31. Sunday 090417: Bodeguita La Mar de Bueno, Malaga

Beer: Cruzcampo 5.0%

Bar with a shellfish counter. We’ve been to Malaga a number of times and this is a great concept, which we’ve never taken full advantage of… but buying the prawns/langoustine etc is difficult for the non-Spanish speaker.

The service is rather brusque, and they’re ready to close at 4.30pm

We’re served Cruzcampo in nice glasses which state “Cruzcampo Gran Reserva”, to which my notes disparagingly suggest, though they’ve attempted to polish a turd, still tastes like s***. Bit rude that. Cruzcampo isn’t my favourite lager, but on occasion it can be disarmingly refreshing.

I was probably a bit miffed at feeling hurried and/or frustrated that I couldn’t order a serving of great big crab legs.

30 Sun 9/4/18: El Gallo Ronco, Malaga

Beer: Cruzcampo 5.0%

Busy flamenco bar in a small square in the centre of Malaga – extremely busy with the Semana Santa processions just yards away. We’ve just seen the first (of very many) Virgin Mary manhandled down the street on her excruciatingly slow progress to the cathedral… and we’re finding it excruciatingly difficult to get served in this bar. We manage it eventually – but the staff seem to be working frantically, even when the numbers in the bar start dropping away.

The place is full of quite big pictures of folk overcome in various states of dress and/or duende. One, I suggest to Steph, looks like Bob Dylan (circa mid-70’s). She doesn’t particularly agree… I didn’t take a photo…

We leave the bar a bit miffed. I’d possibly have liked to stay a little longer, but we weren’t getting served. Made me miss low-season a bit… a sentiment increasingly reinforced as the holiday went on.

32 Sun 9/4/17: El Rincon Iberico, Malaga

Beer: San Miguel 5.0%
Having watched another Semana Santa procession wend its way laboriously up Malaga’s main drag we stumble through the crowds and into this bar. It’s mercifully quiet in here, and it’s serving San Miguel which is a welcome change from Cruzcampo.

Well maintained, clean and boring. The tapas counter has three small dishes, and one apple, on show. Celta Vigo v Eibar is on the telly.

The photographs I took in this bar were the worst yet. To make up for this, and to bolster my top reportage photographer delusions (I have a degree), I’ll attach a snap of a Semana Santa peso (the big floats). In Malaga the pesos where hauled by costumed men (including some blindfolded, some others barefooted) carrying via a number of large struts in front and behind the peso. In Seville the costaleros are invisible as they carry the pesos from underneath.

33 Sun 9/4/17: Cafeteria Plata, Malaga

Beer: San Miguel 5.4%

Post-procession we meander back over the (nominal/largely dried up) river towards our apartment. This is a very clean and decent bar, serving bottles of San Miguel and tapas. We have some Russian Salad and Patatas Bravas – although the cabinet also boasts something else Russian Saladesque, but with additional unction and crab stickery. We had one or the other… I can’t remember although, if it was just a case of pointing, I can’t see that we wouldn’t have plumped for RS+.

A quiet last drink of the evening was pleasantly enlivened by a returning paso, back from the Cathedral and wending its way back to its parish. Pleasingly, the crowds hadn’t followed, and the procession has a friends and family (some clergy no doubt) feel. The bell on the paso was struck for a break near to the bar – and several penitents (mostly whipping off their hoods beforehand) and bearers dived into the bar for water and/or a wee.

Stephanie insight: bar is a bit rubbish (my notes say I concur though, in retrospect, that seems a little harsh).

35 Mon 10/4/17: Cafe Bar El Oasis, Malaga

Beer: Cruzcampo 5.0% (bottled)

Nice little unpretentious back street bar. No frills; plenty of tiles. Cruzcampo served from the bottle.

We've just been to an extraordinary "changing of the guard" type ceremony at the nearby Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Christ (on his cross) lying on the floor guarded by some soldiers who, after some stamping, shuffling, saluting and throwing rifles to one another, pass on the responsibility to their comrades. It's a little five minute (or less) ceremony, performed in front of an audience of a few dozen who (like us) waited about twenty minutes to see. Much of the Semana Santa has been solemn, impressive and on occasion effectively moving. This was high camp.

Back in the bar, other than tiles, the bar is decorated with several "half and half" scarves framed along with photos and tickets commemorating all the international football championships that Spain have won recently. From perennial underachievers, from a famously divided country, Spanish football have gone to multiply triumphs... all of which make England look increasingly ridiculous.