Dear Readers.. I cannot say I blame those people who have squeezed themselves into jet propelled tubes and flown away to the sunshine.
For SHE was reminded of sunny summers today when SHE read an article written about his father by Tom Hunt, the eldest son of the late James Hunt.
James was driving for the Hesketh Racing Team when he moved to live on the Spanish coast in 1974. He and Suzy, (his then wife) were often at a tennis club situated just below the pretty small town of Mijas.
This wonderful place, called Lew Hoad's Campo de Tennis, was owned and run by two extremely nice Australians, Lew and Jenny Hoad.
Lew was a famous tennis player who won the Wimbledon Doubles in 1955, the Singles in 1956 and 1957 and lots of very major titles throughout the world. (He died July 1994).
He also won the Australian and the French Singles but SHE can't remember in which years. His charming, nice and very funny wife, Jenny, was 'certainly no slouch with a tennis racquet' either!
Members of the club were quite used to seeing very famous players either on the courts or playing Backgammon, Canasta, Gin or Poker on the lovely terrace which overlooked the courts and the pool, it was a pretty place but low key, cameras were used but only by family or friends, there were no dreaded Paparazzi here in those days.
Abe Segal, a famous South African Davis Cup
tennis player, had a house in Pueblo Lopez, Sean Connery lived in Marbella, Charlton Heston and other famous people would often drop in to spend happy times at this very lovely place.
James was a 'funny' man but goodness knows what the local Guardia thought they were doing when they decided to give him a run for his money on the road from Fuengirola up to Mijas.
The 'race' started at the bus stop, at the traffic lights, which were, in the old days, the ONLY set
on the road from Torremolinos to Marbella.
Remember.. This happened nearly forty years ago. It was not the tweaked, motorway driving, covered in badly built gated communities and golf courses 'Costa del Crime' that it is today.
A lot of betting went on the Hunt versus Guardia Race.. James won.. Maria la Gorda, the butcher's wife, squealed with joy! She'd bet a days takings on 'Santi' as she called him, Santiago is Spanish for James and called her next born son this in his honour.
The 60', 70's and early 80's were truly the 'Golden Ages' of that coast.. SHE remembers going to the
Finca at Los Monteros to hear Anna Moffo sing for charity evening that was organised by one of the Bacardi family. They had, maybe still do, a very beautiful home tucked away in the foothills just west of Malaga.
Blogspot is behaving VERY badly and is trying to fiddle and diddle around with this post. going to stop now and there will be a Part Two of The Golden Age of the Costa del Sol.
GeeGee Parrot.
May 26th, 2013.
For SHE was reminded of sunny summers today when SHE read an article written about his father by Tom Hunt, the eldest son of the late James Hunt.
James was driving for the Hesketh Racing Team when he moved to live on the Spanish coast in 1974. He and Suzy, (his then wife) were often at a tennis club situated just below the pretty small town of Mijas.
This wonderful place, called Lew Hoad's Campo de Tennis, was owned and run by two extremely nice Australians, Lew and Jenny Hoad.
Lew was a famous tennis player who won the Wimbledon Doubles in 1955, the Singles in 1956 and 1957 and lots of very major titles throughout the world. (He died July 1994).
He also won the Australian and the French Singles but SHE can't remember in which years. His charming, nice and very funny wife, Jenny, was 'certainly no slouch with a tennis racquet' either!
Members of the club were quite used to seeing very famous players either on the courts or playing Backgammon, Canasta, Gin or Poker on the lovely terrace which overlooked the courts and the pool, it was a pretty place but low key, cameras were used but only by family or friends, there were no dreaded Paparazzi here in those days.
Abe Segal, a famous South African Davis Cup
tennis player, had a house in Pueblo Lopez, Sean Connery lived in Marbella, Charlton Heston and other famous people would often drop in to spend happy times at this very lovely place.
James was a 'funny' man but goodness knows what the local Guardia thought they were doing when they decided to give him a run for his money on the road from Fuengirola up to Mijas.
The 'race' started at the bus stop, at the traffic lights, which were, in the old days, the ONLY set
on the road from Torremolinos to Marbella.
Remember.. This happened nearly forty years ago. It was not the tweaked, motorway driving, covered in badly built gated communities and golf courses 'Costa del Crime' that it is today.
A lot of betting went on the Hunt versus Guardia Race.. James won.. Maria la Gorda, the butcher's wife, squealed with joy! She'd bet a days takings on 'Santi' as she called him, Santiago is Spanish for James and called her next born son this in his honour.
The 60', 70's and early 80's were truly the 'Golden Ages' of that coast.. SHE remembers going to the
Finca at Los Monteros to hear Anna Moffo sing for charity evening that was organised by one of the Bacardi family. They had, maybe still do, a very beautiful home tucked away in the foothills just west of Malaga.
Blogspot is behaving VERY badly and is trying to fiddle and diddle around with this post. going to stop now and there will be a Part Two of The Golden Age of the Costa del Sol.
GeeGee Parrot.
May 26th, 2013.
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