Diary of a Nobody

The name of this early comedy by William Shakespeare, written in the mid-1590s, makes a great title for this article by Paul Whitelock.

It tells of a personal epiphany for him around the time of the Epiphany or Dia de Reyes, yesterday 6th January, 2026.

Original poster [Wikipedia]    

NOTE: THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED TO A MORE APPROPRIATE LOCATION.

PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Miguel de Cervantes, the author of "Don Quijote", is Spain's greatest writer. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, they died on the same day, 23 April 1616, according  to some  historians. Nevertheless, that is the official date of their deaths.

Miguel de Cervantes [Image courtesy of Zenda]    

This date has since been adopted as International Book Day (Día Internacional del Libro), in homage to the literature of all eras and all genres, as well as writers who have left their legacy via their writing.

    [Image courtesy of FANFAN]

On this special day, it's impossible to ignore two names who have left their indelible footprints on the history of literature, namely William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. 

Cervantes is so celebrated that cultural and literary organisations bear his name. Also theatres, cinemas, art galleries, a university, a musical and a film, even hotels, bars and restaurants.

[Image courtesy of ProfeDeELE.es]    

What follows is a list of a dozen "things" or places named after him, most of them in and around the area where I live in Malaga province in Andalucia. Somewhat odd that this is the case, given that the writer was from La Mancha in Castilla-La Mancha (formerly Castilla La Nueva), yet it is testament to his stature nationally and internationally.

[Editorial ExLibric]    

***

"Don Quixote de La Mancha"

First and foremost, the character and hero of the first ever "picaresque novel", considered a founding work of Western literature and the first modern novel. 

It has been labelled by many well-known authors as the "best novel of all time", and the "best and most central work in world literature". Don Quixote is also one of the most-translated books in the world and one of the best-selling novels of all time.

The plot revolves around the adventures of a member of the lowest nobility, un hidalgo from La Mancha, who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind and decides to become a knight-errant (caballero andante) to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. 

He recruits as his squire a simple farm labourer, Sancho Panza, who brings an earthy wit to Don Quixote's lofty rhetoric.

[Elejandria]    

The book had a major influence on the literary community, as evidenced by direct references in Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers (1844), and Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac (1897), as well as giving us the adjective quixotic. 

    [Covers courtesy of Amazon]

Mark Twain referred to the book as having "swept the world's admiration for the mediaeval chivalry-silliness out of existence". 

It has been described as the greatest work ever written.

"Man of La Mancha"

The musical, and later film, based on Cervantes' novel. There have been umpteen stage productions and several films. One of the most celebrated films dates from 1972, which starred Peter O'Toole as Don Quijote and Sophia Loren as Dulcinea.

    [Play poster courtesy of St Jude's Players]        [Film cover by Amazon]

Instituto  Cervantes

El Instituto Cervantes (the Cervantes Institute) is a worldwide non-profit organisation created by the Spanish government in 1991. Named after Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), the author of Don Quixote and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature, The Cervantes Institute is the largest organisation in the world responsible for promoting the study and the teaching of Spanish language and culture. 

This organisation has branched out to 52 countries with 103 centres devoted to promoting the Spanish and Hispanic-American culture and Spanish language. 

    [Wikipedia]

The Instituto Cervantes is a government agency, the ultimate goals of which are to promote the education, the study and the use of Spanish universally as a second language; to support the methods and activities that would help the process of Spanish language education, and to contribute to the advancement of the Spanish and Hispanic American cultures throughout non-Spanish-speaking countries.

When I was working in the UK as a Spanish teacher and later as a schools adviser, I used the branch in Manchester (England) extensively, attending their monthly events and using grants from the Institute for projects in my local education authority (at first St Helens, then Sefton, both Merseyside).

Cervantes Institute, Manchester [Facebook]    

Cervantes Theatre, London

The Cervantes Theatre was London’s first venue dedicated to showcasing Spanish and Latin American plays, performed both in Spanish and in English. It opened its doors in 2016 and it was the proud creation of the Spanish Theatre Company (STC), a charity which aims to bring the best Spanish and Latin American culture to London and to British audiences.

    [Photo: ABC]

The Cervantes Theatre presented a wide variety of plays including new writing, contemporary masterpieces and Spanish Golden Age classics and it also had a strong educational programme. Through its bilingual programming, it encouraged Spanish/Latin American/British cultural exchange and it was a reference point in London for Spanish-speaking culture and heritage.

Both my ex-wife, Jeryl Burgess, and my son, Tom Whitelock, both professional actors have performed there. Jeryl most famously as Amelia in the World Premiere of Guillem Clua's "La Golondrina" and Tom as Juan in Lorca's "Yerma".

   Jeryl as Amelia in "La Golondrina"                         Tom with Leila Damilola in "Yerma" [Photos: Cervantes Theatre] 

Whilst researching this piece I was devastated to learn that The Cervantes Theatre closed its doors permanently in 2023 (my acting relatives didn't bother to tell me!) as a result of funding cuts post-Brexit.

