Stopping by the Sea - Marbella, Spain

On one of the easier bikes rides of #WorldTour2015, I slept in and casually dismantled my tent while enjoying the cool morning weather before hitting the road.  Scouting out my plan for the day while I had WiFi and eating a healthy serving of local fruits and meats, Marbella looked to be a good midpoint for lunch.  One reason I made this choice was due to the literal translation of the city's name "beautiful sea".  I mean, if I am going to stop and eat something, I had might as well have a view to enjoy, right!?  As I entered into the city, I quickly made the executive decision to extend my time in Marbella.  While I dodged my way through the inner city traffic, I did my best to follow the "i" signs to get my hands on more sites to see aside from the beach.  Once I acquired my stack of information pamphlets, I set out to find a beach hut for some lunch and reading time.  As I read more about the heart of la Costa del Sol, I had to limit my exploration options down to three points of interest.  The first being to relax on the beach and admire the incredible sand sculptures of all sorts and sizes.  Following my tie in the sun, I freed my bike from it's chains and ventured up to the narrow passages of the Casco Antiguo. In the Old Quarter, despite the small size, I found one interesting site after another.  From climbing on the ruins of the Moorish citadel to walking about the crowded markets from flower-covered alleyways of brightly colored houses, this area deserved far more time than I had available to commit!  Weaving my way out of the heart of Marbella's historical quarter, I made my way to Parque Arroyo de la Represa to rest my legs before continuing onward.  More importantly, there was a bridge I wanted to check out!  Rising above the numerous beautifully manicured trees of the Bonsai Museum was the central tower of the Puente del Santisimo Cristo del Amor.  Taking advantage of  the shelter of the shade of the bridge and the cool grass of thee park, I enjoyed the culturally acceptable siesta before departing beautiful and ancient city of Marbella.