Ottawa/Malaga/Playa de Arinaga- Gran Canaria

On a day that was bitterly cold and getting colder, we boarded a train leaving Ottawa for Montreal. 90 mins later, we took the handy shuttle bus that makes the quick trip from Dorval train station to the airport. After an easy check in and security, we boarded an overnight flight across the Atlantic. Gaining 6 hours, but losing a night's sleep, we arrived in Malaga at 9.30 local time. We'd pre-arranged an airport pick up with our Airbnb "host,"Jésus - which we've learned is a worthwhile expense - and always a lot easier than lugging suitcases onto a local bus or train, especially after an overnight flight, when any proficiency you may have acquired in a different language seems to have deserted you! I also find it a time when local taxi drivers always seem more intimidating. Jésus was waiting for us and our bags, which despite all the recent luggage problems came through on the carousel without delay. Identifying him by his red sneakers, this gregarious individual deposited us at his apartment in just under 10 minutes.
Situated in an urban area close to downtown Malaga there's the option of a bus or metro right outside the door. This top floor apartment is also close to the city's long beach and the promenade is less than 15 mins walk away…..so after a short rest, we made our way there for some much needed fresh air.
The seafront promenade, which stretches westwards from Málaga for almost 25 km, is among the most popular places on the Costa del Sol to either walk, run or just sit and relax. This wide, multi-use path passes beaches and parks, all with great views of the sea, with many restaurants, bars and other facilities along the way. Stunning mountain views of the Sierras de Tejeda (which also borders the province of Granada) form a backdrop to the city and beyond. The mountain range stretches down to the coastline, beginning with Montes de Malaga, the closest mountain to the city.
While enjoying a walk along this lovely promenade, we realized that we were quite hungry. Unfortunately there are few places open beachside at this time of year, so we made our way back towards the apartment stopping at a place along the way that specializes in "gourmet" burgers. The food was fresh and of good quality, the portions were huge and just what we needed after a night of the stale food on offer at the airport in Canada and the dreadful meals that the airline serves up during the flight. The reminder of our time in Málaga was a jet-lagged blur that included a nice hot shower and some sleep. We'd love to see more of the city when we're back in the area.
Early the next morning Jésus picked us up and returned us to the airport - leaving us with handshakes and hugs, plus a welcome back anytime. The coffee and food at Malaga airport is unusually good, so after checking in we enjoyed some refreshments and waited for our gate to be posted - just 20 mins before boarding. We've used Ryan Air before and despite some bad reviews, this budget airline has always worked for us - we've found it to be run very efficiently. Boarding went well and we took off on time and even landed a little early. We did find that on this particular flight, there were a few passengers who decided to use "our"window to take photos of the scenery below……seats on the first row on this flight had its challenges! When we passed over Gibraltar a few people decided to take pictures - but when we started to get our first look at the coast of Africa, we experienced quite a few bumps of turbulence and thankfully they returned to their seats. Views were scarce after that as we were over water for almost 2 hours before sighting land - Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands. On landing we "lost" 1 of the hours we'd "gained" - the Canary Islands being 1 hour behind mainland Spain. Once again our bags were quickly available but this time our host, Victor was unavailable to pick us up….he did however book a driver for us, with his compliments! Although still a little jet-lagged and looking "rough around the edges," we felt quite "posh" to see a uniformed driver bearing a card with our name. Standing directly at the front when we exited the baggage area, he took care of our luggage, leading us to the comfort of a Mercedes limo.
A 10 minute drive took us to the town of Playa de Arinaga, our new home for the next month. Before stopping at the apartment our driver took us on tour around the town - which we investigated and hour or so later after a little unpacking. Our apartment is on the 2nd floor of this privately owned building. Victor, the owner, lives in the ground floor unit with his wife and small daughter. The other apartment on the top floor is currently rented to Thomas - a man from Germany, who is a regular visitor. We have 3 bedrooms, with an open plan living, dining and kitchen area. In the centre of the apartment is an outdoor courtyard open to the sky above. With a table and chairs and a huge umbrella it's great place to relax - and dry laundry. On our first afternoon in Arinaga we walked down to the ocean which is just 5 mins walk from the apartment. After admiring the view, we picked up a few basic supplies, returning home to freshen up before heading back to the seaside promenade to find a spot for dinner. Friday night has traditionaly been our family's pizza night for decades - and this Friday was no exception. We ate at a small restaurant situated on the promenade with views of the ocean. Our pizza was outstanding….fresh ingredients and one of the best tomato sauces ever - made on sight by the owner/chef, who stopped by for a chat after our meal.
Our first impressions of this small town confirm that this will be - for us - a good base to see Gran Canaria. In many ways it's a regular town that is fortunate to have beaches which attract the type of tourists who want to have a more peaceful experience than those who prefer the larger, busier resort areas. With a mix of Scandinavian and German visitors, Spanish locals also seem to enjoy the laid-back, "chilled" vibe. The promenade and the main pedestrian street are a gathering place for all - especially families. We could feel ourselves relaxing - but decided that after 2 fulls days of travelling it actually was one for the smoothest and trouble free journeys we've had. Now it's time time to start exploring "our town" and the rest of Gran Canaria!