February, 2015
On the 7th of February, I decided to go to Frigiliana. It is approximately 7 km. from Nerja and you reach it via a curvy road higher up in the mountain. I didn’t realize it was such a nice and beautiful village. Very easy to reach and worth spending a couple of hours wandering around. It is kept very neat by it’s inhabitants and it is one of those artistic villages with little streets going up and down and views over the mountain and down the valley from every corner of the village. It is also very touristic and full of tiny stores, cafe’s and restaurants. 
I got a chance of living there!!! As always, I wandered off, outside the crowds and walking just a little bit higher up the streets, than most of the other tourists. When I was admiring some “Greek blue” plant containers, an “older” man came out of his house and started a conversation with me in Spanish. I greeted him in Spanish and he, enthusiastically asked if I WAS Spanish…….(I got that compliment more often here, so my Spanish has indeed improved over the years). I told him I was from Holland ( “the Netherlands” often doesn’t ring a bell) and living in Canada. He couldn’t believe me that I was driving on my own from Portugal to Spain. Then his voice suddenly became more like a whispering and that alarmed me! There the question was there; ” as you are alone and I am alone, why don’t you come into my house and we have some good time together”……The poor guy finally saw a chance! Living here far up in this small town, without a wife, must be very boring!!! I was a gift sent from heaven………I had to tell him “pienso que no” ( I don’t think so) and quickly (very quickly) rushed down the stairs (you never know how well trained they are in these villages).
Later, after a coffee, I wanted to take the road to Competa, but took from the two choices the wrong one and ended up high on the mountain, too high, as I barely couldn’t drive through. The road became a dirt track and I knew I had to return, but that was not so easy. Finally, with “sweat in my hands”, as I have a tremendous fear of heights, I saw my chance to turn. With my eyes nearly closed I turned the car and started the way down. Never again! Next time I have to do more investigation before climbing a road!
