May 07 and 08, 2026 - Halifax to Albolote (Cortijo del Marques)
"The Cortijo del Marques Homecoming"
And here we are this Saturday May 9th waking up in a four poster bed at the beloved Cortijo del Marques. It’s a cool cloudy day here with a high of 16 degrees, and showers are to be expected. We scramble to get ready for breakfast and head downstairs and then through the garden to breakfast. We are not the last ones to arrive. A wonderful buffet waits for us. I’m really appreciating the morning coffee as yesterday there was no time for coffee except what was served on the plane.
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Around 11:00 am Thursday, May 7 our friend Brian drove us the airport. No point going early as the lounge is closed until next year or so. But we did enjoy a nice time in the Montreal lounge, enough to have 3 glasses of Prosecco … so delicious, and small plates of food. I made my own version of Italian Wedding Soup using their broth, removing the little balls of meat and replacing it with a colourful array of whatever I could find off the salad bar … it was delicious! We enjoyed a nice chat with the couple next to us who also were on their way to Madrid and then eventually to a family wedding in Portugal.
We boarded the plane to Madrid but due to a technical problem we were an hour late leaving. We were not able to make up any time. There was a fair amount of turbulence on this flight. But we were happy in our economy seats, seated in rows of just two on the side of the plane. The plane was almost bursting with people. We saw no extra seats. Six hours later, more or less, we were landing in Madrid. We now would have less time in the Aena lounge where we enjoyed a good breakfast experience last year.
We sailed through the new documentation kiosk to enter the EU easily with the help of 'cane magic' thus avoiding the snaking long line of most everyone else. But in fairness the long line moved quickly too.
The walk to the lounge was slow as Norm had stiffened up with the overnight flight. We arrive at the lounge only to be told that the seats on our flight to Granada were stand by … and therefore we were not eligible to enter the lounge. Stand by seats when we bought the most expensive seats available (besides Business Class) offered??? And we were not told! So a long walk back to Customer Support to plead our case. Apparently if you do not confirm seats by seat selection within 24 hours in advance you are on a standby basis. We thought we automatically had a seat as the booking said we were entitled to seats in the front of the plane. At the counter they say the flight is fully booked and unless people don’t check in at the airport there will be no seat available for us. And the evening flight was also fully booked. Plan B … a four and a half hour drive was looking like it just might happen!
I check again an hour later. They say 4 seats are possible as 4 have not checked in but no guarantee. As not everyone had checked in we wouldn’t know until 10 minutes or so before the flight. So instead of enjoying our tortilla Español, cava and coffee in the lounge we spent it at the gate crossing our fingers all would work out. It did. Strangely enough we counted 8 vacant seats … someone, and not us, can’t count, lol! We arrive in Granada and shuttle over to Enterprise to pick up our car. A brand new Peugeot. Off we drive to Cortijo del Marques taking lots of photos on the road headed up to the Cortijo. The orange red poppies are blooming as well as other beautiful wild flowers. And the little baby bunnies are joyfully scampering across the road in a few places. I hope to get pictures another day.
We checked into our room, La Terraza about 3:30 … and I think it’s my favourite room here at the Cortijo. I love it! I briefly sit outside in the sunshine, catching a few rays of warmth, before heading inside for a pre dinner nap.
We awoke at 7:30 pm, keen to head over to the dining room as there hadn’t been a lot of food consumed during this somewhat stressful day! The meal was wonderful! My favourite was the aperitif …. a cold creamy almond soup made a wonderful dip for the crusty bread we ordered. Norm enjoyed a new fish to him, Hake; while I had tasty glazed tofu cubes in a yogurt lemon sauce with spicy finely diced aubergine. The couple beside us, Kim and Glen, were a nice couple from Ontario staying here for a week, so easy to talk to. After dinner we sat beside the blazing fire and listened to flamenco music while we finished our wine. We chatted until it was time to call it a night with another couple from Ontario. What a wonderful place this is! We are so filled with gratitude to be back, our 5th time returning!
Thistle flowers and a dainty feather quivering in the wind.
May 09, 2026 - Albolote (Cortijo del Marques)
"No Sizzle in Spain ... Please Turn on the Heat"
Although warm and comfortable under the blankets, I wake up at 8:15 am to about 8 degrees of coldness. It’s chilly. The sun is poking out of the scattered clouds giving us hope but it is not expected to stay out long. More rain is in the forecast. I snuggle back under the covers and just listen to all the bird songs. I think I heard an owl hooting in the very early morning, that was pretty cool. But in my semi conscious state I wasn’t awake enough to check it with the Merlin App. We head down to breakfast by 9:30 am needing that hot cup of coffee. Thank goodness the dining room is indoors. It is still down jacket weather even if some of us pretend it’s not. I wish I had mine with me!
🦉🦉🦉💃🏻 💃🏻 💃🏻🌹🌹🌹
Saturday held no plans for us so after a filling breakfast I head down the road for a walk dodging the rain drops that occurred intermittently. I had hoped to catch a glimpse of some rabbits hopping amongst the olive trees but I guess that terrain was too open for them. As I was posing Owl and Pussycat for their photoshoot on the outer wall surrounding the Cortijo by some beautiful roses, Little Owl kept ‘flying’ off the wall. No doubt I was mumbling to myself as Little Owl fell off for the last time into sharp thistle thorns. Just then I look up and was a bit startled to see three people looking over the wall at me wondering what the heck I was doing. We all laugh when I explained it was for my little grandbabies. Turns out they were visiting from Argentina, where it is late fall there and similar temperatures.
