the last time? This is why I apply optimism, good vibes only energy and excitement to my days. Unknown future is the void one can fill with experiences and hoping for the best. 

What you can see above are the first pictures I took on 31st May 2019, the day I arrived to start a new chapter of life in Malaga. Filled with hope, and curiosity which eventually led me to one of the happiest times, best work and life experiences and getting grounded and calm. Each time I take off and land in the AGP airport, the breath-taking views of Sierra de Malaga or the Mediterranean spark so much joy in me.

And the move here was one of the bravest question marks – I didn’t know anyone here yet it quickly opened up a lot of conversations, which led to further friendships. Malaga attracted some of my friends from other cities I lived in, I managed to share time with friends and family and will probably be lucky to have even more visitors than in the past two years.

That’s why I miss Malaga even today, when I go for a longer holiday and will be happy to come back. I found home so far away from my original country that after three years, even during challenging pandemic times, it brought me deeper connections, balance in life, happiness from both the city life and the surrounding nature and this short post is just to acknowledge how contented I am living here, hopefully for much longer.

Happy New Bird

Personal, Travel

December was a month full of highlights: despite 2021 being another year in pandemic, we made it through and made the most out of it, focusing on discovering the local gems of Andalucia and learning more about the cultural and biodiversity richness of place we live in.

This month we had a few visitors, including friends and family, which was great but equally intense, so we took a few days in between to be alone, in the brand new place for us: Jerez de la Frontera, and Trebujena marshlands. We set the direction to a picturesque road passing through Teba, Campillos, Olvera and Algodonales where we could spot lagoons perfect for flamingos as well as the mountain ranges known for the griffon vultures presence.

In 2,5 hours of slow drive through the sunny landscape of Andalucía we reached our destination. Even before, I heard great things about Jerez for being a true capital for sherry wine and lively tavernas locally called trabancos. A very first bird metaphor was used for tapas on our very first visit: as each tapa arrives with un gorrion (common sparrow), a shot of a locally distilled sherry. The city itself is best to experience through walking, and stopping by randomly at those places, or entering one of the wine bodegas today often converted into great restaurants, like La Carbona. 

Jerez is famous for its Royal School of Equestrian Arts as well as the Cathedral which was very nicely decorated a weekend before the Christmas. After spending a day in Jerez and sobering well after those tasty ‘sparrows’, we changed the scenery to join our first Andalucia Bird Society field meeting in Bonanza.

Bonanza is a part of an equally interesting sherry town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (we haven’t discovered yet), located at the mouth of Guadalquivir river entering the Atlantic Ocean, and opposite to the Doñana National Park. What strike at the very beginning are the huge ‘icebergs’ of salt, Salinas de Santa Teresa, abundant in that area and strategic material since the ancient times. Very close to it, we stopped by Laguna del Tarelo where the very first sightings were confirmed of the wintering and residing species of wading birds.

Thanks to our guide of the day, Juan Martin Bermudez we could see a daytime sleep of the Night Herons (who are foraging at night and have some interesting courtship behaviour of gifting a female with a green branch), as well as the appearance of a very rare, endangered species of the Marbled Teal (currently <55K species worldwide).

White-headed Ducks (coloured as the name mentions), Coot, Little Grebe, Grey Herons among other wading birds were seen on the water, while the Osprey and Red Kite appeared higher up the sky. We were very grateful to the fellow members for pointing us to the interesting sightings thanks to their scopes, which we hadn’t had at this point.

Passing through the vast marshlands of Trebujena, we made the next stop at the Esteros de Guadalquivir which offered us a great hide and sightings of Greater Flamingos, Black Redstart, Little Egret, Black-winged Stilt, Redshank, variety of Plovers, Pied Avocet, White Storks, Slender-billed Gulls and Caspian Tern. Up the river, we also so large vessels heading all the way to Seville, and, at a closer sight, we managed to see a Velvet and Common Scoter, occasionally passing through Andalucia during wintertime.

This great birding experience, combined with a jolly pre-Christmas atmosphere among the ABS members made us think that Santa should really get us a scope this year to continue our fantastic field discoveries. Upon our arrival from this trip, we wrote a special letter and few days later, probably thanks to the express postal services of the local Collared Doves, we got it!

Our first local birding trip got us to Guadalhorce on a New Year’s Day to celebrate the 2022 arrival, hoping for the better to this world of humans and animalia, and gave us a delightful day of observing both Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Grey Herons hunting for the moles, gregarious Stilts, and the best of all: another time a Velvet Scoter!

