Spain-Sold me on Timeshares!

A few years back I was fortunate to vacation for 2 weeks with my folks in Spain…Costa del Sol. They met me at the airport in Malaga in their rental car and it was a brief ride back to their timeshare in Fuengirola. The resort was a cluster of white stucco 2 story condos with some outdoors bars and cafes. Nothing exotic but more than adequate, just like the inside of the timeshare itself. My Dad had arranged his exchanges a year ahead through RCI. I believe it was The Club Maritimo Ronda III. It was a great base for day trips that were outstanding. Costa del Sol and timeshares are very popular with the English and there are a lot of restaurants that cater to their culinary tastes. Being a Florida beach girl I have to say their beach was gray and dirty, but the beach was not what I came for.
Our first day trip was to Mijas, one of those neat white villages on a hilltop. I regret to this day not purchasing some beautiful green Majolica dishes and bowls there where traditional pottery fills many of the shops. Every trip involved a lengthy meal at the most known restaurants serving the food of Spain. Tapas there seemed a little too fishy for me, but the wines were excellent. Another day we visited Malaga and Torremolinos. Went to a bullring and watched the colorful matadors and torreadors try to irritate the poor bulls. Then we moved onto our day in Granada. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I arrived at the Alhambra…gardens and vistas and history. It was truly wondrous, an important work of Hispano-Muslim art. Our feast that day was at the Mirador de Morayma’s restaurant named Carmen. Granada’s streets are lined with orange trees and some of them are really harrowing narrow streets where you have to pull in your side mirrors to make it. Driving Spain’s highways were fairly easy, but when you get on the Autovia you better pay attention.
The second timeshare was located in Marbella and I don’t have the name. This place had beautiful grounds with lots of bougainvillea growing all over their white stucco walls and one story units. We had 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen and living area that opened out onto a patio with table and chairs. The décor was new and pleasant. We could walk to the beach and restaurants easily. My favorite daytrip from there, which I did twice, was up a long and winding rode to Ronda. The old part of the town sits right at the edge of a very sheer cliff and has a little river that runs through it that made a very deep gorge. We took a carriage ride, walked in the parks, hiked down into the gorge and toured the bullring which is supposed to be where bullfighting got its start. Enjoyed another sumptuous meal at Restaurante Pedro Romero. I love gazpacho and ordered it everywhere.
Puerto Banus was not quite as exciting of a jet set scene as I anticipated, but I do love yachts and they were plentiful. We had dinner one night in Casares and spent a wonderful day eating in Marbella at the DonCarlos poolside on the beach…most incredible buffet…ever. I must confess, it was a wedding celebration for my folks.
For one last day trip before going home we boarded a ferry in Algeciras and cruised over the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco. We were immediately latched onto by a tour guide/government employee who drove us around to see where important people live and then through Tangiers’s market place with the snake charmers and oh, those rug sellers. We had a fun eating session at one of their appointed restaurants. Seeing life there gave me pause to appreciate mine.
So, I’m pretty sure that this trip all began with owning timeshares and taking advantage of the exchange opportunities. It ended with me thinking that timeshares are more than just resorts; they are pathways to seeing the world.

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Camama