I’ve had to tear myself away from social media for a couple of hours, as the news in the world is too relentlessly grim and distressing. It’s very easy to get sucked into 24 hour news cycles and find yourself in a vortex of anger, sadness, helplessness and depression, so today provides a much-needed break.

Winter has returned briefly and the ski resort in the Sierra Nevada has had one of the most significant falls of snow across the entire season. We’ve come to remember that March always seems to have a few meteorological surprises up its sleeve. A few days ago daytime temperatures were up in the early 20s, with clear blue skies and lengthening evenings, and suddenly the clouds roll in, temperatures drop and rain and snow dominate the scene. Two years ago, the picture was similar in that, as soon as lockdown was announced in Spain on 14th March, we had a week of shocking weather - driving rain, cold winds and it was utterly miserable. We had all but run out of firewood and couldn’t, of course, nip out to get more.

But the weather rarely deters us, and it has been quite pleasant getting back into the studio, lighting the new wood-burning stove and doing a bit of overdue painting. We have had an almost constant stream of bed and breakfast guests, including two batches of family, so having a couple of days to regroup has been very welcome.

The start of this week was marked by the Día de Andalucia, a celebration of the Andalucian Constitution and its birth as an autonomous region, everything that is glorious about the region and a public holiday to boot. The village’s own celebration started on Sunday with a fiesta of traditional food and lots of drink in the square outside the old school. The chiringuito de Mures, a bar from a neighbouring village, came in to cook up a massive quantity of Patatas a lo Pobre with pancetta and chorizo, and the villagers took the opportunity to have a dance and a catch up, all together for the first time in two years.

On Monday, there was a special event organised by the Ayuntamiento de los Pueblos de Moclín in neighbouring Puerto Lope. An olive oil festival, local suppliers selling their wares, an author with his beautifully illustrated children’s picture book and a dance display by a local dance school were all part of the programme. Much to our excitement, Andrew and I also played a part.

A few weeks ago, I was showing some clients a house for sale in the Plaza de España in the centre of the village. As I was leaving the property, Marco, our Mayor, grabbed me to deliver a letter that invited Andrew and I to join in the celebrations on the Día de Andalucia as the recipients of an award. Our work in promoting tourism in the area had been recognised, and we both felt immensely honoured and very proud. My house-viewing clients were slightly confused and thought that Marco was selling us lottery tickets!

It is always gratifying to know that whatever it is you do is appreciated. Really, all we are doing is trying to run a couple of rural tourism businesses to the best of our abilities. Both our businesses are very much inspired by our passion for the village and the surrounding area, and we love working with our friends and neighbours to ensure that any visitor’s experience is memorable for the right reasons. The past two years certainly made our endeavours challenging, but we took the decision last year to persevere and run as many of our creative courses as we could. We opened the doors to the Bed and Breakfast taking every precaution that was expected of us, and we loved being able to welcome visitors back to Spain. Now is as good an opportunity as any to thank all those people who made the (not inconsequential) effort to travel and spend a little time in the rebalancing beauty of Granada Province. It was as revitalising for us as we hope it was for our fabulous guests.

On Monday 28th February, there was a part of the day dedicated to recognising those people from the area who had made a contribution to the lives of the community through business, sport, tourism and culture, and we received a trophy and a certificate by way of recognition. For us, this is a big thing and it’s difficult to find adequate words to explain how we feel to be so accepted into the community here. I have written many times in past blog posts about the sense of belonging we have always felt here in Spain, and the way in which villagers have welcomed us as neighbours and friends. The words of one of our friends in the village is representative of the emotional tie we have here; how could we ever leave?

“Muchas felicidades; me alegro muchísimo! Sois de lo mejor que a venido a Moclín. Siempre dispuestos a todo, lo mismo sea de trabajo que de diversion siempre estáis hay. Un reconocimiento siempre se agradece.”
“Congratulations. I’m so glad! You are the best that has come to Moclín. Always ready for anything, whether for work or for fun, you are always there. An acknowledgment is always appreciated.”

Needless to say, on stage, I felt compelled to say a heartfelt thanks to the Mayor and the Ayuntamiento for their support. Those people who know me well will also know my love for the limelight!

We have many plans for the future, not just for us but for the community. We are in the process of forming a Tourism Association with neighbouring municipalities, and this should provide us with more opportunities to organise events to show off the villages to best advantage, and invite in visitors from all corners. Our new little house, Esperanza 9, will be up and running as a holiday rental at some stage in the not too distant future. We still want to bring music and performance, art and writing to the village, and much more in conjunction with our Cultural and Creative courses. We have lots to look forward to, and the next couple of months look to be very busy with more guests at Casa Higueras. However, the snow beckons and it would be a travesty if we were to ignore the best snow of the season, wouldn’t it? But before that, this weekend sees the village Carnaval and Andrew has an award-winning fancy dress, it has to be said! A parade through the village, followed by a fiesta in one of our local bars, and we could see Andrew as the recipient of another prize…unless I sabotage the costume before then.