Last days in Spain, June 11-23

During our final days in Torremolinos--and with school wrapping up, we did our best to enjoy the beaches, go on an olive oil tour, say goodbye to friends, and get to downtown Malaga one last time to say goodbye.

Aperol Spritz: our drink of the year

Cafe on the corner.

Dali and Gala visited our beach back in 1930 where he painted the "invisible man" and where she reportedly started the topless trend in this area.

Drion likes the scooter sidecar

Parker graduating from primary school at Sunny View. On to 6th grade this fall!

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Amber and Todd visited a local olive oil facility. We had an informative tour

Not long ago, olives were mainly harvested by laying a net/cloth under the tree and beating the branches with sticks. Then they were crushed by mill stones into a paste, separated by pressure and heat from their different parts, and the paste was pressed in layers to squeeze out the juice and oil.

We had a lovely tasting.

If you bring in 600kg of oli6ves, you come out with about 60 liter bottles of cold-pressed, unfiltered oil at about 2.50 per bottle.

This business was started by a family who harvested their own olives and wanted to make a place where other families could come bring their olives and have them processed into bottles. Larger, extended families have a tradition of picking olives over a fall weekend together and then sharing the oil which usually lasts them the year. 600kg just about fills one of those crates in the background.

At the base of these bins is a small motorized compressor that crushes the olives into a raw paste.

This separates the olive meat from the pits and skins.

This stainless steel spout pours out the freshly pressed oil into the bin where it's measured before being bottled. Customers waiting often drink wine before bottling their own oil. But after one too many oil spills, no more wine while waiting.

Storage tanks for the businesses own oil

Leaves, skins are other debris are separated out on the left for local farmers to use as compost while the pieces of pits are separated on the right and are used for burning/heating.

Get your oil's acidity analyzed with Antonio Banderas

Lunch after in the local town

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One last visit to Nerja with friends. The water was chilly and the beach was hot.

Drion and his buddy Leon.

Last walk up from the beach...

Amber and Todd went to downtown Malaga one last time. Drinks and snacks at the top of the hotel.

Viewing memories of our times here.

Fresh cuts by Juan Pablo

Giant tomatoes and carrots for 2 Euros.

Our last night on the beach, we witnessed how the locals celebrate the summer solstice. They write out the things they want to be rid of in their lives on an effigy and light them on fire at midnight.

Fireworks and sky lanterns accompany the effigy bonfires.

Having lived there for about 6 months, Torremolinos, Malaga, Adalusia Southern Spain now holds a special place in our hearts. We say goodbye to friends, school, meditteranean beach culture, and a different way to live a life. Perhaps we'll visit again someday. But for now, on to new adventures!