City Heat - Top 5 City Breaks in Spain

City Heat - Top 5 City Breaks in Spain  
An article for Spain Holiday on the best cities to visit for a weekend away in Spain

Need for Speed? Barcelona - the Spanish Grand Prix

Barcelona - the Spanish Grand Prix 
An article for Spain Holiday on the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix

Cáceres - for food and more!

Cáceres - for food and more!

Celebrate with Cava and Personalised Champagne Flutes

A party in mind?

Got something worth celebrating?  Of course you have! Perhaps you're planning a romantic surprise proposal, have passed your driving test, or are about to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary?
Everyone has something to celebrate at sometime in their lives, but how can you make it a more personal, individual occasion to remember? A really special occasion such as a wedding requires a special gift. Not just special, but a personal gift too – something to crack open.

Mark the occasion

Perhaps you really want to mark an auspicious occasion, and have a permanent reminder as a special souvenir?
Before you can say 'Cheers!' there's a solution right under your nose – and that's just the bubbles!

 The perfect solution

What's the answer?

  To simply celebrate in style - with a bottle of bubbly, quality Cava and some personalised Champagne flutes. An elegant way to say 'I do'- or even, 'I did it!',

 A date to remember

Make it a truly special occasion, and a date to remember with stunning glassware. Choose from simple yet classic plain flutes, to elegantly blown designs. There's a huge range and a superb array of designs to choose from to suit all sorts of tastes - even Champagne tastes! - when you select some personalised Champagne flutes. All maybe engraved with your special personal details or message - a true keepsake for a loved one, for an extra special gift idea. One that lasts, and lasts.

 One of a kind

Just think, yours can be a one of a kind, original and totally different engraved personalised Champagne flute glass set – you won't find anything like it on the high street.
Nothing says celebrate quite like Champagne, and some of the best sparkling wine in the world is from Spain.  Spanish Cava is predominantly produced in the Penedés region, in Catalonia, in the north of Spain, and is renowned worldwide as being of excellent quality. If you like, a little bit of Spanish sunshine in your glass!
SO next time to want to raise a glass of Cava and say cheers, say Salud instead!

 Just for you

To give the best possible gift, why not  also personalise a bottle of Cava? Imagine the expression on the face of your loved one as they open this well thought out gift. Enjoy this celebratory drink from some engraved Champagne flutes.
Your gift will be well received – something original for the person who has everything perhaps?
Mark a special occasion, a birth, a wedding, a birthday, or that special anniversary. Perhaps you're the Best Man, the Bridesmaid, the Godparent?
Give a gift that says, hey, thank you for inviting me.
Have the date engraved as a keepsake – you'll never be able to say that you forgot that anniversary again! Set it in stone – or rather glass – and give your loved one some personalised Champagne flutes.
 After all, it's your gift too!

The gift that stays with you

And after the Champagne has been quaffed and enjoyed, those engraved Champagne flutes will always be there, in pride of place, to provide a permanent reminder of your special day.
Sparkling, fizzing, celebratory bubbles, served from sparkling and engraved Champagne glasses – nothing says it better!

A ' Sign ' of the Times. Loaves and Fishes?

I suppose literally so.  A sign went up in the panadería last week informing the public that a kind donor had paid in advance for 2 months worth of bread, that most basic of foodstuffs.  The prospective recipient, unable to afford bread, can then receive it gratis.

  Talking about it at home, we wondered who the person was that performed the kind act, the kids guessing different names.

  So and so?, no way, not them, way too Fascist, not her, too tight etc.

I suppose we really should have been asking ourselves who the person might be who needs such a basic food. Perhaps we can help them.  A lot of people here seem to live, literally, on the breadline.

 We find it financially very tight, especially recently, with the reintroduction of our Autonomo fees and Social Seguridad.  Added to the mortgage and the ever growing overdraft it's not ideal! For those not in the know, Autonomo and SS indicate that's to be self employed, with the benefit of the Spanish health service.

Probably the most expensive health service in Europe I might add - please correct me if you feel I am wrong.

So, no holidays, treats, new clothes or spending for the foreseeable future.

But, we have a full fridge, and a warm home. We're healthy. We are also grateful for the generosity of neighbours: barely a day passes with a bag tied to the door, vegetables, wine, even a warm leg hacked from a slaughtered goat - bleugh!

