Mindanao Advice

A Restful Stroll Through a Spanish Holiday Village

Renate Van Nijen, a Dutch artist and author, has connected with people she has met in her Spanish paradise, the village of La Herradura, and published their stories in a book she sells online and in local shops. Her straightforward, everyday writing gives intimacy to the project and focuses on Renate and her interviewees’ relationship with their village. It’s an excellent way to learn about a place from someone who has fallen in love with it, and of course, they all praise the charming community by the horse-shaped bay. I’m starting to feel the same.

The central theme is La Herradura’s past, present, and future, woven into the different stories the selected characters share, both locals and foreigners who have visited and settled here.

It is a kind of human journalism—not a page-turner if you expect big drama, but a light, behind-the-scenes read about some of the people living in a beautiful place you might want to explore yourself. This significant contribution is unique as the book functions as a guide and a historical account and warmly portrays the people rooted in La Herradura.

Renate has previously published books listed on her website. She also paints mandalas and creates other unique products. If you want to know more about La Herradura, I recommend checking out her book.