The History Man

In 1807 Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and Portugal and installed his brother Joseph Bonaparte as Emperor.

Together with allies Portugal and England the Spanish fought back. This was known as the War of Independence, or, as we British know it, The Peninsular War.

[© Wikipedia]    

This alliance soon began to prevail and two stories being celebrated this coming weekend are testament to that success: Montejaque and Algarrobo, both villages in the province of Malaga in Andalucia.

La Batalla de La Puente, Montejaque

In 1810 a group of 700 French soldiers came upon Montejaque but were repelled by a ragbag of old men, boys and women.

The festival called La Batalla de la Puente commemorates this.

It starts today, Friday September 18th and runs until Sunday.

    [© Pueblea]

History

The British army, under Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, guarded Portugal and campaigned against the French alongside the reformed Portuguese Army and provided whatever supplies they could get to the Spanish, while the Spanish Armies and guerrillas tied down vast numbers of Napoleon's troops.

In 1812, when Napoleon set out with a massive army on what proved to be a disastrous French invasion of Russia, a combined allied army defeated the French at Salamanca and took the capital Madrid.

Montejaque [© Facebook]

In the following year the Coalition scored a victory over Emperor Joseph Bonaparte's army at the Battle of Vitoria paving the way for victory in the war in the Iberian Peninsula.

More on this story:

Batalla de "La Puente" - andalucia.org

Batalla de la Puente - Montejaque - Eye On Spain

'Battle of the Bridge' historical re-enactment in Montejaque - Secret Serranía de Ronda - andalucialive.com

La Quema de Algarrobo

The "burning" of Algarrobo is a festival which commemorates the failed attempt in 1811 by French troops to burn down the town during the War of Independence.

Among other events, there are theatre performances and further events by guest associations, parades, craft markets a "tapas" route, exhibitions, workshops, competitions and musical performances.

    [Andaluciamia]

[© Facebook]    

More on this story:

Algarrobo (Málaga) - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

Búsqueda en la BBDD de artículos publicados - Ayuntamiento de Algarrobo

Inicio - www.algarrobo.es

© The History Man MMXXVI

Pictures:

Britannica, Karl Smallman

Thanks:

Jennie Rhodes, Paul Whitelock, SUR in English, www.secretserrania.com

Tags:

Arthur Wellesley, Ayuntamiento de Algarrobo, Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Batalla de La Puente, Britannica, Duke of Wellington, Jennie Rhodes, Joseph Bonaparte, Karl Smallman, Napoleon Bonaparte, Paul Whitelock, Quema de Algarrobo, SUR in English, The History Man, www.secretserrania.com

On the morning of September 11th 2001 I had delivered a training session to teachers in Formby (Merseyside) - I was a schools adviser at that time - and popped into a local pub for lunch with my secretary and another colleague.

Imagine our surprise and horror at the live pictures showing on the TV. Two planes in quick succession crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York before our very eyes. After the second plane hit the second tower we knew that the first collision had been no accident.

[Britannica]    

I don't think we ate much of our lunch.

After working in the office all afternoon I called into my local in Warrington (Cheshire) where the TV was re-capping the events of the day.

We learned of United Airlines flight 93 which crashed in a field just short of the Capitol after the passengers overcame the hi-jackers. We also found out that a fourth plane had failed to reach the Pentagon, its intended target, and crashed in the vicinity killing all on board.

US President Bush went into hiding, arabs cheered in the Middle East and the world gazed on in total shock.

[The Washington Post]    

In that moment we knew that the world would never be the same again.

September 11th, 2026

Today is the 25th anniversary of this terrible occurrence. At Ground Zero, the site of the Twin Towers, which collapsed following the collisions by the two planes, there was a major event to commemorate the 2,996 dead and thousands more injured from that day. Amongst the various acts of remembrance the names of all the dead were read out.

Ground Zero, New York [Trip Advisor]    

Astonishingly, President Trump did not attend. He preferred to make a private visit to a golf tournament in Ireland being held at a course which he owns. Shame on the man!

There were also vigils in London and other cities around the world.

© The History Man MMXXVI

Pictures:

Britannica, The Washington Post, Trip Advisor

Acknowledgements:

BBC, Sky News, Wikipedia

Tags:

2996 dead, 9/11, Britannica, BBC, Ground Zero, Paul Whitelock, President Bush, President Trump, September 11th 2001, Sky News, the Capitol, The History Man, the Pentagon, The Washington Post, Trip Advisor, Twin Towers, United Airlines flight 93, Wikipedia, World Trade Center

The poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca was assassinated 90 years ago this Wednesday, August 19th.

