The Culture Vulture

This past weekend the Vespa Club de Ronda organised a rally of emblematic scooters manufactured by Vespa and Lambretta.

Some 200 examples, young and old, were on display, together with their owners, also young and old, but mostly old and overweight.

[© Facebook]    

Two scooters proudly boasted a livery of the Union Jack. I thought they must be British-owned, but no, they belonged to Spaniards.

    [© Paul Whitelock]

Vicente from Valencia said: "We have links to the UK, hence the flag."

I recalled that I had owned a Lambretta when I was 16, some 60 years ago. "¡Anda!" exclaimed Vicente, impressed.

My mum had bought it for me second-hand from a work colleague for the princely sum of 25 pounds!

Vicente proceeded to tell me that there was a group of British riders round the back, but by the time I got there, they'd gone.

By 10.00 am on the Sunday everybody had ridden off. "For breakfast," said Carmen, Vicente's wife and pillion passenger.

[© Facebook]    

Then it was all over. The inflatable arch was let down and packed away and the Vespa Club de Ronda, their members and guests were gone until next year.

    [© Paul Whitelock]

© The Culture Vulture MMXXVI

Pictures:

Facebook, Paul Whitelock

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Ronda Semanal, Unicaja

Tags:

Facebook, Lambretta, Paul Whitelock, Ronda Semanal, Unicaja, Vespa, Vespa Club de Ronda

"Luz y Verso" is a light show together with a journey through more than four centuries of the history of Spanish art via projected photos of paintings housed in the El Prado Museum in Madrid by artists such as Velazquez, Goya, El Greco, Murillo and Sorolla.

[© Fundacion Unicaja]    

It is a travelling 'show' combining art, poetry and music, which will be located in Ronda from today until September 27th, organised by the Unicaja Foundation. Entrance is 5 euros, all of the proceeds going to the Ronda Alzheimer's Charity (AROAL)

"Luz y Verso" is set up in a spectacular 360 degree dome in the Plaza Teniente Arce, by the Plaza de Toros.

The large format projections are accompanied by live music from a string quartet, poetry and an aromatic ambience. The poetry includes verses from Lope de Vega, Cervantes, Antonio Machado and Lorca in dialogue with the live music. Outside the domo is an artist's workshop, and a space where visitors can pose for an AI-generated portrait set at the time of the artists. 

[© Malaga Hoy]    

There are 'projections' at 18:00 and 20:00 every day with extra sessions at the weekend at 11:00 and 13:00. Demand for tickets is expected to be high. Free tickets are available for children under 17 and senior citizens (over 65).

More historical culture in the Serrania de Ronda:

fundacionunicaja.com

Batalla de la Puente - Montejaque - Eye On Spain

© The Culture Vulture MMXXVI

Pictures:

Fundacion Unicaja, Malaga Hoy

Thanks:

Fundacion Unicaja, Luz y Verso, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Alzheimer's, Antonio Machado, AI, AROAL, Cervantes, dome, El Greco, El Prado Museum, Fundacion Unicaja, Goya, light show, live music, Lope de Vega, Lorca, Luz y Verso, Malaga Hoy, Murillo, Paul Whitelock, Plaza Teniente Arce, poetry, projection, Ronda, session, Sorolla, string quartet, Velazquez

"Los enganches" is the annual competition for horses and carriages which takes place in Ronda on the Sunday of the Feria de Pedro Romero.

Partly suspended for two years for urgent repairs to the bullring, the oldest plaza de toros in Spain, the feria opened in full again this year, with three days of bullfights, including the famous and emblematic Goyesca, the horse and carriage display and sundry events at the showground (Recinto Ferial).

Back to the horses and carriages, here are some of the photos I took of the competitors as they were being assessed by the judges.

© The Culture Vulture MMXXVI

Pictures:

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

bullfight, bullring, enganches, feria, fiesta, Goyesca, horse and carriage, oldest bullring in Spain, Paul Whitelock, Pedro Romero, plaza de toros,  

Many celebrities, especially male ones, marry or are partnered with much younger 'other halves'.

