Hola!
My name is Marianne, I am a ‘recovering’ lawyer, occasional EFL teacher, amateur photographer, traveller, foodie, English woman, petrol-head and shameless arctophile (yeah, go ahead – look it up!).
For the past eight years I have been living in Andalucía, Spain. More specifically, I live in the countryside (el campo), in a beautiful area east of Málaga, known as La Axarquía.
Published a couple of times a week, this website will be crammed with information that can help you save time and energy if you are thinking of visiting or moving to this part of the world, so you can focus on the important things in your life. Whatever they may be.
Whether you are visiting the area to the east of Málaga, for a holiday, to buy or rent a holiday home or, as in my case, live here permanently, there is something here for you!
Do you want to find out about tapas? Look at stunning photographs? Try out a new recipe? Learn how to irrigate your garden plants? Or discover places to visit? If so, then you’re in the right place!
Not only will you learn about the many beautiful villages and towns, you will also discover what it is really like to live here on a day-to-day basis.
I love to travel not only locally, but throughout Spain, so I will also include information, from time to time, about places I have visited. Usually these places can either be driven to within a few hours of my home east of Málaga, or I will have flown there from Málaga (AGP) airport.
By no means is this website meant to be a definitive guide to everything you ever wanted to know about the Axarquía– nor is it a “What´s On” guide. Instead of just hitting you with facts and figures, I’m trying to really give you a feel for the area, and what it is really like to live East of Málaga.
Everywhere I have visited, photographed and described around the Axarquía is my own personal opinion. You may not agree, but hey, that’s life!
Whilst you’re here, if you add your email address to the request box at the top of the right-hand sidebar, I´ll send you any new updates as soon as they are published – ABSOLUTELY FREE!
You can follow East of Malaga on my FACEBOOK Page, where I post lots of things that never appear on this blog.
Or you can find and follow me on TWITTER @eastofmalaga – (Kevin Rudd, the former Australian Prime Minister does!)
or Google +
Hasta luego!
East of Málaga 
Hi Marianne, nice work whilst recovering. Hope you’re well.
I’ve just returned from a week on an appartment by Lake Vinuela. What’s with the water levels in Lake Vinuela? Looking at Embalses.net things are getting grim quickly. The lake currently hold only 35% of full capacity, the north-west side has fallen dry… it does not look like the lake I saw in 2014, when I was last there.
The graphs on the levels since 2014 are alarming. Both 2015 and 2016 30hm3 have been taken out of the supplies. Continuing like this, you can pick the fishes from the lake by hand in by the end of 2017!
Is this just drought, lack of rain or is more water being used also?
Hi Matteo – probably a bit of both, to be honest. Two hot summers and not a lot of rain over the winter periods – plus lots of planting of mangoes and avocados.
Nonetheless, hope you had a wonderful week near Lake Viñuela 🙂
We visited it in July this year. Water was still very low level. We wanted to go for a sup-trip (stand up paddle), but we couldn’t find a spot near the water by car. We talked with people who are living there and indeed, water is at a very poor level.
It is a nice lake, we drove completely around it … fantastic views.
Marianne, took the freedom to link your great blog on our website: http://casaestrellita.wixsite.com/english.
Check –>Activities –>Useful Links.
Very helpful information for our guests !
Please let me know if you don’t like it and I’ll take it off immediately.
Best regards
Dirk
Hello Marianne.
. Been following your blog. Facebook page and Twitter for a while now. Have been contemplating a holiday home in Spain for sometime. Just back from two weeks in Nerja where we viewed some properties to the west of Malaga. Some of these areas were quite nice, particularly Alhaurin el Grande, Coin and Monda. However we later viewed some properties in Competa, Canillas de Albaida and Sayalonga and myself an my partner have decide this is the area for us.
Might sound like a trivial question, but how is the Wi-Fi and internet in these areas? A good internet service would be important to us.
Thank you.
Ronnie
No worries about the internet, Ronnie – and it’s not a trivial question. It’s a lifeline, these days. There are plenty of good companies supplying excellent internet facilities in this area. It goes without saying that because of the very nature of what I do with this blog that internet facilities are important to me too, and apart from an odd blip, I’ve had very little trouble.
Thank you for your reply Marianne. We have a house to sell in the UK before we make a move although the vote to leave the E.U. has put a lot of uncertainty over this. Hopefully by the time we are in a position to move the financial instability may be more settled.
Might have a week at the end of September staying in Competa or one of the other villages.
You’re welcome … have a lovely time in September 🙂
hi, i did find your blog by the post about sandclouds last days here in the region. I’m Lieuwke Loth, Dutch artist, running the gallery Luz de la Vida and organizing art-events here in this andalusian region. Also the Artwalk 23- 27 march in Competa. Are you maybe interested to write some about this nice art-event? more info: http://www.artcompeta.com (and on fb: artcompeta) but of course also always welcome to visit the gallery in Competa! (www.luzdelavida.es) Best regards, Lieuwke Loth
Yes, I usually visit the Competa Artwalk 🙂
Hello Marianne, we’ve been following your blog for a few years now and we are thinking at having a look at living in Spain. We’ve lived in a few other countries. We’ve been looking in the region of Velez Malaga, but you don’t seem to mention it in your blog. Do you know anything about this area?
Thanking you in advance and keep writing the blog, it’s great.
