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Road down to the Old Stables
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Rubish to be cleared
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Stables with Horse
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Stables without Horse
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Inside the Old Stables
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First storm
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First storm at Stables
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Original Swiming Pool
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Our Awesome Adventure at Finca Arboleda: Living the Dream in Spain
Back in 2003, we decided to shake things up and move to Spain for a fresh start. After just three visits, we found our dream home: the lovely Finca Arboleda. We bought the place in December and moved in on January 7th.
Click on the pictures for a larger image.
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Old pool knocked down
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Entrance
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Tidy entrance
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Orange Grove at purchase
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Orange Grove at purchase2
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Early Orange Grove
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Early Orange Grove2
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New Orange Grove bedroom
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When we first got there, the place was pretty messy, and what we now call "the Old Stables" used to be, well, old stables. In March 2004, we experienced our first storm, which made us realise we would need to make some much-needed improvements to the road and accessibility.
We started by cleaning up the gardens, getting rid of the old pool, and spreading gravel around the beautiful citrus trees. We also began working on the "Orange Grove Apartment" by building a wall in our garage and creating a doorway by the fireplace in the sitting room we had a new bedroom. We didn't take many pictures back then, but the memories are still fresh in our minds.
Our first guests stayed with us in February 2004, and even though we were still building, we became fast friends.
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Stables at purchase
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Demolition
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Demolition2
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Rubble
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Setting out
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Footings going in
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Looks very small
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Getting excited
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After facing some bumps in the road with the Orange Grove Apartment, our neighbours introduced us to a local builder who not only helped us finish up, but also went on to build the charming "Old Stables Villa."
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Early build
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I've been framed
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Nearly done
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New electic for Stables
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New electric for Stables2
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Roof time
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Roof time2
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Roof time3
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The construction took just ten weeks during the summer of 2004.
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Before painting
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Before painting2
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Painting
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All painted
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Naked outside
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New doors
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Kitchen nearly installed
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Inside the villa
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We welcomed our first guests to the Old Sables in December 2004
FINCA ARBOLEDA
Semesterboende i
Vera nära Mojacar,
Costa Almeria, Spanien