Oldies On Tour

After our un-expected partying last night we had a lay-in, after 9.00 before we got up and then we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast to set us up ‘till the Menu del dia we booked for 3.00pm at the same place we partied at last night. If the Tapas that we thoroughly enjoyed last night are anything to go by, we should be in for a treat.

This morning was for looking around Chinchon. Our hotel is just off the main, historic “Plaza Mayor”, the heart of the old town. Houses, with porches and balconies, surround this historic Plaza dating back to medieval periods. Many of which are restaurants with the odd tourist shop. The Plaza is actually circular with the centre doubling up as a car park, a thoroughfare, a bullring and in times past a place of execution.

We walked up the narrow cobbled streets to the “Church of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion” and the Clock Tower; both on the tourist “things to do in Chinchon” and guess what, both closed and locked!!! During the peninsular war, the French ransacked and burned the church of the Asuncion, which also destroyed the tower.   Next door was another church, also with a tower but the same French completely destroyed the church but left the clock tower. The result is that known locally, “Chinchon has a tower with no church and a church with no tower”.

We wonder if the locals are afraid their church and tower may get ransacked again if left open!!!!! The third point of interest on the tourist route was the “Lope de Vega Theatre”, built in 1891, named after some famous author we never heard of!!! After that we headed for the Baroque “Chapel of Nuestra Senora de la Misericordia”, this was squeezed between two buildings, very easy to miss but the same thing as earlier, closed and locked.

After more wandering about, we found our way to the main Plaza and enjoyed a coffee siting in the sun watching the council people erecting the Christmas tree, well a metal framed Christmas tree!! It was at this point the tourist train arrived, so naturally we had to do that.

Yes, you’ve got it; our first ports of call were where we had just been, the church, bell tower and theatre and the hard to find church squeezed between two buildings.   The train did also take us through winding, narrow, cobbled streets so we did get a good appreciation of the old town. Riding this train was quite interesting but it needed extra suspension to deal with the cobbles, one could easily shake ones teeth out!!!! We then arrived at the remains of “Castle of the Counts” which dates back to 1520 when it was re-built after the original had been severely damaged due to local unrest with the feudal power happening at that time. This castle has an un-happy history having been destroyed, again in 1705 during the War of Succession by the Austrian Archduke’s army and then again in 1808 during the Peninsular war, but this time by a Polish brigade, not the French. This is how it was left but though it was severely damaged, much of the castle still stands but again, closed and locked.

The train dropped us of at the Parador, The Augustinian Monastery where we are staying so we took the opportunity to go to the room for “light relief” before heading out to lunch.

We went to lunch at “Meson de la Virreyna” (where we partied last evening) and like the Tapas last night; the food for the menu del dia was superb, though a little pricy to what we are used to. We both had a leg of Spanish lamb for our main course plus the usual bottle; excellent, what a good decision.

Back to the hotel for a siesta, followed by a couple of games

of Phase ten before venturing out for a drink and a couple of tapas. We went back to the same place but the crowed weren’t in such a party mood so a couple of Tapas and drinks then back to the hotel where we had another game of Phase ten followed by bed.

The disappointing thing tonight was, that after watching the council build the metal Christmas tree, it wasn’t lit up; perhaps they have a switching-on ceremony at the weekend.

 

