Building steps

Now the weather is a little cooler we are starting to build steps down from the cortijo terrace to the next terrace - taking a leaf out of Tony's book. Not one to do things by halves, Rodney had a lorry load of sand, a lorry load of gravel, and bricks and cement delivered. I think I prefer gardening to being a builder's labourer but the results are pretty impressive.

A few days in Jaen

Bogor Botanic Gardens

Lynn cousins before the Vancouver contingent flew back home

Last day! On the hidropedalo

Feasting on what we harvested

Sweet corn, squash, aubergine, fir pink apple potatoes and tomato relish (tomatoes, garlic and onion) with our barbecued pork (and blackberries from Encarni). It wasn't really cold but Corina borrowed a fleece against the cooler evening air.

A well-deserved pre-prandial

Harvesting all done

Harvesting cherry tomatoes

Andrea clearing the water channels

Lawren helping unload the car

Delicious cool spring water from Perdo Calvo

We stopped at Pedro Calvo to fill up the water bottles with spring water - 20 minutes from the snow water.

Irrigating at the cortijo

Rodney, Corina and Andrea irrigating the cherry trees on the bottom terrace.

Dinner at El Penon Another evening out on the terrace above the sea at El Penon, with a view to the castle. Andrew and Corina as we savour manzanilla and wait for our octopus, barbecued leg of lamb and vegetable tagine.

Dinner at Bahia The Lynn family enjoy an evening out at Bahia, the restaurant on the beach.

Siblings at Venus Andrew and Stephanie get together at Dad's place in Salobrena.

Seeing the sights Corina and Andrew at the entrance to the Arab castillo at Salobrena.

Evening falls Rodney, Lawren and Stephanie watch evening fall over the Contraviesa and Lanjarron valley from the terrace at the cortijo.

The sweetest sweetcorn Sweetcorn is sweetest when picked and put straight in the pot. Lawren tastes the first cob of the season from the cortijo.

Farmers at work Rodney and Lawren harvesting potatoes at the cortijo. The potatoes - pink fir apple - are delicious as a salad.

Marilyn's visit July 2009

We had a lovely, lovely visit from Marilyn who flew over from Bristol for a loooong weekend. Apart from hanging out, vegging out, eating out and catching up we went up to the cortijo. Highlights - picking cherries, checking out the azeicia and visiting vecinos for a cafecito. Time flew and the weekend was over all too soon.

A relaxing weekend

June at the cortijo Cortijo-grown onions, beans and sun-dried tomatoes Drying the onion crop

Life in Spain is good

le Chemin d'Arles vers Saint Jacques de Compostelle

The latest adventure Starting in Arles on 2 April, we walked for 12 days through the Camargue, the vineyards and orchards of the Rhone valley, the gorges of the Herault, the heights and vast pine, oak and beech forests of the Haut Languedoc to Castres. Our guide book put the distance at 308 kilometres. A couple of times when we got lost and deviations to places to stay probably added a few kilometres to that. We found the walk much tougher than the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago which we walked in April last year. This was partly due to the weather - mist, rain and snow - and partly due to the long daily stages - 25 to 30 kilometres - determined by places to stay. At Castres, about a third of the way from Arles to Puenta de la Reina, our original destination still 500 kilometres away - we decided because of the forecast for more bad weather to call it a day. perhaps we will return to walk the rest of the Chemin - from Castres, through Toulouse, Auch and the Somport pass to Puenta de la Reina some other day. Then again, perhaps not. Another day, another walk. For now we're back at home and planning the next adventure (not quite so strenuous perhaps!!). Meantime here are some photos.

1 April En route Granada-Arles

The start of our adventure. From Salobrena, Pete took us to Granada bus station where we took a coach, first to Madrid, and then to Arles - a 21-hour trip in all. Our travel companions were mostly French of North African origin returning to France. It was the first time we have travelled by coach for many, many years - an interesting experience. But the cheapest and quickest way to get from Salobrena to Arles.

2 April Arles

Arles has long been a stop on the pilgrim route between Rome and Santiago. The plaque marks the traditional start from Arles.