The photo coverage offered by the US daily, the New York Times, had most Spaniards reacting with indignation.

There were photographs of people sifting through rubbish hoppers etc, and only Mad Max and a herd of zombies was missing to give the impression that Spain was oozing chaos and misery.

Yes, things are tight, but that sort of sensationalist journalism can be used to make anywhere appear to be on the verge of collapse. Imagine if a Spanish photographer had a field day around some American slums?

Yet this indignation, instead of turning into anger, is being channeled through a sort of ‘sock it back to them with love,” attitude. Most of the Spanish media is involved, including our provincial daily, Ideal, and it consists of sending photographs of people going about their normal lives – and not an AK-47 or Uzi in sight, unlike certain downtown areas of not-to-be-mentioned US cities, bless their cotton socks.

Salobreña has taken up the gauntlet and has submitted the photograph featured in this article – 300 elderly citizens at a knees up on the newly renovated Plaza de la Iglesia, at the top of the town. Well, not exactly a knees up either, more a high tea with hot chocolate and cakes from local bakers and pastelerias. No alcohol, so no punch-ups, although we did see a 90-year-pensioner from Molvizar with a bicycle chain and a flick knife cornered by two 80-year-old ladies from Lobres with less than honourable carnal intentions.

Anyway, you can find out more about this campaign to show that Spain is not the post-nuclear wreck that Mr Romney and the New York Times appears to think it is, bless his Mormon socks…

(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)