Damp from the walk and needing some warmth I crawl back under the covers for a quick nap and warm-up. But then I had a light bulb moment … why not head over to the lounge area where there was a fire going and likely flamenco music. We spent several hours there in the comfortable chairs with a glass of white wine accompanied by ‘tapas’ and olives with the lively flamenco guitar music playing in the background. Clara would approve … she absolutely loves olives! No doubt if she was here she’d be dancing too!
By 7:00 pm our music nook started to get busy with the Apéritif crowd, chairs were starting to be at a premium, so we invited this lovely couple from Madrid to sit with us. I had previously met them while returning from my walk. They were here for just one night as it was a birthday celebration. Shortly thereafter we returned to our room. We headed down for supper about 8:45 pm or so and to our surprise we were the last table to be seated.
My favourite dish at dinner was my main course … it was a super thin, light pastry roll filled with spinach and chickpeas, a dollop of sour cream and a sweet balsamic glaze. The combination was incredibly delicious! Accompanied by a bottle of Muga rose wine, the meal was pretty perfect
Back over by the fire and the comfy couches, we chatted with a couple from the Netherlands while we finished our last sips of rose. As we headed back to our room a few stars were shining brightly giving us hope of a clear, warmer day tomorrow. Alas it was not to be.
Poppies on my walk in the drizzle.
May 10, 2026 - Albolote (Cortijo del Marques)
"Hopping Along with our Day; Hoping for Sunshine"
As the early morning sunshine streamed into our room we spontaneously decided to go on a bunny hunt. So off we went before breakfast called our names, slowly driving the road looking for bunnies. And we found them … we counted 20 in one direction. Big ones about a foot tall and little baby ones about 6 inches long. So cute but just a sight to enjoy with our eyes because a photo proved to be impossible. Upon our return it was time for breakfast. Thank goodness it is inside. Although it is sunny the air is 'fresh' as they say here, i.e. cool. I could have definitely packed a warmer layer. Silvia the co-owner said it was the strangest Spring, way cooler than she ever remembers. Yet the roses are blooming profusely.
🐇🐇🐇🌞🌞🌞
We just can’t get warm despite the layers of clothing. We aren’t able to use our terrace … it is too cold and windy. But we are able to watch all the bird activity in the adjacent tall cypress trees just outside our room. It’s like a high rise apartment for birds … sparrows, pigeons and mourning doves all sharing the nesting space. It’s a busy place with birds constantly diving in and out of the trees and a cheerfully noisy one too.
A gentle reminder that today is Mother’s Day. We video-chatted with both Jett and Clara which made the day extra special for me. Clara looked very puzzled at Paul when he suggested she say Happy Mother’s Day to me. She couldn’t formulate the words but it was clear to me that she wondered why would she when I’m not her Mother. I understood, and explained it to Paul, lol.
We head over to the lounge hoping a fire is blazing. But today there is not. But the flamenco music playing can’t help but warm one’s heart. And we finished the little bit of leftover wine from the previous evening. We both said, no wine for supper … good to take a break.
But then dinner came and there were so many possible wine choices we wanted to try while here … so what to do? We order another bottle of white wine to enjoy with dinner. Dinner alternates between meat and fish, and tonight was tuna skewers for Norm and very light, fluffy fried tofu on finely chopped veggies for me. My favourite dish at dinner is the ‘premier plato” i.e. starter of a decomposed salad with a dollop of avocado, green apple and mint mousse. Delicious!
We chat a bit with our table neighbours, Kim and Glenn about their day. They must leave early to tour around as we never see them at breakfast. It was the white villages today for them but being Sunday it was quite busy and with Kim’s fear of heights (the mountain roads) they returned earlier than planned.
After dinner we return to the ‘music nook’ in the comfy leather chair and couch and listened to flamenco music by the roaring fire. Life is good!!
We slowly walk back to our room and hope the few twinkling stars we see in the blackness of the night sky show promise of clearer weather tomorrow!
May 11, 2026 - Albolote (Cortijo del Marques)
"Sangria and Sunshine"
Waking up to mostly clouds yet the shy Spanish sun is still determined to poke through. It’s 9:30 am now and 11 degrees. The heat is on so we are comfortable. We are very late heading to breakfast and then we must switch rooms for our last night. Senorial, our new room, is spacious and lovely … but without an outdoor space … and bonus it’s just down the hall. Our plan is to head out for a drive once we get settled.
🍷☀️🍷☀️
After breakfast we spend a little time out on our terrace and just enjoy the warmth of the pure sunshine. But soon it was time for my solo walk through the olive grove. I picked up a map at reception and eyeballed the 45 minute route. How hard can it be?
All was good until I lost sight of the Cortijo and losing elevation all I saw were rows and rows of olive trees. Nothing else. So easy to get twisted around. The path by this time had gone from wide to narrow and difficult to know if it was even the path. There were no signs. A few little rabbits scurried past me. But what help were they? What if I never find my way out of the olive maze?
Luckily my sense of direction was spot on and I didn’t have to back track once. But I admit it was a little disconcerting to be all alone in the dense olive groves only guided by intuition and a map that wasn’t too helpful. Anyways I made it back!
Eventually we head down to the outdoor patio area to enjoy a sangria for me and a glass of wine for Norm. The sangria was delicious in its own way but is no competition for Norm’s homemade version. So wonderful to be finally sitting outside!
We are once again on the late side for dinner, most everyone is already starting their main course. It was a tie for my favourite dish this evening! The main course with its pastry ‘hat’ stuffed with ricotta (and apparently broccoli) was absolutely delicious; and a devine dessert of strawberry and cava sorbet. The set menu always surprises us and adds to our total experience. Giving us tastes we would likely not order on our own. Every dinner is a culinary adventure and for me the main course is only known when it is served. Surprise!