Keith
Hi Keith – Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Velez-Malaga is the capital of the area of the Axarquia (which means land to the east of Malaga). It’s a well positioned and very Spanish town. I was surprised to find that you’re quite right – I haven’t talked about Velez-Malaga much – I’ll have to put that right!!
In the meantime, you can enjoy a little about the town (or nearby) in these articles: https://eastofmalaga.net/2014/06/23/one-trip-every-month-la-fortaleza-velez-malaga/
https://eastofmalaga.net/2012/09/21/the-buddhist-stupa-of-the-eastern-costa-del-sol-2/
Hi Marianne, thank you for swift reply. Sorry we’ve been a little late with our acknowledgement.
Many thanks Keith
Hi all, We are soon to be relocating from Thailand to Spain for our last move (hopefully).
My wife is Thai so does anybody know of any other Thai’s on the costas & remember to contact us if you want some free Thai nosh when we settle in. We are now getting excited the more we read East of Malaga. Oh & are Spanish lessons cheap. See you all soon . Perhaps over a small vino Tinto ok a large one then.
Thanks for getting in touch – I can imagine you are getting very excited about your move to Spain! Yay!
Not sure how many Thai’s there are in the area, but there are a few lovely Thai restaurants around, so there must be some, at least.
Spanish lessons come at various costs (depending on the size of the group) – but there are also plenty of “intercambios”around, where people just get together to practice each other’s language – and they are FREE!
Good luck with your move 🙂
Hi Marianne,
We learned about you through SpainBuddy. Just this summer we moved to Valencia from the states and are loving life here. We’re especially interested in sailing. Would you have any tips on how to get more connected with others in the sailing communities here in Spain? We’re even open to living on Sailboat while it is docked in a port for the winter and taking care of it. My partner Eric has experience sailing the Med and caring for sailboats.
If you are ever in Valencia region, let us know and we would love to meet up and enjoy together the fun things we have in common – tapas, wine, everything Spain! We let you know when we end up visiting Malaga as well.
Thanks and hasta luego!
Hi Amalia – thanks for your message – it sounds like you are having fun in Valencia 🙂 I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question about connecting up with sailing communities. I’m strictly a fair-weather sailor, though I do love to hang about around boats, and the sea in general. The best thing I can advise you to do is to Google “housesitting on boats” or “boat sitting” and see what comes up! My husband and myself have done some housesitting in Australia and I know there are some vacancies that come up on boats!
Good luck:)
Thank you so much for the great insight Marianne and taking time to respond. We’re looking to be fair-weather sailors as well, just cruising along the Med coasts and such 🙂 I’ll definitely try the Google searches you’re recommending and trust that the perfect scenario and place for us will present itself soon. It always does!
Once again, let us know if you are up in Valencia area anytime – we would love to meet.
Thank you and happy sailing!
Hi Amalia!
I just accidentally saw your comment. I know some people from sailing community in Spain.
If you want more information, don’t hesitate to ask me. You can find me on Facebook – Olga Pozdeyeva (based in Malaga).
Cheers,
Olga
Marianne, it’s a great blog!!!
Thanks for your kind comment and for helping to answering Amalia’s question. I’ve just tried looking for you myself, on Facebook, and can’t find you 😦
Hi Olga!
Yes, thank you so much for responding back as well. I just looked you up on Facebook and I think I may have found you and sent a friend request, but am not sure. If you didn’t get it can you send me more details cause I’d love to connect and be in touch.
Thanks again!
Hey Marianne! I can’t believe with all the ‘research’ I’ve done it’s taken this long to find your blog! Anyway – well done – am still working my way through it and its great to read life from your perspective of living it! We are actually over tomorrow (2nd June – staying in Torre del Mar)) for a 2 week ‘recce’ and to confirm our rental at Competa for the end of September for 6 months when we too will be relocating – and buying eventually once we are settled! In the meantime – I reckon we’ll be keeping up to date from your blog! May catch up sometime!
OOHHH you are going to LOVE Torre del Mar (well, I do!) Good luck with your recce and the rental later in the year 🙂
Hi Marianne, I’ve really enjoyed reading your blogs – wonderful! I have a quick question: I’m looking for a place to buy (possibly East of Malaga) but I don’t plan to buy a car. I’ll have to reply on local transport as a result. What’s the transport like in your part of the country? Are there any towns that are better connected than others? I’d love to hear your opinion! Thanks, Kate
Hi Kate – yes, there are good bus links to the east of Malaga (though no trains due to an excess of mountains). The main bus company is called ALSA and they have an English option on their website -http://www.alsa.es/en
All of the little inand white villages will have buses directly to Malaga and some of the other villages, but there may only be a couple of buses each day. Along the coast things are different though with all of the towns and villages having multiple options available throughout the day. For example from Nerja and Torre del Mar there could be up to four buses per hour into Malaga.
Nice to hear from you and hope you find the kind of place you are looking for 🙂
I enjoyed your blog immensely. It is one of the few ‘travel’ blogs that is actually pertinent. I am very seriously considering moving to Spain from the USA and hopefully make a small living teaching English (I have very few needs and even less expensive wants.) I found your entry about comparable costs of living very informative.
I will be checking your website often to see if you make any entries concerning topics related to making a living in Spain for expats.
Thanks again.
