Bodega Antigua Casa de Guardia

Bodega Antigua Casa de Guardia has been in existence since 1840.  Some of the men working had been employed by the family for their whole adult lives and are now 60-70 years old.  There is so much history to be seen in the streets of downtown Málaga.

The drinks are served in these small glasses and the tab written in chalk on the bar.

The barrels are over 100 years old.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Mercado Central de Atarazanas in Málaga

Ronda - Puente Nuevo

We ended up in Ronda near sunset to look out from the Puente Nuevo (new bridge), which was completed in 1793.  Being afraid of heights, it was a little bit unnerving to stand on the edge and take pictures, but the bridge held up and we're ok.  The view was stunning.  

Ronda also boasts the oldest bullring in Spain and hosted Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles during summers.

The Bridge

A view down the ravine from the bridge.

From the bridge, houses built up to the edge of the ravine.

Streetlights on the bridge.

Pueblo Pitufo: Smurf Town

On our way home one night, we stopped in the town of Júzcar.  It's a shame we weren't there during the day, but you should be able to see that the buildings have all been painted blue.  This was done as a publicity stunt for The Smurfs by Sony Pictures.  Sony then offered to repaint the town back to what it was originally and the town elected to keep it blue because it revitalized the local economy with an influx of tourism.  These may not be the best pictures, but I love the story.

Mijas

Mijas is a town in Málaga that sits up in the hills overlooking the Costa del Sol.  We spent a few hours wandering around the streets surrounded by houses all painted white.  From the higher points, we could see the faint outline of Africa to the south and Gibralter.

With our friends, Carlos and Natasa...they're goofballs.

Steps

Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña

A view from on top of the city.

Playa Santa Ana

Mini Windmills as you enter town.

We took a short trip to visit friends and stayed in Benalmádena, close to Malaga.  Our flight left Barcelona at 6 AM, which meant we had to get up at 3 AM to catch a 4 AM bus.  We arrived to the hotel exhausted, took a short nap, then headed down to the beach to soak up the sun and enjoy the warmth of Málaga.

Tracy hunting for shells.

The steps where I sat.

A few of Tracy's Finds

An old painted tile worn away by the water.

A brick in the sand.