A
Journey Into Undiscovered Andalucia
A Stone Cottage And Beautiful Landscapes
~ By Mark Medley
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When
people think about Andalucia, they often imagine long coastal stretches
of man-made beaches, and high rise Tourist Towns. Yet, only forty minutes
away from the Coast lies a half wild, unexplored and untamed region of
Spain. A Spain, where lonely traditional farms and cottages are scattered
around a quiet, hilly region. Hidden away from the mass urban sprawl, touristy
ghettos of the coast, is a enchanting landscape, with hares, the occasional
wild deer and eagles circling the sky for their pray.
This area offers
the alternative Spain, to those looking for a natural, peaceful and very
affordable alternative to the fast moving, modern living of the coast.
We recently bought a traditional Spanish cottage, with a sizeable land
plot in this area, and decided upon an alternative ecological style of
living.
The only real
local contacts we had, was with the Local Bar/Post Office, a few kilometres
down the valley, where locals park their horses and then head for
a glass of locally made wine, gossiping away the hot afternoons. Wild fowl
walk aimlessly through the small hamlet, with the occasional rabbit crossing
the quiet roads. Nature living in harmony with people, in a modern European
country.
Our own tastes
are not all old world. You need transport, so we bought an old Fiat, ideal
for the meandering dirt roads that scatter and connect remote homes to
the Village of Estacion de Cartama. Four Wheel drives are an option,
but most locals prefer older workhorses, like the Fiat.
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This
is the view from the front of Mark's cottage.
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Keeping in touch
with the world is not as difficult as people think. We have a private 24
hour satellite Internet connection; it was unstalled easily, cheaply and
quickly. Solar panels generate, enough electricity for a television and
other electrical appliances. Water is pumped from a tank, filled twice
a month by a water truck that makes its rounds through the Hills..
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We do have
neighbours, but rarely hear them, but can see them in the distance. Early
evenings we can watch the lights of fishing boats leaving the modern port
of Malaga. Further down the valley a curious view of mixed greenery, with
the faint blue ripple of the Sea. A priceless view. The haunting sound
of the valleys, echo, with a cool, light breeze cooling the hot afternoons
as Olive and Nut Trees timelessly grow.
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beauty of the Mediterranean still can't be beat. |
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If
boredom sets in, or the need for supplies, the nearest Village, Estacion
de Cartama, is only twenty minutes away. For a small Spanish village things
start late. Shops rarely open before 10am, bars and restaurants rarely
close before 2pm. A three course lunch, with wine will cost around 4€,
lazily eaten during the afternoon siesta. We can also sell olives and nuts
by the sack load to the local warehouse.
We regularly
visit Estacion De Cartama, on Sunday mornings. Farmers and smallholders
bring a wide range of locally grown fruits and vegetables to sell.
Other more sophisticated traders sell household goods imported from China,
for very reasonable prices. We often meet friends at the Kiosk, where Juan
cooks a Sunday paella, and talks about his horses, he breeds.
We have found
living a natural and modern lifestyle, in a warm climate has been quite
simple to adapt to. The only downside is adjusting to the local idea of
time. In the area, people rarely are on time. Manana, means sometime tomorrow,
rather then tomorrow morning at nine. This can be frustrating if you are
refurbishing your home.
Refurbishing
The Cottage
It took me
two months to finish the cottage. We had an advantage: the cottage had
been built using local stone and local products, scattered around the Valley.
Over a hundred years ago, a family built the cottage by hand. I discovered
most of the original materials were still left around the cottage. So it
was re-built partly with the original materials, with the exception of
some kitchen and bathroom units.
As an amateur
builder, I needed help. So Paco, who lived in the local hamlet, came up
on his Motorbike, and helped me finish the cottage. When more than four
hands were needed, his son would come up on weekends to help. This also
was an advantage, as Paco was born in the area, and understood how the
cottage was constructed. |
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Our garden
was the next challenge. The land in the area is scattered with a wide range
of natural wild flowers, olive, nut and palm trees. All we had to do was
to tidy up the land, and we had a natural garden. Along with a family of
resident owls who live in a nearby tree.
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are slowly moving back into the abandoned villages, and farms in the area,
although not in droves. There are plenty of similar properties, with large
areas of land, left to nature and the elements for generations. Yet, the
area remains untouched by developers, and still remains an unknown semi-wilderness,
close to the backyard of the Costa del Sol.
Living Costs
You can live
well on around 500€ per month, once a home has been completed. Locally
grown products are inexpensive at the markets and village shops. The only
real expense is transport, as even local governmental taxes rarely exceed
70€ per year. Your home can be self- sufficient, especially with your
own water well.
Property
Prices In The Area
Property prices
are very reasonable, compared to other properties in the area. Property
agents tend to ignore the area, due to its distance and the better commissions
made on properties further down the valley. Remote abandoned farms with
over 25.000m2 of land can be sold for as little as €40.000.
Getting
Around The Area
A Car or a
Motorbike is needed to get to any property in the area. Once you reach
Estacion de Cartama, bus services and an extensive train service links
you to Malaga, local villages and the coast. From my cottage it takes around
forty minutes to Malaga Airport, and twenty minutes to Estacion de Cartama. |
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If
you would like to contact Mark or see his web site with property listings
in Andalucia then Click Here.
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