Thanks for your kind comments Glad you found my “Cost of Living in Spain” post helpful. How exciting that you are considering a move to Spain … you’ll LOVE it, I’m sure 🙂
This is a lovely blog, Marianne. I like the idea of a ‘recovering’ lawyer. You’re certainly ‘getting over it’ in a stunning location – all senses catered for.
Thanks for your kind comment, Tish …. yeah, I’m getting over it! 🙂
Hola Marianne….So glad to have come across this site….making me quite ‘Spainsick’ I love the white villages of Frigliana, Acebuchal & Comares with Competa on the list to discover on next visit. Maro, La Herradura & Marina de Este are also personal favourites for a leisurely lunch, always via the coast road, views as you say are spectacular! Chiminea area of Nerja is my base when visiting but there is so much to see I never have enough time. Your photo’s will brighten the dull UK winter weeks until I come back on Boxing Day 🙂
Hola Susan
Glad you are enjoying the blog. I think you are following the East of Malaga FB page too (which is usually updated twice a day). Nerja is a good base for exploring this beautiful area, but you are already a convert 🙂 Not long until Boxing Day!
Hasta luego!
Hi Marianne … huge gratitude to you for following my blog! I’ve taken a quick look at yours, too. What a life … and what a beautiful place to blog about. I look forward to following you. All the best, Annabel
Marianne, you’re living my dream! And you have a beautiful blog, too!
Very kind of you to say 🙂 I’ve just been over to look at your blog, too, and have very fond memories of our trip to Vancouver, Vancourver Island and British Columbia (along with Alberta) several years ago. It’s a lovely part of the world 🙂
Hi Marianne,
Your blog is just so beautiful. It brings out my deep desire to travel and explore the world.
I have heard about travel blogs and people being employed to do reviews via travelling and experiencing – is this what you do? It interests me very much.
Hi Chantelle
Thanks for getting in touch. I hope you achieve your desire to travel and explore the world. I’ve visited around 60 countries, many of them VERY different from each other. The world is a beautiful place – and, in the main, so are the people.
I am not employed to do reviews. My blog consists of entirely my own thoughts – because I think them. No advertising, no outside pressure. It’s the way I operate.
Marianne
Hi Marianne, I just watched Grand Designs about a couple who built a house in Málaga a few years ago, Gil and Hilary Briffa. It was funny that, after asking you why the houses are all white, I saw them having trouble convincing the mayor that coloured walls were a good idea. Do you know the house? It was good to see so much of Málaga – it looks like an ideal place to live. Trish
No, I’m afraid I don’t know the house, Trish – there is Malaga the city, but also Malaga province, which is quite a bit bigger.
It’s a lovely place to live, albeit a bit hot right now 🙂
Hi!!! I loooooooooved this blog!!!! WOW!!! I’m a lawyer too
and my blog is early born 😀 please come visit us on duecuorieunaciccions.wordpress.com I hope we can find you travelling around the world, I think we’ll visit spain next year, it’s one of me dreams ❤ bye!! 🙂
I like Teddy Bears also. Nice to come across your site. Paulette
Hi Paulette
Welcome to a fellow arctophile 🙂
Hey Marianne,
I’ve nominated you for the ‘versatile blog award’ have a look here: http://anovelspain.com/2014/06/23/most-versatile-blogs/
Thanks.
Barry
Hello, your blog made me a little bit homesick for Spain (Salou, near Tarragona, Catalunya, to be precise). My father has lived there since 1984, and for twenty or more years I went there several times a year. Now that he’s 91 and getting frail, he’s losing his once very fluent Spanish and needs looking after, so has returned to England to live with my brother. But we all have the best memories…
Hey, at least you have the memories! So many people dream of moving abroad and for one reason or another keep putting it off. You, your Dad and me have all enriched our lives by actually doing it. That’s a HUGE victory in my book 🙂
Happy memories indeed.
¡Hola Marianne! I’ve just stumbled across your blog. Lots of great info here. I’ll be spending some time going through it! My partner and I are going on holiday in late September for 7ish weeks (we’re from Australia, so making the most of the trip by taking a big chunk of time). We’ll be hitting Italy first and then Spain, driving from Barcelona down the coast to Cadiz and then up through the Extremadura and hook right to Madrid before flying out to Paris. We’ve got a ton of sights on our list, particularly in Andalusia. I love ancient ruins and the Moorish influence on southern Spain as well as just seeing general stuff, the culture and people, oh and the food! My partner is also a photo fanatic, so there’s going to be a ton of material for her lens for sure.
I’m doing a lot of research on Spain and learning the language. It’s a lot of fun and some of it is actually sinking in! Depending on our experiences in Spain, I’m having half a mind to retire there from Melbourne. It’s a long term plan (10 years+ maybe). The winters here are becoming more and more depressing (dark, cold, wet). I must be getting old. Southern Spain might be a nice place to live after full time work is finally done with! Europe is so close too!
Love your blog.
¡Chao!
Hi Chris. What fun you’ll have! So much to see – call in at Valencia on the way down – then you might enjoy the classical Andalucian cities of Cordoba, Granada and Seville. Give Ronda a look, too. Don’t miss my part of the world, east of Malaga. Cadiz is a lovely city – you might also enjoy nearby Vejer de la Frontera (there’s a fantastic cooking school there Annie B’s Spanish kitchen) or Jerez de la Frontera.
