Great Savings with Ocio Axarquia Magazine

Hola everyone,

Feliz Navidad amigos

Ocio Magazine is releasing a book of vouchers that can used in restaurants, shops, beauty salons, hairdressers and much more.

The voucher books will be in the form of a cheque book and you will be able to purchase them from most retailers – just look out for the “Ocio Voucher Book Sold Here” sticker in their window. The voucher, just like the magazine, will be in both Spanish and English. It only costs 25€and you can receive 750€ worth of discounts!

Our great reductions and savings can be anything from: 20€ off a meal in the restaurant Calabaza,Nerja to a 30€ discount from Shizzen Men wear in Tor Del Mar – to find out althe discounts contact us using the details below.

The new Ocio magazine will be out in January wich you can pick up from Nerja to Tore Del Mar and will have a 2 page spread advert explaining more about the voucher books.

If you would like to know where to get your Ocio voucher book or magazine then you can email me at rp.ocioaxarquia@gmail.com or check out http://www.ocioaxrquia.com/

Hope everyone has a great Christmas from everyone at Ocio Axaquia Magazine.

The Poinsettias

Hola,
Well , Cristmas is once again nearly here and everywhere is in peparations including the garden centers. Along with misteltoe , many people will be buying a Poinsetta to decorate theit homes or garden depending on where you live in the world.

Poinsettias are one of the most popular plants accoiated with Christmas and here in Spain Nerja It forms part of the muniipal decorations being planted en masse on roundabouts and in flowerbeds throughout the town from early December for the Christmas season as well as throughout Europe there are greenhouses crammed full with young plants resembling carpets of bright red that will be sold for Christmas.

Ocio Magazine New web site

Hi everyone,

Ocio Axarquia Magazine has a new web site! If you are like me and lots of my friends we enjoy reading the Ocio Axarquia Magazine as it is in Spanish (as well as English) which helps improve my Spanish.

So now you will be able to read the magazine on line, anytime! The web address is http://www.ocioaxarquia.com/ check it out and let me know what you think.

Nerja Refushbishment

Hole some information on Nerja.

Nerja’s plaza de la Ermita refurbishment to start soon.

Nerja Infrastructure Councillor, Jose Alberto Tome Rivas, has presented a plan to re-urbanise Plaza de la Ermita to the media. It is expected to cost approximately 70,000 euros, which will be funded by Junta de Andalucia and Nerja Town Council.“The project,” says the councillor, “aims to create a new environment in Plaza de la Ermita while not losing its charm.” The refurbishment work includes new pavements, lighting, garden irrigation systems and a new entrance specially designed for disabled people. The rubbish containers around the square will be buried underground. The project aims to eliminate all the accessibility problems that mainly affect elderly people.Alberto Tome announced at the end of the press conference that construction work on Plaza de la Ermita will start before the end of the year and should be completed before next summer.

I hope ypu enjoued this information on Nerja.

How to cope with a heatwave

Hola everyone,

The weather here last few weeks has been extremely hot here in in Nerja with temperatures reaching a bammy 40 º C during the day and not getting much lower than 23 º C at night which saps the energy out of you leaving feeling very weak. The extreme temperature can be very dangerous unless you take precautions and respect the sun.
How to Deal with Extreme Heat

We hope that the extreme hot days of the last few weeks have passed here on the Costa Del So Spain. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) suggests some simple tips that can prevent both heat exhaustion and heat stroke, both potentially serious conditions resulting from overexposure to extreme heat. It is important to keep an eye on your own families and also on the elder population who may not know how to cope with the extreme heat.

Normally our bodies cool down by sweating. With high temperatures and high humidity, sweat will not evaporate as quickly and the body will start to overheat. High body temperatures may damage the brain and other vital organs.

Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to four years of age, people 65 years of age and older, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications.

So in order to enjoy yourself in the heat without becoming ill you should follow these tips below

General Tips for Hot Weather:

* Drink cool, non-alcoholic beverages
* Take a cool shower, bath or sponge bath
* Seek an air-conditioned environment
* Wear lightweight clothing

I hope this information is useful, stay cool!

