Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

There are 14 MOST IMPORTANT PLACES in my seventy-odd years of life on this earth. Those MIPs are Barnstaple, Exeter, Salford, San Sebastian, Stuttgart, Sheffield, Warrington, Moscow, Ronda, Prague, Adelaide, Chalon-sur-Saône, Luxembourg and Maulbronn. They are my Baker’s-Plus Dozen.

In Part 1 I wrote about the first seven, taking me from birth, through childhood, adolescence, student years and careers to the end of my working life.

Part 2 picks up where I left off, as I emigrated to Spain, to fulfil a long-held dream. Interestingly, while the first seven were dominated by the UK, the next seven are all foreign, in Australia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the former Soviet Union, and Spain.

[World Map courtesy of Unsplash]

They represent significant places in my later life journey.

8 Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia)

In 1989 my wife Jeryl got a call out of the blue from her Russian penfriend Rita. As a result of Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of glasnost, ordinary Soviet citizens were being allowed to travel outside of the USSR for the first time.

Rita, Sascha and their young daughter would be arriving at London Euston station in a week. Could we pick them up? They were staying with us! First we'd heard of it!

    Red Square in Moscow [Photo: CNN]

Well, we live in the northwest in Warrington, a long way from London. At that time the M5 and M6 motorways were in chaos owing to roadworks.

Another problem was that I was in a wheelchair, having ruptured an Achilles tendon playing squash a couple of months previously.

But, hey! It’s not every day - nor even every century! - that you get a visit from a Russian family, so we worked it out.

We enjoyed hosting them and we did lots of fun things. I spoke no Russian and they spoke no English. But with Jeryl as interpreter – she has a degree in Russian – we got on fine.

The thing they loved most was going shopping. They loved ASDA – they couldn’t believe that you could get fresh fruit all year round and meat was freely available!

Move forward a year and they invited us to the Sov U to stay with them. Jeryl wasn’t keen.

She could remember what the country was like when she spent several months there 20 years before as part of her degree.

The queues; the empty food shops; the alcoholism; drug use; brutal police. It didn’t sound promising, but we went anyway.

I was no longer in a wheelchair, the kids were older (6 and 3) - so we did it.

Krasnodar, USSR [Photo: Shutterstock]

We flew to Moscow and spent a few days doing the sights of the capital, before we travelled by train to Krasnodar, which was their hometown, some 24 hours away!

I enjoyed myself immensely. Our hosts were generous to a fault and showed us some lovely sights. The best bit was when the coup d’etat happened that summer while we were in a camp in the mountains, but that’s a story I have written about elsewhere …..

9 Ronda, Malaga, Spain

Our relationship with the City of Dreams (Ciudad Soñada) began in 2000 when Jeryl and I did a tour of Andalucia to celebrate our silver wedding. We stayed in paradores using a 5-night discount card.

Our first port of call was Ronda, and we were knocked out by the place. So much so that the following year we bought a modern apartment with a shared pool in the up-and-coming Barrio de San Francisco. This was to be a bolt-hole for us but also a holiday rental.

    Ronda parador in the centre of the photo [Andalucia.org]

Two years later we bought a second property, a falling-down end-terrace bungalow as a DIY project for me. I was about to retire early (55), so would have the time.

    Piso Blanco, Ronda [Photo: Paul Whitelock]                      Casa Blanca with us [Photo: Johnny White]

By 2005 I was divorced and retired.

In 2008 I met a German lady, also called Rita, my Meter Maid*, who was living in a village near Ronda called Montejaque. By the end of that year, I had emigrated to live with her. We married two years later in Maulbronn (qv).

10 Prague, Czech Republic

Back to 2005, Jeryl, son Tom (18) and I went to Prague. Jeryl, a university professor had academic “business” in the Czech capital, and Tom and I tagged along.

Coincidentally, at the very same time our daughter Amy (21) was on an orchestra tour to Prague from her Oxford College. She’s an oboeist.

Prague is a stunning city, straddling both sides of the River Danube.

    Prague [Photo: Wikipedia]

With 100 churches and superb beers, Prague is an ideal place for Roman Catholic alcoholics!

11 Adelaide, South Australia

When the UK was still a member of the European Union, there were a number of great opportunities for British citizens, adults and children, to benefit from international educational activities through Socrates and Comenius programmes.

    [Image courtesy of  lpf.it]

It was part of my brief as an education adviser to promote these and sometimes to lead groups on study visits. I did a few while I worked for St Helens Council and later Sefton Council.

I took part in and led study visits to Asturias, Brussels, Chalon-sur-Saone, Stuttgart and Adelaide over a period of some 25 years.

They were all great experiences, but Adelaide was fascinating. We were there to look at how South Australia schools taught gifted children. We were there for two weeks and in our free time got to see Aborigine life in the Outback, the coast near Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Sydney harbour.

Adelaide, South Australia [Photo: Expedia]

They say, “While the cat’s away, the mice will play” and “What happens in Rome, stays in Rome”, but, whilst a handful of “things” went on within the group of teachers, I have nothing personal to report.

12 Chalon-sur-Saône, France

Whilst I was working for St Helens Council, one of my projects was to set up work experience programmes for sixth formers in our schools with our twin towns in France and Germany.

I wrote in Part 1 about St Helens, the so-called “glass town” (Pilkington’s had a huge safety glass manufacturing plant in the town) and its link with Stuttgart (qv).

    Chalon-sur-Saone [Photo: Expedia]

In the case of Chalon-sur-Saone in Burgundy the work experience went from nowhere to somewhere in double-quick time, as a result of my efforts, together with Mme “Guite” Ligier, my counterpart in the French “glass town”.

I had the opportunity to visit Chalon a number of times and to host the French “delegation” when they visited St Helens. We all became great friends during that time.

As was the case in Adelaide (qv), the number of opportunities “to play away from home” were many, but I resisted the temptation.

13 Luxembourg

I’ve been to Luxembourg a lot over the years.

Jeryl and I used to visit our good friends from Salford Uni, Jac and Dan, fairly frequently.

They both got jobs as translators for the European Commission after graduation,

After our kids were born we continued to visit.

    Luxembourg Ville [Photo: Outdoor Active]

Jac and Dan split up when their children were young and a few years later Dan sadly committed suicide, leaving Jac a widow with sole care of two young children.

Jac resigned from the EC and set up as a piano teacher, working from home, which gave her more flexibility vis-à-vis Miriam and Robbie.

