I had to go to Málaga City for a Press dinner this week. I decided to go in an environmentally friendly manner.
I also had my eye on the cost, being a pensioner and all.
View of Malaga City [Photo courtesy of Wikipedia]
What I did
Instead of burning fuel for the 240 kilometer round trip and having to pay parking charges, I took the bus.
First, I walked for about seven minutes to the Hotel Ronda Valley where I caught the bus for the short ride to Ronda bus station. 1 euro and little environmental impact.
At the Estación de Autobuses I picked up the direct bus from Ronda to Málaga. As a pensioner with a tarjeta sesentaycinco, issued free by the Andalucia regional government to over-65s, I got a 50 per cent discount. I paid just 12 euros for the return trip. Low environmental impact and cheap!
[Photo courtesy of Ronda Today]
From Málaga bus station it was a short walk on level ground to my hotel, the 2-star Hotel Goartín, where I paid a mere 52 euros for a single room with a double bed. The online price was quite a bit higher, but I rang the hotel direct and negotiated. Result!
After a snack and a beer purchased from LIDL (cheap!) I got online for a while back at the hotel before heading off on foot to the restaurant where the Costa Press Club meeting/dinner was to be held. That took 45 minutes which took their toll on my feet - my shoes were quite new and hadn't been worn in properly!
Hotel Goartin, Malaga [Photo: booking.com]
The Restaurante Bendito had been reserved for our exclusive use. These Press Club dinners are always preceded by another activity, usually a presentation by an outside speaker on a topic relevant to media people.
On this night we were honoured to have Lydia Cacho, Mexican by birth, but now living in Málaga Capital, a refugee from the country of her birth.
Lydia, originally a journalist and then a supporter of abused children in Mexico, told us her life story in eloquent English. Having been imprisoned for daring to expose the abusers, she was tortured but eventually freed when she won her court case. She decided she should seek refuge in Europe and chose Spain.
[Photo by Paul Whitelock]
An author of 21 books she continues to be an advocate for abused children and especially boys, who find it hard to open up.
After a few questions from the audience, we got on with the meal, which consisted of an 8-dish tasting menu with drinks included. That cost 30 euros a head. An absolute steal!
Annual CPC subs were also due, a very reasonable 45 euros.
So, all in all I escaped a happy and far from impoverished man!
I couldn’t face the long walk back to my hotel with my feet throbbing painfully by then, so I invested in a taxi. Just six euros!
Lydia Cacho [Photo: Paul Whitelock]
After a nightcap of an ice-cold patxarán in the bar opposite my hotel (3 euros) it was time for bed.
Day 2
I rose early and went in search of a dawn coffee. I settled on Cafetería Mary Pepa which was full of my kind of people: dodgy old men like me and young girls/women on their way to work.
I watched the latest news on the bar's TV, Macron with Trump at the White House and 37 European leaders meeting with Zelenskyy in Kiev. Good to see that Europe is being steadfast in its support of Ukraine.
I had two coffees and a pitufo integral con aceite y tomate (wholemeal roll with olive oil and tomato puree) for five euros including tip. Wey, hey!
Back to the hotel for a nice relaxing soak in the bath before packing, checking out and spending the morning on the coast in El Palo and Pedregalejo before getting the bus back home to Ronda.
[Photos by Paul Whitelock]
Links:
Early Morning Coffee
Early morning coffee in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda
Early morning coffee on the Costa del Sol
ImPRESSive!
Magnificent, under-rated Málaga
MALAGA CITY - Help me, Ronda
The “Crazy Guy” gets his house finished just in time - A1 INMOBILIARIA - Real Estate
“WHEN I’M 65…”: HOW TO ….. get a tarjetasesentaycinco
© Pablo de Ronda
Photos and Images:
Paul Whitelock, Ronda Today, Wikipedia, www.booking,com
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