Here are half-a-dozen pairings which are quite astonishing from an age difference point of view. In some cases wives and partners are younger than the man's offspring from a previous relationship!

Antonio Banderas and Nicole Kimpel

The Spanish actor has recently turned 66. His German wife Kimpel is just 45 years old. That's an age difference of 21 years. Banderas could be her father!

The couple live in Malaga.

[© ELLE]    

Michael Buble and Luisana Lopilato

Buble, a Canadian crooner, is 50 and his Argentine wife Lopilato is 39, an age difference of 11 years.

This is the smallest age difference of the couples I have chosen.

    [© Europa FM]    

Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid

The American film actor is 51 and is married to the 20-years-younger Hadid, the American-born daughter of Dutch and Palestinian parents.

[© ABC]    

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

The age difference between the two is a massive 25 years. US actor Douglas, 81, married the Welsh beauty, also an actor, when Zeta-Jones was just 31.

A long marriage which has produced two children, Dylan and Carys. The couple have a home in Mallorca where they spend their summers.

[© EL PAIS]    

Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva

Of the couples I have chosen these two have the biggest gap in age - a spectacular 33 years. US actor Gere is 76 and his wife Silva, 43, is Spanish, from Galicia.

The couple do a lot of charity work.

    [© Vanity Fair]

Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell

Ex-Beatle McCartney, 84, has married twice more since the death of his first wife Linda Eastman. They had four children together. He had a fifth with second wife Heather Mills. His current wife, since 2011, is American businesswoman Shevell, aged 66. An age difference of 18 years.

    [© ABC de Sevilla]

Alejandro Sanz and Stephanie Cayo

Spanish singer Sanz, 57, is partnered with the Peruvian actor Cayo, 38, since the beginning of this year. The age gap is 19 years, but at least they speak the same language!

Sanz has four children from previous relationships.

[© El Mundo]    

The other way round .....

Such age differences where the woman is older are less common and the age gap is shorter.

My brief research has come up with four:

Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis

Aniston, 57, an actor of US/Greek origin, has been stepping out for a year with Curtis, 50, her hypnotherapist and coach. Their age difference is a mere seven years.

Aniston is most famous for her role in the TV sitcom 'Friends'. 

[© RPP Noticias]    

Halle Berry and Van Hunt

Berry, 60, first came to my attention as a Bond Girl opposite 007 Pierce Brosnan in the 2002 'Die Another Day'. She had previously won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in 'Monster's Ball' (2001).

Hunt, 56, is an American singer/songwriter.

Their age difference of just four years is unremarkable.

[© EL PAIS]    

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The second child of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer is 41. His American actress wife Markle is 45, making an age difference of 4 years. They married in 2018 and have two children. The couple stepped down as working royals in January 2020 and moved to Meghan's native Southern California. It has been announced that they plan to move back to the UK in 2026.

[© The Guardian]    

Claudia Schiffer and Matthew Vaughn

Schiffer, German, was a very successful model, now aged 56. She has been married for 24 years to British film director and producer Vaughn, 55. 

They have three children and live in Suffolk, England.

[© HOLA]    

BUT .....

As my fellow scribe and blogger Lenox Napier has pointed out, I missed a big 'un:

Brigitte Trogneux and Emmanuel Macron

The age difference between former teacher Brigitte Macron, born in 1953, and French president Emmanuel Macron, born in 1977, is 24 years, with this significant age gap attracting public attention and sparking conversations worldwide.

Despite the difference, their relationship remains strong, highlighting that age is just a number when it comes to love. Brigitte met Emmanuel when he was her student, and their bond grew over time.

    [© RFI]

Today, she plays a key role supporting the French president’s career. Understanding their age difference helps provide insight into their unique and inspiring partnership.

And the rest of us .....?

The rest of us mere mortals, ie not celebrities, tend to take partners of a similar age.

