Some of the colourful sights of Andalucia:

Here's Tom in the same cafe in Frigiliana. We had to wait for the bus to return to Nerja so we had another glass of wine and enjoyed the sunshine. Frigiliana is just up in the mountains behind Nerja and it's considered to be one of the most picturesque villages in Andalusia. The cobblestoned streets are steep and there are flowers and vines everywhere. Thursdays the gypsy market comes to town so the place was packed with shoppers and sightseers. Just in the five years since we've been here, the village has become much more commercialized. The bar where the old lads used to gather in the morning is now a poncy British pub!!

One of my favorite activities is simply sitting in a cafe in the village square watching the activity around us. I've also made time to do some serious window shopping culminating in several purchases of deeply discounted shoes (would you believe leather shoes for 15.00) The money I saved on shoes I was able to spend wisely on an amazing pair of Euro-trash designer jeans which I absolutely love. It's all utterly shallow but entirely enjoyable.

The weather here has been glorious and we've been making a point of going out and about in the village several times a day. Last week we took the bus to Frigiliana which is the nearby "pueblo blanca" where we stayed on our first visit to Spain about five years ago. The place is getting more touristy but is still picturesque and we had a tasty meal in a classically Spanish restaurant overlooking the mountains and the sea. Here's Tom enjoying a 'salada Andalucia" with manchego cheese and serrano ham and various vegetables. He also enjoyed two glasses of excellent red wine at less than 2.50 per glass. Aside from going out for lunch and browsing in shop windows, we've been reading and sitting out on the roof terrace just enjoying the sunshine. It's above average in temperature here this February according to those who know...seems like climate change is also coming to the Costa.

This is Deborah...gracious hostess, gaming maven and mother of Sam and Jake...it's always a good time at their house...good food, good wine, good music, a blazing fire, a comfortable bed, good conversation and lots of strong coffee in the morning. We don't see each other much...usually once a year when Al and the boys come up en route to their canoe trip and sometimes in late summer when we go to Toronto for the tradeshow...or when we are flying out of Pearson as we are this time.

Before we left for Spain we spent a delightful evening with Tom's old friend Al...who possesses a fine wine cellar...here he is checking out a great bottle of red...one of several consumed through the evening...along with some fabulous Stilton and Brie and olives and other tasty snacks. I was sensible and went to bed early...others did not and the evening ended, so I hear, with ice-wine and such. A lovely send off for our holiday...and Al even chauffeured us to the airport!!

the beautiful mediterranean at about eleven in the morning. We live about a five minute walk from this paseo along the beach.