Every so often we love to spend some time in Málaga which is around 1 hours drive from where we live in the mountain village of Sedella. Málaga can often be overlooked by it's more celebrated neighbors Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada but in our opinion it has an equal amount to offer and is our favorite city to immerse ourselves in the history, culture and thriving bar and restaurant scene. There are a great selection of hotels in the city including The Petit Palace, The Larios and a new hotel called Casa Miraflores where we stayed recently. Situated in the Casco Antiguo (historic centre) it is an old town house which has been totally renovated to a very high standard. The rooms are located around a central Andalusian Patio and there is a comfortable lounge area on the top floor. Breakfast is included in the price.

This was a great base for us food lovers. As soon as we stepped out of the hotel onto the street we were surrounded by tapas bars, restaurants and bars where you can eat Málaga's famous pescaito frito (fried fish)! 

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After fourteen years living in this beautiful part of Spain I should be used to the views. The mountain that shields us from the harsh Granada winters, the chance to see the Atlas mountains in the distance and the the rugged hills filled with olive and almond trees. I don't think I will ever grow tired of the scenery. As the day turns to night and the seasons change so does the countryside. The colours and the cloud formations, the shadows and the light. Mount Maroma sits behind the village and it's look changes by the hour. It was these absolutely amazing views that inspired me to write the books.

We moved house and with the house came a dog. Florentinos' owner works long hours and it was decided I would walk him. I became his doggy nanny.

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Although the weather is still wonderful, with 24 degrees on the thermometer, Andalusia is also heading towards winter. Winter means Christmas and therefore the famous Calle Marquéz Larios, the luxurious shopping street in Málaga, is buzzing with vans and electricians who started to work on the installation of the Christmas lights.

Last year many people visited the Calle Larios to gaze at the magical illumination. The fairy-like star spangled sky that covered Málaga’s mainstreet consisted of no fewer than 1.646.049 points of lights! The immense light arches cover the street from the entrance up to the Plaza de la Constitución where you can marvel at the huge Christmas tree.

The 'alumbrado’, the spectacular ignition of this impressive Christmas decoration is a festive event attended by thousands of visitors waiting with their mobile phones to capture the magic moment when the 'luces of the Larios’ will be switched on.

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Five years ago we started to build our dream. The big turning point was my burnout and my insights after this period. Actually I was through with working in the hectic and loutishness in the Netherlands. I also lost most of my passion for the world of nutrition which was my field of expertise. This had to change.

I always loved to linger in warm places. But where could we go? The summer season in France is too short and the bureaucracy is one of the worst in Europe. Neither were we charmed by Italy. So we went looking in Spain. Southern Spain attracted us immediately, Andalusia is a beautiful vast area of ​​the Mediterranean. The sun, the diversity of landscapes and the long coastline make it an ideal destination to live in and a great holiday spot. Andalusia is also known as the natural wonder of Europe. The region has Europe's only desert, and also possesses the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada; extremes in temperature and climate. In addition, of course, the golden beaches of the Costas in the west, interrupted by the unique wetlands of Doñana National Park. All equally special and to us a feeling of 'coming home'.

Now we had to find a place to settle down. The region south of Malaga did not appeal to us because we were aware of the mass tourism. However we were overwhelmed by a tour through the Axarquía: space, green, still so unspoilt and such friendly people!

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