Everybody has heard of tapas bars, most of us have eaten in them, they’re ubiquitous in many European countries. But what exactly is tapas? And where does it come from? 

According to the Real Academia Española, voice of authority on the Spanish language, a tapa, in this context, is a small portion of food served as an accompaniment to a drink, usually alcoholic, such as wine or beer. But where does the custom come from?

The origin is debatable. There are many versions as to how the custom started. Let’s look at a few of them. Before we do though, we should examine the meaning of the word tapa. 

 tapa = a cover (tapas is the plural)

tapar = to cover

Overlooking the Iznájar reservoir is the whitewashed town of Rute, dwarfed by the Sierra de Rute that looms above it. It is one of the gorgeous towns that forms part of the Subbética Region of Córdoba.

Rute, which comes from the word “Ruta" in Spanish or "Route" in English, came into existence as a result of Spanish soldiers passing through that area on their way to conquer Granada. However, it later become the site of the first "anis" factory and today it is best known for its manufacture of aguardiente de anís, an aniseed-flavoured liqueur, an industry that has been thriving here since the nineteenth century.

It is also known for its Spanish hams and its ever-increasing “oleoturismo”, olive oil tourism, allowing visitors to explore its oil presses, enjoy tastings of the liquid gold and visit thousand year old olive trees. Its mild climate in both summer and winter and its variation of landscapes, which allow a number of different types of olives such as Picuda, Hojiblanca y Picual to grow in the area, give identity to the region’s dishes and have earned it various international olive oil awards.

For nature lovers and those hoping to work up an appetite to later try the gastronomy of the area, the Sierra de Rute has peaks of over 1000m above sea level, a variety of flora and fauna and many beautiful routes to be enjoyed. It boasts waterfalls and streams at la Garganta del Río la Hoz, a spring and ruins of Rute El Viejo, a route to see thousand year old indigenous Encina trees, as well as being close to the the Vía Verde (the old olive railway that ran through the province). And if that’s not enough, Rute is found close to other exquisite towns such as Priego de Córdoba, Puente Genil and the stunning lake in Iznájar

If you’d like to learn more about this and other villages in the area of Córdoba, click here to visit our Exposure page:
https://anotherwayoflife.exposure.co/get-to-knownbsp-nbsp-nbsp-nbspla-subbetica-and-lake-iznajar

Here in Andalucia we have gone through the 6th wave of Covid-19 and are now steadily making a recovery. The Covid passports (certification of full vaccination) that were introduced as compulsory for entry into bars, restaurants, hospitals, health centres and so on from the 9th of December 2021 have been done away with from today, the 15th of February 2022.

While they didn’t do much to stop the spread of Covid, what with the extremely contagious Omnicron variant, they were fantastically successful in persuading resisting citizens to be vaccinated. In Granada, for example, 14.000 people have been vaccinated in the past two months, meaning that now 95% of the population over 12 has been vaccinated. In Andalucia, the number of unvaccinated people has dropped from 450.000 a 290.000. As the World Health Organisation has recently predicted, it looks like we are in for a period of calm as spring approaches.

According to statistics produced by Spain's INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas), by the end of 2021 more people were in employment than before the coronavirus pandemic started in March 2020.

During the year 2021 Spain created 841.000 jobs, the largest increase since 2005. At 20.184.900, there are now 4% more people actively employed than at the end of 2020. The good news is that this is not merely due to a reduction in the impact of Covid. At the end of last year Spain was in the grip of the sixth wave, which has been the worst in terms of infection rates, although not in the seriousness of symptoms. Evidence of the underlying strength of the economy is seen in that despite the continuing effect of Covid, the number of people employed is higher than at any time since 2008.

Running parallel to this increase in people actively employed is a structural change in employment contracts. Spain has two types of employment contract: indefinido or permanent and definido which are temporary, typically for six months. The use of definido contracts provides flexibility in the labour market but has traditionally been abused by employers to avoid employees accruing rights. The Spanish government has recently taken steps to limit this abuse and their action appears to be bearing fruit. In 2021 there was tremendous growth in indefinido contracts and a significant reduction in the number of definido contracts. This may also be a reflection of employers' confidence in the future of the economy.  

This past weekend the annual Andalusian Aerostation Festival took place in the province of Granada. Every year around this time sees the sky filled with hot air balloons over some exquisite Andalusian landscape. In recent years, the province of Granada has been a particular favourite for the festival, not only because of the breathtaking scenery that the Geopark of Granada offers, but also because it is considered to have some of the best weather conditions for ballooning in the world.