Nerja Donkey Sanctuary

Hola everyone,

Hope you are well. If anyone has been reading my post for a while you will probably know that every Sunday my wife and I go down to the Nerja Donkey Sanctuary to walk a few of the dogs. We have been thinking now for a while of adopting a dog from the sanctuary but wanted to wait until we were settled.

If anyone has been to the Sanctuary regulary then you may know Sampson and Blue. They are the 2 dogs that we have been taking for walks for the last few months. While we would have loved to adopt Sampson, he is just a little too big for our place.

The Staff were very helpful in finding the right dog for us. The dog that we decided to adopt was Ringo who is only 6 months old. He is an affectionate, bouncy and good natured young man. Due to the excellent training from the Staff he is house trained and knows to behave indoors.

They don’t only take excellent care of dogs and cats. Their main focus is on larger animals and they have many donkeys, horses, goats, turkeys and various others on any give day! If you can get down to see them, volunteer to do some feeding, some dog/donkey/goat walking or just donate as they rely solely on the goodwill of the public to provide this essential service. Their website is: http://www.nerjadonkeysanctuary.com/

Watch this space and I let you know how Ringo is getting in on along with some pictures of him.

Noche San Juan Spain

Noche San Juan marks the start of the summer with barbecues and party s, fireworks and of course the dip in the sea at the stroke of midnight .

All along the beaches are hundreds of party goers and with tents of all sizes and beside the tents are table that the spread would be fit for a king not forgetting the generator that had been dragged all the way to the beach to power there music system which are quite impressive it was a sight to see.

My wife and my self decided to go to Burriana beach for this is where we got to last year and the atmosphere was brilliant with live music and free food. This year we found that it was not as busy as last year this I think was due to Noche San Juan landing on a Monday people having to get up for work in the morning ,so a lot of people celebrated on the Saturday. We stayed at Burriana beach until about 2.00 a.m by the time it was just the die hard revellers.

At the stroke of midnight there was an impressive fireworks display and a huge bonfire that was to symbolise burning Judis.

Also at the stroke of midnight it is customary to wash your sins off in the sea. That was a sight to see a lot of old people going in to the sea .

I waited until the mad rush had die down a bit in case I got trampled in the stampede. You cant beat a dip in the sea at midnight.

The whole feeling and atmosphere of the night is very friendly and relaxed with no fights or nuisance just everyone having fun young and old together. The next day all the beaches were spotless again.

Playa el Salon

Hola everyone.

hope you are well here is some information on Playa el Salon.

Playa el Salon is located within a charming and protective bay. From the Balcon de Europa you will have to go right, along a cobbled and winding walkway which starts between the church and a hotel

As it is not the easiest to find, it is a very well kept secret and ideal for a quiet and tranquil day in the sun. It is relatively small but due to the lack of tourists you will still find it fairly empty. The Caballito del Mar beach bar offers drinks and snacks during most of the summer. This is ideal if you just want to get away from it all and relax in piece and quite with the stunnning veiws of the Mediterranean.

Torrecilla Beach in the Axarquia

Hola buenas dias

Hope you enjoyed reading about Burriana . Today iam going to mention a bit about Playa Torrecilla.

The Playa Torrecilla can be found close to the centre of town and is an ideal place for those who prefer a quieter atmosphere. Soft sand and shallow water make it also attractive to families with young children. There is an excellent restaurant here called Restaurante Torrecilla which deoes the best Gambis Pil Pil

Please leave a comment

Playa Burriana

Hola,

Seen the great weather is back again I thought I would post info on the Beaches in Nerja including where they are, the best one, the facilities they have and the not so good.

The first beach that i' am going to mention is playa Burriana.

If you are looking for some more action and numerous facilities then Burriana will be the perfect place to go. Just below the centre of town there is a winding path through the rocks heading down to the sea is the Playa Burriana. It will take about 20 minutes to get there from the town centre but therefore you will be able to enjoy the most magnificent views.