Well done, Bojo! (Bojo the Clown, aka then prime minister Boris Johnson).

[YouTube]    

Death Notice

The Cervantes Theatre opened in 2016 and during its 7 years of existence programmed 106 plays, concerts and events, and produced 15 playsbpromoting the work of 42 playwrights from Spain, Colombia, México, Uruguay, Argentina, Brasil, Venezuela, Perú, Chile and Cuba.

Teatro Cervantes, Malaga

In 1984, Malaga City Council acquired the dilapidated Teatro Cervantes and financed the work to reconstruct the building, receiving grants from the Ministry of Public Works and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Culture and the regional Andalusian government’s Department of Public Works and Transport.

The new theatre, with a capacity of 1,171 seats divided up into stalls, boxes and seats in the galleries, was equipped with all the material, fixtures and equipment required by current legislation for a public theatre.

Her Majesty Queen Sofía attended the opening ceremony on 6th April 1987, at which a concert was performed by the 'Orquesta Sinfonica Ciudad de Malaga'.

That same year, Teatro Cervantes won the Europa Nostra Award (UNESCO) for its thorough restoration work, and was considered the Best Andalusian Restoration in 1987.

In 2005 Teatro Cervantes was registered in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage (Catálogo General del Patrimonio Histórico Andaluz) as a BIC (Property of Cultural Interest).

I've never attended an event there, but it is a good meeting point.

I see from  their  current programme that they will be performing my favourite Spanish play of all time, "La Casa de Bernarda Alba" by Federico Garcia Lorca in 2026.

Put us down for tickets!

"La Casa de Bernarda Alba", 14th Jan [Youtube]

El Tapeo  de Cervantes, Malaga

"It was in this small restaurant that our Málaga adventure began, back in 2008. Since then, we’ve been delighting our loyal guests and friends with surprising dishes and warm service. Our commitment is to keep doing so for many years to come".

Romina and Gabriel, Owners

    [Wikipedia]

El Meson de Cervantes, Malaga

"At El Mesón de Cervantes, we would like to get to know you. Whether you want to make a reservation, find out about our menú, or for anything else, we are here to help you. Don't be shy about getting in touch with us!"

Email: info@elmesondecervantes.com

Tel: (+34) 952216274

Address: Calle Álamos 11, Distrito Centro, 29012 Málaga

    [Trip Advisor]

Hotel BLUESEA Gran Cervantes, Torremolinos, Malaga

"En el Bluesea Gran Cervantes la ubicación lo es todo. A solo 5 minutos a pie de la playa y en pleno centro de Torremolinos, este hotel de 4 estrellas te ofrece la combinación perfecta de descanso, gastronomía y ocio.

Con habitaciones amplias, piscinas interior y exterior, animación y servicio todo incluido, es ideal tanto para escapadas en pareja como para viajes en familia".

    [Trip Advisor]

"At the buffet restaurant of Bluesea Gran Cervantes, every meal is a chance to enjoy the best of local and international cuisine, without any fuss. Enjoy varied breakfasts, balanced lunches and dinners with options for everyone, always paired with panoramic sea views".

BLUESEA Gran Cervantes

C/ Las Mercedes, s/n 29620 Torremolinos, Málaga, Spain

Tel: +34 952 384 033 

Email: cervantesres@blueseahotels.es

UEMC, Valladolid

ACERCA DE LA UEMC

"La Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes es una universidad privada, joven y dinámica que desarrolla una enseñanza de calidad orientada al estudiante y sustentada en la atención personalizada, los grupos reducidos y las prácticas en empresas. Igualmente, la labor investigadora centra sus esfuerzos en materializar los avances científicos, socioeconómicos y medioambientales de nuestro entorno.

    [Trip Advisor]

"Fundada en el año 2002 (BOCyL 24/06/02 y BOE 05/07/02), la UEMC cuenta actualmente en su campus de Valladolid con más de 4.500 Estudiantes, 400 Profesores e Investigadores y Personal de Administración y Servicios y cuenta con una oferta formativa de 15 Grados Oficiales, 5 Dobles Grados, 5 Grados Internacionales y 12 Másteres Oficiales y numerosos estudios de Posgrado. Igualmente, pone en marcha diversas actividades de Extensión Universitaria (Congresos, Jornadas, etc.), Formación Complementaria y Cursos de Español para Extranjeros".

Links: 

Man of La Mancha (1972) - The Impossible Dream Scene (6/9) | Movieclips

©  Paul Whitelock

Pictures:

ABC, Amazon, Editorial ExLibric, Elejandria, Facebook, FANFAN, Postcard, ProfeDeELE.es, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia, YouTube, Zenda

Tags:

23 April 1616, ABC, Amazon, Andalucia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla La Nueva, Día Internacional del Libro, "Don Quijote", Editorial ExLibric, Elejandria, Facebook, FANFAN, International Book Day, La Mancha, literature, Malaga province, Miguel de Cervantes, Postcard, ProfeDeELE.es, Spain's greatest writer, William Shakespeare, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia, YouTube, Zenda,

This post is not about the song made famous by Topol from the musical "Fiddler on the Roof".