This year marked the 22nd edition of the Andalusian Aerostation Festival, in collaboration with the Andalusian Federation of Aerial Sports and Glovento Sur. However, it is not only a leisurely festival that is held each year! The festival also serves as the trials for the Hot Air Balloon Championship, with 14 Spanish teams competing this year.

The festival and championship took place from Friday 28th to Sunday 30th of January 2022. In total 4 events were planned. On Friday and Sunday, flights were scheduled to take place in the Geopark of Granada and Guadix, flying over dramatic landscapes like the desert of Los Coloraos in Gorafe (which we talk about in another article here). On Saturday, flights were leaving from the capital of Granada and La Vega of Granada, from San Miguel Alto.

Whether it is from above taking part in the flights or watching from below, be sure not to miss out on this hot air balloon event next year! To sign off, we leave you with a stunning picture of one of the hot air balloons flying over the Alhambra palace and fortress complex:

They’ve become nationally and internationally acclaimed for their intricately detailed and human-like puppets made of carved wood and silicone and performances accompanied by live orchestral music. They have innovated and adapted their shows for huge audiences by using ultra-violet lights to make the puppets more visible in huge sold-out performances in auditoriums like Manuel de Fallas that traditionally were thought inadequate for puppet theatre.

The tale of success of Granada’s Etcétera Puppet Theatre Company began with a twelve year old boy discovering his grandfather’s hand-carved puppet in a room in his parents’ house in Granada. Enrique Lanz’s keen interest in the craftsmanship of the wooden puppet and in his grandfather’s profession and past inspired him to found Etcétera a few years later in 1981 with Fabiola Garrido. To this day the puppet company still exists and thrives as one of the great reference points in the world of puppetry in Spain.

To mark their 40 years of success, the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones in Granada held a series of performances of Etcétera’s 'Soñando el festival de los animales’ from the 25th to the 28th of December 2021, a show coproduced in 2004 with the well-known Teatro de Liceo in Barcelona.

The puppet company has certainly moved around Granada. It started in the Casa de los Migueletes, in the lower Albaicín, later it moved to a large warehouse in the Vega of Granada and finally settled in Güéjar Sierra where it still remains to this day.

Their very first production, called ‘Sypnosis’, came about in 1985 and remained their star act for fourteen years. Interestingly enough, the name came about when a friend of Enrique’s, writer Antonio Muñoz Molina, suggested the title while enjoying an ice-cream together at Los Italianos, an adored ice-cream parlour and another age-old company that also continues to flourish today.

The city of Granada offers no shortage of options for adventures and enjoying nature. Anyone who has explored it even a little bit will know that Granada has a ski resort just behind it, cave houses in its very centre, the countryside a quick walk from almost anywhere in the city and beaches under an hour away.

However, did you know that the province of Granada is also home to its very own DESERT? Just over an hour away from the city of Granada and located between the regions of Guadix and Baza is an otherworldly landscape called el desierto de Gorafe.

Its breathtaking views, red earthy tones and spectacular rock formations have earned it nicknames such as the Grand Canyon of Spain and the Spanish Cappadocia, a reference to the magnificent region of Turkey where similar rock formations and cave houses have been the protagonists in many a dramatic landscape shot with hot air balloons dotting the sky above.

The exquisite landscape of Gorafe is divided into two different areas. Closest to the town of Gorafe is the Gorafe “Bad lands”, characterised by its ravines, large canyons and fairy chimneys, similar to those found in Turkey. The second area, Los Coloraos, with its reddish-coloured mountains and deep canyons, reminds the visitor of the Grand Canyon of Colorado.

As you can imagine, the immense silence of the place lends itself to reflection. Although its a desert, Gorafe is also home to a vast array of flora and fauna, with more than 100 species of birds known to soar through these parts. Nature lovers will be happy to know that it is possible to hike through the area. If you would like to do a walk, take a look at this easy route: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/badland-de-gorafe-44269446

 Andalusia, and Granada province in particular, is well known for its beautiful dark grey and white cobblestone patios and squares. It is an age-old custom that can still be appreciated today walking through the streets of many of the towns and cities of Andalusia.

It is rewarding to see that the tradition still lives on. Public squares are often revived and rebuilt in this traditional way using designs that haven't changed for centuries or new designs from the fertile minds of master stone layers. The desire for such traditional paving is not restricted to public spaces. Proud owners of carmens and new houses sometimes incur the expense of laying out their patio in thsi way. One of our new properties, currently under construction, had a new cobblestone patio laid down this past week. 

Speaking to the men laying the stones we were told that the white stones are sourced from rivers and the flat black or dark grey stones are from the beach. These darker stones are more difficult to obtain as there are now restrictions on the quantity that can be "harvested". The extent to which this type of work is still appreciated today is evidenced by the fact that their company only does this type of work and there is no shortage of clients. They travel all over Andalusia, and even outside Spain, to perform this skilful task.