It is widely believed that he was killed on the orders of General Franco, the Nationalist leader, for his Republican views and because he was a homosexual.

[© RTVE.es]    

Ian Gibson (Dublin 1939), hispanophile, author, broadcaster and long-time resident of Spain, has studied the incident at length, as well as Lorca's life.

Now a naturalised Spanish national Gibson has written several books on the subject, including:

[© EFE]    

• La represión nacionalista de Granada en 1936 y la muerte de Federico García Lorca (París, 1971) 
• Ruedo Ibérico translated into English as The Death of Lorca (London, 1972, republished in 1979)
• Federico García Lorca (Barcelona, 1985), translated into English as Federico García Lorca. A  Life (London, 1989).
• En Granada, su Granada... Guía a la Granada de Federico García Lorca (Barcelona, 1989), translated into English by the author as Lorca's Granada. A Practical Guide (London, 1992)
• Vida, pasión y muerte de Federico García Lorca (Barcelona,1998)
• Lorca-Dalí, el amor que no pudo ser (Barcelona, 1999)
• El hombre que detuvo a García Lorca. Ramón Ruiz Alonso y la muerte del poeta (Madrid, 2008)
• Caballo azul de mi locura. Lorca y el mundo gay (Barcelona, 2009)
• La fosa de Lorca. Crónica de un despropósito (Alcalá la Real, 2010)
• Poeta en Granada. Paseos con Federico García Lorca (Barcelona, 2015)

The journalist Tony Bryant, writing for SUR in English, tells us that Lorca was well known abroad prior to his death "particularly in Latin America and the United States. His killing by forces associated with the Nationalist side made him a symbol of the destruction of artistic and intellectual freedom."

In Bryant's view Lorca's death transformed him from a highly regarded Spanish poet and dramatist into an international cultural martyr and symbol of artistic freedom, "while also helping draw world-wide attention to the brutality of the Spanish Civil War." 

[© Diario Sur]    

As for me .....

I love Lorca's literary legacy, in particular his Andalusian Trilogy of "Yerma", "La Casa de Bernarda Alba" and "Bodas de Sangre".

I taught "Bernarda Alba" to GCE A-Level and have seen umpteen productions, including the acclaimed London production starring Glenda Jackson and Patricia Hayes, back in the 1980s.

I studied "Yerma" as part of my degree in Spanish and was immensely proud when my actor son, Tom Whitelock, performed the role of Juan opposite his barren wife, Yerma, in London in 2020.

I have read "Blood Wedding" and saw it performed in Manchester in the 1970s.

[© Paul Whitelock]    

My favourite of the three? "Bernarda Alba".

Endword

Lorca's remains have never been found, despite thorough searches where the murder took place, at Fuente Vaqueros outside Granada, the poet's birthplace.

Links:

Spanish Civil War 90 years old - Eye on Spain

The Truth About Franco - Eye on Spain

© The History Man MMXXVI

Images:

Diario Sur, EFE, Paul Whitelock, RTVE.es

Thanks:

BBC, Paul Whitelock, SUR in English, Tony Bryant, Wikipedia

Tags:

Bernarda Alba, Blood Wedding, Bodas de Sangre, BBC, Diario Sur, EFE, Franco, Juan, La casa de Bernarda Alba, Lorca, Paul Whitelock, RTVE.es, SUR in English, The History Man, Tom Whitelock, Tony Bryant, Wikipedia, Yerma

Yesterday, 26 July, Spain celebrated El Dia Mundial de los Abuelos. Although the date is different in other countries, this recognition of the crucial role grandparents play in the family and the community is important: they teach; they take care of their children and grandchildren; and they leave behind a lasting legacy.

[unCOMO]    

No matter how many years go by, their hugs and kisses, their stories, their advice and those tiny expressions of love always find a special place in our memories.

In Spain grandparents fufil a more important role than in Northern Europe and elsewhere. The famiy is fundamental to life. There is generally less mobility, for the typical Spaniard lives and dies where he was born. Yet the pull of the family is so strong that even those who do move away for work or study return to the family home on long weekends or for holidays.

