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Writer's pictureKatie Johnson

Marvels around Malaga: Thanksgiving Trip Part Six

For those who have been keeping up with our Thanksgiving adventure with the entire Kimble crew, this is our final blog post for this series! SIX blogs filled with fourteen days of excitement! Whew! Cheers to the final one: here we go!


Thursday, December 5: Malaga & Picasso Museum


Our time in Barcelona and the entire Catalan area has come to an end and now it's time to head back south! Now that Mom and Dad are gone, its time for the Kimble Kids (plus Jamie and Bryan) to make our way down to Malada!


Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport


This time around I did ask if the kids group wanted the early morning flight down to Magala, or if they would prefer a later morning flight. Kelly was with me on the early morning flight so we would have more time to sightsee around another major Spanish city...so the 6:50 am flight back south was a group choice this time around!


As we flew south, we watched the sunrise!


Delicotte Specialty Coffee & Tea


With that early flight behind us and luggage dropped in our AirBnB, it was time for some liquid energy! Delicotte Specialty Coffee & Tea came in clutch!



Museo Picasso Málaga


Fueled and ready to go, we headed to our big stop of the day: Picasso's Museum. Located in his hometown, the Picasso Museum opened in 2003 and is home to 285 works donated by members of the Picasso family.


Now you may be thinking, have they not had enough art throughout this trip? Between the three art museums in Madrid and a day of Antonio Gaudi's architectural exploration, how can they want more?! Well now, Ryan wasn't down for more. The rest of us enjoyed learning more about Picasso's life and his legacy through art, while Ryan skimmed the collection and opted for the nearest bench to rest.



Seeing Picasso's art transformation over the years and reading about his different exhibitions, we left with a better overall knowledge of the famous artist. I loved the giant timeline of his life that was overlaid with famous world events. This really brought Picasso's life into the modern age. I also learned that Picasso was a bit of a womanizer...he had three wives and children with his first two wives, as well as a few kids with some mistresses. This guy lived his life.


Málaga Roman Theatre: Teatro Romano de Málaga


As we left the art museum, we ran straight into Malaga's Roman Theater. Much like the one in Cadiz, this Roman theater dates back to, you guessed it, Roman times when southern Spain was a hotbed for Mediterranean Sea access. This theater was built to provide entertainment to those who were missing their classic productions from their Italian home.


Málaga Park: Parque de Málaga


Located in Malaga Park is a 6-day winter market showcasing typical produce from Malaga Province. Everything from wine to cheese to cured meats could be bought and tasted. This market takes place every year from December 5th to 10th. While we didn't buy anything, we were quick to try all the tastes of Malaga available!



Nusa Malaga Cocktail Bar


With the sun finally out and warming our souls, we decided on a quick drink break at Nusa Malaga Cocktail Bar. Located right on the bay, this place held all the vibes: good drinks, sunshine, and great music!



La Cabrera


We elected Jamie the lunch chooser, and boy did he choose well! Based out of Argentina, this "meat house" is constantly rated in the top 50 Latin American restaurants every year and their Spain location was no different! Ordering various steaks, fries, salad, and ravioli to share, we were beyond thrilled with the flavor of everything. Being a sauce girl myself, the EIGHT different sauces that came out with our La Cabrera steaks were all amazing and uniquely delicious! Jamie's choice was a real winner!


C. Marqués de Larios


Feeling the need for a siesta after that big lunch-turned-dinner, we made our way to Malaga's main street which is famous this time of year for their Christmas lights. While there, we enjoyed window shopping and seeing some old guys playing chess along several benches!



Knowing our last day was a big one, we hit the hay early!




Friday, December 6: Caminito Del Rey Hike & Ronda White Town


That's right, we were up before the sun once again and headed for a little road trip through the eastern part of Southern Spain!


El Caminito del Rey Parking


Remember how yesterday was nice and warm? Yeah well, Bryan steered us all wrong with the temp because this morning it was freezing cold! After digging out some extra long sleeves from our luggage, we parked the car and began the bus journey to the start of the Caminito de Rey hike!



Caminito del Rey- North Access: Caminito del Rey- Acceso Norte


El Caminito de Rey, 'The King's Little Path' in English, is an almost five-mile hike through the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, Malaga, Spain. Originally designed in 1901 to help get materials and workers to the local hydroelectric dam, this pathway was a mere 3 feet wide, with no guardrail, and stood 100 meters above the water and rocks below.


During its official use by dam workers, nobody died. After the closure of the dam, it was no longer used by workers and the pathway began to deteriorate. Following numerous deaths from climbers and hikers in the late 90s through the early 2000s, the Spanish government closed the entrance to the path. The locals coined the Caminito del Rey as the "world's most dangerous walkway."


