CCTV Nazari

It seems a shame the authorities feel compelled to install hideous CCTV cameras in the Alhambra to "protect (both) the visitor and the monument" (story here, in Spanish), and I hope they manage to make theirs more discreet than the millions that blight the urban landscape of Britain and which do sod-all to reduce drink-fuelled anti-social behaviour. I've never noticed so much as a low-key graffito anywhere in the palace or the Generalife gardens, and it doesn't look like there's much of a problem to me. Of course, it may save money (once the cameras are in they'll cut staff hours). Ideal will no doubt be looking into that. There will certainly be an awful lot of footage of Japanese tour groups, and swallows. Of course had the Alhambra been built in the UK it would have been bristling with cameras years ago. And it would probably be closed for Health and Safety reasons anyway.

Happy campers

Another positive review from one of our guests below. This gentleman spent two and a half weeks in our place during April and May this year and despite being without power for a few days following a thunderstorm he was delighted with the house and the village. (He was a paying guest who found us through Villarenters, by the way, and so he has no particular motive for being nice!)

"This is a really nice house that is excellently equipped. The standard of the kitchen fittings is really good. The main room upstairs (living room, dinning area and kitchen) has wonderful views from the roof terrace. The house is in a good location in the village to get the best views. Juviles is a very good village to stay in. It is small, quiet and peaceful, but there are a few bars and a shop. It is close to the much larger village of Berchules which has a good collection of shops and eating places. Unlike many of the villages Juviles has many parking places on the main street, just a short distance from the house. This house is very warmly recommended!"

The power problem was caused by a blown trip switch. Fortunately our friends managed to get hold of an electrician and sort it out fairly quickly. We do get frequent power cuts in the Alpujarra and keep a supply of candles and torches around the place accordingly. As we cook with bottled gas and keep warm with a wood-burning fire, it's usually more romantic than irritating, and the power normally comes back on within an hour or so.

More lynx

The Iberian lynx is the most endangered feline species in the world and one of Europe's most beautiful predators. Visit soslynx.org for information and some impossibly cute pictures of cubs from the Spanish breeding programmes.

You can donate on the site if you're inclined, or buy a t-shirt or something, but it might be more constructive to bring your pet rabbits on holiday to Spain and leave them here. The dearth of rabbits since the disastrous arrival of myxamatosis in 1953 (then the haemorrhaegic virus in the 80s) seems to be the main threat to the lynxes. Although they will eat the odd bird if they get a chance, they're essentially rabbit-dependent. Spain has been famous for rabbits since Classical times, and the Iberian lynx (as distinct from the closely related and far more widespread Eurasian species) may only have evolved and survived because of them. Of course rabbits breed like rabbits, but they've yet to recover their numbers, despite the efforts of conservationists and hunting clubs. Now Spanish scientists have developed a combined vaccine that could bring rabbit populations back up to historic levels in no time if it works - it's still undergoing tests. (When I read this I wondered how they were going to catch the little fellows to inject them all, but apparently once the vaccine is injected into a few rabbits, they pass it on to their pals. It's that breeding thing again, no doubt....). Anyway, if the rabbits bounce back, it'll solve the lynx's problems, mostly. They'll still need to learn how to cross the road without being run over, though.

Coming to this blog soon and insensitively, at least one traditional Alpujarran recipe for rabbit. Meanwhile, here's another lynx picture.