The Empty Patio
Tom walked around a cobblestoned corner in Centro en Málaga, not far the Museo Picasso Málaga, and halted at the patio of a café, six tables, all empty. The Centro was rambunctious in much whereabouts, but this evening, this café was not—disadvantaged with a dead-end, making the street more of an alleyway than a street. Tom sat down, ordered a Cherveza Victoria that was accompanied with a glass that was more of a shot glass than a beer glass if it wasn’t for its girth, sipped the beer and smoked a Montecristo. Tom’s arrival was most fortunate for the restaurant operator and the operator knew it. Soon four tables were full, alive with chatter. Like many businesses—especially one in a Centro—a customer leads to another. The café operator returned the favour by telling Tom, in Spanish, where the best paella in all of Málaga lay.
The hero image is of the Alcazaba in Málaga, a fortification built in the 11th century by the Hammudid dynasty, a former Islamic empire that ruled several parts of southern Spain.
The Empty Patio is available for purchase as artwork at Ithacabound.com.
Andrew Schiestel is a Canadian-born publisher & writer who explores and documents the Mediterranean Basin.
Paseo del Parque
Father and mother in front, young daughter and son in rear; the family, Galician-descent, walk enthusiastically along the Paseo del Parque in Málaga. The girl, shorter and smaller than her older brother turns to him, takes her right-hand, palm-open, and slaps his right-forearm, five-fingers and all, so riveting any passerby could hear. The boy yelps with all he could muster, looks to the parents who don’t turn around—enjoying their conversation too much—takes his left hand and performs an in-kind gesture. The sister yelps, looks to the parents who don’t look back, enjoying their conversation some more. The four would enjoy themselves very much that day in the Centro. The boy and girl grew up playing much football: the girl a professional, the boy almost so. The girl always took much initiative.
The hero image is of the east-entrance of the Paseo del Parque in Málaga, Spain. The Paseo del Parque is uniquely positioned in the middle of several attractions: southeast of the Centro, north of the sea, northwest of the La Malagueta (a bullfighting stadium) and southwest of the Alcazaba. The photo was taken on the steps leading up to the Alcazaba.
Paseo del Parque is available for purchase as artwork at Ithacabound.com.
Andrew Schiestel is a Canadian-born publisher & writer who explores and documents the Mediterranean Basin.