July 26 is the chosen date in Spain because it is also the dia santo (saints' day) of Joaquin and Ana, the parents of the Virgin Mary and thus the grandparents of Jesus Christ.

[The Simple Catholic]    

    [Plataforma de Infancia]

© The History Man MMXXVI

Pictures:

Plataforma de Infancia, The Simple Catholic, unCOMO,

Thanks:

Google, Paul Whitelock, RTVE, Wikipedia,

Tags:

26 July, Ana, Dia Mundial de los Abuelos, Google, Joaquin, Paul Whitelock, Plataforma de Infancia, RTVE, The History Man, The Simple Catholic, unCOMO, Wikipedia

The Spanish Civil War officially began 90 years ago this weekend - on Friday 17 July 1936 to be precise. 

The conflict had been simmering for many years and was triggered by a series of events, starting in April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed and King Alfonso XIII went into exile.

[Wikimedia Commons]    

After five years of unrest - a failed military coup in 1932 and revolting Asturian miners in 1934 - the Popular Front coalition won the general election in February 1936, when a new republican government was formed.

The assassination of the Monarchist leader Calvo Sotelo was a prelude to the triggering of the right-wing military coup against the Republican government proclaimed in Spanish Morocco on 17 July 1936.

There followed three years of a brutal conflict between the Nationalists led by General Franco and the Republicans. Franco was supported by the Catholic Church and in some areas churches were sacked and precious artefacts destroyed for ever. In others the Nationalist troops conquered quickly and this wanton destruction was avoided, eg in Seville.

The Civil War changed the course of Spanish history and culminated in a nearly 40-year-long dictatorship led by Franco, which only ended on his death in November 1975, when his protege Don Juan Carlos, nephew of Alfonso XIII, became king, thereby restoring the monarchy to Spain.

[Wikipedia]    

Links:

Franco dead 50 years! Eye on Spain

Should Franco fade into a mere footnote in Spanish history? | Sur in English

The Truth About Franco Eye on Spain

© The History Man MMXXVI

Thanks:

Eye on Spain, RTVE, SUR in English, Tony Bryant

Images:

Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia

Tags:

Alfonso XIII, Calvo Sotelo, Eye on Spain, Franco, Juan Carlos, RTVE, SUR in English, Tony Bryant, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia

This coming Thursday, April 23rd, is St George's Day in England and Diada de Sant Jordi in Cataluña.

It is also World Book Day. 

A dragon? Both versions of St George are alleged to have slayed this mythical beast.

George and the Dragon

St George is the patron saint of England, the other countries of the British Isles having their own in St Andrew, St David and St Patrick of Scotland, Wales and Ireland respectively.

According to the legend George slew a dragon, as did Jordi, the Catalonian patron saint.

Both saints died on April 23rd, so were they one and the same man?

[Flagsok]    

George was a Roman soldier born in Cappadocia in modern-day Turkey around 280 AD. He became a Christian and was martyred (beheaded) in 303 AD for refusing to renounce his faith during Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians,

The most famous legend associated with with him tells of George slaying a dragon to save a princess, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.

His relics were later transported to Lydda in Palestine, and eventually to the West by the Crusaders.

George was named the patron saint of England in the 14th century and his emblem, a red cross on a white background, became the national flag of England.

In Catalonia the legend involved Sant Jordi similarly killing a dragon and saving a princess. 

World Book Day

El Dia Mundial del Libro has fallen on April 23rd since 1995, when it was decided to amalgamate the two events.

World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

[Futurum Careers]    

Typically, stalls are set up in a designated area of a town by bookshops/librerias and publishers/editoriales.

Books are usually sold at a discount or are remaindered and heavily reduced in price.

    [eParenting]

Roses

The red rose is a traditional emblem on April 23rd.

When Jordi slew the dragon, a rose bush grew from the blood of the dragon, and the knight picked the most beautiful red rose and offered it to the princess.

According to legend, a rose bush grows there every April.

    [Freepik]

Footnote:

Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare both died on the same day in 1616 - April 23rd. This was apparently a consideration when choosing the date for World Book Day.

