Market and Beach Day in Málaga!

Saturday February 22 was another beautiful sunny day with a high of 17C.  It is amazing the difference between a day with no sun (yesterday) and a day with full sun (today) even though the temperature may only vary a degree or so.  We needed an extra layer yesterday.  Today there were lots of people in shorts.

We headed out late morning to the Central Market.  It is always busy on Saturdays, but lots of fun and the produce, meat and fish are excellent.

A vintage shop we pass on the way to market

Where we bought our vegetables today
Looks like we are heading into asparagus season


Our cheese and ham guy (bought some of the good iberico ham today)


We also stopped at our favourite bakery (recommended by Vicky) near the market and then bought some coffee beans at Bertani.  We met the owner, who opened the coffee shop in 2012.  She teaches at a Barista School and had heard about us (the Canadians) from one of her baristas!  We had the beans ground for our travel espresso machine.

On the way back to the apartment with our food, we passed by Constitution Plaza.  There were a panel of judges about to judge the children's costume competition.
The judges on stage

Kids in their costumes, waiting to parade across the stage
Very cute kid
Carnaval seems a bit haphazard so far.  We turned a corner and ran into a group of kids all wearing the same glasses and singing.

Quite cute outfits
We later saw this group wandering around the Plaza

After lunch at the apartment, we decided to head to the beach-- only about a 20 minute walk away.  We hadn't been to the beach yet, as we were waiting for a warmer day.  Today was perfect.

We walked through the Jardines de Pedro Luis Alonso-- near City Hall and the street we had walked down to get to the Pompidou Málaga museum earlier this week.  Lovely landscaped garden, with a lily pond and tiled benches.



Lovely mosaics in the park


It was lovely on the beach.  There are some areas where one can pay for lounge chairs, but most of the beach is public space.   There are a number of small restaurants on the beach, often serving grilled fish.


The beach scene

Mountains in the distance
Lots of sail boats out today- most likely a race

We only saw one or two people in the water--- it was very cold 


At the Mediterranean Sea

Grilled octopus and sardines

The beach is called La Malagueta

Alligators in the sand
Row of the alligators
We stopped for a late afternoon bite at El Cachalote-- we got a table on the outdoor patio overlooking the sea.

Great spot for a late afternoon bite
We had small fried squid and grilled sardines and some beer.  Place was very popular and the fish was very fresh.
Small fried squid-- excellent
Grilled sardines

We then stopped at the Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta (Bullfighting ring originally built in 1874 and now beautifully restored) that has a small display area, to see a photography exhibit called "Flamenco" by Carlos Saura, the Spanish film director who directed a number of famous flamenco films including Carmen (1983), Sevillanas (1992), and Flamenco, Flamenco (2010), among many others.  Saura was born in 1932 and is counted among Spain's three most renowned filmmakers along with Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar.

There was a beautiful piece at the beginning of the exhibit written by Carlos Saura about the importance of flamenco to him.


Poster for exhibit

Another poster

Antonio Gades y Laura del Sol en el rodaje de Carmen. 1982

Antonio Gades, Carlos Saura y Emiliano Piedra preparando Carmen. 1982


Belén Maya en el rodaje de Flamenco. 1994


Lola Flores en el rodaje de Sevillanas. 1991

Bailaoras en el rodaje de Salomé. 2002

Bailaoras de Estévez/Paños y Compañía en los ensayos de Flamenco Hoy. 2009

Bailaora en el rodaje de Flamenco, Flamenco. 2009


Miguel Poveda en el rodaje de Flamenco, Flamenco. 2009

Paco de Lucia en el rodaje de Flamenco, Flamenco. 2009

Bailaoras en el rodaje de Sevillanas. 1991
Sara Baras en el rodaje de Flamenco, Flamenco. 2009


The bullfighting season runs from April to September every year.   We could look through a glass door into the bullring.  It seats over 9000.

Looking into the bullring from the exhibition area

Outside the bullring
We stopped briefly at the City Hall.  What an incredible building.  We peered into the lobby, but if one wanted to go further, one would have to go through security.  The City Hall opened in 1919.  It has a neobaroque style.

Alcazaba in background-- City Hall on the left of the picture

Outside of City Hall
In the entrance


Statue outside City Hall

Lovely view of the Cathedral and orange grove as we walked by

We passed by some more folks hanging around in Carnaval costumes.


We had a late coffee at Mia our other favourite spot for a coffee along with Bertani.


The light was lovely as we headed up our quiet street to our apartment.
Our entrance is the first door on the left side of the picture
Alano made dinner-artichokes, pan fried anchovies, potatoes and onions, salad, and wine.
A laid back sunny day in Málaga.

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