This Saturday journalists, writers and media professionals from the Costa Press Club (Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol) took part in a very enjoyable Press Trip to the Axarquia area of inland Malaga province. The day was organised by club member and journalist Jennie Rhodes together with APTA, the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Axarquía.
[Map courtesy of absolute axarquia]
The Press outing centred on the towns/villages of Almáchar and El Borge and focused on the history of the Axarquía region through its traditions and the cultivation of muscat grapes, recognized by the FAO as an Important Agricultural Heritage System (SIPAM).
Visit 1
First stop was a visit to a lagar, Tunante de Arriba, to learn how the moscatel grapes are processed before being turned into the distinctive Moscatel dessert wine.
This was fascinating, as we learned from the owner Jose Luis that the harvested grapes still in bunches are laid on the ground to "bake" in the sun. Periodically they have to be turned by hand. When they are sufficiently "done", they are taken inside where they are snipped from the stalks and peeled.
L to R: Mangoes ripening; Moscatel grapes drying; Cutting the "pasas" (sultanas) from the stalks; De-skinning the sultanas
[Photographs by Paul Whitelock]
Nowadays, further processing takes place at a cooperativa, where the harvest is turned into the sweet Moscatel wine.
Visit 2
Back on the coach for the short drive to Almachar. Our visit coincided with the village feria, so the place was packed. And the atmosphere was great.
We walked around, passing by stalls selling everything imaginable, and visiting places on the way.
I like getting souvenirs of the places I visit, so I ended up with a fridge magnet (iman), a key ring (llavero), a book by Isabel Allende, as well as a fig loaf.
We also got some free ajoblanco, a cold soup made from almonds and garlic. Delish!
My souvenirs [PW] Ajoblanco [Andaluciamia]
Apartamentos Turísticos La Lipa
A new concept. The owners - Juan from Almachar and his wife Carmen from Santander, northern Spain - bought an old village building and "reformed" it into a luxury aparthotel with modern furnishings and decor.
Outside the Lipa suites [PW] Yours truly on the roof terrace [K. Ogilvy]
The views from each of the seven rooms and the roof terrace are to die for.
Museo de la Pasa
Then a couple of us got detached from the group, so we headed back to the coach. We were the first to arrive. The others were at another visit, to a bodega, which we missed.
Visit 3 - Bodega Fabio Coullet
We missed it!
But our fellow group members assured us we had missed an enjoyable experience.
Visit 4 - Centro de Interpretación Galería del Bandolero
This was a very enjoyable visit. We learned that the El Borge centre had purchased most of the artefacts and exhibits from the Ronda Museo del Bandolero, when it closed in 2020.
The former Bandit Museum in Ronda [Wikipedia] The Bandit Museum in El Borje [PW]
It was a scandal that the Ronda Bandit Museum was closed five years ago. Ronda Council should have stepped in to support it, instead of wasting money on "vanity projects".
But at least the contents have survived.
After the visit and an amusing interlude when we were "attacked" by bandits, we adjourned to the projection room.
Bandits! [Photos by Paul Whitelock]
Antonio Yuste, the mayor of Moclinejo, another local village, welcomed us and outlined the collaborative work between the three councils in Almachar, El Borge, and Moclinejo, to promote the area as a tourist destination.
We each received a goodie bag, with promotional gifts, leaflets and maps, as well as a bottle of Moscatel.
There was also a fridge magnet to add to my collection! Yippee!
"Goodie Bag" [PW]
Visit 5 - "almuerzo tradicional" en el Restaurante Hotel Posada Del Bandolero
We were hungry by now. We were quite a large group, around 27 including our hosts, and the restaurant was busy anyway, being feria and a Saturday, so the service was rather slow.
Nevertheless, when the meal came it was worth the wait. It was a traditional lunch with a leitmotiv of pasas.
I had chosen ajoblanco con pasas, followed by solomillo de cerdo en medallones con pasas y papas fritas. The accompanying complimentary wines were from the bodega we missed out on, Fabio Couillet!
My choices: ajoblanco and solomillo de cerdo [PW]
Then, all of a sudden, it was home time. The coach took us back to the centre of Malaga where I picked up my car and headed for home, very satisfied ..... and looking forward to the next CPC meeting on September 30th.
© Pablo de Ronda
With thanks to:
andaluciamia, Antonio Muñoz, Elisa Páez, Ezequiel, Fabio Couillet, Jennie Rhodes, Neil Hesketh, Raquel (coach driver)
Tags:
absolute axarquia, Agricultural Heritage System, ajoblanco con pasas, Almáchar, "almuerzo tradicional", andaluciamia, Antonio Muñoz, APTA, Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Axarquía, Axarquia, bodega, Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol, Costa Press Club, El Borge, Elisa Páez, Ezequiel, Fabio Couillet, FAO, Jennie Rhodes, Malaga province, Moclinejo, muscat grapes, Neil Hesketh, Pablo de Ronda, papas fritas, Paul Whitelock Press Trip, Raquel, Restaurante Hotel Posada Del Bandolero, Ronda Museo del Bandolero, SIPAM, solomillo de cerdo en medallones con pasas