Iconic Wineskin Replaced By 1.5L Plastic Bottle

It's feria time in Ronda. Local bars and restaurants have set up portable bars pouring cheap beer, wine and mix drinks. Most well drinks sell for 1-2 euros. Not bad right?

Well, the fact is, most Rondenos do their drinking at home, then come out to party. Many young adults in Ronda also prefer pre-mixed sangria in 1.5 liter plastic bottles. Not much duende in that, I'm afraid. But it is MUCH cheaper by the liter than by the 200 ml glass. My larger point is that plastic sangria bottles today have now replaced the iconic bota bag, also known as the Spanish leather wineskin.

Ireland vs. Spain: Who is on the rebound?

Interesting post by New York Times writer Paul Krugman.

The Princeton economist and Nobel Prize winner for economics says that Spain is doing better than Ireland. Not a clean comparison, Krugman acknowledges. Ireland had a bigger bubble economy than Spain. So any turnaround for the PIGS is like being the tallest dwarf on the futbol team.

But the 10-year bond charts are interesting

If you look at the interest rates for bonds, EU financial markets clearly have less concerns about Spain than Ireland. Notice the declining interest rates for Spain. A very good thing in choppy waters.

Ronda's Flea-Market Economy

Outdoor flea markets are a big part of Ronda's pueblo economy.

They are hubs for bargains, bartering and social gathering. In most cases, there is a not a tourist in sight. And it's a part of the Ronda life that many travelers don't see.

The largest open-stall market takes place every Sunday, near Ronda's Supersol grocery at the city fairgrounds. About 60-80 open-air vendors sell locally sourced vegetables, fruits, cured olives, and roasted nuts. One day, I watched one grower run cured olives through a machine that automatically removed olive stones ... with mixed results, I discovered later.

Good Service is Key to Economic Relevance

Great post by Ronda Today's Andy Cameron. In a piece that attempted to forecast the economic impact of Michelle Obama's visit to Ronda, Cameron made an important point about service.

Cameron said Ronda's hotels and restaurants need to " re-evaluate their service standards, insist their staff smile more, and if possible, encourage staff to learn a few words of English and other major languages." That's what I call a friendly poke among friends.

Let me take it a step further. The Ronda area will never become an A-list destination unless it develops a business culture of good service. And when I say good service, I am really talking about world-class service.

Obamas NOW Planning A Side-Trip to Ronda

(Updated: As predicted yesterday, the Obamas will visit Ronda this week ... How the trip unfolded is below).

Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha are in Marbella, Spain until Sunday, August 8. President Obama remains in Washington DC and older daughter Malia is at summer camp in the U.S. until Friday.

There is lots of speculation that missing father and daughter will join the rest of the first family as early as Friday night. Secret Service advance teams have reportedly staked out Cordoba, Granada, Majorca and Ronda for possible FLOTUS ... or POTUS visits. Here's what we know. The first lady's mother-daughter trip is considered private, so no excursion details have been released.

Andalucia 101: Pay Cash, Get a Discount

Spain has had an off-the-grid economy for years. Even in the age of the euro. It's a white-and-black economy that mixes over-the-table income with under-the-table cash transactions for every day goods and services.

A New Highway for Grumpy Old People

My guilty pleasure is watching grumpy old people. Usually from a bar stool or Costa cafe. I zero-in on old farts with a great sense of humor and great flair for the dramatic. British 'tut-tutters' who take their English breakfast with coffee and brandy. Drink pints of Campo after morning golf. Or complain how Spain and England are 'buggered-up', sipping gin and tonics under the Costa sun.

Of course, the Costa del Sol is not really Spain. It is Spain for expats. The real Spain is inland. Up the switchback mountain roads to places like the Genal Valley, Grazalema and mountain towns like Ronda, El Bosque and Zahara. Theses hideaway cities are ringed by mountains and form a natural barrier against unchecked migration.