Vintage clothes in Ronda

Ive always loved vintage clothes and as a student would often combine fifties floral swing dresses with tights and Doc Martens. But that was in the early eighties when Vintage was really a dress style for the eclectic or poor students. Rummaging round charity shops was always a delight as there were many great items to be had at bargain prices. Nowadays Vintage has really come into its own with many choosing this style of dressing to achieve an individual look that defies the highstreet chainstore. Some do it for the choice of fabrics, often no longer available in the quality nowadays, unless you are prepared to pay a very high price. Others choose to reuse and recycle often altering clothes to create a new style again. Whatever the reason its a great way to get a beautiful, unusual item at a good price.

Due to a lucky coincidence a freind with a similar passion that verges on the obsessional, has over the last few years amassed a collection of vintage clothing to be envied. Together we decided that it would be interesting to see what the response to Vintage would be in the small mountain town of Ronda in Andalucia where I run a natural soap and handmade gift shop. So now not only do I stock allsorts of handmade gifts many made by talented women of the area, but also a small range of Vintage clothes, mostly dresses but some skirts and tops. So if you happen to like this kind of thing why not pop in and take a look it will take you back in time if nothing else but you might just find a wonderful outfit that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Ronda Natural Soap Shop Calle Sevilla 23 Ronda 29400

Juzcar turns blue for the Smurfs

The news on everyones lips here in Ronda is blue Juzcar. You wouldnt think that turning a picturesque white village in the Alto Genal valley blue would create such a stir, but just about everyone I know is talking about it, going to see it, profiting from it or some I have to say resenting it; albeit in a quiet way. For some reason Sony decided that Juzcar was the perfect setting for the launch of its new Smurf movie The Smurfs 3D- it makes you wonder how they came to find it, let alone set the ball rolling for the mass painting of this sleepy white oops- sorry blue - village.

Historically the Smurfs created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo or Pierre Culliford lived in a land called "le pays maudit" which translates into English as the cursed land, strangely appropriate considering Spains current economic and social woes. They were forced to travel by stork through dense forests, dry deserts and high mountain ranges which is apparantly why they chose Juzcar for the premier- due to the Riscos mountains that surround the village and the dense chestnut forests that cover the steep mountainsides, although they seem to have overlooked that there is a distinct lack of Storks in the area.

Interestingly, the Smurfs apart from having their own language, also had their own economic system. Relying on their own unique skills as a means of currency, and thus in return being given all the necessities of life by the community which at the time lead them to be associated with the communists which wasnt all that good in the cold war climate of the early sixties. I cant help wondering in these tough times whether the country's leaders might be looking to Juzcar and the Smurfs for some much needed inspiration although the country seems to have turned to another shade of blue altogether.

If you want to witness this "blue" phenomenon you had better be quick as the village is set to be painted white again once the furore has died down. In the not too distant future the Smurfs and their ideals will once again be a thing of fantasy and we'll all be back in the real world of serious economic slowdown, crippling unemployment and families on the brink of economic collapse, but for now Juzcar is booming, the painters have jobs and the bars are fit to bursting.