ALL over Andalucía you may see streets and urbanisations called 28 Febrero. This is the “Dia de Andalucía” and is a holiday throughout the region.

So what happens on the Dia de Andalucia? The children at primary school spend several days preparing flags and learning the anthem, perhaps even preparing a play. The last day of school before the holiday they may well have a national breakfast of hot chocolate and a tostado (well as close to Andaluz as there is) and spend the morning playing friendly games and singing the anthem. A fun day!

WHAT’S all this talk about the culture of mañana in Spain? Who said bureaucracy was slow? In the last few months I’ve found the exact opposite to be true.

DRIVING in Spain can be an absolute pleasure with thousands of kilometers of open road with stunning scenery. Here PAUL WHITELOCK introduces you to the rules and regulations of driving in Spain.

IN these difficult economic times, money is short, so why not work for free? writes Paul Whitelock. It could be an answer for people struggling to make ends meet. Paul has been working for free for five years and loves it. Is he nuts? Read on and see what you think.

THE issue of universal suffrage has raised its head once again, nearly a century after Emily Davison threw herself in front of the King’s horse at the 1913 Epsom Derby as a protest against women not having the vote in Britain.

This time, however, it’s about both men and women – men and women who live in a country other than their own.

WHEN our friend Bill died last month in the village of Montejaque in the mountains of the Serranía de Ronda, it threw into sharp focus the question: What do you do when someone dies?

At the time we weren’t sure, and we had to learn pretty quickly, writes Paul Whitelock. The advice that follows is based on our recent experience and on a very helpful factsheet produced by Age Concern España.

FISH for Christmas dinner? No presents on Christmas Day? Grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve? What is going on? Paul Whitelock checks out the Christmas scene in Spain in general and Andalucía in particular.

WHEN driving through the beautiful Guadiaro valley the backdrop of the stunning cork oaks of the Alcornacales is truly impressive. However, look a little lower and you will see many small fincas of olive groves.

Whilst not a heavy industrialised area for olive production, the olive grows well in this region, mostly on small fincas, which sadly are not always harvested, the low price of olives and the time consuming harvesting obviously has little appeal to the youngsters nowadays.