I visited her on my own in 2004 while I was staying with my friend Alan’s parents-in-law in Metz (France), which is just down the road. My marriage was coming to an end, so I was almost available for a romance, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED.

Wind the clock forward a few years to 2008. Jac knew that I was divorced, retired and miserable.

She also knew that I was pretty good with my hands (DIY!). She made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

“Would you come out to Luxembourg and help my daughter and son-in-law do up a house I bought them? I’ll pay for your flights, accommodate and feed you and pay for “treats”.

I said: “Yes” without hesitation.

I spent the whole summer there helping with the house, doing jobs at Jac’s also, eg decorating, gardening and sorting out the chaos that was her garage and workshop.

[Image courtesy of Youtube]

We had a summer romance. I was smitten, Jac less so and our relationship came to an end before it really started.

I flew direct to Spain in order to drown my sorrows in Ronda, met Rita and the rest is history…..

14 Maulbronn, Germany

Maulbronn? Why?

The aforementioned Rita is German and had lived in the Baden-Württemberg town with her second husband Uli.

Maulbronn happens to be home to one of the most exquisite abbeys in the whole of Germany.

Famous pupils at the attached seminary include Hermann Hesse, author of “Steppenwolf”, who started there in 1827.

    Maulbronn Abbey [YouTube]

When we decided to get married, it was logical to do so in Germany. We decided on Maulbronn because it’s stunningly beautiful; it was easily accessible to most of  Rita’s family; and she was best friends with Eva, who was the administrator for the abbey.

Organising a wedding in Germany from Spain was a challenge to say the least, but we managed it.

I loved the whole occasion. The chapel was full. Rita was well-known in the area.

Our wedding in Maulbronn [Photo: HMR]

The reception - drinks and snacks - was outside in the forecourt, and many friends came along to say hello.

Then we were whisked away to the private reception at a fabulous restaurant, in the hills above Talheim, where we enjoyed a private meal with speeches and a dance.

Then, it was back to the hotel in Talheim village where most of us were staying. Some of the guests drank till dawn - and paid the price the next day!

Conclusion

So, that concludes my Baker's-Dozen-Plus MIPs. Whether there will be new places in the coming years, I doubt. Maybe Cuba, if I ever get there.

Check out Part 1 here: The Top Dozen MIPs in My Life – Part 1

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Beginning at the beginning

My Special Places in Spain

The houses that Jack built! Part 1

The houses that Jack built! Part 2

The houses that Jack built! - Secret Serrania de Ronda

The Story of El Rincón in Ronda 2005 - 2010

Photos:

Andalucia.org, Britannia, CNN, Expedia, Facebook, Fenix.info, HMR, lpf.it, Outdooractive, Shutterstock, Unsplash, Wikipedia, YouTube

Tags:

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áéíóúü

The MOST IMPORTANT PLACES in my seven-plus decades of life on this earth are Barnstaple, Exeter, Salford, San Sebastian, Stuttgart, Sheffield, Warrington, Moscow, Ronda, Prague, Adelaide, Chalon-sur-Saône, Luxembourg and Maulbronn.

    [World map courtesy of Adobe Stock]

You will notice that there are 14 places in my list. A Baker’s-Plus Dozen, then.

These are towns and cities in Australia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the former Soviet Union, Spain and the UK.

They represent significant places in my life journey.

1 Barnstaple, Devon

My birthplace. I lived in this North Devon town for the first 13 years of my life. I was born there in a cottage hospital (a type of hospital long extinct) to John and Vera. Dad was a Welshman and mum a Devonshire dumpling.

We lived in three houses in Barum (Roman name). My parents, both from poor working-class backgrounds, were keen to get on in life. We started off in a brand-new council house, graduated to a terraced house, which my parents did up and sold for a profit and bought my gran’s rented house from her landlord and we all lived there for a couple of years.

    Barnstaple, Devon [Wikipedia]

I surrendered my tonsils and almost lost a finger, and I nearly became a Jehovah’s Witness. I was a Scout Cub and went to the local Methodist Church where I met my second girlfriend, Bev. I used to walk her home from church; we never held hands; never even kissed. I was 12.

I was head boy of my primary school, where my first "girlfriend" was Yvonne, passed the 11-plus and went to Barnstaple Boys’ Grammar School. I was there for two years before we suddenly moved south to Exeter, the county town.

Barnstaple Boys' G S (now Park Community College)

2 Exeter, Devon

We moved to “the big city” when I was 13. At Hele’s School I captained the U14 cricket team, played rugger for the U15s and tennis for the 1^st VI. I also took up hockey outside of school where I played for Exeter Hornets.

In the five years at Hele’s, we lived in two houses. I went to the Methodist Church where I met my next girlfriend, Jayne, who was older than I was. I was now 16, so we held hands, and we kissed, but I remained a virgin.

Exeter aerial view [Photo: Martin & Co.]

Later, in the Sixth Form, I started going to the Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) church where I found my next girlfriend, Andrea. She was very pretty. We petted a lot and then started having unprotected sex pretty regularly – how stupid can you get? Yet,  we got away with it!

Academically I did well and won a place at Salford University, my first choice, to study for a degree in German and Spanish.

3 Salford, Greater Manchester

I loved living and studying in Salford, despite the city being the “Dirty Old Town” of The Pogues' song.

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The pubs were great, the beer was cheap and good (I particularly liked Boddingtons, Holts, Hyde’s, Sam Smiths and Oldham Bitter).

I joined the Drama Society, as word had gone round that most members were girls! This proved to the case.

I played the monkey in "The Fireraisers" by Swiss dramatist Max Frisch. The play was an allegory of the rise of Nazism which led to the Second World War.

    The splendid original building of Salford University

My make-up artist was a gorgeous Welsh girl called Bronwyn, a Social Studies student. We dated for a while but it petered out as I went off on my year abroad.

The Modern Languages course was also stuffed full of beautiful girls, most of whom I fell madly in love with (from a distance – they never knew!). It wasn’t until my second year that I got a girlfriend, or should I say, Hazel, a Yorkshire lass, got me! She asked me out!

After my year abroad in San Sebastian and Stuttgart (see below) I returned to Salford and found a flat in Upper Kersal (North Salford) with my pal Mel from Belfast.

Out of the blue we got a Thursday night “gig” as the resident folk singers at The Star Inn, Salford. 

The one-armed landlord called us "Hobson's Choice". Did he have a sense of humour or was he taking the p**s?

BTW, how does someone with only one arm / hand serve drinks?

I started dating one of the “groupies” who showed up every week. She turned out to be a Mod Lang student at Salford too, albeit two years below me.

