Oska, dachshund resident at Cortijo Opazo, tells you about some of the latest events and general 'goings on' at Cortijo Opazo

I am breathless, I can’t keep up with it all.  Everywhere I look things are changing.  The blossom is coming out on the trees, the crocus and daffodils are flowering in the garden, the buds are starting to break and the birds are looking to nest. The inexorable force of nature is in full swing and so are my human companions. Along with the sound of birdsong can also be heard the gentle whirr of cement mixer and the swish swosh shovelling of sand.  Changes are indeed afoot.  At the end of the garden a staircase has taken shape and in an area by the new garden building an unusual addition is being installed.  Ella and I ponder over its function and have decided that it will be a new and heated dog kennel from which the two of us can sit and watch the ever developing scene in front of us.  New entrance ways, new car parks and even plans for a plant nursery.  We hear plenty of talk concerning the re-opening of our garden at the end of March and making preparations so that everything is in order.

Next week, I am told, we are to return to the coast, to our beloved La Herradura and spend some time at Opazo Beach View apartment, supervising the instalment of a new air conditioning system that will provide cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter, what luxury!  Guests staying during the more extreme weather months will surely welcome this first class addition to the property.  Mind you, hardly anyone spends any time in doors when staying at Opazo Beach View, they are only too happy to remain glued to the fabulous top floor terrace and be mesmerised by the all encompassing views.

Then comes the time of the year that Ella and I look forward to, it is the time when the gorgeous canvas and chestnut wood yurt is taken out of storage and once more erected on its private terrace with its commanding views over the whole valley.  This means that once it is in position we will be the lucky ones who will spend the first weekend of the new season testing it out to make sure all is in order, that the solar lights are still functioning, that the private bathroom with its own solar panel can still deliver enough piping hot water to the yurt bathroom, that the kitchen can still provide meals fit for a dachshund, and that the super log burning stove can still belt out its heat to keep the inside of the yurt cosy and warm on the more chilly evenings.  So, soon the Green Mountain Yurt will once more be open and welcoming some discerning glamping guests.  If you are interested in being one of them then get in touch before Ella and I take up permanent residence.

With all this frenetic activity I feel it is time I made myself more productive, make more of a contribution to the household coffers.  So Ella and I are thinking of developing a dog rental scheme.  We can charge by the hour and offer to warm your lap, lick your hands clean after you have been handling meat or general foodstuff, alert you whenever a walker or cyclist passes the house, greet you whenever you open your door, and offer guided tours of the garden with useful and anecdotal facts about the plants and other installations.  We are sure guests would pay handsomely for such services, so we must set to and prepare our tariffs.

Yours, with value added charm,

Oska

Thanks to the hard work of Oska and Ella, we are pleased to have been awarded a confirmation of excellence by the booking agency Booking.com.