Day 0 - Arrival

Sunday 12th May

The journey to Capileira

It is a specific feature of an Andalucian Adventures holiday that holiday makers make their own flight arrangements so that people can choose the most convenient airport, or elect to arrive before the scheduled start date. All had been invited to converge at Malaga's Parador del Golf for a lunch before splitting up for the various holiday destinations. As we arrived, we met several people who were about to fly back to the UK, having finished their holiday. Unfortunately they reported that the weather of the previous week had not been as good as expected, being often cloudy with a strong breeze which had kept the temperature down. There had also been some rain. Now, however, the sun was shining brightly and the wind had dropped.

The lunch proved to be a splendidly relaxed affair in the Spanish tradition, starting at about 2.30 pm. For some, who had had to get up at 2am, this could not come soon enough. At about 4.30 we sorted ourselves out into our separate groups and set off in coaches for our various destinations

The 3-hour journey started off heading East round the Malaga ring-road, and then following the coastal motorway past Torrox and Nerja as far as Motril. Most of the Costa del Sol appeared to be a giant building-site, with concrete tendrils heading inland. Clearly this part of Spain was experiencing a strong building boom.

Also very evident were the many polythene-covered plots where vegetables were being force-fed for world markets. Contrasted with these modern developments were terraces of olive trees and the occasional flock of goats and sheep.

At Motril, we left the coastal road and turned North on the road towards Granada. Soon we started climbing. Leaving the road towards the market town of Órgiva we climbed past a huge dam under construction which would eventually turn this entire valley into a lake. Still climbing steadily we turned off onto a still smaller road signposted Pampaneira, the lowest of the cluster of 3 villages - the other two being Bubión and Capileira.

At about 7.30 pm we arrived at Capileira and La Ruta de las Nieves, our hotel for the week. Dinner, at 9 pm, consisted of salad followed by a large paella, with jugs of costa (the local wine), and bottles of red wine.

Photos

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Text Copyright © 2002 John Braga
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