Jeryl was studying French and Russian and she subsequently became my first wife of 30 years.

However, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Paul and Mel performing at The Star Inn [Photo: Jeryl Burgess]

4 San Sebastián (now Donostia), Guipuzkoa, Spain

Our Spanish group was sent off to the capital of the Basque province Guipuzkoa as part of our year abroad.

We studied at the university there for three months and then had another three months in the country to “do what we liked”, ie travel, work, further study.

    San Sebastian [Photo courtesy of Spain.info]

At the start I was seeing Brenda, a fellow student, but she quickly “dumped” me for an older and richer Spanish man. I was “gutted”.

Meanwhile, I had got myself a job with a local tour operator, Dorfe, first of all in the office, then as a tour guide with Catholic pilgrims who were doing a two-centre holiday in Lourdes (the shrine to Bernadette in France) and in San Seb.

I absolutely loved being in San Sebastian, and said to myself that I would like to live in Spain permanently one day.

Some of our student group in San Sebastian's port

I returned to work the high season for the next three or four years. In so doing I further whetted my appetite to emigrate.

During this time I had brief flirtations with three Irish colleagues, a couple of French girls, two Spanish colleagues and two English clients.

Despite it being the 70s, back then condoms were not available in strictly Roman Catholic Spain, still a dictatorship under General Franco.

This evil man didn’t die until 1975, so all these relationships went unconsummated.

[Photo courtesy of Euro Weekly News]

As for emigrating to Spain, that took another four decades, a nervous breakdown, redundancy and divorce, but I got here in the end.

5 Stuttgart, West Germany

Stuttgart was my home for six months as the second part of my year abroad, following hard on the heels of San Sebastian. I’d been allocated a great job as a translator at Daimler-Benz AG, the manufacturers of Mercedes-Benz cars.

A few weeks in I was rushed to hospital for an emergency appendectomy. That was an interesting episode. My student insurance only entitled me to 3^rd class care, although I have no complaints whatsoever.

    Stuttgart [Photo: Trip Advisor]

My fellow patients were all foreigners, ie non-Germans. They were Gastarbeiter (guest workers).

A spinster colleague from the office was my most frequent visitor. She introduced me to books by Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck, neither of whom I had read before.

Another visitor was Jac, a Welsh girl from my course who was also studying German and Spanish, and was in all of my classes and tutorials. She too had a placement in Stuttgart, at Bosch.

More about Jac later …..

Some novels by John Steinbeck [Image courtesy of Salinas Public Library]

Back at work, after a period of convalescence, life went on.

No love life materialised, but I had some other great experiences, Highlights were a weekend in Paris; seeing Alexis Korner live in Stuttgart; attending the Munich Oktoberfest (Beer Festival); and visiting the Schwarzwald (Black Forest).

Full-time staff and work placement students at Daimler-Benz

20 years later Stuttgart re-appeared in my life. I was working for St Helen’s Council, where I led on educational links.

The twin town in Germany was Stuttgart.

I set up a successful work experience exchange for sixth formers, so I enjoyed a couple of monitoring visits in the capital of Baden-Würrtemberg before I left St Helens for a better job with another Merseyside council, Sefton.

The Daimler-Benz plant in Stuttgart [dbmg]

6 Sheffield, West Yorkshire

After graduation I decided to go into teaching. To do that I needed a teaching qualification, as a post-graduate, that's a one-year PGCE (Post-graduate Certificate in Education).

The only place I could find offering my two languages, German and Spanish, was Sheffield City College, now Sheffield Hallam University.

So, off I went to this “steel” city just across the Pennines from where I had studied in Salford.

    "Steely" Sheffield [Photo: Trip Advisor]

I suffered a little "culture shock"! I had to get used to a few things, like the accent and the custom of men calling other men “love”, but I liked the city a lot. Working class, my kinda people.

I found lodgings, a huge room in an old, detached house in a posh-ish district, within walking distance of the College.

I liked Sheffield beer (mostly Ward’s). By this time beer, specifically real ale, was becoming an important factor in my life.

As for lectures/classes I was the only one doing Spanish!

I joined the Amateur Dramatic Group which was very forward-thinking and well-resourced.

I appeared in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” by Muriel Spark as Teddy, Miss Brodie’s lover.

We also made a film of the Irish play “Riders to the Sea” by J M Synge, in which I played the lead.

Maggie Smith as Miss Jean Brodie [Photo: Rotten Tomatoes]

We postgrad students appeared to be a very attractive proposition for the non-postgrad girls. I was seduced by an undergraduate member of the cast, who came home with me after the post-show party on the last night.

I’m ashamed to say I don’t remember her name, but she was really nice. I had a couple of other offers from girls in my “digs”, but they had boyfriends, so I politely turned them down.

Besides, I was technically still dating Jeryl (qv) although she was on her year abroad in The Soviet Union and France, and I hadn't seen her for ages.

7 Warrington, Cheshire

This former “wire” town in Rugby League territory with two breweries and a “flat cap” image transformed itself into a modern “new town”, home to the first IKEA store to open in the UK, the largest Marks & Spencer superstore, “Mr Smith’s” nightclub and a thriving “mecca” for lovers of real ale.

    Warrington's "golden gates" [Wikipedia]

Warrington and her surrounding villages are important to me for several reasons.

I lived in the town for a quarter of a century; my two children were born and went to school there; I was governor of two schools; and I played hockey, tennis and squash at Warrington Sports Club.

I also got to play some great roles as a member of The Playmakers of Stockton Heath. These included Biff in Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons”; the police inspector in JB Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls”; Donald, the tragic boy who burned to death in Dennis Potter’s "Blue Remembered Hills"; and the best part I’ve ever played, The Emcee in “Cabaret”.

We lived in the same house for 25 years, although it went through several upgrades, largely by my own hand.

The Kit Kat Girls in "Cabaret" [Photo: The Playmakers]

After my “annus horribilis” (nervous breakdown, redundancy and divorce in quick succession), I moved away from Warrington, but returned a few years later to live with my mum before I bought myself a Victorian “pile” to renovate.

I finally bade farewell to Warrington when I emigrated to Spain in 2008.

Check out Part 2 here: The Top Dozen MIPs in My Life – Part 2

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

EM 10004 Video NA RunEscape Gunshot KinmenV1 Nor DWTY F NA EN PC A sinodemo

From North Devon to South Spain in six decades - Part One - Olive Press News Spain

From North Devon to South Spain in seven decades… Part Two: After The Hangover - Secret Serrania de Ronda

From North Devon to South Spain in seven decades… Part Three: A New Life in Andalucía

From North Devon to South Spain in seven decades… Epilogue: ¡La carne de burro no es transparente! (You’re blocking the sunlight!)

