201011 Benalmádena

The highlights of many earlier trips have been small excursions to environment and daytrips to far away places. This time not that way. As in general an experience is something new and unseen, so this time it is reviving old experiences. This time, likewise, more than before, we get contact with close environment and meet friendship in personal contacts. In LaFonda the reception has always been friendly, kind advice and information, nice the whole personnel. Now we get special contact with cleaners, always smiling and joking, as it turns out that one of them is Russian, from Ukraina. I did not ask whether they often have Russian guests in the hotel; no one while we have been here. She has been here already 8 years and not alone, several family members are here also. We speak Russian wholeheartedly.

Similarly we get discussion contact with people, whom we meet at breakfast, among others pensioners, constructors, policemen, who have their morningbreaks in the same premises. Now I experience the use of the knowledge of languages, so often asked about. In general the use of foreign language is confined to reading, but here we get an astonishing amount of speaking contacts as well. We visit old shops, where they still recognize us. Previous visits are remembered and we learn about events since the previous time, particularly about the large environmental renovation that has taken place. Now we know thanks to our previous shopkeeper, that our hotel is and has always been property of the township community, the ayuntamiento. It is just rented out to entrepreneurs for a longer time.

Twice I see if the Argentinian shopkeeper would be available. No, but a young man. I ask him. Yes, it is his mother. We ask him to say hello to his mother. Sure she remembers us. She told me, when I bought some stamps, that in Argentina the word 'sello' is pronounced as 'seshsho' in stead of 'selyo' as it is in Spain. Surprisingly the shopkeeper at the Square of Spain, of whom I buy a new wallet, does not know how wallet is in Spanish. He is British. So, with him English. Nor did we speak but English with the neighboring Julia. So it is in her Spanish menu some small errors of language, the English word 'to' for the obvious lack of the knowledge of Spanish. We have here also another Argentinian acquaintance who almost certainly would remember us, but she has shut her restaurant for two months at this quiet time of the year. Perhaps went to Caribbean for holidays.

19 Fri La Perla

But no reason for panic: the friendly personnel by two person powers drags our luggage to the destiny, some couple of hundreds of meters, no cars allowed on the street. Everything seems to be changed here. Houses repainted, (pedestrian) streets newly paved, not with darkgray or black asphalt, but beautiful reddish squared plates. Star figures in centre and light borders at both sides. No wonder that prohibited for cars. How would it go at early departure home? As this also is on hill side. No worry, not prohibited literally. Taxi will come right to the door.

We thought that we could eat lunch at arrival, but no success because of siesta and places are shut. In one of the cafés in the centre, however, we get some, should I say, undefined looking tapas. People seem to cast unfriendly glances on us and the serving is not so friendly either. But the chicken liver tapas are really delicious with beer and quite too small bread pieces. ... and the shop Maskom is open and there we will get additional proviant, which we also have a taste on. Not appropriate to remain hungry on a trip. The consequences are the afterwards measured by the scale. A struggle of three months, 3 kg after the previous trip, is shed into sand, or better accumulated under the belt. But no repent. A new battle begun...

So, very close also Sto Domingo, but now we are situated on calle San José, quite nice it also, smaller and more quiet than Sto Domingo, although no harm of larm in the whole village, anyway. Originally a studio or one room with apartamento furniture and the usual kitchen equipment was reserved for us. But we were suspicious and had it changed to an apartamento with living room. One of reasons the price so low. Could we get something reasonable for two persons for 200 euro? Earlier always the double of this.

Woud this larger then be too much more expensive? No question of it! Something I got in return of 400 when I paid (apaprtamento plus 2 person breakfasts which turned out to be pleasant social events). The recession bites in Spain, too. Questionable, whether the Finnish people can avoid paying the bills of these underpriced services as it has happened in the case of Greece. The travellers have gained of the recession. Those remained in home corners are grudging and paying together with travellers their bills afterwards.