Buried at the bottom of the freezer are a couple of Goat legs and a rack of Wild Boar ribs - perhaps some day we can create a Heston Blumenthal style dinner!

Even those that seem to have nothing are always prepared to share what they have, generosity of spirit.

Easter was a long lunch with our neighbours and their extended family, followed by dinner with more neighbours the next day.  Although some days it's hard to feel secure, we always feel lucky with the friends we have made, and the life we have chosen - here in our corner of Spain.

 The one thing we can spend freely, are great times and good company.

A Guest Post for April - Introducing Alan Parks..and an Alpaca or two

If you have been reading this blog long enough you'll know I like the odd guest post, and seem to have a soft spot for 4 legged guests in particular...well, here's a first, Alpacas.  Those odd looking but apparently lovable sheep with giraffe styled necks.  Alan Parks is the author, read on and discover more about these wonderful creatures...oh, and there's a great offer too!

Why Alpacas?

by Alan Parks

 

People always ask us ‘Why alpacas?’ 

Well, the answer is pretty simple really. We fell in love with them. One day, we were on a short break in Prague, and we decided to visit the local zoo. There, we met the strange animal that was to shape our destiny. He was a brown, goofy looking, long necked sheep. He was very friendly, and he came up to us for attention, and we stayed with him for ages. 

Over time, I must have googled alpacas, and found out that they were a lucrative business, both in the UK, and around the world, and one day, when Lorna and I were discussing her health problems I suggested moving to Spain, and breeding alpacas for income. We made some enquiries, visited a few farms, and fell in love with the animals. 

A coat of many colours!

Alpacas come in a range of 22 natural colours, from white, through fawn, to brown, and also grey and black colours. The ancient Incan societies used to breed alpacas, and referred to the fleece as ‘Fibre of the Gods!’ The recent worldwide population of alpacas originates from the altiplano in the Andes, and in the early 1990’s people started to import the animals into the UK, the US and Australia. 

Breeding Alpacas

 

Throughout Europe alpaca breeding is still relatively unknown, however there is an industry built up around it that includes clothing (alpaca fleece has no lanolin, and is therefore hypo-allergenic, and is considered to be of equivalent quality to cashmere), bedding, selling the animals as pets and chicken guards, and selling show quality animals to be used to compete in competitions and win prizes. Obviously the better animals you have to breed with, the better quality the offspring, and therefore the price you can command for sale. The real reason alpacas exist is because of the quality of the fleece, but most farms make money by producing the best animals they can, and selling them on to new breeders. In 2010, there was one stud male, in the US, that sold for $675,000. One animal!

Buying into the industry

We looked into buying alpacas in Spain, and found a farm that could supply us with animals, and the industry was still very much in its infancy in Spain, and we hoped that if it took off as it had done in other countries around the world, we would be getting in at the start of something very big. Sadly, it is taking a lot longer to emerge in Spain as a real alternative for farmers, as here they are very traditional, and would much rather keep a goat, that will cost a fraction of the price yet provide the family with milk, and meat to eat.

 Spaniards struggle to understand how you can justify high prices for an animal that stands around looking pretty and only gives you a ‘harvest’ of fleece once a year. With only three hundred or so alpacas in Spain, the fleece market is yet to take off as well. We are forever hopeful that one day, when the world is in slightly better shape, maybe, just maybe alpacas will take off in Spain. In Spain you can get alpacas ranging from pet quality males starting at a few hundred Euros all the way up to show quality animals available at a much higher price. 

Local interest

 

The locals around here were fascinated when we first had the animals delivered. We would have people outside taking pictures on phones and even fully armed Guardia Civil out the smiling at the girls. Nowadays people are used to seeing them here, but occasionally a family will stop and we let the children meet the alpacas, and of course feed them.

Special offer

 

This spring we have started offering alpaca trekking in the olive groves, and I have also published my book, ‘Seriously Mum, What’s an Alpaca?’ which is available to download on Amazon in April for only 77p. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-Hell-Whats-Alpaca-ebook/dp/B009X9VE1I%3FSubscriptionId%3D0V4JT1H35KWYMF0SKQR2%26tag%3Dnovelrank-21%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB009X9VE1I

We have also had lots of enquiries for alpaca fleece, from spinners and felters who want to work with this amazing material. Please get in touch if you are interested. 

