NEW CHALLENGE: One trip EVERY month

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Marianne under Challenges

Many people told me they were inspired by My Travel Reflections on 2013, when I described trips I had taken, month by month, during the past year.

It got me thinking that we all have places we’ve been meaning to visit somewhere, often locally, but for some reason or another, that trip has never happened. Maybe it’s slipped our minds, or the next time we’ve been in the area we’ve been too busy to visit or had visitors with us.

I’m not just talking about trips to other continents, countries or even regions. A local trip can be just as exciting. How about the little museum that people keep mentioning? Or the park you keep forgetting to take your picnic to?

Well, no more excuses!

Next time you think of that place you’ve been meaning to go to – get out a pen and paper, make a list and resolve to go and visit them in 2014.

How about we make the effort to take ONE TRIP EVERY MONTH and then tell each other all about it?

If you’d like to join me, here’s how:

Each month, visit somewhere and then write about your trip or describe it using photographs – whichever suits you best.
Don´t forget to title and tag your entry ’One Trip EVERY Month Challenge’, and link back to this page.
Display the Challenge logo on your post or in your sidebar.
HAVE FUN!

Are you ready to join me by taking ONE TRIP EVERY MONTH? What are you waiting for?

GO!

Have you participated in this month’s CBBH Photo Challenge yet? The theme is STREET ART

My Travel Reflections on 2013

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Marianne under Places

JANUARY: I kicked off the year by fulfilling one of my long awaited “Bucket List” dreams – to see the New Year fireworks over Sydney Harbour, Australia! If you want to see what I saw, click HERE!

FEBRUARY: By now, I had moved on to New Zealand. This is the view from Mt. Paku, a twin-coned volcanic peak dominating the head of Tairua Harbour on the east coast of the Coromandel peninsula, New Zealand. See what I saw by clicking HERE.

MARCH: If you had been in my shoes, you would have been in Melbourne, Australia, sitting by the Yarra River. I was there for the opening race of the Formula One motor-racing season – well I am a petrol-head! Join me for a look around beautiful Melbourne, HERE.

APRIL: Time to head home to the white, mountain village of Cómpeta, east of Málaga. Behind the village you can see the highest mountain in this part of the world, Mount Maroma. Let me show you around the village, HERE.

MAY: My birthday treat was a few days away in Seville, the fourth largest city in Spain and capital of Andalucía. Seville is well known for religious festivals, flamenco, world-class tapas and sherry drinking, but did you know that the tomb of Christopher Columbus is inside Seville Cathedral? See the city for yourself, HERE.

JUNE: Whenever we have visitors come to stay, I always take them to the pretty, white village of Frigiliana. If you watch THIS VIDEO of the village, you can practice your Spanish, too!

JULY: Situated in Jaen province, Andalucía and crammed full of Renaissance architecture, the towns of Baeza and Úbeda celebrated the 10th anniversary of being granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The towns offered a special accommodation deal over a ten day period of only 10 euros per person each night. How could I resist?! To see what you missed, look HERE.

AUGUST: This is the month of the Málaga Fair – and OH BOY – the city sure knows how to party! In the above photo you can see the elegant pedestrianised shopping street of Calle Marqués de Larios transformed into a huge party venue, full of people dressed up, dancing and having fun! Watch the video and join in the fun HERE.

SEPTEMBER: A trip to the nearby town of Nerja happens every month, and it’s always a pleasure to stroll along the scenic promenade adorned with palm trees and exotic plants to the Balcón de Europa. Indeed, in a few days I will be seeing in the New Year 2014 in this very place. If you want to see more of Nerja, click HERE.

OCTOBER: Porto, the vineyards of the Douro Valley and Lisbon, Portugal were my destinations in October. Even though the weather was showery for most of the time, there were plenty of places to get out of the way and enjoy the cakes! Here you can see one of the iconic Lisbon trams. There’s an introduction to Portugal, HERE.

NOVEMBER: At the end of the month, I began a 16 day trip to the German Christmas markets (another Bucket List dream) as well as to Prague in the Czech Republic and Budapest, Hungary. First stop was Nuremberg for the Christkindlesmarkt, the oldest of the German Christmas markets. If you’d like a stroll around the market with me, click HERE.

DECEMBER: My final destination of the year allowed me to cross off my third Bucket List item this year – Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. As the train from Munich got nearer to Fussen, snow began to appear – making for a picture-perfect scene. I couldn’t have wished for a more wonderful day! I hope you will join me HERE to learn more about the structure on which Walt Disney modelled his fairy-tale castle.

Where have you been this year? Where are you hoping to go in 2014? Do you have a “Bucket List”?

How to get three-times the benefit from your log fire

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Marianne under Axarquía

Contrary to popular belief – YES, it does get cold here in sunny Spain in winter!

