The cathedral in Nerja is, in a word, elegant. It is very well cared for, richly decorated and is gilded with gold everywhere.

The exterior. Note the blue skies. We have had excellent weather.

The very opulant Mary standing next to Jesus. This was the type of church that didn’t have candles to burn but little electric candles that could be lit if you put in some money.

Look at this great altar with the creche in front.

This little group in costumes was out front of the church one Saturday singing Spanish Christmas songs with tambourines and castenets and some drums. The next day there was a choir singing songs in German. Nerja is packed with English and German people enjoying the warm weather.

I don’t think I ever heard of Nerja in Spain until a few years ago. It’s really pretty little city just south of Malaga on the ocean with Africa just across the water which you get a glimpse of on a clear day.

A pretty view from what they call “The Balcony of Europe”.

The city hall decorated for Christmas.

The beach-just a little too cool for sunbathing.

Sangria is a must when in Spain. They served free tapas which were just like snacks here but nice to have while sitting in the sun people watching.

Near that Balcony of Europe.

We are in Spain in a little city called Nerja for Christmas. The partner of Maurice’s son, while French, has connections here including the fact that her parents live here. We were invited for dinner on Christmas Eve. This being a French celebration in Spain, we were invited to arrive around nine and didn’t finish eating until well after eleven and we didn’t make it to bed until two. The meal started with hors d’ouvres of salmon and shrimp and, of course, champagne-French, a starter of foie gras, followed by turkey and chestnut dressing, a green salad and a very rich Spanish cake. It was a fun evening. I have a few photos that I took with my IPad that aren’t the best due to poor lighting but it will give you an idea of the evening.

The pretty, elegant Christmas tree.

A closeup of the tree with roses and angels.

A very French (and unAmerican) Santa who was actually the uncle of the three year old there. He kept his face covered with that silly beard and hat and the little boy had no idea who he was. He wouldn’t go near him either. The uncle had staged a phone call earlier saying he was Santa and would be coming soon. Most of the French Santas that I have seen, this one included, are not fat and speak in a squeaky Mickey Mouse voice. As always, it was fun to share in the excitement of a child and Santa. Afterwards we went up on the upstairs terrace and some great fireworks were set off in true Spanish fashion without those pesky French or American regulations to stop the fun. It was a great evening.

During the winter months this cheese, Mont d’Or arrives. It is made from the cows (both in Switzerland and France) that produce the very good, and hard, Compte cheese but once they are brought down from the summer pastures their diet changes, milk production slows down and this cheese is made. It is made in rounds and smushed into a round cedar box which gives another layer of flavour. You can cut it out in wedges to eat and it tastes fine this way, sort of like a brie, but the best way is to put slivers of garlic into the cheese, add a little white wine and then wrap the box in foil and bake it until the cheese is soft and bubbly.

Until it looks like this.

And then, like other dishes made in the alps, you can serve it with potatoes and ham or dip bread into it like fondue. It’s very tasty. It’s very rich, as you might imagine, and no dinner is required after having this for lunch.

I would like to wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas. I so appreciate each of you who bothers to visit my blog. It has been such a blessing.

Here is a review done by a friend of mine lucky enough to see Sara Baras in person here in Paris. I hadn’t heard of her until yesterday and then, suddenly, her name came up twice. I’m going to try and get to this performance while it is still here.

Review: The first time I experienced a flamenco ballet choreographed and performed by Sara Baras, little did I realize that it would become an addictive holiday-enhancing ritual in Paris, and this year was no exception. Electrifying, mesmerizing, emotion-wrenching: how can so much visceral energy exude from such a slender frame - and in just an hour and a half, a time span that seemed to whiz by much too quickly? The splendor of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is a perfect backdrop to Sara’s troupe of dancers and musicians who work perfectly in synch, delivering a seamless performance. Costumes, lighting, minimal stage decor, all consort as a unit, and as emotions swelled there was little time to think, only feel, leaving the audience almost as breathless as the artists. Besides Ms. Baras, José Serrano hands in a hypnotic performance. A huge bravo for giving this classical art form a nouveau twist, worthy of the international stage. Thru Sunday January 11, 2015. Sara Baras, Ballet Flamenco. Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

B.P.James

We have passed the shortest day of the year and are heading towards Christmas (and then a new year!). Here are a few photos taken this last week.

I’m one of those people who wake up early. Sometimes I can make it until 8 AM but 6 or 7 are more common. I am often helped with my early rising by the “alarm clock” of the toddler upstairs running down the hall to, I’m guessing, wake up his parents. Our apartments are not very sound proof. Anyway, one morning I got up and looked out the kitchen window and saw that two other people were up early too.

This time of year these little cakes appear, bûche de Noël, little “logs” symbolising the real yule logs burned on the shortest day-at least in the past-of the year to bring good luck (and probably a little thanks that the days would start getting longer).

Roses for sale at a market.

It’s very common at markets to see these giant squash for sale. I often buy a wedge and make soup with it.

There is a covered market at the Aligre market that I like. It was the first market I went to with Maurice after we moved here. It is open every day but Monday.