10 Things You Do Not Know About Spain - maybe ?

How well do you know Spain?

Have a look below and see how much you didn´t know!

1 Spain is the third biggest country in Europe after the Ukraine and France, and is also the second most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland.

2 Spaniards speak four official languages. Castillian is what most people refer to as Spanish. Galician is spoken solely in the province of Galicia. Euskara is spoken in the Basque Country and Catalan is spoken in Catalonia.

3 With over 45 million inhabitants, Spain has the 6th largest population in Europe.

4 The Spanish climate varies widely. The north is cool and very cold in Winter, whereas the south is mild and very hot in summer. The capital Madrid, because of its central location, is one of the hottest cities in Spain during the summer and one of the coldest in winter.

5 The Kingdom of Spain once included the country of Portugal.

6 Spain ´owns´ the two north African cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

7 Madrid, Spain´s capital city, is the highest city in Europe. Madrid is 667 metres above sea level and is situated right in the centre of Spain.

8 Spain is the closest country to the continent of Africa. At its closest point, Andalucia is only 12 miles from the coast of Morocco in northern Africa.

9 Spain is the biggest producer of olive oil in the world. Over 44% of olive oil consumer worldwide comes from Spain, and it produces twice the amount of Italy and four times the amount Greece produces. The region of Jaén is the biggest producer of olive oil in Spain where over 25% of the country´s output is produced. This amounts to a staggering 10% of the world´s olive oil being produced in Jaén alone.

10 Over 45 million tourists visit Spain each year.

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September Morn

Well tomorrow is the first of September and I can hardly contain my joy and delight. (A like minded friend has just called to play Neil Diamond´s September Morn down the phone to me - sad but true!) I know thousands of people enjoy the summer in Spain and where would we be without the tourists? But I for one am embracing the cooler months ahead. No doubt I will be moaning about the rain as soon as it starts - but hey - complaining about the weather is a British thing after all. September is a beautiful month - still warm enough to sunbathe but cool enough to walk on the beach or to trek inland to one of the beautiful inland nature reserves such as the Sierra de las Nieves at Ojen, which boasts some of the most stunning scenery and wildlife in Andalucia. And all just 20 minutes from Marbella centre. September is a time for catching up with friends who return after summer, and to reclaim the pool and the beaches after the majority of tourists have gone home. There´s not one person in the pool today - which is a first for August at my complex, and most people seem to have started their journeys home this weekend. It even feels cooler today (but that is probably my imagination), and there is a good sea breeze whipping in from the coast. So to celebrate the end of silly season, we are going for lunch today at Finca la Mota, just outside Alhaurin el Grande, which is one of my family´s favourite Sunday lunch venues. Quirky and well priced, we normally order a selection of tapas and salads to begin with and the mixed grill with some fab. marinated ribs as a main course. They also serve some great rolls and sandwiches including fillet steak with mustard and onions, and a range of salads including thai prawn and fresh tuna. There´s also a pool in the grounds and plenty to keep the kids entertained. If you enjoy a change from the usual beach bars and restaurants, and now that the weather is cooling down, venture a little bit inland, and you´ll find some great places to eat and drink at a fraction of the price you pay on the coast.

Calypso Calypso

It may not be the most salubrious resort on the Costa del Sol and probably puts up with more negative publicity than it deserves, but I went along to Calypso last night, close to Riviera del Sol, to meet my dad for a meal. He is renting a house just behind the main road into the urbanisation, and we decided to eat locally. I remember Calypso from the late 80´s when I first started to holiday in southern Spain, and back then it was the closest place to Cabopino with a supermarket - how times have changed. Calahonda and Calypso are now sprawling resorts with more supermarkets, pubs, bars and restaurants than you could shake a stick it. My taste in restaurants and bars, like my taste in music is pretty diverse, and I have no firm favourites (apart from maybe the Beach House at Elviria but hey, I can´t afford to eat there every weekend). Sometimes I fancy a bit of Englishness, and Calypso is the ideal place for pool, pies and pints - although I do draw the line at watching the soaps on pub telly - as is the rage in Benalmadena-Costa! Well last night we caught the highlights of team GB amassing even more gold medals at the Olympics, while we enjoyed a few aperitifs in the aptly named Sports Bar. It was a good place to be to revel in Britain´s sporting glory before heading off to Millikins. Now I had walked past this bar/restaurant at least 50 times and never even looked at the menu - probably because it looks like any other Brit bar - quite unappealing and uninteresting from the outside. We were in for a real treat. We enjoyed a fantastic sirloin steak with chunky chips and mixed fresh vegetables (pepper sauce on the side), and then shared a delicious home made créme brulee with raspberries and fresh mint. The service was good and the welcome was friendly. They also offer a set menu including three courses and a bottle of wine for €20.50 per person. Dishes include - sautéed wild mushrooms topped with poached egg, beef stroganoff, pork fillet stuffed with roquefort cheese and some delicious vegetarian dishes. This is the best choice of dishes on a set menu I have seen for a long time. Oh and the puds are superb - melt in the middle chocolate pudding and St.Clement´s cheesecake to name but a few. So next time you are down Calahonda/Calypso way, give Millikins a try - we will be going back for sure. It is situated next to the Barclays Bank - exit road at Calypso petrol station.

