Self catering holiday rental accommodation in the Alpujarras, Andalucia, southern Spain

I live here at Cortijo Opazo, a self catering and guided walking holiday destination in the region of the Alpujarras, Granada, Spain. I sometimes take the guests for a walk but generally I just see they are all OK and give them random bits of advice. I have to maintain the high standards of the business.

Thursday December 30th

End of an era

Peace and quiet has returned to the house here at Cortijo Opazo after the place has been full of family, come to celebrate Christmas with Robert. I've been a bit detached from the festivities, having had some issues of my own to deal with.

Seems I wasn't entirely right and the drugs were not going to be the answer to everything, least of all a 'good old age' (see previous entry below). But at least I now know what was causing my walking problems, I've had a tumor growing on my spleen, pressing up against my spine. This, combined with the sudden onset of kidney failure, meant that I didn't see through the holiday season with Robert and his family, nor was I able to greet William on his return from England yesterday. On Christmas Eve, early in the afternoon, I passed away, quite gently, whilst receiving excellent care from the lady vet in Motril. Robert and his father (the one who called me 'Fergus the Foreman', clearly a perceptive man) were beside me, holding my paw.

So, almost two years after starting writing this blog, I have to hang up my keyboard and write no more. Ella is welcome to carry on, but I'm not sure she has the will to do so just now.

Thanks for reading, stay well and keep walking,

Yours, resting under a newly planted walnut tree,

Fergus

4th August 1998 to 24th December 2010

Click here to see past blogs:

Blog from 2010

November

October

September

August

July

June

May

April

March

February

January

Blogs from 2009

Tuesday December 7th 2010

The key to a happy life and a good old age.

I am sure many of my regular readers were concerned by my last blog and to read of my developing incapacity in the leg department. I am sure you were so concerned that the ability to send sympathetic emails was overcome by your worry and and general nervousness because not a single one was the number of correspondance I received when I bared my heart and voiced my worries about the approach of old age. Or perhaps all my readers were too consumed with the rigors of Christmas shopping. But, lack of supportive emails not withstanding, I have had my annual check up and the vet has given me the secret to a happy and active old age. Drugs. Drugs every morning with my breakfast - and not too stingy on the breakfast either, thank you very much. Oh, and it's official, I don't have to walk if I don't want to. Can you believe it? The wonderful lady veterinary told my over strict human companions that I should not be forced to walk and I should take such exercise as I desire. Ha! The lady is a genius, deserves to receive the Nobel Paws Prize. And I have to say that since taking the drugs - and only walking as far as I wish when I wish - I am a great deal better. Long may it continue - although I did hear my human companions talking about how long they should continue to administer the medicine. Keep it coming, I say, and I may become a sire yet!

But enough of me and my health, the point of this blog is to keep you informed of the various goings on here at Cortijo Opazo and the wider Spanish world. My human companions have been enjoying themselves on holiday recently, having travelled to the towns of Avila, Salamanca and Cuenca, and passing a week in the Northern mountainous area of The Picos De Europa. They seem to have had a splendid time and are full of stories about what an increasingly fascinating country Spain is. They have told tales of the medieval walled town of Avila, where a cold wind, distant castles and a gothic cathedral put them in mind of stories of old where wild knights did bitter battles on the blasted plains of Castilla and La Mancha; tales of the beautiful city of Salamanca, seat of one of Europe's oldest Universities and home of not one but two superfluous cathedrals; and tales of Cuenca with its hanging houses perched high on a rocky promontory and covered in a thin lace of snow. But most impressive of all weer the limestone mountains of the Picos de Europa, striding the regions of Cantabria and Asturias, with its unfeasible steeps peaks arising to form an impenetrable snow covered wall. They told me how the people and the way of life are different up there, where it rains throughout year and the ground is a permanent shade of emerald green - reminds me a little of a life I used to lead in a far off country...

On the subject of Spain, we would like to boast of a few examples of efficiency in a country so often dismissed as chaotic and frustrating. Whilst in the north of Spain, and indeed whilst travelling home, my two friends were caught up in the same cold weather front that has seen much of northern Europe at a stand still, Gatwick airport shut, and all links into London, be they road or rails, closed. On the day of departure from Cantabria the roads were deep in snow and they were concerned about the possibility of travel. Using their own set of snow chains - it is common practice for drivers in this hot country to equip themselves with chains in winter - they managed to get from their high mountain retreat down to the main road at Potes. From here they drove to Burgos via Santander, which involved going over another mountain at a height of more than 1000 metres. This journey took them about four hours, during which time it was snowing almost all the time. To the credit of this sometimes struggling country, their journey was clear at all times of snow and ice, and They stopped counting snow ploughs when they reached the number of thirty, snow ploughs working up and down the motorways to keep them clear and the traffic moving. And later in the day, snow ploughs waiting by the sides of the road to deal with the snow that was to come - already in place. Salt silos positioned at the sides of the roads had been filled and the country was kept moving. The second incident worthy of mention was when, on the same day of extreme weather, my mentors had the misfortune to have a puncture whilst driving along the M50 around Madrid - a bit like the M25 around London. Stranded on the hard shoulder they quickly put on their high visibility jackets - compulsory to have on board in Spain - and erected their emergency warning triangles - again, compulsory to carry in your car in Spain. They then dialed the roadside rescue service that comes as a compulsory part of every car insurance policy and were told they would have a man with a rescue van in 40 minutes time. Exactly 40 minutes later the said van and man turned up, the tyre was swiftly changed and my esteemed friends, just one hour after the puncture, were on their way again, trouble free. What efficiency.

Ancient walls of the city of Ávila

Splendid Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

Fabulous Picos de Europa

Dusting of snow on the city of Cuenca

This past weekend has seen Spain on holiday once more, with the double celebration of the Day of the Constitution on December 6th and the Day of the Immaculate Virgin on December 8th. Traditionally, this is one of the big holidays where the Spanish like to head to the mountains, and we were lucky enough to have a house full here at Cortijo Opazo. Air traffic controllers tried to ruin people's enjoyment by staging an unofficial and unpublicised strike on Friday 3rd, the day when many pople would have been heading off for their min-break. As if to challenge or even reinforce the Constitution, the government responded my stating a situation of 'national alarm', which meant that the military took over the airspace and the air traffic controllers were required, by law, to report for work - penalty for not doing so, a possible two years in prison. This all proved quite an effective way to crush a strike and reminded the population that such action by the state had not been seen in Spain since Franco was alive.

This dachshund had been considering strike action in the event of his medicine being withdrawn, but this is all giving me food for thought. Speaking of which, where is my supper?

Yours, with nose in the corner cupboard,

Fergus

Comments:

What lovely photos of Fergus, I do hope he keeps well and continues with his great 'blogs'. They do make me smile, he has such a great view on things. - Betty Wigley ('Aunty Betty'), Birchington, Kent, UK

- Well, if I can bring some happiness on my way through, then it's all been worthwhile - Fergus, Cortijo Opazo

Get a reality check, Fergus - Ella, Cortijo Opazo

Well, at least one country can deal with snow, but we did get four snow days out of it. - Elspeth Evans, Stonegate, UK

- Good for you, even better for the teachers I expect - Fergus, Cortijo Opazo.

Dear Fergus

We so enjoy reading your monthly blogs and are very pleased to learn that you are feeling much better - we know your legs were a bit wobbly in October when we visited you last. So, it's a case of "keep taking the tablets" is it, to make you better - just like us humans then! You are quite clearly a much loved and very important part of your family at Cortijo Opazo, and so a Christmas toast to you on your continuation of a long and happy life.

Much love

Barbara and Roger, UK

- Just make sure Robert and William heed this advice, please, Fergus, Cortijo Opazo