We are also more likely to stay together than the film stars, models, politicians and footballers of this world,

Links:

HOW TO ..... DIVORCE - Eye on Spain

Wrong way round... - Secret Serranía de Ronda

© Paul Whitelock MMXXVI

Photos:

ABC, ELLE, El Mundo, EL PAIS, HOLA, RFI, RPP Noticias, Vanity Fair, 

Thanks:

Google, 'Lecturas', Lenox Napier, lifestylenetworth.com, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

ABC, Alejandra Silva, Alejandro Sanz, Antonio Banderas, Best Actress Oscar, Bond Girl, Bradley Cooper, Brigitte Trogneux, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Claudia Schiffer, 'Die Another Day', ELLE, El Mundo, EL PAIS, Eye on Spain, 'Friends', Gigi Hadid, Google, Halle Berry, HOLA, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Curtis, 'Lecturas', Lenox Napier, lifestylenetworth.com, Luisana Lopilato, Matthew Vaughn, Meghan Markle, Michael Buble, Michael Douglas, 'Monster's Ball', Nancy Shevell, Nicole Kimpel, Paul McCartney, Paul Whitelock, Pierce Brosnan, Prince Harry, Richard Gere, RPP Noticias, Secret Serrania de Ronda, Stephanie Cayo, Van Hunt, Vanity Fair, Wikipedia

The fifth session of live music at the Hotel Don Benito near Ronda, since it re-opened as the Hotel Don Manuel, was a great success.

The music was sublime, the mood vibrant and there was food for those who wanted a moonlit dinner in the warm open air.

[© Central de Reservas]    

Boleros Duros

The duo, Boleros Duros, presented its version of bolero, the flamenco genre, using acoustic guitar, cajon and harmonic voices.

They were a perfect accompaniment to dinner and general chit-chat amongst the 60-odd people present.

A mixture of vecinos (locals) and foreigners (residents and tourists) had turned up - I spotted British, Irish, Belgian, German, Portuguese and Italian amongst the audience - and the duo went down very well with all of them.

The bolero is a dance and it was good to see the andaluces upholding their strong family traditions with grannies, mums and daughters/grand-daughters going through their paces together on the dance floor.

[© Facebook]    

International flavour

At our table were three couples, including me and Rita. All residents locally it was interesting to note that each pair had moved to the Serrania de Ronda for quite different reasons.

The Irish/Scottish pairing, resident for eight years had sought a relaxed, warm and clean air environment after working for many years in the polluted middle-east.

The Belgian/Spanish couple, here for just seven months, had been seeking a relaxed, rural home for them, their autistic son and the paternal grandad.

Finally, us, an Anglo-Welsh/German couple, who met in Ronda and were both seeking a less stressful and healthier alternative to their respective northern European homelands.

Conclusion

We think it's great what Gloria and David are doing at the Don Manuel, turning the hotel into the go-to venue for live music in Ronda. Hopefully, locals and outsiders will continue to support them.

With their engaging and friendly staff and competitive prices, these events make for a great evening out.

[© Ayuntamiento de Ronda]    

© The Culture Vulture MMXXVI

Pictures:

Ayuntamiento de Ronda, Central de Reservas, Facebook

Thanks:

Tags:

Ayuntamiento de Ronda, Boleros Duros, cajon, Central de Reservas, flamenco, Paul Whitelock, The Culture Vulture, vecino, 

Hot on the heels of the Pueblos Blancos Music Festival, the Semana Cultural in Montejaque (Malaga) starts today, Friday August 17, and runs until next Wednesday, August 23.

Featuring gastronomy, sport, art, music, theatre and cinema, as well as kids' activities based at the municipal pool, this feria is a highlight of the cultural life of this charming pueblo blanco in the Serrania de Ronda.

[Charry TV]    

With performances by artistes such as Sing & Swing, Los Salvajes del Rebalaje, Los Tigantitos, Dialogo Rock, KPOP and a Beatles tribute band; with film presentations and a theatre production; not to mention the annual cooking competition, this week represents a fitting end to the summer celebrations in this village of some 960 inhabitants.