To top it up, one of the fellow birders pointed us to the unforgettable scene of the Osprey-gourmand eating up his fish on the outpost. Apparently this particular Osprey returns since 16 years already to Malaga for the wintering season from Germany. Learning about it, it felt very emotional to be a witness of all the birds, and more what’s happening around us all the time. What a way to start a year and wish that everyone finds their own Happy New Bird! Believe me, witnessing the nature’s beauty and collecting sightings is much more precious than any NFT collection out there.

How much is the fish? A weekend getaway to La Herradura

Personal, Travel

Those who know me well, know for a fact my sheer love for birds, and a guilty pleasure passion for the old-timer Scooter band. Quite recently though I found a brand new passion of this world: snorkeling with various school of fish! This post is dedicated to them, the recovery after a few weeks of feeling not too great and the happiness to be on the road again. As I tend to say, 2021 summer for my age group is again not a full-on vacation, it’s most importantly: the vac(cin)ation. All that in the surge of the new variants of the virus which you can still get in between the doses. Celebrating our relative immunity, we went to spend a weekend in La Herradura, about an hour drive away from Malaga, in the close vicinity of Nerja.

As snorkeling became our new passion and the most mindful way of getting back to health, we chose that rocky, rugged seascape of la Costa Tropical, which is the common denomination of the Granada province coast. The part of the national road N-340 is especially plausible for the type of admirer drivers who enjoy the winding curves alongside the sea and the mountains. The entry to La Herradura leads through a particularly narrow two-way street where it is recommendable to honk, announcing your presence. Despite the summer traffic, I find that in this part of Spain it is possible to get out of any situation or trouble without too much stress.

We stayed close to the hiking route to Cerro Gordo and Playa La Calaiza where we managed to spot several fish species on the same evening after our arrival. We also spent a nice evening in the Restaurant Dis Tinto, where apart from delicious food served from the mane oven, several and not trivial red wine all-encompassing various Spanish tiny wineries is on the offer. On the second day due to a strong wind we went on a hike around the Cerro Gordo ending up our passage on the beautiful Cantarrijan Beach.

As the strong levante wind decided to blow during the whole weekend producing over two-meter waves, the weather was probably the best to get a full-body tan given that the beach is primarily destined for the naturalists. I can’t answer the question of how much is the fish in there to Scooter’s HP Baxxter, but possibly I will need to return to do so. There is definitely much more to do around La Herradura and the town itself has a bit of a summer resort vibe. As we were exhausted after the summer of work, recovery and craving the nature, we focused on the hiking and nature mostly. This time of the year is poor season for bird watching, though among the rugged terrain, you will most certainly spot a kestrel,  scanning the landscape on a dry outpost bench or a falcon hovering in search of the game.

 

Cold Brew and other gems from the Little Silver Cup

Personal, Travel

 

 

January and July mark mid-year celebrations for me and my partner. Since years we keep on surprising each other with different locations or venues we visit to celebrate. This year’s July surprise was visiting Cadiz, or Little Silver Cup, given the city’s shape, light and location between the majestic Atlantic Ocean and Bahia de Cadiz.

When we arrived to the city, we literally felt as if we fell into the hot, humid broth to describe the temperature best, so for the rest of the day we stayed at the water side, not able to wander around too long around the historic city center. We enjoyed a peaceful walk as there were not too many fellow visitors despite the high season, so we managed to inhale the relaxed city vibe, its charming parks and its magnificent Cathedral. When breaking free, we don’t like forcing on ourselves too rigid plans or timelines – the magic happens when you accidentally discover something unusual. This entry is about the gems hidden beyond the first sight.

And so it happened. The next day, awaiting the boat to take us to the fascinating town Puerto Santa Maria, and wanting to cope with the humid weather, we ordered a refreshing Cold Brew at the Top Coffee Shop, ran by some very interesting baristas. We even bought the book by one of them, Yolanda Mariscal with a promising, Almodovaresque title Pide Un Deseo in order to practice our Spanish, and experience a good lesbian novel intrigue. Both challenges unlocked! 

When we arrived to Puerto Santa Maria, we were contrasted with a never-ending yacht marina (Cadiz Bay is a popular cross-Atlantic departure/arrival spot) and derelict port buildings. Passing around the quiet and rather rough-looking streets we discovered some of the quirkiest design stores and sherry wine cellars for the connoisseurs. Eventually, our ultimate hidden gem was a restaurant Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken, situated between the tidal swamps and train station.

