Spain: Ice-cold tales of Granada's 'snowmen' | World news | Guardian Weekly

Spain: Ice-cold tales of Granada's 'snowmen' | World news | Guardian Weekly: "The snow that falls on the Sierra Nevada each year is vital for the economy of Granada, bringing skiers in their thousands and providing a substantial winter income for hotels, restaurants and shops as well as the ski station itself. If not enough snow falls, machines that can manufacture artificial snow are brought in to ensure business as usual.

When it melts, snow feeds the rivers and fills the irrigation channels built by the Moors to water the land. But for centuries, snow from the mountains played another essential role: keeping the city cool in summer. Before the days of refrigeration, teams of men would set out to climb the peaks of the Sierra Nevada to provide the city with ice.

Being mostly illiterate, these men left no account of their expeditions. It was the botanists and later travellers in the 19th century who documented their encounters with the 'snowmen'. They described how the men would set out in the early hours, accompanied by mules, and climb steadily until late afternoon, singing as they walked; and how in the summer months they would have to ascend the very highest peaks – well over 3,000 metres – to find enough snow."

DISCLAIMER:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.