A balcony or should I say a patio belongs to the apartamento on the West side, that is, towards the evening sun. Two specialities. First of all two meters by two meters patio surrounded by a closed wall of at least two meters high. So the patio is a cubicle like that of a potatomonger at the market place. The patio is not much used because of the weather conditions, but you could take naked sunbaths undisturbed.

Another peculiarity is the fruit garden aside. Quite near, behind an iron net is an orange tree with much oranges in it. That is nothing special, seen everywhere here. But somewhat further away there is, in my opinion, a real wonder of nature, a huge tree, or possibly several together, of avocados. In any case, an enormous amount of fruit, by tons (just a small part of it in the picture). When and how is the crop collected. It happens, perhaps two mornings, that we observe how somebody, unseen for us because of the high wall, with at least 5-6 meter long stick with a mug on the top collects a couple of avocados out of thousands. We also, inspired of this, buy one in the shop, and eat the whole week of it, or a couple of times, for two persons.

Although we so many times have been here, we do not remember that no use trying to go to restaurant before half past seven in the evening. We would have with our friends Marja and Jaakko, already a traditional, evening meal at La Perla restaurant. So we were rather hungry. Delicious seafood soups (sopa de mariscos) and whoever whatever else ate. I really make an effort to remember to photograph all meals, but often forget it in eager to eat. Here, however, a sample, a picture of La Perla salad, but a still more pompous would have been one of the mountain of ice that Marja ordered and ate, a real work of art. The price according. Quite ok was this meal, but in the end more for the company than for the food. Also La Perla is on a hill side along an important traffic channel. In front of the door a high rock is visible, the church hill of Benalmádena pueblo, beautifully illuminated in the night. [Steps 4729 = 2.7 km]

20 Sat churro

It is not a giant portion, except three churros, but neither is the price, 2 euro per person. The food is clearly a mark cheaper than in home Finland. Now I suddenly remember that we did not eat our churros as they usually are eaten: together with a thick chocolate drink, sauce. We have made them at home also, exactly the same taste, but not so even form as here, where they have a special machine for them. No pictures of the churro eating? Yes, one taken in Wednesday, with one mere half of a piece left.

What else did we do in Saturday? At least strolled in surroundings remembering the old familiar places. Everything has really changed from the previoius time. Somewhere we learned that there was a significant governement allowance for helping to overcome the recession. Infrastructure has been built. Houses are repainted, streets repaved and decorated. How should this be understood? Partly a remuneration of good work and partly to entice new travellers, or sooner to reattract the old ever again. In our case the latter - and it bites, as far as the foot works. The neighbouring restaurant keeper complains that the renovation meant a loss of half a year income, because the premises had to be closed altogether.

Deciding of the count of my step counter, we really rested to-day. And deciding of the other picture went to one of the restaurants at the Square of Spain. I now remember: we ate calamaritos (medium hot spiced) and boquerones asados (baked anchoas). The latter somehow to be compared with our muikku fish. But I must say that muikku wins. More tasty. [Steps 2339 = 1.5 km]

21 Sun Close surroundings

Why wouldn't the work go easily on, particularly as only a medium level concentration is needed. At the upper part of the screen there is the ready text translated by me from Russian to English. From it copy via clipboard to the corresponding Finnish text below and translation into Finnish right away. My task is to insert some 800 questions and as many paragraph summaries or headings of the fourth level to the text in Finnish I have translated from Russian a year and a half ago. I imagined that the 500 page book would take time at least to the end of the year. But I could almost complete the work in Benalmádena, only one day's work remained. At the moment of writing this, I have already a week been finishing the dialogization. Only painfully have I been able to get rid of the work to write this travel story. Who knows, perhaps it is no less than an innovation of the world level. Having even a 'paradigmal' call. Now, when the electronic book is just emerging. I could imagine that there is space for this kind of approach: reader's dialog with the book. This is not possible with a conventional paper book, but yes with an electronic book, even a dialog of reader with author via the internet. I expect with great interest, what happens in this matter.