Funnily enough, me and my hubby often head to Australia for our winters – we go housesitting often for 3-4 months!
Getting more expensive with every trip though 😦
Spain is a great place to retire to.
Have fun!
Hola Marianne,
well, we are finally in Spain! We arrived into Barcelona airport on the 11th and drove down to Tarragona. Met up with some Irish expat friends living in Xativa and from there drove to Cartagena and are now in Granada. We managed to luck in with some unused tickets to the Alhambra and visited it the same afternoon. It’s been a brilliant day and capping it off with a few beers just now in the hotel a stone’s throw from the Alhambra.
Spain is so very different to Italy from where we just came from after three weeks of almost constant rubber-necking. I’m an “ancient Roman” fan and adding to my interest with lots of great stuff here in Spain, along with everything else of course!
Still Cordoba, Malaga, Algeciras (mainly for the southern tip of Spain and Baleo Claudia), Sevilla, Merida and Cuenca. Phew! It’s a hectic schedule.
Weather has been so brilliant so far. Mid 20’s, blue skies and some cloud mostly.
I can see why this place is so inviting to retire to.
Funnily enough, I am away from home at the moment on vacation, and was in Merida for three days, last week. If you are an “ancient Roman” fan – you will think you have died and gone to Heaven, there 🙂
Have fun!
I can just imagine how wonderful it will be to live in such a beautiful place. I hope to visit Spain in the near future. Your blog is very informative.
I hope you have a great time when you get to visit Spain – it’s such a beautiful and diverse country 🙂
Thanks for your kind comment.
Hi Marianne, I’ve nominated you for the Best Moment award. Andalucia looks lovely. Hoping to join in on the Conejo Blanco Photo Challenge soon!
Thanks – much appreciated 🙂
Look forward to your CBBH photo, soon 🙂
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Fantastic website so informative and helpful Marianne. Just found it now on the Trip Advisor Forum which is a brilliant tool. We are visiting Nerja for the first time in Sept and I have so much info now that I will need a month!!
Keep up the excellent work
Thanks for letting me know about the Trip Advisor Forum, Maureen – it’s good to know 🙂
Hope you have a fabulous time in Nerja in September. Pity you aren’t here now for the Ruta de la Tapa during May 😉
Maybe in September there will be one!!!!
Well, if there isn’t, you can always make one up! 🙂
Hey Marianne, I’m visiting the Andalucia region later this month. I only have 3 nights (don’t ask… visa restrictions!) and would love your thoughts on where to visit. I am leaning towards cramping in nights in Sevilla, Granada and Marbella, while driving through the region during the day. Too much? What do you think?
3 nights? Well, by doing what you have planned you will at least get a flavour of Andalucia to whet your appetite for a return. You can only scratch the surface, but at least you will have been 🙂
Have fun!
Hello Marianne, Found your blog by chance and it’s really stunning…
Beautiful images 🙂
Thanks Sreejith 🙂
Hi , I love that you found my blog, as I get to find yours too, and it looks great, I like the taking a trip every month post, I think its so important to get out and do something , even if its just once a month .. great idea to share it, and I am definitely wanting to make your fudge , it looks YUM !
You know, I found your blog via Julie Dawn Fox completing my CBBH monthly photo challenge, which asks for two links to other blogs to be shared. I’ve been introduced to some great blogs that way.
Thanks for popping along and leaving a comment and good luck with the fudge 🙂
My first new follower of the New Year. In other words, me thanking you for your recent decision to follow Learning from Dogs. Hope you enjoy the blog; in not tell me why! Or offer a guest post! Best wishes, Paul
You’re welcome, Paul – I look forward to Learning from Dogs – they have so much to teach us 🙂
My wife and I are looking to relocate once family obligations are fulfilled. Spain is on our list of possible homes though no specific area has been selected yet. I will probably become an avid reader of your site.
Hi Emilio
If you haven’t already found it, you might be interested in my Cost of Living in Spain post, then 🙂
https://eastofmalaga.net/2013/08/23/cost-of-living-in-spain-august-2013/
Cool blog! Like it!
Thanks 🙂
You already know that I love your blog! So I do hope that you will accept your nomination for the Blog of The Year 2013 Award
You can find out all about it via this link
http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/2013/11/07/blog-of-the-year-my-2013-award-winners/
And Many Congratulations! xxx
AAwwwwwwww …. thank you SO much Aly and Dave. Humbled to accept your very kind nomination. Much appreciated.
you’re so welcome – well deserved x
I’ve often wondered what that area in Spain looks like these days. I hitchhiked to Spain in the late l970s, all the way to Estepona and Malaga. It was very beautiful then….
I would think the area has changed considerably since then – it’s very built up on the west side of Malaga these days.
That’s why I live on the much more AUTHENTIC eastern Costa del Sol 🙂
You should come back and see for yourself.
If it’s in the cards, I’ll be back…
Hello, I am new in this forum and looking forward to learn everything I can about Spain, especifically Estepona where we just came back from. We fell in love with the place and plan to retire there in another couple of years. when my youngest son will graduate from college. In the meantime, I appreciate all the information (cost of living, pros and cons, safety issues, etc)….Thank you for putting this together.