Once again we sit in the music nook while the sultry sounds of flamenco soothes our souls. And then a short walk back in the brisk cool air to our room. Only a few visible stars are struggling to shine, who knows what tomorrow will bring?
The Olive Tree maze. Pretty flowers along the way.
May 12, 2026 - Albolote (Cortijo del Marques)
"Sangria, Seitan and Satan"
The cheerful little birds sing and sing coaxing even the sleepiest to get out of bed. It’s 7:00 am and I’ve already been up for quite awhile. I check the weather, it’s 8 degrees in the chilly morning air with promises of warmth and sunshine ahead. We will be moving on today but in no hurry to hit the road. We will be heading north to near Montoro about a 2 and one half hour drive going straight there, something we rarely do.
😈😈😈👿👿👿
We have had to change rooms today (Tuesday) and move just down the hall to Senorial. No private terrace, just a Juliet balcony but a large spacious sunlit room. We sit inside on our comfy orange chairs to plan our day.
Tuesday was a great day to go for a drive, nice enough but not the kind of day you want to stay by the pool and just sip a Sangria. Norm planned out a circular route that would take us about an hour and a half. We passed some pretty spectacular patches of red and orange poppies along the way and beautiful rolling hills dotted with olive trees. We skirted around a small narrow lake with a pretty aquamarine colour.
Back home now we head to the music alcove for a sangria and a glass of leftover wine. It’s now late in the afternoon and too cool to sit outside unless dressed for it in layers. The flamenco music draws us inside. We are sure enjoying our time here in Spain despite the weather being less ideal than expected. We feel very relaxed.
Many new people have arrived at the Cortijo today, and soon the restaurant fills with the ‘newbies’ seeking an early dinner.
We still have our same dinner table even though we have changed rooms. We always ask the Ontario couple beside us how there day was as they always are gone on some adventure by the time we go to breakfast. Glenn is quite friendly but Kim seems more quiet and guarded. I ask if she is enjoying Spain. I think I know the answer. She says “No, not really” and that she won’t be back. I didn’t press her to share her dislikes but I did wonder although I wasn’t surprised. She does very much likes the Cortijo though. Then she mentions she would prefer to travel in the States! And plans to do a lot of travelling there in the near future! Say what? She confesses to me that they both absolutely love Trump! Was she joking I wondered at first? But no! Well that was unexpected and maybe a bit shocking! A good conversation ender though, lol.
My ‘dinner winners’ were once again a tie. A starter of creamy Baba Ganoush had me craving more. Then came the more than ample appetizer of curried lentils with small dollops of creamy parsnip purée. So delicious and very filling! For my main course I had seitan prepared with a yummy light honey mustard sauce. The seitan had a very meaty texture which no doubt is appealing to some vegetarians. Still it was nice to try something new.
Back to the music alcove where a fire was blazing and the flamenco music wafted through the still of the night. We have had a great time returning to the Cortijo, the 4th or 5th time we have stayed here … depending on how you count it (in 2013 we came here on two separate occasions.) The food has been interesting, creative and delicious. Offering opportunities to try new things that on our own we likely would not.
So gorgeous! So vibrant
Smoky delicious Baba Ganoush starter. Yummy lentils with parsnip cream dollops.
May 13, 2026 - Albolote (Cortijo del Marques) to Montoro (Molino La Nava)
"Olive Grove Lapalooza Espana"
It’s 7:30 am for the first wake-up call, sunny and 11 degrees. I crawl back into bed under the warmth of the covers and listen to the birds' choir. If I thought Cortijo del Marques had a lot of little chirping birds, Molino La Nava has that many more. It’s now 14 degrees at 9:00 am. Our room has many windows and doors, we open them all and let the sunshine stream in. Breakfast is late here, only starts at 9:00 am and goes to 11:00 am. I’m not expecting an expansive breakfast but we will see. I noticed a number of prepackaged breakfast items tucked away in the restaurant last night.
🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦
In no hurry to leave we lingered over breakfast before heading to our room for the final pack. Check out is not until noon so I still had time for another walk among the poppies and olive trees but this time on an easily accessible tractor path.
Our drive to Montero area took many twists and turns. Olive trees polka-dotted the landscape en masse. We wondered how many olive trees we saw … thousands? Millions? The rolling terrain was quite beautiful with only a few towns and a few hilltop castles and churches but lots and lots of olive trees.
We arrive at Molino La Nave at about 4:30 pm. Ana the host was there to meet us. Ana must be tattooed from head to toe … I don’t think I have ever seen so many. Ana was concerned for us re the slight sewage smell left behind after workers fixed a pipe problem in our room earlier. She offered to switch us for one night but we decided it wasn’t that bad to switch rooms.
The Molina is an ‘aging’ estate, the pool though is quite beautiful and our room is large, with a huge whirlpool bath and a fireplace. Not that we may need it here. Apparently in 2025 Montero was the hottest place in Spain with 40 days of temperatures over 40 degrees. We look forward to some springtime heat while here.
Dinner is in the old olive mill. Nothing fancy just good Spanish food to be expected, farmhouse style.
For dinner I was surprised with the option to order a Burrata salad. So of course I had to order it. It was so creamy, so delicious! We chatted with another couple from the Bavaria region in Germany. Such nice people we are meeting!
We called it a night as we closed the restaurant once again…this seems to be a trend this trip wherever we go.
May 14, 2026 - Montoro (Molino La Nava)
"And Clink Goes the Glasses of Cava Filled to the Brim with Gratitude!"
Molino La Nava is the perfect place for us sloths to be fully relaxed. Since breakfast doesn’t even start until 9:00 am, and goes to 11:00 am there is no point in being an early riser.