[Charry TV]    

© The Culture Vulture

Links:

Pueblos Blancos Music Festival 2026 - Secret Serranía de Ronda

Pueblos Blancos Music Festival Mark VIII - The Culture Vulture

Pictures:

Charry TV

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

annual cooking competition, art, Beatles tribute band, cinema, Charry TV, Dialogo Rock, feria, film presentation, gastronomy, Karl Smallman, kids' activities, KPOP, Los Salvajes del Rebalaje, Los Tigantitos, music, Paul Whitelock, pueblo blanco, Secret Serrania de Ronda, Sing & Swing, sport, theatre, theatre production,

The Meter-Maid, the lovely Rita, is 75 today. It got me thinking about who else is still around and who left us at that age. After a bit of research I came up with 15 famous persons still with us and 15 who died at that age.

[Rolling Stone]    

Still alive at 75

According to the website famousbirthdays.com the following people have celebrated their 75th birthday recently:

Phil Collins, drummer and singer (formerly of "Genesis")

Peter Davison, English actor ("Dr Who"; "All Creatures Great and Small")

Lindsay Duncan, English actress

Ed Harris, US actor

Geraldine James, English actress

Louise Jameson, Scottish actress ("Bergerac"; "Dr Who"; "Eastenders")

Bill Murray, US actor ("Ghostbusters"; "Groundhog Day")

Randy Quaid, US character actor

Kurt Russell, US actor ("Inferno")

Jane Seymour, English actress

Bonnie Tyler, Welsh singer

Harriet Walter, English actress

Sadly died at 75

Yasser Arafat, former Egyptian leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner

Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish inventor of the telephone

Leonid Brezhnev, former USSR leader

Shelley Duvall, US actress

Duke Ellington, US pianist and bandleader

Dizzy Gillespie, US composer

Rutger Hauer, Dutch actor

John McAfee, US computer programmer (anti-virus software)

James Mason, English actor ("Lolita")

J P Morgan, entrepreneur and financier

Gerd Muller, German footballer

Donald Pleasence, English actor ("M" in several James Bond films)

Ferdinand Porsche, German car designer

Roy Scheider, US actor ("Jaws")

Tom Wilkinson, English actor ("The Full Monty")

© The Culture Vulture

Images:

Discogs, EL PAIS, IMDb, James Bond Wikipedia, Reddit, Rolling Stone, Wikipedia

Thanks:

 famousbirthdays.com, Google, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

75, Alexander Graham Bell, "All Creatures Great and Small", anti-virus software, "Bergerac", Bill Murray, Bonnie Tyler, Discogs, Dizzy Gillespie, "Dr Who", Donald Pleasence, Duke Ellington, "Eastenders", Ed Harris, EL PAIS, famousbirthdays.com, Ferdinand Porsche, "Genesis", Geraldine James, Gerd Muller, "Ghostbusters", "Groundhog Day", Harriet Walter, IMDb, James Bond, James Bond Wikipedia, James Mason, Jane Seymour, "Jaws", J P Morgan, John McAfee, Kurt Russell,  Leonid Brezhnev, Lindsay Duncan, "Lolita", Louise Jameson, "M",  Nobel Peace Prize, Peter Davison, Phil Collins, Randy Quaid, Reddit, Rolling Stone, Roy Scheider, Rutger Hauer, Shelley Duvall,  The Culture Vulture, "The Full Monty", Tom Wilkinson, Wikipedia, Yasser Arafat,

It's all been happening at the beginning of May. The first four days of the fifth month have been significant culturally and in other ways.

May 1st, May Day and International Workers' Day; 

May 2nd, Uprising against Napoleon's occupying forces in Madrid in 1808;

May 3rd, Press Freedom Day;

May 4th, Early May Bank Holiday in the UK (and my dad's birthday).

