Have you ever felt like you’re fighting a losing battle? Well, that’s what I’m feeling lately when I see the changes in our city.

At no time have I ever envisioned Marbella to be the new Miami, nor have I ever wanted it to be, however this does seem to be the objective of many a new arrival.

Investors come with new expectations and I’m not sure that I’m sharing the same vision as lately the words Marbella 2.0 and “the new Miami” are being brandished far too often for my liking.

“Mi Marbella”, my Marbella, is cute and quaint and historically we promote our Andalucian charm, five star luxury, Mediterranean peace and elegance, our climate, gastronomy, golf, nature and quality of life rather than a fast paced business hub. It’s our home.

Since I moved back full-time 14 years ago and have been involved with the media I have done my upmost to encourage us foreigners to foster a community spirit and to be more connected with our town hall; to take pride in the city we call home.

Nowadays it’s hard for us “mere mortals” to find a home we can afford as our city is increasingly promoted to large, international investors.  While some see it as a symbol of Marbella’s growing prosperity, international prestige and luxury appeal, others fear it represents a loss of the town’s human scale, local culture and authentic Mediterranean identity and potentially, our ability to even live here.  The world is changing so fast; I do so hope we can all keep up.

I suppose we shall just have to wait and see what we shall see.

Madrid, one of Europe’s largest capitals, has long been oddly overlooked – rather like the quiet guest at a dinner party who ends up being the most interesting person there. Rome has basked in admiration for millennia, London and Paris for centuries, Berlin for decades. Madrid, though, is a comparatively recent arrival to the limelight, now nudging confidently towards Europe’s top tier.

Unlike its grander rivals, Madrid is not the ancient soul of its nation. It only became the capital in 1561, when King Felipe II rather abruptly set up court there. His reasoning remains a mystery: maybe because of its central position and lack of troublesome local power – very little helps!

Early Madrid was dismissed as little more than a provincial outpost, yet it teemed with life – from medieval peasants rinsing offal in streams in the 13th century to King Felipe IV travelling by gondola through underground waterways for secret trysts in the 17th.

The old accusation that Madrid merely lives off the rest of Spain is equally misleading. As Spain’s empire expanded, so did Madrid’s cultural brilliance. Its golden age produced extraordinary talent (Velázquez, Cervantes, Lope de Vega) and even as Spain’s global influence waned, the city continued attracting remarkable figures like Goya.

Today, Madrid’s thriving once more, drawing tourists, talent and ambition – and quietly asserting itself as the capital of the Spanish-speaking world.

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Nora Johnson’s 14 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers, including the latest ‘The House of Secrets’ (www.nora-johnson.net), all available online at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.