This kind of dialog has no point in ordinary fictive litterature, but the more in litterature of non-fiction, text books and the like. At the moment the text has been internally linked with thousands of links between questions and answers on three different levels. The next phase is the external linkage, links to any pertaining knowledge available in the web. Quite as it is in the Wikipedia. Therefore I have denominated my work as BalaPedia. Here you can degustate it. Main dialog is the contents of the book in mere questions, to which the answer is available by one click. At least as good an approach is to read the basic alternative, where the paragraphs of the book are preceded by questions concerning the essence of the paragraph and followed by a summarylike heading of the same, as a condensed answer to the question. Then there is a separate version available by one click giving to the reader the possibility to improve the existing or formulate a new question or heading and send message to the author.

On Sunday we observe a small shop just 10 meters off, opposite our outdoor. As a first purchase we buy a bottle of wine and some fruit. Next time the shop keeper woman remembers us and asks our news as if we were old clients or friends. At the same time we have a look on a nice small lane some 30 meters from our door. Right at the beginning of it there is a small family restaurant Alley Cats. - As a matter of fact, not a family restaurant, because it is hosted by Julia Malone alone, in quite as friendly manner as the neighboring shopkeeper her's. Here no Spanish is spoken, but English, because Julia is a Scot by birth. This little restaurant will be having quite a special honorary place in our memories of this trip. In the picture above, the Alley Cats is seen 'towards us' or so that the narrow end of the lane is to our street some 30 meters from our door. The beautiful redbrown pavement of the street is seen with light linings. The 'terrace tables' of the Alley Cats are otherwise ok, but they are somewhat tilted. The plates, glasses and cutlery just does not easily fall to ground. But it is easy to guess that now and the plates are broken. Therefore the hostess has some cheap ones in reserve so that she gives them as dog bag to clients as she did to us in Wednesday when my wife could eat only about half of the delicious panga fish. I ate the rest next day as my lunch. [Steps 2992 = 1,9 km]

22 Mon Fuengirola

There it happens, or somewhere in the neighborhood. I loose my wallet. Some 50 euro, driver's licence, credit card, social security card etc. I notice it while climbing up to the train station. Hurriedly back same steps looking around. If it had fallen. Scarcely. In the café they say: last Saturday also... I understand soon, within 30 minutes, to call the Visa and annull the card. They do it at once and send a new one to my home address. No code in the wallet? No. You may ask at the office of found articles, in case it has been found. Were there address or telephone number in the wallet. Yes. Then the Found articles will automatically call you. - Some kind of sermon I did hear from the spouse, should I say: with good reason!

Some time I have learned to keep the wallet in my frontpocket, but then again it slips to my backpocket, where it also now was. Easy prey, of course, even if I with my movement problems always am the last in queu, nobody behind me. Fortunately only 50 e. The rest of cash in my hidden pocket under the belt and the passport in a safe in our apartamento. Could I learn already? Particularly as it was not the first time. Over 30 years ago in St Peterburg, Leningrad as it was called then, in a bus. At least one thing I believe to have learnt to the better: I buy a new wallet at the square side shop for 5 euros, size a half of the old. It is not necessary that the notes are unbent needing a wallet so long that it emerges from the pocket. Better that they are folded in two with the wallet going deep into the pocket.

An orphan feeling in mind and the tail between the legs we return to our home village. Could it happen also here? I doubt. There are practically no turists, only own people. [Steps 8626 = 5,6 km]

23 Tue Mijas

So I stay at home with the computer, but the spouse takes a bus to Mijas for a kind of pilgrimage. Presumably every time we have visited that village still higher on the slope of mountain. Last, no, previous time autumn 2007, I brought from there an unpleasant stomach disorder, as I ate paella in a street restaurant. As a counterweight we listened quite excellent guitar play. This time the counterweight to the misfortune is the excellent book, of the spell of which I cannot detach me (neither do I want to, 667 pages can certainly be finished in a week) and photos that turned out quite ok, that is the pictures of yesterday. Not bad are the pictures of today either, when we continue our homestead round on familiar and also unfamiliar alleys.