It’s pure sunshine today with a bit of wind ….13 degrees at 8:30 am and a high expected of 23 degrees!
The little sparrow birds are no sloths though and start their chirping at the crack of dawn. It’s not like Costa Rica though where there is a symphony of different sounds. I put the bird app on and it shows House Sparrows, Spanish Sparrows and Eurasian Collared Doves (looking much like ‘Nuisance’). But because no one feeds any of them they do not try to interact with humans it seems.
🪭🪭🪭🪭🪭
Down the stairs from our perch in the “Star Gazer Suite” for breakfast we go. While the pre-packaged breakfast was available in the corner an ample homemade breakfast was provided. A nice talkative couple from Arizona sat beside us. Of course I secretly wondered if they were ‘Little Orange Man’ supporters, but I said nothing to spoil the conversation. They had just completed their final portion of the Portuguese Camino and had completed 75 miles before flying to Madrid and arriving here heading to Seville. They often home swap for their vacations. So much to talk about and so little time.
I decided to go on a late morning walk. The olive trees seemed older here than at the Cortijo with their thicker gnarled trunks. Some fields were covered in long grass and wildflowers, while other fields were bare. The striking red sandy ground between the olive trees is similar to the colour of PEI’s soil.
I wondered onto the property of a nearby Cortijo, mistakingly thinking it was the Molino. Although massive iron gates blocked the entrance in one direction … from the other direction on the back side there was just a rough track with a rope across. I had no idea where I was, but was keen to return home as I was getting hot and tired by now. So I took the anticipated ‘shortcut’.
Thinking it was the Molino I kept following the rough path through the olive trees. Much to my surprise it was the fancy Cortijo I had seen earlier! The one with the massive black iron gate blocking the long curving driveway, punctuated with roses, that lead up to a beautiful gleaming white sprawling Cortijo. Wow did it look nice! I was surprised no one greeted me, lol. This princess liked what she saw! But as I turned to leave I could hear dogs barking in the background. Yup, time for this Princess to skidaddle!
Unfortunately I had to then retrace my steps to return home as I felt this might not turn out to be a circular route I had envisioned. But along the long way back I did get to see a few hopping bunnies.
Back at the Molino I rested. Early afternoon arrived and I began to feel hungry after my adventure. Norm suggested we go to this restaurant a few kilometres away but still out in the country.
The restaurant property had various animals nearby mostly behind a wire fence … a horse, a rabbit, a dog, roosters and a baby pet goat that was bottle fed. We ordered sangria and a few tapas to quell my hunger. It was a lovely rural stop!
Dinner won’t be until 8:00 pm or later so we enjoy the blazing sun from our balcony. When it came time for dinner, we scurried down to the olive mill. I order the local gazpacho like soup … so thick and creamy, full of tomato/red pepper flavour while Norm enjoyed a platter of lamb chops. For dessert we shared the dark chocolate helado with chocolate chunks. So delicious!
We chatted with Ana, our tattooed waitress, for a bit and learned she was born in Argentina but her family moved to the Canary Islands for opportunity which was where she grew up. Then five years or so ago she moved here. She explained she would have to say goodbye unfortunately as she was off for the next few days. But she asked if we would like to have a bottle of Cava as a gift. Of course we said yes to her kind offer!
And that’s how we ended the evening in the Star Gazer Suite with a bottle of Cava and two clinking glasses!
Cava.
Such a romantic room!
May 15, 2026 - Montoro (Molino La Nava)
"One More Sangria"
Once again the sun is shining strongly but it’s cool at the moment at 11 degrees. The air is ‘fresh’ as they say here in Spain.
Today is moving day with a long drive ahead north to our next stop, Hotel Rural Las Tejeulas in Badajoz province. We have stayed here before and look forward to returning for two nights this time.
🇪🇸 🇪🇸 🇪🇸🍷🍷🍷
Breakfast at the Molino is the same as the day before, except no eggs were offered. Always light on the coffee served - we always request more. It’s kind of a 6 out of 10 breakfast but it does include sponge cake and a nice tomato puree for the toast.
Once again shortly after breakfast I go for a walk only this time in the opposite direction. Turns out my route yesterday was indeed circular. I pass the fancy Cortijo from yesterday … still no invitation for a neighbourly Cava, lol. I hear a new bird song and check the app. It’s a very exotic looking bird I have seen before but couldn’t photo. It is a real beauty especially as it flies away. It has a crest on its head that opens like a fan. A really striking bird! Common Hoopoe is its name.
Back home I test the pool water again. It’s cold and there is a wind blowing now that makes the air feel cool. So I say no to a swim despite the beautiful pool.
Time to work on the blog, and once again listen to the birds sing and watch them dip and dive into the fuchsia coloured bougainvillea. One sparrow pursued by another took a quick U turn into our room. We let the little one stay inside for a while to rest and then Norm gently scooped him up and placed him outside on the bush. The only one who tried out of the multitude who could have.
We decided to go on a little adventure into Montoro the closest town. Our destination was John’s Corner Cerveceria for a nachos tapas and a sangria as it was easily accessible. We sat outside sheltered somewhat from the wind. The nachos were the perfect size, not too much and came with a little guacamole and thick tomato sauce. Although this place primarily served Mexican food no margaritas were on the menu! So Sangria it was. Not the best but not the worst either. We were so glad we weren’t staying in this steep hilltop town! Definitely not on most tourists radar it would seem.
