Malaga, the Goa of Spain

It’s really difficult to pin-point a single holiday destination as there are innumerable cities and countries I’ve been to on my teaching assignments, especially in Europe and the South-East Asian belt. Also, Las Vegas is one such unbeatable haven which never ceases to inspire the wanderlust in me. I have always been fascinated with this strip of land on the map as history suggests it was just a handful of powerful men, who turned this hot arid barren desert into one of the most busiest tourist-spots across the world. The nightlife in Las Vegas is synonymous with casinos. But I’m no gambler. So, what I was really interested in was to check out this famous Cirque du Soleil, the very popular Canadian entertainment company, dabbling in a spectacular mix of dramatic circus arts and street entertainment. I must admit that as an entertainer, dancer and choreographer, I found the shows immensely captivating. They were the utlimate in artistic excellence, showmanship and creativity to my eyes.

My favourite place in Europe is Malaga, which is situated in the south coast of Spain. I’ve been annually visiting this city for a couple of years now on a training project and I simply love this place. It’s like the Goa of Spain, you know. The cityscape is incredibly beautiful as the houses are built into the mountains, outlining the bevy of beaches. I stayed with a well-known local writer named Javier and his wife, who treated me to the best gazpacho (cold soup) made by his mother and a lavish Sunday brunch in his kitchen  garden.

Travelling to Asia, Hong Kong comes naturally to my mind as I was invited to hold a workshop with the Indians settled down there. I can still recall my most gracious, hospitable host, an elegant lady, Ms Shirley, who made sure that on the final day of my stay, I was allowed to taste the mock meats which are a special delicacy in the south-east Asian zone. You may call it an unconventional combo. You won’t believe that I actually shopped at the supermarkets looking for those lovely non-veg substitutes to bring them back home.

Terence Lewis is a dance and choreographer. As told to Pramita Bose