Up in the Alpujarras

This is what I imagined Spain to look like. Rugged mountains, where wandering up narrow winding roads you see what look like sparsely spread outcroppings of white rock- and find they are villages, old and beautiful, in which every building is white.

Valor is the end of the bus line from Almeria in the east, and from Granada to the west. I watched the simple beauty of the countryside growing with the treachery of the roads.

Now I am up here on a hillside, at a 'finca' owned by Terry and Ginny, a couple from England who have retired and live here full time- Mostly for the sunshine, the simplicity, and the beauty. They have two small houses, a swimming pool, and stone terraces lined with gardens. They are off the grid, have their own water system and use solar power for their limited needs- like filtering and heating the swimming pool in the summer, lights in the winter. And wifi by satellite.

Also here are Pete and Alice from Sydney, and Simon from Turin, Italy. The hosts told me when I arrived on Monday that their weekend was just beginning, so I have had two leisurely days of sharing cooking, walks, playing cards and sipping tea and wine and Cava (Local champaign). The view of the long valley to the south goes almost to the sea. Birds sing beautiful new-to-me songs,

and the air is perfumed with wild growing herbs like anise and rosemary. Two silly dogs demand play time.

Work here will probably be gardening. Morning five hours or so, then lunch and siesta, resting up for an evening of tea time, vino, and wild card games. Over the last three years, helpxers have built terraces, the swimming pool, stairs to upper levels, gardens, a mud oven, etc. It has worked well for everyone apparently. So not all of these places are less than advertised...

This area was the last that was held by the Moors, until Ferdinand and Isabella took Granada in 1492, and sent Columbus to the new world. These mountains were set aside like a reservation for the remaining Moors, for a while, but after an uprising they were kicked out of the Alpujarras too. Except for two in each town to manage the irrigation systems...

It feels like not much has changed up here in a long time. Refreshing, to say the least.