Last year (2006), when we first arrived out here, already knowing how exquisitely beautiful this area was I started the hunt for my very own piece of Spanish Paradise. I already knew that property was well within my reach as I had done some researches during our 2005 visits and was thrilled that we could own our own home with enough space for all we needed for an affordable price. I could hardly wait as people told me of their various places that were on offer.
And boy, did I see some country piles. Literally. Shockingly wrecked piles of broken stones, non-existent roofs and views into the house opposite, and all at the most imaginative and totally unjustifiable prices. My heart utterly sank. I had put so much effort into the process of moving, fought for a long and precious year through the courts to get leave to bring my son here for the education of a lifetime, and that year of delay had allowed house prices to double, and in some parts of Rubielos, triple.
It looked as though my hope, and a HUGE part of the Dream I wanted to live, could simply never happen.
And then one day, a friend of a friend came to see a “possible” purchase with me to give his view. He made all the right mutterings to the greedy beyond belief owners, and then as we left, said to me “it is far too much money and will cost you twice what they are asking to renovate it.” So I simply said “then please, Javier, find me something cheaper, because I have looked and looked and looked and I CAN’T find it!”.
I truly never expected to hear another word, but bless his heart, he came back to me about a week later and said “I want to show you a house – it needs work”.
And we went off to Fuentes de Rubielos – the most beautiful, tiny little village where the school had 9 children, the bar above cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast, and the houses create a crescent moon at the head of a several hundred mile valley that stretches out into the distance. We parked behind several buildings as Javier said that it was easier to walk the last bit – it was a steep descent down a road wide enough for a car, where at the bottom the road ended, and the view stretched out ahead for miles and miles and miles. I simply stood, holding the railings, breathing in this amazing sight.
Javier coughed behind me and said “this is the house” – pointing to the house immediately behind me – the house that no-one could EVER build in front of, that would ALWAYS be blessed with this view of unspoilt paradise. To this day I can remember that first moment, those first impressions, and my first feeling of “oh my Goodness I am going to DIE” as we looked around it! Now you will understand the photo I have put at the top of the page!! That´s it!
The ceilings were propped up with wooden posts as the beams were cracked and splitting. It was pitch dark, the wiring was twisted fibre threads and the floor covered in about three inches of dust. But Javier took me in and we went up and up, visiting each of the three floors in turn, each one about 35 square meters so not big, but each with the largest side facing that view. We even had to kick a door down to see into one of the rooms where I later retrieved the most exquisite pale lime green antique pottery bread making bowl!
To say this house is a project is the understatement of the century, but it was a total bargain. I had been looking at wrecks with a price tag of 75,000€ upwards, and Javier told me that the Nuns who owned this dear little house wanted 15,000€ for a quick sale. So I am the proud owner of a piece of paradise at the end of Calle Los Hornos (Baker Street!!) – and will find a better name for her once I have managed to fund her renovation – and no suggestions such as Sherlock’s Finding thank you!
I LONG to renovate her in order to be able to rent her out when I am not there – but I also long to preserve a part of her “just for me” – so I have, for a year, been thinking and mulling over the possible way of creating something that can be a good rent producer for holiday lets, while also maintaining my own magical space…… and finally I got there the other day and can now see exactly how I want her to be – a ground floor with two double bedrooms with a wetroom type bathroom, an open plan first floor for cooking, eating, living and loving the view with a balcony, and then a lockable door to my Crow’s Nest retreat on the top floor where I will have my white muslin and wrought iron bed with fairy lights, a loo and basin, the world’s tiniest art studio and the final quarter – a tiny, perfectly formed roof terrace!
Watch this space (I always say that I know) – but as time goes by I will, I am sure, get the permissions I need, the plans drawn up, and the project begun ………………………
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