"Mañana" - The Andalucia Guide & Diary

Ruta de otoño - La Serrania de Ronda & Genal Valley, Malaga

The chestnut forests of the Serrania de Ronda and Genal Valley, punctuated by tiny pueblos blancos, are amongst the best places to enjoy an autumn weekend in Malaga province. 
Most of the province is a mix of pines, evergreen oaks, eucalyptus trees and North African palms on the coast, so there´s not exactly an autumnal feel to the place at this time of year.  Yet head out south west of Ronda, you´re greeted by the golds, reds and browns of a warm autumn scene.

The villages of the area reflect a strong moorish past; most of the church towers betray the original minaret architecture and the village houses are squat and tightly packed together in narrow streets. 
Each pueblo has a name that looks back to a different millennium when this area was still arabic. Now in the 21st Century, most remain tranquil, offering a authentic glimpse of Southern Spanish country life.

Head to the Benarraba and you´ll find the Hotel Rural Banu Rabbah, perched on outcrop of rock offering a privileged view across the Valle de Genal.  Eat in the informal Restaurant, Kabilas, and one can enjoy home made, organic food - the place is part of the "ruta gastronomica de cocina tradicional Malaguena".

Taking the winding lanes, cut into mountainsides, you can discover more of these ancient villages, like Cartajima, in the heart of the castanos forests
- I love walking the village streets; there is something fascinating for me about the designs of the old windows
and doors and the textures of the aging roof tiles. 

 
 

(if you are reading this on FaceBook or Plaxo, it's being syndicated from my blog at www.andaluciadiary.com  - you can find more pictures and info about Andalucia there)

Robert Mapplethorpe at the CAC, Malaga - 11th sept - 15th Nov

With Malaga just 40 mins away, it's great just to get an urban fix now & then. We went to see the Mapplethorpe exhibit at the CAC (Centro de Art Contemporaneo).

Some cool stuff, plus pieces you just want to giggle at.  They're a progressive bunch there at the CAC and this was the first time Mapplethorpe had been exhibited in Andalucia!
Malaga is really working at its candidature for European City of Culture 2016.
On the way over to the gallery I passed some old, period buildings ( here uses to be mechants offices, then lawyers offices and now they are being renovated) and in the afternoon light they look like a scene out of Cuba. 

(if you read this on FaceBook or Plaxo, it's being syndicated from my blog at www.andaluciadiary.com )

Summer still going strong

Spent the public holiday chilling - had lunch on paseo, San Pedro beach. 
Great to see people enjoying the great weather. In fact it was a very active scene with people playing volley ball
and jogging (bumped into Masha Malka and her husband with their personal trainer too!) Along the paseo the town hall have out in exercise machines so you can do your training on the beach.

Ronda to Tolox - the 4 x 4 way

Driving home today was an adventure. I took my tonka toy style 4 x 4 truck from Ronda to Tolox without using a single road! 
Amazing, cut into the mountainside, across the Sierra de las Nieves natural park, are a network of tracks that cover hundreds of kilometres.
It was over 40 km from Torrecilla to Tolox and it took in some superb vistas from some an exceptionally privelidged view point. After a day of serious hiking, it was a luxury to cruise in style in my gas gussler and take in the views without getting any blisters or sunburn.

The routes are really well maintained - and as we were driving through we saw environment department staff maintaining the forests minimising fire rosk - looks like Andalucia is no longer taking it natural environment for granted.

We ended up in Tolox and joined the normal road at the Amargosa Spa / Balnario
- the spa health resort dating back to the last century. The natural, mineral spa waters are collected and given to clients as steam and baths...it's that whole sulphorous, magnesium thing goin' on...

Conquering La Torrecilla, Sierra de las Nieves - 3 years in the waiting

Well, didn’t make it to Sierra Nevada in the end – instead we climbed to the very top of Torrecilla, the highest peak in Sierra de las Nieves – over 8 hours!
The Sierra Nevada trip was going to involve staying the night in a cave and I thought we stopped doing that a few millions years back! Returning to the heart of the Sierra de las Nieves, it was great to see that the Junta de Andalucia has really improved the signage for the routes in the area.
I recalled how the last time we attempted to reach the summit, we failed as we took a wrong turn and lost valuable time and only managed the first stage (October 15, 2006). This time we arrived early...in fact when we drove up to the park entrance, right in the middle of the road was a pair of wild boar - black beasts with little tusks and they had such a muscular stance on the road, but then quickly legged it into the undergrowth.