This is is the largest one in the town and offers a wide range of facilities such as shops and restaurants. The shore consists of both fine sand and small pebbles but is comfortable and easy to walk or jog on. you will be able to hire deckchairs and parasols which is a great advantage for many of those who want to spend an entire day here.

Look out for my next article on Playa Torrecilla .

Hasta lluego

Information on the Axarquia area

Hola Buenos

The Axarquia is the wedge shaped region to the east of Malaga stretching northwards to the Sierra Tejeda mountains and the southward coast of Spain.

Recent road improvements has made the region much more accessible although some rural roads require nerves of steel, still!

The new highways have made visiting cities such as Granada, Cordoba and Malaga feasible.

In the last few years the area has been discovered by northern Europeans who has made their homes in the pretty white mountain villages like Torrox Pueblo, Frigiliana and Competa.

The Axarquia shares the Andalucian climate – glorious summers and mild warm winters as well as the miles of beautiful beaches. On the beaches you can find chirungitos – seaside restaurants, often offering barbequed sardines to be washed down with a cool beer.

What more could you ask for.

Hasta luego.

Driving in Spain

Hola amigos,

Here is some information on driving in Spain. And what to look out for.

When driving in Spain, it's important to understand the rules of the road, classification of roads and laws of driving. Laws are strictly enforced. If you break a law, you will need to pay your fine on the spot. Lack of knowledge is not considered an excuse, so you won't get out of it just because you are a tourist.

Always carry the proper documentation when driving in Spain. You will need to carry your driver's license, registration and a certificate of insurance. It's a good idea to carry your passport as well. If you don't own the vehicle, carry the agreement from the car hire company to prove you have the right to drive the car.

Spain has stricter drunk driving laws than many other countries. The legal limit is 0.05% and 0.01% for new drivers. They are serious about drunk driving and have strict penalties, such as heavy fines, loss of license and imprisonment.

Most Spanish don’t seem to have grasped the concept of the roudabouts. Most don’t understand that if you want to go round the roundabout you need to be in the left lane as you approach it from the right lane into the roundabout, cutting up anyone coming along the left lane

Be careful and watch the car to your right.

I hope that you will find this information useful.

Adios

Spain Coach Crash

Nine killed in Spain coach crash

Nine Finnish tourists, including a seven-year-old girl, have been killed in a coach crash in southern Spain.

At least 19 other Finnish passengers were also injured, some seriously, in the crash on Saturday near the southern coastal resort of Benalmadena.

Police say the coach collided with a 4X4 and overturned on the AP-7 highway. The 4X4 driver has been detained on suspicion of drink driving.

Rescue workers are still on site and officials say the death toll may rise.

The crash happened just before 2000 (1900 BST) near Malaga in the Costa del Sol.

Torrential rain and strong winds had made driving conditions difficult, reports said.

Officials say there were a total of 44 passengers on the coach and they were all from Finland.

It is understood they were heading to Malaga airport to catch their flight home.

The eastbound lanes on the AP-7 highway was closed, according to local media.

Information on Residents Day

Hola everyone,

Hope you are well. This Sunday 27^th April it is the residents day it will be held at the new location in the the square 'Plaza del Paseo Nuevo', situated behind the Town Hall above the underground parking. (Not at the Verano Azul Park.

Opening hours from 11:00 to 19:30 with bars and dancing - singing entertainmen and lots of stalls selling a great selection of food and drinks You don’t have to reside in Nerja or the Costa del Sol to join in with the fun.

Any associations, groups or artists wishing to act on the stage with their dancing, singing or performance, can contact the Foreigners Department or directly with the organiser, Paola Anthony Tel. 669 118 818.

If you are going along on Sunday i' am sure it will be a good day.

Adios

The Cruces de May Spain

Hi everyone,


There is another festival coming up soon called the cruces de May that takes place on the 3rd of May over the whole of Spain

The Cruces de Mayo celebration takes place in many towns, including Nerja. The Town Hall offers prizes for the best decorations.

Worth seeing is the cross at the entrance to Capistrano Village. This is one that is organised by the foreign community and gives the locals a run for their money! However, the best street to visit on the day is calle Parras in the old town all the houses are decorated and everyone takes part. It consistently wins one of the top awards.


