Browsed by
Author: Rebecca

A whitewashed house in Castellar de la Frontera with red doors and window frames and a sherry barrel outside
Castellar de la Frontera: orange blossom and hand-painted scarves

Castellar de la Frontera: orange blossom and hand-painted scarves

The smell of jasmine and orange blossom fills the air. I think how lovely it must be when the flamenco bar and restaurant are open, although secretly I’m glad they aren’t and that I’ve arrived in time to wander round the village in pleasant solitude. Castellar de la Frontera has changed since I last visited it 20 years ago. I have a vague memory of a cold and cloudy February weekend afternoon and stalls selling tie-dyed baggy trousers inside the…

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Open notebook for writing and pencil with a view of the sea and the sunrise
3 ways writing can help you move forward

3 ways writing can help you move forward

Have you ever considered that 10 minutes of writing for enjoyment could add a positive aspect to your day? Many of us write everyday for work purposes, on instant messaging apps or to fill in paperwork. But what if a regular daily writing practice of a different kind could not only help you to clarify ideas but also to feel good afterwards? Here are three ways writing can help you move forward 1 Writing helps you to let go of…

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6 wine glasses with wine ready for tasting
Wine and vino; a day in Seville

Wine and vino; a day in Seville

It’s 7.30am and Seville is already starting to feel busy. Pedestrians, buses, bikes, scooters, cars and trams are all on the move. Lights appear dotted over apartment blocks as people prepare to start the day. San Bernardo train station is full of early morning commuters and today I am one of them. I step out of the station into the cool air of the December morning and ask a lady for directions. She points me vaguely in the direction of…

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Creative writing for wellbeing & discovery
Creative Writing for Wellbeing & Discovery; what can happen when you are curious about the process of writing?

Creative Writing for Wellbeing & Discovery; what can happen when you are curious about the process of writing?

When writing, we tend to concentrate on the finished product; a book, a poem or an essay. But, what happens if, instead of focusing on the outcome, we focus on the actual process of writing itself? This is what I began to explore in 2018 when, as a volunteer, I started to run Creative Writing for Wellbeing sessions. As we progressed through the sessions, I discovered that the participants benefited enormously from this type of writing in a group.  It…

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Pinot Noir at the Fábrica de Hojalata

Pinot Noir at the Fábrica de Hojalata

La Fabrica de Hojalata Yesterday, December 6th was bank holiday and it couldn’t have rained harder. Today, we are en route to visit La Fábrica de Hojalata, a winery in the Valle del Genal near Ronda. The sky is grey and the rain comes and goes. We turn off the main road from Ronda and start to wind our way around the mountain. We pass Júzcar, a town famous for its Smurfs, and see the sign to the Fábrica Real…

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A bottle of Spanish wine on a shelf
Wine shop 3/4 mile

Wine shop 3/4 mile

The small sign flashed at me as I manoeuvred the bend; Wine shop 3/4 mile. Rain had given way to a clear sky and a glimpse of the sea over the fields. Intrigued and wondering how a wine shop ended up in a narrow Devon lane, I drove on towards Stoke Fleming, making a mental note to find out more. Halfway down the hill from Stoke Fleming to Blackpool Sands, where the road joins the pavement, I stopped to admire…

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Totleigh Barton Manor House Devon
A writing week with the Arvon Foundation

A writing week with the Arvon Foundation

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to spend a week away writing? I am an enormous fan of spending creative time away with others on an organised writing holiday. So, I am really pleased to be sharing this fabulous guest post by writer, Hilary Smith. Hilary, who is co-author of a non-fiction book for primary school teachers published by Routledge, wanted to refresh her creative writing skills, so she attended a residential writing week hosted by the Arvon Foundation….

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The avenue in Chipiona

The avenue in Chipiona

There’s an avenue I like to walk along in Chipiona. It has a large white villa, a semi-modern apartment block and restaurants; a mini boulevard lined with eucalyptus trees that leads you straight to the sea. In January it is quiet. I walk across the empty square at the top of the avenue passing Manolo’s ice cream kiosk, boarded up for winter. A handful of cars are randomly parked. The only bar open serves afternoon coffee to an elderly couple. …

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Get ahead writing a typewriter with a sunflower on it
Get ahead writing: 5 ways letters can motivate you to write more

Get ahead writing: 5 ways letters can motivate you to write more

From gaining clarity to giving you inspiration or providing props, there are many ways letters can motivate you and energise your writing. Here are five that can help you find energy and inspiration 1. Writing to your novel, poem or other project A technique I came across recently via an interview on the Professional Writing Academy with author, teacher and co- author of Writing Works, Victoria Field, is to write a letter to your novel asking what it needs from…

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mixed salad
Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Prado del Rey

Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Prado del Rey

It’s hard not to eat out well in the province of Cádiz and Prado del Rey is no exception. This small town has an amazing range of gastronomic delights, local wines, an ecological farm and its own salt mine dating from Roman times. The busy high street is packed with bars and excellent restaurants and there’s a wonderful ambiente (atmosphere), especially on Friday evenings and weekends. In this post, I am going to tell you about Venta Rosario, a roadside…

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