It was also really rewarding to see some major investment in protecting the rare plant life including the Pinsapo tree – a sort of dinosaur tree that has supposedly stopped evolving and is therefore super rare. In fact as well as these compact spruce there are some amazing ancient pines
and cedars that hug the mountainside as you climb. 
The going is pretty tough and steep in places, but there are superb views across to Ronda and beyond and as you get higher, to Gibraltar
and the Costa del Sol from the other side. Plus overhead, at this height you are almost guaranteed to see vultures and golden eagles as well as more common Jays and Black Wheatears amongst the oaks below.

There are plenty of places to stop, take in the view and catch your breath.
but don’t be tempted to eat too much until you’ve made it to the summit, as the last bit is really steep and demanding and with a full stomach it would be impossible!

It was a great feeling to make it and place a stone at the summit. Once down at the bottom we have coffee and cake!  But I realised I had really caught the sun.
It’s a good 3 – 4 hours going up plus the same coming down, so you’re out for over 8 hours.  

We got back to the car before sunset and headed for a small hostel/hotel in Juzcar and had a few drinks and some great home-cooked food. I don’t think I’m happier than when I am on one of my tree-hugging days out!

XAVIERA HOLLANDER PRESENTS: TALLULAH AND THE BOY - 23, 24 & 25th October

That's the crazy thing about living here on the coast - when you are invited to something you never quite know who you're going to meet or how things are going to turn out. Yesterday was just like that - I joined some friends for a buffet lunch in the sun to meet  Xaviera Hollander,
who is promoting her new Home Theatre Shows.  What a great day.  It was fascinating to meet Xaviera, who found fame in the sixties with the "The Happy Hooker", dominating the sexual revoluation of that time and has since lived a rich and varied life as author, theatre producer & celebrity. She is now dedicating time, energy and plenty of charisma to promoting live theatre here.  She was recently at The Marbella Film Festival.

In just over a week, you can enjoy, "TALLULAH AND THE BOY" (Oct 23- 25th) at Xaviera Hollander's new, cozy Home Theatre: Villa Caprice, Calle Pizarra 184 , Rocio de Nagueles, Marbella.
Tickets are 25 euros and include drinks and on the Sunday night you can enjoy dinner too.More info below :

No- not THAT Tallulah... although you might think this one is the reincarnation of the screen siren whose career and life were legendary... Tallulah Bankhead was outrageous, talented, outspoken,sizzling, sensational!

Our Tallulah, a.k.a. Claire Wilkinson, shares those attributes and is also a cabaret performer: energetic, vibrant, brilliant, electric! Together with Warren Webley, a.k.a. The Boy, they are Tallulah and The Boy and offer up a dazzling and unique show with songs from the 30’s, 40's,

Sondheim and Kurt Weil…everything one could want in an evening of singing entertainment!

What the press says about their show:

 'An evening with a touch of theatre about it.’ ‘A blast from the past’, ‘a touch of New York’, 'The costumes, hat changes, hairstyles all adding to the glamour and theatricality.’ ‘A singing actress with great emotion’, ‘something that’s been missing along the coast’

 

TALLULAH AND THE BOY

 presented for your entertainment at Xaviera Hollander's brand new, cozy Home Theatre Caprice, Calle Pizarra 184 , Rocio de Nagueles, Marbella

 

•FRIDAY October 23, 9 p.m. Price per person euro 25

•SATURDAY October 24, 9 p.m. Price per person euro 25

• SUNDAY October 25, 8:30 p.m. SPECIAL DINNER SHOW Price per person euro 50

Before the show, enjoy a tasty meal prepared by Xaviera's husband and Chef Philip:the appetizer and main course, immediately followed by Part I of Tallulah and the Boy.

During intermission, a scrumptious desert will be served, followed by Part II of the show

 

                 Two free drinks are included in the price of each show!

 

FOR TICKETS AND DIRECTION CONTACT : XAVIERA AT 952857575, 671190712 or 635011111

or email Xaviera at xie@xavierahollander.com

www.xavierahollander.com/tallulah-dahling

We can even arrange transportation from Marbella town

to the theatre in Rocio de Nagueles.

