Malaga

I'm in Malaga. My first impressions were not so good, it looked oddly Floridian, but I'm quickly changing my mind, and changing it to a prettier Santa Barbara, if that's possible. Had dinner with a Spanish pilot I met on the train, nice guy, (There are no planes between Seville and Malaga, I found out, because I too was wondering what the hell pilot was doing on a train) He took me to an outlet mall near the airport, complete with a Nike's outlet, for the restaurants there. It's as bad as the blind date who once suggested Applebees. With all the amazing food and beautiful places to be, you decide on a chain in an outlet mall? And don't worry, I took a cab there, he said he'd drive, but I didn't feel like going all Natalie Hollaway and stuff, so insisted I find my own way. Wish it wouldn't have cost me $35 euro round trip, dinner was only $27. I let him pay. But he was so nice the atmosphere did not matter. And I think he was trying to make me feel more at home, and we both learned words we did not know.

Had lunch today with two Dutch girls that major in International business. We were all looking for a spa. Couldn't find one to save our lives. My new friend Eduardo from Madrid said "it is not the Spanish woman's custom" when we were IMing. Well how the hell do they all look so fabulous if they've never had a facial? My skin has dried into a prune since I've been here. I am going to say it's the dry air and not the wine. I did though finally find the only masseuse in Malaga. He works at the Arabian bathhouse. It took forever to find it down these tiny little streets, but it was impressive. I just did the massage and not the bath, as from what I could see in the brochures, there weren't bathing suits, and Matt has told me some stories about German bathhouses, and the only people at reception was a gay British couple in their 50's.

I bought a bottle of wine last night from the front desk (Yes! all front desks have a fully stocked bar tucked away somewhere ready to sell you a bottle for $7 euro.) I went to get my money and he said, no I charge to your room. I said, I booked on Expedia an you don't have my credit card, I should pay. He said, it's only $7 euro, if you don't pay, you don't pay - and shrugged his shoulders. Just finished the last of it and wondering if I should go buy another, or get in the shower and go see the town at night. Or maybe I'll go down to El Cortis Inglis and get a mask, buy a bottle of wine and give myself my own facial. It is getting cold out there. And how many nights can you walk strange city streets?

mmm, white wine in bed with a moisturing mask. I wish there was more on TV than CNN in English.