Nor is it about the fabulous sunrises and sunsets we get down here in Andalucia either.

These celestial delights are just the starting point for an article about the continuing popularity of the area among northern Europeans.

[allmusicals.com]    

"Sunrise, sunset!"

Look at these skies! All taken from in front of my west-facing house.

    Sunset in December 2025                                  Sunset in November 2025

   Sunset in November 2025                                   Sunrise in December 2025                         

Such heavenly sensations are not the reason I emigrated to Spain, but weather phenomena are part of the reason I continue to live here .....

Why people come to Spain to live?

Let's be brutally honest here, most of the half a million "guiris" who live along the Mediterraneaan litoral came here for the weather, 300 days of sun per year. A valid reason for sure.

The majority were retired and realised their pensions would stretch a lot further in Spain, even on the more-expensive-than-inland coast.

Property was cheaper than at home and the cost of living was lower.

Booze was  cheaper and the food was good and more nourishing than in their countries of origin.

They didn't need to learn the language because the Spanish on the coasts spoke adequate English to deal with most situations, whether a simple bar or restaurant transaction or a more complex meeting at the bank, the notary, the gestor or the lawyer. For other bureaucratic matters the immigrants could hire an interpreter.

"Life's a beach!" as the saying went.

Why I came to Spain to live?

I think my reasons are not typical for northern European immigrants. They were just different from those listed above. I don't think they were better reasons, it's just the way the situation was.

I was studyinng for a degree in Spanish and the university sent me and my "classmates" to San Sebastian (Gipuzkoa) for our "year abroad".

That was in 1970. I was 20 and Franco was still in charge.

[Spain.info]    

I've written about this at length elsewhere, but, in summary, I was smitten by the slightly backward, old-fashioned and less sophisticated Spain of that period.

General Franco died in November 1975 - we just celebrated the 50th anniversary of his death last month - and the country changed almost overnight, yet I still loved being here.

Over the next three decades I travelled the length and breadth of this land on holiday or on business, trying to work out a way to come here to live permanently.

Then several circumstances - redundancy, divorce, early retirement and meeting a new lady - gave me the chance to emigrate. That was in 2008. And I've been here ever since!

So, to sum up my reasons for moving to Spain, they were ..... LOVE!

Love of the country; love of the people; love of the language; love of the food; love of the culture, history and geography; and the love for a fine woman, the "Lovely Rita".

Our wedding [HMR]    

I am not saying that these are better reasons than the motives of the "guiris" on the coast, but they are MY reasons.

I shall remain in Spain until I die, hopefully many years from now.

My body will be cremated and the urn containing my ashes will be concreted into a nicho (niche) in the cemetery "wall".

    [La Vanguardia]

When I die

My two kids, Amy and Tom, will inherit my property in Spain, currently two houses wholly owned by me.

If I pre-decease Rita, my wife, she will get "usufruct", my car and the contents of my bank accounts, two in Spain and one in the UK. She will be well provided for.

[By the way, If she dies before me, I get her car and the contents of her bank account in Spain. Everything else, her house and the contents of her German bank account, will be shared equally between her three children.]

   [eficacia juridica]

My kids will get my two properties to share between them, notwithstanding the "usufruct", ie Rita's right to continue living in the marital home until she decides to move out or dies.

Back to the idea that prompted this article

Those dramatic skies ..... just like Spain, the country ..... dramatic!

The bullfight, flamenco, coasts and mountains, politics, and lately danas, drought, floods, ice and snow, tsunamis, and wildfires.

[Photo wall]    

Interesting links

How to ..... ?

Sunrise, Sunset

Where there’s a WILL … the process in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

©  Diary of a Nobody

Pictures:

allmusicals.com, eficacia juridica, HMR, La Vanguardia, Paul Whitelock, Spain.info, 

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, www.help-me-ronda,com

Tags:

300 days of sun per year, allmusicals.com, bar or restaurant transaction, booze, bullfight, bureaucratic matters, cemetery "wall",  coasts and mountains, cost of living, danas, degree in Spanish, Diary of a Nobody, divorce, drought, early retirement, "Fiddler on the Roof", flamenco, floods, General Franco, gestor, Gipuzkoa, guiri, half a million "guiris", ice and snow, interpreter,  lawyer, learn the language, "Life's a beach!", meeting at the bank, Mediterraneaan, nicho, notary, pensions, politics, property was cheaper, redundancy, retired, San Sebastian, Topol, tsunamis, wildfires, "year abroad",

17 years ago, when I arrived in Spain to live with my new "squeeze", the "lovely Rita", I worked for The Olive Press, the then relatively new free fortnightly paper for Andalucia.

[Facebook]    

Based in Arriate, at the home of the owner-cum-editor Jon Clarke, we were a small team back then.

More often than not I would pop along to Venta El Pelistre for lunch, their good value menu del dia.

