Business seems to be picking up a bit for the carriage drivers as people get used to the new location in Plaza Fabrica de los Cangrejos.
Yesterday, between about 10:30 and about 15:30, I heard the clippity-clop of huge hooves and the jingling of carriage bells no less than eight times. In the evening, several carriages trundled past in quick succession and one even came past at 00:39, just before the rains started.
Visitors of all nationalities (well, several) have commented on the fact that although the town is quite busy at the moment, it is certainly not as it used to be. Most noticeable is that activity tends to be more centred in a few areas. Bars and restaurants in these areas tend to be quite full and doing a roaring trade, while the majority in other, less central, areas are doing very little, if anything.
You see this as you wander around. Certain places full, others empty or maybe with just one or two customers during the entire evening. The ones that are doing well, in general, are the ones that have always done well. Hardly surprising, really, with nearly 400 bars and restaurants in a small town. The problem for most, of course, is the winter.
One thing I have noticed is that the Spanish visitors, despite the recession, appear to be spending more than last year. The general consensus was that national tourists would be spending less this year, but it doesn’t appear to be the case in Nerja. Maybe elsewhere, I don’t know. A good, and hopeful sign, anyway, for the local businesses.