SMILE! YOU´RE IN SPAIN

I could think of no better name for this page than Tapas Variadas, as it contains a mixture of facts, possible facts, interesting bites, snippets and photos of this region of Spain plus other items of interest

Where better to start than the title of the page!.

Click on pictures below for more information Click on pictures below to enlarge

Tapas is basically a small snack and can be anything really, depending on the imagination of the restaurant/cafe owner. They are usually consumed, with a drink, at lunchtime, or in the early afternoon. The word "tapa" means cover in Spanish and it is thought that the origins of what we now know as "tapas" derive from the habit of covering a glass of wine with a piece of bread or ham to fend off flies or other insects, then consuming the "tapa" along with the wine.

Tapas was born.

(prickly pear)

It is believed that Christopher Columbus brought this plant back with him at the end of the 15th century from the new world and it can now be found in most of the Mediterranean costal regions of Spain

If brave enough to harvest! you will be rewarded, This fruit is now mainly used in desserts, but it is said that during the civil war and it's aftermath, many of the local folk survived on it as a staple diet to avoid starvation. The new fruit produces beautiful flowers in the spring for pollination. Unfortunately the chumbo is largely ignored today, as people are much better off and sad to say that most of the fruit rots on the plant, having said that you will still see them for sale, although mainly on market stalls

(Uva)

I think one of the miracles of nature must be the grape.

From what can only be described as a dormant black stump in winter, turns into a beautiful green bush in spring & in summer is covered in fruit, once picked the yearly cycle starts again

The Algarrobo tree or carob tree (known as the "carab" by the Moors.), is now as rare in Spain as the oak tree is in the UK and as a result, protected. It is evergreen and each year produces seed pods, approx 6in long and the width of a runner bean. There are several seeds to a pod with the same size and weight. If you break open the ripe pod it smells of chocolate. These pods are now fed to Spanish pigs as part of their staple diet.

It is believed the Moors used these seeds to weigh their spices and precious stones, the weight of which was measured in "carabs" (each seed representing one carab) this system of weighing precious stones is now the standard today (although seeds are no longer used) and the weight measurement is now known as a "carat"

(Almendra)

Introduced into Spain by the Moors, the almond (almendra) is extremely drought resistant, in fact the tree can survive on virtually no water at all. One of the reasons they planted them here. They produce beautiful blossom in the springtime and it is not until the blossom appears that is it apparent how many trees there actually are. There are two varieties, one with pink blossom, one white. The tree never seems to have time to rest. once the fruit has been harvested it is only a very short while before the blossom reappears.

The observant ones among you may have noticed that many towns and villages in Andalucia have a street named after the above gentleman, and for a very good reason.

Prior to the invention of penicillin many bullfighters who had been gored in the bullring, died from their injuries due to peritonitis. Thanks to Doctor Fleming's invention the mortality rate dropped considerably and as a result he is revered in this part of Spain

	Paella (pronounced Pie - e -ya) is named after the pan it is cooked in, not the dish itself. The recipe usually consists of chicken, rabbit, rice and vegetables crowned with shellfish, although in days gone by the ingredients depended on the availability, or more often than not the *non* availability, of food
	Another product that Spain is famous for, Serrano ham Although we have several supermarkets in the village, There are also Shopping centers on the coast, (the nearest to Cómpeta being "El Ingenio" at Velez Malaga) all of which have hypermarkets, some of the fish, fruit & veg, meat & deli counters have to be seen to be believed

The plant only flowers once in it's lifetime, which is on average 25 years and not 100 as the name implies.

The flowers, yellow in colour are produced atop a very tall spike of anything up to 8mtrs. This flower spike grows so quickly that it drains the mother plant causing it to die, but the plant also produces suckers from the base so ensuring its continued survival.

