Blog #Ronda

After all the rain we've had - nay, suffered - this year, Spring has suddenly come upon us here in Ronda (Malaga) with a vengeance. I took a stroll around my garden last week taking photos of trees, shrubs and bushes which are bursting forth with healthy blossom. There are also plants and vegetables which are thriving after all the rain. Unfortunately there are also weeds everywhere, which I'm gradually getting to grips with.

El Día de Andalucía conmemora el aniversario del referéndum celebrado el 28 de febrero de 1980, en el que una amplia mayoría de los votantes apoyó la incorporación de Andalucía como una de las 17 comunidades autónomas de España, tras la democratización del país después de casi cuarenta años de la dictadura de Franco. Franco falleció en noviembre de 1975.

¡Estas localidades de la Serranía de Ronda y la Sierra de Grazalema han sido noticia! Cobertura mediática masiva en la televisión nacional, internet y la prensa nacional. ¡Y por las razones equivocadas! Debido al temporal que llega del oeste, principalmente la tormenta Leonardo, se han emitido alertas rojas y naranjas para Cádiz, Extremadura y algunas zonas de Andalucía.

Las vacaciones de Navidad y Año Nuevo en España son larguísimas, y el pronóstico del tiempo para este año es tan malo, que necesitamos algo que hacer en casa, además de ver películas navideñas y repeticiones televisivas sin parar. ¿Qué tal leer un buen libro? Aquí tenéis las sugerencias de The Culture Vulture para una lista de lecturas navideñas, sin ningún orden en particular. Los autores son estadounidenses, ingleses, irlandeses, noruegos, ucranianos y dos españoles.

Ha comenzado la temporada de quema en Andalucía. Para quemar restos de jardín, maleza y recortes de césped, se necesita un permiso que se puede obtener gratuitamente en el ayuntamiento. La fecha de inicio fue el 1 de noviembre, así que me aseguré de solicitar mi licencia con suficiente antelación.

María de la Paz Fernández Lobato (PP) ha sido acusada de cinco delitos y enfrenta una pena de prisión y una multa cuantiosa. La noticia se dio a conocer este fin de semana: la alcaldesa ha sido acusada de prevaricación, malversación de fondos, fraude y falsificación de documentos.

August is the month when Spain lets its hair down, celebrating fiesta after feria after dia santo (saint's day). Where do I begin? There has been so much going on in Ronda and the Serrania this month, and there's yet more to come!

"Animal House" is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hulce and Donald Sutherland. ​The film is about a trouble-making fraternity whose members challenge the authority of the dean of the fictional Faber College. "Animal House" became one of the highest-grossing comedy films of all time. This article has absolutely nothing to do with the film, by the way.

It's just been the 101 again. The 2025 edition was the 25th anniversary of this important event in the Ronda calendar. Catering for MTB cyclists, runners, walkers, as well as a shorter junior event. The 101 has a national and international profile. Participants come from all over Spain, as well as from abroad - 10 foreign countries in 2025. The 101 is organised by the Spanish Foreign Legion in Ronda.

Deep shock permeated the village of Montejaque, near Ronda (Malaga) (pop: 970), on Tuesday of last week when a young man from the village fell to his death on the winding road out of the village. Cayetano Postigo Hidalgo (30) was enjoying a bike ride in the vicinity of La Presa de los Caballeros on the road to Sevilla, when disappeared from sight. What had happened?

"How Green Was My Valley" is a novel by Richard Llewellyn about a Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. It was turned into a Hollywood film, two BBC TV series, a Broadway musical and a theatre play. I was struck the other day by how green my valley was. But we've had a load of rain. I live in the Valle de Fuente de la Higuera just outside Ronda (Malaga). I've never seen it so green at the start of Spring. And I've lived round here for over 16 years. Here's the story.

I grew up in a rural area in North Devon (England) where I lived in three different houses between the ages of nought and 14. I remember that my Dad, from rural South Wales, always had either a garden or a big allotment. Here's my story of how I went from being a novice English gardener to an apprentice Spanish jardinero, despite the challenges: hot sun; ice cold winters; heavy rainfall; pests; exhaustion; poor quality soil.