More information and contact details

If you live in Spain and would like information on owning these amazing animals please get in touch with us. You can email us on lornaalpacaselsol@gmail.com To keep up to date with the book and the farm please check out the website www.whats-an-alpaca.com

Can you feel that?

Can you? That slight but still noticeable change in the weather? Just this week.  Yes, the fire is still crackling away in the evenings, and indoors is still like a cold room in a meat packing factory - but there's that tell tale hint of Spring on the way. Our Orchids have started to reappear along the lovely walking tracks just yards from our front door.

 Just this morning, Facebook friend from 'over the mountain' Victoria Tweed - have you read her books? - spotted an early Swallow.  I'll keep a look out - the same family returns to our terrace year after year, I love their chatter with rolling throat sounds, as though they have flown from Africa armed with all the gossip. Tame too, they'll sit just centimetres from my head as I sip an early cup of tea, with the morning mist draped across the mountains like a gossamer shawl.

Been a busy few weeks.  Back on the Autonomous system means creating more work to pay for it. House and garden care, writing, ebay-ing and guests of course all help, budgeting for food and no treats for the forseeable future - we've done it before and will just have to manage.  Just need a self help book on living on fresh air...!

Our month long guests have departed - in the leaving sense, although if I had known the amount of mess they created I might have inflicted something else on them! Shame really, they were lovely people but I guess it's what happens when you run a holiday home.  Hot on their heels were 3 lovely ladies from Seville to the freshly steamed clean and primped CASA DUENDE. They loved it and vow to return as soon as they can, and we're booked both for Easter and a week afterwards in April, so all good there.  We keep standards high and prices low in an effort to keep it leased out as much as possible, it works.  A percentage of all profit goes back into renovation each time - that way it always looks good.

Stan has a new Facebook page for his ebay collectables, a few more likes would be great, so if you feel like sharing I'd be grateful - I'll buy you a beer next time I see you! Click here to see it, you need to hit the SHOP icon at the top of the page once you're there. If you feel like buying anything, even better! The hard sell, eh?!

This weekend is St Paddy's, so we'll have to wet the shamrock and have a couple of beers here tomorrow.  It's also the rally - which starts today in Ugijar, Josh is a steward, he'll be the one in dark glasses even if the sun isn't shining, as he had an eye injury this week and doesn't need anything else flying into it.
Tomorrow the rally speeds on to Murtas, so the craic should be mighty in the bar for Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

Wherever you are, whoever you're with, have a great St Patrick's day. Hang on, I'll send a little Irish luck your way...there, did you catch it? x

A breath of fresh air

Guests settled in for their long break, that Winter sun still shining in the bluest of skies, we decided this week to incorporate a bit of a walk into the weekly shop.
 A month of feeling under the other sort of weather has left my ass a bit - well, a lot -  lardy, too much sitting around, snotting and sneezing and feeling sorry for myself.

The grocery shop here in the Alpujarras is a bit of a marathon, but a nice one, twisting mountain roads and hairpin bends, stunning views and virtually no traffic takes us to Berja - actually on much reflection one of our favourite Spanish towns.

It's history is water - everywhere - you can follow the route of the water there, or the tapas route if something stronger is your preferred poison. The Erotic Tapas festival is soon, next month I think. The mind boggles.

The town is stuffed with interesting architecture, I love the old Reja (ironwork balconies) On a sad note, there's a bar devoted to a shrine of the mad dictators and henchmen of the civil war - complete with framed pictures and candles - bizarre, eh?
A friendly tourist office is more 21st century than the ancient tower it's located in - here's an article, one I made earlier! - from Spain Holiday if you want to read more about Berja.

Anyway, just outside town, about 3km, sits the whole point of our planned walk, or scramble, really.

Villavieja - Old Town - is an archaeological site, sitting gracefully above a tasteless new housing estate, and you can walk all over it or tramp up to the castle ruins.  Parts of the old muralla - wall - are still there, the ground is littered with Roman pottery.  The Amphitheatre is still there, and from the top you can see for miles, even Cerrajón, otherwise known as Murtas mountain, back at home. Easy to see why Villavieja was built for defence.

We were treated to 20º degrees down there on Tuesday, some of the mountain layers were peeled off as we stood at the top and took in the fresh air.  If you blot out the housing estate and the greenhouses, you can almost imagine that you are back in Roman times...


                                  All in all, a Bonum Cursum!

