One thing that has made my time in Ibiza so special has been flat sharing with two Spanish girls. I am incredibly lucky; we get on fantastically and la convivencia (living together) is effortless and so much fun. I have formed close relationships with both and know we will stay in touch for a long time. Compared to other possible living situations, I am very fortunate.
Despite growing up in Ibiza, both of my flatmates have Andalucían roots. For those of you who don’t know, Andalusians have very particular traits compared to other Spaniards; they are famous for their strong characters and warm personalities. (Which has been an experience to live with!) Tamara has the strongest connection with the region after spending her youth there and is very proud of being Southern. I have learnt a lot about Andalucía and it’s people just by spending time with her and when she invited me to come and visit her family’s hometown and explore the area, I jumped at the chance. For me, the opportunity to go somewhere so Spanish with such a Spanish person is a lifelong dream; I couldn’t believe my luck!
Despite there being no direct flights to Sevilla, (as during Winter season you can only fly to Barcelona or Madrid) the travel there was 100% worth it. In the next few posts I will cover my experiences on this unforgettable trip which I will remember forever. In short, I have completely and utterly fallen in love with the south of Spain. Viva Andalucía!
Málaga
If the excitement of seeing Tamara’s town and Sevilla wasn’t enough, at the last minute we were invited to see a flamenco concert by the very famous Spanish artist Miguel Poveda in Málaga! Like many other Andalucíans, Tamara is passionate about flamenco and has introduced me to its’ vibrant and dynamic world. This invitation therefore meant a lot to both of us. Málaga is about two hours drive from La Puebla (Tamara’s town) and we got a lift with her cousins who by chance had spare concert tickets.
The drive down was an experience. Coming from such a small island, the endless land that stretched for miles and miles around us came as a bit of a shock. Mainland Spain is big. Vast. Such space gave me a sudden sense of freedom but at the same time I realised how privileged I am to have everything so close to me in Ibiza. Distances are far longer on the peninsular. The drive down also allowed me to soak up some of the Andalusian countryside. The region is famous for its’ olives but what I didn’t realise was the scale of the industry. From the the car window, all I could see was fields upon fields of olive trees; not a glimpse of anything else. I had never seen something so intensely farmed and was in awe of its’ extent.
We arrived at the center of Málaga just in time for the concert which was at the very prestigious Teatro Cervantes. Being at the heart of a big city surrounded by well dressed people was special; very different to Ibiza’s laid back environment. During the show, Miguel Poveda performed a variety of different types of flamenco; from bulería, the happy and upbeat version, to fandango, a slower style with sad and more meaningful lyrics. Unfortunately, we had cheap seats which were right at the back of the theater and our view of the stage wasn’t great. Although it was a very prestigious concert, the flamenco lost its’ charm and captivation. If you ask me, it’s far better to see a performance in a tiny bar (where you can really feel the music and emotion) rather than a grand theater. But an experience nonetheless.
After the show, we headed out onto the streets of the city to find food. And what a city Málaga is. I was in awe of how beautiful the place was. It had beautifully tall and grand buildings with bright and dynamic colours; the typical Southern architectural style. The center was buzzing with life; bars jammed packed and people streaming onto outdoor terraces. Coming from an island lacking a big student population, there were so many young people! We were lucky enough to meet up with Tamara’s cousins cousin (a classic Spanish distant relative) who knew Málaga well and was the perfect person to show us round.
After only being in the city for a few hours, I had fallen in love. It was so clean and well kept, a unique mixture between modern and old. You could tell it had been recently refurbished; a lot had been invested into smartening it up. The center was completely pedestrianised, making it lovely and relaxing to walk around without being bothered by traffic. Moreover, it clearly was a big city but everything in the center was condensed and easily accessible by foot. Guillermo, the cousin, gave us a quick tour of the city’s main highlights.
We were taken to the port, whose modern style reminded me of Barcelona’s. We then walked to Málagas precious old cathedral which is lit up magically at night. From here, we headed en route to the city’s old castle (which stands above the city) with ancient amphitheater ruins just below it. On the way, we were shown the precious side streets which were lined with beautiful buildings and small, lively bars. Compared to other Spanish cities I’ve seen, Málaga had a particularly friendly and warm atmosphere.
Guillermo really knew the best places in town and we ended up having a drink in Pimpi, a unique bar/restaurant with hundreds of wall decorations and wine barrels inside. I was told I should try the local vino dulce, a sweet rosé wine. I honestly wasn’t a big fan, it was so sweet it was almost syrup! I couldn’t even finish my glass, a little embarrassing….
At around 2am, we decided to make our way back to La Puebla. As my first taster of Southern Spain, I was captivated by the beautiful Málaga and would urge anyone to visit. I would’ve loved to have seen the city during the day but was so grateful for the short but valuable trip down there. I have firmly decided I am going back, so more exploring awaits!
But for now read on for part 2 of my Andalusian adventures, La Puebla de Cazalla…..
La Buena Vida 