There is a great varietyof design. In Granada it is common to see the shapes of pomegranates (the fruit from which Granada derives its name: granado in Spanish), leaves and flowers inlaid into the pavement, although there is really no limit to the plethora of geometric shapes, animals and objects that can be found.

 According to recent press reports, by December 23, 202,  85% of the population of Granada province, excluding the under 5's and the  5 - 11 age group whose vaccination programme started in early December, have now received a double dose of vaccine. 

Interestingly, since December 10, 2021 when the Junta de Andalucia announced that a double vaccine passport would be required for entry into bars, restaurants and other indoor events, 7.300 more people have received a first vaccination. Far more effective than compulsory vaccination, which is controversial and risks resistance, is to restrict entry to the pub! There has been little negative public reaction to the measure.

The lack of public resistance to vaccination, together with the continued compulsory wearing of masks in any indoor situation, has so far prevented Spain's health system from suffering an overload to the same degree as many other countries. Although mask wearing in the street has not been obligatory since July 2021, anecdotally around 80% of people in the cities have continued to do so. And, although outdoor sporting events have taken place without restriction in numbers, it has been compulsory to wear a mask throughout the game.  

The Ministry of Health announced today, December 29, 2021, a reduction of the period of isolation for those who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive, from 10 days to 7 days. There is pressure from the autonomous regions to reduce this to 5 days as, nationwide, 90% of all Spanish residents have now been double vaccinated and 80% of those over 80 have received a booster dose. Currently anyone over 58 can receive a booster, often at walk-in clinics with no appointment necessary.

As of today's date, nationally 1 in every 12 hospital beds is occupied with a covid patient. Here in Andalucia it is 1 in every 16.

Here in Granada we live a privileged lifestyle. Hot summers, cold winters, with sunshine for over 300 days. The photos above were taken on December 4, 2021 and, as you can see, all ages could enjoy bright sunshine while eating on restaurant and cafe terraces.

The photo on the left was taken in the Plaza de la Romanilla, near the Federico Garcia Lorca centre and the one on the right in Calle Nevot, behind the City Hall and one of the most popular streets with residents and tourists alike to have lunch or dinner. At week-ends Calle Nevot is thronged with people at all times of the year.

I have always admired the Japanese practice of removing shoes on entering a house and leaving them in the vestibule, usually in a cupboard designed especially for that purpose. I have never, however, seen anybody remove their high heels before entering a church with a cold stone floor. The owner of the red shoes in the photo even took car to place them on newspaper!

Seen in Calle San José, Albayzin, Granada, on December 20, 2021

These views were sent to us by a client, MDR, who bought her property earlier this year. The views are taken from her house approximately 40 kms north-west of Granada.

In the forground verdant olive groves, in the distance, approximately 80 kms away, are the peaks of the Sierra Nevada in the first week of December after the initial snowfall of late November. 

We are privileged to live in such a beautiful environmemnt!

Anastasia Bay

According to media reports a thirty-year-old contemporary art collector, Ana Martínez Frías, has acquired a 1.800 m2 historic building in Plaza Santa Ana, Granada, where she intends to create a mueseum of millenial art. Works from both new artists and established artists such as Avery Singer, Kelly Akashi and Anastasia Bay will be exhibited. The collector owns 250 works herself and these will be exhibited alongside works from fellow private collectors. She does not envisage this project as a commercial proposition but as a means to allow the public to view contemporary art, something which is lacking in the city despite the plethora of musuems the city already possesses.

Given the historic nature of the site and its protected status within the Alhambra Special Protection Area there are many bureaucratic hoops to leap through before the project can be realised, both at municipal and regional level. However, according to Ana Martínez her discussions with the various authorities have been entirely positive given that the authorities recognise the need for such a museum. The biggest difficulty, in planning terms, is that buildings within the zone of protection must be rebuilt in their former style and layout, which is unviable for an exhibition space. Fortunately, there is an exception for singular projects of this type. The fact that only the façade of the building remains standing after the interior was illegally demolished in 2007 will no doubt positively influence the opinion of the various bodies who must give their consent for the project to proceed. Currently the site has no viable use.

Rather than wait until 2023 when it is hoped that all necessary permits will have been obtained and work can start, Ana Martínez has acquired a second building, in the Gran Via de Colón, one of Granada's principal streets, where she will mount exhibitions of millenial art from Spring 2022, pending the construction of her main project.

The project will be entirely private and will not involve any public funding, at least initially. If it succeeds the city will owe Ana a great cultural debt. 

