Our Spanish Hibernation 3:0

Easter is always a busy time in Spain. As we start preparing to fly home to the UK, the centre of Malaga has been gearing up for a week of parades and celebrations. Today, being Palm Sunday, is the start of Holy Week – Semana Santa. Tonight the city will be jammed as the various brotherhoods join a procession through the city. This morning it was more about families and children waving palm branches to celebrate the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. The processions and festivities continue every day this week up to Easter Sunday.

One of the traditions here during Easter is the baking and eating of gorgeous cakes called Torrijas. They are made with stale bread and stem back to when Andalusian nuns would bake them to use up old bread during lent.

The bread is soaked in milk and cinnamon, covered in egg then deep fried. A bit like French toast. They are served covered in sugar or slathered with honey. Quite simply, they are delicious. Moist, sweet and definitely taste of “more”!!!

This week, I’ve been winding down our kitchen here in El Palo and tweaking next week’s Tesco order for Reading. Food here in Spain is so much cheaper – particularly staples like bread, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. The wine of course is insanely cheap and of a good quality, although we try not to drink too much of it!!!

We shall certainly miss the El Palo way of life. It’s a different pace to living in the city, less touristy and frankly much more relaxing. Walking on the beach after coffee in the mornings, is not a bad way to start the day. Plans for a further hibernation are afoot, but until then …. Malaga – hasta la próxima vez!