A 17th century mill, operating thanks to the powerful Atlantic Ocean tides, was restored and converted into the Andalucian experimental restaurant and a completely out of space experience. Before entering the venue and tasting the main menu, one has to go through the rite of passage, welcomed by the glass of fino and hostia made of sea urchins and sea honey, plankton tortilla and sun-dried octopus nigiri.

I would like to keep the rest of the experience a secret to be discovered only by the curious. Enough mentioning that what you see is not often what you eat. In a Petri dish there may be a dessert. A tardigrade-resembling creature may be a razor clam. While we ate, the tide changed from ebbs to flows, and the migratory birds of the Gibraltar Strait were enjoying their crustacean menu as well. Quoting my partner, there is nothing more (to say): Non Plus Ultra.

Senda Litoral to Marbella – on four wheels

Personal, Travel

The title of this month’s post is only slightly misleading. It has been a long, intense and beautiful month for me and I can’t pin point a single cause of that fact, so I have to choose one. And it is the general kinetic pleasure of being able to travel, on four wheels, further than usual, as the movement restrictions and over six months of Estado de Alarma have been lifted. 

On FOUR wheels though? What happened to the Peugeot urban bike who was a protagonist of most of my recent posts? Here comes the pun! Two bikes equal four wheels (let’s not forget about the brave Kross who came with us all the way from Berlin, and earlier, from Poland!), true. But the fact is, the bikes share a parking lot with a car now! And the best part of it is, that in order to buy the car, we went over 50 kms using our own bikes, to the big surprise of the seller. Who started to doubt if we really need a car, even prior to see us driving it. 

Let me tell you about the way first. Since I moved to Costa del Sol, I started fantasizing of a long bike ride towards the Cadiz coast and learned, that currently, the path leads almost to Estepona, with some degree of creativity. Since I am not a big fan of using the major roads crowded with cars, I try to look for an alternative. It is not as easy in Malaga though as it is in more plain provinces. On one hand, you are limited by the rocks at the sea, and on the other by the steep mountains. So the choice of roads to use is fairly limited. There is a way to reach Marbella/Estepona currently, using the beautiful Senda Litoral via Mijas Costa, but only during weekdays and particular timeframes, not clashing with the pedestrians (9-11 am or 2-4 pm). So here comes the right amount of creativity and planning into the mix. 

While the town of Cala de Mijas looks like the most of the other Costa del Sol beach towns, the magic starts after passing by the next town, Sitio de Calahonda. There is where the Natural Park of Dunas de Artola brings peaceful landscapes of vegetation, sandy beaches and if you are lucky, you can recognize colourful flowers and birds on the way. We were very lucky to hear, and then spot about three hoopoes on that particular ride! Although some of the legends claim that to hear the hoopoe’s call brings sudden death, I prefer to attribute it to the springtime nuptial ceremonies among this species. Especially when I am learning to drive once again. Apparently, the females choose the most attractive male by the quantity, frequency and profoundness of their calls. To learn more about the hoopoe, I truly recommend the movie ‘Return of the Hoopoe‘!

But it is not all about the hoopoe. The vegetation and the wildlife observed by this beautiful path is endless, especially during springtime. The path offers whale and dolphin spotting outposts, especially around Fuengirola’s nudist beaches, making the others doubt if you really do whale or birdwarching (facepalm). This least pleasant part of the ride goes close to the motorway, so escaping the ongoing sound of the roaring engines by looking at the big blue is one of the best strategies to enjoy this 8 km ride. However, I recently learned that the local authorities plan to build a proper path, further down the rocky coast and not so close to the motorway. Judging by the amount of the runners, bikers and pedestrians it is a great idea.

The reality though, at least for now, is that we can’t go wherever we want to by our beloved four bike wheels. Hence, the decision to buy a car came just before turning 2 years living in Malaga, which is by the way, exactly today. Since we have not driven a car for many years, we are quite nervous behind the wheel but still love beautiful design and can’t agree to use a SUV, we decided for a fun, second hand car with a good condition and low mileage. So far we are still learning, yet the freedom to choose to go to the ocean or wherever we point the finger on the map, is priceless. 

Since then, almost three weeks passed and the car is not in use unless we go to practice or if we need to go somewhere further. I still recommend using collective transportation, bike or own feet to discover Andalucia, when possible, thinking about our own health, and the condition of our planet. 

Walking or driving slower, does not take the magic of the discovery, quite the opposite. Thanks to these long walks, lurking into and mindful registering of the nature, I was able to spot this gourmand sparrow, enjoying jamón ibérico, among other magical happenings that we miss by, if we live too fast.