Good news for property buyers in Andalucia!

Notre Dame Swimming Pool

There has been a lot of controversy about the amount of money required to reconstruct France's most iconic cathedral and where that money should come from. The French government immediately committed to the reconstruction. It struck me that the Catholic Church itself, one of the wealthiest organisations in the world, would have been a better source for the funds than the French taxpayer, with the money having to be found from budgets such as Education, Health, Culture etc. Probably for this reason I had to smile when I saw some of the suggestions as to how the new roof design might look. I particularlly like the one above and the practical solution to local parking problems provided below.

Allan Hilder

Mediterranean Diet

According to data just issued by the Bloomberg Global Health Index, Spain ranks as the healthiest country in the world, replacing Italy, the leader in the last survey. The index is based on various factors including longevity, infant mortality, rates of obesity and tobacco consumption, the health system and access to clean water etc. 

Currently second on the list is Italy followed by Iceland and Japan. Sweden is 6th, Norway 9th, France 12th, Netherlands 15th, the UK 19th, Portugal 22nd, Germany 23rd, Denmark 25th, Belgium 28th and the USA 35th.

Although the overall level of property transactions are more than 30 % below their peak in the boom year of 2007, sales of existing houses, as opposed to new-builds, are fast approaching the levels seen in the boom. In 2018 422,500 used properties were sold compared to the height of 448.900 in 2007. More second-hand properties were sold in 2018 than in any year since 2007 and the trend is upwards.

Although this will definitely have an effect on prices, which are already on the increase as the graphs below show, in our particular niche of country properties, every one of them different, whether prices are rising, remaining stable or even falling depends more than anything else on the situation of the seller. My experience of prices over the past thirteen years is that we are still at a level very significantly lower than in the boom years and even now sellers will sometimes accept offers significantly lower than the price at which they are listed.

The following graphs and a table from two different sources provide a snapshot of how prices are moving in general and in Andalusia in particular.

TINSA - The largest firm of valuers in Spain

Movement of prices in Spain

The unemployment rate in Spain dropped, at the end of 2018, to its lowest level in a decade. From the peak of over 25% on 2013, the official rate has now fallen to 14.4%.

Although still high compared to the EU average of 6.6% or the Eurozone 7.9% it is perhaps as well to bear in mind the prevalence of cash in the Spanish economy. Many people, although officially unemployed, are receiving funds for work done outside of the official economy. And this applies to all walks of life, both employed and unemployed. Even architects and lawyers as well as painters and decorators, gardeners etc. like to enjoy part of their fees outside of the system.

Why else are 35% of all the Bin Ladens (€500 notes) in circulation in the Eurozone reputedly in Spain?

From 1st January 2019 the socialist government of Pedro Sánchez increased the minimum wage by a whopping 22%, the largest ever increase since the minimum wage was introduced. The level is now set at €900 per month in a 14 month year (double payments were traditional in May and August) or €1.050 per month if paid on a 12 month basis. There is even a rumoured plan to increase it again in 2020 (if Sr. Sánchez manages to stay in office!) to €1.000 for a 14 month or €1.167 per month on a 12 month payment basis.

Most economists would applaud such an increase as the lowest paid tend not to have the chance to save but spend all of their income on daily living thereby pumping money into the economy. The likely effects of this move, according to some commentators were that it would drive more low paid jobs into the insecure black economy, lower the number of future hirings, raise the rate of inflation and cause the loss of existing jobs. It looks like this last fear may have come to pass.

In Spain there are thousands of people contracted and losing their jobs on a daily basis, partly because of the widespread use of fixed term contracts (usually of six months duration). On 1st January 2019 there were 274.000 losses a figure not seen for a decade. In 2018 there were 176.000 and in 2011 only 57.000. This may simply be a blip as the market adjusts and prices rise slightly to accommodate the rise in wages, which hits agriculture and the hotel industry hardest, both of which depend heavily on unskilled manual work such as harvesting and the cleaning of bedrooms.

So, what seems initially to be a boon to the lower paid may result only in workers being pressurised to increase productivity and/or a reduction in the hours worked. 

Recently published data on the number of mortgages conceded by financial institutions continues to show a modest but sustained upward trend as the graph from Idealist below shows.

Rock bottom was hit at the end of 2013 but by late 2018 the number of mortgages granted, although a long way from the giddy heights of the boom years had returned to the levels of mid-2011.

Whether this growth will be maintained is uncertain as, although the economy is growing well, recent changes in legislation affecting the costs that banks must bear when conceding mortgages may place a brake on the market until these institutions work out how best to make money in a new environment.