Photos:

Adobe Stock, anon, dbmg, Facebook, Jeryl, Karl Smallman, Park Community College, Paul Whitelock, Playmakers, Rotten Tomatoes, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia

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áéíóúü

Today, Saturday 4 January 2025, would have been my 50^th wedding anniversary.

However, that marriage, to Jeryl, came to an end in 1995, after 30 years.

A pretty good effort, I reckon, with lots of positive outcomes.

In 30 years …..

Jeryl and I had two children together, Amy, now 41, and Tom, 37.

Amy lives in Stratford, East London, and has two boys, Felix, 8, and Jude, soon to be 5. Since graduation with a double first in English and German from The Queen’s College, Oxford, Amy has worked exclusively in the charity sector. She is currently Chief Executive of an educational charity, Tutors United.

An accomplished oboeist she plays in several orchestras across London.

Tom lives in Hastings, East Sussex, where he also has two boys with wife Susannah. They are Wilbur, 5, and Buckley, 1.

Tom and Susannah are both professional actors and singers although both are currently “resting”. Susannah, because she’s a full-time mum, and Tom, because Boris Johnson, the disgraced former prime minister, who was in charge during the Covid-19 pandemic, shut theatrical activity down, and the sector has been slow to recover. Tom currently works for Hastings Council.

Before the pandemic and before children both Tom and Susannah appeared in plays and musicals in London and the South East and on tours abroad. Susannah has focused more on singing and songwriting and already has a CD of self-penned songs to her name [see album cover right].

Daughter-in-law Susannah's CD [Courtesy of Amazon]

Turning point

When Jeryl and I split up, it proved to be a turning point for us both.

Jeryl retired early from academic life (she was professor of international marketing and head of department at Bradford University Business School), retrained as an actress and moved to London to be near our children and to be near the acting action.

Jeryl has played some great parts in theatres throughout the UK. She has also had featured roles in "Casualty", "Doctors" and "Killing Eve", as well as being a featured dancer in an episode of "Strictly Come Dancing".

As for me, I suffered a nervous breakdown around the time of our parting and was made redundant from my job as a school inspector/adviser. I took early retirement and started to draw my work pension.

I spent a fair bit of time in Ronda (Málaga, Spain), where I owned two properties. My new girlfriend Maude also bought a property in Ronda, the first time she visited the City of Dreams with me.

So, I was living in Bryn-y-Maen, North Wales with Maude, who was still working, and spending increasing amounts of time in Ronda doing up one of my properties, Casa Blanca and subsequently El Rincón, as her house was called.

This was a period where I got to know a lot of people in this beautiful Andalusian town.

By this time, between us, Maude and I had a portfolio of three rental properties.

The beginning of the end

My relationship with Maude came to a natural end after some three years, I moved out of the house in Bryn-y-Maen and went to live with my mum (I was 58).

My dream of living in Spain, which I’d had since I first visited the country aged 20, was now a possibility. I tried it but it didn’t work at first. I fell in with a crowd of heavy-drinking immigrants, which was fun for a while, but not really how I saw my life in Spain in the long term.                                                                                                                            

The cottage in Bryn-y-Maen [Snowdonia]

Tunstall Villa, Latchford

Living with my mum wasn’t a "healthy" nor viable option for me nor her in the long term. I needed to find a place of my own. I had sold Casa Blanca, so had some money in the bank which I invested in a portfolio of high-interest accounts with various banks, some foreign.

In Spring 2008 I thought I’d found a place quite near my mum’s, but then I went off to Luxembourg to help my university contemporary and friend Jac, a widow, do up a house she’d bought for her daughter and son-in-law.

I was there for three months, during which time I had a ball. My house fell through, but I enjoyed a brief summer romance with Jac and returned with her to the UK, when she went on her annual visit to South Wales, where she hails from.

Jac addresses the British Ladies Group in Luxembourg [Delano.lu]

Back up north in Warrington, I started looking for another house and found Tunstall Villa, a somewhat down-on-its-luck detached Victorian Villa on a decent sized plot.

I negotiated with the vendor and we agreed a good price, which included most of the furniture and fittings.

I returned to Luxembourg to do more work for Jac at the end of August and from there I flew to Spain to spend some time in Ronda during the Feria de Pedro Romero, which takes place on the first weekend in September.

Tunstall Villa, Latchford [On the Market]

Feria de Pedro Romero

I met up with my friend Michael who was living in Ronda, and still does. His brother and girlfriend were visiting from their home in North Wales but couldn’t find any accommodation. Everywhere was fully booked.

I let them stay in my flat with me.

That evening, a Friday, we went off to the Recinto Ferial (showground) where there was a funfair and several casetas, bars in large tents run be different organisations in Ronda, some private and some open to all.

In the first caseta we visited something happened which changed my life forever …..

“Lovely Rita, Meter Maid”

In this particular caseta there were some 20 "guiris" (foreigners). I knew a handful but by no means all, so I was introduced to everybody in turn. One very lovely lady turned out to be a German, resident in Montejaque (Málaga). Her name? Rita. I am a fluent German speaker, so she was thrilled to have someone to talk to in her mother tongue.

In my head the words “lovely” and “Rita” made me think of the Beatles song “Lovely Rita, Meter Maid”! So that was what I called her.

Feeling brave, I heard myself inviting myself to visit her at her home in Montejaque. She said yes and that’s what happened. Kaffee und Kuchen at 4.00 pm on the day before I was due to fly home. Her sister Birgid was visiting from Germany.

[Image: Wikipedia]

I later discovered that during the afternoon coffee session they were assessing me as to whether I would be a suitable guest that evening when an English couple were coming round for dinner. I passed the test apparently and was duly invited to stay for dinner.

The following day I flew back to Liverpool.

Rita and I kept in touch by email. She visited me in England a couple of times that Autumn and I went to Germany for her grandson’s christening and to meet her family. By the end of December, I had emigrated to live with Rita.

Within two years we were married. I sold Tunstall Villa and in February 2011, we moved into Villa Indiana, the detached bungalow with a huge garden, where we have lived ever since.

    Rita and Paul get married in Maulbronn in 2010 [HMR]      "Lovely Rita" with Paul, Christmas 2024 [Selfie]

Catalyst

Thinking back to 2005, when Jeryl and I divorced, that proved to be a positive turning point in both of our lives. Jeryl was able to pursue her dream of becoming a professional actor and I achieved my goal of living happily ever after in Spain.

