SKOL – Marbella’s modernistic 1960s icon

    Everyone who lives in Marbella knows it, and most who have visited the town will have walked past this unique white building complex with SKOL written in vertical letters along the facade. The modernistic block of flats, which is one of Costa del Sol’s best examples of 1960s architecture, was a ground-breaking residential…

Continue Reading

The Cheery Cobblers of Ronda

Is it only me, or have you also noticed that everything lasts a shorter and shorter time? Be it mobiles that are virtually useless after a couple of years, computers that refuse to update, self-parking cars that go wild, or clothes and shoes that barely last a season – it looks like the disposable culture…

Continue Reading

Here comes the gas man!

If you believe you have a tough job, think again. One of the most demanding occupations here in Spain must be to deliver the gas bottles to the country’s homes and businesses. I had a chat with our local bombonero and discovered that he lifts close to 10,000 kg – per day!   In almost every Spanish neighbourhood…

Continue Reading

Summer sizzle

We know it is summer in our Andalucian hometown when the only time it is liveable outside is before 9 am in the morning or after 9 pm at night. The hottest we experienced was the day we passed a thermometer outside a pharmacy, measuring 52 degrees. Not to forget that time during our first…

Continue Reading

Words of the wise

As you read this, my husband and I are travelling around Morocco by rail to mark my 60th birthday. I am NOT sharing this news to attract felicitations (Please don’t!) or sympathy. Rather the contrary. I usually keep very quiet about such occasions and am no great celebrator of birthdays in general. I cannot remember…

Continue Reading