La Axarquia History and Traditions by Hilary Gavilan
'Discover the Axarquia' ...less than an hour from Malaga ...hidden history ...prehistoric cave paintings; Phoenician tombs and fish factories; Roman roads, bridges and baths; Muslim minarets and fountains; the Silk Route through the Sierras; the ice house on La Maroma; oil mills and flour mills; sugar mills and paper mills; road menders' cottages and old railway stations and places where bandits and anti-Franco guerrillas hid in the mountains. This book tells all this and much more ...about gastronomy in Muslim times, the origins of the roads you will drive along; the yellow fever epidemic in Velez-Malaga in 1804 and the earthquake which devastated the area in 1884 ...the stories of local people born here 50/60 years ago, of their struggle to survive during the hungry years of the 40s and of their skills in the ancient crafts (now obsolete) of silk production; snow gathering; lime and charcoal burning; hemp and esparto weaving; collecting pine resin for pitch and tar and juniper berries for gin. And ...where to see traditional fiestas and festivals ...where to eat in unusual bars and restaurants ...and where to stay in interesting places ...while you explore the Axarquia.