Don’t get me wrong – even in the depths of February we usually have sunny days with blue skies, but as soon as the sun begins to drop behind the nearest hillside, it’s time to change into jeans and thick socks ready for the cold evenings and nights. By European standards, the temperature doesn’t drop very low (around 6 Celsius) – after all, that’s one of the main reasons we moved here from England’s perishing winters, but it surely feels cold.

Houses around here are built to keep out the warmth of the sun during the long, hot summer months rather than for keeping warm in winter. Village houses are built close together (causing shade), and with small windows. More modern houses, like ours. might have patio doors and larger windows, with insulation in the walls – but we still have tiled floors rather than carpeted ones and inadequate heating (by UK standards).

Fortunately, on our land we have 47 almond trees, which come in handy when pruning time comes around during the autumn months. Branches here and there are selected for firewood – after which I send my hubby out with the saw.

Here cometh the first benefit!

On another day, the branches need chopping into smaller logs to fit in the fireplace, before being stacked in a dry place.

Thus comes the second benefit of the log fire – and still without a match being lit. (Well, my hubby certainly always leaves me in no doubt how warm he gets whilst sawing, chopping and stacking!)

Later follows the third, warming benefit ….. and the bit I like best – the log fire!

See how much better warming value we get, rather than telephoning a local supplier for yet another load of logs to be delivered.

WHAT???

Do you have a log fire and do you get such good value from yours?

Other posts you might enjoy:

The Green, Green Vegetables of Home

East of Málaga: The Weather in Winter

Chickpea and chorizo soup with smoky paprika bread

Ski-ing in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Granada, Spain

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Marianne under Places

Image credit: Javier Martin (Wikipaedia CC)

The 2013-2014 winter season opens tomorrow, November 23rd, at the Sierra Nevada Ski Station in the province of Granada, Spain.

The Sierra Nevada (snowy mountain) is Europe’s most southerly and sunniest ski resort with more than 80% of sunny days each year. There are more than 104 kilometres of trails, 116 ski runs and 22 ski lifts to ensure you enjoy the biggest snow park in Spain!

The lower end of the resort village, Pradollano, lies 2100 metres above sea level with the top station at 3300m.

The Sierra Nevada Ski Station also boasts the greatest skiable vertical drop in Spain at 1200 metres.

The resort is situated 27 kilometres from the city of Granada and, with ski-ing available from late November to early May, it’s possible to enjoy ski-ing and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea (only 100 kilometres away) on the same day.

Now there’s a challenge for you!

Where’s your favourite ski resort?

Related articles:

Project Piste 2 Playa: Granada’s Ultimate Day-trip

Classic Andalucía: La Alhambra, Granada

The Alhambra Palace, Granada

Let’s Talk About Tapas: Boquerones

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Marianne under Axarquía, Recipes

Last month, I started a new feature called Let’s Talk About Tapas, when I gave you a general overview of what to expect if you want to eat tapas in Spain.

Each month I will be telling you about different tapas, and often I will include a recipe so you can make them at home for yourself.

So, what are tapas and how did they originate?

Well, it’s thought that originally in the wine-making regions of Andalucía, a cover in the form of a small plate or lid was placed over glasses of wine to keep fruit flies away. Titbits of food were later placed on the lid to be eaten with the wine. Remember too, that the word “tapar” in Spanish means “to cover”, which is where we get the word “tapas” from.

Let’s get started with one of my favourite tapas – Boquerones en vinagre (anchovies in vinegar).

You can buy boquerones from fish merchants or any supermarket with a fish counter such as Mercadona, where a kilo costs around €3.

They are not very difficult to prepare and are absolutely delicious! When we first arrived to live in Spain and rented a house for the first twelve months in Frigiliana, my Spanish next door neighbour showed me how she prepared them.

First you need to head and gut the fish. Do this by holding each fish using two hands – with the tail in one hand and the head in the other. Squeeze behind the head and pull it off. Split open the fish with your fingers and take out the guts, backbone and pull off tail.

Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear and place the filleted fish white-side up into dish.

Sprinkle with salt and cover with white wine vinegar. Depending on how many fish you have, you can arrange them into layers – making sure you perform this same task with each layer. The top layer of fish needs to be covered with vinegar.

The boquerones will start to turn white almost immediately as they “cook” in the vinegar.

I usually cover the dish with clingfilm and pop it into the fridge overnight to marinade.

Next morning, drain the salty vinegar away and cover the boquerones with extra-virgin olive oil, lots of chopped garlic and a little freshly chopped parsley – and by lunchtime they will be ready to eat with freshly baked bread. 

Eat your boquerones with a glass of chilled white wine or manzanilla (dry fino sherry).

What are your favourite tapas?

Whilst you’re here, you might also enjoy:

Let’s talk about tapas, shall we?

Spanish Omelette: Tortilla Española

A Celebration of Fried Breadcrumbs

East of Málaga

Tales from the AUTHENTIC Costa del Sol …. and beyond

Tag Archives: lifestyle