Rendezvous with Picasso

Malaga, Spain

Getting to Granada from our base in Fuengirola proved a little challenging given our timeframe, so we opted for a trip to Malaga instead.  The city is built around a port probably founded during Phoenician times, has notable Roman lineage, and prospered under Islamic rule.  Our regional bus (a 2 hour trip) brought us into the city centre where we were able to hop off, then hop right on to a big red bus.  Very convenient and no decisions required.  Not before coffee of course, and the KIPS discovered coffee Malaga style.

Orientation by bus is fantastic – you can decide what’s worth seeing, schedule a day of sightseeing without walking, sit up high & open-topped to get some good photos and tap into other offers.  The Merry Crew decided to take up an included walking (cultural) tour of the city.  Following our colourful Christina through narrow medieval streets, we stopped briefly to admire the soaring Cathedral, a healthy mix of Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque styles that only the Spanish could put together so well.  Later we learned of Malaga’s Roman interlude, admired strong red walls of the Alcazaba (1057), and wondered why a statue of Hans Christian Anderson was in the centre of town. (We never did find out.)

Afterwards, we headed back to the Alcazaba, the palace fortress of Malaga’s Muslim governors to walk double defensive walls, gingerly step up cobbled ramps and then gaze over the busy harbour from high watch towers.  Enough remains to see that internal rooms were once highly decorated and colourful.  Fountains, rills and pleasant, flowered gardens make the Alcazaba most pleasant to roam. 

And I say this nicely - look at the Roamin Ruins...

Enough with the old, in with the new!  GS made a b-line for the Museo Picasso Malaga.  Picasso was born in Malaga and is said to have retained a strong affection for the area.  The museum, once the Palacio de Buenavista (same name as the pub on the corner in Mossman), has been beautifully restored, however all eyes were on Picasso’s works.   We were spoilt with a wide selection of his paintings, drawings, ceramics, prints and sculptures - enough to understand the energy and creativity that this man was capable of maintaining through his long life.  Such a treat!

View over Malagar

After such a full day exploring, a little sustenance was necessary before undertaking the trip back to WJ3.  We sat under umbrellas in a little square off the main shopping plaza watching the (Spanish) world go by as we sipped beers and nibbled olives.  Ahhh, wouldn’t be dead for quids…

Right Mrs KIP, time to seriously shop!