Aguamania - well worth a visit

Aguamania is a country bar - restaurant, just 20 kilometers from the coast, located by the A355 in the campo outside Cartama. If you fancy a run out in the country, it will only take you 25 minutes from Fuengirola. I love the location of Aguamania and the excellent food.
And if you fancy a few days away from the summer madness on the Costa, villa accommodation for up to 12 people is available , with it's own private pool. Wre were first taken to the restaurant last winter, and enjoyed the best Sunday lunch we have ever had in Spain - and believe me we´ve tried a few. It may be a bit warm for roast beef and all the trimmings in August, but we will definitely be going back next month. Not only is the food great, and the welcome warm and friendly, but its the perfect place to take the kids. There is plenty fo them to do, and the restaurant also hosts club nights, karaoke evenings and kid´s activities. From September, the Farmer´s market will resume on Fridays. This is the perfect ´get away from it all´ restaurant and the food and prices are unbeatable. See link for website or call - 95 242 0028. You won´t be disappointed.

Finca la Mota

Has anyone been to Finca la Mota recently near Alhaurin el Grande. This great little hideaway has been open for over 20 years, and Arun the owner seems to have been there for even longer! It´s the perfect place to relax by the pool with a few drinks and delicious food. All of the meat is cooked on the barbecue, and the ribs and steaks are fantastic. There is also a great selection of salads including my favourite - coronation chicken, greek and niçoise. New on the menu is a wide range of sandwiches and baguettes with weird and wonderful names such as the Dolly Parton (chicken breast - not surprisingly) with cheese and bacon, and the delicious Brad Pitt - steak with onions and english mustard. The prices at Finca la Mota may well have gone up a bit in the past 20 years, but they are still well below what you will pay in other restaurants around Alhaurin. There is a large patio area, shaded by trees, a pool and sunbathing garden open to all guests. Accomodation is also available in the rustic finca building beside the outdoor restaurant. Only 15 minutes from the coast, Finca la Mota is a favourite with our family, and is the perfect place to take the kids! To get there from Fuengirola, take the Coin road from the Aquapark/Mcdonalds exit of the N-340 and head inland. Pass Alhaurin Golf Course and when you get to the roundabout with petrol station on the right go straight over. Finca la Mota is situated 200 metres past here on the left hand side - look out for the signs. 95 249 0901.

