retiredmartin

I’m no fan of long holidays.

At the very start of my GBG ticking career in early 1996 we spent 3 weeks driving the length and breadth of New Zealand. I couldn’t resist the urge to tick the roads (in pink).

Quite a messy marker, even then.

New Zealand is one of the greatest countries on earth to explore, particularly if you like living in 1959, and we managed to see most of it (even Palmerston North). But after 2 weeks I just wanted to get back and explore Mansfield.

A week away is plenty, and I couldn’t get too excited about being back in Malaga again for a couple more nights.

But even as I walked Mrs RM into the ground on our last day (another 21,000 steps) she had to admit it gets better and better as you dig deeper.

Wednesday was culture day.

La Malaguena may sell double espressos and churros but they were the best double espressos (I had two) and churros you’ll ever have.

Old boys seated at the bar were (it seemed) dropping countless bits of paper on the floor. Tradition ? Or just the cleaner saving it till closing in half an hour ?

We walked around the Alcazaba and took the photos from the top,

and then chose BYOKO for lunch in the scruffier part of town. The menu is all power smoothies and salads and octopus.

“PULPO A LA PLANCHA 13,40€ los 100 g. Entre 90 y 150 g – Con base de parmentier de patata bío y salsa mojo picón.“

I’d love to tell you this is a green DIPA from Torremolinos but it’s kale.

It cost more than Mrs RM’s sangria. Being healthy is costly.

This is our meal, one of the best ten I’ve ever had, and the other nine came from Chung Hwa.

The bowl on the right is a Thai chicken curry, before you ask.

I thought we’d only asked for one “pulpo”, but I was secretly glad I had my own octopus leg. It was the most magical thing I’ve eaten since Wall’s did a Lord Toffingham* ice cream in the mid 70s.

The bill was a little surprising, those legs apparently priced by the pound gram.

Bit of a lopsided bill there.

*Anyone else remember this ?