The festival consists of the construction of large crosses made of beautiful flowers in many of the city's main squares.

In the true spirit of Spanish fiestas a temporary bar is built in the same square as the cross. The the locals congregate each evening for a good few drinks and tapas that inevitably leads to spontaneous flamenco style dancing into the early hours.

I hope you found this information interesting and useful.

All comments welcome.

Adios .

Eating out in Spain

Hola que tal,

Today I am going to mention about a snack bar called Jamaica.

We popped in to the restaurant the other night after wandering the streets trying to decide what to have we came across Jamaica.

Inside the restaurant it is a typical Spanish interior with nice furniture and plants and very clean.

I ordered sausage, egg, chips and salad that was very tasty and my wife had chicken and leek sauce with chips that she told me was very good.

The meal that we had only cost us 16 euros with and a small glass of beer, diet pepsi and bread I thought the prices were fantastic with good sized portions and friendly staff.

Jamaica is situated on Avd del Mediterraneo which is across the road from the Rui Monica hotel.

If anyone has been to Jamaica restaurant please let me know what you thought by leaving me a comment at the bottom .

Adios Amigos.

Nerja Market

Hola,

Here is some information about the street stalls I hope that you will find useful.

I was in Calle Chapril area on Tuesday morning when I suddenly discovered that something missing.

Walking further down the street it was empty, it hit me that the market should be here. I should have been making my way through the hustle and bustle of hundreds of people shopping.

I asked a local who told me that a discussion was held in the morning with traders and officials. The stall holders decided to protest with a strike. A lot of the stall holders are strongly against the future move to Almajara, site of the Sunday car boot sale. The stall holders have been saying that it will be the end of their business. On the morning there was no warning of the strike so you had a lot of people standing about on Calle Chapril wondering why it had gone.

Almajara is quite a distance outside the center and is also a very steep climb up hill and the elderly may not want to or be able to walk to to the new site. The site up at Almajara is said to be a lot bigger with places for the stalls marked out. This means that it will be easier to see everything.

it will not only effect the stall holders but also the bar and cafe proprietors in the area where it is situated, now Calle Chapril will be empty with a great loss to local businesses.

The site that it is situated at the moment provides good access, plenty of facilities like bars, restaurants, banks and is perfectly placed for people to discover it if they previously didn't realise it was on. I can understand why the stall holder and local market goers are resisting the move unfortunately the council are equally determined.

If anyone has any thoughts on the proposed move please leave a comment below.

Hasta luego!

Antonio Cortes: Young talent

A young Flamenco singer Antonio Cortes made a public appearance on the balcony of the Town Hall to express his thanks and appreciation for the support given by his fans during his televised talent show Se Llama Copla

Shouts of Antonio Campeon (Antonio Champion) and non –stop applause from an emotionally charged crowd.

There were also words of support for his rival Joana who was finally proclaimed as the overall winner of the contest.

New Promenade

Hola

Information on the promenade.

The work on the promenade on the El Chucho beach between the Toreecilla nd Playoazo beaches will not be finished at the end of the month.

Town Hall and the coast authority agreed to postpone the start of the work work unti 1^st of October so not to disrupt the tourism season.

In doing so it is hoped that the promenade , will take six months to complete and is estimated to be 285 meters long . It should be finished for March 2009 and the arrival of next year’ easter holiday makers for the Costa del Sol

Ocio Axarquia Magazine

Hola everyone,

Hope you are all well I am giong to mention about a glossy magazine that is circulating round the Axaraquia area. The magazine is called Ocio Axarquia . If anyone has came across this Ocio Axarquia publication you will probably agree that it is a classy looking mag.

You might be saying to to your self ‘Oh no, not another free mag doing the rounds on the Costa Del Sol’ but you will notice that Ocio Axarquia is different from all the rest. Also the content is interesting, informative and full of great looking pictures on property, fashion, food and lots lots more.

