Happy New Year from Andalucia

I eventually left the snow and chaos at Gatwick behind and arrived in Andalucia to be greeted by – torrential rain. But the rain soon gave way to days of beautiful winter sunshine and blue skies. A wonderful start to the new year. The rain has really freshened up the mountains which now have a green tinge. This week the locals have been out harvesting wild asparagus from the hills.

Many plants here seem to have two growing seasons a year. It seems odd at first to see lemon  and avocado trees groaning with fruit and flowers in bloom in December.

mountain view

These are views I could get used to but unfortunately its back to London and the day job. Hasta luego.

Back to reality

Back to reality and back to the day job. Here are some final images of Andalucia to help me through the coming winter months.

A view from the Andalucian sierras

A typical hilly street in Almunecar

A bar display in Malaga.

Spain has only been a democracy for just over 30 years. This reproduction of the front page of a newspaper from 1978 announcing the new constitution is set into the pavement in the main square in Malaga.

Hola from sunny Andalucia

I’ve come to Andalucia for my regular R&R. I’m staying in a village in the mountains east of Malaga. The coastline is only a short journey down the mountain road. The weather is very hot still but it won’t be long before we start to get the October rains.

The other day we took a short trip along the coast to Almunecar to visit the old market. 

Almunecar

 

Almunecar has been an important port for the last 600 years .  It  flourished under the Phoenicians and then under the Romans who built 5 viaducts. The Moors later introduced the cultivation of sugar cane. More recently it was an important setting for Laurie Lee’s wonderful book  ‘ As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning’  set around the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. It’s unlikely that he would recognise the sleepy fishing town he knew if he returned today as the old town centre is dwarfed by new modern buildings. But the coastline is lovely and there are plenty of cafes to sit and while the time away with a drink and a tapas. And there’s always the colourful market to visit as well.

The old market in Almunecar

 

Dried fruit and spices galore