ensuitepilgrim's Blog

Awoke to another sunny morning . All ready for today’s saunter.

Leaving Plaza de Merced,we began a steady uphill walk.

Nearing the top we were looking forward to coffee.

The Alcazaba was put the to test in 1487 when the Catholic Monarchs tried to take Malaga. For four months the Muslim army, formed of 15,000 men (versus 80,000 Christians), resisted. Finally, having run out of provisions, they surrendered.

The Fortress was used by the Catholics after the takeover and was kept in good condition until the 17th century. At the time two events contributed to its deterioration: a severe earthquake in 1680 and the damage caused by an attack by French ships in 1693 (during the Nine Years’ War). After that, the fortress was used for various purposes including as a prison and a hospital.

In the 1930’s rehabilitation work began and the compound was declared Historical Heritage of Spain (now an Asset of Cultural Interest). The Alcazaba is today one of the most important Muslim works preserved in Spain.

The almost constant features in the Alcazaba are those of water and shade.

The rivulets that ran through and across rooms and corridors reminded me of the Alhambra in Granada. These are distinctly Moorish designs and obviously appropriate to what are for most of the year very hot temperatures.

The other classic Moorish feature is that of design and artwork- none of it figurative; no statues nor pictures – but delicately patterned and repetitive.

The ceilings in particular are striking.

Some of the water features…

Archways and pattern work.

The Bar has good views and and is typically very shady – we enjoyed some excellent Bocadillos along with the cold drinks.

Finally, it was another short walk down to the Roman Theatre.

We booked an excursion for the walk,including transport by coach,breakfast en route,admission and the services of a guide – there was a courier on board to advise about the route,times,etc. It’s a forty mile drive up into the mountains, initially through Citrus groves,then becoming more serpentine like as the expertly driven coach made its way along narrow roads upwards – almost as exciting as the walk. By the end of the day we were glad to have done so – not having a guide we would have missed out on lots of background information – you can’t get lost! Unless you fall off….

The numbers allowed on the Caminito are restricted,although some individual tickets are permitted

The history of the Caminito’s construction is fascinating and frightening in equal measure.

Construction of the Caminito del Rey

The difficulties to build the road had to be many, and more at that time. The workers had to work suspended above the void, tied to ropes attached to the top of the cliff. In the popular imagination, such work had to be carried out by prisoners, even those sentenced to death, the only ones capable of risking their lives, according to what they say, in exchange for redemption in the sentences they were serving.

However, the only thing we know for sure is that sailors from Malaga worked on this and other works in the reservoir, skilled at hanging from the ropes of their boats.

The original structure still exists in many sections of the walk and the decaying remains in places made the hairs on my neck rise.

The Walkway was not originally called Caminito del Rey – The little walk of the king – it came about unintentionally. King Alfonso XIII covered this entire service path on May 21, 1921, on the occasion of his inaugural visit to the recently completed El Chorro reservoir dam, which would later be called the Conde de Guadalhorce dam. Since then, the road has taken its current name: the Caminito del Rey.

The description of the occasion is as follows : –

In the book “ El Chorro, one hundred years of history ”, by Sebastián Lara Centella, the royal visit to the Caminito del Rey is described as follows:

“The day dawned cloudy, and a series of intermittent downpours marred the inauguration festivities and made the visit more painful, which already required a journey with stages by train and road. However, the king was cordial and in good humor and was pleased to listen to all the explanations that Benjumea gave him about the facilities, which he wanted to know in detail. A lunch was served for more than two hundred diners, to which personalities, authorities, engineers and journalists were invited. After dessert, the Minister of Public Works gave a speech in which he highlighted the importance of public works and the example that the El Chorro Reservoir represented for the nation, due to its success in harmonizing industrial and agricultural use. After lunch, in torrential rain, the King went to lay the last stone. For the King to sign the inauguration act, a table and an armchair carved in the same stone used in the construction of the reservoir had been provided. The act signed by Alfonso XIII reads as follows: During the reign of the Catholic Majesty of Alfonso XIII, on May 21, 1921, the works of the El Chorro Reservoir were completed, and the last stone was laid by the august hand of the Spanish monarch, by whose important life was vowed by all those who are honored by stamping their signature after that of His Majesty. After the ceremony, the King and his companions visited the Gaitanejo dam, and crossed the Balcón de los Gaitanes, which had been adorned with a garland held by four stuffed eagles, in which you could read: “To the King”.

The Caminito is a breathtaking walk.

Hopefully the following snaps will evoke the atmosphere and the views to be enjoyed as you walk along this marvellous balcony.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9162325,-4.7706384,0a,82.2y,233.17h,72.25t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sbsRvitme3IAsd_prHjLUDA!2e0?source=apiv3 Another way of enjoying the Caminito del Rey.

We had a longish walk to our bus stop on the banks of the Guadelmina, the river that used to flow through the city – very little flow now, the reasons for which we were to discover later.

En route we needed a little local assistance.

Then it was a KM walk to the gardens which took you above the Autovia.

The origins of La Concepcion Estate can be traced back to the joining together of several smaller estates along the banks of the River Guadalmedina to the north of the city of Malaga. Used for agricultural purposes, they were home to cereal crops, olive and almond trees, vines, and, most notably, citrus trees. The garden was created by the Marquis and Marchioness of the House of Loring, Jorge Loring Oyarzabal and Amalia Heredia Livermore, both of whom were born to well-known businessmen who came to the city to make their fortunes. According to the jurist Rodriguez de Berlanga, the idea for the garden originally came to them after they had visited a series of palaces, villas, parks, estates, and botanical gardens during their honeymoon in Europe seven years earlier. To bring it to life, they enlisted the services of a French gardener, Jacinto Chamoussent, whose skilled selection and acclimatisation of exotic plants was subsequently rewarded with numerous prizes.

In 1911, La Concepcion was sold to a husband and wife from Bilbao, Rafael Echevarria and Amalia Echevarrieta, who expanded the garden, adding new features such as the Nymph’s Stream, the Palm Tree Avenue and the Viewpoint which overlooks the city.

The garden has a great number of species and features, too many to do justice to,but here are some examples.

The administrator’s building housed many paintings of interest .

In the evening we met up with Camino aficionado and guidebook writer,Johnnie Walker for an often hilarious chat – I gather he over winters from Santiago’s rainy season here and plays the organ at a local,Jesuit Church-Salud John,it was great to meet up again .

We ended our day with a memorable meal at this restaurant.