We’ve had over 40 Million podcast downloads since then, reaching people from almost every country in the world, at every level of Spanish, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced: Check out Notes in Spanish here   ¡Gracias!

Over at our sister site Notes in Spanish we share the very best places to eat, drink, visit and just generally wander around in Madrid – the result of 20 years thorough investigation by Ben, and a lifetime living here for Marina! Check it out here:

Ben and Marina’s favourite things to do in Madrid

If you are a lover of photos of Spain and all things Spanish please check out my Instagram feed, @notesinspanish It’s where I’ll be posting all my best Spain photos for now.

There is a stunning walk in El Escorial, from just below the monastery down to the Casa Del Principe. The warm, pine-scented wind and total silence accompany you down towards the station at the bottom of the hill.

…is up to you, only up to you, and not up to anyone else. Look after yourself, do things you like, love yourself (and other people will love you more as a result)

…means being peaceful

..is about stopping a lot

…is about realising all the reasons you already have to be happy

…is about giving up ideas about things you don’t have or aren’t doing that you are convinced will make you happier when you are already actually quite happy as it is

…is about giving more to get more

…is living in the present, not the past, not the future

…is about positivity

…is getting out and about

…is getting unstuck

…is moving, but not striving

…is just relaxing and not trying too hard

…is saying, OK, why not, that should be interesting

…is letting go

…is realising all crises are impermanent (and so is everything else)

…is listening to the birds, or the wind in the trees

…is walking up a new hill

…is giving the person you are with all your attention

…is thinking I was writing this post on another secret (no longer secret) ‘in the works’ blog project of mine, then suddenly realising I am writing the draft post here on Notesfromspain.com by mistake instead, and deciding to publish it here anyway. I’ll add a pretty photo to the top too, of the super-happy guy who skates around the statue of the devil in the Retiro park. Hopefully the photo or the words will make someone happier. Maybe I’ll explain all the points one by one on my the new blog if anyone is interested. Or here. There are no mistakes after all! Un abrazo, Ben

What makes YOU happy?

One from my photo archives – Cadiz old town is one of the most intriguing places in Spain, it transports you to different eras at every turn. Go and see it some time!

Over at Notes in Spanish: More Photos, and Fun Spanish Food and Snacks Vocab

And a gentle trot down the track brings him to the magnificent Playa de Cuevas del Mar. Lucky Cow.

From woodland near Arriondas… though almost any pathway in Asturias will turn up beautiful things like this at this time of year.