© The History Man

Pictures:

eParenting, Flagsok, Freepik, Futurum Careers, 

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia,

Tags:

280 AD, 303 AD, April 23rd, bookshops, Cappadocia, Cataluña, Diada de Sant Jordi, Dia Mundial del Libro, Diocletian, dragon, editoriales, eParenting, Flagsok, Freepik, Futurum Careers, librerias, Miguel de Cervantes, patron saint, publishers, St George, St George's Day, Sant Jordi, Turkey, UNESCO, William Shakespeare, World Book Day, 

The British invasion of the Costa del Sol began 64 years ago. To be precise, on 1 April 1962 the first ever scheduled flight between London and Malaga took off. The British European Airways (BEA) flight in a Vickers Viscount V 802 had a seating capacity of just 66 passengers.

A BEA Vickers Viscount [Wikipedia]    

On board that inaugural flight were journalists and celebrities who were welcomed by the Spanish authorities and were shown fashionable places in the capital, such as Bar El Pimpi and Hotel El Pinar. They also visited the towns of Nerja, Ronda and Granada.

Beginnings of a phenomenon

According to Pilar Martinez, writing in Dairio SUR, the flight from London to Malaga took four hours, almost double the flight times of today. There were two flights a week to begin with.

"There was a rapid contagious effect," writes Martinez. "The airline Euravia, later to become Britannia Airways, started flights with its Super Constellation and a little later a third airline, British United Airways (BUA), joined in."

Britannia, based at Luton Airport, was looking at introducing a new aeroplane to its fleet specifically for flights to southern Spain.

Its only condition was that flights would be from Luton to Malaga. The chosen plane was the British-built BAC 1-11, which we all grew to know and love.

A BAC 1-11 aeroplane [Wikipedia]    

Spreading its wings

This expansion in the UK, led to Scandinavia and the USA pioneering charter flights, whose ticket prices were some 35 per cent lower than scheduled flights. Tour operators and travel agents jumped on the bandwagon and introduced the "package tour", whereby clients bought flights and hotel combined.

As a result between 1965 and 1970 the number of international travellers to the Costa del Sol increased by a factor of five and passed one million - 1,239,775 to be precise - the majority of them British. In 2025 figures for British tourists visiting the Costa del Sol reached almost 3.2 million.

The British enjoy the climate with more than 300 days of sunshine per year, the culture and leisure opportunities. It's an important market for the region's tourism.

[Daily Express]    

Andalucia is home to some 77.000 British, mostly in Malaga province.

This was the seed for the later development of "low cost" airlines, like Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, Vueling and German Wings.

A view from the rear galley

Tourism in Spain is its most valuable industry. With its climate, gastronomy, spectacular beauty, coasts, mountains and relatively cheaper prices, the country has everything going for it. That's why I have lived here for 17 years.

Links

Away Days on the Costa del Sol - Help me, Ronda

My Top 10 places to Visit around the Serranía de Ronda and...

OUR DAY OUT - on the Costa del Sol - Help me,...

What is a guiri? It's what the Spanish call us foreigners - but is it good or bad?

    "Guiris" on the Costa del Sol [The Olive Press]

© The History Man

Thanks (sources and photos):

Alerta Digital, Daily Express, Diario SUR, Hosteltur, La Vanguardia, Paul Whitelock, Pilar Martinez, Secret Serrania, The Olive Press, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com

Tags:

1 April 1962, Alerta Digital, BEA, Britannia, Britannia Airways, BAC 1-11, BUA, Costa del Sol, Diario SUR, easyJet, El Pimpi, Euravia, German Wings, Granada, guiri, Hosteltur, Hotel El Pinar, Jet2, La Vanguardia, "low cost" airline, Luton Airport, Malaga, Nerja, package tour, Paul Whitelock, Pilar Martinez, Ronda, Ryanair, Secret Serrania, Super Constellation, The Olive Press, Vickers Viscount, Vueling, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com 

Sunday 8 March is United Nations International Women's Day, although in many countries events continue to take place long after the day itself.

[The Guardian]    

Dia de la mujer was officially inaugurated in 1911, when over one million people took part.

The UN did not get involved until as late as 1977.

The theme for this year, 2026, is "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls".

    A contemporary German poster

Gloria Steinem, the renowned feminist, once said: "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." 

Ms Steinem, a former CIA operative, pulled off many stunts to get her point across, including a stint as a Playboy bunny.

She is the mother of Christian Bale the film actor.

    [RTVE.es]

Spain

In a country like Spain, which has a dreadful record of pay inequality and violence against women, mainly by partners or ex-partners, politicians pay lip service to the day and its objectives.

According to Jennie Rhodes, writing in SUR in English last Thursday, the pay gap between women and men in Spain stands at 25.9 per cent, just 0.4 per cent lower than in 2025.