Run by Manolo and his lovely wife Isa, I enjoyed the food and the friendly atmosphere.

[Diario Sur]    

After the OP and I parted company in 2009, I rarely went to El Pelistre again ..... until now.

Why now?

What happened? Our local, the Ronda Valley Hotel, closed suddenly on December 12th.

It has apparently changed hands and has new owners.

My Spanish neighbours and I and a few other "guiris" were struggling for an alternative venue to further our research into Andalusian drinking habits.

The terrace of the RVH [Atrapalo]    

I've been to El Pelistre a couple of times over the last week - three times, in fact. And I have to report that I was blown away.

Manolo and Isa are still there and they claimed they remembered I used to go there frequently for lunch some 20 years ago. (I think they were just being polite!)

El Pelistre is a much classier joint these days - they've renovated and re-decorated.

They also have a better class of drunk. 

Isa serves a customer [TUBAL]    

The drinks are no more expensive than the Ronda Valley Hotel and I get the impression that the food is better. The only drawback is that it's quite a bit further away from my home.

It is rumoured that the RVH is about to re-open under new management. Good news indeed! But, I shall still go to El Pelistre from time to time.

Links:

Another - new – Ronda Valley

British writer has his article, in Spanish, published in El Hacho magazine

English-language newspapers in Spain

Good News! Ronda Valley Hotel to re-open soon!

Ronda Valley Hotel to close? F**k!

© Diary of a Nobody

Pictures:

Atrapalo, Diario Sur, Facebook, TUBAL

Thanks:

David Garcia, Paul Whitelock, The Olive Press, Wikipedia

Tags:

Arriate, Atrapalo, David Garcia, Diario Sur, Facebook, "guiri", Isa, Jon Clarke, Manolo, menu del dia, Paul Whitelock, Pelistre, Ronda Valley Hotel, The Olive Press, TUBAL, Wikipedia 

I was in the bar of my local, the Ronda Valley Hotel, the other evening. There were seven customers and two staff.

The only Spanish-speakers were Fermin and Maria, both staff, and me!

Ronda Valley Hotel [Photo: Paul Whitelock]

Eavesdropping the conversations as non-Spanish-speaking customers placed their orders was fascinating, yet, despite the language barrier, everybody got what they wanted.

[Logo courtesy of The Council of Europe]    

Time was, I would have intervened and offered my services as a translator / interpreter, but I don't do that any longer.

Why not?

Several reasons:

• The hotel apparently doesn't like it

• The punters are often not grateful for the help

• Or, they are excruciatingly boring / "up themselves" / drunk!

[Photo: The Olive Press]    

So, I sat there, consumed my two "tercios" (33 cl) and left.

***

A couple of nights later, it was a different matter.

The new "workaway", Hannah, from Brazil, was talking in Portuguese with three Portuguese men, who turned out to be coach drivers from Lisbon. 

I had to go to the bar to order another drink, and ended up getting involved in the conversation.

I don't speak Portuguese, but with my knowledge of Spanish, I could get the gist.

Then, when they learned I was Brtitish, they switched to English, which they all spoke well. 

[Photo: Mobility Friends]    

Links:

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - Help me, Ronda

Working for free? Why? Er… why not? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Working for free? Why? Er… why not? Part 2. - Eye on Spain

© Diary of a Nobody

Photos:

Council of Europe, Mobility Friends, Paul Whitelock, The Olive Press 

Tags:

A1 Translations, Council of Europe, Diary of a Nobody, Eye on Spain, Fermin, Maria, Mobility Friends, non-Spanish-speaking customers, Paul Whitelock, Ronda Valley Hotel, Secret Serrania, Spanish-speakers, The Olive Press, www.help-me-ronda.com

The missus and I had Saturday evening appointments for MRI scans (resonancias) at Hospital Quiron in Marbella.

We set off early afternoon because we needed to get a replacement water filter from Leroy Merlin for our Philips osmosis device which purifies our contaminated well-water and makes it safe for drinking.

[QuironSalud]    

Next .....

Having done that, as if one French-owned store wasn't enough, we popped into Al Campo, the French-owned supermarket in the La Cañada shopping precinct.

Then it was time to head for the hospital. We got there early, checked in and discovered that the patient before us had not turned up, so we got "seen to" earlier than scheduled.

The scans were of our heads to check whether we had symptoms of developing dementia. We'll find out in a week when the results come through.

[QuironSalud]    

Time for dinner

So, out of the hospital earlier than expected, our thoughts turned to dinner. We decided to head for one of our favourite chiringuitos in the area, "Kala Kalua", on the beach in San Pedro de Alcantara.

We got there at around 6.30 pm to find that they were in the process of closing! On Saturday night?

    Chiringuito Kala Kalua [Trip Advisor]

The very polite and apologetic waiter suggested their sister restaurant, "Nuevo Reino", as an alternative. "The menu is similar", he said, and, more importantly for us, it was open for dinner.

