When driving along the spanish mediterrean coastline from Barcelona down to Valencia, having past the Ebro delta near Tortosa, one enters the Communitad Valenciana near Vinaros, a small coastal town.
The neighbouring coastal towns Benicarlo -where the Atibox WM IPO took place back in ... - and especially Peniscola are more renowed.
12 km inland from Benicarlo, where the first hills of Les Talaies d'Alcalà and the Sierra de Valivana meet, two small towns -Calig and Cervera del Maistre - are overlooking the Mediterrean sea, from the Montsia to the "Papa Luna" castel.

The valley, Finca Sapho is situated in, runs along the border of both towns. "Our" side of the valley belongs to Cervera del Maistre (less than 1000 habitants), allthough we are only 800 meters away from Calig's Ermita.

It is a quiet and secluded place with on one side a 10 minute drive to the beaches of Vinaros, Benicarlo and Peniscola and on the other a 20 minute drive the Embalsement d'Uldecona and another 20 to Morella and the impressive Sierra El Maestrat (1100 to 1345m).

 

Where we lucky? No.
Are we happy? Yes.

We were forced into this situation, fought the batlle for more than 8 years now (see "About" button), lost a lot of money, got harrassed by all kind of agencies.

But we looked for opportunities
and we made it happen.
Little by little.

Still a lot to be done.
As anyone who goes to live in another country knows very well.

But the Spanish people are beginning to find their way to Finca Sapho

The work with and around the Boxers remains the same.

Maybe we work even more here, and the rules are as strict as anywhere else.

The point is that the spanish people are far more relaxed about it and on the other hand far more passionate about the things that really matter.

The kennels are situated on the lower terraces of the hillside - each of them in the shadow of an algoroba.

And from the terrace around the house we can see them all.

The whelping room however is in our house. Close to us.

Living here has its inconvienencies, certainly. Water, electricity, gas, phone, internet for example are no evidence. Burocracy is another well known killer. Unless of course you know someone in the right spot.
But Spain has really everything to offer - most of all if you make an effort to integrate in the community.

Of course, there is the climate but there is so much more.
This once was an empire where people and cultures of the arabian countries, the south and mid americas, the roman catholics, the western european enlightment and even the anarchistic ideology came together - sometimes violently. And all that is still here. In the streets, in the architecture, in the language(s), in art, especially in literature and of course in the people itself.
The mix - which really isn't one, for you keep encountering different "Spains" - is fascinating.
Not only in the big cities as Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia - but in nearly every village.

A summer holiday cannot make you experience this. You really have to live here for some time to experience the beauty and the richness of this country - and yes the inconveniences are also in the basket, so what?

Do we enjoy living here ? Well, maybe not every minute of it - but in general: oh yes!

And so do our Boxers.