Beach day! Well we hope we actually get to the beach again.
We walked out to Gran Via and hailed a taxi easily. He took us to Atocha
station, which is a huge train station in Madrid. The inside is like a tropical
rain forest with lush gardens of palm trees and exotic flora.
We had to try three self serve kiosks before finding one
that would print our tickets. We were then waiting above the platform to find
out what train we were on. It was leaving in 5 minutes and it still wasn’t
listed on the departure schedule. Finally someone told us to get in line 8.
There were so many people in line that they opened up gates 9 and 10 as well.
We skittered down to the track, dodging around the slow moving grannys, and had
to trek all the way down to coach 30. It was actually part of a second train
attached the first train.
This was a high speed train to Malaga. The non-stop bus does
this journey in over 6 hours. The high speed train does it in less than 3. We were traveling at 270km/h. It was insane! When another train passes
in the opposite direction it whisks by in instanteous blur. You see nothing, and barely hear or feel anything!
The train station was a few hundred metres from the hotel so we were able to walk. The hotel was called Monte Malaga, and was pretty close to the beach. Check in was easy. We got our room, and suited up for the beach.
We were hungry, and figured that there would be many restaurants along the beach, as in most beach towns. There was not.
The beach is long in length, but short in depth, so there isn't much room for anything other than sitting. We walked for awhile until we saw one restaurant. We went inside, and got a seat on the patio. We didn't stay long though, as the patio was more like a loosely thrown together deck, and everytime servers walked passed, it shook. We didn't want to be sea sick while eating, so we left, hoping to find another restaurant.
A little further down, the Coca Cola signs steered us into a small restaurant over looking the water. We got a seat, and a very kind waiter tried to translate some options for us. They mostly serve fish, and since we didn't know what any of the fish was we ordered chicken. The waiter insisted we try the house specialty: sardinas a la plancha. Also known as grilled sardines. I was starving, so we said what the hell. They cook them in these old fishing boats that they have turned into coal bbq's.
They brought them out, skin, bones, eyes and all, and I have to say that's the fastest I have ever eaten anything with eyes. Salty, as with all Spanish food. The rest of our meal was essentially a salted grilled chicken breast, and fries. No ketchup. So bland.
We went down to the beach after, which was mediocre at best. It wasn't clean, despite the sifting boats hovering along the coast. We stayed for a bit then returned to the hotel.
We were happy we did, because the hotel had a spa and pool with pressurized water falls. Very fun.
We spent the rest of the afternoon there, until it was time for dinner. We opted for Italian, as we were done with Tapas and Spanish food, and ate at a restaurant in the gigantic train station.
The train station was a few hundred metres from the hotel so we were able to walk. The hotel was called Monte Malaga, and was pretty close to the beach. Check in was easy. We got our room, and suited up for the beach.
We were hungry, and figured that there would be many restaurants along the beach, as in most beach towns. There was not.
The beach is long in length, but short in depth, so there isn't much room for anything other than sitting. We walked for awhile until we saw one restaurant. We went inside, and got a seat on the patio. We didn't stay long though, as the patio was more like a loosely thrown together deck, and everytime servers walked passed, it shook. We didn't want to be sea sick while eating, so we left, hoping to find another restaurant.
A little further down, the Coca Cola signs steered us into a small restaurant over looking the water. We got a seat, and a very kind waiter tried to translate some options for us. They mostly serve fish, and since we didn't know what any of the fish was we ordered chicken. The waiter insisted we try the house specialty: sardinas a la plancha. Also known as grilled sardines. I was starving, so we said what the hell. They cook them in these old fishing boats that they have turned into coal bbq's.
 |
| I may have needed a bite of bun to wash it all down... |
 |
| Grilling sardines |
They brought them out, skin, bones, eyes and all, and I have to say that's the fastest I have ever eaten anything with eyes. Salty, as with all Spanish food. The rest of our meal was essentially a salted grilled chicken breast, and fries. No ketchup. So bland.
 |
| The boardwalk |
We went down to the beach after, which was mediocre at best. It wasn't clean, despite the sifting boats hovering along the coast. We stayed for a bit then returned to the hotel.
We were happy we did, because the hotel had a spa and pool with pressurized water falls. Very fun.
 |
| Lovely hotel pool. |
We spent the rest of the afternoon there, until it was time for dinner. We opted for Italian, as we were done with Tapas and Spanish food, and ate at a restaurant in the gigantic train station.
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