One of my favourite activities whilst on holiday in Benalmadena, Malaga, Spain, was sitting on my balcony, watching life goes on below me.
From the balcony, I could hear birds chirping, maybe courting as they visited plants and flowers, and singing about things I didn’t know what – probably about life.
A common sight was people going to the beach and returning from the beach. I saw all shades of body tan – from pale, to red, to burnt, to half baked. Some lugged their beach umbrellas and beach chairs. Children carried their own animal designed floats.
Benalmadena is a laid-back holiday town as well as a pensioner’s town, so you see quite a few old people around. Old couples strolling along ideally holding hands, older couples ambling along arm in arm, and with their walking sticks. A very touching scene, which I also find very sweet and romantic. I saw old folks in motorised wheel-chairs or mobility scooters. And there were tourists arriving or leaving through the day.
I saw people walking their dogs, and sometimes it’s the dog walking their owners. Dogs straining against their leash until their owners take another walk round the car park with them. I saw so many breeds of dog, and so many dogs, I wouldn’t be surprise that there was a dog in every three or four households.
I saw a bald headed, pot bellied man scratching his, shall we say, nether region, and a young woman adjusting – let’s just say, her clothing. I kid you not. I did not make up these things.
In the early evenings, (sometimes in the day too), Sparrows, Swifts, Ring-neck Doves and Seagulls circled the sky. There was a couple of kestrels, and a pair of very beautiful green parrots in the area too. There were many Ring-neck Doves around, and they go coo coo, coo….. all day.
Sometimes, the Doves would have a go at the Swifts’ nest, and I saw how the Swifts fought back to protect their young. The Doves were bigger, but the Swifts, though smaller were more agile, and there was nothing like determination in keeping the Doves away from their nests and their young. So they usually put up a very fierce fight, and the Doves had to go away unsuccessful in their quarry.
In the warm summer evenings, after dinner, it was also very pleasant to sit out on the balcony, enjoying a drink or two, and some munches, and continue to observe the goings on.
I saw people returning home from work, more or less at the same time every day.
I saw a couple feeding stray cats. The cats would show up at the same spot at the same time and wait for the couple to come along with feeds.
I saw cars going round and round the car park looking for parking slots.
I saw people going behind the bushes to ease themselves. What to do right? When nature called, one had to answer. When you had to go, you had to go, you better go.
There was also this girl, who went to the convenient shop to buy things. Nothing out of the ordinary, except that she did that several times a night. Each trip, she bought only one item, as far as I can see. She held the single item in one hand. In the other hand, was her phone. She was always on her phone, talking to somebody. She did this every evening in the same dress. I just couldn’t figure out what she was up to. So many ‘weird’ people out there.
I am not nosey you know, just observant, and I enjoy people watching.
Sometimes, Seagulls flew overhead at night. When you looked up, you saw only their white underbellies. And they were quite a sight. This led a friend of mine to say that they look like angels in the night. However, for some reason, the Seagulls’ calls get her goat, and whenever she hears them, she will go, “Oh, shut up.” No understanding old cranky ladies.
At night, I saw shimmering lights in the village nestled in the mountain. And I star gazed – watching the Moon and Venus, and Jupiter in their orbits. On nights when the atmosphere was clear, I could make out The Plough.
I saw Moths fluttered around the lamp posts, and I saw birds coming out of nowhere, and made food of them in split seconds.
One evening, I saw ‘goods’ exchanging hands in a very suspicious manner. I was sure it must be drugs. I dared not breathe, kept absolutely still and tried to blend into the shadows, in case they noticed me and had to silence me for witnessing their illegal activity.
So much going on, so much to see. I could write a book on it. If you think that is boring, what if I throw in a robbery, or a kidnap, or a murder, or all three?
For me, this is life – well, not so much the illegal activity aforementioned. I could sit on the balcony all day, happy and content watching what went on below. It is quiet, peaceful, pleasant, and in some ways, so surreal. I felt so detached, like I am watching a movie.
Unfortunately, this is only one version of life, one that is quite different from the ‘real’ world out there where there is so much strife, so much drama and unhappiness.
Of course, not every one would like this type of mundane lifestyle. But this suited me just fine.
There were lots more happening which I observed. They would no doubt resurface at some point, and I would smile fondly of the memories when they did. Memories, lovely memories of my stay in Benalmadena.
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