Ms Rhodes reminds readers that a chilling headline at the end of 2025 read that "Malaga was the Spanish province with the highest number of women killed by gender violence that year" in the whole of Spain.

She goes on: "so far this year in Spain there have been nine women killed, three of which have been in Andalucia."

    [SUR in English]

A hot topic is also the issue of whether Muslim women should be banned from wearing the burka or niqab in public spaces. France has already legislated; Spain is considering a ban. 

The problem is that this simply means "fewer women leaving their houses and engaging in society", according to Cristina Vallejo writing in Diario SUR. She was referring to a report published by Cambridge University Press.

[elDiario.es]    

Footnote

There was wall-to-wall coverage of the Dia Internacional de las Mujeres on Spanish TV on Sunday morning.

In the programme "Plano General", Miriam Gonzalez, wife of former LibDem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, was interviewed by Jenaro Castro about her work on behalf of women and girls. A lawyer, Ms Gonzalez spoke about how youth is the future for gender equality and also about her projects "Inspiring Women" and "Inspiring Girls".

    [RTVE.es]

Later, the weekly magazine programme on agriculture "Agrosfera" focused solely on women in honour of this important day. From "percebeiras" in Galicia, wine-makers in La Rioja, honey production, fisherwomen in Gandia on the Costa Blanca and citrus cultivation in Sevilla, the programme showed that women are as capable as men and are making an important contribution to these local economies.

Percebeiras [La Voz de Galicia]    

Today's editions of Malaga Hoy and SUR also carried extensive coverage of El Dia de la Mujer, featuring women who have "made it in a man's world".

Sources

Diario SUR, internationalwomensday.com, Malaga Hoy, SUR, SUR in English, TVE1, unwomen.org, Wikipedia

Link

Agrosfera - 07/03/26

International Women's Day – Saturday 8 March 2025

Plano general - Miriam González

© The History Man

Pictures:

elDiario.es, La Voz de Galicia, RTVE.es, SUR in English, The Guardian

Tags:

"Agrosfera", burka, Christian Bale, Cristina Vallejo, Dia de la Mujer, Diario SUR, elDiario.es, France, Gloria Steinem, "Inspiring Women", "Inspiring Girls", International Women's Day, internationalwomensday.com, Jenaro Castro, Jennie Rhodes, La Voz de Galicia, Malaga Hoy, Miriam Gonzalez, Nick Clegg, niqab, Paul Whitelock, percebeiras, "Plano General", RTVE.es, Spain, SUR, SUR in English, The Guardian, UN, United Nations, unwomen.org, Wikipedia

Andalucía Day (Día de Andalucía)

Andalucía Day, marks the anniversary of a referendum held on 28 February, 1980 when a large majority of voters supported the referendum for Andalucía to become one of the 17 autonomous communities in Spain, following Spain’s democratisation after nearly forty years of the Franco dictatorship. Franco died in November 1975. 

[Image courtesy of Calendarr]    

Día de Andalucía is a significant day in the life of most andaluces. It is a public holiday so that schools, businesses, and government offices are closed. 

The autonomous community of Andalucía shares international land borders with Portugal and Gibraltar. Within Spain, it borders the autonomous communities of Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Murcia. People in Andalucía voted for the region to become an autonomous community of Spain on February 28, 1980.

Yet the Spanish Parliament only accepted Andalucía as a historic nationality in 2006.

[Freepik]    

Andalucía’s flag is widely displayed on Andalucía Day. It consists of three equal horizontal bars. The top and lower bars are dark green and the middle bar is white. Andalucía’s coat of arms is at the centre of the flag. Andalucía’s coat of arms consists of an image of the mythical Greek hero Heracles between two columns. The columns represent the Pillars of Heracles. These are the rocks on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar.

    [Junta de Andalucia]

In many cities, towns and villages in Andalucía people decorate their balconies with the regional flag and with green-and-white bunting.

***

Fiona Flores-Watson and Catherine Cunningham wrote a thorough description of this day for the website andalucia.com. Here are some excerpts:

What happens on Día de Andalucia?

On Día de Andalucía politicians and officials traditionally pay tribute to Blas Infante by visiting his monument at km 4 on the old Seville - Carmona road, site of his execution at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. This act serves as a tribute to his legacy and his contributions to Andalusian autonomy and culture.

