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Tag: Andalusia

10 Reasons why you should run a writing retreat

10 Reasons why you should run a writing retreat

Have you ever thought about running a writing retreat? There’s no doubt that retreats are great opportunity to do something different that your writers will love. I hosted my first writing retreat in our tiny mountain village in Andalucía, Spain for a UK based client. The client, a coach who writes non-fiction for business purposes, brought three emerging writers with her to spend five days focusing on their writing. The writers loved it. They got the opportunity to spend quality…

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Costa de La Luz; Laid-back luxury in Los Caños de Meca

Costa de La Luz; Laid-back luxury in Los Caños de Meca

Los Caños de Meca Picture a Mediterranean pine forest, a clear blue sky and a long, sandy beach.  A laid-back type of place where you don’t have to worry much about anything. Welcome to Los Caños de Meca, one of the hidden gems on the Costa de La Luz. Wild coastline Called ‘Los Caños’ for short, this small coastal village is a not far from Tarifa. Off the beaten track, it’s a one road hamlet with a wild unspoilt coastline…

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Exquisite tapas in Andalusia: Bar El Cura, Trebujena, Cádiz

Exquisite tapas in Andalusia: Bar El Cura, Trebujena, Cádiz

Tapas in Trebujena    Follow my blog with Bloglovin The white village of Trebujena, perched on the top of a hill overlooking the estuary and surrounded by marshes, is not on the tourist path. However, if, like me, you enjoy excellent tapas, then Trebujena is definitely worth adding to your go-to-list when eating out in the province of Cadiz. About 30 minutes from Jerez de la Frontera and 20 minutes’ drive from Sanlucar de Barrameda, Trebujena is a quiet, unassuming and…

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Sweet treats in Spain: Torrijas at Easter

Sweet treats in Spain: Torrijas at Easter

Semana Santa, or Holy week, is a week of processions and traditional food leading up to Easter in Spain. If you have never seen a Semana Santa procession, it’s quite something. In the larger cities, people come out in their droves to watch the religious effigies passing by accompanied by sombre music. The procession goes on for hours at a time and consists of a paso – large wooden statues of Jesus and Mary on a float along with other representations…

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Alicia in the land of ceramics

Alicia in the land of ceramics

At 5.00 pm the white hilltop town of Ubrique is just beginning to start all over again. During the mid-afternoon heat the locals shut shop and go indoors for lunch. Now, the town is getting ready for the evening. The shops open their doors again and the bars and cafes start to fill with people drinking coffee. A tree-lined avenue provides shade and a home for the chattering birds. It takes you through the more modern part of town before…

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When the saint comes dancing in: celebrating San Blas in Benaocaz

When the saint comes dancing in: celebrating San Blas in Benaocaz

This post was updated in January 2024 On normal a weekday morning, I’d wake up to the sounds of daily life in the village.  A car revving up and reversing down the street. The neighbours shouting buenos dias as they go off to do their early morning chores. The bread van pulling up on the corner of the plaza. But, today is different. It’s a public holiday in the village in honour of the patron saint, San Blas (Saint Blaise) and…

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When leather meets the art of Pepe and Isabel

When leather meets the art of Pepe and Isabel

As I sit here writing this I am looking out at the mountain range. A cool breeze is blowing in through the open window. The fig tree below is slowly growing up towards the second floor of the house. I hear the background noise of people on their way home for lunch, a car stopping to drop someone off, a door closing, a voice across the road. And then, it’s back to silence. Creating works of art with leather This…

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Creating a welcome pack; Why I love to shop locally on retreat

Creating a welcome pack; Why I love to shop locally on retreat

Follow my blog with Bloglovin As a retreat host in Spain, I provide a welcome pack for my guests. In reality, it’s not just a welcome pack. It’s a lovingly thought-out and carefully planned display of fresh and scrumptious goodies waiting to be tucked into. It adds a wow factor for the guest and provides me with an inadvertent opportunity to build relationships. Market Vs Supermarket Of course, I could just pop into a large supermarket, saving myself time and…

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