OK, we thought, we'll give it a try,

The terrace was fully booked, said the head waiter, unless we could finish by 9.00 pm, when one table was reserved from.

It was 7.00 pm, so we had two hours.

"I think we can manage that," I said.

Rita chose ensalada Cesar (Caesar salad) and I went for sopa de mariscos and fritura malagueña.

    Restaurante Reino Nuevo [CIT Marbella]

Rita's salad was enormous, yet she was disappointed. "It's better in Kala Kalua," but she was nevertheless full.

I enjoyed my seafood soup, well-priced too, at just 8 euros.

Unfortunately my fritura was hugely disappointing. There was little variety and few decent fish on the plate. At 25 euros that was definitely a rip-off!

"The fritura is also much better at 'Kala Kalua' !" I decided.

The drinks were normally priced for the coast, ie expensive, but what really "caught my eye", or "stuck in my throat", was not a fishbone, but the cover charge for a bread roll and a little slab of butter - a massive 1.75 euros per person!

The version of me of some years ago would have kicked up a stink, but I'm older now and I don't need the stress.

And anyway, the waiting staff were delightful. It wasn't their fault, so we tipped them generously. But we shall not be going to "Nuevo Reino" ever again!

Our bill [Paul Whitelock]    

Home time

I'd consumed two beers, so Rita took the wheel.

Everything was going fine. We were halfway home, until she hit a small rock lying in the road.

The tyre deflated instantly, but she couldn't stop, because it's a winding mountain road and there wasn't anywhere.

By the time we got to somewhere off the road and level, "Venta Madroño", the tyre was pretty wrecked.

The venta was closed and it was pitch black.

I investigated the situation to see whether I might attempt to change the wheel, but the long handled spanner (tyre iron) was missing from the car. Why?

Venta Madroño in daylight [Cadena SER]    

I rang the insurance company, Mapfre (breakdown is included in your car insurance policy in Spain). The nice lady in the call centre in Barcelona took the details and within a short time "Gruas de Ronda" rang me. The mechanic said he needed 30 minutes to get to us.

He arrived bang on 30 minutes after our call.

He did the necessary, and changed the wheel. I signed the paperwork and took over the driving (Rita had had enough and was not a little distressed).

    [Above photos by Paul Whitelock]
 

Conclusion

So, we got back home two hours later than envisaged, gone 11.00 pm, to find two starving pussycats waiting for their dinner.

Rita went straight to bed and I adjourned to my "local", Hotel Ronda Valley, for a well-deserved beer (or three!)

Hotel Ronda Valley [Paul Whitelock]    

© Diary of a Nobody

Photos:

CIT Marbella, Kala Kalua, Nuevo Reino, Paul Whitelock, QuironSalud, Trip Advisor

Tags:

Al Campo, Caesar salad, CIT Marbella, chiringuito, contaminated well-water, dementia, Diary of a Nobody, ensalada Cesar, French-owned supermarket, fritura malagueña, Gruas de Ronda, Hotel Ronda Valley, Kala Kalua, La Cañada, Leroy Merlin, MRI scan, Mapfre, Nuevo Reino, osmosis device, Paul Whitelock, Philips, QuironSalud, resonancia, safe for drinking, San Pedro de Alcantara, sopa de mariscos, Trip Advisor, tyre iron, Venta Madroño, water filter

As we get older, we tend to need less sleep.

That's a fact.

But, if we get too little "shut-eye", that can be prejudicial to our health.

    [Image courtesy of the BBC]

My sleep experience

Since I reached adulthood aged 18 I have never slept for long enough.

As students, we stayed up late into the night "chewing the fat" and putting the world to rights. And, if we were in luck, losing our virginity.

When I started work as a teacher, a job I did for 15 years, I never slept for long enough. I was running on adrenalin.

[Photo courtesy of Westend61]    

For the next 15 years I was a schools inspector/adviser, a stressful occupation at the best of times, and the pattern of insufficient sleep continued.

When we did Ofsted inspections, it got worse.

Around that time I had a nervous breakdown.

    [Ofsted]

After redundancy, divorce and early retirement - I was 55 - you'd have thought my REM sleep would improve. Dream on!

In a disastrous new relationship with a recently bereaved widow, my stress continued, until I left her and went through a spell of depression.

I was alone and a divorced man in my late 50s. I didn't socialise for a while, then I had a great summer in 2008, spent in Luxembourg with another widow, before meeting, by chance, later that year in Ronda (Malaga), the woman who became my second wife in 2010 when I was 60 years old.

Luxembourg Ville [Outdoor Active]    

Covid-19 was a challenge which nearly killed Rita and left me with long-Covid health issues.

Three years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The tablets tend to make you a bit "loose".

I also retain water in my legs, the treatment for which is a diuretic which makes you "pee" a lot.

So, now my sleep is interrupted every 3/4 hours because I need to go to the "loo", to do a number 1 or a number 2.

[Photo courtesy of the BBC]    

These days I need a siesta in the afternoons. That's OK - a "power nap" for just 10/15 minutes usually "does the trick" and reinvigorates me.

