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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...
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Estepona - One of the Prettiest Towns on the Costa del Sol

Having visited most of the towns to the east of Malaga and many to the west when offered the chance to visit Estepona and one of its fabulous hotels it was impossible to refuse. The Gran Hotel Elba Estepona & Thalasso Spa was our (hubby and me) destination for two nights.

I'd flown into Malaga after visiting my mum in the UK, arrived home in Jaen at 3am, done several loads of washing, given an English lesson, done the shopping (loaded the fridge again, this time for sons feeding themselves), prepared lunch, unpacked and repacked my bag I was off again, later than hoped, back down to the coast (but this time being a passenger it was easy to enjoy) the easy drive along the coast road with the looming Sierra on one side and the glorious blue Mediterranean Sea on the other.


Estepona was yet another name on the map, another destination that hadn't beckoned, a town bypassed en-route to elsewhere and somewhere I knew nothing about, we were pleasantly surprised just driving through it to find our hotel, we knew we'd be exploring it soon.

A long sea front with play parks and lighthouse with a lovely looking not too touristy town and interesting church roof. Estepona sits and a shallow bay with views of Gibraltar and, in mid June, empty beaches.



Spotting sardines being cooked over coals meant time for lunch on the beach and a beer or two of course, we were on holiday.




The town itself spreads out from its historical center with narrow streets and hardly a whiff of the bucket and spade brigade. We sat contentedly in the shade cold beer in hand in the pretty Plaza de las Flores.



Really happy was I by the lack of tourist shops and all that goes with hordes of visitors, this could have been an inland town for its charm, rather than on the Costa del Sol/Costa del Golf, a far cry from the Torremolinos part of the coast.


If anyone asks my favourite coastal town on the southern coast it is now without a doubt Estepona. Our stay at the Gran Hotel Elba was complimentary see some photos or read the review tomorrow.

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