Malaga area, Malaga Provinve.

The Mystery Trip.

Botanical Gardens.

Well today was an unusual event as we were going on one of the very well organised and thought out trips with the Amiga’s de casa group that Jayne is a member of, but we did not know where to. We got on the coach did a couple more pick ups and then headed down the motorway towards Malaga and then turned off towards Torremolinos and then quickly off onto a very minor road and in through a narrow gate (well done to the  driver) and stopped at an out of the way restaurant for breakfast.

Botanical Gardens.

While we were here I had a quick look in the garden once I had eaten and had a coffee but only saw a couple of Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. From here we drove a few hundred yards and went into the small but very good Botanical Gardens who’s official name is "El Molino de Inca Botanical Jardin".

One of the sadder sights at the Botanical Gardens.

Here we spent a very interesting hour and a half looking around; I was diverted away  from the plants by several Dragonfly species that were on the pools in the Japanese garden, they included Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Epaulet  Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and both Violet (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwings (Trithemis kirbyi).

Ian in the Glass and Crystal Museum.

Jayne and I continued on around the Gardens and enjoyed it very much; the only slight down side for me were the caged raptors, especially

the female Snowy Owl which just look so out of place in the heat of Spain. We then left this spot and went back onto the motorway and into Malaga city where we were dropped off for a few hours to do our own thing and get some lunch, later we all met up again and did a walk to our final visit of the day which was quite funny for me and Jayne as it was the Glass and crystal museum which is part owned but good friend and Orchid expert Ian Phillips and is a place we had been several times before.

Some of the Glass.

This was not a problem though as things are always changing at the museum and it was good to see Ian and catch up on a few things as we had not seen each other for some time.

A Court yard at the Museum.

After being given the very interesting guided tour by Ian we walked back down through the city and caught the coach back to Trabuco. As usual the trip was great and we were given just the right amount of time at each stop to do them justice, thanks for a well organised day.