Advice on a way forward

The Olive Press, the fortnightly free paper down here, has just published an article with advice for insomniacs in the form of a list of "do's" and "don'ts".

The journalist Adam Husicka writes that the first 60 minutes after waking up could hold the key to living longer.

Adam Husicka [The Olive Press]    

Quoting Dr William Li, a Harvard University-trained physician, he writes that one of the biggest mistakes is to reach for your mobile phone when you wake up.

This, says Dr Li, overwhelms the brain at a time when it is most vulnerable.

"It can lead to stress and poor concentration during the rest of the day".

    [Photo of Dr Li courtesy of El Español]

Also, we should avoid eating solid food for about an hour after waking.

Black coffee is OK.

"Light physical activity, eg stretching, boosts circulation, flexibility and oxygen flow to the brain", adds Dr Li.

Other recommendations include stepping outside for sunlight, doing breathing exercises, meditation or a cold shower, concludes Husicka.

[Photo courtesy of Brass Monkey]    

And me?

I admit I reach for my mobile on waking, to check the time. Then I often notice I have some unread messages, so naturally I open them.

I prefer tea without milk to black coffee, so I guess that's alright.

I get outside as soon as it's light, so I get plenty of Vitamin D.

I immediately start doing things like cleaning the pool, watering the fruit trees, plants and vegetables, so I think that counts as exercise.

    [Photo courtesy of Bosch DIY]

My cold shower substitute is a dip in the pool. At this time of year - end of September -  the temperature has dropped to 20 degrees Celsius, which is just like having a cold shower!

Conclusion

I need to drink less beer, ignore my mobile phone on waking

and .....

well, the other things I'm doing rather well at, aren't I?

[Image courtesy of Unifikas]

© Diary of a Nobody

Links:

Magnificent, under-rated Málaga - Eye on Spain

MALAGA CITY - Help me, Ronda

Picasso for free - scroll down past the above article

HELP ME RONDA - Eye on Spain

OUR DAY OUT - Help me, Ronda

Pictures:

Bosch DIY, Brass Monkey, BBC, El Español, Ofsted, Outdoor Active, The Olive Press, Unifikas, Westend61

Thanks:

Adam Husicka, Diary of a Nobody, Dr William Li, Paul Whitelock, The Olive Press, www.eyeonspain.com, www.help-me-ronda.com

Tags:

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Why are people in general so two-faced and/or hypocritical?

It seems to be the same all over!

In France, Germany, the USA, Spain and in the UK, and no doubt elsewhere.

[Image courtesy of SunStar]    

France

Impeccably mannered, the French are polite to a "T".

"Messieurs, ..... dames!" they unfailingly cry at the butcher's, the baker's and ..... the candlestick-maker's.

Yet this greeting is nothing more than a formula, as they most likely hate their fellow shoppers, be they French or foreigners.

    [Image: The Context of Things]    

Germany

The Germans, like the French, are generally very polite in shops, etc. But do they all like each other really?

Waiters behave impeccably and are polite and professional. Are they genuine or is it because they think the amount of their "tip" depends on their behaviour?

Photo of a German waiter [Freepik]    

The USA

The USA is very racist. Whites generally regard themselves as superior to Native Americans (Red Indians), Hispano-Americans ("spics") and African Americans ("blacks").

[Amnesty International USA]    

If you're white, you have a chance of being accepted, although if you're Irish ("micks"), Polish ("Polacks") or Italian ("dagoes" or "Eyeties") you can be the butt of jokes and worse.

Religion is a factor also. If you're a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant), that's OK, but if you're a Roman Catholic, a Mormon, Amish or Pentecostal, you'd better watch out! You will more than likely suffer from discrimination.

Spain

After the Reconquista, when the Christian Spanish, ousted the Moorish invaders after nearly 700 years of occupation (711 - 1492), Spain was a mixed population of Christians, Jews, Moors, moriscos, other Arabs and gypsies. Somehow they rubbed along together.

[Maps Spain]    

Modern-day Spain is an even more diverse population with the huge influx of foreigners from Northern and Eastern Europe, from the USA and Canada and from Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.

Romanians have come en masse and Italians also. Both Romanian and Italian are quite close to Spanish (Romance languages descended from Latin) and are mutually understandable.

Curiously, there is a strong Russian presence on the costas. Those Russians who no longer wished to live in Vladimir Putin's disaster of a country, presumably, or, as some suggest, the Russian mafia.

Ukrainians keen to escape the war back home in Ukraine are also in Spain in significant numbers.

***

As a resident of some 17 years I do not detect a great deal of racism. Of course, we white Northerners are "guiris".

I think the Spanish are frustrated that most incomers have made very little effort to learn Spanish, live in "ghettoes", ie large gated communities on the coast, and spend their time eating, drinking and sun-bathing.

    [Image courtesy of Computer Hoy]

There is more tension between the castellano speakers, and catalan and euskera people in Catalonia, Valencia, Islas Baleares and Pais Vasco. Less so between asturianos, gallegos and speakers of Castilian Spanish.

