blogjune2011

To view the May 2011 blog, click here.



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

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This is my page, and that's me, sniffing the air. As pedigree dachshund in chief, and officially awarded a prize as best puppy in my class - see link here - my job is quality control and looking after the welfare of the guests staying at Cortijo Opazo. Big responsibility, don't know how I find time for it all, but I think I'm doing OK. Anyway, on this page I bring you up to date with the various happenings at Cortijo Opazo and the world around us. I welcome comments, just adress them to Oska at info@cortijoopazo.com. Thanks for reading!

By the way, I am supposed to mention that it's a pretty fab place for a holiday.

Click here to see past blogs:

A place to visit

June 24nd 2011 - fourth day of summer!

What could make the garden at Cortijo Opazo more beautiful than it already is? Well, what else but a visit from the Women's Association of Pitres, which happened without warning on the afternoon of Friday June 10th. We all spent a delightful couple of hours, wandering about and chatting, and for me, getting to know some of the lovely locals that I had hitherto not met. A most kind and genuine group of people, and not one word about me looking like a 'Salchicha' - sausage!

June has been a good time for visitors and for enjoying the great outdoors, be it here at home or in the surrounding hills. Recent family guests prompted excursions to an area a short drive from Cortijo Opazo known as the 'Junto de los Rios', or the joining of two rivers. Here there is a large waterfall - pictures of which appear elsewhere on this website - but also a number of small pools and cascades that make a delightful spot for a picnic. Ella has been there before, but for me it was my first time, and I was enchanted. So many new smells, but not only this there was the water as well. Shallow pools, ideal for a dachshund to paddle through and cool off. Ella showed me something that I thought was very clever, she went into the water so deep that her legs could not touch the bottom. Then, magically, she seemed to float, and by moving here legs as though she were running she was able to traverse the pond from side to side. Fascinating! I was told this action should come naturally to me in time, but I remained cautious, until yesterday when we returned to this delighful spot and explored even further up stream. Shallow pond was linked to shallow pond by cascading falls of water. As we journeyed upstream I found a way of navigating without submerging my body in water until we reached a point where it was either give up or go under. Well, as a valiant member of my breed it was not going to be the former option, so in I went, right up to my floating ears, whoosh! Oh, how cool and refreshing! Now, I'm not saying that I liked it nor that I would necessarily go out of my way to repeat the experience in a hurry, but that's it, this dachshund is now a swimmer!

I wasn't the only person who got wet that day. Well it was hot and how totally refreshing this does look:

	The above is a picture of yours truly, how cute! And here is a picture taken on our way home, with plenty of snow on the high mountains - one day I'll go there. We've had some other visitors in the garden recently, a lovely lady in a long white dress and a man in a dark suit and tie. They were followed by other pretty girls in long dresses and men in more dark suits. Everyone seemed to be paying her special attention and were taking lots of photographs of her, she really must have been very important; a princess perhaps? They stayed for about half an hour, but didn't explore very much, I must say they all seemed to be more interested in the lady in the long white dress than they were in the garden, I can't imagine why. Busy week for us, it is the week of the summer concert. Sounds of music being rehearsed can be heard about the place, and the garden is being worked on frantically, to make it better than ever. I've been taking on my role as foreman of the operation and have been supervising some of the volunteer workers who have appeared here this week - in the picture below, from left to right we have: Judith Hinman, a sucker for an evening primrose, Raphael Lobley, doubling up as trumpeter; Lucy Baker, cake maker; Robert King, well what's in a name; and himself, William Read, for whom I have nothing but devotion for it is he who provides the evening meal. Nice work, gang! Not sure what role Ella and I will have during the concert, but I, for one' would be happy to sell prgrams and ice creams. Yours, ushering in the weekend, Oska PS, there's always room for more volunteer workers, just get in touch with the forepup, Oska.