A meander through the history of Competa, the Axarquia and Andalusia. Tales of foreigners, traditional crafts, a deserted village, silk, snowmen and pirates .....​​​
​This book leads us gently through the history and culture of the area from the Phoenicians, through the Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors to the current day. But it's far from a dry history book; we learn about the lost crafts and trades - limewash, charcoal, weaving esparto grass, drying fish, sugar cane, silver and silk . There are wolves, goats, pigs, snails, parrots and monkeys; bandits, pirates and snowmen! The Spanish character is revealed through bullfighting, flamenco, fiestas, food and drink. You'll love the insights into those early days of pioneering foreigners - their hilarious tales as they tangled and twisted the language and culture. Packed with local colour it tells us how Competa came into existence and of its earthquakes and plagues.
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Stories of the deserted village, El Acebuchal, give us a glimpse into a world gone by, days of mule trains to Granada province and of bandits in the mountains.
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The captivating Moorish period is portrayed through palaces and princesses, and the dominance of the silk trade in this area. Discover the link between snails and silk, of the trade between Nerja and Damascus and the secret place where silkworm eggs were incubated!
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This is a really fascinating book and very attractively put together with thought-provoking verses at the start of each chapter, beautiful colour photos in the centre section and delightful black and white sketches throughout.