I heard that their next edition has an editorial on Nerja so look out for this edition at the end of April to see if you recognize any pictures or if you are lucky enough maybe yourself!

On the edition out at the moment there is a editorial on Competa with a lovely picture of the square and a picturesque view of the white wash houses. The content has a lot of history on Competa and outlines some fabulous walks for the more adventurous.

You should be able to pick up your copy of Ocio Axarquia Magazine at Hotels, Restaurants beauty salons and coffee bars.

Have a look for the next edition and let me know what you think of it.

Cycling on the Costa del Sol

Hello everyone, hope you are well.

Last week my brother came over to vist us.

My brother has been a keen cyclist for a long while and is a member of the Glenmarnock Wheelers. He decided to bring his bicycle over and get himself into shape for the start of the racing season in Scotland. We took a run in the car the to find good routes for him. We looked at what sort of state the road surface was in and how steep the incline was. We took a drive up to Competa and Alhama de Granada both routes were steep but smashing views.

Before he was going to attempt any of the route I felt that I had to warn him about some of the driving here particulary at roundabouts as he had never cycled over in Spain before.

He decided to head up to Competa on the Sunday, going through Frigilana, through to Torrox .On the way back he came down through Algorrobo. Only fault with this route was the Frigiliana - Competa road which had a bad surface. This route was about 80 km and was part of Stage 2 of the Tour of Andalucia.

The next day he decided to go down the N340 to Motril. He told me that this route was a bit nerve wracking as he had to go through the tunnels and there are a lot of fast moving trucks. This route was about 100km

On the whole he said that cycling in the Costa Del Sol is superb and will be bring his bike over again.

Good luck with the first race of the season on Saturday morning . The weather for Scotland does not look very good!

Check out Glenmarnock Wheelers website: www.glenmarnockwheelers.co.uk and the Tour of Andalucia website: http://www.vueltaandalucia.com

www.sierracycling.com/

Samana Santa

Holy Week/Easter in Spain

Spain is renowned in the world for its Holy Week traditions. Seville, Malaga, and San Fernado in Cadiz see the most glamorous celebrations, while those of Castille-Leon see the more sombre and solemn events.

A common feature in Spain is the almost general usage of the "nazareno" or penitential robe for the participants in the Processions. This garment consists in a tunic, a hood with conical tip ( "capirote") used to conceal the face of the wearer, and sometimes a cloak. The exact colors and forms of these robes depend on the particular procession. The robes were widely used in the medieval period for penitents, who could demonstrate their penance while still masking their identity. (These robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States, ironically a very anti-Catholic organization.) These "Nazarenos" carry processional candles or rough hewn wooden crosses, may walk the city streets barefoot, and, in some places may carry shackles and chains on their feet as penance. In other sections of the participants wear dress freely inspired in the uniforms of the Roman Legion.

The processions mark the main religious celebrations in Spain but none as the processions of Málaga. Holy Week in Malaga are famous countrywide Processions start on Palm Sunday and continue until Easter Sunday with the most dramatic and solemn on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Images from the Passion on huge ornate "tronos" (floats or thrones) with more than 5.000 kilos carried by more than 250 members shape the processions that go for the streets with penitents dressed in long purple robes, often with pointed hats, followed by women in black carrying candles. Drums and trumpets play solemn music and occasionally someone spontaneously sings a mournful saeta dedicated to the floats it makes its way slowly round the streets.

Andalucia day

Hole everyone and happy Andulucia day.

Time for yet another holiday here in Andalucia. That’s right, February 28th is a day to celebrate. It’s Andalucia Day thanks to this region’s founding father, Blas Infante, the man whose ideas eventually served to make this region the separate autonomous community it is today.

The question many foreigners living in Andalucia is: what do people do on Día de Andalucía. And the answer is bound to be found in the heart of your nearest town or city where municipal bands are generally called out to play the regional hymn (el Himno de Andalucia) and speeches are made on behalf of regional traditions and politics.

