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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...

Fish Fest - Dia del Pescaito in Torremolinos

For several years running one of my neighbours, Loli-Mari, has invited me to go on a coach trip with her, I´d always declined. But this year pinned against Mercadona´s cold meat counter I found myself agreeing to go to Torremolinos and the Fish Festival where over ten tons of fish are given out for free along with beer, sangria and wine.

So at 7.30am on June 7th I arrived on her doorstep beach towel, sunglasses, suncream and swimming costume in tow. We headed towards Castillo de Locubin, our coach rendezvous, picking up some more Spanish neighbours, Carmen and Antonio, on the way.

After an obligatory breakfast and toilet stop in a huge impersonal (preferably not to be repeated) coach cafe we arrived at the Med. nearing 11am and with temperatures a lot less than home but much more humid.



Playa Carihuela in Torremolinos and bordering with Benalmadena is the location of the fish festival that has now completed its 25th year. We paraded up and down the promenade checking out the bars taking part in the fish giveaway, eyed up the shops and retreated to the Benalmadena end of the sea front and our chosen bar for our free lunch.



Queues, smoke, music, free drinks - alcohol only, and a plate of fried fish and several beers later under a palm tree I was presented with a red carnation by a Sevillana-dressed señorita for my hair.



The free lunch was served non-stop until their supplies ran out, with no restriction on the number of times you could join the queue (or queue jump as my neighbours expertly did).

When all had calmed down and stomachs were full we went off to explore the marina and ended up paying a childs ticket price of 5€ each for an hour boat ride towards Malaga.

Spanish Señorita giving out Flowers



Torremolinos from the cruiser


A little more sun than intended and an hours relaxation and sea breeze would have been worth the full ticket price of 9€. Next time I fancy the dolphin spotting trip on a calmer day.


Windswept Cruisers Carmen & Loli-Mari


Torremolinos, Benalmadena & Montes de Malaga from the Sea.

The Benalmadena area of Puerto Marina was a pleasant surprise, very clean and well-kept with a better class of shop than along the sea-front and a huge apartment block in the middle accessible by bridges.

Puerto Marina Apartments, Benalmadena


Now I wouldn´t mind few nights there!

All in all a long, tiring and fun day - will I be going next year - quite likely so.

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