Bienvenidos Mom and Dad
This Thursday, exactly one month since arriving in Spain, I traveled to Málaga to meet up with my parents! I was so excited to reunite with them in one of our favorite countries, and to show them around this wonderful, Spanish city.
My work week leading up to their arrival was a little hectic since I had to transition to working with a new teacher. Mariano’s replacement is one of the younger, female teachers named Cristina and after we got the logistics squared away, we worked really well together. It’s her first year at Virgen de la Cabeza so we both newbies (she has one month on me)!
One thing Cristina didn’t realize before we started in was that the students don’t know I speak spanish…so now the 6D group has a secret to keep. They freaked out and started bombarding me with questions in Spanish before I reminded them that I'm here to help them with their English. Their excitement about this new discovery was absolutely adorable and now they try to teach me new phrases any chance they get.
Outside of work, Skye, Victoria, and I tried some classes at the gym including two different types of zumba, spin, and body combat. I really cannot dance to save my life, but zumba is SO fun. Body combat was a lot of cardio kickboxing moves and I was extremely sore when I got to Málaga on Thursday.
Our little aux group got together on Tuesday for a movie night (something we’re hoping turns into a tradition). We watched The Menu, Rennes pick, which did not disappoint in the thriller category and really kept us on the edge of our seats.
On Thursday I took a Blablacar to Málaga directly after work to meet up with my parents who had landed that morning! I was so happy to see them again after weeks of talking about this trip. We had some snacks and headed to Plaza de la Constitución for a surprise that my mom planned for me...she tried to spoil it before I left, but I made her keep it a secret. My dad accidentally (he didn't know it was a surprise) said something about "shopping", but I really had no clue how we were going to spend the next three hours.
We met a German woman named Susan in the square and I was told we were going on a vintage clothing and thrifting tour! I love thrifting and had never been in Málaga, so I was very excited to see what the city had to offer. There were three other women who joined my mom and I on the tour, and all of them were so, so lovely. One of them, Keira, was around my age and we totally hit it off. I'm hoping to visit her sometime this year in England!
After saying goodbye to our new friends, my parents and I went to dinner at a tiny vegan restaurant called MeetVegano. It was easily the best food I have had in a very long time, and possibly the best vegan food I have ever had. We got the full spread: drinks, appetizers, entrees, AND dessert!
For starters we split avocado croquettes and gouchujang cauliflower wings. We shared truffle edamame dumplings, the salm'n (tofu) broccolini bowl, and the wine braised tempeh bab for entrees and a tahini, raspberry brownie for dessert. Everything was so creative and extremely well done.
The wonderful meal and intimate atmosphere made for a magical first dinner in Málaga that set our dining standards sky-high. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough to anyone visiting this city, even (or especially) if you are skeptical of vegan food.
We had no concrete plans for Friday so we slept in, had some breakfast and coffee at home, and paid a visit to the bike shop Eat, Sleep, Cycle. After getting our rentals sorted for the next day, we chatted with the Chris, the British owner who has been in Spain for four years. There is a very good chance I end up buying a bike from this shop since they sell all of their rentals at the end of the season. I have never ridden such smooth, high-end bikes before this weekend and, needless to say, I am completely hooked!
We headed from the bike shop up to the Castillo de Gibralfaro (Gibralfaro Castle) through a small, natural park that borders the Alcazaba (a 1300s Moorish Castle). The winding path gave us views of the mountains to the north of the city, as well as the ocean when we reached the top.
We took a quick self-guided tour of the castle before going to eat lunch at the Parador next to it. Paradors are high-end hotels around Spain located in buildings of previous historical significance. This one had wonderful views of the water and the city below from the covered balcony.
The presentation and quality of food at the Parador did not disappoint and was just as lovely as our 270 degree ocean views. We got a mixture of different salads and my favorite tapa, fried eggplant with molasses, and everything was delicious.
We walked off lunch by heading down the mini-mountain back into the city and going along the coast. It was almost warm enough to swim but we did not have the proper attire to cool off in the ocean. There were tons of people taking advantage of the sun and the beach was bustling.
I showed my parents the port area of Málaga before we walked back into the main city to see the cathedral and visit the Alcazaba.
The Alcazaba was very impressive and seemed to be an endless collection of narrow paths, courtyards, and Moorish arches. It really reminded me of the Alhambra in Granada but on a smaller scale. We spent a long time meandering around the ruins and listening to the history of the location.
We took a quick rest at home before going to try another vegan place, Mimo Vegan, for dinner. This restaurant had amazing food just like MeetVegano and it was the perfect way to finish off our first full day together.
We had another full spread: a sushi roll for an appetizer; blue cheese "salad", curried sweet potato, and a bulgar risotto for mains; and a pumpkin tart and brownie for dessert.
This sounds like a ton of food as I'm writing it out, but the organic, no-added-sugar, vegan meal felt like just the right amount of dinner and dessert.
Saturday morning we woke up, had some coffee, and headed to breakfast at a place recommended to us by Susan during our vintage tour. The restaurant, La Recova, doubles as a market for vintage kitchen appliances and other goods. The breakfast model was unbelievably simple, one piece of toast with an assortment of sauces, but very satisfying.
Loaded up on carbs, we headed to the bike shop where we were fitted to our rentals before my mom and I headed out for their first ever ladies ride. The group consisted of our guide Cristina, one local Spaniard, and the two of us. We rode an out-and-back path along the busy, touristy coastal towns west of Málaga proper. The ride itself ended up being almost 35 miles but we had to go at such a slow pace with the pedestrians, cars, and stoplights that my mom and I felt like we had barely been biking.
After a quick shower and siesta, we returned our bikes and went into the bustling part of the city to meet up with two friends of my uncle's girlfriend Kim. Kind of a random connection but it was so lovely to meet Eric and Elisa! We had a great time eating traditional Spanish tapas at El Pimpi and getting a locals tour of the city.
We had planned to do a long gravel ride on Sunday so after a quick breakfast at home, we headed to the bike shop once again to pick up our rentals. Getting out of Málaga by bike was quite the feat but after some wrong turns, we finally made it to Montes de Málaga, a natural area just north of the city. The trails were perfect for gravel cycling and after a very steep initial climb, we settled into the ride.
It was magical riding through the pine trees with no one else around, and the challenging climbing definitely made up for the day before. At around the halfway point, we met a German/Spanish couple also on bikes and decided to ride to a hotel hidden away in the mountains to grab something to eat. It was a really good choice to take a break and refuel because once I got off the bike, I started to feel very lightheaded. After a salad and two rolls however, I was as good as new.
On our way out of the park we passed a line of horses wearing bells that were walking by themselves on the side of the road. I was a little nervous to ride by them since a lot of times horses get spooked by bikes, but thankfully these ones were very calm.
Once we exited the park, we descended back into the city on one of the most beautiful, winding roads I have ever ridden on. It was amazing to be able to fly down the straights and admire the scenery rushing by. Easily the best descent of my life!
I had a Blablacar back to Motril to catch at 8:00 so my parents and I headed back to Mimo Vegan for a Málaga sendoff dinner. We tried some new dishes this time and they lived up to our expectations from two nights previous. We also met a vegan chef/culinary consultant who was sat next to us and talked to him for the entire meal. He had such an interesting, inspiring story and I am hoping to catch up with him when he returns to Spain in November!
My parents walked me to meet my Blablacar driver and we said goodbye for the night as they were scheduled to arrive in Motril on Monday. We had such an amazing weekend in Málaga full of great food, friendly new faces, and lots of adventure. I am so happy they got to experience the best of what Southern Spain has to offer and have no doubt they will be back soon :)
🦆