As might be expected, the holiday is also observed at schools across the region. However, because it always ocurrs during the “Semana Blanca” (White Week) half term holidays, it is celebrated the week before with the youngest ones colouring Andalucian flags and the parents associations at many state schools organising large “bread and olive oil” morning snack times to ensure children are well acquainted with the “bread and (equivalent of) butter” of Andalusian cuisine.

At the town hall the red carpet was out and the band was playing Glen Miller then into traditional Andulucia music lots people were dancing

and having a great day the band was excellent.

At the stroke of 12 o clock up on the balcolny the town hall the flags were raised with Andalucia flag was the last to be raised this caused cheer from around the crowd for this day celebrates when the region became autononmous with the rest of Spain. Andulucian’s are extremely proud of their country and flag .

Hope you enjoyed this information on Andulucia day

Dia de Pedal- Bike Run

Hi everyone ,

Today there was a bicycle tour around the town . The event was really well turned out - from grand parents to kids all having a great day.

The Day of The Pedal was celebrating it’s 20^th birthday. Started at 11am at the Balcon de Europa. Everyone that took part in the Annual xx Dia del Pedal got a yellow t-shirt. The whole of the was in an abundance of yellow t-shirts what a sight see.

It looked a very well planned and everyone enjoyed themselves.

P.S next year I will take part

Hasta luego

Beaches in Nerja

Hola everyone,

During the last couple of weeks there has been quite a lot of rain fall and strong winds along the Costa del Sol . These storms have washed away large parts of the beach, left a lot of broken beach furniture and other debris.

Torrecilla beach took a bit of a beating. After the extensive repairs folloing Octobers storms once again broken shower stands, dislodged palm trees and stairs that go to nowhere.

Also along at Burriana Beach there has been similar damage but on a smaller scale.

The timing of this is particularly bad as Semana Santa (Holy Week) in in a few weeks. People regard this as the start of the holiday season. It will be very hard to get all the necessary repairs done in time.

Hopefully the weather will pick up so the repairs can get carried out in time for Samana Santa. and for the start of the busy tourist season.

I hope you enjoyed this information.

Adios amegios.

Information on Torre Del Mar

Hola amegos here is some information on Torre Del Mar. I hope you will find it useful and interesting.

Beside the mouth of the Velez River, located on the coast and 4km from the city of Velez is Torre del Mar, with more than 15,000 inhabitants and a spectacular urban development during the last 25 years. The number of inhabitants swells to 150,000 from June to September. Thanks to the sub-tropical climate, Torre del Mar is surrounded by agricultural land, primarily connected with the production of sugar cane. The land is also being put to use in the production of out-of-season fruits such as kiwi, mangos and avocados. Until the 70's it was a small fishing village. Tourism has however transformed it over the last few years and it has suffered to large, unorganised apartment developments. Torre del Mar is however, able to boast one of the best promenades on the Costa Del Sol and a small avenue and park from the beginning of the century.

It’s most popular and important festival is on 16th July, in honour of the Virgen del Carmen. It consists of a candle ceremony and maritime procession.

Despite its closeness to Velez-Malaga where all manners of historical attractions lie, Torre del Mar offers the visitor a relative amount of peace and quiet, all year round with time to sunbathe and enjoy the local cuisine. Many of the Spanish residents of the big cities come here along with visitors of all nationalities.

The town almost has two faces - that of the summer with the tower blocks and discos heaving with holiday makers and the tranquil face of winter when the town almost sleeps, awaiting the arrival of the following summer. The winter face is the true face of the inhabitants of Torre del Mar. Nevertheless, the number of visitors arriving to holiday in the winter is now on the increase and possibly one day the town will have a more stable number of residents. Already, local facilities are in place to cope with demand. There are no shortage of shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and specialised things like a yacht club and international schools.

Information on Frigiliana

Hola everyone, today I thought I would mention about a small and very scenic place called Frigiliana.

We had the pleasure of living in Frigiliana for 6 months. The street that we lived in was Calle Axarquia, it was a fairly new build with breath taking views of the Sierra Tejadas National Park.

The flat has a communal swimming pool although not very big it was great at cooling you down in the hot days. We shared the flat with 2 other couples so it was quite peaceful.

