Midwinter in Málaga - Cars, Couture, Pablo & Me

Hola, chicas, we're home! We actually got back on Friday afternoon but it's taken me all weekend to sift through the thousands of photos we took. Apologies in advance for the image heavy post, I was spoilt for choice!

Our Spanish trip was somewhat impromptu. Idly browsing the Ryanair website a fortnight ago I noticed that flights from Birmingham to Málaga were £24.99 and clicked "book now" without a moment's hesitation. On Monday 5th December, after a leisurely breakfast, we walked into town, caught the train to Birmingham International and, with only a small cabin bag each, breezed through departures and enjoyed a pint of San Miguel in 'Spoons before boarding the plane, arriving in Andalucia two and a half hours later. After a short bus ride to Málaga we called Mariola, the owner of the accommodation we'd rented via Booking.com, who sent her teenage son, Mario, to escort us through the labyrinthine alleyways of the historic old town and hand over the keys to our apartment.

Located on the third floor of a 19th century building, our apartment was the only rental amid those permanently resided in by Spanish families (the photo above is the view from one of our two balconies). After unpacking our bags we followed young Mario's advice and walked around the corner to Calle Marqués de Larios where Málaga's festive Sound & Light show was set to start at 7pm.

Now, anyone who knows me will be aware that I'm not in the slightest bit interested in Xmas and, in all truth, the mere mention of it bores me to tears but the experience was utterly magical. Young and old, families, courting couples, gangs of teenagers, grandparents, dog walkers, tourists and locals crammed into the square whilst the residents of the apartments above the shops hung over their balconies and for 15 minutes we all sang and danced, united in joy. 

The Costa Del Sol hasn't had a drop of rain since March but someone must have heard that I was on the way and it absolutely pissed it down!

After the show, swept along by the dispersing crowds, we admired the tantalising displays in the shop windows and roamed the streets in the rain.

Stopping to gawping in wonder at the majestic Catedral de Málaga, constructed between 1530 and the start of the 17th Century,

Before moving on to admire the marvelously Baroque, rose pink Palacio Episcopal (Episcopal Palace), built in 1762. 

We had dinner in El Vegetariano De La Alcazabilla, Málaga's oldest vegetarian/vegan restaurant, run by a lovely couple and their cat.

The menu was exceptional, tasty, home-cooked and utterly delicious. I was delighted to discover that I share my name with the local beer. 

Tuesday was my birthday and - for the first time in four years - I awoke to a day without rain! 

If, like us, you're culture junkies, Málaga is a dream, boasting thirty-two museums, galleries and historical monuments however, after we'd booked our flights, we discovered that our trip was bisected by two national holidays - luckily none of the places we'd chosen to visit on my birthday were affected by bank holiday opening hours.

Located within the imposing one-hundred year old Fábrica de Tabacos, a former tobacco factory, our first destination was Museo Automovilistico & de la Moda (the automobile and fashion museum) HERE.

Home to over one hundred vehicles restored to the highest standards exhibited alongside more than three hundred pieces of haute couture illustrating the historical and artistic evolution since the end of the 19th century, through thirteen thematic rooms. From an early automobile voted Winner of 1898 to a twenty-first century hydrogen prototype, passing through everything in-between from Jaguars, Cadillacs, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris, Aston Martins and Porsches; as well as the most iconic designs from illustrious fashion houses including Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy and Worth.

As you can see, I got rather carried away with my camera but I'd never seen so many amazing garments in one place. On my last birthday I'd been stunned by a single garment (HERE), this year there were hundreds of iconic pieces including the Rabo Rabanne Barbarella disc dress, Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup paper dress and Coco Chanel's leopard coat.

I absolutely loved this shawl and the Unic Tourer (1920) alongside it, both hand painted by Ukrainian-born artist Sonia Delaunay in 1924.

1. Gianfranco Ferre (jacket) with Christian Lacroix (skirt)  2. Jean Paul Gaultier  3. Nina Ricci  4. Paco Rabanne  5. Madame Gres  6. Lanvin  7. Yves St Laurent  8. Chanel  9. Givenchy by Alexander McQueen  10. Dior  11. Thierry Mugler  12. Jacques Fath (orange dress) with Balenciaga (black cape)  13. Carven (Green dress with embroidered roses)

I'd be tempted to sell my soul for the Belle Epoque-era velvet coat from the House of Worth (below). 

Alongside a 1960s psychedelic jacket is a replica of John Lennon's Rolls Royce.

Above: Yves St Laurent throughout the ages. Below: Me in a hand embroidered maxi from Monsoon's Artisan collection, secondhand Superga organic cotton flatforms and Chanel sunglasses.

In the grounds there was a converted horsebox serving drinks and food so we sat in the sunshine sipping cappuccinos and doing our best to befriend the numerous Spanish cats enjoying the 18°C winter sunshine.

We strolled along the seafront, past hardy sea swimmers and bikini-clad beach volleyball players, stopping for a glass of Victoria beer served with complimentary Spanish olives on Paseo Maritimo Antonio Banderas, named after Málaga's second most famous son (more on the first one shortly).

I'd told Jon that all I'd wanted for my birthday was to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and sit outside with a glass of red wine and a plate of tapas....and that's exactly what I got!

After lunch it was time to pay the Museo Picasso Málaga a visit (HERE). Born in the city on 25th October, 1881 Pablo Picasso is Málaga's most famous son. Built in the first half of the 16th Century, the Buenavista Palace, has over 285 works donated by Picasso's family and, through the use of skylights, is flooded with the pure, brilliant light which has attracted artists to Málaga for decades.

Back at home the Garman Ryan Collection includes Picasso's Tête de Femme en Profile (1906) bequeathed to the people of Walsall and on permanent display in our town's New Art Gallery, meaning Jon & I partially own a Picasso!

I've been to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona where I saw his masterpiece, Guernica, but there was something extra special about seeing Picasso's art in the city of his birth. Even Jon, who claims to get potted out whenever we visit a museum, got excited by his ceramics. 

Being an amateur classicist I loved Picasso's obsession with the minotaur. A minotaur can't be loved for himself, he said in conversation with Francoise Gilot in 1964, At least he doesn't think he can. It just doesn't seem reasonable to him, somehow. Turning to a sketch, a minotaur watching over a sleeping woman, he says, He's studying, trying to read her thoughts, trying to decide whether she loves him because he's a monster.

Towering above Málaga stands the fortress of Alcazaba (HERE), built during the period of Muslim rule in the 11th Century. The hill had previously been occupied by the Phoenicians as far back at 600BC and later, after 205BC, by the Romans who built the theatre at the base of the hill.

We made it down to the fan park in time to watch the second half of Spain Vs Morocco where, after a lacklustre forty-five minutes and a tense period of extra time, we held our heads in our hands as the national side were thrashed on penalties, breaking the hearts of our fellow spectators.

After popping back to the apartment for more layers, we headed to Cañadú, a vegetarian restaurant where, in the shadow of Pablo's childhood home, we sat outside until late, feasting on stuffed aubergine (me) and an organic deluxe burger (Jon) and meeting up with our beautiful friend, Jeni, who lives just up the coast. 

 

After saying our goodbyes, we made our way back as we had an early start planned for the following morning although we couldn't resist stopping to watch this incredible dance performance along the way.

In less than two days, Málaga had already captured our hearts. What would tomorrow bring?