Neither of us regret our 30 years as a married couple. We had some fantastic experiences and produced two great children, who in turn have given us four gorgeous grandsons.

So, to have regrets is pointless. Life moves on and, in both our cases, gave us the opportunity to pursue new and fulfilling lives.

[McConnell Family Law Group]

¡Viva el divorcio!

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

SUSANNAH AUSTIN - NIGHTWALKING - Vídeo Dailymotion - An example of Susannah's work

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

West End Live 2016 Sunny Afternoon - Tom in the prize-winning West End Kinks' musical

With thanks to:

Cervantes Theatre, Jeryl Whitelock Burgess, Ray Davies, Tom Whitelock

Photo acknowledgements:

Amazon, Cervantes Theatre, McConnell Family Law Group, On the Market, Paul Whitelock, Snowdonia, Tom Whitelock, www.delano.lu

Tags:

Amazon, Bryn-y-Maen, Cervantes Theatre, Daily Motion, Eye on Spain, guiri, Latchford, Málaga, Jeryl Whitelock Burgess, McConnell Family Law Group, Montejaque, On the Market, Paul Whitelock, Rolling Stone, Ronda, Secret Serrania, Tom Whitelock, Tutors United, Wales, Warrington, www.delano.lu

Excuse the Grauniad-like punning headline! I couldn’t resist it!

Tuesday was the Christmas Party for members and guests of El Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol. This year the organising committee chose the same restaurant as last year with exactly the same menu!

But, so what, it’s only once a year. Traditionally, in England when we ate our Christmas dinner at home, it was also the same venue and the same menu, roast turkey!

English roast turkey with all the trimmings [Photo: BBC]

The Costa Press Club Christmas “Do” 2024

I’d enjoyed this bash in 2023, so was delighted to be able to go again this year. My wife Rita was my guest last year, but this year she couldn’t make it. Bloody cat!* (I’ll explain later!)

We were asked to make our menu choices in advance which I did. At that point I hadn’t twigged that it was the same restaurant, “El Olivo”, as 12 months previously! 

CPC members pose outside "El Olivo" [Photo: Karl Smallman]

When I did eventually realise, I saw that I had made exactly the same choices this year as last! But, as I said in my introduction, “So what!”

The CPC committee had negotiated a special rate with the nearby Gran Hotel Costa del Sol **** - just 62€ per room including breakfast.

The hotel is right by the beach and has great views looking West.

    [Photo: Paul Whitelock]

I went to the hotel bar at around 7.00 pm for a pre-dinner drink. Several CPC members were already there: Liz Parry, Georgina Oliver, Andrew Forbes, Joan Fallon and Neil Hesketh. We had a drink and then headed off to “El Olivo”, two streets away along the coast.

A glass of cava was included in the price of the meal, 32 euros. I think I had four glasses! Then we sat down ready to eat. My co-diners were Neil, Georgina, Andrew, David Tweed, Gary Edwards, Nicole King and Josephine Quintero.

A half bottle of wine each was also included.

My choices were:

Spicy duck roll served with guacamole and mango chutney

Traditional Christmas turkey with all the trimmings

Apple strudel with vanilla ice cream

Roast turkey [Photo courtesy of Good Food]

Then it was the Christmas Quiz followed by Secret Santa.

            [Image courtesy of GooglePlay]                 L to R: Neil Hesketh, president; Jennie Rhodes and Joan Fallon,                                                                                                          winners; LouiseCook-Edwards, organiser [Photo: Karl Smallman]

I teamed up with Georgina for the quiz – we scored 5 out of 16 - I think we came last!

My Secret Santa gift was a rather nice umbrella, which, according to the forecast for Wednesday, I shall need!

Everybody seemed to agree that the quality of the gifts was higher than in 2023.

Georgina was delighted with her gift. She won her own back! A bottle of Pimms No.1.

Then the evening was all over so we wandered back to the hotel for a nightcap where we polished off Andrew’s Secret Santa gift – a bottle of gin!

    [Image courtesy of Freepik]

The morning after

Woke at 6.00 am in need of a pee. I made a cup of tea and started writing up last night.

The weather was overcast, but no rain as yet!

                          Views from my hotel room balcony [Photos: Paul Whitelock]

Then around 8.00 am I went for a coffee prior to breakfast with the few remaining CPC members.

It’s now 10.30 am. No sign of any rain!

I think I’ll pack, check out and head for The Miramar Shopping Centre in Fuengirola before heading back to Ronda.

I picked up a few more British products from The Food Co. there, ran a few more errands at Leroy Merlin, Jysk and Aldi before heading east towards the airport at Malaga.

    A fry-up [Photo courtesy of Full Suitcase]

Diversion

It was by now pleasantly warm, around 20C, so I decided to go and see the sea at one of my favourite spots, Guadalmar, near the airport.

It was very quiet with only a handful of diners at the chiringuito. And not a soul on the beach, which had still not been tidied up after the Dana flooding a month ago.

                                                   [All photos by Paul Whitelock]

Then it was time to head back home via the gasolinera in Casarabonela. Today Gasolina 95 was 20 cents a litre cheaper than the cheapest petrol in Ronda!

Footnote:

*We were recently adopted by a kitten that found its way from the rubbish dump 500 metres from our home where it had apparently been dumped. Paulinchen is still very young so we didn’t want to leave her nor put her in a cattery, so that’s why I went alone!

    Paulinchen [Photo by Paul Whitelock]

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Costa Press Club members gather for Christmas food and fun | Sur in English

CPC in Cala de Mijas - Christmas Party - 2023

British stuff here in Spain? Who needs it?

Acknowledgements:

Costa Press Club

Gran Hotel Costa del Sol

Liz Parry OBE

Restaurante "El Olivo"

SUR in English

Photos:

Facebook

Full Suitcase

GooglePlay

Karl Smallman

Paul Whitelock

Wikipedia

Tags:

20 cents cheaper, 32 euros, Aldi, Andrew Forbes, apple strudel, breakfast, British products, Casarabonela, cava, Christmas dinner, Christmas “Do”, Christmas Party, Christmas Quiz, Christmas turkey with all the trimmings, Club de Prensa de la Costa del Sol, coffee, CPC, Costa Press Club, cup of tea, David Tweed, “El Olivo”, Facebook, Fuengirola, Gary Edwards, Gasolina 95, gasolinera, Georgina Oliver, gin, guacamole, Joan Fallon, Josephine Quintero, Jysk, Karl Smallman, kitten, Leroy Merlin, Liz Parry, mango chutney, Miramar Shopping Centre, Neil Hesketh, Nicole King, nightcap, Paulinchen, Paul Whitelock, pre-dinner drink, Rita, roast turkey, Ronda, Secret Santa, spicy duck roll, The Food Co., umbrella, vanilla ice cream, Wikipedia

áéíóúü

The 1 December, is the first day of Advent, the period leading up to Christmas.

