Independent Travel Blog Show Notes: Costa del
Sol, Spain
Welcome to Dr. Mary Travelbest’s
Independent Travel Guide. This is for women who travel, who want to travel, and
especially for those who want to travel independently.
In this episode: FAQ is quick packing tips for the flight, the
destination is Costa del Sol, my mistake, Parking Tickets, and tips are for
leaving early if you have a long drive.
FAQ:
What are some quick packing tips for the airplane?
When you are going on a long
airline flight, here are some packing tips from my independent travel friend,
Pat Brown. She says to pack a small bag for your “in flight” only items. She
used noise cancelling headphones, which she says work great. She recommends
wearing slip on shoes for faster security passing. I like to bring a mask so I
can sleep on the plane and extra socks to keep my toes warm. I try to charge up
an extra external phone battery, so I don’t run out of juice on a long plane
trip.
Today’s Independent Destination- Costa Del Sol, Spain
My visit to southern Spain began
in Ireland, specifically Dublin. That’s the stop off point before you fly to
Malaga, Spain, on the Costa del Sol.
Touristy: My destination
was Nerja (NEAR-HA, spelled NERJA), which is about an hour from Malaga, and
worth a visit if you like Southern Spain. Many of the Irish and English
“winter” here, just like in the USA, snowbirds from New York and New Jersey
often go to Florida for the winter days. It has a tropical feel to the city,
with palm trees and beaches like Burryana Beach.
You can enjoy the town of
Frigliana, the Old Town of the area. Churches from the 1600’s and narrow
streets allowed for many tourists, but not too many cars. Here, you will find
an old sugar factory converted into a craft store where you can find plenty of souvenirs.
Another touristy place is The
Caves (Las Cuevas), about 2.5 miles east of Nerja. These were inhabited by man
some 20,000 years ago. Some of the wonders here are 32 meters long, from above
and from below. Music and dance were celebrated in these caves.
On a future episode, I’ll tell
more about nearby Andalucía and Granada, Spain, which is nearby Costa del Sol. I
took a day to visit La Alhambra, a Moorish cultural mecca, a palace from the 13th
century. It should take a full day to explore, and during the low season we did
not need reservations, but you may book ahead on a busy holiday, especially in
the summer.
We found the crypts of Queen
Isabel and King Ferdinand in downtown Grenada. Think, Cristopher Columbus and
you’ll remember them. This busy city only allows local traffic, unless you pay
extra to drive to the intercity. That’s one way to keep the gridlock from being
too congested.
Off the Beaten Path:
Another day we explored the small
towns near Nerja, specifically Maro and Herradura. These are both on the Mediterranean
Sea and very relaxing to enjoy the water. And yes, I did go swimming in the
Med. Delightful, even in November.
What did we eat? Why fish, of
course, monkfish and shrimp, El Dorado
One of the traditions of the area
is a daily siesta, which you will love, too. So nearly every day, take a nap
from 2-4pm and relax your soul a bit.
The area is called The Balcony of
Europe, because it juts out into the key, like a balcony over the
Mediterranean. See a Flamenco performance here if you can, visit a Catholic
church for mass. Our friends Don and Jill Herlihy are tour guides in Ireland,
and it was so nice of them to host me and my friend, Pat, on this trip.
Today’s Mistake
Parking tickets: Read the signs more carefully and don’t get one.
Today’s Travel Advice
Leave early. When we go on a trip
in the car, we usually leave by 3 or 4 am for a long drive. We pack the car the
night before, so that’s a time saver, and we have our destination planned out.
The traffic is much lighter, of course, and people are not in so much of a
hurry at that time of day. So, if you are heading on a long journey, try to
leave early and get there sooner.
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