A quick drive back to our place to just relax before dinner. I had dinner all planned out, it was going to be spinach and chickpeas but I got lured into ordering vegetarian paella as it seemed an opportunity too good to pass up. Unfortunately it was on the dry side with not as many veggies as I had anticipated. Norm once again had lamb chops and devoured them as we knew he would. So happy with his choice. For dessert we settled on sharing one scoop of lemon ice-cream and one scoop of the dark chocolate with chunks ice-cream. Both very good.
We have really enjoyed our relaxing stay here at Molino la Nava. Three nights was just perfect especially in our Star Gazer Suite.
We arrive at breakfast, and learn how to make our own coffee with hot frothing milk. And we didn’t break the machine!
A nice young Spanish couple from Madrid help us with our Spanish. We ended up having a great chat and perhaps we will put Salamanca on our list for another year’s travel. Maybe even Madrid! Just maybe.
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After a late breakfast on Saturday we say goodbye to Molino La Nava and begin our journey north. Next stop … Rural Hotel Las Tejeulas. Better practice up on our Spanish as we remember from 2 years ago very little English is spoken there. It’s going to be a long day.
The drive was never boring. Although we never saw one it was clear from the sign we were in the land of the Iberian Lynx. However we did see a lot of farm animals on our drive. Horses, donkeys, cows, sheep, and even pigs! In a few places there were even nesting storks!
Hours later we arrive at the beautiful country estate of Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas. It’s known to be a hunting lodge which is apparent from all the ‘dead heads’ looking at me right now. A good chance to practise Spanish here as only a few English words are spoken.
It’s not too long before we head to our 8:00 pm dinner. I have creamy cheese croquettes and a large goat cheese and strawberry salad with lettuce and even avocado. There is no dressing on the salad so I use olive oil and red wine vinegar but it just didn’t work. It needs sweeter dressing I would say. There are a few other diners here including a family celebrating a birthday.
While the temperature reached a high of 27 degrees at one point, it really cools off in the evening quite dramatically! Pile on the blankets tonight! Buenas noches!
Although the room is chilly this has to be one of the most beautiful rooms with its wooden circular vaulted roof. The bed is quite probably the best too. Norm is certainly making use of the bathtub easing his sore knees.
Today will be a moving day. We are not going far away, only about an hour’s drive to Trujillo where we will stay at a rural farm accommodation. Finca El Alcazar.
At 10:30 am it is 14 degrees and sunny here. My bird app tells me we are in the company of a little bird with a curious name … a Long Tailed Tit! Actually there is two, lol.
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Sunday was a great day with two separate video chats from little Clara. So much fun!
While it was cool weather wise in the morning it warmed up nicely into the low 20s by mid afternoon. The extended weather for mid-week shows a temperature extreme climbing into the mid 30s here. Already we can see wildflowers fading and the roses wilting here. Soon the landscape will be brown.
I have enjoyed my short walks here around the property, although there must be other wilder areas where hunting is permitted. Hotel Las Tejuelas after all is primarily a hunting lodge for deer and wild boar. On the property I found pheasants, dogs, horses and pigs all in the confines of their own containment fencing.
We sat outside in the comfort of the outdoor chairs by reception. There we would have internet. Although there is a large swimming pool it is not in operation. I guess since it is after all more of a hunting lodge and likely used more in a different season, there are limited outdoor seating areas. However there is lots of luxurious seating areas inside. But the old charming exterior of this Andalusian farm on its own is very attractive with its deep pink buildings, cobblestoned floors, with lots of places to hitch one’s horse.
Dinner was just the two of us.once again. We have to preorder our food and therefore there are no surprises. I had the Salmorejo cold soup, delicious once again. The difference between gazpacho, is the amount of bread used. This gives it a more pink orange appearance and thicker texture than gazpacho. Gazpacho is thinner and more red in colour and often has the addition of cucumber and red pepper. For my meal there was a plate of rice and plentiful chunks of tofu with a bit of red pepper mixed in. Norm had a beef steak and was pleased. No room for dessert.
We return to our large round hut for the night just in time to catch the sunset. All was so very quiet … even the birds are now silent, not even a chirp.
Sunshine streams in the window of our bedroom here at Finca El Azahar. The room is so bright in the morning! Note to self to open the small window at night but close the larger window. Upon checking the temperature at 8:00 am I learn it is only 9 degrees. Without the fresh cold air from an open window I wake up groggy. Norm kindly serves me an Nespresso. Yay I now feel alive!
We have a large suite with 2 separate areas and a large bathroom but no tub. The walls are super thick but we can still hear the chickens clucking and two turkeys ‘gobbling’.
🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔
We leave Las Tejuelas heading towards our next place, Finca El Azahar, only an hour’s drive away. Check in starts here at 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Then stops and resumes in late afternoon. Interesting concept.
We arrive at the finca just before 2. Laura steps out to greet us. We are shown to our room which has beautiful arches and very low ‘head banger’ door frames. Being short, I pass through easily. Unfortunately the swimming pool is under major repair and will be unusable during our stay. Our room is close to the pool so we expect our stay to have some construction noise. Interestingly, Laura says it is unusual for hotel pools to be opened much before mid-June.
We are not in a village, our finca is set amongst olive trees and apparently produces many seasonal products for the guests. On the property there are olives, oranges, plums, almond, fig and pistachio trees.
We have arranged for dinner here and at 8:00 pm we sit outside and wonder what dinner will be. We are alone. It sure is nice not having to go out for dinner. 30 euros covers 3 courses, water and wine is extra. Surprisingly it is not too cold sitting outside underneath the grapevine canopy and sitting up against the stone of the building. We start with a warm zucchini soup garnished with pumpkin seeds. Delicious. Followed by a large serving of hake, clams and mussels in a carrot coloured broth for Norm which he quite enjoyed. For me there was a large plate of stewed veggies, similar to a ratatouille. Also delicious! Dessert was a decadent chocolate brownie with a dark chocolate sauce that got devoured before a photo was even thought of.
