Stacy Takes Flight
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Photos

Travel is my favorite kind of bug.

Welcome to my travel blog!  I quit my job in NYC to go on a 100-day travel adventure, and I will be documenting, inspiring and sharing as I go.

Today I am in:  New York City

More about me

DAY 86: MOJITOS FANTASTICOS & RIDING WITH MY COUSINS

7/12/2014

0 Comments

 
Wednesday, July 9 (Casares, Spain) – Neil and Dawn are two cousins who I don't get to see very often.  (Neil is my dad's first cousin and Dawn is his wife).  They have been living in Vienna for years, so when I passed through a few weeks ago, we all got together for a delicious dinner.  As if the gelato wasn't enough for dessert, I was invited to stay with them at their holiday home in Casares, Spain a few weeks later!  

Casares is a village in Malaga, about 25 minutes from Marbella, and their home is a beautiful beachfront property from which Morocco and Gibraltar are visible on a clear day.  Of course I couldn't say no to spending time with family or relaxing in Andalusia, so I was excited to come down for my visit.
Picture
Picture
One of the first things we did after my arrival was go to the local beach bar, the Chiringuito.  This is a very special place with very special mojitos.  Mojitos fantasticos!  The entire staff at the Chiringuito knows my cousins and knows to bring extra delicious - and extra strong - mojitos to the table as we sit down.  I don't know what they put in this refreshing and tasty delicacies, but I swear you feel a buzz after just a few sips!  Throughout my stay in Casares, the mojito fantastico became the mascot, the catchphrase and the theme song - yes, song.
Picture
Picture
After the mojito fantastico buzz was leveled out, the three of us went to the Riding Fun in the Sun ranch to go horseback riding - something I had somehow convinced them to do for their first time in over 30 years.  In fact, the last time my cousin Neil was on a horse, it spooked and there was a bad accident that left him with a broken shoulder.  So I was feeling extra proud and excited to share my favorite pastime with them... and they loved it!  The three of us were lucky to get a private hour-long ride through the mountains on wonderful horses, and now they both want to go back and go faster next time!
Picture
Picture
The barn has a lot of animal friends, such as Squiggy, the potbelly pig who thinks he's a dog!  Squiggy comes when called and rolls on his side for belly rubs.  Forget a pony... can I get one of these?
Picture
0 Comments

DAY 20 – WHAT TO DO IN NERJA, SPAIN

5/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Tuesday, May 6 (Nerja) - On the Costa del Sol in the Malaga province in Andalucia, there is a small beach town called Nerja.  About an hour from Malaga and just over two hours from Granada, Nerja is a great stopping point while touring the south of Spain.  It isn’t particularly inundated with tourists (but there are many expats from England who retired here or have second homes here), and there are numerous beaches each with its own charm.
calahonda_beach_nerja
Calahonda Beach
burriana_beach_nerja
Burriana Beach

What to do in Nerja

  • Nerja Caves deserve a visit as the only main attraction in the area (15-minute bus for around 3 Euros roundtrip)
  • Frigiliana is absolutely gorgeous and if you don't want to hike to Frigiliana, you can take a 15-minute bus for 1 Euro each way
  • Beach time - Nerja IS a beach town, so be sure to soak up the sun (I prefer Burriana beach)
nerja_caves
Snapshot of the Nerja Caves
tinto_de_verano_frigiliana
Enjoying a 'tinto de verano' while overlooking the town of Frigiliana

Where to eat in Nerja

  • Merendero Ayo has a massive pot of paella cooking at all times and includes free seconds!
  • Little Italy has extremely inexpensive (and tasty) pizzas
  • Anahi, the restaurant/pastry and ice cream shop, has an unbeatable view of Calahonda beach
  • La Mar Sala is a quality tapas restaurant which holds the tradition of a free tapa with each drink you order (ask for Fernando as your waiter)
Picture
View from Anahi restaurant
Merendero_ayo_paella
The paella man at Merendero Ayo
0 Comments

DAY 19:   HOW TO BE ACTIVE IN NERJA, SPAIN

5/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Monday, May 5 (Nerja & Frigiliana) - If I were home today, I would probably be celebrating one of the all-time best Americanized holidays:  Cinco de Mayo!  I mean really, what is better than a margarita and some guac?  Well, partly because the day didn’t really cross my mind, and partly because it is obviously not celebrated in Spain, I spent the day doing the opposite of what I normally would.  Instead of consuming a sick amount of calories on food and drink, I had one of my most active days yet!