Our landlord was a very nice chap. Some morning he would leave buckets of lemons, oranges and avocado’s out side our front door. Sometime he taught us some Spanish. To repay his gesture we a asked relative to bring over a small bottle of malt whiskey for him which he informed he enjoyed but was hot on his throat...

Frigilana has a number of excellent bars and restuarants. There are many recommended restaurants within Frigiliana. Chinas and Virtudes are excellent budget restaurants, popular with locals and tourists alike. Good, reasonably priced meals are served in an excellent atmosphere. The portions are generous and the staff are very friendly.
Jaime’s Restaurant is situated within the narrow lanes of the old part of Frigiliana and is spread across a number of floors and terraces with some of the best views in Frigiliana. The Taverna de Iglesia is situated in a charming square fronting the San Antonio church. It is probably the most traditionally Spanish of the restaurants we visited, with a range of rich meat dishes.

There are many cafes. Try El Mirador, situated in the highest part of Frigiliana - once again, the views are magnificent.

There are several restaurants within easy drive of the villa, all with good food and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Try La Venta, Bar El Cerro, Posada Morisca and Los Caracoles. Los Caraoles has the best views in the area with a menu suitable for everything from light lunches to full evening meals - you will be assured of a warm welcome from Kim and Carlos.

Frigilana was Voted the 'prettiest town in Andalucía' by the Spanish tourism authority, Frigiliana is an important from an historical viewpoint. El Fuerte, the hill that climbs above the village, was the scene of the final bloody defeat of the Moors of La Axarquía in their 1569 rebellion. The hill is topped by scanty remains of a ruined fort from which some of the Moors reputedly threw themselves rather than be killed or captured by the Spanish. It is said that bones and rusted weapons dating from this encounter still lie among the scrub on El Fuerte.

Frigiliana is a tangle of narrow cobbled streets lined by whitewashed houses, their wrought-iron balconies filled with planters of brilliant red geraniums. Small plazas provide shady seating while the bars are popular with visitors who come here to taste the locally produced wine. There are several excellent shops selling pottery and ceramics, including decorative plates with their distinctive Arab design.

Frigiliana is best explored by foot. There are several buses a day that run from Nerja or, alternatively, leave your car at the car park at the bottom of the hill. Although the village is deservedly on the coach tour circuit, thankfully it hasn't yet succumbed to the demands of mass tourism with innumerable souvenir shops and overpriced bars.

Valentine's day in Spain

Valentine's Day in Spain

Valentine's in Spain gives much emphasis on the Valentine presents. It is the usual practice of the husbands to give their wives bunches of flowers and unmarried couples exchange other gifts. The most common gifts to be given on this day are roses to the girls from their sweethearts and books to the men from their girls. Couples, whether married or unmarried are at their amorous best.
Though Valentine's in Spain is not officially a holiday, amorous couples still spend the day together, careless of its being a holiday or not. There are many outdoor spots which are also frequented by the loving couples. Parties and dances complete the day.

St. Valentine's is not a traditional Spanish celebration, but during the last few years it has become more and more popular, and many Spaniards are celebrating it. As in many other countries, Valentine's traditions include making presents to the one you love, and - quite obviously being in Spain - a romantic dinner.
There are no customary recipes on St. Valentine's dinners, but Spanish people tend to favor mild, aromatic tastes, sometimes with an exotic touch. To Spaniards, a romantic diner is often the prelude of a night to remember in a good restaurant.

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's what ever you get up to or even might find this information useful.

Nerja caves

On the east side of town is the Cueva de Nerja (caves of Nerja). They were discovered in 1959 and are regarded as one of the most historic monuments in the world; with archaeological remains dating back over 20,000 years. The ‘Room of the Cataclysm’ reaches the height of sixty metres, and is formed by the fusion of amazing stalagmites and stalactites. In the month of July the caves play host to the International Festival of Music and Dance, an event not to be missed!
It is possible to explore some of the chambers and caverns that are not yet open to the public by joining a speleological group, consisting of a maximum 10 people over the age of 14. No special physical skills are necessary.



