As the camera panned across the skyline of New York City in the 60's TV programme 'The Naked City', the announcer intoned "There are 8-million stories in the Naked City, and this is only one of them." Well, Valencia City, home of the paella and the Holy Grail, may not be The Big Apple, but it is one of the shiniest oranges in the fruit bowl that is Spain - and the place I call home.

As the only English freelance journalist living in Valencia - in fact one of only a handful of English-language journalists permanently resident in Spain - I often get asked by my Spanish friends and colleagues if I'll ever return to the UK. The answer is always a resounding 'NO!', Spain is my hogar, the Spanish word meaning hearth but used in the same way that the English would use the phrase 'hearth and home'.

I arrived in Spain in 1999, on the cusp of the new millennium, and moving here was one of the best decisions I've ever made. One of the joys of being a freelance journalist is that I can travel almost at whim and experience the immense variety of sights, sounds and smells that is the culture of El Piel del Toro, the name the Spanish give their country, as its outline resembles the shape of a bull's hide laid flat.

As you meander through these articles I hope my love for this country shines through. For anyone who thinks that Spain is just the golden beaches of Benidorm or that the gastronomy of the country is little more than paella, I'm sure you will be in for a surprise. If your appetite is whetted and you think that a life in the sun might be just up your street you will find the stories of some of those who made the step in the property section.

As far as my own little corner of España is concerned, with Valencia having been chosen as host city for the Americas Cup in 2007 the city is set for mighty, and mighty interesting, changes and I await them eagerly. Meanwhile, there is much still to discover .... and I hope you will come along for the ride. And, don't forget, I'll be adding new articles on a regular basis - so please keep coming back...

Click on any of the images here to begin your journey...
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