Maria Ines Morcombe
Hi Ines
Well, Estepona is one of the places we looked at before deciding to settle on the east side of Malaga city – but much of what I write about will still apply there too, I guess. Thanks for taking the trouble to write a comment. Much appreciated 🙂
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Hi Marianne. I’ve just added your blog to my blogroll. I love reading your entries. Keep blogging!
Sandra
Thanks Sandra – very kind 🙂
Great to discover your blog, Marianne. We’ve just returned from Andalucía (Casares, Gaucín, Ronda, Mijas, etc.,) on a sketching holiday, our second in the area. Can’t wait to read more of your posts.
I’m sure you had a great time there, Susan. The light here is so good for painting and sketching. When we visited the Alcazar in Cordoba in October last year, there were a group of painters dotted throughout the grounds. How lovely! They were good, too 🙂
Good to have you on board.
Hi Marianne
I found you through ‘blogexpat.com’ as I was looking for somewhere to start my own blog! I am so pleased I did. I have certainly been inspired by your lovely site with the fabulous photos! You are living in a fascinating part of Andalucía!
I am also a hispanophile, living in Estepona not too far from you! I have wriiten a few articles on another site about flamenco and other things so will be looking for you for more inspiration!
I can tell you are true professional…Any advice wil be much appreciated.
Marie
Thanks for your kind words, Marie. When I first read what you had written, I clicked on your name to go through to your blog, but alas, not only is there no link, your gravatar profile also has no link through to your site. That’s the first thing you should do – so that people can find you.
I’ve found that blogging is a very personal thing, but it’s best to stick to what you like and are interested in, instead of trying to force yourself to write posts about something don’t really enjoy.
Another thing I would suggest (tied in with my first point) is to visit other people’s blogs, have a look around and leave a meaningful comment. You might also ask a few questions as people are often quite willing to help. They might also be prompted to click the link to your site and come over to have a look, too.
Hope you get this message and good luck!
Marianne
You have a great blog. I love your photos! Sally
Thanks so much, Sally. It’s kind of you to say so. Much appreciated 🙂
I love your blog, your photos are very beautiful. I’ll be back…
Thanks – I look forward to seeing you again, soon 🙂
thank you
Hi Marianne, Lovely to meet you! Thanks for liking my post, “Spain: Jamon, Jamon!” on whitetrinity.com. Your blog brings back so many memories of my time living in Spain. Look forward to reading more! Cheers, Mrs. J
Hola Mrs J 🙂
Hey, great to hear from you!
Whereabouts did you live and for how long?
Hola Marianne,
I lived in Madrid for half a year. Great experience. I traveled all over. Wonderful country!
Hasta leugo! Mrs. J
Hi Marianne, I received an email about your ‘postcards’ post which looks interesting but it’s not working. I’d love to read it – can you try again? Thanks.
AH yes, I was putting the finishing touches to that post yesterday afternoon and pressed “preview” when a little box popped up on my screen to say that it had successfully published!! Needless to say, I had to immediately cancel it as the post wasn’t finished. I’ve been having a few problems with WordPress since the updates the other day. First, I couldn’t get into my page for over 24 hours and now this 😦 Anyway, the good news is that you will see the post tomorrow ….hopefully. Thanks so much for letting me know, Trish.
Hi Marianne, I sent you a msg on FB about publishing about your great blog on my blog 🙂
Hi Marianne. thank you for discovering my blog http://www.throughharoldslens.com. It gave me the opportunity to discover, explore and Follow your blog. Hoe we both enjoy our journeys. Best, Harold
Hi Harold
That’s what I love so much about my CBBH Photo Challenge each month – my readers introduce me to some great blogs 🙂
Thanks for signing up!
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Hi Marianne, I think I’m finally getting my itinerary settled. I’ll be in Barcelona June 28-July 2, then hopefully to Toledo for July 2-5, then I have one night (not sure where on the 5th) and on the 6th, I’m doing a 7 day tour of Andalucia with Tour Andalucia, ending on July 12. I would love to meet you either on the 5th or after the 12th. By the 13th or 14th, I hope to be heading to Portugal. 🙂 I hope to be able to meet you, even if you can’t invite me as a guest. 🙂
I’ve just emailed you, Cathy 🙂
Hola,
I was just in Andalucia, I love all the small old towns. I traveled all over for 2 weeks, I was in Cordoba for the festival of the patios, it was wonderful. Every festival in Andalucia is just beautiful. My husband and I were in Marbella the day of the starting the peregrination of la Virgen del Rocio. A very emotional procession around the Plaza de Los Naranjos.
Hola Angelita – Yes, the old towns are beautiful and the religious festivals are legendary. Glad you managed to see the Patios in Cordoba. We went a couple of years ago – it’s quite a spectacle, isn’t it?
Hi, I’ve nominated you for the Lovely Blog Award! Congratulations! See here for more information – http://expateyeonlatvia.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/lovely-latvia/ Linda.
What a lovely surprise – thank you so much, Linda 🙂
I’ve been trying to open your latest post, but just keep getting this message. 😦
Error 404 – Not Found
Sorry, the page you were looking for was not found.
Search for the page or look through the Archives.
That’s odd! Thanks for letting me know, Sylvia.
