The proximity to the beach has served me well over these past 5 to 6 months mostly due to the fact that it has given me a place to go when I just wanted to get out of my house and have some alone time. The beach is a great companion because it allows you to think and be alone with yourself to reflect or just relax. Before coming to Malaga I would often usually daydream about what it would be like to live near the beach and have the luxury to enjoy it anytime I want. Now that I have this great opportunity to not only be in a foreign country to experience and learn culture but I can also take advantage of the beach and all it has to offer. I remember the first time I ever went to the beach in Malaga, the one in El Palo, to be exact, it was the first day I arrived in the city and had a great desire to explore my surroundings. When I first saw it, it gave me relaxation right way. It was as if all my worries were lifted away from me and I was left there to enjoy the beauty I had in front of me. The ocean breeze is one of my favorite things and it has always brought me a great deal of peace and serenity.
In the USA, I do not have the opportunity to enjoy the beach anytime I want and so being in Malaga has given me yet another gift. The beach not only has had and continues to have an affect on me, it also effects the Malaguenan people. It is often said that southern Spaniards are more open and friendly and now I can clearly say that this generalization, almost stereotype, is a correct observation of the people. The close proximity to the beach allows people to relax and open up more easily compared to people that live in places inland. Not only has the beach served as a type of therapy but it also has turned into an anti-stress remedy for life.
I hope that I fully take advantage of the not ever 2 months I have left in Malaga and fully take in as much as I possibly can. The beach, in my opinion, is a big part of this Spain experience because without it I would not have been able to learn and observe a lot of little things that have made my stay in Malaga that much better.
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May I thank all have posted on this blog. I find it most interesting to read the impressions you have of Malaga, and of modern Spain - as also I enjoyed last year Mark Aldrich's A Year in Malaga. I live in the UK but visit Malaga regularly, and over the past five years have to like the city and its people more and more. In frustration that so few visitors to the resorts down the coast visit the city, and that those that do are so badly served by the official tourist information offices (have you ever seen one of their employees smile?) I recently wrote and published a little guide to the city - Footsteps through the City of Malaga. This is not really a place to advertise, but if any of you, or your friends, would like details of the guide, please drop me a line on brian.jones@uwclub.net. The guide might help you learn a little more about the city - and might also be something to send to your people back home, who may be wondering about Malaga.
ReplyDeleteAll best wishes, and enjoy your time in Malaga.