There are also groups who pay tribute to Blas Infante by visiting his birthplace in Casares, and also at the Casino and Circulo de Artistas in Ronda, where he held the first Andalucian assembly in 1918.

[Instagram]    

For those whose children attend school in Andalucia, if 28 February falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, then the intervening Monday/Friday will be added to form a “puente”, or bank holiday.

On the day before, or the last school day prior to the Andalucia Day holiday, children in primary schools have a traditional Andalucian breakfast of toast with olive oil plus orange juice.

Many towns and villages will have small flag raising ceremonies in the main square in front of the Town Hall on the morning of 28 February. 

Cities and towns across the region come alive with festive activities. Schools, government buildings, and houses proudly display the green and white Andalusian flag for days or weeks leading up to 28 February.

Some museums and monuments open for free, such as the Museo Picasso and Centre Pompidou in Malaga, or hold special visits and events - check schedules in advance.

The history of Andalucia and Blas Infante

Historically, Andalucia has been shaped by many civilizations, including the Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors, before the reconquest of Iberia by the Catholic Monarchs  in 1492. 

Later, in the early 20th century, politician, writer and activist Blas Infante (1885–1936) played an important role in defining Andalucia’s identity.

Infante is considered the "Father of Andalucian Nationalism", thanks to his advocating for its autonomy.

    [Diario AS]

But Blas Infante’s activities were not considered acceptable by General Franco, and he was executed by the dictator’s troops on 11 August 1936, on the old Seville - Carmona road. The final words spoken by this champion for his beloved region were: “¡Viva Andalucía libre!" (Long live free Andalusia!).

The influence of Blas Infante on Andalucia during the 20th century’s first tumultuous decades laid the foundation for the region’s recognition as an autonomous community within Spain in 1981, following the referendum the year before.

His house, Casa de la Alegría, in Corea del Rio near Seville, now forms part of a museum, Museo de la Autonomía de Andalucia.

    [ABC]

While Andalusia as a region has ancient roots, Blas Infante, born in the small village of Casares in Malaga province, is credited with giving Andalucia its modern political and cultural identity.

The flag's design was overseen by Blas Infante, as part of his key role in shaping Andalusian identity.

My Andalucia Day 2024 - a personal serendipity

I had a great day, much of it unexpected yet good, therefore serendipitous.

After early coffee in the Ronda Valley Hotel (now the Hotel Don Manuel), my local in Ronda, I headed off to Montejaque to do some work on my reforma in the village.

Guess who was there? My new neighbours who bought the house next door 12 months before. Robert and Edyta are Poles from Warsaw. I didn't know they were coming. That was quite unexpected and it was a pleasure to see them again.

It was now midday, so I popped to the square to watch El Juego del Cántaro, a tradition in the village on Andalucia Day. First up were the young kids from the village, followed by the macho twentysomethings - all of them male. Then it was the turn of the older women and at the end they wanted the guiris to form a group. I was roped in, together with Jane and Samantha, all of us English. The Germans and the Americans present all declined to take part, however! Three local women made up the numbers.

    [Diputacion Provincial de Malaga]

All three of us English were debutants, despite living in the village for many years. We gave a good account of ourselves and managed to keep the pitcher in play for a good quarter of an hour. Then a mortified montejaqueña dropped it, whereupon it smashed into a thousand pieces . Game over! Our guiri honour was intact!

Next I set off for the next village down the Guadiaro valley, Jimera de Líbar, for a live music gig at Allioli Bar Y Más, the bar by the station, where I had arranged to meet some friends, locals, as well as a Scotswoman, a Danish lady, a Scouser and several other British folk.

The group was EQUIS, so called because X (equis in Spanish) is the letter used for foreigners (extranjeros) on NIEs and TIEs and the group members are all foreigners: Marcus, English, on lead guitar and vocals; Lindsay, also English, on keyboards; Klaus, German, on bass guitar and vocals; and Franci, from Gibraltar, on drums.

Incredibly, although I have known Marcus Myers for many years, I had only ever seen him perform solo.

Marcus Myers [marcusmyersmusic.com]    

EQUIS were a revelation. They played superb covers of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Doors, Joe Cocker, Santana and The Police.

I then went home to Ronda. I was on cooking duties, as my missus Rita was on the coast with her German friend Helen.