Here’s the post you are searching for:
https://eastofmalaga.net/2013/05/04/wildflowers-of-andalucia-dutchmans-pipe/
Thanks so much for the link. 🙂
love your blog! love spain! look forward to your posts 🙂
Thanks Marissa – it’s good to have you along 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and the comments. I’m following your interesting journey
Thanks and you’re very welcome 🙂
Like your blog! Wish I’d found you blog prior to my first visit to Andalucia (we stayed in Malaga). I’ll be following now since I fully intend to revisit the area ~ so much left to see and do.
Ah yes, I think I commented on a post of yours about the hotel you stayed at in Malaga with the slide!
If there’s anything I can help you with for your next visit – just give me a shout!
BTW – thanks for being my 1300th follower!
Marianne 🙂
Congrats on 1300 followers!! I’m looking forward to your updates…
Thanks – much appreciated 🙂
Great blog really as I’m a huge lover of Andalucia ….You are always welcome to Istanbul…Keep up the good work !
http://www.ottomandandy.com
Thanks for that …..Istanbul is somewhere I’ve always been meaning to get to. Hopefully within the next couple of years 🙂
Thanks for the ‘view’ and for a chance to visit Spain with you! Nice photos!
You are most welcome Shofar….thanks for letting me know!
ciao! luvFAB blog.
thebestdressup
Thanks 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and I am glad you did because its lead me to yours:) I shall settle down and catch up here. Ceri . ps. Teddy Bears am I right?
Hi Ceri
Nice of you to pop in and say hello 🙂
Teddy Bears? Oh yeah 😉
Hello – I’ve just nominated you for The Liebster Blog award – I hope you are able to accept but no pressure if ‘it’s not your kind of thing’ 🙂 http://the-travelbunny.com/awards/
Thank you so much for thinking of me – most kind 🙂
I just love your blog!!! And your photos are magnificent!!! I will be back! Hugs from sunny (HOT) South Africa 🙂
Hey!
Thanks for dropping along with your ever-so-kind comments.
Big hugs back atcha 🙂
Very impressive site, Marianne. I’ve seen many blogs about living in Spain, but yours seems to be attracting a lot of interest. What’s the secret to your success? Looking forward to reading more posts. Keep up the good work.
Hi Susan,
I’m pretty sure that sharing both comments and links with other blogs is the secret of success. Well, it seems to work for me 🙂
I get a lot of comments from people who like my photographs and, of course, they have a general interest in Spain, too.
Thanks for your kind comment and for taking the trouble to find me after reading Josh’s Spanish Inquisition: East of Málaga.
I have nominated you for the Blog of the Year award
http://insidethemindofisadora.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/santas-gifts-awards/
well deserved ….
How kind – thank you so much, Izzy!
If you’re good enough for Kevin Rudd, you’re good enough for me. I’m going to Spain this year for the first real time, so your blog has got my attention. Not to mention it’s well written. Well done, Marianne.
Hahaha you really did make me LOL then 🙂
Where in Spain are you heading, Trish?
Barcelona & Majorca. I want to check out places connected with a book I’ve translated.
Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in Spain – you will love it, I’m sure. It’s been a while since I went to Majorca, but I certainly remember it being a beautiful island.
I’m always looking out for and learning about new places to travel. This certainly piques my interest. Looking forward to the journey.
Good to have you on board, Eric.
Spain is a wonderfully diverse country to visit. 🙂
Hi, I have nominated you for the “One Lovely Blog” award! Here the link: http://praguebykaty.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/one-lovely-blog-award/ – congrats!!
OOHHHH how wonderful! Thank you so much Katy – this is such an honour.
An award/awards for you…but just wanted to let you know…I think you deserve them all personally…but you choose:
http://jobryantnz.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/tis-the-season/
Hope your still having fun in Oz ???
I’m honoured to accept the sixth and final star of the Blog of the Year Awards, if that’s OK with you Jo.
Thanks so much for thinking of me.
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Ola! Marianne – I hope you don’t mind, but I just nominated your blog for a “Blog of the Year 2012” award. Acceptance info is just a click away @ http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/.
Buenas días!
OOHH thank you so much for thinking of me – that’s so kind.
Hi there! This is just to let you know that because I enjoy your posts, I’ve nominated you for the Reality Blog Award. I hope you’ll consider this good news – but even if you aren’t interested in accepting, I hope you may see some increased traffic as a result! The acceptance rules are at: http://wp.me/p2ekZU-ZC. All the best!
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It’s me again! 😛
Just letting you know you were mentioned in my blog http://goo.gl/afihE. You don’t have to participate in this award thing, i am just doing it to introduce my friends to the rest of my blogging company!
Thanks for the mention, Ioanna and for introducing me to your blogging friends!
Yea… I do love teddybears too…. well this is the first good reason to follow your blog… and the second one, actually a bit difficoult to get… is the sea (by it’s side, or on a sailingboat!)
See you around
:-)claudine
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chrysalis-Bart%C3%B3k/331089416973582
(she’s the principal character of my last novel… and she lives on a sailingboat…)
Us arctophiles have to stick together Claudine!
How lovely to meet Chrysalis – it´s a pleasure to “like” her FB page 🙂
I ‘ve been hanging around your blog for so long, and i haven’t told you how much i like it!!!!!!! 😀 You rock Marianne! Your colorful pictures make my day, I see a bit of my home town in your posts! 🙂
That´s so kind of you to take the time to say that, Ioanna 🙂 It´s always lovely that people stop to say HELLO and make a kind comment. This is a part of blogging that I never expected to happen when I started. 🙂
Thank you so much for your continuing support 🙂
I have visited many beautiful and interesting blogs during my blogging time, but i don’t find many friendly ones, where you feel like home! 🙂
Hi Marianne,
Nice to see you on my blog. I liked your photo of a herd of goats – it reminded me of similar scenes in Greece!
