Weekend ventures

I spent much of my time yesterday in the church office, getting my sermon finished and printed out, completing the batch of CBS documents I've been working on urgently all week, with occasional walkabouts to relax, and a Scottish mutton pie for lunch from the Jodi's little pastry shop which I visited yesterday. Some good quality snacks here to showcase traditional British food. 

I was invited out to supper at Peter and Lay Reader Linda's house about five miles west of Fuengirola. The sun was setting spectacularly as I got in the car, so I decided to capture the moment on the Chaplain's mobile phone which I was carrying with me in case I needed contact numbers. It's a Sony Experia, and I felt confident of a decent result, although camera phone isn't as easy to use as a proper camera.

Driving in the dark on completely unfamiliar roads without sight of normal landmarks was trickier than I'd anticipated - should have done a dry run in daylight. Kilometre markers were on my map of how to get there, but a lapse of attention meant I could't figure out whether the numbers were increasing or decreasing, so I came off the N340 at the wrong exit, circulated around a giant shopping centre, got back on the highway, came off at another exit, still unable to figure out which way the numbers ran. Then I rang for guidance, and was soon on my way. I didn't expect to drive six kilometres further before the turn off. 

Phone satnav is useful for giving location, but it can't give you a readable bigger picture to inform you of your whereabouts in relation to a destination further afield - especially fumbling in the dark! Once off the highway, I followed the map provided and was there only five minutes late, somewhat chastened.

I had a lovely evening meal and table talk with Peter and Linda. Both are retired from careers in the Royal Navy, she in nursing and he a submariner, and both with fascinating tales to tell. They have been involved in St Andrew's Chaplaincy for over thirty five years, and not lost their enthusiasm for its ministry. Getting home in the dark was hardly a bother, with a good idea now of landmarks along the urban highway to be spotted while driving in the dark. Glad to crawl into bed at the end of another challenging day.

I slept for a good nine hours, got up and did some washing after breakfast, which dried quickly in the bright winter sun. Then I went for a drive to the far end of town, retracing the first part of my journey last night to have a proper look, first at the giant Miramar shopping complex, with hypermarket and cinema, and then at the moorish Castello Sohail, dating from 956 on a 40m high promontory nearby overlooking the rio Fuengirola, where it meets the sea.

 

The Romans first occupied the site 1250 years earlier and eventually built its first fortifications of which now only traces remain at the base of the hill. It was renovated and opened as an events and tourism venue in 2000 and is an attractive destination for tourists and locals alike.

It was however closed to visitors, possibly for the winter season, to judge from the positioning of a single notice stapled high up on the west gate, but even in the heat of the day people were climbing up to look around and disappointed to find it was closed. There was no closure notice displayed at the base of the hill!

Along the west bank of the rio Fuengirola, as it meets the sea is a childrens' park with a tower and aerial runway that crosses the river. The leisure boats are in the shape of big water birds - 'swandolas'.