In Christian religions, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, this is a significant time of year. Both religions set great store by the Advent Calendar.

Advent photo courtesy of the BBC

An expensive time of year

In Spain, funcionarios and pensionistas have just received a double salary/pension payment, so, in theory they have a lot of disposable income.

However, they’ve got the “Puente” of 6 and 8 December, Christmas, New Year and Epiphany to pay for! And the Spanish spend huge amounts of money at this time of year, especially on presents for the children.

    Image courtesy of irBarcelona

6 December is Día de la Constitución. This holiday commemorates the adoption of this law, which lays down the rights and duties of all Spaniards. The Constitution was approved on 6 December 1978 and is still in force. 

8 December is Inmaculada Concepción. On this date, the Spanish commemorate the conception of the Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception.

According to tradition, 1 December is when you can start to decorate your home for this festive period.

A personal viewpoint

I’m going to be alone for Christmas this year, for the first time in my long life. You can read all about that here: Christmas "de Rodríguez" - Rita’s alternative Christmas Dinner

So. I’ve already started to put up a few Christmas decorations. I’ve also decided on my Christmas Dinner menu.

[Photo courtesy of El Mundo]

I was going to just do a traditional English roast turkey with all the trimmings, which I haven’t had the pleasure of very often in recent years, but my “lovely” wife Rita suggested something different and presented me with a couple of different options:

Cream of pumpkin soup followed by roasted sea bass stuffed with vegetables and prawns. Sounds great, doesn’t it? And as a bow to English tradition, if I can find one, I shall have Christmas pud! [Update: I found one yesterday on the coast!]

    Crema de calabaza [Allrecipes]               Lubina al horno [Photo: ¡Hola!]             Christmas pud [Photo: Raymond Blanc]

Recipe here: Christmas "de Rodríguez" - Rita’s alternative Christmas Dinner

Last word:

Looks like I'm going to enjoy my Advent and Christmas. If I can find myself a dinner companion for Christmas Day, all the better! ¡Ojalá!

© Pablo de Ronda

Links:

Christmas "de Rodríguez" - Rita’s alternative Christmas Dinner

... de Rodríguez? - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Tags:

Advent, Advent calendar, Allrecipes, Christmas, Christmas decorations, Christmas Dinner, Christmas pud, Cream of pumpkin soup, Crema de calabaza, de Rodriguez, Día de la Constitución, double salary/pension payment, Epiphany, funcionario, ¡Hola!, Immaculate Conception, Inmaculada Concepción, Lubina al horno, New Year, Pablo de Ronda, pensionista, “Puente” of 6 and 8 December, Raymond Blanc, Rita, roasted sea bass, roast turkey with all the trimmings, Secret Serrania, Virgin Mary

By Pablo de Ronda

Basically squatters (okupas) are bad news for property owners. But I must tell you that I know two, who have become good friends and are absolutely not a threat to my property assets nor anybody else’s.

Squatters [Photo: Bella Virtual Staging]

"San Jorge" el gallego

Jorge, an army veteran, an ex-foreign legionnaire who was based at the Ronda camp, found himself homeless on being discharged, divorced by his wife and  with no contact to his children, . First of all he occupied a small house on the grounds of a restaurant for a number of years, with the owner’s blessing.

Last year he had to move and Jorge took over a small house which was owned by a bank after a repossession. He has created a living environment which is enough for him, as a single man, and his several dogs. The bank is aware of this and has no problem. There is little chance of anybody buying the house.

Jorge has no electricity, but he has installed a small solar dish which gives him some power.

San Jorge and Pablo de Ronda [Selfie]

José "el suave"

José, an accredited albañil (bricklayer) has been forced into life as an okupa following major upheaval in his life – teenage son convicted of murder, and divorced by his wife.

As with Jorge, the bank is aware that he occupies the property and are happy that he has restored it and looks after it.

Neither Jorge or José is causing a problem to a homeowner.

These two guys have worked for me and helped me with the renovation of a house I invested in as a doer- upper. They also do small projects and odd jobs for us in our other properties.

They are both autónomo (self-employed). When the work for me dried up they worked for building companies on the coast and in Ronda.

    José "el suave" [Photo: PW]

And the moral of this story is .....

So, let’s try and make sense of this. If I had a holiday home on the coast which had been taken over by okupas, I would not be happy.

However, Jorge and José haven’t done that. They are occupying properties that nobody wants and which are owned by banks who don’t give a s**t, quite frankly.

Back to the Press story

Spain’s Congress has just dropped a legislative bombshell that promises to evict "okupas" faster than you can say “o-ku-pa". 

In a move that’s sparking heated debate across the country, the newly approved "anti-okupas" law aims to slash eviction times from months to mere hours.

[Photo courtesy of 20 Minutos]

This sweeping reform, which has already passed through Congress, now heads to the Senate for its final seal of approval. Once it appears in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), it’s game over for squatters.

What’s changing?

The reform targets articles 245 and 202 of the Penal Code, making squatting a fast-track offence. Usurpation and unlawful entry will now be dealt with in expedited trials – think eviction in 15 days or less. No more standard trials dragging on for months; it’s all about swift justice.

To put this in perspective, Spain currently has over 15,000 illegally occupied properties, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

The new law is set to bring lengthy and costly eviction processes to an end and hopefully bring some stability to the house rental market, as owners will feel more protected.

[Photo courtesy of La Razon]

Pizza plots and eviction loopholes

Squatters have become increasingly creative in dodging eviction. One cheeky tactic involves ordering pizza to the property they intend to occupy. By showing a receipt dated more than 48 hours earlier, they’ve been able to claim residency – a loophole that’s left property owners fuming.

But with the new law, such antics won’t stand a chance. Squatters will face the boot quicker than they can finish their slice of pizza margarita.

What about families with children?

Here’s the sticking point. If children are involved, social services step in to assess the situation, potentially dragging out the process. Protecting minors remains a priority, even under the new expedited system.

