Benarrabá

Benarrabá is a Spanish municipality in the province of Malaga, Andalusia, located in the east of the province in the Genal Valley, being one of the towns that make up the region of the Serrania de Ronda.

By road it is 134 km from Malaga and 668 km from Madrid. Between 2000 and 2005 it has lost 70 inhabitants, going from 630 to 560. The political administration of the municipality is carried out through a democratically managed Town Council whose members are elected every four years by universal suffrage.

The electoral roll is made up of all registered residents in Benarrabá over 18 years of age and nationals of Spain and other member states of the European Union. In accordance with the provisions of the General Electoral Regime Law,2 which establishes the number of councillors eligible for election according to the population of the municipality, the Municipal Corporation of Benarrabá is made up of 7 councillors.

Festivities:

• Hebrew Market
• San Sebastián
• Cavalcade of the Three Wise Men
• Carnival
• Gastronomic Fair of the Serrania de Ronda
• Holy Week
• Pilgrimage of San Juan
• Moorish Moon of Genal
• Cultural Week
• Fair of San Miguel Arcángel

Route of the Genal valley, from Benarrabá to Genalguacil made by the cultural and sport association Caminete de Luna from Jimena de la Frontera. The video is a test video as it was made with a mobile phone and most of the photos are taken by some of the members of the association. I recommend to watch it and listen to it twice because the music is ideal to relax for a while.

The line I set myself is to be politically independent, and I have been so for most of my years, but this does not mean that I do not make public the events that take place in the village. Such is this case that deserves the utmost attention.

Congratulations to the winning party, which, moreover, has done so without any complaints.

To those who did not win, I would like to say that they should not be discouraged, and that it is also possible to make a living without being in politics.

What would be unacceptable is if some of the latter did not carry out an exhaustive self-criticism, get annoyed with their neighbours and incorporate them into their mistakes, which they must have made to their regret.

Everyone is free to vote as they wish and for whomever they wish; if someone does not think so, we would be in a clear case of anti-democracy. Comments after a defeat are excusable, in the heat of the moment people say things that in the cold afterwards they do not feel, and even more so when analysing the results produced, which leave no room for doubt.

And the proverb applies: “in bad times, good things come to the best of times".

That is precisely why I wanted to let a few days pass, to see things more objectively.

The people as a whole are wise and always know how to understand, appreciate and, if necessary, forgive.

Above everything and everyone, there is BENARRABÁ, without the slightest discussion.

So it has always been, and so it will be!

Everywhere I go the show is on. It has been years since I have visited El Peñon and, frankly, I think it is even more beautiful and exotic. It is so peaceful here amidst the rustle of leaves and the chirping of birds that I wouldn’t mind staying forever.

You are not sure where to look. I find myself surrounded by typical undergrowth. The forest is lush.

Opposite me, the Sierra Bermeja is watching me in the company of the Crestellina with an air between calm and spectator.

Two white villages are painted in the Serranía de Ronda, – Jubrique and Genalguacil -, between their ochre, brown and sometimes reddish sinuses, because of the sunset.

The sunset is sublime, I would almost say unrepeatable.

When I look out between the crags of the rock, the waters of the river flow at their own pace, sonorous, like the atmosphere.

The Genal valley shows all its splendour and grandeur.

…And I feel small, immensely small, in the midst of such superb nature.

Sometimes the noise is so deafening from birds or vermin that you don’t know if you are in the Serranía de Ronda or in the middle of the Brazilian virgin forest.