MANUEL DE FALLA ARCHIVE
To promote the knowledge of culture and music and preserve the historical documental inheritance of Manuel de Falla - That’s the fundamental objective of the archive which takes the composers name and which has been in existence now for 10 years in Granada - the city where Falla lived his last years, although he was born in Cádiz.
The historical documents of the archive include Manuel de Falla’s personal library of 4,000 books and scores complete with his margin notes, as well as letters and correspondence which add up to close to 23,000 handwritten and typed documents.
The house in Granada where Falla lived was opened as a museum in 1965, but it was years later that the Manuel de Falla cultural centre was opened, and the archive was established there in March 1991.

BAÑOS DE COMARES
One of the most emblematic places in Alhambra de Granada are the Comares baths which can be visited only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
One of the most spectacular points of the baths is their illumination, achieved by a succession of crystal chandeliers.
The changing rooms, the cold, warm and hot rooms can all be seen.
A boiler heated the water which ran under the marble floors and surfaced in baths and basins.
One of the most characteristic areas is the ‘Sala de las Camas’ which acted as a dressing room before bathing and as a place of rest after, and where according to legend, the sultans spied on the women through the lattice work.
A place well worth a visit - you only need the general entrance ticket to the Alhambra.

CAMPING SITES IN ANDALUCÍA
The camping sites in Andalucía received nearly 4,000 visitors last January - which is just over five per cent of the total number of tourists staying in Spain at the time.
According to the National Statistics Institute travellers in the region spent a total last year of more than 34,000 nights camping - and more than 25,000 of these were down to travellers from elsewhere in Europe.
Andalucía is fourth place in Spain for the number of campers - beaten only by Madrid, Valencia and Cataluña.

CD ROM - A BIRD’S EYE VIEW
Andalucía can now been seen with a bird’s eye view thanks to a CD ROM ‘Medioambiente y paisaje’ - Environment and landscape - which offers us an interactive flight over the whole region.
The CD has been edited by the Education and Environment department of the regional council and allows is to see the physical make up of the land in three dimensions and points out the most interesting geographical features.
The CD ROM has been made using images from the Landsat satellite which is placed 700 kilometres above Earth, and allows is to navigate interactively by the names of areas or towns.
The project has a mainly educational goal, and offers us one of the best ways of getting to know the geography of Andalucía.

INLAND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The inland districts of the province of Málaga are experiencing an important urban development in line with an increase in population and residential tourism which wants to be close to the coast but have the quality of life of the interior.
That’s the opinion of the Junta de Andalucía which considers it necessary to draw up united criteria to control the planning of urban areas inland in response.
The traditional tourism of sun and sand has been added to, in recent years, with an increase in rural tourism, but this increase must be made in a controlled way.
Therefore the Provincial government of Málaga and the public works office have been in contact with municipal chiefs in villages such as Almáchar, Pizarra and Antequera.

THE PULPÍ BUG HOLE
The Pulpí bug hole or vug is found inside a mine - It’s the largest and best conserved example of a rock cavity lined with crystals which exists in the world.
It is nearly eight metres long and nearly two high and is formed of gypsum crystals of great transparency.
Almería university has started the coordination for its cleaning and has drawn up a map of the mine galleries and the bug hole, which allows a three dimensional representation.
The final objective is to study the possibilities to allow as many people to visit it as possible. Scientific equipment will be used to measure the effect of visitors on the bug hole.
It may be possible to extract it from the mine but this would be very expensive so other alternatives are being studied.
For now the mine is closed to the public and only university researchers and members of the Almería potholing club who are helping in the work have access.

THE NERJA CAVES
The Nerja Caves, Málaga, received more than 33,000 visitors in January and February, generating an income of more than 26 million pesetas. The famous grotto is keeping its place as one of the most popular tourist attractions in both Spain and Andalucía

PRIZE FOR ANDALUCÍA TURISMO
On March 27 the director of Andalucía Turismo, Joaquín Durán, received the City of Almuñecar International Prize 2000 from the mayor of the Granada town - and president of the municipal tourism board Juan Luis González. The prize was for the report called ‘Almuñecar, un trópico en Andalucía’

-The tourist board, in collaboration with the Press Association arrange the prize worth a million pesetas with the objective of ‘widening the tourism image of Almuñecar’ The award was presented at their offices in the Najarra palace.

ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN IN PUNTA UMBRÍA

The town hall of Punta Umbría in Huelva province, is planning to carry out an environmental ordering pan in a few months time which will classify the landscapes in the area of La Bota and La Matanegra.
Among the planned actions is to lift the road between these two areas, which gets covered in winter by sand.
In this way the dunes will be allowed to keep their natural appearance and the scrub will be able to grow freely in the sands.
The new plan also foresees the construction of an access road to the beach, a pedestrian walkway, service areas and a bicycle route.
The provincial government, the Environment Ministry and the General Coastal Authority are all collaborating in the project.