A legal game-changer

When fully implemented, the "anti-okupas" law promises to be a landmark moment for property rights in Spain. While it’s being hailed as a lifeline for homeowners, critics argue it could trample on social protections for the most vulnerable.

With evictions about to get turbo-charged, one thing’s clear – the days of squatters living rent-free are numbered.

But where will all these people go? Sure, some will be forced to do “the unthinkable” and pay rent, but the truly vulnerable may be left exposed.

    [Photo courtesy of El Corte Inglés]

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements:

Euro Weekly News

Marc Menendez-Roche

Pablo de Ronda

Photos:

20 Minutos

Bella Virtual Staging

El Corte Inglés

La Razon

Paul Whitelock

Shutterstock

Tags:

albañil, anti-okupas law, army veteran, BOE, Boletín Oficial del Estado, bricklayer, Congress, divorced, El Gallego, el suave, Euro Weekly News, ex-foreign legionnaire, house rental market, Jorge, José, living rent-free, Marc Menendez-Roche, Ministry of the Interior, murder, okupa, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Senate, Shutterstock, solar dish, squatter, Squatters in Spain,

The Spanish Post Office is quite unlike the UK equivalent. There are no sub-post offices as such. Big cities in Spain have a main Correos and maybe a few others dotted around. Ronda (pop: 34,000) now has two.                                                                                            

Photo courtesy of Correos

You don’t have to go there to buy stamps however, as these are on sale in estancos (tobacconists) and also in tourist shops.

Correos is a state-owned company. It is one of the largest postal services in the world.                                                                                      

Photo courtesy of Facebook

Correos

Correos is a normal business with a profit motive. You can do all sorts at the Correos, pay traffic fines, pay your IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles - Council Tax), pay your electricity bill, your water bill, your gas bill  and your annual road tax.

You can also use Correos as a bank, to pay in money and withdraw cash. Indeed, they will even deliver cash to you at home. But Correos will charge you. If you’re “knocking on a bit” and don’t have a car, these services are worth their weight in gold.

The post lady (la cartera) has just left a leaflet from Correos in my buzón: detailing all their services, mentioned above.

    Photo courtesy of FCCCOO

Endnote

I’m impressed. This is a great service.

I heard today that The Post Office in the UK is planning to close over 100 crown post offices with the loss of thousands of jobs, it’s another reason why I shall never again live in the country of my birth!

Just need to get around to applying for Spanish nationality.

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements:

Correos

Facebook

FCCCOO

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

annual road tax, bank, buzón, cartera, Correos, electricity bill, estanco, gas bill, IBI, Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles, Pablo de Ronda, pay in money, post lady, property tax, Spanish nationality, Spanish Post Office, stamps, sub-post office, The Post Office in the UK, tobacconist, tourist shop, traffic fines, water bill, withdraw cash,

Friday, November 1, 2024 
 

“The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain” sang Rex Harrison in the musical “My Fair Lady”. By Lerner and Loewe.

Well, they got that wrong, didn’t they?

At the moment, the rain in Spain stays/falls mainly on Castilla-La Mancha, País Valenciano and Andalucía.

Photo courtesy of Benito Link

Why?

The atrocious weather has been caused by DANA, which has brought the worst weather in living memory to these three areas of south-eastern Spain.

I know we’ve been crying out for rain, to fill our reservoirs, irrigate our crops, water our golf courses and fill our swimming pools, but this is too much all at once.

150 deaths so far but dozens missing presumed drowned.

[UPDATE: Sat 08.45 am: the death toll has risen to 207]

The worst-hit area has been the Valencia region, but Castilla-La Mancha has experienced major flooding too as well as golf-ball sized hailstones.

Andalucia has suffered also with rivers bursting their banks and deluging towns like Alora, Pizarra, and Alhaurin de la Torre, all not too far from where I live in Ronda.

More misery and devastation are expected as the storms head west. Parts of Malaga, Cadiz and Jerez have been inundated and several coastal resorts have suffered, with their beaches being washed away. Some chiringuitos have been badly damaged and will have to be demolished.

What is DANA?

DANA, or “Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos” (Isolated Depression at High Levels), is also known as a "gota fria” (cold drop) and occurs when a cold air mass becomes isolated in the atmosphere. When this cold air collides with the warm, humid air of the Mediterranean, it triggers torrential rains and extreme weather conditions.

Photo courtesy of 20Minutos

Watch this space

This is an ever-changing story. Look out for updates …..

© Pablo de Ronda

Acknowledgements:

20Minutos

ABC

Benito Link

BBC News

MSN

Wikipedia

Links:

At last – good weather! It’s pouring down!

BREAKING NEWS - DANA – Who or what is it?

Tags:

ABC, Alhaurin de la Torre, Alora, Andalucía, BBC News, Cadiz, Castilla-La Mancha, chiringuito, DANA, “Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos”, fill our reservoirs, golf-ball sized hailstones,  "gota fria”, irrigate our crops, Jerez, Lerner and Loewe, Malaga, “My Fair Lady”,  MSN, Pablo de Ronda, País Valenciano, Pizarra, Rex Harrison, Ronda, “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain”, top up our swimming pools, water our golf courses

The NUMBER 2 can mean a pair, a duo, a couple, a duet, a double or even a deputy boss.

For Pablo de Ronda the number 2 has been and still is a significant digit in his life.

He was one of TWO SONS born to Vera and John. Pablo had TWO CHILDREN, of his own, Amy and Tom. Each of them, in turn, has TWO SONS; Amy has Felix and Jude while Tom has Wilbur and Buckley.

    [Copyright: Freepik]

Pablo de Ronda gained a joint honours degree in TWO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, Spanish and German. He was awarded a TWO.TWO (2.2). This choice of languages proved to be prescient, since he now lives in Spain and his second wife is German, meaning he uses both on a daily basis.

Pablo had TWO CAREERS in a working life which lasted 30 years and has had TWO MARRIAGES, one before retirement and one since.

Pablo writes here about the significance of this numeral in his past and current life here in Spain, where he has clocked up almost 16 years as a resident.

Life in Andalucia

I’ve been here nearly sixteen years and have lived in TWO HOUSES, one in Montejaque (Málaga) where the German lady, Rita, who is now WIFE NUMBER TWO, was living when I met her in Ronda on 2^ND September 2008, and the other just outside Ronda in the pedania known as Fuente de la Higuera.

    Rita on the roof terrace of Casa Rita, Montejaque          Villa Indiana, nr. Ronda, where we live now

    [Photos courtesy of Karl Smallman]

I own TWO HOUSES of my own, my aforementioned domicile and a vivienda rural (holiday rental) in Montejaque, which I have been renovating for the last TWO YEARS.

