September 2021

AFTER drinking three cocktails in a seafront trendy bar, I nonchalantly threw a €50 note on the counter. ‘Sorry, nothing smaller,’ I declared.  The young bartender looked at the note, then with a thinly disguised sneer, slapped an electronic ticket alongside totalling €54. With an expression that would have exterminated a Dalek at 100 metres, […]

Autumn is in the air, and in Spain that means that we are moving into the best season to enjoy a spot of wine tourism. We all know that Spain produces some of the world’s finest wines and has some incredible bodegas to visit, and harvest time is one of the most interesting times to

DNA analysis of a skeleton found in an ancient Islamic necropolis in the Valencian town of Segorbe gives evidence of the brutal expulsion of Moriscos from the region. The analysis shows that while the individual’s DNA revealed he was of mixed Berber/Spanish heritage, modern humans in the region have very little DNA in common with

IN Britain we call it the ‘Blitz Spirit’- that sense of community that brings people together in the face of great adversity, not just to make the best of it but to reach out and go the extra mile to really help those that need it. There may not be an equivalent term in Spanish

THE Netherlands XI beat Austria to top GroupB in the European Cricket Championships being held at the Cartama Oval in Malaga, Spain. Both teams qualify for Championship Week in early October. In a narrow match, the Dutch beat  Austria by just four runs in the 10 over a side match, making it seven wins out

AS I wrote recently in a news story, regional president Francina Armengol said that the Balearic Islands are recovering and will achieve a full economic and employment recovery during 2022. And that now is time to look forward to a prolonged return to social and economic normality. Woo hoo! It’s the news we’ve all been

TO get the best from settling into a new life in Spain, it is best to learn the language. Whether it is for business purposes or simply to be able to lead a fulfilling lifestyle with conversational Spanish, Maravillas Programas Internacionales has the exact language course for you. Based in Benalmadena, where it has a

SIX new trails have opened up for hiking enthusiasts in Alicante. As of this Sunday, September 26, the Hiking Programme ‘Walking with the Provincial Council’ will commence and offer six new hiking routes for trekking enthusiasts in the region. Over the course of several consecutive weekends, running between September 26 and November 14, the ‘Walking

A REGIONAL jamon-cutting contest will be held this Sunday, September 26, in Estepona. There has long been a competitive element in mastering the fine art of carving Spanish ham, and this weekend will see the very best in the region put their skills to the test and all for a good cause. The competition, sponsored

WE take it for granted we are surrounded by some of the most stunning nature in Spain. But the recent devastating fires in the Sierra Bermeja (Costa del Sol) proved just how fragile the environment really is. We had survived summer without a major fire but then the monster that destroyed 10,000 hectares and cost