While the spouse is on her wanderings, I guess that she also eats her lunch afloat, and go myself to the closest place, that is to Alley Cats, hosted by Julia Malone from Scotland serving also over siesta. Knowing this I get also after 2 PM an excellent, delicious panga fish. Looks and tastes like cod and also is its relative. Has been panered and boiled in oil. The hostess praises her bread, but I am not very impressed. I tell about our sour rye bread in Finland. It would be something with the fish. [Steps 1296 = 0,8 km]

24 Wed Christmas concert

Again spouse has her own program: the Finnish Christmas concert. Or shoud I say carols as it usually is. She meets some friends, Matti and Marja-Liisa, who are my closest neighbours, when in Nilsiä, living in an old water tower, when living in Nilsiä. Mostly they are staying in Fuengirola, where their children go to the Finnish school. Here you can go to school up to the Finnish student's exam. The Finnish settlement in Fuengirola is estimated to 25000 inhabitants, a number just over the minimium limit of a functional municipal unit. Matti and Marja-Liisa were in summer about five meters from me when I stumbled with unpleasant consequences just before the Czars' ship way cruise from Moscow to StPeterburg. I did not get presentable pictures of myself and my 'superior' Balashov in Moscow, as half of my face was black. So, now I did not meet my benefactors. [Steps 3550 = 2,3 km]

25 Thu Spa, Málaga

Any way, today we go together to taste Julia's delicacies, that is, already the second time to the same place, although we had thought that we go every time to different places. Now also the spouse gets the panga fish, of which then about half is left and carried home for tomorrow. I taste chicken and vegetables in mango souce developed by the hostess. Food by all means impeccable, but the clue of this visit is something completely different.

My eyes get fixed to the 'Menu del Día'. How has it been prepared? Half of A4, that is A5, has been laminated so that it resists moisture and dirt, can be wiped clean with a trash. Just suitably stiff that you can grab it by corner and it stays straight. I would perhaps have use for that. I have, according to my habit, prepared home 100 post cards with ready printed addresses. I had to print them on ordinary paper, because the photo paper had dried so that the ink would not fasten to the surface and smeared the whole picture. Even otherwise, the photo paper is not very good to be printed on both sides. Could I laminate my paper cards and change soft to sturdy?

I discuss the matter with Julia. Yes, she has got the device. Could I try with one sheet, that is four cards? Yes, it goes easily. In the end no trial, as we are convinced without. Julia lends me the machine, sells for mere 3 euros 25 sheets of laminate, enough for 100 cards. The price of this kind of machine is some 15 euro. Not expensive. Also scissors I get along. I promise to return tomorrow. Could this happen in some big turist place?

Me: cards at home (I intentionally say home: so domestic is the feeling here) laminating and getting them almost done. I cut 4x100 card edges. They look good, but then I come to think that perhaps even better without any white edges. The laminate gets fixed to the paper, no overlapping is needed. That is 400 more cuts. So 800 altogether. Excellent scissors, blades sharp as barber's knife, but the finger handle is somewhat rough, so with red fingers I get the work done.

I do not bring the cards to mail box at once, I must show them to Julia, as they turn out so well. Still writing this, already over a week after mailing, I have no reactions of recipients. Usually somebody countersigns. From elsewhere than Estonia and Sweden it usually takes over a week, sometimes two. What if the Spanish mail throws them to waste, the stamp being under the laminate. They might think that the man has bought one stamp and printed it to every card. But no, it is easily seen, that the stamps are there, a small thickening, and the position of stamps being somewhat different on every card. - (But now the first countersigning message has arrived, from Lithuania, also now from a contact that was believed lost already. And an invitation to visit quite as there was in three first similar messages after the Moscow trip. Quite excellent! All pains paid at once. [20101207])