We have had such hectic times, with packing everything up and putting in storage, problems with car and house insurance it was lovely to go to Casa Araez with Helena and Roger for hopefully what was our last night in our home.
Geoff packed the car, and we then had to unpack it, so we could get everything in, we still have left somethings behind, sorry Karon! We had a lovely cooked breakfast at the Rusty Nail, went home again, as Geoff couldn’t find our travel documents, I got a bit tearful, it has been such a happy Home, I will miss it. We called into Mary’s to drop our odds and ends off, then we were heading north to Chinchón.
We arrived at 4pm to a fantastic Parador, right in the centre of the village a 17th century Augustian Convent, with Renaissance murals, vaults and Castillian furniture a lovely early birthday treat.
We went for a walk-about in the square, which is literally just around the corner, then went for a drink, a couple of wines with tapas, lovely, we then decided to try somewhere else, wish we hadn’t bothered, not so friendly and twice the price, we wanted tapas, and this bar said they had everything, well in fact all they had was crisps. We decided to go back to where we had come from.
By this time more people were in this bar, we ordered a couple of racciones I was back on Agua con gas, a typical Spanish bar, but so friendly, we got talking to Liz, who was born in Cuba, lived in Miami, and has settled here, we tried our Spanish, she spoke some English, they bought us drinks, back on wine again, and they gave me a garlic, apparently they grow them here, and it’s a sign of friendship, we bought them drinks, Geoff was on Soberano again, we had more tapas, they shared a type of black pudding with us. A lovely way to start our holiday, we were going to eat at the hotel, but preferred mixing with the locals.

Up early, after a good nights sleep, left home once again, this time at 7.30am, Geoff drove first, and we stopped at a lovely Spanish village, and had breakfast, baguette with Jamon, very tasty. Soon after we got going, I drove the next stage, stopped for coffee again, then I drove onto Malaga, we arrived back about 1pm.
Back to the hotel, the cleaner wanted to come in and clean, but

we said no need, as we hadn’t used it last night, what a waste of money that was, still we needed to get another machine.
We then went into Malaga, and wondered around the Old City, it was lovely, so many different restaurants to choose from we ended up in one on the square, very nice, we had a lovely meal, and a few glasses of wine,watching the world go by.
We wandered down to the Port, where they had a Ferris wheel, so we had a go on that, the views from the top were very spectacular.
We walked along the prom, and stopped for a drink, watching the ships go in and out, we then meandered back to Town, the city had come alive now, more people on the streets, very vibrant.
We ended up back at the restaurant we had had lunch, so we stopped and had a portion of anchovies they were delicious and a really nice bottle of white wine.
We then strolled back to the hotel, what a lovely day.

Up early, a quick breakfast, then we drove to the courts, parked the car, then went through the security, before having a coffee whilst waiting for Rocco and the translator to arrive.
Finally they came and after thirteen years the time has come to try and get some money out of the banks! Joke one!
The case was supposed to be heard at 11am, eventually we went in at 1pm, we couldn’t understand much, but what we did was the
Defence kept saying because Geoff’s passport was not the same as it was when he first entered the contract for the property how do they know it is the same person! As British we renew our passports every ten years, the Spanish keep the same ID all their lives. Anyway we will have to wait three weeks before we know if we won the case, then they are likely to appeal, which will take another two years, it’s a joke!
We left the court feeling a bit deflated but really didn’t expect much progress. We then travelled back home, to get a new machine for Geoff.
Arrived back about 6pm, went into village for dinner, trying Lucia’s, not very impressed, then went for a drink at the pizzeria, where we met up with Mike and Jan.
Then home for an early night we were both shattered.

Locked the house up and went for breakfast in the Rusty Nail, what a change, a lovely smiley face, instead of the miserable one. Lovely breakfast before we headed for Malaga, a nice trip down stopping on route at a typical Spanish hostlery, one coffee, one tea, two cakes and a brandy for Geoff 5€ brilliant.
We arrived in Malaga about 2pm, booked into the hotel, and decided to walk to see where the courts were. Well when I booked the hotel, I felt sure they were just around the corner, sadly they were way out of town about a forty minute walk, we decided that we could take the car tomorrow, as there are plenty of parking spots. 1.20€ a day.
We walked back to the hotel, where we decided to put our feet up for an hour or so.
Geoff unpacked his breathing machine, to find out it did not work, oh no! A bad night ahead, no sleeping properly, and heavy snoring! Geoff can’t last five nights, he will be back falling asleep at breakfast again, so we will have to go home after the court case.
Later we walked into the old part of town and had a relax and a nice meal.
Back in the hotel shattered.