Barely a stone’s throw away, we head back to our nearby room totally full, and totally content! Life is good in Spain!
Waking up to the sound of the cuckoo bird and a few roosters, I climb out of bed before 8:00 am. It is already a comfortable 14 degrees and sunny. Grateful though for the hot cup of coffee Norm has made me. I sit outside in my cozy housecoat as the the sunshine warms up my tootsies. I can hear the turkeys gobbling, looking for their breakfast. Pretty soon thar will be me, lol!
There is a nest in the alcove where I am sitting. Swallows are frantically flying past me … I really don’t think that nest is in use but I leave anyways and find another spot. Got to keep the mamas happy!
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Breakfast was inside, as it was too cool to eat outside. It was a very nice breakfast. Eggs were extra but who can resist organic eggs, fresh off the farm for 2 euros.
I went for several short walks throughout the day looking for bees to photo for Jett, his latest interest besides trucks. The poppies down the road are looking vibrant but the wind is up and few bees are around.
While sitting outside I spot a large bird flying high up in the sky! At first I think it’s a hawk, but as it circled back at a lower elevation I could see clearly it was a stork!
Eventually we go for a short drive taking a fairly easy circular route that took us up in the hillsides, through a town that required Norm’s navigational skills as the GPS stopped working and past some storks communally nesting.
We decided on an earlier dinner time and it was perfect … the setting in the olive grove with lots of visiting birds. Dinner started with a delicious hearty hot soup Sopa Castellano, tomato, ajo / garlic, bread and a whole egg. Norm’s version had sausage instead of egg. The main course was charred zucchini and veggies in a small pottery casserole. Seemed overdone. A jar of lemon mousse was for dessert. Nice lemon flavour at the bottom of the glass container it was served in. But too rich and too heavy for my taste, ie the light airy texture of mousse was missing.
It was however thoroughly enjoyable sitting out in the orchard watching the birds fly amongst the fig and olive trees.
It’s currently 17 degrees and after nine o’clock ... temperatures should once again rise into the 30s by mid afternoon. I’ve been up for awhile … my adored Barista made me a coffee which I sat outside to drink, all warm and cosy in my housecoat. I can hear the ‘farm dragons’ competing with the ‘pool dragons’ and winning. The good news about the work being done is the nearby storks will have another place to gather food from the cut meadows. After breakfast I’m going to see if I can find their nest. I wonder if storks ever nest in trees?
And the answer to my question appeared on my morning’s walk … me determined to find the nesting storks. I walk through a field of tall grass yet to be cut. And there I can barely see the stork’s nest camouflaged by leaves. The answer to my question … yes indeed storks do build their nests in strong, large, live trees, at least sometimes.
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Once again we eat breakfast alone as we are on the late side. Angela is again there today, and patiently speaks to us only in Spanish. Breakfast is filling and good. I love the yogurt here, thick and not sweet. The orange marmalade is so delicious and obviously home made with its extra thick peels.
After breakfast I go for a short walk looking for sheep and storks. I find none. But I do hear and see lots of birds. The blue backed Iberian Magpies are pretty to watch flying amongst the olive trees.
We spend most of the day around the finca just relaxing before heading out on a short excursion to Trujillo about 15 minutes away or 10 as the Spanish drive. We easily find a place to park in the Plaza Mayor, the large main square. A statue of a Spanish conquistador stands triumphantly there. Trujillo known as the ‘hometown of conquistadors’ and is linked with a handful of men who, five centuries ago, left their homes to conquer lands in the newly discovered Americas.
The small city is also known as ‘the city of storks and conquistadors’ . There are 165 white stork nests in the municipality of Trujillo, with 44 of those located directly in the historic town center. We only saw a few but we didn’t venture far.
It was near 4:00 pm and tapas kitchens were closed. No sangria could be found at our bar so we settled for a vino tinto de Verano, the next best thing. Surprisingly it came in a bottle. It was cold and delicious with a twist of lemon and not too sweet. It hit the spot on a hot day! And surprisingly it wasn’t expensive at 3.50 euros each.
We returned home and by the time 8;00 pm rolled around we were pretty hungry. We started with a light, traditional, cold, white soup with garlic and almonds. Followed by chicken meatballs for Norm and a vegetable ‘pisto’ for me. Dessert was a piece of moist orange cake with a dollop of whipped cream. We chatted with well travelled Ingrid and Egbertjan … from Holland until long into the evening. While I hit the sack, Norm sits under the star covered sky and gazes upwards. A beautiful night!
I wake up early and hop out of bed to see the sunrise pop from behind the hill at about 7:15 am. It is already 18 degrees! I don my fluffy white housecoat once again to sit in the alcove with a cup of Nespresso Norm has just made me. A great way to start off the morning. Eventually we head to breakfast. Each breakfast varies slightly to keep it interesting.
Today is moving day and we will be headed north east to Finca el Cabezo near the village of San Martin de Trevejo. This area is very close to Portugal where we stayed at Finca de la Ramolossa in the ‘hobbit cottages’.
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Yesterday sometime in the afternoon we chose to go for a drive, taking a circular route with no firm agenda. Getting as high as 40 degrees at one point, it was a pretty hot drive. Would have been nice to jump in the pool upon returning home!
Dinner would turn out to be just us again. We started with a terrific soup of potatoes, mushrooms and white beans! So delicious, so filling. Followed by a vegetarian lasagna for me and for Norm pork knuckle. Laura enthusiastically told Norm he would enjoy it … and did! Cheesecake was for dessert but I could only eat a few bites, I was just too full.