Sophie
Yes, exactly Sophie – goats are common throughout the Mediterranean region. Glad you liked my photo and thank you for your visit and comment 🙂
Thanks for the ‘Like”, Marianne. Nice place you have here. I’ll be back.
Good to have you here. Thanks for the follow 🙂
Congratulations, I´ve nominated you for the “Family of Bloggers Award”, to see what is involved check out my blog. If you choose not to accept the award I will not be offended, I just wanted to show how much I enjoy reading your blog and also to say thank you for your support and encouragement! Have a great day,G 🙂
Thank you so much Giana – I´m honoured to accept and have posted the Award on my “Recognition” page 🙂
You are more than welcome, I´m delighted you decided to accept it! Have a fantastic weekend, Giana 🙂
I’ve tagged you to create a virtual dinner party… Details at http://elladeewords.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/come-over-for-a-barbie-mate/. I found this a fun exercise, and I’m sure your guest list would be fascinating. Of course, it’s fine if you want to pass 🙂 EllaDee
Housesitting is a great way to travel around the world. In fact, we are heading out to Sydney later this year to do just that! I´m glad you enjoyed your time in Spain – it´s a great country to visit AND to live in. Lovely to have you on board, Jan 🙂
Good on you. Sydney is a wonderful city. The waterfront is gorgeous, as are the beaches and the Blue Mountains. Enjoy Australia!
Hi Marianne, I am happy to have found your blog. We are Aussies and house-sat in Moclin in Andalucia in April/May this year and now we are hooked on Spain. I found your blog through Where’s my Backpack Travel Theme – Textures. I have been leaving a tweeting and pinning trail through your site, and have signed up for emails. lol. Jan
Hi there,
I just nominated you for One Lovely Blog Award. I would be honored if you accepted.
Thank you for an awesome blog.
http://pictureperfectmemoriesforlife.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/my-first-blog-award-nomination/
Coreen
Thank you so much, Coreen. I am delighted to accept your nomination and have posted it on my “Recognition” page 🙂
https://eastofmalaga.net/recognition/
Only a pleasure. Thank you so much.
Love it all. The food, the exciting places, the people and rich culture. Awesome!
Me too! Spain is a great country to live or to visit 🙂
This is great … love the ‘recovering’ lawyer!
All the Best
Daniela
Glad you like it, Daniela, and thanks for following my blog 🙂
Marianne, thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you’ll come back again.
I wish I had known about this one before my wife and i went to spain.
Maybe you´ll come back again, Ron.
Where in Spain did you visit?
I’ve nominated you for the Super Sweet Blogger Award. Happy cupcakes!
http://laavventura.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/super-sweet-blogger-award-my-sardinian-life/
OOHH thank you so much, Jennifer. Today must be my lucky day as I´ve received two awards in the space of a few hours! Sweeeet!
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What a great blog! I would like to nominate you for the Beautiful Blogger Award. I have not posted my post as of this writing but I’m giving you a head start. Congratulations!
OH what an honour. Thank you so much, Marcella. 🙂
I’ve enjoyed browsing through your blog. It is fascinating. I will come back again and view other posts. I have signed up for your updates. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for stopping by my blog. It’s always a delight to get to know new bloggers.
Isadora
Thanks and welcome. It´s lovely to meet you too, Isadora.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your shameless arctophilia (okay, I had to look it up!). I look forward to delving into your delicious blog!
xx
You´re most welcome 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and following me. You have a wonderful blog. I look forward to spending time looking at some of your past blogs. I visited Spain briefly a number of years ago. and would love to go back and spend more time.
Maralee
I enjoyed looking at your fantastic photos, Maralee.
Yes, Spain deserves plenty of time to savour it, properly! 🙂
Thank you for taking time to visit my blog.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
You are most welcome. I enjoyed my visit very much, Francine. 🙂
Spain is a great place to live. I love it here.
Thanks for your lovely encouraging comments. Much appreciated.
Such an exciting, fascinating world. You are living a beautiful and inspiring life. Great blog!
I am honoured to nominate you for the One Lovely Blog Award! Please pick up your award at http://travelswithtoby.wordpress.com/. Copy and Paste the Award to your blog and follow the rules of acceptance. I am very aware that some people do not wish to participate in Awards, and I completely respect that… no strings! But in any case, Congratulations, you have a Lovely Blog!
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I appreciate it, very much, Toby.
Merhaba! As am admirer or your work, I have nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger award – pop on over to my page http://crazytraintotinkytown.com for details. Appreciate these awards involve some work, so please take your time or if you have received them before, my apologies but it’s still nice to know someone appreciates your blog. May your day be filled with sunshine
What a lovely surprise! Thank you so much for thinking of me and I very much appreciate this award.
Hey Marianne… I just tagged you… if you want to play along, the rules and questions are at the link below…
http://thelastsongiheard.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/tag/
OH – okey dokey! I´ll be right over and have a look.