Maypole dancing in England [Reader's Digest]    

May 1st

May Day, is also International Workers' Day, and is a global celebration of workers and the labour movement.

The day is celebrated worldwide, honouring the contributions of workers and advocating for workers' rights, fair wages and safe working conditions.

May Day is also a day for celebration of the arrival of summer with, for example in England, Maypole Dancing and dressing up.

May 1st is a dia festivo in Spain, so schools, banks, offices and businesses close.

In 2026 it was last Friday, resulting in a three-day weekend for many.

    [The Olive Press]

May 2nd

The Dos de Mayo or Second of May Uprising took place in Madrid, on 2–3 May 1808. The rebellion, mainly by civilians, with some isolated military action by junior officers, was against the occupation of the city by French troops, and was violently repressed by the Napoleon's French Imperial Forces with hundreds of public executions. These actions led to the Spanish people revolting against French occupation and the outbreak of the Peninsular War, and ended the Franco-Spanish alliance in the Napoleonic Wars.

The event is commemorated in a famous painting by Goya.

[Wikipedia]    

May 3rd

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day.

It is also an important dia festivo in Ronda, where I live.

La Virgen de La Cabeza is celebrated with Mass, a Procession and a Romeria on the outskirts of town.

[IPI]    

May 4th

In 2026 this was the Early May Bank Holiday in the UK, being the nearest Monday to May 1st. In 2029 May 1st falls on a Monday, so the Bank Holiday and May Day will coincide.

May 4th was also the date of my dad's birth.

If he was still around he would have been 109.

As it was he died 41 years ago aged just 68. Way too young. He missed out on so much.

He knew my daughter Amy as an 18-month-old toddler, but didn't know my son Tom, nor four grandsons, a second spouse and my new life in Spain.

    Dad as a young man [Paul Whitelock]

© The Culture Vulture (Paul Whitelock) MMXXVI

Photos:

Paul Whitelock, Readers' Digest, The Olive Press, Wikipedia

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

1808, Dos de Mayo, Early May Bank Holiday, fair wages, Goya, IPI, International Workers' Day, May 1st, May 2nd, May 3rd, May 4th, May Day, Maypole dancing, Napoleon, Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon's French Imperial Forces, Paul Whitelock, Peninsular War, Press Freedom Day, public executions, Readers' Digest, Romeria, Ronda, safe working conditions, Second of May Uprising, The Olive Press, Virgen de La Cabeza, Wikipedia, workers' rights,

Easter bonnets, Easter bunnies, Easter chicks, daffodils, Easter eggs, Easter Mass, Easter processions ..... Take your pick!

Different countries / cultures have different Easter traditions, although there is a lot of cross-over nowadays.

Let's take a look at the UK and Spain.

[Amazon UK]    

The UK

In my home country, the UK, the ladies wear Easter bonnets; children receive Easter bunnies, Easter chicks and Easter eggs (all chocolate); daffodils are an important feature in many homes and in other venues; and people go to church or Mass.

    [Wikipedia]                                      [Rainy Day Mum]

    [Natasha's Kitchen]        [M&S]

Public holidays are on Good Friday and Easter Monday, giving a four-day break for many families.

Spain

In Spain it's all about the Semana Santa processions, although the kids get eggs, etc. The procesiones start on Palm Sunday (or in some places the day before) and continue until Easter Sunday a week later.

The processions are prepared throughout the preceding year by cofradias or brotherhoods attached to different churches. They have either one or two tronos, magnificent tableaux of scenes from the Bible featuring Christ and his Apostles and the Virgin Mary.

These scenes are mounted on a structure which is carried by horquilleros on their shoulders. The rhythmic movement is controlled by the band and the capirote.

The whole thing is accompanied by nazareños, penitents wearing a matching costume and pointy hat (reminiscent of the Klu Klux Clan in the USA, but in no way connected). In some parades the nazareños go barefoot.