Two-faced?

One of the reasons I love living in Andalucia is the friendliness and openness of the andaluces. Where we live in the campo outside Ronda, most of our neighbours are local people. They are very friendly, generous and helpful. 

And I don't think they are two-faced. I don't think that they talk maliciously about us behind our backs. They gossip, of course, but who doesn't?

They think we "guiris" are well-to-do when many of us are not. Another of my reasons for living in Spain is that the cost-of-living is way below that of Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the whole of Scandinavia, Switzerland and the UK. I would struggle financially if I lived in England, for example.

If they do have something against you, they won't tell you what the problem is.

Older Spaniards are not prepared to "upset the apple cart".

They lived suppressed lives under the dictator Franco, so it's not in their DNA to criticise and complain.

Franco died in November 1975 [Daily Mail]    

The United Kingdom

The country of my birth, yet I am disappointed with the place these days, after the chaos of 14 years of Conservative governments (Theresa May, Bojo the Clown, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were all terrible prime ministers); Brexit; the recession; the mis-management of the Covid-19 pandemic; the MPs expenses scandal; illegal migration; the near collapse of the National Health Service; the Post Office scandal and so on .....

[YouTube]    

Yet the British Isles are without doubt beautiful and varied.

From Land's End to John O'Groats. Cornwall, the Devonshire coasts, Somerset, the Cotswolds, the Kent and Sussex coasts, Wales, East Anglia, Yorkshire, Lancashire, the Lake District, Scotland, and the Islands.

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall [British Heritage Travel]    

So, why don't I like the UK any longer?

It is very expensive.

Big cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Glasgow are noisy and dirty. Edinburgh is the sole exception.

Edinburgh, Scotland [Globus Tours]    

Edinburgh is one of my favourite capital cities and I've been to around 34 capitals around the world.

Anything else?

The British people are pretty unfriendly, especially to strangers, and very "age-ist". At 75 I am invisible .....

© Pablo de Ronda

Pictures:

Amnesty International USA, British Heritage Travel, Computer Hoy, Daily Mail, Freepik, Globus Tours, Maps Spain, SunStar, The Context of Things, YouTube

Links:

Ben and Joan, Monty Jack and Big Ron - Help me, Ronda

Capital "Punishment"- Part One - Eye on Spain

REST of THE WORLD - Capitals of Mainland Europe - Help me, Ronda

What is a guiri? It's what the Spanish call us foreigners - but is it good or bad? - Secret Serrania

Tags:

African American, Amish, Amnesty International USA, Arabs,  asturiano, Belgium, Birmingham, "black", Bojo the Clown, Brexit, British Heritage Travel, Canada, castellano, Castilian Spanish, catalan,  Catalonia, Christians, Computer Hoy, Cornwall, cost-of-living, Cotswolds, "dago", Daily Mail, Devonshire coast, discrimination, East Anglia, Edinburgh, England, Europe, euskera, Eye on Spain, "Eyetie", France, Franco, Freepik, gallego, Germany, Glasgow, Globus Tours, gypsies, Help Me Ronda, Hispano-American, hypocritical, illegal migration, influx of foreigners, Irish, Islas Baleares, Italian, Jews, John O'Groats, Kent, Lancashire, Land's End, Lake District, Latin, Latin America, Leeds, Liverpool, Liz Truss, London, Manchester, Maps Spain, MPs expenses scandal, "mick", mis-management of the Covid-19 pandemic, modern-day Spain, Moorish invaders, Moors, moriscos, Mormon, National Health Service, Native American, Netherlands, Pais Vasco, Paul Whitelock, Pentecostal, "Polack", Polish, Post Office scandal, racist, recession, Reconquista, Red Indian, religion, Rishi Sunak, Romance languages, Roman Catholic, Romanian, Ronda, Russian, Russian mafia, Scandinavia, Scotland, Secret Serrania, Somerset, Spain, Spanish, Spanish-speaking countries, "spic", SunStar, Sussex, Switzerland, The Context of Things, Theresa May, The Spanish Fly, two-faced, Ukraine, Ukrainian, UK, USA, Valencia, Vladimir Putin, Wales, WASP, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, white, Yorkshire, YouTube

"That Was the Week That Was", informally known as TWTWTW or TW3, was a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963.

It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack Duncan, and presented by David Frost.

    Some of the cast of TW3 [IMDb]

The programme is considered a significant element of the satire boom in the UK in the early 1960s, as it broke ground in comedy by lampooning political figures.

Cast members included political commentator Bernard Levin, and actors Lance Percival, who sang topical calypsos, Al Mancini, David Kernan, Kenneth Cope, Millicent Martin, Robert Lang, Roy Kinnear, and Willie Rushton.

Script-writers counted amongst their number Bill Oddie, Denis Norden, Dennis Potter, Eric Sykes, Frank Muir, Gerald Kaufman, Graham Chapman, John Betjeman, John Bird, John Cleese, Kenneth Tynan, Keith Waterhouse, Peter Cook, and Roald Dahl.

