Day 24 - Departure day

Today we are leaving Fuengirola for this time. It has been lovely and I recommend everybody to try to make a family gathering in safe condition before it is too late. The memories will stay with us forever.

We started to talk about such a holiday several years ago. Would it be possible, could we afford it. Would our family members like it, Where to go. When to go. Etc.

There is always something that can make things difficult. Jobs, schools, ages, sickness, other plans and interest etc., but without trying you may have lost an opportunity forever.

This photo will for me be the image of what we wanted and what we achieved.
5 grandchildren between 3 and 11 from UK and Norway gathered together for the possibilities of having fun.. and we know they had fun.

We have learned new things about our family members and ourselves during this holiday, but we are very happy doing it and will try it again sometimes in the future. Planning for that has not started.
On this departure day we will only think back on this gatherings positive results and carry them in our hearts forever, Thank you Mari, Henrik, Helene, Hedda and Maja, plus Trine, David, Rikke and Tor Marius for what you have given us.

Day 22 - Sunrise over Costa del Sol

Sometimes it is best not to use too many words in a post. The image says it all.

This photo taken by my wife at 7.51 am this Thursday morning is that kind of image. On her daily walk along the beaches the mist suddenly disappeared and the beauty of Costa del Sol had to be documented on her iPhone. Well done.

Day 14 - Feria de Malaga

 A very hot day when we participated in the "Feria de Malaga" today. The history of the festival is copied from the official website:

The summer festivities in the city have their roots in the commemoration of Málaga's incorporation into the Castilian crown by the Catholic Monarchs who made their triumphal entrance into the city on 19 August 1487. In 1491, coinciding with the religious celebrations of the Cathedral Council, the Municipal Town Council decreed popular festivities were to be established. It was in 1887 with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Catholic Monarchs’ entrance into Málaga that these festivities regained their original splendour. Málaga’s August Fair has reached us as an expansive, cosmopolitan and international Grand Summer Fair that illustrates the capital's character as the leading tourist area in Europe, and the City of Málaga as the nerve centre of the Costa del Sol and its Metropolitan Area. 

Some of the main events include the inauguration of the fair accompanied by a firework show, the Romería (pilgrimage) where horseback riders, horse-drawn carriages and people on foot accompany the bearer of the fair standard to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Victoria, the fair in the city centre, where you can savour wine and tapas while listening to music all along the ancient streets of Málaga and the Fairground offering marquees, live music and fair attractions for the enjoyment of visitors. If you need a guide for the Málaga Fair, you can see our suggestions for a day there or consult the official programme.

In the main shopping street we were welcomed by these great flowers.

At our favourite bodega "El Pimpi! everything was covered in red, and in the shopping stands all over the city these paper flowers could be found.

Day 11 - Sunday market and diving day

Sunday market in Fuengirola. Lots of "billig dritt" but always nice to have a break from pool.

Maja (5) diving to 140 cm for her father´s watch.

Mari (3) also caught the watch with a little download help.

Day 10 - Maja on stage and a bit more

This Saturday morning Tullen felt for a great walk at the beach. Off she went when I still was in bed, and one and a half hour later she returned after 11,7 km along the Paseo Maritimo. A real workout before breakfast. The event had to be shared on FaceBook.

 In the afternoon Mari (3) joined the Shuffleboard (by hand) competition. Participating is prior to winning, and all the kids are applauding her effort.

 Maja also joined some competitions today. She was part of the winning team in the Petanque game.
In the evening show she was on stage receiving her diploma together with the other kids.

A beautiful five year old girl is a little bit tired at 9.30 pm, but who can sleep when an important event take place at the PoolBar in the night.

The early bird gets the worm

 We are about 600 to 700 guests at Myramar in the top season. There are sun beds to all of us. However, the English saying the early bird gets the worm is valid every morning when the security personnel opens the gates for the pool area. Lots of people have been queuing up for the 10 pm opening of the night closed gates and are running to the "best" beds.

After leaving their towels and perhaps other belongings they disappear, but hopefully returning some later time of the day. Occupation seems to be a human attribute on the dark side of our behaviour.

Day 4 - Hedda´s on stage performance

 Hedda (4) playing with other children on stage at Myramar. The Hat game. Here from the final in the competition. The girl to the left from Holland became the winner.

The children eliminated from previous rounds were sitting at stage after telling their name and place of origin. Hedda from Lewes she told the entertainment leader and the rest of us with a clear voice.

Day 3 - Family arrives

Form today we are 11 family members  in Andalusia. The first post on the agenda after a long journey  from Norway was to dive into the pool. The holiday has started for us all.

UPDATE:

Our lovely grand children having holiday in Spain together with us. Can you want more ?

Day 2 - Malaga City

An ordinary Friday at Costa del Sol, visiting Malaga City

 First photo covers the shopping street Calle Marq. de Larios, with the sun shields hanging above.

 Visiting Museo Carmen Thyssen today gave us an intriguing knowledge of the Spanish painter Dario de Regoyos (1857 - 1913) the leading Spanish representative of Impressionism.

 At lunchtime our favourite restaurant La Plaza at Plaza de Mercedes delivered the best Classic Burger in the City. Try it.

Relaxing at El Pimpi is also a traditional pitstop in Malaga. The waitress accepted to be photographed when she saw the graphic by Dagfinn Knutsen "Streng" which we have in our guest room bach home. She agreed that she could have been the model for that.

Relaxing at the pool

Bad internet connection is no excuse for not posting a blog showing the standard position at the pool.

Blogpost 1900 - The Summer continues

This is my blogpost number 1900.
I started blogging in 2005. First in Norwegian and after some pressure from my growing international readers changed into English text. People all over the world have during these years found my blog and hundreds of positive feedback have been given. 1900 is perhaps not a huge number, but a milestone worth to be mentioned.

So to the more present facts:

We have had a fantastic summer in Oslo, Norway this year, and now it continues during our stay in  Andalusia starting  today. I suppose that the blog will give you some nice stories during the coming weeks when we are together with our daughters and their families at Costa del Sol.

Strolling Tjuvholmen, Oslo on Sarurday afternoon

This afternoon we went down to Aker Brygge and after a short pitstop at Albert Bistro continued over the bridge to Tjuvholmen. At Astrup Fearnley Art Museum you find this beach where sunbathing people can dive into the water to cool down from the city heat.

 Further out in the fjord you may take a swim from the Tjuvholmen Sjøbad and have a closer look to the islands outside the city.

On the western part of Tjuvholmen this condo at Fru Kroghs Brygge with exclusive apartments are nearly finished. Layouts for apartments in "house 1" can be found here.

Our Afternoon stroll around Tjuvholmen ended fronting the huge painting by Pushwagner before we walked over the second bridge bringing us back to Aker Brygge and Bryggetorvet. The best Mussels in the city can be yours at Cafe Sorgenfri.
Take a stroll yourself and get nice experiences of the new Fjord City in the Capital of Norway.