Chasing tails - welcome to Fawlty Towers.

January started with a bit of a cough and splutter, not quite a bang.  But we are getting back to normal - and I have successfully passed any diseased airborne virus on to Stan.
Monday we worked in Casa Duende, a few repairs and a bit of plumbing.  Nothing major...ha.

Sitting here on Tuesday, just about to commence a blog for +Spain-holiday.com and as I screwed up my ever decreasing eyesight to glance at the date on the screen, I realised it was the 29th.

The 29th??!!

Holy guacamole....no, that wasn't what I said. I jumped up, and ran like a bat out of hell to Casa Duende.  Why?

Guests have booked for 1 month - fantastic in February - and they were on their way, with their 2 well behaved dogs,  driving down via a stopover in Madrid.  But we had planned for Wednesday, not Tuesday.

Normally, this would be no problem, but on Monday we had decided they would be warmer if we moved the wood-burner out of the enormous, heat sucking chimney and put in in a central position.  Also, the bit of plumbing needed actually involved taking out a wall and bypassing an existing pipe, picture the plaster, rubble,dust,holes in walls.

 The garden was covered in a thick layer of rubble and dust, we had 4 hours.

Makeover in 60 minutes has nothing on us.  We had to laugh our way through it - or cry. Like the A team we shot into action and by 12:40 pm it was all done , dusted and perfect.  Cement, capa-fina, polish and paint were applied - perfect.

Except for one small plumbing part.  Ah.

No, you can't run to the hardware store.  A 70 km trip there and no joy - every size part but the one that we wanted...

Like Basil and Sybil Fawlty, we jumped up and down again and hopped in the car en route to Roquetas, leaving Issey with the key and instructions for the guests not to use the hand basins in the kitchen or bathroom.

We managed to locate said item at Brico in Vicar, 200 km round trip, and dashed back, they had arrived just 5 minutes before.

We met Tabi, who was overjoyed at being here, and thrilled with the house.

  She wasn't too green either, the altitude usually gives us a bit of a giggle when people arrive for the first time.

Helping her carry some of her luggage, we followed her in armed with the missing bit and a spanner, to be met by her other half, in a panic and frantically mopping up the swimming pool on the floor.  Yep, he had turned on the tap. 

Stan fixed it while we mopped and made introductions, shaking hands and paws,  I lit the fire which then smoked out the room - we did have a laugh.

She's a vet, taking a month out to walk, read and relax, he's a musician, taking a month out to write and make music.

Yet again, we seem to have hit the jackpot with nice  folk - as always - let's hope they love it here as much as we do!

New Year - Old Habits

Hey - Happy New Year - if it's not too late to say that!

Hope you all had a great Christmas, wherever you spent it.
For the New Year I wish you all Health, Wealth, and Happiness in equal doses - I hope you achieve all that you want to, and that  2013 is your lucky year!

We stayed here on our Spanish mountain, where the weather has been the mildest we can remember for Christmas in the Alpujarras, blue skies all the way and looking as though it may continue.
Our log fire has only been called into service for the evenings, which is nice, less time collecting and cutting wood is always better - although the woods are beautiful this time of year, and we have been collecting mushrooms to cook up on the plancha with a splash of local wine and crushed garlic.  Saffron milk caps are a -  plenty this year, unlike last year when there wasn't a single one to be had.

We had returning guests, those Scots that can't stay away - they love it here, and who would blame them?

For February, Casa Duende is booked for the whole month, April has a booking and it looks like the whole of June is to be taken too - so financially, a good start to this year. That could be my Wealth sorted then! If only that were really the case!

Health seems to have given me the once over and gone somewhere else, can't shake this virus that has been scourging me since NYE. I guess if I will go around kissing the village then I get what's coming to me!  Anyway, nearly there, and so far the kids seem immune so that' s good.

Lynsey, my lovely virtual mate in the Málaga Montes has passed me the Next Big Thing baton so my next post will be answering the questions and linking back and forward for that.  I have chosen two perfect recipients for the next round - and shall pass it on to good hands.

Work calls, it doesn't seem to recognise the weekend - so I shall go and get on with it...a look out of the window confirms the sky is still blue and the mountains, for now, seeming clear of our unpredictable mountain weather - in fact they're covered in fluffy pink and white Almond blossom at the moment - it's a stunningly beautiful sight...come and see!