Laura talked with us after dinner seemingly in no hurry to get home. We learned that the finca would be full on the weekend with Spanish guests from Madrid. No 8:00 pm dinner for them … likely 9:00 pm or later.
We returned home to an adorable video from Clara chatting on and on about Poppy and ‘Mud’. What??? Paul didn’t know either. But Clara confirmed she was talking about mud! Am I now Mud, lol? She asked her dad to call us but by this time we both were in bed with one eye open and the other eye closed. We plan to video chat on Saturday.
The wind is howling. Windows are blowing shut. It’s probably time to crawl out of the comfy bed with lots of blankets. We slept well in the cool of the evening air despite the high daytime temperatures. It’s cloudy today, the air feels different. Could it rain? Yes. There is no internet at the moment.
Breakfast at Finca El Cabezo was wonderful! Toast with a Salmorejo-like spread sprinkled with oregano from the garden. A yogurt fresh fruit parfait, scrambled eggs and the most delicious chocolate cookie picked from a platter of sweets. Pitchers of coffee and milk to be poured into large latte cups. And fresh orange juice of course.
Finca El Cabezo is family run and the food and atmosphere reflects just that in such a positive way. What travel discoveries will enfold today?
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All along the drive today stork nests punctuated the landscape. We even found a ‘stork condo’ with many nests on one platform. The best yet.
The drive to Finca El Cabezo took a few hours through the countryside sometimes rolling, sometimes flat. We stopped at the National Park famous for circling vultures.
The sun was relentless and the heat was oven-like. We easily found El Cabezo and were first greeted by one of the guests. A lady from PEI! Actually there are 5 ladies from PEI here.
Eva the family’s daughter greeted us. Her English is very good but unfortunately the internet is not!
Finca El Cabezo is very beautiful, wood and granite stoned buildings cluster around an old stone courtyard. It must take a lot of work to keep all the plants looking healthy and green. For dinner Eva makes us a reservation at Saboris de Siempre. No one speaks English here but we all manage. For me I start with a cold smooth Salmorejo soup garnished with egg and finish with a ensalada de naranja. Norm’s meal should have been shareable it was so large. He was very pleased as was I.
We walk back to the car, pretty much stretching Norm’s walking limit. In about 10 minutes drive we were back to the Finca. Of course by this time it is dark. It wouldn’t surprise me to be dreaming about storks … such a stork filled day!
Even a stork condo!
Then the drive took us past countless pastures filled with goats, cows, sheep and horses.
I love the way the early morning sun streams through the big windows in the sitting room. The yellow sitting room looks then pure golden. Our suite itself is only about 30 years old but seems much older in a good way. We sleep very well here with a breeze from the mountains cooling the air. We have no internet … but I would say the temperature is in the low 20s as we go to breakfast.
At breakfast we talk with a Spanish couple from Madrid. He being an architect must find these historic houses with renovations very interesting. Breakfast is delicious as usual. Norm is especially pleased with the jamon toasts and fresh orange juice.
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Yesterday, ‘Little Bug’ kitty spent most of her day with us, curled up outside on a chair. So very polite never even looking for even a scrap of food.
Later in the afternoon we head out for a drive. But then at our first stop, Norm got the idea of having a picnic back in our room. We found a little store open with traditional foods. The store had everything we wanted luckily, a one stop shop, as we saw no others. Although our intent was to return home with the ‘groceries’ immediately, that is not how it turned out. But the drive was pretty on curvy roads with pine and oak forests and scenic views. Even a castle!
Both Paul and Erin separately tried to call us probably a dozen of times. Each time we talked only for seconds before the Internet cut out.
Sweet Little Bug is waiting for us to return. We have the perfect little picnic place, a small table with wicker chairs. We spread out our red checkered tablecloth. Wine, cider, goat cheese, rustic country bread, and jamon soon filled up the little table. For dessert we share a cinnamon cigar shaped pastry oozing with Spanish cream. It was so pleasant just hanging about the finca.
I stayed up late having had a long siesta earlier. I think I spend too much time in the early morning semi conscious listening to melodious bird songs. After all you have to be up early to hear the cuckoo bird first thing in the morning … or so I thought. But if you listen carefully the cuckoo bird will entertain you with their call many times during the daytime too.
The nightingales sang all night long before the cuckoo birds began their morning calls.
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! I sit outside to enjoy the stone courtyard. Soon one of the kitties comes over to join me. It’s Monday morning, moving day. The PEI ladies are scurrying around, preparing to leave as this is their last day here too.
Suddenly, as if a dark cloud lifted. there is internet. The repair person has arrived and it’s so early! Here would be our favourite breakfast of the trip. Always toast with tomato spread, a heaping mound of scrambled eggs, yogurt parfaits with fruit, coffee, fresh orange juice and an array of sweets from a nearby Portuguese bakery. The cookies filled with a bit of chocolate are especially good.
The family at Cabezo all came over to say goodbye before heading off to the barn to look after the cows; and for Eva a visit to her 93 year old grandmother. We were fortunate that Eva (one of the daughters) spoke very good English … but the whole family was very welcoming. Maria the mom only spoke Spanish but slowly enough that we could more or less understand enough.
By noon it was time for us to go although the family said we could stay as long as we wanted. Such a lovely stay here at the granite stoned ‘hobbit’ farm of Finca El Cabezo!
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We decide to get out earlier today and enjoy a late Sunday lunch like many a Spanish family does. We do have a few suggestions of possibilities, but we are not bound to any particular destination. The country roads are empty and we make good time going ‘nowhere but somewhere’. We pass several possibilities for swimming in natural pools … but this was never part of the plan. About 2:00 pm we arrive outside of a small town Torre de Don Miguel … but rather than head for the town centre we thought we would try a lunch possibility in the countryside.
