We planned a last minute trip to SPAIN at the end of April. Flew into Malaga Airport and drove south to Belalmadena. We found a super deal at a hotel with breakfast and dinner included. It was a little off season but still a ton of fun.
Early flight out of Stansted means a healthy Burger King breakfast. So early in fact that Owen was still in pj's!
The flight as about 3 hours, in a very cramped RYAN AIR plane, but we still managed a few goofy photos.
The first thing after picking up our rental car and checking in was the swimming pool! Isn't it at the top of every kids list when on vacation?
Doesn't this look like an amazing pool all warm and fun? Well amazing maybe, but warm NO WAY! Ava is super woman right here, there should have been ice floating in this pool! I guess kids like swimming that much. Lets just say I never got in.
However the indoor pool was as warm as a bathtub! Both kids were having so much fun but swimming inside doesn't help with my tan . . .
After swimming we walked down to the beautiful beach. It too was cold but still fun. Ava's favorite thing to do was play on the beach, she asked every half an hour!
There were lots of stray cats on the beach.
Can you spot the 2 camouflaged cats?
Out room had a small kitchenette, we stopped by a grocery store to pick up a few snack foods, hairspray, shampoo and other items we couldn't fit into our small carry on allowance.
The next day after watching a few Spanish cartoons we headed for Gibraltar! Hour and 20 minutes. We brought the Chipmunks Shipwrecked CD with us (Spanish songs can get boring if your a kid) and sang the whole way there! Gibraltar is a British Colony nestled inside Spain!
Ava is upset because we weren't going to the beach. . .
Gibraltar is only 6.8 square Kilometers and is home to almost 30,000 people.
We took a gondola ride up the mountain to save time and keep patients with the kids. Good choice because it was a HOT day.
Can you spot our rental? I can. . .
At the top of Gibraltar, you are 412 meters high
When you finally reach the top there are signs everywhere saying to hide all plastic bags and food because the local monkeys will take anything they think has food in it. With a huge fine of 500 pounds I decided to put the popcorn twists safely away inside the back pack. Unfortunately I forgot about the apples at the bottom of the stroller. . .
We took a gondola ride up the mountain to save time and keep patients with the kids. Good choice because it was a HOT day.
Can you spot our rental? I can. . .
While taking photos, suddenly a monkey comes around the corner and starts to look through the bottom of the stroller. We had put the bagged treats inside our backpacks, but he found our stash of apples! He picked one and started eating it, there was no way I was going to try and take it from him.
We didn't get in trouble but Ava was bawling saying "that monkey stole my apple!" I assured her that I put the rest of the apples away and she could have one as soon as we got down the mountain.
LONG STORY SHORT:
While waiting on the gondola to go back down Ava took out another apple and started eating it. Would you believe a monkey heard her and ran around the corner jumped onto the side of the gondola, reached through the window and tried to grab the apple from her hands? Ava freaked out and hid on the floor, the monkey wouldn't leave her alone until Dave threw the apple out the window. There was a worker on board and I thought we were for sure getting hit with a fine but he only asked if Ava was alright. Ava told him she wanted her money back!
We didn't get in trouble but Ava was bawling saying "that monkey stole my apple!" I assured her that I put the rest of the apples away and she could have one as soon as we got down the mountain.
LONG STORY SHORT:
While waiting on the gondola to go back down Ava took out another apple and started eating it. Would you believe a monkey heard her and ran around the corner jumped onto the side of the gondola, reached through the window and tried to grab the apple from her hands? Ava freaked out and hid on the floor, the monkey wouldn't leave her alone until Dave threw the apple out the window. There was a worker on board and I thought we were for sure getting hit with a fine but he only asked if Ava was alright. Ava told him she wanted her money back!
Monkeys were everywhere and so cute but completely spontaneous. You took a risk by getting close, they just might jump on you. They said that all had been immunized but still. . .
I'm happy that they never tried jumping on us.
At the top of the mountain was St Michael's cave. It was really cool, all lite up with colored lights. There was even theater seating and a stage inside. When we were there a kids choir was practicing for a performance.
We were starving (and slightly traumatized by the apple stealing monkey) so we came down the mountain and went to Burger King! The kids aren't food adventurous, but we could pay in pounds. I wish we would have tried to experience a little more Spanish cuisine.
It is a lot of fun to experience other cultures. Check out this absolutely normal 2 way road. Yes 2 ways, you have to wait your turn to drive down it.
Brilliant white Mausoleum
Nautical Light House
Fancy iron works on windows and doors
Cool tiles for mailboxes
Energy efficient laundry dryers
This was a neat pinwheel art structure in the center of a round about. The sun would catch the colored metal squares and it shone like a rainbow!
Palm tree lined roads
Amazing marinas
Pretty Spanish fan souvenirs
On our last day in Spain we drove to a town called Ronda. It was so beautiful, I wish we had more time to explore it all. We stopped at the famous Plaza de Toros. It is the oldest still operational Bull Ring in Spain!
These are the doors to the bull pens.
and what they look like from the inside
The bulls are released and sent down this corridor
Before being let out this gate into the ring.
After the bull is dead they hang it from these chains to bleed
Ronda is also famous from the Puente Nuevo Bridge.
Construction began in 1751 and took 42 years to build.
There were so many wonderful things to see in Ronda.
Orange trees lined the streets!
Our last big indulgence was GELATO! It doesn't get any better.
After leaving Ronda we drove to the airport and found 2 sleeping kidos in the back seat. Spain was over but more adventures await!
