Road Trip 2009 - Andalucia

[Franglais]

Last month I did a “classic self-drive autotour” of Andalucía (Southern Spain).

On arrival at Malaga my first impression was good –the organization on arrival was excellent, people drive very well and the whole place is very clean.

1. The Costa del Sol is full of English. I had the best cup of tea I’ve had for ages then spent the evening over a draught Guinness in an Irish pub. But my main lens (18-200) was not focusing properly. Need a solution fast.

2. Next day sprint along the coast via Nerja and get to Granada early in the afternoon to buy a consumer Sigma 55-200 from the Pro shop at the Neptune center near my hotel. Then I set off in search of the postcard shot of the Alhambra at sunset. This one is from near the Mirador de San Cristoba but it’s not the killer postcard shot. I needed to be up the nearby church tower but it was closed.

3. Late afternoon in Grenada and I have some practical problems:
- I don’t know how to order tapas. I’m starving
- I must stop replying to people in Italian
- The car+GPS is worse than useless in the city and all my planned nightspots are too far away

Grenada is city of small streets that are being dug up to build a subway. I dumped the car at the hotel and set out to explore. The hotel was in the student area which meant there were some interesting decorations and lots of cheap places to eat.

4. Night falls. A dark city street, en empty bar, a beautiful blonde seen from afar, waiting to be whisked off on a scooter. Wherever the place to be in Granada on a Monday night is – it’s not here.

5. Next stop Cordoba. I chose to go the direct route via the old highway (prettier, less CO2). About half way the railway station at Luque has been converted into a bar/restaurant for the tourist coaches doing the same circuit as me.