14-FEB-2007
mar-not-so-bella
Marbella is the town where I have been living for almost 16 years now.
It is an important beach resort of the Costa del Sol / Spain.
The town is famous for being a favourite destination for extremely wealthy tourists and residents and it has been playground for the international jet-set for decades. The area around Marbella is also very popular among golfers.
Marbella had the potential of beeing "the" place to live in Europe because of it's unique micro-climate, but unfortunately the people in power over the last 15 years were nothing but a bunch of corrupt criminals and crooks cashing in for their own personal winning, and now the citizens of the town are paying the price. The townhall is technically bankrupt and East European mafia gangs dealing mainly with money laundering, drug business and prostitution have got a strong foot-hold.
However despite the local misery and the universal global warming the sun is still shining most of the year, and Marbella will hopefully soon recover again after the brutal rape of the previous politicians and cynical businessmen.
11-FEB-2007
Marbella / San Pedro Arch
The now deceased mayor Jesus Gil y Gil (The first in the line of mayors facing serious criminal charges) raised an arch over the main east and west entrance of the town in one of his moments of melgalomania, so nobody should be in doubt when they entered his white and blue striped kingdom of milk and honey (or rather "money"). There were rows of poles with national and international flags in sharp colours, police guards on horse back, a tourist office, an exchange bureau and a small local police station and some other service facilities.
Now there is just the semi-abandoned arch that grows more filthy by the day.
To me it it a strong symbol of the decline and decay of this former so beautiful and spotless town.
The town has been under an interim administration, but I hope that after the elections the new government will whipe the dirt of the past off this symbol, so it can stand clean and proud again greeting everybody when they enter or leave the city.
10-MAR-2007
Tunnel of shame
Puerto Banús is the world famous port and playground for the rich and famous in Marbella. They come in their Ferraris, Hummers or whatever fancy vehicle you can imagine.
However may tourists also want to satisfy their voyeurism, and many of them are on foot. Som are young and some are old. Some are alone and some are families with small children in trolleys. Some are even handicapped and come in a wheelchair. Can you imagine?
There are two ways to get in and out of the Banús area. This is one of them. You must go under the main road through a smelly tunnel and there are two sidewalks to choose from. The wide one is about one meter I guess and the narrow one about 40 centimeters.
Before you get to the tunnel the sidewalks are wider, so if you don't know the area beforehand, you may have chosen the wrong side, and then you are trapped, because there is no turning back! The cars drive in both directions, and they usually go much too fast, not caring about the weaker pedestrians.
Puerto Banús has grown in size from a small harbour, to a huge entertainment area. The only thing that has not changed is this tunnel, and the townhall obviously don't give a sh..! They have their own weird prioritries. To hell with the poor tourists on foot, they are not big spenders anyway.
10-MAR-2007
The narrow path to Banús
This is the sidewalk for the skinny ones. On the other hand if you have been able so cramp you body into an Easyjet seat, you should be able to pass through. Whatever you do, don't step down on the street, as the cars are usually coming faster than they should.
10-MAR-2007
The narrow side
Here are 3 brave tourists entering the tunnel of hell. They seem very confident.
10-MAR-2007
The tourist trap II
Do you really think we can get through, or should we turn around before we get trapped. The cars are coming pretty close.
10-MAR-2007
The light at the end of the tunnel
I am not so sure that she really enjoys it, but she got through alive. What more can you ask for?
10-MAR-2007
The lucky family
This couple were lucky. They got on the wide sidewalk by chance, and the trolley can pass safely, and there are no pedestrians walking in the other direction. Congratulations folks!
10-MAR-2007
Traffic in the tunnel
Now the traffic is getting more intense, and this is what the tunnel typically is like in the tourist season.
In winter there is 10-20 cm water on the ground every time it rains, because the sewers overflow. The pedestrians get wet feet if they try to cross, and often they get completely soaked when a reckless driver drives fast through the water sending cascade of water sidewards drenching the poor pedestrians to the bone. Some drivers seem to enjoy this a lot. When the rain is more heavy the water rises to a level where cars acnnot pass either.
09-FEB-2007
Goat herd near the N340-Ronda road interesction in San Pedro de Alcantara
Despite the heavy traffic, the polution, the bulldozers and the massive over devellopment, there are still some few strips of land where goat- and cattle heards can lead their animals almost into the very town centre of San Pedro de Alcantara - but I am afraid that this photo will sadly very soon reflect somesting of the past.
09-FEB-2007
Goats along the N340 in San Pedro de Alcantara
Here you can see how close the animals are to the N340 - the life nerve of the Costa del Sol.
11-FEB-2007
The secret underpass
The N340 road is deviding Marbella into a north and south part on the stretch between Puerto Banus and San Pedro. A stretch of almost 3 km. There are several hotels on both sides of the road, and many hotel guests come and go by bus, meaning that they are on the wrong side of the road half of the time. There are no fly-overs and no underpasses for pedestrians. You see them exhibit all sorts of kamikaze stunts in order to cross the brutal N340. They climb the high flowerbeds deviding the lanes or stand on the double line with babies on their arms, and the townhall obviously don't give a sh.. because nothing has changed during the 16 years I have lived here - but today I found out, that I was actually wrong: Inside the premises of the Casino - Anadalucia Plaza Hotel - there is an entrance to a hidden public tunnel, but it is so hard to find, that not even the Hip-Hoppers know about it, because it is still graffiti-free, and besides it is clean, nicely painted and does not smell of urine, faeces or anything else. I guess only a handfull of people actually use it per month. On The Banus side the entrance is in a public area, but quite hidden. On the Casino side the entrance is inside the hotel premises and you have to enter the hotel gate with a guard to get to it, and which casual pedestrian would dream of doing that?
