Vacation From Our Vacation (Part 1)

From Granada, we took a bus along the horribly circuitous and winding highway to the southern coast of Spain - the Costa Del Sol. Our destination: Nerja (prounounced, as J likes to continually point out, ner-HA). We were told that Nerja would be overrun by British Tourists and it was. But we were also told that it is one of the most beautiful places in the country and it was. The coast line was stunning. The town is built atop cliffs (which J thought were limestone) that drop dramatically into the ocean. The rock is covered in foilage, so there are swaths of green cutting across the sandy brown rock that rises out of the sandy brown beach. The whole effect is, as I said, just stunning. We moved at break-neck speed through Madrid, Toledo and Granada, and needed a lazy day at the beach. We walked from our hostal (just up the street from the Balcony of Europe and the busiest beaches) to Burriana Beach father east. It was still overrun with tourists and the kind of shops that tourists attract (a bit like Seaside Oregon), but the crowds thinned out towards the end of the beach. In Burriana, we found Ayoºs! Rick Steveºs recommended paella place. Delicious! The paella was cooked in a cast iron skillet that J could comfortably lounge in, with persumably - hopefully - fresh caught seafood. We hit the shops to acquire a beach umbrella and flotation device (the long rectangular type with a pillow on one end), and we were ready. (Side note for Jordan: Flotation device is a revelation. Swimming and sunbathing in one! Utter perfection.) The Mediterranean water was colder than I hoped, but still warm enough to float in (as long as most of my body was out of the water). But there was little breeze and little current, so we just floated the day away. As I said, perfection. The sun was hot and my favorite thing was to dip my head into the water from over the pillow. The sand wasnºt really sand at all, but small rocks, which kept heat rather well and burned the bottom of our feet. After a dip we would literally run back to the umbrella, sun ourselves a bit, then RUN back to the water to cool down. That day we discovered Jamon Y Queso flavored potato chips (thatºs Ham AND Cheese). I donºt know if it was the sun or the atmosphere or the dehydration, but man, those chips were mind-blowing!

In truth, I would describe the town as dingy. The whole place was in need of a fresh coat of paint. And yet, there were enough real estate shops to compete with Starbucks in an American city and the banks advertised in English, German and Spanish (quote "We speak your language"). There was a Dutch man selling English grocery items and a English Pub with Tuesday night Trivia. I like to call this The Real European Union. Also, we saw more overweight men, women and children (and more shades of skin in the translucent to third-degree burn variety) in that town than all our previous stops in Spain.

After a day in the relentless sun, I have to admit that J and I matched those fried tourist. J looked like Neapolitan Ice Cream. Strawberry on top, vanilla in the middle, and chocolate on the bottom. Ouch.