Ode to the smile
Imagine if you were a baby that was born in the past year and a half. Certainly, here in Spain all you would have seen on the street in your short life would have been masked people on the street. …
Having a heart in two countries
The other day my son sent me a WhatsApp video from Norway. He was out running by the Oslo fjord and had stopped on a bridge to film the view. Far below, I could see the water that I had …
The classic art of cordobese leather – 1000 years in the making
Imagine walking into a French palace back in the 16th Century, the golden age of leatherwork, and coming upon a dancehall lined with brightly shining polychrome gilt-leather panels with the most amazing intricate botanical and geometrical designs. The decor …
Once upon a time – Love in the time of Corona
Now that we might soon be able to talk about the Corona virus in the past tense, it is time to reflect on how this global pandemic affected our love lives.
If ‘Love in the time of Cholera’ had its …
May is for Azar
Have you ever been struck by an odour which instantly took you back to a place that you had completely forgotten about? This happens to me quite frequently. I can turn a corner and suddenly I am there as a …
Meet Spain’s (only) genuine Norwegian olive farmers
It is no secret that most Norwegians who live in Spain are pensioners who reside on the sunny Spanish coast. Which is why I admit to getting excited when I meet some of my fellow countrymen who are a tad …
A growing pleasure – 10 reasons to plant a tree
One of the greatest pleasures of spring is watching the budding leaves on the trees.
If you always have wanted to plant a tree in your garden, spring is also the best time of the year to do so. Planting …
Do you choose April?
“I choose April” my father would always announce in his booming baritone around this time of the year. He was quoting the first part of a Norwegian poem from the 1870s, though he never continued, so I doubt …
Progress vs Patrimony – Ronda’s eternal struggle to become a 21st Century town
Andalucía is one of Europe’s foremost travel destinations with a rich and diverse cultural past. One can hardly put a spade in the ground without bringing some more ruins to light. Roman, Visigoth or Arab treasures seem to be discovered …
Almond liqueur with an Andalusian twist
The almond tree, or el almendro as it is called in Spanish, can be found all over the Mediterranean region. Ever since the Phoenicians brought the fruit to these shores some 3000 years ago, they have been an important …