My hosts in Malaga (and my mom) recommended visiting the picturesque town of Frigiliana one day while I’m in Nerja.  Frigiliana is one of Andalucia’s most beautiful pueblos blancos (white villages).  So to kick off my active day, two girls I met at the hostal and I decided to hike the hilly, backend route all the way to Frigiliana instead of taking a cab or bus.  There were two ways to go:  along the street (one hour) or through the mountain and along the river bed (around three hours).  We chose the latter.

Picture
My hiking buddies Silvia (Austria) and Anna (Finland)
nerja_to_frigiliana_hike
Hiking to Frigiliana from Nerja
Picture
Beautiful flowers on the hike
big_dandelion
The biggest dandelion I've ever seen - maybe it grants a bigger wish??
After a lot of guesswork, tasting a kumquat-sized orange fruit off the side of the road, and getting pointers (along with surprised looks) from the few people we saw driving by, we were well on our way.  The trick to anyone attempting this:  walk away from the beach until you come to a stream that runs parallel to the sea.  Turn right and keep walking to the right until you come to an old-looking house with a blockade and sign that directs you to a natural preserve.  Take that road to the left which will be your first of many steep hills, and then keep going to your right for the next hour or two.  Finally you will arrive at a clearing where there is a tiny café where you can rest your feet and have a cold drink.  Then you are a steep 1km from the picture-perfect Frigiliana!
frigiliana_view
View of Frigiliana from El Mirador Restaurante
frigiliana
Beauty in Frigiliana
white_frigiliana
Local home in Frigiliana
The second part of my active day was doing my favorite activity:  horseback riding.  I had (of course) done my research to find a place to ride while in Nerja, and I was able to join an hour-long trail ride with just one other guest.  I was picked up and driven to the barn which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, and really nothing more than a small stable and some paddocks.  I was warned that my mare “Futch” hadn’t been out in a while and is only for experienced riders…. Ok…  Long story short:  the ride was more of me schooling the unbalanced horse than actually sitting back and enjoying the ride and the scenery.  I’ve never ridden a horse that was so inconsistent with its gaits or felt so wobbly or unbalanced.  So, while I enjoyed being on horseback and exploring some of the countryside, this was not one of my favorite rides.
horseback_ride_nerja
Riding "Futch" in Nerja
0 Comments

DAY 17:  TRYING SOMETHING NEW & TIPS FOR FINDING A GOOD AIRBNB HOST

5/1/2014

0 Comments

 
(Friday, May 2) – I tend to be a big planner when it comes to travel.  It’s not that I need every moment planned out; it is more that I don’t want to leave a place and then find out a week later that I missed something because I hadn’t done my homework.  I also like to know where I am going next and that I have a place to stay.  But on this trip, part of “Stacy taking flight” is that I want to be more flexible, take things as they come, and be okay with being a bit spontaneous or changing plans.  So I decided to switch up my Spain itinerary a bit after learning the easiest way to get from city to city wasn’t necessarily what I had thought.  However, this put me in a tough position in terms of where to stay. 

I found myself in Marbella on Thursday without having a place to stay for the next few nights.  I had planned to go on a day trip to Ronda on Friday and then find a hostel or cheaper hotel in Malaga for the weekend, but everything was completely booked.  So, I ended up spending a night in Ronda (which was great) and then taking a big risk in trying something brand new for the Saturday and Sunday in Malaga:  Airbnb. 