    [YouTube]                                                      [Diario Ronda]                                     [El Periodico]

Each procession has a different prescribed route from the "home" of the trono/s around the town and back to its base. The whole thing can last several hours.

In Spain public holidays are Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Easter Monday is a normal working day.

Links:

Easter in Spain (let's have a party!) - Lenox Napier

Semana Santa in Spain: Dates and traditions to experience in 2026 - EOS News

© The Culture Vulture

Photos:

Amazon UK. Diario Ronda, El Periodico, M&S, Natasha's Kitchen, Paul Whitelock, Rainy Day Mum, Ronda Semanal, The Culture Vulture, Wikipedia, YouTube

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Ronda Semanal, The Culture Vulture

Tags:

Amazon UK, Apostles, brotherhood, capirote, Christ, cofradia, Diario Ronda, Easter Sunday, El Periodico, EOS News, Holy Thursday, horquillero, Lenox Napier, M&S, Natasha's Kitchen, nazareño, Palm Sunday, processions, Rainy Day Mum, Semana Santa, trono, Virgin Mary, Wikipedia, YouTube, 

Hard on the heels of Andalucia Day - yesterday - comes St David's Day, March 1st. St David is the patron saint of Wales.

Significance and History

March 1st commemorates the life and legacy of Saint David, who is believed to have died on March 1st, 589 AD. 

St David, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi in Welsh, was a 6th century monk and bishop who founded a monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (now St Davids) in  Pembrokeshire, Wales. 

David is recognised for his piety and the miracles attributed to him,  including the raising of the dead and the healing of the sick. 

His canonisation by Pope Callixtus II in the 12th century solidified his status as the patron saint of Wales.

Stained glass window showing St David [Historic UK]    

Celebrations and Traditions

Symbols: 

Common symbols associated with Saint David's Day include the  daffodil and the leek, both of which are worn by many people on  this day.

Culinary Traditions: 

Traditional Welsh dishes such as cawl (a hearty stew), Welsh rarebit (a cheese dish) and bara brith (a cake) are often enjoyed during the celebrations.

    Cawl [Cookidoo]                             Welsh rarebit [Pinterest]                        Bara brith [Shutterstock]

Cultural Events: 

Various events take place across Wales, including parades,  concerts, and church services. 

In cities like Cardiff and Swansea, processions and cultural  performances are organised to celebrate  Welsh heritage.

    Procession in Cardiff [Wales Online]    

While St David's Day is not a public holiday in the UK, it is widely celebrated in Wales and by Welsh communities around the world.

Schools and local organisations often hold special events to honour the day and to promote Welsh culture and traditions.

    Patagonia, Argentina [Urdd Gobaith Cymru]

St David and I

Born to a Welsh father John (Cilfrew, Glamorgan) and an English mother Vera (Barnstaple, Devon), I always felt more Welsh than English. As an undergraduate I celebrated March 1st and proudly sported a daffodil, together with my Welsh pals Jac and Dan. I even had a short relationship with a Welsh girl, fellow student Marion.

[Wikipedia]    

Many years later I had a summer romance with the afore-mentioned Jac when I was divorced and single and she was a widow.

***

In summary, Saint David's Day is a significant cultural and religious celebration that honours the  contributions of Saint  David to Welsh history and Christianity, fostering a sense of national pride and cultural identity  among the Welsh  people.

Footnote:

El Dia Santo del San David in Spain falls on December 29th. Needless to say this is a different St David to the Welsh one.

© The Culture Vulture

Pictures:

Cookidoo, Historic UK, History Hit, metro.co.uk, Pinterest, Shutterstock, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales Online, Wikipedia

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, The Culture Vulture, Wikipedia

Tags:

bara brith, cawl, Cookidoo, daffodil, Historic UK, History Hit, leek, metro.co.uk, monk, Paul Whitelock, Pinterest, St David, St David's Day, Shutterstock, The Culture Vulture, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales, Wales Online, Welsh, Welsh rarebit, Wikipedia