A love letter to culture, responsible tourism and slow travel
If there is one country I am familiar with, then it would have to be Spain. From the white villages of Andalucia to the bigger cities of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, it’s a country I have visited over and over again. But there are still many corners I haven’t discovered Continue Reading
“This one here is perfectly ripe” says Nadine. “Just look out for the little insects inside” We are taking the 4 dogs out for a walk along the ramblas of the Sierra de la Muela when we stop to taste some of the wild figs scattered around the mountain paths. Continue Reading
Andalucía: a place where the sounds of guitar and flamenco still resonate, a region where the corrida (bull fighting) agitates the spirits and where the numerous religious fiestas and the Semana Santa celebrations create a never ending vibrant atmosphere. But behind these clichés lies a lesser known Andalucía. In the Continue Reading
“You’re going to Mallorca? You? Really?” That’s the reaction I got from most of my friends. Can’t blame them really. I usually tend to go for more adventurous or exotic locations than that, but sometimes a girl is simply in need of some summer sun. A cheap flight gave me Continue Reading
Tears are welling up behind my dark sunglasses. Around me people are waving white handkerchiefs and the encouraging “olés” can be heard all over La Glorieta. I knew I shouldn’t have come… What was I thinking? It all started the day before, when travelling from León to Salamanca. In the Continue Reading
“Tenerife? Isn’t that the place where thousands of British pensioners flock together to bake in the sun?” I am not going to spend one week in Tenerife eating fish and chips and listening to Brits moaning about the heat!” That was my first, not so enthusiastic reaction, when my travel partner Continue Reading
“Cádiz…the early morning hours, the air filled with the smell of salt.” (Niña Pastori) The lyrics sung by Cádiz’ native Niña Pastori perfectly illustrate the feelings I have for this southern Spanish city. Feelings of hot summers, feelings of yearning, feelings of a long lost love…I had the chance to Continue Reading
This looks good, what is it?” I ask the waiter in front of me. The answer gets lost somewhere between my limited understanding of Spanish and his strong Andalusian accent. It doesn’t matter really, I’m not even hungry. Seeing the perfectly displayed tapas in front of me, a glass of Continue Reading
I am standing on the walls of the Guzmán El Bueno Castle. Below me are the blue waters of the Mediterranean and in the distance I can spot the lights of Tangier, Morocco. I have arrived in Tarifa, Spain, at the southernmost point of the European continent, the place where Continue Reading
The sound of the rattling metal balls and chains is disturbingly lugubrious as the penitents walk barefoot on the cobbled streets of Ronda. I am on a trip to southern Spain, attending one of its most vivid traditions and most popular celebrations: the Semana Santa in Andalucia. Tonight is the Continue Reading