In the Land of the Marquis

The McKenneys soon discover that Comillas was converted from a fishing village to a treasury of neo-Gothic architecture by one man-the first Marquis of Comillas-who convinced the King of Spain to stay and call his parliament there. During the McKenneys' explorations many more intriguing tales of the town were revealed. Close by are the caves of Altamira, with some of the finest rock paintings in the world, discovered when a man lost his dog. There is the beach where the second transatlantic crossing landed-by mistake. And high in the hills is the village of Garabandal, where four girls had visions of the Virgin Mary, and where a miracle is still expected.

Above all, the McKenneys learnt what it is like to be the only English family in a Spanish town-where one word can make an enemy, and another a friend. "In the land of the Marquis" is also a book about writing a book, as the author first wrote a guide to Comillas, then extended it to cover small adventures in other parts of the world.