Just twenty minutes drive from the Albayzin is the lake at Beznar formed when a dam was built across the rivers Torrente and Ízbor as well as several streams running down from the western end of the Sierra Nevada.

A great place to picnic with large expanses of grass and very few people. There is also a chiringuito (bar) that serves drinks and you can hire kayaks and pedalos from €10/hour for a kayak and €15/hour for a four person pedal. It's a wonderful feeling to be out on the water in such a quiet environment with fantastic mountain views, and so close to the city.

In Spain secondary school runs from 12 - 16 years old, four years split into two cycles of two years. After this students can either leave school or opt for one of two paths: academic (choosing between four bachilleratos: Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities or Art) or practical (formación profesional) for a further two years. At the end of the this time, in the academic path, a series of external exams are taken (selectividad) which, together with the average of course work marks for the ten subjects studied, forms the basis for entry into university.

The curious element of this sytem is that it is based not as a percentage but as a mark out of fourteen, which is particularly strange given that the bachillerato course comprises ten subjects.

The travel magazine Viajar has just published an article entitled The 15 Most Beautiful Districts of Spain.

At Number 1 is the Albayzin in Granada.

One of the benefits of owning a property in Andalucía is enjoying the astoundingly vast and beautiful natural surroundings. From the seaside to the mountains, one can choose from such a vast collection of different routes and paths that getting lost in nature every so often becomes part of normal life. Often we come across new wonders by accident, but are the days of such accidental discoveries over?

While our parents and grandparents used to tackle excursions with nothing more than a map and their intuition, we have become increasingly more dependent on new technologies to do something so simple as getting from A to B. The arrival of GPS drastically changed the way we navigate the world, both figuratively and literally. In fact, scientists are now arguing that the excessive use of GPS is actually modifying our brain structure, making our hippocampus, the special place in the brain dedicated to special orientation, much smaller. Consequently, we are losing our natural orientation skills. When we force our brain to calibrate, identify landmarks and find our path, it expands its network of neurons and promotes connections between them. However, when we look at our GPS and just follow directions on Google Maps, the brain does not need to form those connections, and thus it loses its ability to form them in the future.

Spatial orientation, an intrinsic human ability that has allowed us to evolve over the years, is now in serious danger. It is a vicious circle: the more we use GPS, the more we damage our sense of direction, and the more we need to use it.

But it is not only our spatial ability that can be affected by the modern habit of following GPS directions. Because the hippocampus is also responsible for storing our memories, not training it properly can also lead to memory loss and an impairment of our mental abilities later in life. The brain, just like any other muscle in the body, needs to be trained periodically, and Google Maps is the equivalent of taking an elevator instead of using the stairs: convenient but not too good for our overall health.

Granada is one of the most beautiful cities in Andalusia. It combines a vibrant city full of life with astounding natural scenery of Sierra Nevada. It is one of the favourite places for expats looking for a property in the South of Spain to retire or to work remotely. However, even though the cultural heritage in the city is extremely well preserved, some of its urban natural resources have not been so well taken care of. This is the case of its principal river, the Genil.

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) 'Montevilla Chorreao' from the Granada municipality of Montefrío is the healthiest in the world for its composition in fatty acids, bisphenols and oleocanthal (a natural anti-inflammatory present in it that causes the sensation of itching in the throat when tasting it).

Or so the jury of the international competition The World Best Healthy EVOO 2021-2022 (The 10 Best EVOOs in the world), one of the most prestigious in the sector, in which EVOOs from all over the world participate, whose decision was recently announced.

Montevilla Chorreao oil, from the San Francisco de Asís de Montefrío cooperative, won the gold medal in the healthy composition category, along with others from Spain, Greece and Portugal.

We are often asked this question by clients intending to buy property in Andalucia. Very often it is because they have been asked to pay for "furniture" separately from the purchase of property and to do so in cash.

Firstly let's deal with how much cash you can bring into the country. Law 10/2010, of 28th April, on the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism limits the maximum amount of euros or equivalent in other currencies to €10.000 per person. Beyond this level each individual must make a declaration on entering or leaving. Obviously, if someone leaves with more than they enter, the supposition is that they must have earned/gained it while in the country, for which reason they may be liable to tax.

Secondly, within the territory of Spain there is a limit of €100.000 that may be moved in cash without need of declaring it.

Thirdly, in all transactions involving a professional (retailer, accountant, plumber etc.) there is a limit of €1.000 that may be paid in cash. This was established in Law 11/2021 of 9 July. Above this level, a bank transfer or credit card payment is necessary.

The Spanish long distance railroad network is known for its reliability and safety. Spaniards have embraced the train as one of the fastest and more convenient ways to move around the country. For Andalucía, the train is a vital infrastructure to ensure not only good connections with Madrid and Barcelona, the key business nodes in Spain, but also between the eight Andalusian provinces. Andalusia is the second biggest region in Spain by area. With 87,5 km2 and eight provinces, it has the largest population of any region in Spain, and thus it relies heavily on a strong train network.   

The first high velocity train route in Spain ran between Madrid and Seville. The AVE (which stands for Alta Velocidad Española, Spanish High-Velocity) was inaugurated shortly before the 1992 World Expo, held in Seville, Andalusia’s capital. It was a huge milestone for a country that was just recovering from an economic crisis, and wanted to show the world that it could get up to speed – both literally and figuratively. The route Madrid-Seville quickly became very popular and has already reached the milestone of 83 million passengers. 

Since then, Spain has been expanding its high-speed network which now extends to more than 4.300 kms, with a further 1.380 kms under construction, including seven routes in Andalucía. This positions Spain as the second country in the world in terms of a high-velocity train network. Only China has a more extensive network. 

There is another very popular train service in Spain, the AVANT, which is particularly useful for Andalusians. These trains, which are not as quick as the AVE but reach higher speeds than conventional trains, cover medium distances and Spaniards mainly use them for trips between neighbouring autonomous communities, or to travel to other provinces within the same region. 

The 34th edition of the annual International Tango Festival in Granada returns to Isabel la Católica Theatre next week. Fun fact: the festival has managed to run every year since the beginning of the pandemic. Not even Covid-19 has managed to silence tango it seems!

This year the festival kicks off with the opening event on Tuesday the 15th of March at Granada City Hall and continues with nightly shows at 21:00h in the above mentioned theatre from Wednesday the 16th through to Saturday the 19th and a final performance at 20:00h on Sunday the 20th of March. Tickets are on sale from 12 to 18 euros.

But Isabel la Católica Theatre is not the only place where you will find passion for tango this next week. There are a number of other events (some free and some paid) happening around the city.

Everybody has heard of tapas bars, most of us have eaten in them, they’re ubiquitous in many European countries. But what exactly is tapas? And where does it come from? 

According to the Real Academia Española, voice of authority on the Spanish language, a tapa, in this context, is a small portion of food served as an accompaniment to a drink, usually alcoholic, such as wine or beer. But where does the custom come from?

The origin is debatable. There are many versions as to how the custom started. Let’s look at a few of them. Before we do though, we should examine the meaning of the word tapa. 

 tapa = a cover (tapas is the plural)

tapar = to cover

Overlooking the Iznájar reservoir is the whitewashed town of Rute, dwarfed by the Sierra de Rute that looms above it. It is one of the gorgeous towns that forms part of the Subbética Region of Córdoba.

Rute, which comes from the word “Ruta" in Spanish or "Route" in English, came into existence as a result of Spanish soldiers passing through that area on their way to conquer Granada. However, it later become the site of the first "anis" factory and today it is best known for its manufacture of aguardiente de anís, an aniseed-flavoured liqueur, an industry that has been thriving here since the nineteenth century.

It is also known for its Spanish hams and its ever-increasing “oleoturismo”, olive oil tourism, allowing visitors to explore its oil presses, enjoy tastings of the liquid gold and visit thousand year old olive trees. Its mild climate in both summer and winter and its variation of landscapes, which allow a number of different types of olives such as Picuda, Hojiblanca y Picual to grow in the area, give identity to the region’s dishes and have earned it various international olive oil awards.

For nature lovers and those hoping to work up an appetite to later try the gastronomy of the area, the Sierra de Rute has peaks of over 1000m above sea level, a variety of flora and fauna and many beautiful routes to be enjoyed. It boasts waterfalls and streams at la Garganta del Río la Hoz, a spring and ruins of Rute El Viejo, a route to see thousand year old indigenous Encina trees, as well as being close to the the Vía Verde (the old olive railway that ran through the province). And if that’s not enough, Rute is found close to other exquisite towns such as Priego de Córdoba, Puente Genil and the stunning lake in Iznájar

If you’d like to learn more about this and other villages in the area of Córdoba, click here to visit our Exposure page:
https://anotherwayoflife.exposure.co/get-to-knownbsp-nbsp-nbsp-nbspla-subbetica-and-lake-iznajar

Here in Andalucia we have gone through the 6th wave of Covid-19 and are now steadily making a recovery. The Covid passports (certification of full vaccination) that were introduced as compulsory for entry into bars, restaurants, hospitals, health centres and so on from the 9th of December 2021 have been done away with from today, the 15th of February 2022.

While they didn’t do much to stop the spread of Covid, what with the extremely contagious Omnicron variant, they were fantastically successful in persuading resisting citizens to be vaccinated. In Granada, for example, 14.000 people have been vaccinated in the past two months, meaning that now 95% of the population over 12 has been vaccinated. In Andalucia, the number of unvaccinated people has dropped from 450.000 a 290.000. As the World Health Organisation has recently predicted, it looks like we are in for a period of calm as spring approaches.

According to statistics produced by Spain's INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas), by the end of 2021 more people were in employment than before the coronavirus pandemic started in March 2020.

During the year 2021 Spain created 841.000 jobs, the largest increase since 2005. At 20.184.900, there are now 4% more people actively employed than at the end of 2020. The good news is that this is not merely due to a reduction in the impact of Covid. At the end of last year Spain was in the grip of the sixth wave, which has been the worst in terms of infection rates, although not in the seriousness of symptoms. Evidence of the underlying strength of the economy is seen in that despite the continuing effect of Covid, the number of people employed is higher than at any time since 2008.

Running parallel to this increase in people actively employed is a structural change in employment contracts. Spain has two types of employment contract: indefinido or permanent and definido which are temporary, typically for six months. The use of definido contracts provides flexibility in the labour market but has traditionally been abused by employers to avoid employees accruing rights. The Spanish government has recently taken steps to limit this abuse and their action appears to be bearing fruit. In 2021 there was tremendous growth in indefinido contracts and a significant reduction in the number of definido contracts. This may also be a reflection of employers' confidence in the future of the economy.  

This past weekend the annual Andalusian Aerostation Festival took place in the province of Granada. Every year around this time sees the sky filled with hot air balloons over some exquisite Andalusian landscape. In recent years, the province of Granada has been a particular favourite for the festival, not only because of the breathtaking scenery that the Geopark of Granada offers, but also because it is considered to have some of the best weather conditions for ballooning in the world.

This year marked the 22nd edition of the Andalusian Aerostation Festival, in collaboration with the Andalusian Federation of Aerial Sports and Glovento Sur. However, it is not only a leisurely festival that is held each year! The festival also serves as the trials for the Hot Air Balloon Championship, with 14 Spanish teams competing this year.

The festival and championship took place from Friday 28th to Sunday 30th of January 2022. In total 4 events were planned. On Friday and Sunday, flights were scheduled to take place in the Geopark of Granada and Guadix, flying over dramatic landscapes like the desert of Los Coloraos in Gorafe (which we talk about in another article here). On Saturday, flights were leaving from the capital of Granada and La Vega of Granada, from San Miguel Alto.

Whether it is from above taking part in the flights or watching from below, be sure not to miss out on this hot air balloon event next year! To sign off, we leave you with a stunning picture of one of the hot air balloons flying over the Alhambra palace and fortress complex:

They’ve become nationally and internationally acclaimed for their intricately detailed and human-like puppets made of carved wood and silicone and performances accompanied by live orchestral music. They have innovated and adapted their shows for huge audiences by using ultra-violet lights to make the puppets more visible in huge sold-out performances in auditoriums like Manuel de Fallas that traditionally were thought inadequate for puppet theatre.

The tale of success of Granada’s Etcétera Puppet Theatre Company began with a twelve year old boy discovering his grandfather’s hand-carved puppet in a room in his parents’ house in Granada. Enrique Lanz’s keen interest in the craftsmanship of the wooden puppet and in his grandfather’s profession and past inspired him to found Etcétera a few years later in 1981 with Fabiola Garrido. To this day the puppet company still exists and thrives as one of the great reference points in the world of puppetry in Spain.

To mark their 40 years of success, the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones in Granada held a series of performances of Etcétera’s 'Soñando el festival de los animales’ from the 25th to the 28th of December 2021, a show coproduced in 2004 with the well-known Teatro de Liceo in Barcelona.

The puppet company has certainly moved around Granada. It started in the Casa de los Migueletes, in the lower Albaicín, later it moved to a large warehouse in the Vega of Granada and finally settled in Güéjar Sierra where it still remains to this day.

Their very first production, called ‘Sypnosis’, came about in 1985 and remained their star act for fourteen years. Interestingly enough, the name came about when a friend of Enrique’s, writer Antonio Muñoz Molina, suggested the title while enjoying an ice-cream together at Los Italianos, an adored ice-cream parlour and another age-old company that also continues to flourish today.

The city of Granada offers no shortage of options for adventures and enjoying nature. Anyone who has explored it even a little bit will know that Granada has a ski resort just behind it, cave houses in its very centre, the countryside a quick walk from almost anywhere in the city and beaches under an hour away.

However, did you know that the province of Granada is also home to its very own DESERT? Just over an hour away from the city of Granada and located between the regions of Guadix and Baza is an otherworldly landscape called el desierto de Gorafe.

Its breathtaking views, red earthy tones and spectacular rock formations have earned it nicknames such as the Grand Canyon of Spain and the Spanish Cappadocia, a reference to the magnificent region of Turkey where similar rock formations and cave houses have been the protagonists in many a dramatic landscape shot with hot air balloons dotting the sky above.

The exquisite landscape of Gorafe is divided into two different areas. Closest to the town of Gorafe is the Gorafe “Bad lands”, characterised by its ravines, large canyons and fairy chimneys, similar to those found in Turkey. The second area, Los Coloraos, with its reddish-coloured mountains and deep canyons, reminds the visitor of the Grand Canyon of Colorado.

As you can imagine, the immense silence of the place lends itself to reflection. Although its a desert, Gorafe is also home to a vast array of flora and fauna, with more than 100 species of birds known to soar through these parts. Nature lovers will be happy to know that it is possible to hike through the area. If you would like to do a walk, take a look at this easy route: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/badland-de-gorafe-44269446

 Andalusia, and Granada province in particular, is well known for its beautiful dark grey and white cobblestone patios and squares. It is an age-old custom that can still be appreciated today walking through the streets of many of the towns and cities of Andalusia.

It is rewarding to see that the tradition still lives on. Public squares are often revived and rebuilt in this traditional way using designs that haven't changed for centuries or new designs from the fertile minds of master stone layers. The desire for such traditional paving is not restricted to public spaces. Proud owners of carmens and new houses sometimes incur the expense of laying out their patio in thsi way. One of our new properties, currently under construction, had a new cobblestone patio laid down this past week. 

Speaking to the men laying the stones we were told that the white stones are sourced from rivers and the flat black or dark grey stones are from the beach. These darker stones are more difficult to obtain as there are now restrictions on the quantity that can be "harvested". The extent to which this type of work is still appreciated today is evidenced by the fact that their company only does this type of work and there is no shortage of clients. They travel all over Andalusia, and even outside Spain, to perform this skilful task.

There is a great varietyof design. In Granada it is common to see the shapes of pomegranates (the fruit from which Granada derives its name: granado in Spanish), leaves and flowers inlaid into the pavement, although there is really no limit to the plethora of geometric shapes, animals and objects that can be found.

 According to recent press reports, by December 23, 202,  85% of the population of Granada province, excluding the under 5's and the  5 - 11 age group whose vaccination programme started in early December, have now received a double dose of vaccine. 

Interestingly, since December 10, 2021 when the Junta de Andalucia announced that a double vaccine passport would be required for entry into bars, restaurants and other indoor events, 7.300 more people have received a first vaccination. Far more effective than compulsory vaccination, which is controversial and risks resistance, is to restrict entry to the pub! There has been little negative public reaction to the measure.

The lack of public resistance to vaccination, together with the continued compulsory wearing of masks in any indoor situation, has so far prevented Spain's health system from suffering an overload to the same degree as many other countries. Although mask wearing in the street has not been obligatory since July 2021, anecdotally around 80% of people in the cities have continued to do so. And, although outdoor sporting events have taken place without restriction in numbers, it has been compulsory to wear a mask throughout the game.  

The Ministry of Health announced today, December 29, 2021, a reduction of the period of isolation for those who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive, from 10 days to 7 days. There is pressure from the autonomous regions to reduce this to 5 days as, nationwide, 90% of all Spanish residents have now been double vaccinated and 80% of those over 80 have received a booster dose. Currently anyone over 58 can receive a booster, often at walk-in clinics with no appointment necessary.

As of today's date, nationally 1 in every 12 hospital beds is occupied with a covid patient. Here in Andalucia it is 1 in every 16.

Here in Granada we live a privileged lifestyle. Hot summers, cold winters, with sunshine for over 300 days. The photos above were taken on December 4, 2021 and, as you can see, all ages could enjoy bright sunshine while eating on restaurant and cafe terraces.

The photo on the left was taken in the Plaza de la Romanilla, near the Federico Garcia Lorca centre and the one on the right in Calle Nevot, behind the City Hall and one of the most popular streets with residents and tourists alike to have lunch or dinner. At week-ends Calle Nevot is thronged with people at all times of the year.