Getting out of a local travel rut, and flying multi-city for the price of one way

It's amazing how getting out of a travel rut opens a whole new experience. Ergo, right? I'm speaking specifically about the Costa del Sol in southern Andalusia, Spain, where I've been visiting the last several years. For years, I've relegated myself to the cities of Marbella and Malaga, all within a short bus-train or car ride away. Sure, I've taken day trips to Ronda, Seville, Cordoba, Grenada, Cadiz or Gibraltar. But locally only Marbella and Malaga. Marbella is the smaller with its exquisite old town, Salvador Dali sculpture garden and beachside promenade. Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, has a startlingly beautiful and immense cruise ship waterfront lined with bars, cafes and boutiques, a magnificent old town, Roman amphitheatre and Moorish fortress, which one can climb up to for a stunning view of the harbour, city and mountainous backdrop. But on my current trip I decided to break out of the mold and explore smaller coastal communities, discovering that many are linked by fabulous decorative paved promenades or boardwalks. These run from Marbella west to Puerto Banus and then to San Pedro de Alcantara, a several kilometre but pleasant walk, with restos and cafes (great seafood!) punctuating the way. The same for east of here, between Fuengirola (the bus and commuter train terminus) and Carvajal, and this past weekend between Torremolinos and Plaza de Mayor on Malaga's western flank. I walked up from Torremolinos' underground train station to find myself in a teeming square of restaurants and shops, and, um, numerous Irish bars, with lots of Brits wearing green hats for St. Pat's Day and watching - what else - football/soccer.

Due to health reasons my partner is unable to join me in Spain this year. So I rejigged my return airfare to Canada by adding a multi city trip (box).  How so?  When I looked at booking a new one-way ticket home some itineraries had me change planes in "exotic" locales like Palma (Majorca) and The Azores. A lightbulb went on! How about I stay overnight for two or three days in each? The plane ticket wouldn't cost much more, I would just have to add hotels. So on the 31st I'll fly from Malaga to Palma for a couple of nights, then Lisbon for three and the Azores for two, then home. 

- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller

  

'Supercharger' supercharged my account; and am I in a time warp?

It's called a "counterintuitive approach" to learning Spanish. And it sounded great, as many good things do but which result in disappointment. Spanish Supercharger is a course by a supposed UK author named Luke Colley who may or may not exist. He never responded to my emails despite constantly asking for feedback. I'm not necessarily criticizing his learning method, which indeed may be a faster way of learning Spanish as it emphasizes using words and verbs that are most conversational as opposed to language apps (hello Duolingo, which I have long used) which are a little more abstract and "rarely applied in real life." So I bit and bought the course advertised on Facebook on discount for about $20 Can from Pound Sterling. Only I ended up getting charged $40+. And as I say "Luke" never responded to my emails. This is the second item I've purchased from a FB ad (the first, ill-fitting boots) which I've been disappointed in. And it makes me never to want to buy anything on FB again. 

Here are a few observations about life in Spain:

- I have yet to come across a retail store with self checkouts though apparently they exist. This includes everything from a convenience mini mart (my fave SuperCOR) to a Walmart like superstore (Alcampo). All cashiers all the time! I also like that at my local grocery (Carrefour, actually a France-based chain) you don't line up at individual checkouts but form a straight line and wait for the next cash to become free. Much more efficient. 

- Spain may be governed by a socialist party but the country still seems awfully politically incorrect, almost in a time warp. There are still cigarette machines - cigarette machines! - in stores and restaurants though smoking itself is curtailed.  As for marijuana, in case you were wondering, only through private clubs. And I have also yet to see a rainbow crosswalk.

- School buses are luxurious as per the pic (left). Intercity luxury coaches are simply chartered for school board use (see the yellow windshield card). Since Spain seems to be a country where efficiency is top of mind, does chartering private coaches save money over buying a school bus fleet? And for the bus companies they earn money when their coaches might otherwise not be in use during weekday hours?

- Speaking of buses, transit systems here still make change, something that went out in North America in the 1970s. I marvel at this given that drivers also have to concentrate, you know, on driving. Yet all are experts on both fronts. Drivers also are well-groomed and wear ties, a few notches of professionalism above North American standards. The local bus system in Marbella is also free to residents. 

- Motorists are awfully polite. Vehicles come to an abrupt halt when a pedestrian enters a painted crosswalk, and often if they're simply crossing a road, illegally or not. 

- The universal way to greet people is with the word "Hola" which seems to be a catchall greeting, used formally and informally, and could have wider meaning like "Hey." There's no English equivalent, that's why it doesn't seem weird saying it over and over and in almost every context. You can also use, for example, "Buenos dias" (good morning) or "Buenas tardes" (good afternoon) but more universally "Hola."

- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller