Well, I can’t believe it but it’s been 3
pretty awesome months in the south of Spain!
I arrived in Spain at the end of October in
Barcelona and made my way down the eastern coast to my destination in Sayalonga
spending a few nights on the road in a few coastal campgrounds.
This is where I also learned what
“natralista” campgrounds really meant. After arriving near the city of Almeria
in the southeastern part of Spain, it was time to call it a night and camp out.
My Spanish wasn’t great and the man at the counters English wasn’t great. He
said they had two different kinds of camping areas – Naturalista & covered.
I assumed that he meant that some were grass covered and the rest were sand and
rock. After a few moments he said to go find my sight and come back and let him
know what sight I was on.
So, I thought heck let’s go to the
naturalista area – I don’t need grass. Well, I assumed wrong! In actual
Naturalista meant “Nudist” area – Yep, found that out as I was about to enter the
large area and I saw the sign and well much more than I needed too!
But on the plus side the drive from
Barcelona down to Sayalonga was beautiful, for the most part until I got
further south and the coast were strewn about with fields and villages of tarps.
Yep, I landed in the area of large supermarket productions of tomatoes,
cucumbers and other fruits & vegetables covered with green, grey and clear
tarps. It was an awful sight to see. If you go over the right mountains or
hills, there lined with tarps, yay!
Near the campground in Almeria, I drove
through a pretty neat area where cave homes still exist. Some had homes built
onto them and others where just holes in the rock for windows and doors – it
was pretty cool to see.
The last little drive from Almeria to Sayalonga
felt like a long one on the windy roads along the coast. Thankfully I was
driving and didn’t get carsick!
The coastal road was a little intimidating
as well with its large cliffs dropping into the sea and long bridges over the
huge valleys and the massive hills into large tunnels. But the last part to
Sayalonga had to be the most intimidating part in the High-top camper. The
incline up the mountain with the roads hugging the mountain edges the whole
time with some spots not offering enough space for two cars to pass each other.
After this long leg, I arrived in the village of Sayalonga at the local parking
area on a steep hill. It was ok if you got out of the car facing down – but to
get the door open when you where on the upper part of the incline was pretty
interesting.
After a few moments a lovely woman, Marite from
Norway, who happened to be the houseguest of the man I was going to volunteer
with greeted me. She was very lovely and said she was coming down the mountain
to go out for a cup of coffee at the local shop. Shortly after Stuart arrived!
He then had me follow him up the very
steep, very narrow road up to his house on the mountainside. It was a bit
intimidating to drive up the road, especially in the high top – but I made it!
Thankfully I didn’t have to pass anyone on the dirt road up, because I don’t know
where I would have had gone and I really didn’t want to reverse down the road. Eventually I pulled into the lane of his house
almost at the top of La Rabita and parked the camper.
He showed me around and introduced me to
his 17-year old terrier dog and the views of the sea and Torre Del Mar below
were pretty amazing. His little Spanish
white styled house had a stone covered terrace along the length of the house
looking down to the sea and down the mountainside and its windy road and houses
below. He had a little sitting pool and
after that I saw his steep garden and land that sloped down to the road. This
was supposed to be the garden that I was supposes to do work on/in – this was
going to be interesting. However it was lined with orange, lime, grapefruit,
olive and other trees – it was pretty cool. The lane to the house was lined
with almond trees and beautiful flowers.
I unpacked my bags, had a great diner with
my new host and got to sleep in a bed with an actual mattress – it was pretty
great!
My first day of volunteering I got to play
piñata with the almond trees with a long stick. I collected quiet a few and
filled a few large bags, but collecting them was the easy part – then eventually
I would have to peel the skins off and crack each and everyone!
The first week was spent learning about how
everything in the house worked and where everything was. The gas bottles were
to heat the water, the water reserve tank was pumped up the mountain side and
filled once a week, electricity was super expensive – so the fireplace was
great for heating, the house had everything and much, much more than anyone
needed, the living room window shutters had to be closed when it rained or they
would leek, all doors and gates on them had to be locked, which took a long
time and Mr. B the Terrier had to be walked or coaxed outside every so often by
treats to do his thing.
Every morning we would take the dogs for a
short walk up to the top of the hill to get there exercise and see the
beautiful skies over the sea. Then it was off to work split with British style
tea time and Spanish lunch at 2pm. Free time was after that and I really
enjoyed lounging on the chairs basking in the sun and got to go for a few walks
around the mountain tops.
The first week of settling in went well and
I got to meet the neighbors as they popped in for tea and coffee. Then Stuart was off for the second week and
it was just the dogs and I and of course the regulars stopping in for tea – but
it was great company. Then it decided to rain and turn miserable for a few days
– but at least it was warmer than Canada.
The next few months were spent painting,
cracking almonds, going on shopping trips, walking the dogs, hikes in the
mountains, Spainglish classes, meeting the locals and experience Spain. All in
all it was a really great first introductory to Spain.
I even got to catch up with my Canadian
friend Babette in the little town of Colmenar and see her beautiful villa in
the valley. She was even kind enough to take me into the city of Malaga and
check out the Christmas lights and go for diner. But the weekend I was there
the weather turned to crap so we spent the day nestled by the fire relaxing. I
must say Babette has a lovely plot of land, you can tell a gardener designed
and looks after it – but man is it a lot of work for one person – she deserves
a lot of credit for keeping it look spectacular.
Over the Christmas holidays Stuart had
friends coming to visit and stay in his 2-bedroom house, so the neighbors Nigel
& Debbie kindly invited me stay with them, as it was a bit cool to stay in
the camper on the mountain. So Mocha and I spent a few nights at Nigel & Debbie’s
and of course with Benson, Lily, Skeeter, Mocha and the 5th dog (who’s
name I have forgotten) too. Yep they have 5 very lovely dogs they rescued in
Spain – quiet the pack of dogs! But I had a really great time at there place
and hanging with the dogs and getting to know them. They have to be some of the
nicest people I have met in Spain and a lot of fun to get to know and be around
(and have some wine with!).
Christmas was a busy time; a few days
before Susanne showed up then about a couple of days later her daughter showed
up and then it was Christmas Eve. There was eight people for our raclette style
Christmas Eve diner with people from Germany, Austria, England, Scotland, one
living in Denmark and me the Canadian – it was quiet the group of people! The
next day on Christmas day there was the four of us for lamb, which I don’t
think I have ever had. It was great time!
Then on Boxing Day I was off to Competa,
the next village in the north to dog and house sit till the end of February for
a man going to visit his family in England and Australia. The house is right in
the town with three narrow floors and a terrace on the roof. He’s been working
on it for the last few years and fixing it up. He has a 3-year-old Terrier dog
with a lot of energy and some training to do.
The town is pretty nice with everything you
need, a Saturday market in the square, Pilate’s classes (which I have joined)
and a whole heck of a lot of retired folks from the UK, but then again I think
that is like all of Southern Spain in the winter. The town is typical with its
narrow streets, white buildings and steep streets.
My neighbors are all older Spanish people
who don’t speak any English, but are super friendly and spend there sunny days
congregating in the streets in the sun or on there roof top terraces, with the
exception of one British couple right across the street.
The houses are typical, poorly insulated,
single pain windows, basically meant for the summers and not the winters –
thankfully there is a pellet stove in mine!
The last few weeks I have spent walking the
dogs, meeting people, going on hikes, joining the Pilate’s classes, enjoying
the Saturday markets and overall enjoying the town and what it has to offer. My
afternoons have been spent enjoying the sun on the roof top terrace – it even
got to 25 the one day! I even managed to meet another fellow Canadian in Torrox
(although she thoughts she was in Competa, ha ha) and am enjoying getting to
know her and her husband as well.
I have also managed to find a place on the
coast in Nerja for the month of March for when my parents come to visit – now
just doing some research of things to see and do when they come – I’m excited
for them!
There are some really great walking/hiking
trails around the area with some fantastic views. It’s a great way to get out
and burn some energy off of the Terrier – a bit anyways. The training is going
and she is getting better – still a bit farther to go with her though, but she
is a gentle dog that just wants to be loved. And she loves the beach and water.
We head down once a week to play fetch in the water & she could spend the
whole day there!
But since last Sunday the weather has
turned pretty cold for the area and there is even snow in the mountains! It’s
been there about two weeks, but hopefully this weekend warms up and it all goes
away, I mean I am in Spain!
Well one more month to go in Competa and
then to Nerja for March and then who knows, but that’s what life’s all about!
On the coastal Road:
View from Stuart's place:
Christmas time:
