Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

We normally spend Christmas in Germany, but this year, we shall be staying at home in Spain. I was "home alone" last Christmas - "de Rodriguez" - in order to look after our newly acquired baby kitten, Paulinchen, but it's more usual for us to be in the frozen and snowy north.

    [deutschland.de]

So, how's it looking?

We had our first Christmas Party of 2025 on December 10th at Restaurante Manovra in Cala de Mijas on the Costa del Sol. It was  the annual get-together of the Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol (Costa Press Club) of which I am a member.

We enjoyed a "Secret Santa" and a "Christmas Quiz", as well as great "bantz" (banter) and delicious food.

[photo courtesy of www.help-me-ronda.com]    

On Christmas Day (Dia de Navidad) we  have booked for lunch  at "Frank's", better known as El Muelle de Arriate.

Consistently in Trip Advisor's top three restaurants in the area, this has been one of our favourite places to eat over the years (18 and counting .....).

[Photo: Karl Smallman, Secret Serrania]    

A three-course meal with wine included at 68 euros per person is not cheap, but we know it will be good value. Dutchman Frank Röttgering knows what he's doing. He has mastered the "trick" of appealing to a foreign clientele, as well as to well-heeled Spaniards (Frank is somewhat of a polyglot, speaking English, French, German, Spanish and, of course, his native Dutch).

On December 27th we have been invited to what we British would call a "house-warming party" (Sp: fiesta de inauguracion de la casa; Ger: Einweihungsparty) in Montejaque, where we both have good connections (we lived there together for three years and own two village houses in the Old Part of the village).

The hosts of the party are Kryszta from Hungary and Karl, a German, who recently bought a house two doors down from Rita's.

[Image by THE FIRE WIRE]    

The pair have already visited us at our home in Ronda for Kaffee mit Kuchen and I've been helping them with translation and administrative and other matters.

On New Year's Eve (Noche Vieja) we have booked for a menu de degustacion (tasting menu) at Restaurante La Cascada at the Hotel Molino del Puente, Ronda.

At 100 euros per head that's expensive, but, hey! It's fiesta time!

We are regular diners here and know the quality of their food.

Ian and Elaine, the owners, take care of "front of house" and son-in-law Tom is the chef. It all runs like clock-work.

The advantage for us, is that we live 50 metres away, so no parking charges and no risk of being breathalysed!

[Turismo de Ronda]    

Other activities

We may also eat at Las Maravillas, Miyagi Express, or Sensur (all Ronda), places we know and love.

We also want to try out Ronda's only Indian Restaurant, the recently opened Bombay Spice.

    [Facebook]

If it re-opens in time, the under-new-management Ronda Valley Hotel, would also be on our list.

There are also theatre options, concerts, art exhibitions, Christmas markets and, weather permitting, street parades.

Plus pantomime, zambomba, films and much, much more.

[Portal Tematico de la Serrania de Ronda]    

Interesting links

Bars and Restaurants at or near railway stations in the Serrania de Ronda - Help me, Ronda

Christmas in Spain

Christmas Parties in Spain 2024

Christmas Tour of Deutschland Part 1 - From Malaga to Hamburg, Uetersen and Dresden

Christmas Tour of Deutschland Part 2 – Dresden I

"DINNER FOR ONE" - Ein Silvesterphänomen

Foreign Journalists Celebrate their Christmas Party

Something old, something new ...

© Pablo de Ronda

Pictures:

deutschland.de, Facebook, Karl Smallman, Portal Tematico de la Serrania de Ronda, Secret Serrania, THE FIRE  WIRE, Turismo de  Ronda

Restaurants:

Bombay Spice, Ronda    (5) Bombay Spice | Facebook

El Muelle de Arriate, Arriate    El Muelle de Arriate – Restaurant

La Cascada, Fuente de La Higuera, Ronda    Menú del restaurante: Restaurante La Cascada en Hotel de Ronda HMDP

Las Maravillas, Ronda    Restaurante Las Maravillas, en Ronda

Miyagi Express, Ronda    El mejor sushi de Ronda, al mejor precio

Restaurante Manovra, Cala de Mijas    (5) Facebook

Ronda Valley Hotel, Fuente de La Higuera, Ronda    HOTEL RONDA VALLEY: opiniones, comparación de precios 2025

Sensur, Ronda    Una experiencia gastronómica en el corazón de Ronda - SENSUR GASTROBAR

Thanks:

Karl Smallman, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serrania, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com

Tags:

AfD, art exhibitions, Bombay Spice, Cala de Mijas, Christmas Day, Christmas markets, "Christmas Quiz", Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol, concerts, Costa Press Club, "de Rodriguez", Dia de Navidad, "Dinner for One", Dresden, Einweihungsparty, El Muelle de Arriate, fiesta de inauguracion de la casa, films, Frank Röttgering, Frank's, "home alone", Hotel Molino del Puente, "house-warming party", Hungary, Indian Restaurant, Kaffee mit Kuchen, Karl, Karl Smallman, Kryszta, La Cascada, Las Maravillas, menu de degustacion, Miyagi Express, Montejaque, New Year's Eve, Noche Vieja, pantomime, Paulinchen, Ronda, Portal Tematico de la Serrania de Ronda, "Secret Santa", Secret Serrania, Sensur, street parades, tasting menu, theatre, THE FIRE  WIRE, Turismo de  Ronda, Wikipedia, zambomba,

I was on the coast in Cala de Mijas and picked up a copy of the EWN, the free paper that never gets up to Ronda, where I live.

No great loss, as it was always a terrible paper, with few journalistic aspirations or intentions.

[EWN]    
 

The owners, the Eusdens, are business people, not Press folk, and the vitriolic, racist, sexist and foul-mouthed Leapy Lea, failed English pop singer, acquired a 'gig' as a regular columnist.

But .....

I was pleasantly surprised with this latest edition, published today!

Gone are the poorly written, badly researched, sensationalist news stories of old.

And Leapy Lea was reasonable and measured! I nearly fell off my chair!

Do you think he's had 'his collar felt' by 'The Old Bill'?

I'd heard on the grapevine that if Lea were to return to the UK he would be arrested for expressing in writing his extreme right wing views.

Leapy Lea nowadays [Amazon]    

Good to see these changes for the better ..... but, will they last?!

© Paul Whitelock

Photos:

Amazon, EWN, Euro Weekly News,  

Thanks:

Costa Press Club, Euro Weekly News, Wikipedia

Tags:

Cala de Mijas, columnist, Eusden, EWN, failed English pop singer, free paper, Leapy Lea, Ronda, 'The Old Bill', 

The Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol (Costa Press Club) celebrated its Christmas Party last night, 10th December.

This group of  foreign journalists and media people, who are based in the wider Malaga, Marbella, Mijas and San Pedro de Alcantara area, got together at Restaurante Manovra in Cala de Mijas, number 2 out of 123 restaurants in the area according to Trip Advisor, to relax and celebrate Christmas.

Restaurante Manovra [Ayuntamiento de Mijas]    

'Secret Santa' popped in, and there was a 'Christmas Quiz'.

How'd it  go?

The mood was festive, relaxed and fun. There was nothing serious that had anything to do with media and journalism.

After a pre-dinner drink (included in the price), during which members and their guests caught up with old acquaintances and friends, and new people, mainly guests of members, were introduced, we sat down for our three-course Christmas Meal.

I went traditional with soup, Christmas roast and Christmas pudding, while my guest, my wife, opted to avoid the roast and went for fish - Rita is German and not a fan of English roasts.

We were sitting opposite Sara, from Australia, and her guest Emma, who bore an uncanny resemblance to a former girlfriend of mine. Emma is English, but has lived in Spain for 28 years!

[Trip Advisor]    

Sara is a member of the CPC and is a journalist. She lives in Alhaurin El Grande.

Emma was for many years an estate agent on the coast and is now considering her options away from the cut-throat world of real estate.

Also nearby were Andrew, English, and a long-time amigo mio, and Joanne, also English, who has lived in southern Spain for donkey's years and is married to a Spaniard. She organised the evening.

Two Spanish "guests" were also within earshot. It turns out that they are the children of another long-standing CPC member, Joan Fallon, a celebrated author originally from Scotland. So Roberto and Maria are, of course, bi-lingual.

At the other end of the table was another newcomer/guest called Lily. She was born in Spain of English parents who had emigrated to Spain in search of a better life. She attended secondary school in England and went to university there. She is also bi-lingual.

Joan Fallon [Facebook]    

My wife observed that of the 33 people dining, only five were men, four active members and a guest.

Nationalities represented last night were, in alphabetical order, Australian, English, German, Scottish, Spanish and Welsh, although the membership also includes people from Argentina, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand, who all live in Spain full-time.

Everyone speaks Spanish to a greater or lesser extent.

Five of us have degrees in Spanish: committee member Jennie Rhodes (Durham); retired president and former editor of SUR in English Liz Parry BEM (Birmingham); current president Neil Hesketh (Manchester); editor of SUR in English Rachel Haynes (Newcastle)  and I, retired member and blogger Paul Whitelock (Salford). In addition, current trainee Enya Soares is an undergraduate at Bath.

    Liz Parry BEM [Central Bylines]

Lots of photos were taken, officially by Gary Edwards, a professional photographer member, and by others present, including myself.

More photos of the actual evening, from Gary, me and others, are still to come.

We shall add them in the next few days.

    Gary Edwards [Costa Press Club]

Photos: 

Ayuntamiento de Mijas, Central Bylines, Costa Press Club, Facebook, Gary Edwards, Paul Whitelock

©  Paul Whitelock

Links:

Magnificent, under-rated Málaga

Mini-break in Malaga

Thanks:

Costa Press Club, Facebook, Gary Edwards, LinkedIn, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Ayuntamiento de Mijas, Central Bylines, Costa Press Club, Enya Soares, Facebook, Gary Edwards, Jennie Rhodes, LinkedIn, Liz Parry BEM, Neil Hesketh, Paul Whitelock, Rachel Haynes, SUR in English 

There are a number of health warnings in Spain for the coming winter: influenza, Avian flu, African swine fever, Tetanus, and of course, Coronavirus is still a threat.

There are 3,000 new cases of AIDS diagnosed each year in Spain.

Plus freezing temperatures.

[CPWR]    

This is all dangerous, particularly for older people. Which is what I am, according to my birth certificate, even though I feel much younger.

Action Plan

The fifth Covid-19 injection is now available for over 70-year-olds.

They don't contact you any longer, you have to ring your local health centre or ambulatorio to make an appointment.

I shall be doing that tomorrow.

[EL PAIS]    

You also get a 'flu jab and a tetanus top-up at the same time. So three pricks in two arms!

Your upper arms are sore for two or three days and you might have a slight attack of Covid, but, in my opinion, it's better to be protected.

I don't have AIDS nor African swine fever. Touch wood!

Elsewhere

Some members of the German side of my family are refuseniks when it comes to Coronavirus injections and only get top-up Covid jabs if they really have to, for example to get into a restaurant or to book into a hotel.

I think they're nuts, but that's their choice, I guess.

So long as they don't infect me or the missus!

[BBC]    

Here in Spain

The authorities are predicting more deaths this winter, because of the predicted cold. Two regions have re-introduced the compulsory wearing of masks, and others, like Andalucia, are recommending their use in medical settings, including pharmacies.

Most houses here are not well built. Cavity walls? "Forget it!" Insulation? "Ha-ha-ha!"

A professional friend of mine, a neighbour, has no heating whatsoever in her finca. She just wraps up warm!

She does at least have a traditional brasera under her dining table!

I've offered to act as a human hot water bottle for her, but up to now she's not accepted!

What a shame! She's pretty, very "sexy", single, a good 10 years younger than me and Spanish to boot!

[Wikipedia]    

Last word

These winter threats need to be taken seriously. I mean it!

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

5 years of Covid-19 - The last post

Covid-19 is a thing of the past – or is it?

Is the Covid Crisis Over?

Pictures:

BBC, CPWR, EL PAIS, Wikipedia

Acknowledgements:

Diario Sur, Pablo de Ronda, Sur in English, TIME, Wikipedia 

Tags:

AIDS, African swine fever, Avian flu, BBC, CPWR, Coronavirus injection, Diario Sur, EL PAIS, freezing temperatures, health centre, health warning, human hot water bottle, influenza, masks, medical settings, Pablo de Ronda, pharmacies, Sur in English, Tetanus, TIME, top-up Covid jab, Wikipedia