Marbella, Espana: Part Deux

View from our porch

I read a statistic that Marbella, on average, only has 35 days of rain each year and I can believe it.  I don't remember seeing a single cloud in the sky over the 7 days spent there.  

Another interesting tid bit I recently learned about Marbella is that it is the hometown of Antonio Banderas.  To this day, he still has a house there with his wife Melanie Griffith.

Zorro

Although the water was not yet warm, the beaches were fairly packed, nudists and all.  The only downfall of these picture perfect beaches was the number of itinerant sales people who would sneak up on you every couple of minutes; some trying to sell sunglasses, some selling knock-off purses, and some with indistinguishable items that I cannot imagine any tourist would have an interest in buying.  Although this happens in Paris as well, there's something uncomfortable about being approached when you are tanning on a beach reading a book.  One night we went out to dinner for Chinese food and the waiters let them walk through the restaurant selling items to each table which made us ready to lose our minds as we repeatedly said: "No, gracias."

In "Old Town Marbella" this kind of behavior was much more regulated and did not seem to exist in the city center.  In the Old Town, we found a fun area right off the beach called Alameda where there is a large outdoor exhibition of Salvador Dali statues! 

I.M. Pei of Salvador Dali??

Although it was fantastic to have such a relaxing week and time in the sun, I am excited to be back in Paris for what may be the most beautiful season here.  I met up with my friends Melissa, Elizabeth, and Tewfik to spend time in Jardin du Luxembourg yesterday and somehow found myself ending up there again today.  I am lucky that it is just two blocks from where I go to school and possibly the most perfect place in the world to read.  I think that it is a good indication that I picked the right place to study abroad when I am continually excited to return home no matter where I travel.  

Bisous bisous,
Mary