Then in 2011, the government conducted a restoration project, where they extended the walking paths and added safety railings and bridges throughout the gorge. The Caminito del Rey is now open to the public, with a tour guide, to make the (now much safer) hike through the canyon!



And you know I wasn't letting our group miss out on this bucket-list hike! After donning our hard hats and meeting our English-speaking guide, we took off through the canyon to explore the stunning scenery and hear all the stories! Just look at the pictures- you can't tell me this view isn't breathtaking!


Also, check out that third picture below (with Bryan cheesing hard.) Next to our nice wooden path is the original Caminito del Rey pathway; no wonder it was termed the most dangerous hike. One wrong step (or one dilapidated support beam) and you were plunging to your death 330 feet below....


A few photos later you can even see a technical climber scaling the side of the canyon. There's no way any of us would do that, but it is good to note that even the world's most advanced climbers can still take a crack at this gorge's haunting climbs.



Caminito del Rey- South Exit: Caminito del Rey - Acceso Sur


As we made our way to the end of the hike, we had to cross a suspension bridge! If you know Ryan Kimble, you know he is not one for heights; this hike was a true test of his courage! (I bet the kid will be better at reading my group texts and supplying his opinions on the trip more next time!) I will say, though, that kid sped his way across without looking down!


Bryan, Kelly, Jamie, and I took a more leisurely stroll and took in the sights over the gorge. With a metal grate flooring, we could look down into the water rushing below for a bit of an adrenaline kick at the end!



This hike was a crowd favorite! Just check out the clips from our hike of laughs!




At the end, we still had a bit of a walk to the bus station to take us back to the parking lot. Before the journey to the bus, we earned a drink! Ryan had a canned Jack and Coke (he deserved it after facing his fears!) while the rest of us enjoyed Radlers and lemon Fantas!



Ronda


The hike was just how we passed our last morning together! For the rest of the afternoon, we headed to the nearby white town of Ronda for a bit more sightseeing!


Restaurante Chino "Hola"


After parking at the Ronda train station, we hit up a few restaurants that were packed full of locals. A quick Google search taught me that December 6 is Constitution Day in Spain, and being a national holiday, people were off work for the day.


The only place we found that had availability without a reservation was the local Chinese restaurant. Hola Chino (I did not make that name up, I swear) had a table for us and we devoured orange chicken, spicy chicken, stir-fried rice, noodles, and beef with vegetables. While not the best meal of our trip, it was needed after our long morning of hiking the gorge!



Puente Nuevo. Centro de Interpretación


Ronda is famous for Puente Nuevo, a bridge that spans the 390-foot chasm dividing the city of Ronda. Built in 1793, the "New Bridge" isn't very new, but it is a stellar sight to see!



Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda: Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda


Ronda is also the birthplace of Bullfighting. Starting in the 18th century, this Spanish pastime has expanded across the country and all over Latin America. Bryan and I regretfully admit that we have attended a Bullfight in Jerez...and it was a terrible experience and one we would never recommend.


Heladería la Jijonenca


As the sun started to set, we knew it was time to start our journey back to Malaga. But first: gelato! We stopped in Heladería la Jijonenca for a final scoop of the Kimble classic dessert before leaving the city of Ronda behind!



While the rest of the group thought we were headed back to Malaga, Bryan had one final surprise stop for us! He dropped a pin in Google Maps and took us down a tiny dirt road to see the New Bridge from the bottom of the canyon!


The viewpoint was a nice surprise ending to our day, but the ride down the cliffside and back up was filled with nervous laughter and lots of cackles as Bryan held his breath to oncoming traffic and speeding grandpas flying through the brush!



After making it back to the AirBnB we were done for the day! The group was exhausted and we finished the day with snacks and card games after everyone packed their suitcases for the long flights back home.




Saturday, December 7: Homeward Bound


Saturday morning came early and we were all up and headed to the airport by 4 am. Kelly and Jamie flew out of Malaga Airport at 6 am, while Ryan's flight was delayed due to fog in Madrid, causing his flight journey to change entirely. (Thank you American Airlines for helping that boy make it back to the States!)


After many hugs at the airport and several "see you laters," Bryan and I made the three-hour drive back to Rota! We were home by 7:30 am and these puppies were beyond excited to see us! We could tell the dogs were disappointed our whole crew was gone, but they were more than happy to nap the rest of the day on the couch curled up with us!



This trip has been a wild one! I'm not sure we could have fit anything else into these two weeks, but we did make numerous memories and enjoyed lasting experiences with some of those that we love most! Thank you Kimble Crew for visiting and giving us a full family reunion in Spain! It was definitely one for the books!


--Katie

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