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

Monday 28th March

How am I doing?

As dachshund in chief, responsable for client happiness and welfare, I take my new role very seriously. To this end I have been putting my snout into the guest book, just to see what our visitors have been writing. I'm reasonably impressed, as I hope you will be too:

"A stay at Cortijo Opazo came highly recommended to us, now we have finally been here and we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay - everything we had been told was true and more so! We can only agree with all the wonderful comments made by previous visitors, the hospitality of Robert and William and their food (extremely good), the wonderful appartment and the stunning view. It was lovely to be met by Ella and cute little Oska every day for a hello stroke and then they wandered off to do their own thing . Very well behaved.

Additional highlights of the trip:

First trip to this part of Spain - loved the villages and the walks are well worth the effort. We enjoyed all the walks we did - it is difficult to find highlights but the walk on the opposite valley from the cortijo, with the zig zag road was great becasue the paths were so old and the historical sites along the way. Also liked the walk between Bubión and Caipileria and the waterfalls above Pórtugos. Maybe we can attempt some of the longer walks next time!

The Alhmabra is well worth the visit. Pampaneira at this time of year is useful as it seems to have more places open to eat and drink during the day, if a litttle touristy.

We managed to spot some birds without making too much effort, including two eagles (of some sort, still not sure what they were), and also some unusual insects and a group of Ibex.

Also need to recommend 'La Atelier' veggie restaurant which is definitely worth a visit, whether you are a meat eater or veggie. Jean-Claude, the owner, is a very interesting man with time to chat. Carlos' bar is also very good . Everyone is very friendly. One last highlight of the trip - the stars, have never seen so many and with binoculars (supplied in the accommodation) there are even more.

Definitely recommend this holiday to others and do hope to visit again; would love to see the progress of the garden, which we were greatly impressed by and has inspired us to be more creative in ours at home!

Jo and Nigel, UK. "

Staying in La Corona, March 2011.

Yours, expecting a bonus,

Oska

Click here to see past blogs:

Feb 2011

Jan 2011

Blog from 2010

Wednesday March 16th 2011

The Snow Must Go On!

I was getting quite accustomed to the warm temperatures here in Andalucia in comparison to the cold winter weather of my home town, Madrid, so imagine my surprise when, on March 4th, the snow started to fall. We, that is Ella and I, were entranced to look out of the window and watch the flakes of white stuff drifting gently down. I tried to jump at the window to intercept their fall, but Ella assured me it was futile. We were in the house alone since both of the two legged fellows were absent, one back in a country he called England, and another on a trip to Malaga. The falling snow settled, then deepened, still no sign of our human companions and, more importantly, no sign of our food! As darkness settled across the snowy blanket, the door opened and in walked William, minus the car, which he had been forced to abandon in the nearby village of Pampaneira due to road conditions. But by the next morning, the snow ploughs had cleared the all routes and we could venture out and discover this new phenomenon, SNOW. Eating it was no good, but Ella taught me how to go sliding. Wow, what fun!

The snow went after just 24 hours, but I've been told that when I'm ready, there's a whole load of it higher up the mountain, and it's there all winter. I can even learn how to ski, whatever that is.

But now on to more important matters, that of my responsibility as the one in charge of the well being of our guests. Although we had a few visitors staying wiin January and February it seems that now our tourist season has truly begun and we can expect a whole lot more guests here at Cortijo Opazo. This week we have been host to a couple from Holland, here on their fourth holiday, and a family from Alaska with two young boys. Aren't they fun! Far more energy and play time than the grown ups. And now we have a couple from England staying here for their first time on the recommendation of their friends. I'm making myself useful by nipping out of my front door and visiting them whenever I can. I'm told I'm not supposed to go into the accommodation, but how else can I show them how cute I am? I've been practicing rolling around on my back on the hearth rug, it seems to be appealing.

I've been exploring the garden a little more, now the weather has turned warmer - well, this is where my human companions spend most of their time - and I have discovered that when one flower has finished showing its glory off to all and sundry, then, very cleverly, there's another to take its place. I've been reassured that there will be a succession of beautiful flowering plants all summer long. Now, this is fine by me, but the aroma is all starting t smell a little too sweet and is covering up any trace of fox or rabbit that might be around. Anyway, I've made a sort of gallery of some of the plants that are flowering at the moment . Fine if you like that sort of thing!

Now, though, I feel it is time for me to spread my field of experience, and to this end I've been putting my snout over the parapet to see what is going on in the world outside of Cortijo Opazo. Jolly interesting it is too! One of our neighbours has two splendid beasts and he's been spending all day walking up and down his field with them. No idea what he's doing but it is a case of man and beast in perfect harmony.

More from me regarding this outside world next time.

Yours, with GPS in hand,

Oska

To view the February 2011 blog, click here.