Opening Dates and Times: July: Every day from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 16.00 to 20.00 . September-June: Every day from 10.00 Hrs to 14.00 and from 16.00 to 18.30 . The Caves are Situated 3 kilometres from the town centre and are well signposted.

Nerja Carnival

Hola buenos Dias, here is some information on Canival, it is a busy time here with the Carnival, fantastic costumes and floats and a superb atmosphere.
Here is the programme and dates for the carnival.

Friday from 6pm in Parque Verano Azul the children's fancy dress competition followed at 9.15 by the choosing of the Carnaval Nymph. Then at 10.30 the official introduction and the Carnaval song contest.

Saturday 2nd The Big Carnaval Parade starting at the Balcon de Europa 5pm and on to C/Pintada, C/Angustias, Plaza de la Ermita, Avda Castilla Perez, C/Jaen and on to the Parque Verano Azul for more music and dancing.


Sunday 3rd The Funeral of the Chanquete
Starting at Parque Verano Azul with screaming and wailing and accompanied by the official widow, the baby sardine will proceed along C/Jaen, Diputacion, C/Granada, Animas, C/Pintada and ending on Calahonda beach where it will be set on fire and put to sea.

A sort of Mardigras where people go to extraordinary lengths to dress up in costumes and make floats for the procession that starts around five pm Saturday.
Because the carnival is held in February (based around the date for shrove Tuesday and always the weekend before) the weather is not usually brilliant, but don't miss this and definitely bring your camera. There are competitions for the best float, best costumes and of course a Miss and Mr Nerja competition too

If you are popping along to the Carnival I am sure you will have a fantastic time.

Hasta luego.

Information on Torrox Costa

Hi everyone, today iam going to talk about Torrox.
Torrox Costa is situated in the east of the Costa del Sol between Nerja and Torre del Mar. Popular with ex-pats who have made their home here with the cosmopolitain mix of other europeans. The sandy beach here is ideal and there are plenty of beachfront restaurants and bars. There are the Roman remains of a necropolis and villa just west of the lighthouse.

If you venture back into the hills behind Torrox Costa you will come upon the whitewashed town of Torrox where you will still witness the typical Andalucian way of life.

For a touch of the tourist life you can try Torrox Costa, a resort only some some 4 kilometres (2 miles) from Torrox with beautiful beaches, promenade, restaurants, shops, night life, tennis courts

Torrox has a busy festive calendar all the year round, its most important festival being from October 4th and 8th. The Fiesta de las Migas takes place on the last Sunday before Christmas, a festival in which visitors to the town can sample this exquisite dish accompanied by a glass of wine from the area and music and dancing in the streets.

Hasta luego

Nerja at New year

Hola bueno tardes everone, and Feliz Ano Nuevo (Happy New Year) hope you had a nice time .
As with much of Spain a really fantastic time time to visit is New Years Eve.
Due to the better climate The event is held every year outside at the Balcon de Europa .

We left our house just before the bells and made our way to the Balcon de Europa with our bottle of cava and 12 grapes. When we got to the Balcon with about half an hour to spare it was busy but the atmosphere was friendly with people bring boxes with champagne, wich is shared around.

On the square there was a outside bar with everyone buying cava for the bells and also buy a party bags that contained various party things such as hats and streamers. There was also a stage with traditional Spanish singers and musicains. Everyone was dancing from kids to granparents all having a fabulous time.

At 12 o clock it part of the Spanish culture and tradtion when the churh bells rings out 12 chimes of the New Year you eat your grapes on the chimes with your cava, this is actually a lot harder to do than it sounds. There was also excellent fire work display at the Balcon .

The next day we went out for a walk to blow away some of the cob webs of the night before cava and everything else we had to drink when we noticed that the place was spotless the champagne bottles and streamers and glasses were quickly cleaned up. I think that every one that made it along to new year celebrations will agree that Nerja council put on a great show highly recomened .

Don’t forget to take a look at Snoozing Monkey’web site and selection of gifts and everything for you website.

Hasta aluego amegos.