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To whom it may
concern; by Keith Oates
I have worked, and holidayed in the Alpujarras of Southern Spain for
25 years, and for most of those years I have stayed at La Suerte run
by Marie-Sol’. I therefore wish to pass on the good news of both
La Suerte in particular and the area in general.
Background to the area
Because of its situation, the climate is near perfect for
holidays/chilling out. At approximately 2500ft, in the southern
foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s it is well clear of the humid
heat of the Costa’s, with clear skies from March until October.
However because of its elevation the nights are much cooler than the
coast, and are without the oppressive coastal humid heat, so
sleeping is much easier.
The villages below La Suerte enjoy a real tropical climate, this
being caused by the inversion of the weather trapped in the valley,
where it is possible to grow central African fruit and vegetables.
Another factor in the La Suerte area is the abundance of fresh
water. This is as a result of the snow melt high up in the Sierra
Nevada mountains, and flows down the Moorish canals for most of the
year. The snow usually starts in October, and melts from March until
May/June.
First visit to the Alpujarras
My first visit to this area was in 1984, when with a colleague from
Armagh Observatory we spent two periods of three months observing
Flare-Stars similar to our own sun, using the Spanish telescope on a
9000 ft ridge just below the summit of Pico Del Veleta. Friends at
that time took us to the three villages of Pampaneira, Bubión and
Capileira, after which I was sold on the area.
It wasn’t long before I arranged a hill-walking holiday with four
members of our own local Irish Hill-walking club. By chance we chose
a farm house with two English speaking residents: Marie Sol and Tony
Hannigan. From that time Marie and Tony have remained very good
friends, and I have returned to the area nearly every year.
Most times I came back with my hill walking colleagues or fellow
artists. On one occasion I even arranged for the Brass Ensemble I
play with, to play for our supper as it were. All twenty of us
stayed in the hotel Salobrena, and played every night in the local
towns and villages including Granada.
Reasons for coming back to La Suerte
Why come back so many times, and in particular why to Marie-Sol’s
Cortijo? I suppose it’s a combination of several things. Location
has to be near the top. Situated, as it is high up among the high
Alpujarra villages on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains, these mountains being the highest in Spain. It only being
45 minutes from the Costa Del Tropical, the old saying ‘Snow in
the morning and sea in the afternoon’ rings true.
Second reason: Location and rustic charm
The second reason has to be MariSol’s particular Cortijo’ and it’s
setting. In the early days Marie Sol and Tony Hanigan lived full
time in one of the Cortijo’s. As they expanded the site, they
stayed within the authentic rural/rustic buildings style of their
area. This style has been with the area for many hundreds of years,
in fact since the Moors conquered Spain
.
The Moorish style of house building in the Alpujarras is instantly
recognizable by the flat roofs, with an absence of the more usual
Spanish red terracotta tiled roofs. Also the houses have particular
chimneys that are tall, round with particular pointed coverings.
MarieSol and Tony have stayed true to this style and have also
developed their gardens, where there are now mature with many
tropical flowers and fruit. This in turn gives the whole site an
original authentic and rustic charm.
This rustic charm also transfers to the inside of the Cortijos, this
includes spotless whitewashed walls, Lebanon Cedar beams that
support the roof, fitted kitchens with fridges and food storage and
open fire places with a good stock of logs, (for the winter).
However they are also fitted with all the mod cons necessary for
comfortable living, these include: hot and cold running water and
electricity, tasty furnishings in both the living room and bedrooms.
All in all a very comfortable rustic style, it is the hidden gem of
the Alpujarras.
Activities in the area
As I already stated, my first time to stay at La Suerte was with my
four hill-walking friends. Since that time I have been back nearly
every year.
I have taken out many of my art related friends, who found the
general area full of so many places to sketch and paint. They also
enjoyed the delights of stepping out of their own busy worlds, and
enjoying the delights of the Alpujarras. We painted in the nearby
villages, and also bought our provisions their, where there are
plenty of shops, restaurants, banks and bars etc.
Finally I have also taken out particular friends to just sample the
area and to taste the rustic living offered by the La Seurte
Cortijos. These have included my family and my partner Anne. No one
was ever disappointed with either the area and what Marisol and Tony
offer at La Seurte. |
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