Andalucia, Parque Natural Sierras Subbéticas; tourism

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Most of Andalucia

I continue with a post-COVID-19 Spanish plan: the Andalucian plan, which involves flying to Malaga, which can be reached with a direct flight from Aberdeen, Scotland where I will first visit.

Previously I had thought of going from Malaga to Seville and then to a national park (Hornachuelos) north west of there.

But  the Parque Natural Sierras Subbéticas is only and hour and a half north of Malaga, halfway to Cordoba, and quite spectacular. I could stay in Zuheros. That would cut out some travel time. 

After a week or so painting there I could continue to Cordoba, explore that, then even Seville, Cadiz, Granada or Jaen. The region is extremely rich culturally.

But I confess that I tend to find a lot of must-see places quite tiring, even disappointing. However galmourous they might be, the heavily mediated experience of tourist sites with and their bossy notices, combined with queues of other tourists and historical explanations, wearies me.

A trip that includes too many of these becomes tiresome. I feel that I am scoring things off a list to silence people who will question me about them on my return

So perhaps just one of these Heritage sites should be included in any week-long period.

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Egypt: some decisions

The Rough Guide doesn't include Alexandria among it`s top twenty-eight things not to miss, and its entry for the city is less than positive. I`ve used Rough Guides extensively, in Italy, Chile, Brazil and Tunisia and  although I`d quibble with specific entries on hotels or restaurants, say, I`ve found their recommendations to be prescient. Any romanticism I feel about the idea of visiting the city of Cavafy and Durrell has been tempered, and given the time restrictions on my Egypt trip, the proposed itinerary will be:

Cairo-Luxor-Aswan - possibly Abu Simbel- Cairo

Thus I am following a very standard touristic itinerary, albeit one in which i spend more time than usual in Cairo.

The risk of traveling to a "new" place is that I get sucked into tourist painting- a feeling of obligation to paint what is known or espected, rather than responding to my actual experiences. I think that I became somewhat trapped in the Italian trip by romantic expectations. I hope to avoid this in part by the longer stay in Cairo, and by spending long enough in the other places to overcome the obvious. 

In truth, in planning painting trips, I always get it wrong, as. Surprise, the basis of inspiration, cannot be planned. And expectations distort, as does research, and it is very hard to predict if a place will really lend itself to inspiration or not. tourist sites are often cleaned and ordered to the point of sterility, so that their local character is lost to the demands of a massive international industry.

Some recent photos from Montevideo and Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay

The fantastic old cars and buildings makes wandering round these wonderful Uruguayan cities feels like being in a Tintin book (say "The Broken Ear").

Montevideo is especially charming, with a fine selection of art noveau and deco buildings. The streets are well planted with mature trees and the cty is beautifully located with ready views of the sea. There are pleasant street fairs selling old books, bric-a-brac, paintings and jewellery. The atmosphere is unhurried and feels somehow like an English seaside town, and like many English seaside towns is rather in need of renovation in parts.

One of the things which is especially delightful about it is that tourism- which must constitute a major part of their economy- is so lightly mediated. In the UK, for instance, anything old has a little sign attached to it "teaching" the passerby all about it; nothing is left to chance, and before leaving any designated "tourist" premises, you are fed through some tiresome gift shop or other.

Service in Uruguay is generally good, in an old fashioned, unobtrusive way: the waters wear black and white uniforms as they should and don't attempt to make friends with you. The food is excellent too, and these things are very cheap.

Beth, or The Missing Girl. Part 2

I set out the dinner things in my dining room before leaving for work that morning in anticipation of our returning there. The day passed quickly. I worked in a travel agency which specialised in tours for elderly people. Often their tours had a cultural element: I was responsible for setting these elements up; finding guides and organising itineraries. I had spent the day in discussion with the Austrian Board of Tourism. They were going to find a guide who spoke English for a day in Vienna. That day would be concerned with the Secession in Austria.

My desk was at the back of the hop. At the close of day I heard the door open.

I looked across: it was a woman. But it was not Beth.

She turned to me: hello

Hello, I said

Do you do any trips to Russia, she asked.

Madam, I said, I strongly advise you against visiting Russia. It's government is scarcely legal and the whole place is awash with cannibals.

She broke into a laugh. I've been to Russia many times. I want to know about going to St Petersburg. My mother wishes to go to see the Hermitage.

I went to get her the brochures.

She left. Ten past six. No-one.

Perhaps Beth was late. I decided to wait. I went through he racks straightening things. I went into the kitchen and tidied the mugs. I got a cloth from there and a can of furniture polish and I sprayed it on the surface of the desks. Then I polished them with a cloth.

I got sick of waiting. I dialled her number. No reply.

I went out of the shop. There was no-one standing outside.

Then I got a call at home some days later in the morning at 9am.

"Is that Clancy?"

"Yes," I said

"Maybe you don't remember me. Its Cath."

"O."

"I'm Beth's sister."

"Ah," I said

-Well," she said, "You should know something."

"What," I said

"Beth is dead," said the voice.

"O," I said.

"Yes," she said.

She put down the phone.

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That can't be right, I thought.