Andy´s Beach - a great place to unwind

One of the best beach bars on the Costa del Sol is Andy´s at Puerto Cabopino. Not only is the beach here protected from the wind, but the sand is white and the water is shallow – making this the ideal place for children to swim and play.
Having lived and worked in Cabopino for 6 years, I know the area well and of all the bars in and around the marina, the most popular and well established beach bar is Andy´s – which is one of only two on the beach here.
After soaking up the sun for a few hours, and perhaps taking a dip in the sea, Andy´s offers a refuge to eat, drink and be merry while still overlooking the Mediterranean and the white sands leading to the sea. We normally spend the morning wandering around the marina looking at the boats, then relax on the beach in the afternoon and go to Andy´s for late lunch or some sundowners – depending on the time of year.
Many beach bars are similar in both appearance, atmosphere and menus, but Andy´s is different. The bar opens from 9am and is the perfect place to stop for breakfast. When I lived close to Cabopino, I used to walk my dog down the beach early morning and stop at Andy´s for a coffee and tostada before work. Even at that time in the morning the staff are friendly and chatty – which can be quite a novelty in these parts.
The choice of food on the menus is incredible, and although Andy´s caters to thousands of tourists and ex-pats, it still maintains its Spanish charm, and also offers many typical Andalucian specialities such as gazpacho, a superb range of tapas and boquerones fritos.
The atmosphere is very relaxed and this place is a throw-back to the late 80´s when beach bars on the Costa del Sol were cheap, fun and relaxing – not fine dining restaurants which many of them now purport to be – and whose owners reflect it in their ever increasing prices. It is normal here for customers to sit at the bar in swimwear, enjoy a few cold beers or sit on the deck for lunch without having to dress up.
When our friends visit from the UK, their favourite place to go is Andy´s and they always receive a warm welcome. At around 11am the chilled tapas display is filled up with fresh dishes of the day, often including the superb mussels vinaigrette, seafood salad, home-made tortilla, and boquerones en vinagre, to name but a few. There is nothing better than sitting next to the beach, sharing a jug of sangria, a plate of olives or tapas, and watching the world go by.
Although very busy in July and August, when visitors come from far and wide, the service at Andy´s is always fantastic, and you never have to wait long for food and drinks. Something we find essential when visiting beach bars with my young nieces, who have no patience whatsoever.
The great music also makes it stand out from the average bar of its kind, and although the music is not intrusive, it adds to the magical atmosphere of Cabopino Beach. Sunbeds and parasols can also be hired right in front of the bar, so you never need move far all day. Water sports facilities are also available in front of the bar.
At lunchtime, the bar gets busier as families troop off the beach for snacks and refreshments. Some fabulous fish is offered including sole, large prawns, squid, rosada and almejas, which are all served with salad or potatoes. Lighter meals include a vast selection of sandwiches and toasties including the fabulous club sandwich with bacon, chicken, salad, mayonnaise and cheese, and the more refined smoked salmon and cucumber. Everything imaginable is available on the kids menu, including hot dogs, beef burgers and spaghetti bolognaise or smaller portions of the adult meals.
We are lucky that our kids enjoy most of the things we like so there is never anything left over from the seafood paella and plates of fresh clams that we normally order. A great choice of ice creams and desserts are also available for afters, and the wine list and bar menu is extensive. From fresh juices, to cocktails, to jugs of sangria and even John Smith´s bitter, Andy´s has it all.
There is no set closing time at this beach bar, and we have been known to still be here at midnight listening to live Spanish guitar music -depending on the season. What you see at Andy´s is what you get, and it has no delusions of grandeur. This is beach bar simplicity at its best. Great food, great music , great staff and an unbeatable location by the sea. Andy´s is a family run business, and has been established at Cabopino for over 20 years. Whether you are new to Cabopino or a regular visitor, you will always find a warm welcome at Andy´s Beach Bar.
How to get there: From Marbella direction take the N-340 east in the direction of Calahonda. Pass Elviria exit and carry on past Las Chapas exit. Exit the road at the sign for Cabopino. At roundabout head downhill towards the port. Take the first turn on the right over the sand dunes to the parking area. Andy´s is here.
Open from: March to November.
Telephone: 0034 95 211 3826.

The best beach bar in Marbella

To anyone who has read my recent blogs, it may seem that all I do is eat and drink all day, but as I have had a friend over from the UK this week, we have over indulged slightly on the old vino and chiringuitos (well that´s my excuse anyway). So yesterday as a special treat we took ourselves off to the Beach House at Elviria which is my all time favourite beach bar. The food is the best I have tasted in Marbella in any restaurant, and the setting is unbeatable. Situated right on the beach, we sat just inside the canopy and, although the wind was whipping the sea into a frenzy, the view was stunning. The Beach House isn´t cheap but it does provide great quality for money as all of the food is cooked from fresh and this is not a restaurant where you will hear microwaves pinging in the kitchen. We ordered three starters to share including caesar salad with chargrilled chicken - served in a parmesan lattice nest. Jumbo prawns in tempura batter with a ginger salad and a superb niçoise salad with fresh tuna steak, poached egg and potato salad. It was fantastic. Attention to detail is amazing at The Beach House, and they even serve fresh lime juice with the gin and tonics. Open for lunch and dinner and all afternoon for lighter bites, this is a great place for a family day out or a romantic meal.