On Thursday, November 22nd, we checked out of the Hotel Ronda about 11:15 am and walked for about 20 minutes across the New Bridge and through the new town to the bus station. Luckily, the rain had stopped for awhile. It’s great to travel light with good small packs so we know we can walk fairly effortlessly for long distances if we ever need to do so.
In the Ronda bus station is the first place in Spain that we have had to pay to use the washroom. Half a euro seemed a bit expensive but they know you have no alternative.
Our bus left at 12:15. We thought it should take about 45 minutes because it’s only about 60 km from Ronda to San Pedro on the Mediterranean coast. However, the route is so mountainous and the road so winding that it took about an hour and a half. We climbed high up into the mountains for about 3/4 of the trip and then at the very end dropped down to the coast. It was very misty and rainy. There were steep drop-offs at the side of the road so it’s a good thing Anita didn’t have the window seat.
When we got off at San Pedro, we walked over to a little bus kiosk to inquire about how to get to Estepona. The lady sold us 2 tickets for 1.73 euros each on the L79 bus which would leave in about 15 minutes. It was a city type bus rather than a highway bus so it stopped frequently. We didn’t know where to get off so we just asked other passengers to tell us when we got to “Estepona centro”.
It was pouring rain when we got off the bus. We saw a Mr. Noodles restaurant nearby so we went in to eat and wait for the rain to die down a bit. We had a 4 pm appointment to meet the property manager at our apartment so we had more than 1 1/2 hours to eat, figure out which way to go and then walk there. We were hungry so 8.10 euros each for a plate of chicken fried noodles seemed like a good option.
It was still raining when we left the restaurant. We knew we had to walk along the main street by the sea until we got to the bullring and the marina. I have a map of Spain on Maps.me on my phone, which works great, so we followed that. After about a 1/2 hour walk under our umbrellas, we found the apartment complex. There was a bit of a mix-up meeting the property manager, since we were outside the wrong building. Eventually, we got a renovation contractor working there to dial her for us on his phone and then I talked. The contractor didn’t speak English but was very helpful and soon understood what we wanted.
The property manager arrived a few minutes later and showed us in. We have a 2 bedroom, 1 and 1/2 bath apartment overlooking the pool and about a 10 minute walk uphill from the marina in the suburbs on the west edge of Estepona for the next 11 nights. It’s costing us about $86 Cdn per night. There’s a grocery store just down the hill and lots of restaurants in the marina area. There are condos everywhere.
We were glad to get in and be warm and dry. We had already eaten and had some fruit, nuts, coffee and tea for breakfast so we didn’t have to go out again.
Yesterday morning, Friday, November 23rd, was still cloudy and cool but at least it wasn’t raining. After breakfast we walked down to the supermarket with our empty day packs and a couple of re-useable grocery bags we found in our apartment. We bought as much as we thought we needed for a few days and brought it home.
After lunch, we walked back down to the marina to check out some of the restaurants. Most of them are a little higher priced than we want to pay. The Costa del Sol is like Florida for British expats and vacationers. One restaurant advertises a full Sunday roast beef dinner for 12.5 euros so we may try that.
Back at our apartment, the weather got warm enough for us to enjoy happy hour on our big balcony. Finally, at 4:45 pm the sky cleared completely and we were able to bask in the hot sun. We hadn’t seen this much sun since the previous Saturday, 6 long days ago.
This morning is clear and bright. We may get a little more rain tonight and tomorrow morning but generally the forecast is for sun with a few clouds and highs of 18 or 19C for the next week. We’ll take it.
In the Ronda bus station is the first place in Spain that we have had to pay to use the washroom. Half a euro seemed a bit expensive but they know you have no alternative.
Our bus left at 12:15. We thought it should take about 45 minutes because it’s only about 60 km from Ronda to San Pedro on the Mediterranean coast. However, the route is so mountainous and the road so winding that it took about an hour and a half. We climbed high up into the mountains for about 3/4 of the trip and then at the very end dropped down to the coast. It was very misty and rainy. There were steep drop-offs at the side of the road so it’s a good thing Anita didn’t have the window seat.
When we got off at San Pedro, we walked over to a little bus kiosk to inquire about how to get to Estepona. The lady sold us 2 tickets for 1.73 euros each on the L79 bus which would leave in about 15 minutes. It was a city type bus rather than a highway bus so it stopped frequently. We didn’t know where to get off so we just asked other passengers to tell us when we got to “Estepona centro”.
It was pouring rain when we got off the bus. We saw a Mr. Noodles restaurant nearby so we went in to eat and wait for the rain to die down a bit. We had a 4 pm appointment to meet the property manager at our apartment so we had more than 1 1/2 hours to eat, figure out which way to go and then walk there. We were hungry so 8.10 euros each for a plate of chicken fried noodles seemed like a good option.
It was still raining when we left the restaurant. We knew we had to walk along the main street by the sea until we got to the bullring and the marina. I have a map of Spain on Maps.me on my phone, which works great, so we followed that. After about a 1/2 hour walk under our umbrellas, we found the apartment complex. There was a bit of a mix-up meeting the property manager, since we were outside the wrong building. Eventually, we got a renovation contractor working there to dial her for us on his phone and then I talked. The contractor didn’t speak English but was very helpful and soon understood what we wanted.
The property manager arrived a few minutes later and showed us in. We have a 2 bedroom, 1 and 1/2 bath apartment overlooking the pool and about a 10 minute walk uphill from the marina in the suburbs on the west edge of Estepona for the next 11 nights. It’s costing us about $86 Cdn per night. There’s a grocery store just down the hill and lots of restaurants in the marina area. There are condos everywhere.
We were glad to get in and be warm and dry. We had already eaten and had some fruit, nuts, coffee and tea for breakfast so we didn’t have to go out again.
Yesterday morning, Friday, November 23rd, was still cloudy and cool but at least it wasn’t raining. After breakfast we walked down to the supermarket with our empty day packs and a couple of re-useable grocery bags we found in our apartment. We bought as much as we thought we needed for a few days and brought it home.
After lunch, we walked back down to the marina to check out some of the restaurants. Most of them are a little higher priced than we want to pay. The Costa del Sol is like Florida for British expats and vacationers. One restaurant advertises a full Sunday roast beef dinner for 12.5 euros so we may try that.
Back at our apartment, the weather got warm enough for us to enjoy happy hour on our big balcony. Finally, at 4:45 pm the sky cleared completely and we were able to bask in the hot sun. We hadn’t seen this much sun since the previous Saturday, 6 long days ago.
This morning is clear and bright. We may get a little more rain tonight and tomorrow morning but generally the forecast is for sun with a few clouds and highs of 18 or 19C for the next week. We’ll take it.
No comments:
Post a Comment