Dia de Andalucia Dining 2025 

Friday 28 February 2025 - Celebrating with dinner

Because of the bad weather some of the outdoor celebrations had to be cancelled or moved to indoor venues. And the andaluces still enjoyed their celebrations with family and friends.

Those of us foreigners who are resident here – guiris –  will have used the day as an excuse to celebrate and many will have gone out for dinner.

The Meter Maid and I chose the nearest restaurant to our home, the excellent La Cascada at the Hotel Molino del Puente in Fuente de la Higuera just outside Ronda.

The hotel bar was cosy and warm; the restaurant also.

There were 18 diners, eight Spaniards and ten “guiris”, a mixture of hotel residents and “locals”.

After opening drinks in the bar we chose our meals and shortly afterwards adjourned to our tables, where we dined in style - as always.                                               

    Ian, Elaine and Carly Love with head chef Tom O'Connor

***

Día de Andalucía is a day to embrace the rich cultural heritage, enjoy delicious food, and take in the lively atmosphere that makes Andalucia so very special.

¡Feliz Día de Andalucía!

Further reading:

Andalucía Day (Día de Andalucía) - Secret Serrania de Ronda - 2021

Día de Andalucía – Monday 28 February 2022

My Andalucia Day - a personal serendipity – 2023

Por qué se celebra el 28-F el día de Andalucía         

Early Morning Coffee

What is a guiri?

© The History Man

Photos:

Daily Mail, Ian Love, Karl Smallman, Paul Whitelock, saedyn

Acknowledgements:

Eye on Spain, Ian Love, Karl Smallman, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serranía

Tags:

17 autonomous regions, 28 February 1980, andaluces, Andalucía, bad weather, celebrating with family and friends, Daily Mail, death of the dictator General Franco, democracy, día festivo, Eye on Spain, guiri, Hotel Molino del Puente, Ian Love, Karl Smallman, La Cascada, Meter Maid, outdoor celebrations, Paul Whitelock, political and cultural history of the region, referendum, resident, Ronda, Secret Serranía

áéíóú

The name of this early comedy by William Shakespeare, written in the mid-1590s, makes a great title for this article by Paul Whitelock.

It tells of a personal epiphany for him around the time of the Epiphany or Dia de Reyes, yesterday 6th January, 2026.

Original poster [Wikipedia]    

Diary of a Nobody

This article is about the love and respect that I have recently lost for two Labour (socialist) prime ministers of European democratic countries. These are Pedro Sánchez, presidente del gobierno of Spain and Sir Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    Pedro Sanchez [Facebook]                               Sir Keir Starmer [Independent en español}

My political origins

I am a social democrat by instinct - I voted Liberal, LibDem and, in 1997 and 2001, New Labour in the UK, and if I could vote in Spain, where I have been resident for the last 17 years, I would support PSOE over PP and the myriad of smaller parties that have popped up in recent years.

    [Wikipedia]

My current allegiance

Since  I have lived in Spain I have taken a keen interest in the politics of my adopted country. I felt comfortable living in Andalucia, socialist since Spain became a democracy following the death in 1975 of the fascist dictator General Francisco Franco Bahamonde. 

Yet, in recent years everything has changed. Lifelong socialists have suddenly realised they are conservatives and have switched their support to PP and VOX.

I have been pretty much a lone voice speaking up for socialism.

Andalucia now has a regional government which is PP; Ronda council is led by a PP mayor; the village where I cast my vote is run by the PP ("aliens" may vote in local elections, BTW, but not in regional or national ones - why is that?).

    [Partido Popular]    

Pedro Sánchez

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is the leader of the country I chose to move to 17 years ago.

For me he had it all when he shot to power following six years of right-wing mis-rule under the "dodgy" Mariano Rajoy.

Young, tall, good-looking and a fluent-English speaker, Sanchez was also a socialist, the secretary general and leader of PSOE.

[Wikipedia]    

He first became prime minister in 2018, aged 46, after Mariano Rajoy was forced to resign; then again in 2020 as head of a coalition between PSOE and Unidos Podemos.

This electoral uncertainty coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic hitting the world with a vengeance.

Pedro Sanchez proved he had "cojones" by handling the crisis with a firm but deft touch.

Deaths from the Coronavirus were far fewer than had been predicted, largely because of brutal lockdowns demanded by Sánchez (cf. the chaos in England under Boris Johnson), which, although not popular, were supported by the majority and enforced by the police.

