Travel Agent Simons Town

I had the privilege to attend our annual conference which was held in Marbella Spain from 21 to 24 November 2008. Marbella is located in the Spanish region of Andalucia on the Costa del Sol, which covers over 160 kilometres of beaches warmed by the Andalusian sun, which shines on average 325 days a year and cooled
by the soft breeze from the Mediterranean sea.

The port of Malaga is visited by over two hundred thousand cruise ship passengers every year, making it the second most popular destination on the Iberian Peninsula.

It is a destination that has so much to offer. It is a golfers dream come true with more than 60 golf courses
designed by people like Severiano Ballesteros and Cabell Robinson. Considered the greatest golfing centra
on the continent of Europe. The Costa del Sol is a sportsman paradise with all the natural recourses
such as the sea, mountains, rivers and valleys, together with the modern facilities built over the last few years
offer sportsman and woman the perfect location to keep fit.

The region also offers a number of centrex providing holistic health care and beauty services. It offers Rural Tourism. The Province of Malaga is witness to a legacy of untold wealth, with white villages on the mountains or resting in the valleys in direct contact with the countryside that surround them.

It is a destination rich in culture and different cuisines. Malaga is the birthplace to the famous painter Picasso
and a must see is the Picasso Museum. The Region is synonymous with real Mediterranean cooking boasting
with the freshest seafood on the coast and the juiciest meat in the South of Spain.

On our arrival, Friday 21 November we attended a welcome party at an exclusive club in Marbella. We were welcomed and entertained by Spanish dancers in traditional clothing. We also ate delicious food and danced the night away under the Spanish skies.

On Saturday 22 November, I along with some other Travel Counsellors visited a Town called Mijas to do some wine tasting. It is a very quaint town with cobbled streets and white buildings. There they use donkeys and carts for taxis and the streets are filled with their colourful pottery and clothing shops.

On Sunday afternoon we went to the old part of Marbella. We walked down the cobbled streets and were amazed by the beauty and charm of the old buildings and streets. We also took a walk along the beach taking in the fresh air and sun whilst enjoying the people and scenery. Sunday evening we were dressed in our finest, for the Gala dinner and awards ceremony, and again we danced the night away.

Sadly on Monday, 24 November it was time to leave. We took one last walk along the beautiful beach and enjoyed the sunshine. In these few short days I fell in love with this magnificent Country and with its friendly people. Costa del Sol really has so much to offer from Cruising and Watersports to Shopping and ample nightlife .There are lots of restaurants to choose from as well as pubs and bars all with its own unique ambiance.

I cannot wait to return and enjoy some more Spanish wine, sunshine and their hospitality!!