If this previous promo film for Andalucia featured only beautiful people, this one – from Canal Sur Turismo – proves only white people live and visit the province. We really don’t need to do the tourist guys’ job for them, but it’s a nice snapshot of the area and includes snow on the Sierra Nevada, Ronda … Continue reading
Sure, it’s not like we’ve been away that long, and little changes, right? Yes, pretty much, apart from London’s desire to build and build – bonkers City blocks and rabbit hutch flats further out. Even the jars of passata at the Italian deli were in exactly the same position, just new photos of the owners’s recent offspring pinned … Continue reading
The helicopter’s been refuelled and a 1965 Chevrolet Impala convertible trundles down the road. Beautiful models in designer clothes snog each other and laugh about everything (maybe after hearing that joke: ‘what’s eight-foot long and smells of wee?) – yes, it’s the tourist board’s advert about visiting Andalucia. Beginning with a view of the Alhambra in Granada, there … Continue reading
A sherry-drinking mouse up a ladder; a pale blue Austin whizzing around Andalucia; beautiful Spanish women – and it’s all from 1967, courtesy of British Pathé, which recently put 85,000 clips on YouTube. In this film there’s barely a a word of commentary that isn’t interesting or entertaining. Watch until the end – it’s fabulous; … Continue reading
…in this instance, a Californian boy and a Sussex girl living in the Midwest, US. Months ago, Ed and Charlotte got in contact via con jamón spain. When they visited Las Apujarras it was fantastic to meet them in Órgiva. Here’s their story of the month they spent here: When you live in Car Culture, USA, public … Continue reading
Like many writers in their early days, David Hewson wasn’t exactly rolling in it. But years later – having turned a popular TV series, The Killing, into a hugely-successful series of novels – he’s perhaps made, well, a killing. He’s been a journalist (having helped launch The Independent newspaper) and writer for years. In 1987 David, by … Continue reading
And gloomy it is in the UK. It was a wrench to leave Andalucia’s blue sky and confetti of pink almond blossom scattering the paths. It’s not the first time – and not forever – we’ve made several trips back home. We jumped on board the carousel of airport lounges, airline seats and airline food. … Continue reading
Up early, we headed to La Herradura – less than an hour away from Órgiva on the Costa Tropical. It has a marina which was recommended as a spot to have lunch. We could look at boats and pretend we were rich. But we never made it. La Herradura is a pleasant place helped largely by … Continue reading
Today, as M ascended the cobbled streets of the Albaicín district in Granada, S was stuck in London, surrounded by fog at City Airport. And this was before she’d go on to see three more: Heathrow, Madrid…and Granada. At 11pm, there was no taxi waiting as promised and no staff to talk to. British Airways/Iberia … Continue reading
A bus journey from Órgiva to Granada, one of the great cities of Spain, is a joy. The views from the winding roads are to die for (just hope the driver doesn’t have a heart attack) and the glimpse of the Sierra Nevada a marvel. The gigantic wind-farm sails, eerie and motionless on windless days, … Continue reading
El dinero es la raíz de todos los males… Well maybe it is the root of all evil, but it’s certainly needed. Oranges fetch so little nowadays, we can’t make jewellery to sell at the market – and M’s busking skills have taken a nosedive over the years. Trying to figure out the most efficient … Continue reading
This short film may help anyone driving to Órgiva from the West – ie, from the direction of Málaga, Motril and Salobreña. It begins at the tunnel after a stretch of road we call the curly-wurly – not that the previous 20 minutes is some kind of straight Roman road. After the bridge you cross Seven Eye(s) … Continue reading
In a few weeks it’ll be Goodbye London’, for a while at least. We’ll hear you calling. We took these photos today. In just one hour, as London slowly awoke and rubbed its eyes in the bright sunshine, we walked a familiar path around the West End and Soho, visiting our favourite places. It’s possibly … Continue reading
Getting our cats, Tinkerbell and Possum, from London to Spain is probably the most logistically challenging part of our trip. Overland or by air? Private chauffeur or private jet? The Hippy Trail Overlanders Overland by van from the UK to Málaga – takes three days in an ex-police van, specially adapted for cats and dogs. … Continue reading
Hairpin bends and hair-raising driving is what you get In Las Alpujarras – especially when aiming for the beautiful, whitewashed villages of Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira (altitude = 1436 metres). Even the last 40 minute drive from Málaga towards Órgiva has its moments. But Spanish roads are well-maintained (you often see teams clearing rockfalls off the … Continue reading
