Holiday in Malaga

Image Courtesy: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/2367552554_0a8034308e.jpg




Part of the city's attraction is that of its intriguing layout which makes it particularly
appealing for exploring. There are endless narrow streets, historic buildings and quaint
old-fashioned shops which have remained largely unchanged despite the passage of
time. This means that Malaga literally has something for everyone; a unique appeal
which for one person may derive from the vitality and hospitality of the people, another
from the architecture and, still another from the overall ambience and graciousness of
the city.

One of the first rather delightful aspects which a visitor will notice, however, is that the
Malagueno never walks around with a fixed purpose in mind as he always seems to
have time for that impromptu coffee with friends or stroll through the park. In essence,
this is true hospitality which is considered perfectly natural and normal. Interestingly,
this is a trait which is also reflected in the Arabic cultures of the world, which is hardly
surprising given the Moorish influence over the entire province of Andalucia.
Another equally endearing trait of the Malagueno is his (or her) extrovert character.
Conversations are light-hearted, boisterous, peppered with amusing stories and subtle
jokes. Malaguenos do not take themselves too seriously and don't expect others to
either!.

A strong cultural identity and respect for age old traditions is reflected in such annual
events as the Holy Week at Easter while, more light hearted, yet just as respected is the
flamenco which can still be heard on an impromptu bais at several of the bars in the
historic part of the city.

In Malaga, as all over Andalucia, life takes place on the street. The year round mild
climate encourages the delightful custom of "promenading" which, again reflects the
social, agreeable nature of the people. Winter and summer here are, in reality, autumn
and spring elsewhere in the worl.d Such seasons make the town an easy place to live,
eat and enjoy as well as adding to its dynamism and appeal. On a more serious note, the
city is also an important centre of administration in the business and financial world.
The streets of the historic centre preserve an age old ambience and reflect the vitality of
a modern town. To fully appreciate all this area has to offer, it is necessary to spend
several hours exploring the tiny backstreets which still are distinctly Moorish in
character, contemplate the many churches and monasteries, stop for a coffee or a fino in
a typical bar or perhaps purchase some "biznagas" (small bouquets of fresh jasmine)
from a gypsy or vist the Casa de la Guardia for a sip of "pajarete"; a wine which is a
virtual national symbol and generally served with a tapa, such as mussels and shrimps.
The custom of accompanying a drink with a small snack is yet another indicative factor
of the Malaguenos, hospitality and habit of socialising in the bars and pubs where they
spend long hours sipping wine and chatting. The actual name tapa comes from the word
for a small plate which was often requested by customers in order to cover the wine so it
would not evaporate in the heat. A few enticing tit bits were place on these covers
(tapas) which in time became so popular that they were a standard request.

During the night Malaga is as brightly lit as any city. However, this town has the
obvious advantage of a coastline. This is when the view of the bay is at its best and
there a number of excellent restaurants beachside, or the more informal may prefer a
picnic with such appropriate dining fare as grilled sardines and a frothy glass of
veritable cerveza!

Background and History
In order to take full advantage of Malaga's magnificent position, it is recommended that
you climb the Mount Gibralfaro. From here the old town is a mosaic of buildings and
narrow streets with rooftops at every level and, again, an utterly captivating Moorish
ambience.

La Alcazaba and the castle of Gibralfaro both sit proudly on the hilltop and comprise an
impressive monumental complex.

The former is one of the most important military constructions of its era, particularly
regarding defence. Classic columns, taken from the ruins of a Roman theatre have been
used and there is a charming plaza with portico, pool and garden, close to the complex
of the Nazarean Palace and a small, inhabited barrio dating from the 13th and 14th
centuries. Within the palace buildings is the provincial archaeological museum that has
an interesting collection of Paleolithical and Neolithic antiquities, as well as Roman art,
models of the Alcazaba and the cathedral. Naturally enough, there is plenty of Muslim
art here also, dating from the 10th to 14th centuries.

The Gibralfaro Castle takes up a large part of the hilltop. According to Muslim
chronicles, a Phoenician lighthouse once stood there, thus it is know as Jabal-Farouk or
"lighthouse hill". There is a project underway to build a lift from the base of the hill up
to the patios of the castle, which would make the journey a little less arduous than the
current seemingly endless steps. The Roman theatre is just below here. Some of its parts
were used to build the Alcazaba where renovation is already underway. Further down
towards the left is the Muslim Patio which is particularly captivation with orange trees
and lots of brightly coloured flower beds. The cathedral, called La Manquita, (the one
armed) is so named because the southern tower was never completed. Apparently, the
money designated for construction was used instead for such laudable causes as the war
of Independence in North America. The cathedral is built on the site of an earlier
mosque and, in order to cover the costs of construction, the town was authorised in the
17th century to impose a tax on all wine, raisins and oil that moved through its harbour.
The actual building lasted more than two centuries which is why the result is such a
potpourri of styles, gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-classic etc. The interior is
surprisingly well lit and full of artistic treasures.

Currently however, the cathedral is in a sorry crumbling state and the Town Hall has
started a campaign for its renovation, calling on all Malaguenos to participate.
Numerous cultural events have been staged in order to raise funds and individual
companies are starting to pledge large amounts to show their support. As far as the
actual physical labour is concerned, the Department for Culture and Tourism is working
together with the Institute of Employment and creating workshop programmes which
will train students in the skills necessary for the restoration work.

In front of the Manquita is the Bishop's Palace, which in fact comprises two palaces,
one built in the 16th century the other in the 18th century. The museum of religious art
is housed in the latter and includes an excellent collection of paintings and goldsmiths'
works. There are also two garden patios with an impressive number of plants. Still
another part of the palace serves as a gallery or exhibition hall.

Courtesy of:
http://www.iaeste.es/archivos/docs/malaga.pdf