Blog #Paul Whitelock

The Spanish celebrate Christmas and New Year differently to most other countries. The month-long 'fiesta' lasts from 8th December, Immaculate Conception, through to 6th January, Epiphany. What happens in between is different also. Paul Whitelock first wrote about this back in 2020, when many traditional events were cancelled because of Covid-19. The original article has been tweaked. Here's the up-to-date version.

The presidente del gobierno (the Spanish prime minister) has been under fire recently from all sides and he is "riding low" in the opinion polls. Pedro Sánchez has been accused of corruption, of nepotism and of other dodgy practices. So, he decided to submit himself to a live interview by TVE, the national TV broadcaster. That was 10 days ago.

The Ronda Valley Hotel at the bottom of the valley just outside Ronda (known to us locals as the Hotel Don Benito) shut suddenly the other day without notice. Nobody seemed to know why. We knew it was going to close on January 15th for reasons which weren't quite clear, but why all of a sudden in early December? Something must be afoot …..

John Lennon, the former Beatle, was shot dead in New York City on December 8th, 1980, by deranged fan Mark Chapman. That was 45 years ago. The world was shocked! It happened in broad daylight outside the apartment block in New York where Lennon lived with his second wife, the Japanese multimedia artist Yoko Ono.

The worst kept secret around these parts is that the Ronda Valley Hotel (formerly Hotel Don Benito) is to close its doors on 15th January 2026. WTF! Why? This hotel is my nearest local, so from a selfish point of view, I think it's a disaster. Talking with other "guiris" who live nearby, it's a catastrophe for them also.

Generalisimo Francisco Franco Bahamonde, the fascist dictator who led Spain for 39 years, from 1936 until his death in 1975, "celebrates" the 50th anniversary of his death later this week, on Thursday November 20th. ​He will not be mourned by many. He has been thoroughly discredited for his murderous "reign". What follows is a brief summary of the rise and fall of the only fascist leader of the mid-20th century to die a natural death. Hitler committed suicide and Mussolini was executed by hanging.

Starting from home in Ronda we headed for the start of the Genal Valley, which begins with the pretty "Enchanted Forest" in Parauta. We then continued on to Cartajima; to the Smurfs' blue village Juzcar; past Farajan; and on to Alpandeire, which celebrates Fray Leopoldo, a recently created saint. Alpandeire was our lunch destination.

We have entered meteorological Autumn and are more than half-way through September. Night temperatures are dropping and the first frosts won't be far away. Time to get ready for the cold winter months. The climate in this part of Spain is defined as continental: "Nueve meses de infierno y tres de invierno."

Maria de la Paz Fernandez Lobato (PP), has been indicted on five criminal charges and faces a prison sentence and a huge fine. The news broke this weekend that the mayoress has been charged with prevarication, embezzlement, fraud and falsification of documents.

The town where I chose to live 17 years ago is hitting the news a lot lately. Hardly surprising. After four decades spent discovering Spain, it's the place Paul Whitelock decided to emigrate to. On arrival in 2008 he lived in Montejaque for three years, before he and his new second wife decided they needed more space, a garden and a pool. They moved to the outskirts of Ronda. So, why is Ronda in the news? Take a look:

​Paul Whitelock first heard about this pilgrimage route when he was an undergraduate studying Spanish. Several writers on Spain referred to it. He attended a course through the EU Socrates programme which was held in one of the starting points. ​ Two parishioners from his local church did the walk and gave a presentation in church. ​Hollywood star Shirley MacLaine wrote a book after she had walked the route. ​ There was a TV series and several films.

Not only is it the start of the fiesta de Sanfermines in Pamplona, it's also the 20th anniversary of the London Bombings, when four suicide bombers attacked three underground trains and a London bus during the morning rush hour. While the encierro in northern Spain is a joyous occasion, the events in London represented a colossal outrage. More here.