A man astride a donkey at Mijas, mountainside village with miniatures and a beach, Andalucia, Costa Del Sol, Spain

Spanish flag

A friend on Facebook sent out a picture of himself astride the bronze statue of a donkey at Mijas, outside the visitor information centre.

My family used to have a flat along the coast in Marbella, the winter refuge of retired Brits who liked Sunny Spain. Costa del Sol means coast of the sun.

Isn't Spanish easy! You and I already know three words of Spanish, coast, sun and of, not to mention sombrero, the wide-brimmed hat, and amigo, friend. Add Los Angeles, the angels. Si is yes. Gracias is thank you. Adios is goodbye. That is ten words already.

Attractions on the Costa Del Sol
1 Marbella
Beaches.
Restaurants in the hillside old town.
Assorted smart hotels and beachfront apartments.
Promenade with showers and statues.
Picasso Museum.

2 Puerto Banus
Walk around the enclosed marina admiring the opulent yachts. Or admire from a distance.

3 Gibraltar
See the old town below. Go up to the hilltop Rock hotel for a drink, a meal, a stay. See the legendary animals (hold onto your hat and camera)!

Fuengirola
Town with beaches and shops including El Corte Ingles.

4 Mijas, the mountainside village of white-washed houses
Photo astride the statue of the donkey.
A real donkey tuk-tuk ride.

Photo from Pixabay.

Museum of miniatures, on a head of rice, teeny prayer, a dressed flea, and so on. Lots of reviews on Tripadvisor.
A local history museum.
Art museum with Picasso pottery.
Assorted churches.
Boveda del Flamenco. Bar in former gaol.

5 Malaga
The big city with the department store, named El Corte Engles, English corner.

Last but not least:
5 Torremolinos. The windmills (molinos) are still secreted somewhere there, hidden amongst the hotels and skyscrapers.

Spanish Language
Want to learn Spanish, or brush up, amigos? (Spanish for Friends.) Si?

See my other posts on languages.

Useful Websites
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowUserReviews-g580271-d3973244-r336308980-Museo_de_Miniaturas_Carromato_de_Mijas-Mijas_Costa_del_Sol_Province_of_Malaga_An.html
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mijas
http://www.marbellagoldenmile.com/marbella-travel-guide/see-do/walk-the-golden-mile/

Author
Travel writer and photographer, Angela Lansbury. 

Hong Kong Restaurants I visited in date and ranking order

Hong Kong has dozens of options in every street. I tried six restaurants or eating places of very different styles.
Best Restaurants:

1 *****Mijas Spanish Restaurant
High price but high everything. Fabulous food, strolling band plays requests; seven course meal, choice of indoor air-conditioned or balcony with view over the bay. (We started indoors, discovered the balcony, moved to the balcony, decided nearby drunks were too happy and loud and moved tables a second time to finish coffee indoors. The sign outside suggested a three course meal for about £14 but that must have been lunch time because when we asked for the set meal we ended up being presented with a 7 course meal (including coffee) which cost five times as much. However, we treated this as a one off treat and were very pleased with a delightful evening.

2 ****Very Good Seafood Restaurant
Elegant and steps from the MTR station. Note that it is downstairs so look for steps leading downwards to the left of the mall entrance. I had chicken encircled by broccoli, colourful and elegant.


3 ***Starbucks
On the ninth floor of Times Square, a huge indoor shopping mall in Causeway Bay. If you are fed up with chewed up, cut up and minced up mixed meat in gloopy sauces with no vegetables, and being offered Colas and sugared, caffeinated drinks, here's a healthy option. A solid piece of fish, a whole or half egg and salad, and green salad, not cooked to tastelessness. Coffee comes decaff if you want it. Self-service. Also cheaper than most meals in proper Chinese restaurants, however decrepit they look because in local restaurants the idea of meat and two vegetables or even one seems foreign and you often have to order a second dish to get vegetables and a third to get rice or potatoes or pasta.


4 *McDonalds
24 hour restaurants beside Sun Yat-sen Museum (20-45 minutes walk above Central MTR and another branch also 24 hours near Times Square. The one beside Sun Yat-sen Museum has 24 hour delivery.

Opt for the four pieces of solid chicken. I must remember next time to avoid the nuggets, because the meal deal includes Cola and fries, both of which ruin any calorie or healthy plan I might be following. Solid chicken: it's not a meal deal, but that's the real deal.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.