	The oleander is indigenous to Spain and flowers from May onwards, the flowers are usually pink or white, but can also be yellow. The whole plant is extremely poisonous particularly to young children and best left alone. The plant itself though is exquisite when in flower and grows mainly in arroyos, but can grow almost anywhere, as they can put up with very poor conditions.
	many doors have knockers in the shape of the hand of Fatima, regarded as a good luck symbol
	Spanish houses are by their very nature cold, which in the summer is a Godsend, but in the winter it can be a long time before they get warm and it necessary to have some form of heating. The traditional & economical way was to have burning coals in a pot under the family table. a cloth was then draped over the table and everyone sat round it. The practice is still in place and while the older generation still use the traditional method, there are now electrical versions.
	When the name Gaudi is mentioned, most people will associate it with Barcelona & the Sagrada Familiar, but his influence is quite potent here as well. Traveling through the countryside you may come across a house that appears to be something from a fairytale by Hansel & Gretel, but these are built in the Gaudi style. This influence can also be seen at one our viewing points
	One of our beautiful winter sunsets, the Atlas mountains of North Africa can clearly be seen on the horizon. Unfortunately when these mountains can be seen from Cómpeta, bad weather can and usually does follow
	On the rare occasion, the air is so clear that the Pillars of Hercules can clearly be see in the distance, either side of the strait of Gibraltar. The northern pillar being the rock of Gibraltar & the southern Monte Hacho in Cueta
	The airport and surrounding road infrastructure is undergoing a major expansion at the moment. Considering what is being done, there has been surprisingly little disruption	click on pictures for more information

_{The
Poinsettia known as the the Christmas star or
Christmas flower}

_{During Navidad
(Christmas time) the Poinsettia can be seen everywhere
in Spain. The plant is really a large shrub indigenous
to Mexico and was first introduced to the United
States in 1825 by the first US Ambassador to Mexico
and was named after him. Legend has it that it was
adopted as the Christmas flower after a young girl who
was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of
Jesus' birthday was inspired by an angel to gather
weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the
church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted
from the weeds and they became beautiful poinsettias.}

I do not think this page would be complete without mention of the many & varied wildlife we have here. Possibly, because of Cómpeta´s proximity to the national park. From the little gecko, snakes, wild animals, through to the large birds, this area is alive with so much that is interesting. Of course living in a hot climate generally means that things can be bigger and some poisonous. I have always been an exponent of, "if you leave them alone then they will leave you alone". While I accept that doesn't always apply, in most cases it does.

In researching for this website I have read many articles and some of them, particularly in regard to one of our more famous inhabitants, the procession caterpillar, are downright silly, not to mention hazardous. While I accept that this insect can be dangerous, it is not if left alone. As long as wise precautions are taken, particularly where children & pets are concerned, then there is no reason why, as in most cases in nature, that we cannot live alongside each other.

Most, if not all wildlife has some form of protection to ensure survival of the species and in the case of this caterpillar, it´s defence mechanism comes in the form of barbed hairs on its body, which are released when under threat. The caterpillar is active during winter and spring, although it is only that their presence becomes obvious, when the cotton wall nests are established. These nests usually contain hundreds of caterpillars and are best avoided at all costs. The time that contact is more likely to be made is when they leave their nests for the last time to prepare for their next cycle of life. This can be anytime from January onwards and into the spring, depending on the ambient temperature. With our dog, during this time, we always keep her on a short lead and avoid pine wooded areas.

The only website I have found that gives, what I regard to be the informed & correct facts on this insect and the other wildlife here is

www.wildsideholidays.com

and thoroughly recommend that you read it, in particular the nature page.

http://www.wildsideholidays.com/natural/

The Processionary Caterpillar

above are pictures of the nest and the processionary caterpillars on the move

The above pictures show the caterpillars after leaving the nest for the last time en route to prepare for the next and last phase of their life cycle before turning into moths (there are approximately 50 in this line alone) . This is when they are at their most dangerous, so give them a wide berth.

"There are several stages within their lifecycle but they are only dangerous to people and pets during the caterpillar phase."

" Under no circumstances should you try to handle the caterpillars, cut down the nests or try to burn them."

"Moving the caterpillars, their nests, or even the branches that they have walked along, may release these hairs into the air where they can be inhaled or come to rest unnoticed on clothing. The nest material that remains on the tree after the caterpillars have left will still contain the “urticating” hairs. (The word “Urtica” is Latin for Nettle, a plant that has barbed hairs which cause a rash). Even burning infected pine branches should be avoided as the hairs can be lifted into the air and fall anywhere or be inhaled."

If after taking all necessary precautions the reader comes into contact with this insect and suffers an adverse reaction, the best advice I can give is to seek medical help and In the case of pets urgent veterinary attention.

( I am grateful to Sue Eatock and Clive Muir for allowing me to use some images & quotes from their site for this article)

(My grateful thanks also to Wikipedia)

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Andalucian Passions

Places to eat & stay

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