[Facultad Teologia]    

In the general election of 2023, called two years early by Sánchez, the PP, now led by Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, received the most votes but did not win enough seats (rescañas) to govern.

He failed to form a coalition, so Sánchez had the next chance and managed to cobble together enough seats to form a coalition government with Sumar, Podemos and regional Basque and Catalan parties.                     

Alberto Nuñez Feijoo [El Periodico]   

And this is when it all started to go wrong for Sánchez .

Meanwhile in the UK .....

The Conservative government was lurching from crisis to crisis.

The party hierarchy got rid of the incompetent Bojo The Clown; Liz Truss, who lasted five minutes and wrecked the economy; and Rishi Sunak, who was out of his depth.

All three contributed to a major lack of confidence in the Conservatives on the part of the voters .

Bojo The Clown Johnson [Facebook]    

Sunak called an early general election in 2024 (Why?) and the Tories were slaughtered at the ballot box. Labour, led by former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer, stormed to a landslide victory.

Sir Keir Starmer

A working class lad, Starmer was bright and did well at school.

He went on to Leeds University to read Law, gained a Masters degree from Oxford, did his articles and became a lawyer. By 2008 he was DPP, a post he held with distinction for five years.

    Sir Keir Starmer [France24]

Starmer entered parliament as an MP for the first time in 2015, but quickly rose through the ranks and became party leader in 2020 following the debacle of Jeremy Corben's leadership.

I liked the "cut of his jib", and I continued to support him through all the criticism by the Tory Press, Nigel Farage, the Tory government which caused all the problems in the first place, disastrous opinion polls and the debacle of recent by-elections.

He has been effective on the international stage, but, I hate to say it, pretty hopeless at home. I've had enough.

If I had a vote in the UK - I do not - I would no longer vote Labour. I would revert to the LibDems. 

Conclusion

It is appropriate that I had my personal Epiphany (acc. to Webster's dictionary "a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization") at ..... Epiphany 2026, el Dia de Reyes.

Yes, I realised that Pedro Sanchez and Sir Keir Starmer, my great hopes for the future of Europe, weren't all they were "cracked up to be".

    [Calendarr]

Pedro Sánchez and his coalition government have been mired in controversy. From alleged corruption, money-laundering and sexual misbehaviour by government ministers to controversy closer to home.

His wife, Begoña Gomez, has been accused of abusing her position as the wife of the prime minister, and his brother David Sánchez has been allegedly "up to something".

For all the good Pedro Sánchez has done, it's time for him to go - sadly!

***

As for Sir Keir Starmer, while being impressive on the European and World stages, he has looked ill-at-ease and uncertain back home.

His problems with former deputy Angela Rayner, chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves, a couple of defections to other parties, a Commons backbench revolt, a disastrous budget, policy U-turns, the loss of a safe seat in a by-election in Wales and terrible opinion poll ratings, the prime minister is treading on very thin ice.

Waiting in the wings to take over are the much-admired Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Rayner, who is very popular amongst fellow MPs.

    Angela Rayner [BBC]

Sorry, Keir, you had my support for over a year. I still rate you as a statesman abroad, but you've failed dismally at home.

I'll see you at the Dole Office!

________________________________________________________________________________________

Note on Shakespeare's play

Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies makes them break their oath. In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year. The play draws on themes of masculine love and desire, reckoning and rationalisation, and reality versus fantasy.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Links

Spain, is it really a country lacking glamour and with beaches full of drunken tourists gorging themselves on cheap beer and sunshine? | Sur in English

Why can’t we have the vote? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

©  Paul Whitelock

Abbreviations and Acronyms:

BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation

PP - Partido Popular (conservative)

PSOE - Partido Socialista Obreros Españoles (socialist)

Podemos - "We can" in English (small left-wing party)

Sumar - "Unite" in English (left-wing coalition of 20 tiny parties, key coalition partner for PSOE)

VOX - Means "voice" in Latin (extreme right-wing party, close to fascism)

Pictures:

BBC, Calendarr, El Periodico, Facebook, France24, Independent en español, Partido Popular, Wikipedia, 

Thanks:

Eye on Spain, MSN, Secret Serrania de Ronda, Wikipedia, 

Tags:

BBC, Calendarr, Diary of a Nobody, El Periodico, Eye on Spain, Facebook, France24, Independent en español, MSN, Partido Popular, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia, 

á, é í, ó, ö