La Familia

When I first entered into Julia’s household and met her family I quickly realised it was a closely knit unit but in no time at all I was accepted as part of that unit. Besides the fact that Julia’s grandmother … Continue reading
When I first entered into Julia’s household and met her family I quickly realised it was a closely knit unit but in no time at all I was accepted as part of that unit. Besides the fact that Julia’s grandmother … Continue reading
What is the most basic food you can think of? Well, bread is perhaps one of Europe’s most basic foodstuffs. And in Spain it is indeed something which has been central to daily life for centuries and even today is … Continue reading
Most of you Spain loving readers will know that the name Spain is derived from the Roman “Hispania”.. Where this apparently non-latin name came from is subject to discussion but one theory is that it was derived from the Phoenician … Continue reading
What have a man dressed in white tights looking like a strange lady, the Borgia Pope Alexander VI and my grandson got in common? It sounds a bit like some obscure joke but they really have or rather did have … Continue reading
The hooded man walked towards me looking through the eyelets in his hood. The glint in his eye was easy to make out but was he looking at me? It was slightly disturbing not being able to make direct eye … Continue reading
As she turned her face towards me I could see the girl was clearly crying. The reflection of the burning effigy flickering on her made up features. She was crying because the Fallas(Valencia’s principal fiestas to celebrate San Jose and … Continue reading
As strange as it may sound my Spanish mother in law has never been to school. Between the Civil War and the fact she had to cook for her father and his gang of agricultural labourers from the age of … Continue reading
As the shepherd made his way along the hilltop he could see the small village huddled down between the rocky mountains.Darkness was descending and the twinkling village lights made it easy for him to navigate his way down the … Continue reading
The idea of moving sheep(or cows) to greener pastures for better grazing is a concept that has been among shepherds the world over for thousands of years but here in Spain the “transhumancia”(the moving of sheep from one pasture grazing … Continue reading
A post from Julia this week: My best job has been being a mother and housewife. I was my own boss. I’ve have learned more, running my family, than in any other work place. For a lot of business women, … Continue reading