Nerja - day one

Hola

Today we set off for Nerja (pronounced "Nay-uh"). This is another short run along lovely coastline with beautiful blue water and on the other (northern) side, dramatic mountain scenery. We can see the attractions of this area. We are heading for Camping Cortijo San Miguel about 2km out of Nerja Centro, and it better be good or I am in trouble!

Fortunately it is - actually it's great! It is described as a ‘natural’ campsite, but in a good way as it turns out - there are lots of trees, mainly avocado trees, and the is plenty of shade! Bob spots an “aguacate bacon” tree (ie avocado bacon tree) - 2 superfoods in one he says. We're enjoying the campsite so much that we decide we're going to stay for three nights!!

Avocado Bacon Tree

Our lovely campsite surrounded by avocado trees

We settle in and set off for the bus to Centro which is a few hundred metres up the road. It’s 15 minutes late but at least it does arrive and we are in Nerja in no time. Before starting to sightsee, we try at the ticket window to find out when the buses return and explain where we need to get off. After much discussion and a passerby helping out with translation we are none the wiser - and nor was the ticket guy, except we think there is a bus at 5.00pm, 5.40pm, 6.40pm (🤞🤞).

We wander down a lovely skinny boulevard towards the main square. We stop in at a shop, that has shorts on sale (remember way back we tried to find some shorts at the 2nd markets in Alimonte and various other places). Well today we are in luck and we both get an extra pair of shorts each (which means conclusively that the weather will now turn cold!).

We reach the main square, the beach, and the Balcón de Europa which is a prominent viewpoint and landmark on a cliff offering panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding coastline. Originally a 9th-century fortress, it was renamed "Balcony of Europe" by King Alfonso XII in 1885 and now serves as the heart of the town, surrounded by cafes, shops, and a statue of the king. And it is stunning.

Balcón de Europa (the arches in the distance) - along tree lined plaza

Balcón de Europa again

Closer view of Balcón de Europa arches

View from "Balcón de Europa"

Tree lined plaza

We walk down the pathway towards the lovely beach, and around the lower edge of the cliff with more great views. (BTW the folks here, women or men, certainly don’t care what their body shape is or how big they are, they simply let it all hang out, particularly the women and their "g" string bikinis - Bob says there are some things you just can’t unsee!).

View from "Balcón de Europa"

Look how crowded the beach in Nerja

Walkway down to beach

Beautiful blue sea

View from edge of walkway

Another shot along walkway

Anyhow we wander over to the church and there is a wedding on so can only peek inside (possibly an English couple, and an Irish fellow standing beside us says he is here for a wedding himself that’s tomorrow ). Again we see the attraction - this is a beautiful little town.

Church where the wedding was held

Wedding inside Cathedral

Lovely street in Nerja Old Town

Kerrie having a chat to an old mate

Lovely square in Nerja

The usual cannon at strategic point

Back to the bus station and buying tickets is relatively straightforward, so we settle in to wait for the bus. The first one says no, you want the next one, and he turns up on time, 5.40pm, and says as we get on and show our tickets, ‘yes no problem I know where to drop you’. Except - he doesn’t, and sails straight past the stop. Fortunately there is a roundabout so Bob can jump up and tell him. He says aren’t you going to …….? Us - "Nope back there was it". So he lets us off there at the roundabout and says ‘sorry, and be careful you don’t get run over’ or something. It’s only a short extra walk back to the camp thankfully.

Tonight’s dinner was a sort of chicken in satay we bought at Dia which Bob browns off, adds a packet of fresh veggies, and then adds water so it is a bit of a stir fry/curry/stew as that’s about all you can do in a medium size saucepan! Yummy.

Adious for now