I have a few friends who have tried this service where people who have an extra bedroom (or an empty house) can rent it out to travelers, and they have had positive experiences.  But as a solo female in a new country, I was very hesitant.  Also, many hosts don’t actually live in the house.  They have an extra house that they turn into a mini hostel and rent out constantly - not really what I was hoping for.  So after being unsuccessful with Hostelworld and hotel sites, I finally decided I would Airbnb it in Malaga.  BEST DECISION EVER!
Picture
Me and my host Airbnb family
I found myself staying in an extra bedroom in the home of Eugenia, her husband Nacho and their dog Sacha.  They also had a friend, Romi, in town.  As I arrived I was greeted like family with double cheek kisses and a cold beer.  While I thought I would drop off my stuff and head into the city center to explore on my own (the only downfall of staying with them is that they live a good 30-40 minute walk from the center, but I could also take a cab or bus), I ended up staying in their home chatting (in Spanish!) for hours.  It was really great and before I knew it, it was about 8PM and I was starving.  The four of us went into the city center together and they took me to what they said is the best tapas spot in all of Malaga - Cortijo de Pepe.
Picture
After a lovely meal at Cortijo de Pepe
Picture
Picture
Boquerones and gambas al pil-pil
Then we hopped around from bar to bar while they graciously showed me different sites along the way.  Staying with them was such a great way to get to know the city and the people and practice Spanish! Seriously, I am so happy that I was able to communicate and understand with only minimal – and I mean minimal – English.

I am now much more open to using Airbnb in the future (and won’t freak out if I don’t see any hostels or hotels available in a place that I want to visit).  There are just a few tips I have for anyone looking to try it out.
Picture
One of the best parts of using Airbnb is when you have a host dog!

How to find a good host on Airbnb

  1. Check reviews!  If a host doesn’t have any reviews, it is a crapshoot what you will get.  Everyone has to start from zero so you may be lucky, but for your first time you may want to stick with a tried and true host.  Note:  Airbnb has a free professional photography service so even the worst house can probably look beautiful for those who use the service.

  2. Distance from the city center (or whatever attraction you want to see):  it can make a big difference in your experience and your wallet if your host is right in the middle of the city center or further out, especially if you only have a day or two in that location.  I ended up taking one bus and a few cabs to get back and forth to my host’s home, but it still made sense for me since there were literally no hotel rooms available this weekend

  3. Ask questions!  You can email the host and usually get an instant reply.  Questions I asked were if the host lives there, how many rooms they rent out, how many people would be sharing the bathroom, and how far they are from the city center / what type of public transportation is available.
0 Comments

    Author

    Hi! I'm Stacy, a 28 year old Manhattanite who quit her job to go on a 100-day journey across the world.  Follow me as I hot air balloon in Turkey, hike the Todra Gorge in Morocco, horseback ride across Ireland, and take part in all the other active adventures I can find!

    Archives

    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All
    100 Days Of Travel
    Accommodations
    Active Travel
    Antalya
    Apartment
    Apps
    Art
    Austira
    Austria
    Beach
    Belfast
    Best Of
    Best-of
    Bikes
    Bike Share
    Bonvoyage
    Budget Travel
    Cappadocia
    Cinque Terre
    Connemara Park
    Cordoba
    Dorset
    Dublin
    England
    Fitcation
    Fitness
    Florence
    Funny
    Galicia
    Galway
    Germany
    Good Food
    Granada
    Grunau Im Almtal
    History
    Hobbies
    Horseback Riding
    Ireland
    Istanbul
    Italy
    Itinerary
    Jerez De La Frontera
    Lease
    Life Lessons
    Lisbon
    Local Delicacy
    Local Sports
    London
    Madrid
    Malaga
    Mallorca
    Marbella
    Marrakech
    Milan
    Morocco
    Music
    Natural Wonder
    Nerja
    Nightlife
    Northern Ireland
    Nyc
    Photos
    Planning
    Porto
    Portugal
    Rome
    Running
    Salzburg
    Santiago-de-compostela
    Sevilla
    Seville
    Shopping
    Spa
    Spain
    Staces-places
    Switzerland
    Touristy Things
    Travel Tips
    Turkey
    Unemployed
    Valencia
    Vienna
    Work
    Zurich

    RSS Feed

© 2014 Stacy Schwartz.  All rights reserved.