If you'd like to book for 2009...

...please get in touch as soon as possible. We already have a couple of bookings for May. Easter weekend and the weeks either side are still available. We'll be in Juviles from 20th December to 1st January, so if you need us, call my Spanish number (+34) 697914136.

More non-native species fun in Granada province

A pair of Guardia Civil were called to a motorway service station at Loja (in the West of Granada, past the airport) to “arrest” a Coati last weekend. This racoon-like omnivore is native to South American forests, but this one, presumably an abandoned pet, was found rummaging in bins for food. The elite law enforcement professionals managed to lure the Coati into a cage using bits of bread, then “detained” him in a police cell while they phoned around zoos to see if anyone wanted him, but nobody did. (I’d have had him, but they didn’t call me.) It calls to mind the old joke about the Guardia who finds a penguin one morning. “Take him to the zoo” says his commanding officer. Later that day the chief sees the Guardia walking down the high street, hand in hand with the penguin. “I told you to take that bird to the zoo” he says. “I did,” replies the junior officer. “We had a lovely time, and now we’re going to the pictures.”

The best of the Alpujarra

El mejor de la Alpujarra is the title of a little trade fair currently taking place in Ugijar, with about 50 local producers showing off their wares. I love how Spanish journalists get their priorities right - of the products listed in this article, the non-edible items like blankets and pottery get the most perfunctory of mentions, then the writer gets on to food and drink and practically salivates the following list onto the page: embutidos, jamones, repostería morisca, mieles, vinos, aceites, quesos, licores, dulces, turrones y mermeladas. Then there's a bit about Servando Vargas (son of Servando Vargas I and father to Servando Vargas III), who makes cakes. But of course, it's not sufficiently enticing merely to be told that he specialises in sweet bakery products. Instead, we're treated to this mouthwatering rundown: rosquillas, soplillos, tortas de chicharrones y de aceite, cuajados, galletas caseras, bollos de miel, pan de bizcocho y de aceite, roscos de huevo, perrunas y otros artículos, como por ejemplo, licores de hiervas y de membrillo.

Holiday Rentals

I've just put the house back on Holiday Rentals. The site claims to be the biggest and best advertising website for self-catering rentals in Europe, if not the world, and has links to international sites and translation into a number of languages as part of the service. We were on it before, but although we got lots of enquiries, they didn't translate into bookings, so I let it lapse. They sent us a high proportion of time-wasters (notably Americans who didn't seem to know that Spain is in Europe) and a gentleman who wanted me to send several thousand dollars to Nigeria, which he promised of course to repay several times over upon arrival in Juviles.

On the other hand Villarenters gave us only about four leads over the same period, but each resulted in a proper booking. HR charges a fee to advertise but no commission, while VR gives you a free listing and charges 10% of the booking, also handling credit card payment and a security deposit, which is handy. I decided to have another go with HR as they seem to do very well for another property we know just outside Juviles. That and the fact that I'm a sucker for special offers, and they gave us a discount for renewing the listing. So go on and prove me wrong and book our beautiful house through Holiday Rentals. I need a week's booking to pay for the ad.

If you operate a site - or you know of one - that our house should be on, please post a comment or email me with details. I'd be interested to read opinions from other property owners. También en español.

More lynx links

Good news about the Iberian lynx for once. With 13 babies this year, the captive breeding centres are full to capacity, and there are now a total of 60 cats in the programme. Release dates for both Cordoba and Jaen provinces have been brought forward a year. The most endangered feline species on Earth, the Iberian lynx isn't yet out of the woods, so to speak, but as numbers are so small, the percentage increase in the population is highly significant. Whole article in English at the Olive Press here. Regarding the picture, I'm not sure little Eco has quite got the hang of rabbit hunting yet. She seems to have eaten one ear and saved the rest for later.