Kenneth Tynan - the first to use the "F" word on TV [BBC]

So, where is this going?

Apart from Eye on Spain, I post on other websites, such as https://costapressclub.com, https://rondatoday.com, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.secretserrania.com, and www.theolivepress.es 

This week I have been particularly active on Eye on Spain and have written about events in Spain, but also about important topics in the world at large.

I write under several pseudonyms, depending on the topic, and this week has provided "rich pickings".

    [SoundCloud]

Spanish Matters - Spanish Matters - a blog in English and Spanish for those learning the language

The History Man - "Help, help me, Ronda"!

Puntos de vista - Ronda mayoress "in the dock"

The Culture Vulture - The Culture Vulture

The Spanish Fly - The Spanish Fly - Travels in Spain

[Freepik]    

© Diary of a Nobody

Links:

"Help, help me, Ronda"!

Ronda mayoress "in the dock"

Spanish Matters - a blog in English and Spanish for those learning the language

The Culture Vulture

The Spanish Fly - Travels in Spain

Thanks to:

Diary of a Nobody, Eye on Spain, Paul Whitelock

Photos:

BBC, Freepik, IMDb, SoundCloud

Tags:

Bill Oddie, BBC, David Frost, Denis Norden, Dennis Potter, Diary of a Nobody, Eric Sykes, Eye on Spain, Frank Muir, Freepik, Gerald Kaufman, Graham Chapman, https://costapressclub.com, https://rondatoday.com, IMDb, John Betjeman, John Bird, John Cleese, Keith Waterhouse, Kenneth Tynan, Millicent Martin, Ned Sherrin, Paul Whitelock, Peter Cook, Roald Dahl, Sound Cloud, "That was the week that was", TW3, TW TW TW TW, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.secretserrania.com,  www.theolivepress.es,

After my second period "de Rodriguez" this year, today it was back to normal. The "Lovely Rita" came home this morning, after 10 days "babysitting" in Germany, in order that her daughter and son-in-law could celebrate reaching 50 years of age by going hiking in the mountains.

[Photo: PW]    

Early Start in Germany and Spain

Today Rita got up at 2.30 am to leave for the airport (Karlsruhe-Baden Baden) at 3.00 am.

Daughter Katrin took her by car - no public transport at that ungodly hour - so that Rita could catch the first flight of the day - to Malaga.

I was up early also, at 5.30 am, to tidy up the house, to "hoover" and to mop the floors.

I managed to squeeze in a breakfast, and two cups of tea, before I set off - later than planned - in the car, headed for Malaga Costa del Sol airport.

I was running late, but so was Rita's flight, fortunately for me. It landed 45 minutes late.

Phew! I got there in time.

[Sol Villas]    

Brekkie on the Beach

As we had planned, we headed for the eastern end of Torremolinos to find a "chiringuito" for breakfast. Our venue of choice, El Alamo, had disappeared!

We later learned that it had been sold, renovated and changed its name. It was shut in any case!

The next place we tried, was also closed. They don't do breakfast in low season!

It was quite clear that temporada alta was over. Little traffic, empty car parks and only a handful (residents?) on the beach.

La Playa - surf house - to the rescue

This place was open. I've been here at least three times before, when I've taken my kids and grandkids to the airport following holidays with us in Ronda.

It was Rita's first time. She lurved it (Phew!)

It was not cheap (the bill with tip came to 35€) but what we got for that was outstanding.

Our waiter, Alberto, was very obliging, and it was the best breakfast I have had in a long time.

    [Photo: Paul Whitelock]

    [Photos courtesy of La Playa Surf House]

After breakfast

I thought we might spend some time on the beach, but the weather was quite autumnal, and Rita was very tired, so we headed straight for home.

Chez Nous

Rita wanted a nap, so I finished the tidying up around the house that I'd not managed earlier. I also cleaned the pool.

Later I cleared out the rubbish, went to the tip and paid my dues at my local, Hotel Ronda Valley, where I had a couple of beers and wrote this!

    [Photo courtesy of HRV]

Going home now! Buenas noches.

© Diary of a Nobody

Links:

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Golden Wedding anniversary - Eye on Spain

My week “de Rodríguez” is over - Eye on Spain

What is a guiri? It's what the Spanish call us foreigners - but is it good or bad? - Secret Serrania

Photos:

Hotel Ronda Valley, La Playa Surf House, Paul Whitelock, Sol Villas,

Tags:

"babysitting", Brekkie on the Beach, chiringuito, "de Rodriguez", Diary of a Nobody, Eye on Spain, Germany, guiri, golden wedding anniversary, hiking in the mountains, Hotel Ronda Valley, Karlsruhe-Baden Baden, Katrin, La Playa Surf House, "Lovely Rita", Malaga airport, Paul Whitelock, Rita, Ronda, Secret Serrania, Sol Villas, Talheim,  Torremolinos, Wikipedia