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Branded!

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  We are shuffling out of Marbella. We are going to walk along a lot of coast today. We are probably going to pop into a lot of shops.  I think we will all miss Marbella and we’ve not had enough of it. Facts.net have 35 fascinating facts about it.  Here are some of them. 2 - Moorish Influence : The Moors conquered Marbella in the 8th century, leaving behind a legacy of architecture and culture. The old town, or Casco Antiguo, still features narrow, winding streets and whitewashed buildings reminiscent of Moorish design. 6 Microclimate : Thanks to the shelter provided by the Sierra Blanca mountains, Marbella enjoys a unique microclimate with over 320 days of sunshine annually. 15 Chiringuitos : These beachfront eateries serve fresh seafood and traditional Spanish fare. Popular dishes include paella, grilled sardines, and gazpacho. 19 Golf Courses : With over 15 golf courses, Marbella is a golfer's paradise. Courses like Aloha Golf Club and Marbella Golf & Country Club...
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Eight years of silence

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  We are going for a stroll along what happens when a sun bleached coast, the home of fishermen, gets settled, accesses water for irrigation and lots of people with money and need to spend it somewhere.  We will have to nip out across the road to get the full Marbella entrance way experience. The Filipino Massage Centre https://filipinomassagecenter.com/ we give you a massage at the rate of 35 euros an hour.  I looked at the reviews.  Two identical ones, I suggest, contain more fantasy and attempts to diminish the reputation of this place than I can comment on.  A year ago Sharon said ‘I had an excellent massage with Tina recently. I asked her to concentrate on certain areas and she did exactly what I requested, including a wonderful head massage. They offer a great deal on Tues and Friday, €35 for a one hour massage. Atmosphere is very relaxing. I would highly recommend. Over the road in the Pasteleria Amaretto.   They have a facebook page - which was las...
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Glowing stars, happy scrums and sad beaches

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  We are heading downhill, back towards the place we can cross the place by foot and so we will get back to thoughts of Marbella. Marbella has generally thought of itself a bit above the rest.  This is possibly because the Marbella Club was opened by the Marquis of Ivanrey’s nephew, Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg in 1954. The Club has 121 bedrooms, 16 villas, 10 acres of gardens and an 18-hole golf course.  It developed.  Time to quote wiki extensively: ‘ In 1966, Prince Alfonso hired a Beverly Hills architect and, with the assistance of the Banus family, who were personal friends of dictator Francisco Franco and had already developed the later-controversial Valle de los Caídos, developed the high-end tourist resort Puerto Banus. The resort opened to much fanfare in 1970. Celebrities in attendance included Franco's designated successor, Juan Carlos (then Prince of Asturias), Prince Rainier of Monaco and his wife Grace Kelly, and Aga Khan IV; entertainers incl...
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A walk in the wilderness

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  To get a clue as to how unconnected these resorts and urbanizacions are is the fact we are plunging north to find a way the footbound pilgrim can find to head along the coast.  We have really nothing to review en route and we’ve done rabbit holes - so let us talk about Marbella. We are heading towards Marbella. Marbella is one of those names which sits in the pantheon of places which is the home of sunburnt Brits and Irish pubs. It did, however, have an existence before the 1970s. The usual amount of Phoenicians and Romans lived here.  The Normans ravished the coast and the Umayyads built light houses and a citadel to defend the town. This was a place which cultivated figs and mulberry trees. 14th century traveller Ibn Battuta described it as "a pretty little town in a fertile district.”   On 11th June 1485 the Crown of Castile took the place. The town was declared a city and the capital if the region. The Plaza de los Naranjos was built along Castilian lines ...
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