Autumn: It´s a Game of Three Halves!

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Marianne under Axarquía

Even though the intense heat of summer has now passed, the throngs of August tourists have finally returned home, the evenings are getting darker just that bit earlier, and the X Factor has returned to our TV screens – nothing says “autumn” to me more than the start of the rugby season!

When we lived in the north-west of England, we were season-ticket holders at Fylde Rugby Club, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with ex-England captain, Bill Beaumont, on the terraces at the Woodlands Memorial ground for every match. Season after season we stood in the rain and cold, with pride and passion, shouting support for our local club.

But, when we moved to southern Spain and based ourselves east of Málaga, we thought our live rugby-watching days were over.

Of course, we can still enjoy the excitement of the Six Nations tournament, or an emotionally-charged Haka performed by the mighty All Blacks, in glorious close-up on the huge TV screens in many of the local bars, but there´s nothing quite like watching rugby in the flesh, so to speak.

Imagine our delight when we discovered (by accident and at the last minute) that rugby was indeed alive and kicking in La Axarquía. The poster advertised a match taking place between the Axarquía and Málaga Rugby Clubs at the Fernando Ruiz Hierro stadium in Vélez-Málaga on Saturday afternoon at 17.30, with free entry, so we went along to find out what it was all about.

We witnessed a physical and entertaining game of rugby, fought out between two great rivals, in front of an enthusiastic and vocal crowd of around a hundred people. With squad members keen to impress their respective coaches ahead of the new rugby season, both teams put on a spirited display.

Without a scoreboard, it was difficult to keep track of the points and, even though Málaga appeared to score more tries (and some of the conversions of both kickers looked rather dubious to me), it was eventually agreed by the powers-that-be, that a 33-33 draw would be a fair result! Well, it was only a pre-season friendly match.

What was even more curious was that at the end of the second half, when we naturally presumed that the match was over, both teams congregated for another huddle on the pitch – and then resumed with a third half! At least this allowed more time for the players waiting on the Substitute´s Bench to take their turn to impress.

I later mentioned about it being “a game of three halves” to the club´s Press Officer, and when he sent me a copy of the Press Release yesterday, I´m sure you can guess the title of the article written for the Costa del Sol News – “Rugby Season Starts – It´s a Game of Three Halves!”. You read it here first, folks!

The Axarquía Rugby Club provided us with an afternoon of good sport, friendship and a club shop (well, more of a club table) selling cool drinks, tee-shirts and where social memberships can be bought for the princely sum of €15, which includes free entry to all games.

We´ll be back to watch more of the fastest growing sport in Spain.

This post is my contribution to the Sunday Post: Autumn

Other articles you might like to look at:

East of Málaga: Following in the footsteps around Comares

Cheeky Monkey: Now you see him, now you don´t!

Back to the Future: An Evening at the Medieval Market

Cheeky Monkey: Now you see him, now you don´t!

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Marianne under Photo challenges, Places

I recently posted that I can see Africa from my terrace, and that seemed to cause a frisson of excitement around the globe, so I thought I would give you an even better view!

On a recent trip to Gibraltar (less than a three hour drive from my home), with a friend visiting from Australia, we arrived at the top of The Rock to see the magnificent sight of another continent just 8.9 miles across the water. AFRICA!

This is the stunning view that greeted us at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, with a backdrop of the mountains of Morocco, including Jebel Musa, the other Pillar of Hercules – the name given in the ancient world to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar.

What a view!

I glanced over to my right, to take in the Spanish mountains dropping into the sea, and when I looked back this little guy was posing for me!

He´s a Barbary ape – Europe’s only wild monkeys. Local legend has it that as long as the Barbary Macaque population exists on Gibraltar, the territory will remain under British rule.

I just had time to take this perfectly posed image and, just as he appeared, quick as a flash he was off to join the rest of his friends!

Cheeky monkey!

This is my response to the Sunday Post – From a Distance

Related posts:

I can see Africa from my terrace!

Venturing further afield: A day trip to Gibraltar

CBBH Photo Challenge: Looking Up

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Marianne under Axarquía, CBBH Photo Challenge, Photo challenges

I was recently looking through photograph albums from various places I have visited. While scrolling through the photos, I noticed a common thread: many of them had been taken from a different perspective, and I had not even realised it as I was snapping away.

The photos that caught my eye were all taken whilst looking up.

Here are the steps of a street leading up to the higher part of the white, mountain village of Frigiliana. This lovely shot not only includes the perspective of the narrowing of the steps as they climb into the distance, and the sunshine and shadows playing on the impossibly white walls, but also, it´s a great record of the clear, blue Spanish skies.

This stunning series of Islamic arches with their intricate designs decorate part of the Alhambra Palace, typifying the remains of Moorish dominion within Spain, which ushered in the last great period of Andalucían art in Granada.

La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Church of Our Lady of the Assumption) in the main square of my home village of Cómpeta was beautifully lit against the clear, night sky, during the Fería last weekend.

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This month´s Featured Blogs:

Islandmomma writes passionately about her adopted homeland on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Linda and I have been online friends for many years, through our shared love of books and travel. One of my favourite posts on Islandmomma´s blog is her huge photo journal of Tenerife page. Be prepared to be fascinated by her many wonderful photographs.

Another Day in Paradise shares her travel stories from around the globe and is always quick to leave appropriate and supportive comments. As well as her stunning travel photography, this orchid-loving Dessert Queen is always ready to tempt you away from your diet with her sweet variations.

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Click here to find out how the CBBH Photo Challenge works.

I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite!

I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations!

New Monthly CBBH Challenge: Starts August 1st

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Marianne under Axarquía, CBBH Photo Challenge, Photo challenges

There´s a British superstition which states that a person should say or repeat the word “rabbit” or “rabbits“, or say the phrase “white rabbits“, or some combination of these elements, out loud upon waking on the first day of the month, because doing so will ensure good luck for the duration of that month. (Source: wikipedia)

Well – how about joining together to make our own luck, by sharing a little blog love, each month?

There are some fantastic weekly photo challenges to get your creative juices flowing – Travel Theme, Sunday Post, Weekly Image of Life and, of course, the Weekly Photo Challenge, to name but a few. My new monthly challenge, the CONEJO BLANCO BLOG HOP (conejo blanco means white rabbit, in Spanish) will also introduce the element of sharing.

Here´s how it will work:

On the first day of each month, starting in August, I will provide a theme to inspire you to post your own interpretation. Create your own blog post before the end of the month and entitle it “CBBH Challenge: (subject of the month)”, providing a link to this page so I´ll know your participating, and others can find it, too.

Grab a BLOG HOPPER button, if you like!

The difference between this and other photo challenges is that at the end of your post, you should introduce at least two links to other blogs you have visited and, most importantly, that you have commented on, during the past month. These links might be to someone who you are in regular contact with via your blog, a new blogger in need of some followers, or maybe a person who inspires or motivates you with their writing or photographs.

By choosing to participate, you also agree to read and comment on at least two other blogs taking part in the Conejo Blanco Blog Hop. That way, when we visit each other, we can HOP OVER to your links, connect with others and share a little blog love around!

Don´t forget to follow East of Málaga, so you never miss out on the monthly CBBH Challenge announcement. You can sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar.

BONUS: If you find your blog featured as a link, you will be entitled to grab the CONEJO BLANCO BLOG HOP Featured Me! BUTTON to display in your sidebar.

What do you think? Want to hop on board?

[Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]