 

SONGS FROM TALLULAH AND THE BOY:

I’m Just A Girl Who Cant Say NO! written by Richard Rodgers

Autumn Leaves… sung in French...lyrics by Jacques Prevert

I Won't Dance….(duet with The Boy)Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein

Men....written by Charles Strouse……. from the stage show Nick and Nora

Mira Che Luna…(in Spanish) written by G. Malini

I Won't Send Roses….(duet with The Boy)..written by Jerry Herman

You’re Getting to Be A Habit With Me…. music by Harry Warren

Speak Low, Surabaya Johnny, My Ship, One Life To Live - all music written by Kurt Weill

I Never Do Anything Twice, Could I Leave You?, I Hate Men, Send In The Clowns,

Losing my mind and Everything's Coming Up Roses - all music written by Sondheim

It's a Blue World…..30's number…by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright

Every Time We Say Goodbye….Cole Porter

Lady is a Tramp….well known number sung by Frank Sinatra

 On A Clear Day…Alan J Lerner

or please visit the theatre website at http://www.xavierahollander.com/tallulah-dahling 

La Mairena to Ojen - for tree huggers

So, summer seems to have returned! Yesterday had to be a beach day, but today, it was "a warm-up" hike, getting ready for tomorrow's expedition to Sierra Nevada. 
We went from La Mairena through the forests of pine,eucalyptus and chestnut trees, onto Ojen.
We finally ended up in Monda searching some refreshement.

Despite being Oct, it was high 20s and a cold beer and a tapa of manchego cheese was the order of the day. Just to the left of the path going up to the main square in Monda, I found this delapidated electricity sub station from the ´40s or '50s.

Sadly these buildings are being lost to developers wanting to build characterless apartment blocks.

Discovering new "rincones" of Ronda

Having a Rondeño partner means that by ex-pat standards I know the town better than most - yet each time I go I still discover a little more. Before a saturday family lunch of tapas & seafood, Rafa & I walked around the old town and visited the "Casa del Gigante", that despite its name is rather bijou. 

Taking its name from the ancient 7th century sculpture of a giant Hercules that decorated the entrance of the property for hundreds of years. The small palace reminds us when Ronda was an arabic stronghold, with thriving moorish medina, elegant baths and numerous mosques.

Ronda - from the gloriously kitch and dramatic cinematic shorts, "Andalucia es de cine"  - now available on DVD in English and Spanish.

Zahara de los Atunes - sunday lunch in the Chiringuito

September brings with it fresher Poniente winds & clearer skies. The beaches are emptier and it's when us locals get to enjoy the coast the most!

Zahara, with its beautiful coves and fancy hilltop homes is best known for its fish.  Sadly, international demand for the local tuna, especially from Japan has made the industry a victim of its own success, with an inevitable fishing ban coming into forces soon to protect stocks- and I can understand why, as the tune here is superb.

But, you can also make the more sustainable choice of sardines - fantastic, fresh from the beachside BBQ.

Barbate - from the gloriously kitch and dramatic cinematic shorts, "Andalucia es de cine" - now available on DVD in English and Spanish.

Weekend in Seville

Saturday night in an Andalucian city has a New Year’s Eve feel about it and that’s certainly true in Seville, the regional Capital.

Home to more than just the political and economic hub of Andalucia, the city is a great place to really feel the energy of life here. I love the fact that the place is just so vibrant – always people out in the neighbourhoods enjoying themselves – everyone from old folk on benches or looking down to balconies to clubbers.

We spent the evening in the Alameda de Hercules district of Seville. Once a forgotten area, it’s now the heart of much of the urban social scene, thanks for the gay and mixed bars that have added renewed energy to the barrio.

Restored elegant Sevillana mansions sit side by side with 60s blocks of flats with balconies crowded with paraphernalia. The Plaza is packed with people throughout the day until well into the night;  kids, families, boho types and of course the toned and muscled boys that sparked the interest in the area a few years ago all sharing the area. Despite the clichéd sites tailored to all the tourists, there’s plenty to see here by exploring the real neighborhoods.

Below is the Seville episode from the audio visual encycopedia of Andalucia - "Andalucia es de cine" - short movies commissions by Andalucia´s Canal Sur TV as cinematic postcards between programmes - now available on DVD in English and Spanish. They´re narrated by Juan Luis Galiardo, against a soundtrack featuring Holst - The Planets - gloriously kitch and dramatic, (the English version has a voice over by Robin Ellis, who can´t quite match the "40-a-day" gravelly depth of our Juan.