Educators on the Edge: Spring Break 2014: Spain

April 18-26, 2014

FIRST STOP: MUNICH, GERMANY

Our flight was from Kiev to Malaga with an overnight layover in Munich. We arrived at the Munich airport and took the train to the downtown location where we had booked a hotel near a well-known beer garden, the Hofbrau Haus. We had been to the American version of the Hofbrau House in Pittsburgh, but this was the "real deal". Even though it was Good Friday, the restaurant was open and the place was packed. However, in observance of the religious holiday, there was no German Oompah Band playing that evening.

Taken from the train as we passed by-another sign of my European ancestry

The Outside of the Hofbrauhaus

The Inside

It was so crowded that we had to walk around for a while watching and waiting for a spot at one of the many large tables where strangers from all over the world became friends before the meal was over.

Here we are with our new friend, Nickoli from Switzerland.
It's uncanny how much he looks like our friend Nick in Myrtle Beach!

The waitresses walked around selling these huge yummy pretzels.
One was enough to share!

Our Hotel

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but it was very nice on the inside, and they had an excellent breakfast buffet in the dining room on Saturday morning.

Saturday

After breakfast, we took the train back to the airport to wait for our friends Keith and Marybeth who were coming from the USA. From Munich we would all fly together to Spain that afternoon.

DESTINATION: MALAGA, SPAIN

When we arrived in Malaga around 5pm it was sunny and warm. The resort where we stayed was south of Malaga along Costa del Sol, actually closer to Marbella than Malaga. The next two days would not be as beautiful weather-wise. Of course that didn't stop us from having fun.

Our resort- Miraflores

Our Spanish hacienda for the week

The resort is built on the steep, rocky coastline

A view of the Mediterranean from our bedroom window

Easter Sunday

We may have been in Spain, but we had a Ukrainian Easter morning. I brought chocolate eggs and a traditional Easter cake called "Paska". It reminded me of raisin bread, so we sliced it, toasted it, and ate it for breakfast while Keith read the resurrection story from the Bible. We had good intentions of finding a church, but jet lag and not knowing our surroundings yet, kept us from venturing out until later in the day.

Around noon, we walked down the hill and crossed the highway over to the beach. Here we found "Antonio's", a small restaurant which happened to be open. It was cool and rainy, so we ate Easter dinner inside. We would return later in the week for another meal. It was that good!

Antonio's

The coastline

Monday

Our plan for Monday was to take the train to downtown Malaga and take a tour of the city on bicycles. Unfortunately it was another rainy day (downpour rainy!) We took the train there anyway, a long 45 minute ride, and only ever got as far as a sidewalk café right outside of the train stop. Thank goodness it was tented. We ordered lunch, and waited for the rain to stop. We ordered cappuccinos, and waited. We ordered wine, and waited. After almost 3 hours we got back on the train and returned to our condo! We never saw Malaga again until we went to the airport the following Saturday.

Monday evening the rain stopped and we enjoyed tapas and wine for dinner on our backyard patio.

Tuesday

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and left early for our guided tour to the mountain village of Ronda, home of the oldest bull fighting ring in the world. We joined a bus full of other tourists for an hour ride up into the mountains. It was one of those hairpin, hair raising road trips as we drove almost 2400 feet above sea level. If you were brave enough to look out of the bus window, the view was breathtaking (literally), but beautiful.

Future matadors?

The gorge between Old Ronda and New Ronda

We had lunch on this terrace

We visited this Spanish winery

Wine spigots built in the wall...I love it!

Mary Beth found her own barrel of wine

The following pictures show the colors, architecture, and sights of Old Spain:

Wednesday

On Wednesday we went to a little seaside village one bus stop away from our resort. It was market day. After purchasing a few souvenirs at the market we walked around the streets and down to the beach. It was a bit breezy and chilly, but we got our feet wet in the Med, if only for a few seconds.

This village was also home to a restaurant that was supposed to have the best paella in Malaga. We intended to go there for lunch but it didn't open until 4pm. Jay and I were the first (and only) guests when they opened the doors. In fact, we had the place to ourselves for most of the time we were there.