We never did find the original one we planned to go to but we stumbled on another … Chiringuito Los Molinos. It was perfect … tables under the shade of olive trees, with views to the countryside. One long table for a large family Sunday lunch was already filled with food and wine as were smaller tables for smaller families. We chose a table directly under the shade of a wide branching olive tree. Our sangria was really more of a ‘vino tinto’ but we didn’t care. I ordered a burrata salad which was fantastic; and for Norm lightly breaded lamb chops.
We head home on the winding roads, our stomachs full …no need for dinner. Once again ‘Little Bug’ Kitty is waiting for us back at the finca.
I decide to enjoy the hammock in the mirador while I could with no one else around. The breeze blowing through is simply delightful. I don’t know high the temperature reached today but Norm saw 38 in the car. Regardless it was a scorcher!
The plan for this evening will be finishing up leftover wine with maybe ‘tapas’. Also a piece of cheesecake from yesterday’s picnic.
Finally the sun is setting behind our finca, the birds are sweetly singing before sleepy time sets in … and soon I will be headed there too … soon, as Clara says.
And as the sparrows settle, the melodious nightingales begin.
What a beautiful view to wake up to, now at Nabia Hotel. Although it’s warm enough outside I sit inside on the plush white chair to watch the birds and the bees go about their morning routine. The mountain in front of us is green with spring, and still low enough to support a few olive trees and oaks. Higher up, the mountains are barren of trees but frosted with a bit of snow. Temperature in the sun is about 22 degrees but at the moment our terrace is in the shade so would feel considerably cooler.
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Last morning, last breakfast here at Finca Cabezo. Such a wonderful stop with a warm, welcoming hardworking family. I will miss those morning cookies from the Portuguese bakery.
The cuckoo bird bids us farewell as we reluctently leave Finca El Cabezo, headed a few hours north to our final stop of the trip.
We have enjoyed this area in Spain near the Portuguese border with its gently rolling hills filled with cork, olive and oak trees. And so many birds!
Yet very few storks on today’s journey. But we pass by many a pastoral scene with cows and their calves or grazing sheep. Finally we see the sign Hotel Nabia and climb the mountain for several kilometres on a narrow curvy road. We arrive in the burning hot sunshine, me feeling a little off from the excessive heat in the car … to a luxuriously landscaped paradise with an open pool. Large magnolia flowers, red bottlebrush flowers, and colourful roses surround the property. Buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies glide by. Large oak trees provide some shade.
The owner proudly shows us the Birds’ Eye view of the lake which is a major reason why he built up here apparently. But as I gaze to the mountain backdrop with patches of snow still and the surrounding lower slopes of forest and green pasture land I think this view is instead absolutely stunning! Even better that we have this spectacular view of the mountainscape from our room!
Dinner starts at 9:00 pm here. We watch the sunset before heading over to dinner. My dinner highlight was the fagottini pasta ‘purses’ stuffed with Taleggio cheese and pear swimming in creamy truffle and porcini sauce. Very delicious!
Entertainment was provided by the large lazy hotel dog and a neighbor dog who didn’t understand he wasn’t invited. A little chaos ensued as the waitress tried to escort the two dogs away from the tables. And with the ‘entertainment’ over we called it a night, and a starry one at that.
The morning bird songs are far more subdued way up here in the hills. Their morning songs softer. During the night I woke up to the sound of a nightingale singing such a beautiful song. What a treat!
It feels warmer today as I sip my morning coffee still in my waffle weave housecoat with my ‘flamenco’ red polka dotted coffee cup. I can hear the buzz of saws far off in the distance. I can’t seem to get away from them this trip. But understandable … got to get the work done before the intense heat of the day hits.
At breakfast we talk to the Spanish guests from Barcelona looking for recommendations of what to do today. ‘Sloths on vacation’ probably don’t give the best advice! Then we chat with an English couple about their house near Granada in Andalusia. Their house in Suffolk, England is over 600 years old in the 'old' part and 300 years in the ‘new’ part with their place in Andalusia a similar age. Seems like a lot of maintenance.
I enjoy the sweet morning Spanish cracker, ‘Tortas de Aceite’ on the advice of another Spanish guest. I go back for extras for an afternoon snack but poof! They are gone.
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A wonderful relaxing Tuesday unfolds. I try to photograph flowers and bees. Bees for Clara and Jett. There are gorgeous big blue-winged ones here but have yet to get a photo.
I had to play bird rescuer for the two beautiful little ones who crashed into our large terrace windows. I put them in a shaded spot and said a prayer for their recovery. I’m hopeful! The owner did not like my suggestion of bird stickers as a means of prevention … oh well I tried.
We took a short little drive down the hill thinking we might have a little lunch rather than dinner. But it was after 4:00 pm and no one was around even though the restaurant was open. We wandered around the church property a bit, nothing was open.
We returned to Hotel Nabia for a swim in the gorgeous infinity pool. Really nice and a comfortable temperature once you got in. I was surprised that so many people came to the pool late like 7:00 pm. But it still was very warm … mid thirties.
Once we got back in the room it was time to crack open the Cava! So cold, so fizzy, so delicious! So Spanish!
Dinner was again at 9:00 pm. No dogs in sight after yesterday’s chaos. Inigo, both the co-owner and chef, had prepared a tofu rice stir-fry for me. Norm would have venison with apple and blueberry sauce which he thoroughly enjoyed.
With no room left for dessert, we finished on a glass of Muga. Salud! - Por una noche maravillosa! Cheers to a wonderful evening! 🍷🍷
