Tweeters and BirdWest this sounds like a great low budget birding
side-trip or destination opportunity for anyone planning to go to Europe:
If interested please communicate directly with Graham.

---- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: Graham Kennish <graham at grahamk.demon.co.uk>
To: two.wing-nuts at juno.com
Subject: Mallorca cottage
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 17:38:23 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <878942154.209438.0 at grahamk.demon.co.uk>

Dear Hans Krauss,
Thanks for your e-mail. I enclose a description
of
the cottage and also another slightly further away called Oliveret, in
case
it is of interest. It has mains electricity and is much larger,
accommodating 6-9, but it is =A3150 (US$240) per week minimum for two
persons, then =A350 per person off season.(US$80) It has to be higher
in-season but I would be open to negotiate on a quick booking if it is
free. (un-booked)
Yours, Graham

Tuesday, November 4, 1997

Casita Albufera

Casita Albufera is a small cottage (finca) on the perimeter of
S'Albufera, a large wetland nature reserve on the Spanish island of
Mallorca. The finca is on a cul-de-sac which ends at an entrance to the
reserve 200 metres away.
There are two small bedrooms (2 single/1 double bed), though the
living room could accommodate 2 more in camping style. There is a shower
(gas hot water) and toilet with wash basin. The kitchen has gas burners.
Heating is by moveable gas fires and an open log fire (soon to be a
woodburning stove).
There is no mains electricity, but there is a generator which can
provide immediate 240v power for lights and pumps (there is a well for
water). It is noisy, so one would probably choose to use candles, torches
or gas lanterns, only turning the generator on for a few minutes as
needed
(e.g. to re-fill the water tank for a shower).
In season there are fruit trees, grapes and produce from the
local
gardener who works the land behind the house.
Casita Albufera is 5 minutes drive from Sa Pobla, a village just
off the main Alcudia-Palma road - altogether 45 minutes from the airport.
Detailed directions and information will be supplied. Sa Pobla is a large
market village and every general need is available there, including gas
bottle re-fills. 2 miles along tracks across the S'Albufera (there are
two
mountain bikes at the casita and more could be obtained if requested) is
the main entrance to the Reserve and the least touristed end of the main
Alcudia beach, where pine forests come down to the sea.
The cost of renting Casita Albufera is from =A350 (US$80) per
person
per week, depending on the time of year. Detailed directions and
information will be supplied on booking. It is possible to 'pencil in' a
booking without commitment or payment. This will reserve your chosen
dates
until another party requests the same dates, when you will be contacted
to
see if you are ready to make the booking a firm one.

Contact: Graham Kennish
Birch Cottage, Haresfield Lane, Brookthorpe, Gloucester GL4 OUP
(U=
K)
Tel: 01452 812537 (telephone first for fax)
e-mail: graham at grahamk.demon.co.uk

OLIVERET
GENERAL INFORMATION
Oliveret (Olive Grove) is a small well-furnished
finca (cottage) off a small lane just outside the village of Campanet, in
the north-west of the Mediterranean (Spanish) island of Mallorca.
Campanet lies at the foot of the large mountain range which forms the
spine
of the island, 40 minutes by car from Palma (and the airport) and within
25
minutes of major beaches and tourist centres. Elsewhere, Mallorca is a
jewel of an island, with small sandy coves, rural villages, mountains and
plains. There are spectacular underground caves, one of which is just
outside the village of Campanet. S'Albufera, a large wetland nature
reserve
and a resting place for thousands of migratory birds, is ten minutes
away.
In early spring, the blossom falls like snow. The summer is reliably hot
and sunny from June/July to September, while at other times of the year
the
weather is mild to warm (cold at night in Jan/Feb) with the occasional
squall typical of an island.

The view from the finca is of the village church on a
hill set beside the line of mountains with no immediate dwellings in the
surrounding olive and almond orchards, where sheep graze to the gentle
clink of their bells. However, the village with its bustling square
(Tuesday is market day) small shops of every kind (including a
mini-supermarket, chemist and bank), is less than 5 mins by car or a
pleasant walk/bike ride along a winding lane, so the finca is secluded
without being isolated. There are also neighbours further down the lane
-
one family is fluent in English and offer horse riding or an afternoon's
swim/snorkle from their small boat at a very reasonable price

The finca has mains water and electricity, with bottled
gas
for cooking. Inside, the traditional thick walls and the modern tiled
floors keep rooms cool while the gas and electric heaters or the
woodburning stove can quickly remove Nov-Feb chills. There are two main
bedrooms, one with a traditional, carved Mallorcan double bed, the other
with twin beds while the third room has a double bunk bed, so the finca
could sleep six in all, depending on age. There is also a travel cot.
There is a shower with basin and toilet and the living room/kitchen has
ample seating at a long wooden table. The front door leads out onto a
covered patio with an original well, bucket and chain. Vines and roses
climb the walls and there is a large garden with orange, lemon, and fig
trees.

There is a fully automated swimming pool which is
regularly
maintained and chlorinated at a low level. The pool is above ground with
access up steps from the garden, so it can be kept safe if there are very
young children. There is also a large folding plastic paddling pool. In
the summer, the public open-air swimming pool can provide a taste of
Spanish community life (5 mins walk and open until 10pm) with paddling
pool, tennis courts, and cafe. Also, within 10 minutes walk, there is a
glass workshop in the chapel of a former monastery with free entry to see
hand glass-blowing. There is a range of bicycles at the finca for
children
and adults.
The nearest town is Inca (15 mins by car, 40 mins by bike
along the back roads) which has a large supermarket where a comprehensive
range of food and household goods are available. There are a range of
restaurants near Campanet to suit all tastes and pockets. You can obtain
organic vegetables and fruit. Inca has frequent bus and train
connections
to Palma, while Campanet has a bus to and from Palma once each weekday.
Altogether, Oliveret offers a complete holiday experience
of Mallorca for young and old, of all tastes and for any family size. If
two families wanted to go together, there is a small separate unit behind
the house, which we call the 'Casita', but this will not be rented to
anyone else while the main house is occupied. It has its own shower and
toilet, small bedroom with single bed and two bunk beds and a
kitchen/dining room.
The rent varies according to the time of year but
is flexible enough to allow it to be used for an individual retreat as
well
as for a family holiday. The car kept at the finca may be available. Full
details about directions, keys and how to get about will be sent on
booking. At the finca, there is a growing file of recommended beaches,
markets, restaurants, walks and suggestions of all kinds contributed by
visitors. We do hope you will be able to come and add something!
Yours sincerely,
Graham Kennish
Birch Cottage, Haresfield Lane, Brookthorpe, Gloucester GL4 OUP
(UK=
Tel: 01452 812537 (telephone first
for =fax)
e-mail: graham at grahamk.demon.co.uk
11/97



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