Ancient watchtower on the cliffs at Cerro Gordo, overlooking La Herradura bay.
Other articles you may enjoy:
Photographs I love …. and why!
Category Archives: Places
Hark! Orange Trumpets herald the warm winter weather
Just look at this Orange Trumpet Creeper – sometimes known as the Flame Vine (Botanic name: Pyrostegia Venusta; pyro = flame, stege = covering, venusta = pleasing).
This particular magnificent flowering vine with it’s brilliant orange flowers can be found draped across Calle Carabeo in Nerja. The Orange Trumpet Creeper is a vigorous evergreen climber which grows well in a warm climate, needing shelter from cold winds or frost.
As I wandered around Nerja in the warm sunshine, I discovered several examples of this spectacular plant. You can see them in the gallery below.
I see these beautiful blooms every year, though for some reason haven’t stopped to take photos and really enjoy their beauty, before. My new challenge: One Trip EVERY Month gave me the perfect opportunity to get out and about with my camera.
Tell me where you are going this month that you’ve never got around to visiting before.
You might also enjoy:
AVE: Taking the Fast Track from Málaga to Madrid
Share this:
My Travel Reflections on 2013
JANUARY: I kicked off the year by fulfilling one of my long awaited “Bucket List” dreams – to see the New Year fireworks over Sydney Harbour, Australia! If you want to see what I saw, click HERE!
FEBRUARY: By now, I had moved on to New Zealand. This is the view from Mt. Paku, a twin-coned volcanic peak dominating the head of Tairua Harbour on the east coast of the Coromandel peninsula, New Zealand. See what I saw by clicking HERE.
MARCH: If you had been in my shoes, you would have been in Melbourne, Australia, sitting by the Yarra River. I was there for the opening race of the Formula One motor-racing season – well I am a petrol-head! Join me for a look around beautiful Melbourne, HERE.
APRIL: Time to head home to the white, mountain village of Cómpeta, east of Málaga. Behind the village you can see the highest mountain in this part of the world, Mount Maroma. Let me show you around the village, HERE.
MAY: My birthday treat was a few days away in Seville, the fourth largest city in Spain and capital of Andalucía. Seville is well known for religious festivals, flamenco, world-class tapas and sherry drinking, but did you know that the tomb of Christopher Columbus is inside Seville Cathedral? See the city for yourself, HERE.
JUNE: Whenever we have visitors come to stay, I always take them to the pretty, white village of Frigiliana. If you watch THIS VIDEO of the village, you can practice your Spanish, too!
JULY: Situated in Jaen province, Andalucía and crammed full of Renaissance architecture, the towns of Baeza and Úbeda celebrated the 10th anniversary of being granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The towns offered a special accommodation deal over a ten day period of only 10 euros per person each night. How could I resist?! To see what you missed, look HERE.
AUGUST: This is the month of the Málaga Fair – and OH BOY – the city sure knows how to party! In the above photo you can see the elegant pedestrianised shopping street of Calle Marqués de Larios transformed into a huge party venue, full of people dressed up, dancing and having fun! Watch the video and join in the fun HERE.
SEPTEMBER: A trip to the nearby town of Nerja happens every month, and it’s always a pleasure to stroll along the scenic promenade adorned with palm trees and exotic plants to the Balcón de Europa. Indeed, in a few days I will be seeing in the New Year 2014 in this very place. If you want to see more of Nerja, click HERE.
OCTOBER: Porto, the vineyards of the Douro Valley and Lisbon, Portugal were my destinations in October. Even though the weather was showery for most of the time, there were plenty of places to get out of the way and enjoy the cakes! Here you can see one of the iconic Lisbon trams. There’s an introduction to Portugal, HERE.
NOVEMBER: At the end of the month, I began a 16 day trip to the German Christmas markets (another Bucket List dream) as well as to Prague in the Czech Republic and Budapest, Hungary. First stop was Nuremberg for the Christkindlesmarkt, the oldest of the German Christmas markets. If you’d like a stroll around the market with me, click HERE.
DECEMBER: My final destination of the year allowed me to cross off my third Bucket List item this year – Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. As the train from Munich got nearer to Fussen, snow began to appear – making for a picture-perfect scene. I couldn’t have wished for a more wonderful day! I hope you will join me HERE to learn more about the structure on which Walt Disney modelled his fairy-tale castle.
Where have you been this year? Where are you hoping to go in 2014? Do you have a “Bucket List”?
Share this:
Photos from 35,000 feet: Approaching Málaga
Whenever I fly, I always request a window seat. I love the view through an aeroplane window – because it means I´m going somewhere!
You can often see spectacular views of the world – views which you simply cannot see from the ground and sometimes of countries that you will never set foot in.
Even if there is nothing spectacular to see, just looking at the changing cloud patterns or mountain tops can be fascinating.
With tight security rules and ever busier airports continuing to change air travel, rediscovering the romance of the window seat may be the most practical way to make flying more enjoyable. Why not give it a try next time you fly?
So, Señores Pasajeros (Ladies and Gentlemen) please ensure your seat-belt is securely fastened, your tray table is stowed and your seat-back is in the upright position, and join me in enjoying a smooth approach into Málaga (Costa del Sol) airport, courtesy of Ryanair.
Once I can see the coast, I know I’m almost home!
There’s the runway!
Often the course is out to sea (towards North Africa), before swinging back inland to head to Malaga airport from the south.
Back over the coast, heading north this time.
Passing directly over Plaza Mayor shopping complex – nearly down now!
Safely landed!
Do you enjoy flying or do you just tolerate it to get from A to B? Which countries have you just flown over that you would wish to actually visit?
Whilst you´re here, you might also be interested in:
Taking the Fast Track from Málaga to Madrid on the AVE
Cost of Living in Spain Report: Summer 2013
Share this:
Let Sleeping Giants Lie!
Near to the city of Antequera in Málaga Province is Peña de los Enamorados (The Lovers’ Rock), which rises 880 metres above sea level. This mountain is more popularly known as “Montaña del Indio” because it looks like the head of an Indian when seen from certain angles.
I think it looks like the stone face of a sleeping giant.
Can YOU see the “sleeping giant”?
Other posts you might enjoy:
CBBH Photo Challenge: CURVES IN NATURE
Following in the footsteps around Comares
Ski-ing in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Granada
East of Málaga 