  Casa Real, Montejaque [Photo courtesy of Airbnb]

A previous life

Before my divorce and when I was still working, my first wife and I lived in TWO HOUSES, first in Greater Manchester and then in Cheshire. We also had TWO CANAL BOATS, the first moored on the Bridgewater Canal near our home, and the second on the Rochdale Canal at High Lane, Stockport.

In my second career, I was the NUMBER TWO (Deputy Director) of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI) in St Helens LEA (Merseyside).

***

My first wife and I fell in love with the Ronda area in the year TWO THOUSAND (2000) and over TWO YEARS bought TWO PROPERTIES in Barrio San Francisco, Ronda.

    Piso Blanco, Ronda [Photo: Paul Whitelock]

After that major turning point in my life in 2005 (TWO MAJOR EVENTS - redundancy and divorce), I retained the TWO RONDA PROPERTIES and gave up the family home in England to my ex-wife.

Back to Ronda

I met The Meter Maid (Rita - geddit?) in Ronda in TWO THOUSAND and eight (2008), emigrated shortly afterwards and within TWO YEARS we were married.

The nuptials took place in Germany where we had TWO WEDDINGS, one at the Registry Office in Talheim, near Heilbronn, and the other, TWO DAYS LATER, in the Abbey at Maulbronn (Baden-Württemberg).

    Our church wedding, 31 July 2010 [Photo: HMR]

We have TWO CARS, both Peugeots, and we have had TWO CATS and TWO DOGS, since we've been together.

The first cat in Montejaque, Cleo, was poisoned by a nasty neighbour; and the second, a rescue kitten called Pauline, who is a recent acquisition and is still with us (she’s trying to bite my toes as I type this!).

The first dog, also Cleo, was a rescue dog, a pedigree, which was stolen and, we think, killed (we know who it was, and José Maria O is currently serving time in Huelva High Security Prison for unrelated offences).

The second, Berti, a pointer, also a rescue dog, was run over and killed by a speeding - we think drunk - driver, who didn’t stop.

   Berti, front, with Hungarian pal Cocoa [Photo: PW]

More TWOS

It has recently been reported by Radio Television Española (RTVE) that Spain currently has the NUMBER TWO economy (ie SECOND-BEST) in the world after Singapore.

As Rafael Nadal (Spain) announces his retirement from professional tennis he is SECOND in the all-time list of Grand Slam Winners behind Novak Djokovic (Serbia).

Djokovic is still active and has 24 titles to his name. Nadal has 22. Third is Roger Federer (Switzerland) with 20. Federer is also retired.

After that it’s a long gap down to 14 titles won by Pete Sampras (USA), also long retired.

    Rafael Nadal [Photo: El Confidencial]

© Pablo de Ronda

Photos:

Airbnb

El Confidencial

Freepik

HMR

Karl Smallman

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Airbnb, Baden-Württemberg, Berti, Bridgewater Canal, canal boat, Cheshire, Cleo, Cocoa, El Confidencial, Freepik, Fuente de la Higuera, Grand Slam Winners, Greater Manchester, Heilbronn, High Lane, HMR, Huelva High Security Prison, José Maria O, Karl Smallman, Maulbronn, Novak Djokovic, Pauline, Paul Whitelock, Pete Sampras, Radio Television Española, RTVE, Rafael Nadal, Rochdale Canal, Roger Federer, Ronda, St Helens LEA, Singapore, Stockport, Talheim, Technical and Vocational Education Initiative, TVEI

Changing our clocks and watches twice a year is to become a thing of the past - in Spain at least

By Paul Whitelock

The farce of putting the clocks back in Autumn and forward in the Spring is to come to an end, at least in Spain. This change was introduced in the UK during the first world war to allow more daylight working hours. And it’s never been changed since.

As for Spain, their time used to be based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) like the UK and Portugal, but General Franco was pressurised to change to European Central Time (ECT) by Adolf Hitler around the time of the Spanish Civil War. Since then, Spain has been out of step.

Background

On October 27, Spain will put its clocks back one hour, signalling the start of winter. However, this practice of adjusting the time has its days numbered.

Under current regulations, 2026 will be the last year in which Spaniards modify their clocks and watches, ending a practice that has been in place since the 1970s.

This discrepancy between the official time and daylight has generated criticism, as it affects the biological cycles of the population and complicates the balance between personal and working life.

Returning to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is still an option, but it would imply significant adjustments in daily habits.

Moving forward in Spain

For now, the debate on which time to choose will remain on the public agenda. Everything points to Spain preparing to say goodbye to the time change, joining other countries that have already decided to adjust their clocks for the last time.

Since 1974, the main reason for moving clocks forward or backward has been to take advantage of natural light and reduce energy consumption. However, recent studies indicate that the impact of this measure is minimal at present, which has led to questions about its usefulness.

Despite the doubts, the Boletin Oficial del Estado (BOE) [Official State Gazette] has confirmed that the transition between winter and summer time will be maintained until 2026, as established by Royal Decree 236/2002.

After that date, Spain will have to decide whether to adopt a fixed schedule and, if so, whether it prefers a summer or a winter timetable. This measure not only requires political consensus, but also a massive information campaign to avoid confusion among the populace.

The decision to stop changing the time has also reignited another discussion: Spain's time zone. According to its geographical location, the country should be governed by the Greenwich Meridian (GMT), as is the case in the United Kingdom and Portugal.

Until 1940 it was so, until Francisco Franco, under pressure from Adolf Hitler, adopted Central European Time (CET) to align with other countries on the European continent.

Conclusion

So, the farce of changing the clocks in Spain is to end in 2026, and not before time (excuse the play on words!). The question is will Spain revert to GMT where it belongs, alongside the UK, Ireland, Portugal and its own Canary Islands?

It should do that, in my opinion.

©  Paul Whitelock

Acknowledgements:

Boletin Oficial del Estado

Daniela Machorro

Facebook

Mundo Deportivo

Time and Date

Torrevieja.com

Wikipedia

Tags:

Adolf Hitler, Boletin Oficial del Estado, Canary Islands, Daniela Machorro, ECT, European Central Time, Facebook, General Franco, GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, Ireland, Mundo Deportivo, Paul Whitelock, Portugal, putting the clocks back in Autumn, putting the clocks forward in Spring, Royal Decree 236/2002, Spanish Civil War, Time and Date, Torrevieja.com, UK