JOURNALISTS IN MÁLAGA THIS EASTER
From the United States to the Phillipines, Easter in Málaga is going to have more repercussions this year than ever. All thanks to the Costa del Sol Tourism board which has organised a visit from a group of international press between April 12- 15.
19 TV and press journalists from Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Malaysia, India, Singapore, United States and the Philippines will report home on the religious and cultural phenomenon which is also a tourist attraction.
As well as the characteristic Holy Week processions in Málaga city, the media professionals will also see the passion play held in the village of Riogordo. Equally the tourist board will take the group round other attractions in the province to complete the trip designed to promote the traditions and popular fiestas of Málaga.

HOLY WEEK CORDOBA

In Córdoba in the crucified Christ is carried through the streets amid the total silence of the people and the darkness of the night - broken only by the lamps which accompany Jesus.
The beauty of the procession and the image of Christ is strengthened and increased by the places it passes.
Behind the canopy of the Virgen is exalted at her entrance to the mosque, in a marvellous contrast of lights and shapes.
Outside the city, In Baena, Holy Week has been declared of National Tourist Interest and is one of the most picturesque and spectacular in Andalucía for the rivalry which exists between those dressed in white and black.
The brotherhoods, some white and some black, unite on the Wednesday of Holy Week in the procession of Jesús del Huerto y San Diego. A white brotherhood which invites the black to their procession only on this day.
A tradition, unique in Andalucía, which started, according to popular belief in the middle of the 19th century.

HOLY WEEK GRANADA
The narrow streets of the most popular areas of Granada play a major part in the Holy Week of this city.
Our Father Jesús de la Amargura, carrying the heavy cross, covers the labyrinth of streets in the Muslim area of the Albaicín.
A Christ which the Granada man José de Mora designed in the 18th century - he knew how to reflect the suffering and torture in the face of Jesús.
The Virgen de los Reyes, who accompanies Him, has one of the most spectacular moments at her departure when the carriers have to make a huge physical effort of endurance.
A wonderful sight to see the Cristo de la Amargura and the Virgen de Los Reyes travelling in the Albaicín with the Alhambra as witness in the background.
Holy Week in Granada - is without well worth seeing.

HOLY WEEK ALMERIA

The localities of Oria and Huercal-Overa , in Almería, celebrate some of the most popular traditions of Holy Week in the province.
In Oria, the Christ is taken down from the cross and taken by the same brotherhood to a tomb where He is presented to the Virgen de los Dolores and where he remains until leaving in procession on the night of Good Friday.
A unique tradition in Andalucía.
In Huercal-Overa, Holy week is declared to be of National Tourist Interest and is known for the richness of the processions and the artistic value of its images.
On Holy Thursday the procession of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias is carried on a baroque throne by a group of Roman soldiers. In the early hours the Christ of Mercy is carried in complete silence to Calvary.

ANDALUCÍA DIARY 3-10 APRIL
The Manuel de Falla cultural centre in Granada is holding a curious exhibition on the flamenco dancer Vicente Escudero until May 19th. The dancer also painted some pictures which are on show as are photographs of him with his friends Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, together with correspondence with Manuel de Falla.

24 painters from Andalucía are showing their work in the Sala Imagen in Seville in a show called ‘50ojos’ which runs until April 6.

The Villardompardo Palace cultural centre in Jaén is showing a collection of 600 photographs - Kuwait - ten years after - a particular look - The photos by Francisco Vega remain until April 9.

‘Arte Sacro’ is the title of a show of paintings by Antonio Montiel at the Cajamar exhibition room in Málaga until Friday April 6.

Antonio González Herranz presents his best pictures in the Caja Sur in Gran Capitán Córdoba until Saturday April 7.

The Fifth European Festival of Greek/Latin theatre takes place in the Roman theatre at Itálica, Santiponce, Sevilla, with classic works from Séneca, Plato and Sophocles. It runs from Tuesday Paril 3 to Friday 6.

Arturo and Antonio Fernández sing and Ramón del Paso plays guitar on Friday April 6 at Peña la Platería in the Albaicín in Granada - part of the Flamenco Nights festival.

The local council in Pinos Puente, Granada has announced the 25th edition of the Castillejo- Benigno Vaquero poetry and short story competition. Works have to be presented by Saturday April 7.

The Hospital de Santiago cultural centre in Úbeda, Jaén, plays host to an exhibition of landscapes of Úbeda and Baeza by its painters until April 15.

The Sala Cánovas in Malaga hosts the young scenic arts show until Friday April 6 everynight at 2100.

The fiesta of the patron saint of Arjona in Jaén, Nuesta Señora de los Dolores, is celebrated there this Friday April 6.