We had a long boardwalk from Calahonda to Cala de Mijas to lunch at the Little Geranium. Ann & Ron rate it so we were looking forward to it.
The boardwalk was installed a few years ago as part of the 164km coastal path from Nerja to Manliva beyond Estepona. What a transformation that must have been rather, than wading through sand, or having to use the streets in from of the beach-facing hotels.
The brisk, 90 minute, roasting-hot walk needed a refreshment stop at La Familia Beach Club on the way. Very nice it was too!
We had time for a look at the market which is held weekly. Others secumbed, but Aileen and I didn’t! We did have to buy sticking plasters at the pharmacy for her blister though!
How come you can wear comfy sandals for years (Merrill), then all of a sudden they give you a blister! We even had to go back into the chemist to get them to cut a bit off the “strip”… Doh!
We met Ian & Roz at Little Geranium. It is small restaurant a couple of streets back. Steve Saunders was a “celebrity chef” back-in-the-day, on Ready Steady Cook etc., and in fact we saw his glamorous ex-ballet dancer, younger wife on an old Come Dine With Me a few days before we flew here!
Now “fancy restaurants” don’t always float my boat. We went for the 29 Euro lunch tasting menu (including a glass of fizz). The dishes were explained as they were brought out by the freindly and enthusiastic staff. Not overly stuffy or precious which can be an issue in this type of place..,although the guy was a bit hard to understand with his lisp and repeated over-flowery descriptions! . The food however more than lived up to the description.
Beautifuly fresh, cold, Salmorejo soup in a tiny bowl with a teeny-weeny spoon. At least it lasted longer!
Famous Geranium Crispy Duck Salad. Apparently he made it for Lady Di who loved it! ….. and it was brilliant.
Locally Caught Sea Bass
Truffle-cream pasta, broccoli tempura (actually it was asparagus tempura). The dish was superb
Finished off by White Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries. Lovely but needed to be bigger!
A truly fab meal.
We walked back along the boardwalk. The 90 minutes to get here turned into 4 hours to walk back (including the two pitstops!)
The following day was a trip to Belanmadana Pueblo, and a visit to El Castillo Monumento Colomares. A monument built between 1987 and 1994 by a dentist and 2 builders to commemorate Christopher Columbus. As far as we gather the Italian who spent much of his life in Portugal had nothing to do with Belanmadana….. although Spanish King’s financed his Americas exploration.
We carried onto the beach and wandered back to the port. Very swish and smartly presented with a little canal for small boats and a gated island for the toffs!
We had a really good tapas lunch at Toro (one of a line of very swish eateries along a covered walkway one floor up from the street) then a drink at the port in a small, relaxed restaurant bar.
Dinner was a lavish tapas meal created by Ian & Roz at their appartment. Wow!
Ken & Roz even gave us a Tango demonstration! A great night all round!
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