Thanks for the thought, Richard … (I think!!) lol
Today I learned a new vocab: arctophile 🙂
Ah yes – what a sweet word! 😉
Now a weird question for you…. How did you feel when you were watching (assuming that you were) Mr Bean tearing off his Teddy’s body, to stick its head in his little suitcase? 😀 I am sorry if I am cruel 😉
I presume you clicked through to my other blog about Edward the Travelling Bear! http://flyingsouthforthewinter.wordpress.com/
Personally, I think Mr Bean should be expelled from the Arcophile Club! Shocking! 😉
Here, here! Nope, I still haven’t checked out your Teddy’s blog ;). Too many things to do and so little time…. and I am more attracted to Spain than to teddies… if you start collecting plush elephants, give me a call 😉
Hmmmm funny you should mention that….. 😉
Hola Marianne 🙂 I’ve just started reading this page and had to stop myself to leave you a comment…. 😀 you managed to teach me (a linguist) a new word in your very first sentence! Now, how cool is that! I’d better go on reading now. Chau!
Delighted to have taught you something new, and thanks for stopping by, Paula. 😉
Sounds like you are having a great adventure.
Oh yes – life is a wonderful adventure! 🙂
Thanks for your visit and for taking the time to comment.
Thanks for liking my anniversary post!
I enjoyed my visit. Welcome to East of Málaga!
Thank you for stopping by to like my latest post! Spain is on my list of places to visit also but I guess your blog will have to do for now. Lucky you to be living there!
Spain is a great place to live. Don´t regret moving here for a moment. 🙂
Hi Marianne
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog
You´re welcome 🙂
One of the main reasons (apart from the wonderful countryside) we decided to move from England to the Axarquía was the weather and the outdoor lifestyle that comes with it.
The weather, year round is great, but in particular during the summer months, May to September, you can plan a BBQ a month in advance and KNOW it will be great weather!! Back in the north-west of England, we sometimes had to cook and eat our BBQs in the garage! LOL
Where will you be visiting/staying in September, Lesley?
We are staying in Maro – found what looks like a really nice townhouse- and will have a car for the week as there are still some villages we have yet to visit.
I was in Maro only yesterday – taking photos of the old San Joaquín sugar mill on the coast road between Nerja and Maro. That post will be coming up next week sometime!
We are in the countryside between Torrox pueblo and Cómpeta village. Would love to meet up with you in September if you have any questions about living here permanently.
Hasta luego!
Hi Marianne, have just seen your photos of the sugar mill – they are fab! Thanks for the offer of a meet up – not sure what our plans for the week are yet but will let you know.
That´s OK – I´m not sure what my plans are in September yet, either! 🙂
Hi marianne, have just come across this website and think it is fab! Like Tobyo – all I think about is the days that we can come across to the Axarquia and live there permenantly (22 months and counting – hopefully!) Have loved the area since our first visit there 9 years ago. Looked in other parts of Spain for an area to live but just keep comparing it to Axarquia. We will be visiting again in Sept (can’t wait) so looking forward to sampling the life again. Keep up the good work – it will be wonderful to get a regular look at the place I love whilst its pouring down here in soggy England.
I am so jealous!! only 22 months to go??!?!! I’ve got 8 or so years…..but hoping for another trip in between. best of luck to you!
This is an amazing blog, I really love it!
Thanks Martyn, I really appreciate your visit and kind comment. 🙂
Yes, the south coast of Spain and, in my opinion the eastern side of the Costa del Sol, is indeed a beautiful place at any time of year.
Over the past few years we have made trips to Valencia, Madrid and the north of Spain (including Santander, San Sebastian and Bilbao), too. Spain is such a lovely country and I feel very fortunate to live here on a permanent basis.
Thanks for your visit, Lynne.
It all sounds so wonderful. When visiting Spain many (many) years ago I had hoped to visit the Malaga but, alas, got no further than Valencia and Madrid. Subsequent visits have focused on the north as well. But Costa del Sol – it sounds like a beautiful place to winter … and I still remember how to ask for that beer!
Glad to have you on board, Alex. You are very welcome!
Sounds like a nice blog, and even more it is about South Spain. I do not know about you guys, but I am definitely signing up for this blog. Keep updating us! cheers,alex
Ooh, great blog, will def subscribe!
Thanks – and you are most welcome!
We are so lucky to be living in Andalucía, aren´t we? 😉
Hmmm I remember being in that same position a few years ago – just dreaming of living in Spain!
Spain is a great place to live! We chose to live east of the city Málaga because it is much more authentic than many places west of Málaga, which in many ways has been spoiled by mass tourism. Are you thinking to moving to live in the city itself or somewhere in the Provincia?
oh sorry! I haven’t seen this until today. We would love to live in the city itself. And the closer to the center of town, the better. I’m not sure I could handle NOT living in a city, having been a city girl my entire life. However, we also wonder about living east of Malaga thinking we might get more for our money? just a theory of mine, not sure if that is accurate.
I really can´t answer that question as I have no idea about the price of accommodation in Málaga city. I think the difference would probably be the amount of land, or if you want lots of terraces or a swimming pool – which would be hard to come by in the centre of the city.
Oh … but the joy of being able to use Ataranzas market every day, living in the city. Wonderful!
thanks for following my blog! and I just followed yours too. practically all I think about is when we move to Malaga in between living, working, saving and planning our next trip to Spain. so I look forward to checking out your blog about moving to my favorite part of the world.