At night we will still go to Málaga, from where we have - surprise: our oldest common travel memories (no this kind of travel story, however). As a young couple in 1965 we came exactly to Málaga. At that time there were no organized holiday tours, or they were just beginning (Keihänen). I had learnt a year, or perhaps two, Spanish and we bought just air tickets. An old Russian proverb says "Язык до Киева доведет" or 'Language brings you to Kiev'. For the first night we had reserved a hotel, however. The rest (Madrid, Paris, Örebro) we cleared with the Kiev principle. In the picture is the hostess of the Pensión Montañesa at that time, Rosario de Órtega, with whom we maintained contact for years by the mutual exchange of Christmas cards.

Now we first went shopping to El Corte Inglés department store and then hired a taxi by the 'Kiev principle' and drove up to the mountain to have a look over the Malagan illumination by nigh. What a harm that the photos of this excursion did not turn out properly. Somehow the 45 year ole memories struck powerfully into the mind, when seeing below under the feet the Malagan bullfight ring. Then we went there. I must see, whether I can put here the video of just that same bullfight (in two phases video from original 8 mm film). Here it is (1.65 Gt), my first and last bullfight [after some other motives]. If you take the pains to have a look on it, I would be glad to know your comment of how you could see it: askokorpela@gmail.com. At least I could see it. Just some paso double on it and it is perfect. The original is missing a sound track. After bullfight we went to eat supper in a near by restaurant. There the waiter learnt us how to press properly a lemon wedge: press fork in the middle and then both tips towards the fork. After that we always do this way. Isn't it funny, how some small things fasten firmly into the mind! Now we give good tips to the taxi driver, because he really guided us like professional showing and explaining all sights (in Spanish). [Askelia 4419 = 2,9 km]

26 Fri Sepia soup

Today we are picked up already for second time to our friends Marja and Jaakko to their home at a near-by Urbanisación Tio Charles. It was built some ten years ago, an incredibly beautiful place, some 200 homes perhaps in a constellation with no two similar places. Perhaps no similarities in snake-like (row)houses. As far as I understand, in moorish style or originally from the Southern coast of the Mediterranean. There are arched gateways, sharp corners, patios, very beautiful and well-kept plantations. Jaakko, however, says that he cannot understand, how fire grigade or even ambulance can come in. Cars have no access, neither permission nor physical possibility. Beutiful place, anyway.

We enjoy very delicious sepia soup. Sepia is an octopus, according to the name of which there is also a colour. In the soup, however, there is nothing of sepia blue. As it is well-known, octopus is a kind of rubbery sbstance, so it must be cooked long time. It also tolerates, as a matter of fact, requires strong spicing. But if you master spicing and dare to use it, you get a delicious result, a sturdy soup. Nothing more needed than bread and wine. The soup itself contains also vegetables and perhaps even potatoes. [correction by Marja: in addition to sepia just potatoes and spices, ] Pleasant discussion garnish the last meal of out trip and time goes as on wings. Something like the shuffle of wings becomes gradually audible. But that is it not, but quite a rain is starting. Rain is won by a taxi and we get home just about dry.

Luggage is packed, because the taxi will come at six in the morning. This is a simple job, as they have not been completely unpacked. When nothing is seen anywhere in the premises, everything must be in packages. I have time to work still for many hours with my dialogization before going to bed. [Steps 3581 = 2,3 km]

27 Sat Home

In Copenhagen we drove very fast with an electric car to a special waiting room. We were informed that we must be there again one hour before the departure of the plane and they would come and take us to the gate. They did not appear, so after 15 minutes of waiting we walked on our own 10 minutes to the gate. With sticks it is not as easy with many people rushing around as it is on a morning walk at home. In Copenhagen we have good time to eat properly. All flights went comfortably. In Helsinki snow and ice waited us. But the taxi managed ok. The trip back took some 12 hours. We scarcely got tired. [Steps 3017 = 2,0 km, Alltogether 34549 = 22,0 km]