Staying Put in La Cala del Moral

Well, this was perfect timing. A little more than halfway through the sabbatical and after all the touring, schooling, and walking, we landed in the house we dubbed from the start of our planning a year ago, “The Fun House.” We needed to catch our breath, and this was the perfect place to do it. But before we get to that, let’s tour the Cueva de Tesoro (treasure cave). Before arriving at our house, we stopped in the nearby town of Rincón de La Victoria to visit a 2.5 kilometer network of caves. This is Europe’s only marine cave that allows public access. It is known for its 3 underground lakes, Paleolithic art and Neolithic pottery found inside but also claims to be the guardian of ancient treasure from the 12th century, hidden by Emperor Tashfin ibn Ali. We had the entire cave to ourselves, but no treasure to be found.

So, here we are, in a house high above the town of La Cala del Moral and there’s absolutely no reason to leave. The kids are in full agreement. With no toys to play with for a month and a half, this house is so chock full of them that we didn’t see Gaelan or Onora emerge from their bunk room for 2 days.

Foosball table, trampoline, swings, rock wall, children’s books in every language, and a pool overlooking the sea!! Honestly, we feel completely spoiled.

Our days were leisurely with absolutely no agenda. Foosball tournaments, treading water contests, cards games, night swimming, and music, it was the perfect week of family time to connect and reflect.

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One night we spent an hour discussing questions like, “What is your idea of home?“ or “Describe a simple pleasure” or “What’s the kindest thing anyone has done for you?” It was such a lovely way to hear from everyone and see their perspective on life and experiences, big and small. Onora’s simple pleasure was “watching Quinn’s stuffed bear dance” while Quinn loves “being able to read uninterrupted.”

In the same vein, Kip found a book on a shelf titled, Your Dream Life Starts Here and immediately tore through it, took notes and planned out reflective questions for us to consider, from education goals, jobs, and home and how each of those dreams aligns with our values. Several nights, Kip and I stayed up late, discussing our answers and beginning the process of working out that dream life plan, step by step. Spanish residency? Remote work abroad? Learning more languages? More writing? Community engagement and betterment? We will see. I’m always open to new ideas. I will say, at this moment, life doesn’t seem to need much adjustment.

Our one adventure for the week was a trip back to Málaga (I told you I’d be back) to see Málaga’s 2nd Division CF fútbol team play their final match of the season in La Rosaleda Stadium.

What a wholesome and civilized experience!! 90 minutes of singing, chanting and synchronized arm movements without drunk, angry fans. Hallelujah! In fact, they don’t sell alcohol in the stadium which makes it all about the game. Not that anyone wants to get up mid-game to get a snack or drink anyway and risk missing one of the few goals in soccer. The only time anyone leaves their seat is for a Coke at half-time.

The fans love their team, and despite a 1-0 loss against Burgos, they still left with a song on their lips, even if a little broken-hearted. At the end of the game, a boy of about 10 sat in his seat, with a friend’s arm around him, while he cried into his Málaga scarf. I wanted to go hug him myself.

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I love sports but I‘m not a watch-sports-on-TV kinda gal. I’d rather do other things. But, live sports, and particularly soccer, is a heart thumping, non-stop action game and I loved it. Especially to witness it in a country where it seems almost every kid walks around attached to a soccer ball. It’s part of the culture.

Back home to the town of La Cala del Moral even though none of us really saw much of the town itself. It wasn't for a lack of interest but rather that we didn’t want to leave the house! The closest thing we got was a trip to the grocery store at the beginning of the week and my gorgeous morning walks along the shoreline through carved tunnels and a series of steps along the rocky coast. Early morning yogis stood on mats in palm-shaded grassy patches in front of a wide beach. And every person in this friendly town passes by with a hearty “Hola” or “Buena.” No wonder! The challenge was getting back to the house up hills that made my heart feel like it would burst right from my chest, accompanied by a loud explosion. Once I stopped to tie my shoe, lost my balance, and was sent in a backward somersault. Yes, they’re that steep! Each walk was followed by a fully-clothed jump in the pool, immediately dropping my body temperature to a manageable level.

From the kids perspective, what town? Is there a town? They didn’t care. They were happy just being kids.

One last dip in the pool for night swimming and though REM suggests that it “deserves a quiet night,” I can’t say the neighborhood was blessed with silence due to our raucous laughing. We may have even started a chain reaction of barking neighborhood dogs.

Sadly, we packed away the toys and books and said goodbye to the appropriately named “Fun House.” Onward to Nerja!