By bus to La Linea

If it's too far to walk, the bus is next favourite ... a chance to see the less direct route and to be in a public space ... the Land Rover does not really appeal, though will be handy for off-bus routes and dropping the rubbish (for friends used to having your rubbish collected at the the door this is one of the minor inconveniences of Andalucian life ... along with not flushing your toilet paper) ...

The Estepona to la Linea bus stops at the roundabout by the bridge, which is very handy for La Linea ... the return is slightly trickier, along with the Estepona trip, since the bus stand is not safe on the other side of the road at that point (though safe enough a little further along ...  these safety folk, however,have covered their backs and are not responsible for pedestrians' movements when not actually boarding or alighting buses).

La Linea has an interesting history, if not an ancient one ... its location at the junction of Gibraltar and Morocco making it a mecca for traders between three nations and their various customs ... when your blogger first visited Gibraltar it was closed at La Linea (which caused much economic upset to the town and created families separated by fences) ... the Spanish government resenting the presence of a foreign country on a small but strategic corner of their territory ... and the trip entailed a ferry via Tangier, which was far more interesting ... and evidence of the source of much contraband making its lucrative, if perilous, way to eager customers in Northern Europe.

Today's trip to La Linea made a change from the typical Costa towns ... somehow more authentic, with an indoor market, lots of shops and bars ... and a Tourist Information Centre staffed by the very friendly and helpful Raquel, giving me a break from my attempts to speak Spanish.

Reviewing the blog, it becomes clear that it misses the direct contact with friendly folks like Raquel ... all along the walking routes these images popped up ... not so much so far here ... with subjects rather reticent ... fewer subjects encountered ...

The writing itself is stuttering a little and, not being a serious writer, there is no urge to force it ...

Meanwhile, a call from England from Juliet's friends who know the villa well and are coming over in June for a while ... a break for your blogger, though who knows where ...?