My son Rob works in Gibraltar, and I live in Southampton, so we don't get to see each other very often; but there is a place that is relatively easy for both of us to get to, and that is Malaga. It's a direct flight from Southampton, and Rob can get a bus from La Linea. The bus stops in lots of places so it took me less time to get there than it took Rob.
England was in the throes of a heat wave when I left, so I assumed I would be acclimatised to the weather. Not at all - Malaga was much, much hotter with temperatures around the 34 degrees mark. Our hotel overlooked the Calle Larios, which would have been excruciatingly hot if awnings hadn't been hung over the entire street.
England was in the throes of a heat wave when I left, so I assumed I would be acclimatised to the weather. Not at all - Malaga was much, much hotter with temperatures around the 34 degrees mark. Our hotel overlooked the Calle Larios, which would have been excruciatingly hot if awnings hadn't been hung over the entire street.
This made it a very comfortable place to have breakfast while I was waiting for Rob to wake up.
The art galleries of Malaga are lovely places to cool down, as well as being places where you can enjoy art. The Centro Pompidou is situated near the spectacular modern harbour, and the building is impressive in its own right.
The art galleries of Malaga are lovely places to cool down, as well as being places where you can enjoy art. The Centro Pompidou is situated near the spectacular modern harbour, and the building is impressive in its own right.
This is a picture from last year when I went with Chris and Ally. There were no clouds at any time during my visit with Rob. The museum has some very interesting installations that are possibly thought provoking.
The sheep are seats, but we weren't allowed to sit on them. My favourite piece of art in the museum was exhibited last year. It's called Ghost, and is by Kader Attia. It's 133 aluminium sculptures taken from body moulds.
It was time to have a drink and enjoy the view.
The Carmen Thyssen Museum is a thoroughly delightful picturesque art gallery that specialises in nineteenth century Spanish art. It makes no demands on the viewer at all - there are just beautiful pictures depicting Spanish life of a bygone age. It's all very sentimental, but jolly good fun. The signatures of the artists are enjoyably flamboyant.
The frames add a certain something as well.
Malaga has its share of 21st century problems, with beggars and street crime; in fact it is the only place where I have ever been robbed. I was careless and left my rucksack unattended while I was taking pictures of a demonstration in support of firemen. Since the Village People and Money Supermarket adverts, uniforms now appear to me to be ever so slightly camp.
If you have to sleep rough there are worse places than Malaga.
Malaga is a beautiful combination of ancient and modern. The Roman theatre was only rediscovered in 1952, but it is a spectacular monument.
The bullring is also quite impressive.
On our last day we visited the cathedral. The inside is much like any other cathedral, where the wealth on show is enough to make my blood boil, but the views from the roof were well worth the entry fee.
Malaga has many, many places to eat and drink at all times of the day and night. The restaurants by the cathedral made a picturesque late night dinner.
All too soon it was time to see Rob off at the bus station, and make my way to the airport, but hopefully we will meet up again before long.