spaincountryvilla

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A photographic record from one of our visitors

Rodney Wayman stayed with his family at Villa Amapola last month, October 2019. He has very kindly shared with us some of his beautiful photographs of the views from the villa and of the surrounding area. They give a marvellous and authentic feel for the region.

Rodney has his own website Worldwide Wayman © worldwidewayman.co.uk Some of the shots from the gallery are published in his main portfolio, so visitors can go to the site and buy prints if they wish to.

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Interview with Romain Olivier, graphic designer.

Interview with Romain Olivier, the French graphic designer responsible for creating the cover of the band Septembre's remix of the song La Piscine, using the photo of the swimming pool at Villa Amapola.

Your full name: Romain Olivier Your profession: Graphic Designer Your nationality: French

Hi Romain, thanks for coming along to chat today! So, you contacted us a year ago to ask if you could use the image of a dive into the swimming pool at Villa Amapola for a graphic cover for a song remix EP. Can you tell me a bit more about this? 1) What is the name of the song? Can you give a link to the song please?

The song is called "La piscine" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydCqZL8iJi4

2) Who is the band and what is their style? Can you give a link to a band website and/or video?

Our band is Septembre. A french singing pop band. The band's website ishttp://septembremusic.com/

3) What attracted you to the original image of our swimming pool? What elements in particular caught your eye?

I liked the bright colors and the mostly the angle of view, which let me play with perspective : the image was style "working" in turned up side down.

4) Can you tell us about the ideas behind these changes?

The song talks about a kind of magic swimming-pool, in which we come back to childhood. That's why I wanted to create an optical illusion around a swimming-pool picture.

6) Tell us more about the remix?

There are 4 remixes of this song. This one is for me the best one : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R7BJIArhF0

7) Is it true that the song was partly inspired by the 1969 Jaques Deray film starring Alain Delon, La Piscine (recently remade as A Bigger Splash, with Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes)?

Yes it is !

8) What other influences shaped your design? 

Erik Johansson , a swedish graphic designer and photographer.

Thanks so much Romain, wishing you loads of luck with your work ! And all the best to the band Septembre!

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Early summer at Villa Amapola

Photos of gorgeous scenery around and about Villa Amapola, taken by neighbour Rory Ferguson.

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Collections, art and culture at Villa Amapola

The beautiful location of Villa Amapola is complimented by our unique and eclectic collections - of original art, ceramics, glassware, books, films, music and - the jewel in the crown - our collection of miniature perfumes.

This exquisite collection was put together by our family over many years, and some of the bottles are quite rare and precious.

Colourful glassware, Granadian stained glass lamps, and Moorish ceramics add to the eclectic effect.

Colourful glassware and Moorish ceramics add to the vibrant effect.

The original artwork includes oil paintings by Jack Yates, Tony Underhill and Carlos Sena.

There is a fine collection of Japanese prints.

Other artwork includes a number of miniatures, Indian and Mexican traditional art, and some works by our family members.

Finally, Villa Amapola has an extensive library of films, books and music to suit all tastes and ages. Our library, including travel books, detective books, sci-fi, books for foodies, history, philosophy and so much more, reflects our shared interests and varied tastes. Guests are welcome to browse the books and enjoy the music and movies during their stay!

Plus lots of children’s books, including a huge selection of original Puffin paperbacks!

We are sure you will find a visit to Villa Amapola a memorable experience.

We look forward to welcoming you here - com and see what other surprises and delights our villa has to offer!

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June at Villa Amapola

June in the Axarquia is a beautiful month. The weather is warm but not yet baking. The land is still green and there are masses of wild flowers.

Stands of bright red Poppies, daisies, wild roses, oleander, clumps of tiny blue wild iris, huge ball-like alliums, and white garlic flowers.

Around Villa Amapola the air is thick with birdsong and the humming of bees collecting pollen: thyme, rosemary and orange flower are some of the delicious varieties of the famous local honey of the region.

   There are hoopoe birds, with their striped bodies and crests of plumage, swooping swallows, blackbirds, yellow wagtails, cuckoos, woodpeckers - and tiny owls that emit a sort of electronic beeping sound that makes visitors check their phones for incoming messages!

The almond blossom has finished by now, but the olive blossom is just beginning, and the pomegranate trees are bursting with bright red flowers.

On a warm spring evening, the scent of jasmine is intoxicating.

This is a perfect time to enjoy the natural beauty of the region. The weather is cool enough for hillwalking, cycling and horse riding, but it’s still warm enough to dress lightly and enjoy an outdoor picnic, taking in some of the breathtaking scenery.

   The hills below Mount Maroma, dotted with olive trees and topped with picturesque white villages, sweep down towards Lake Vinuela with the Mediterranean glittering in the distance.

If you take a stroll along the country tracks you'll see donkeys, horses, goats, sheep and sometimes oxen with great horns pulling old fashioned wooden carts with huge spoked wheels.

It can feel as if you've taken a trip back in time, the pace of life in this part of Andalucia is relaxed and leisurely, and some things are still done in the way of the old traditions.

 Wine making, hand pressed olive oil, goats and sheeps milk "manchego" cheeses - all are made as they always were. The local food is like the local character - strong and colourful!

  Try a refreshing tomato Gazpacho or the almond soup "ajo blanco", a plate of the delicious Iberican "bellota" ham, home made tortilla, salty lamb chops cooked on the barbecue, anchovies in oil and vinegar and of course the Malaga speciality of “fritura” - deep-fried battered mixed fish - sort of like the English fish and chips, but with a Spanish twist!

Spanish red wine, especially Rioja, is famous and excellent quality, but in hot weather the local Rose wine is cooling and refreshing, with notes of peach and melon. Tinto de Verano "summer wine" is a refreshing mix of red wine and iced lemonade, Sangria adds a dash of spirits and pieces of fruit, and is a deceptively heady mixture!

A visit to the white villages makes a pleasant day trip. The ancient Moorish outpost village of Comares is perched atop a vertical hill and from a distance resembles a fairy castle!

Every Spanish village has a selection of bars and restaurants offering tempting tapas, and there is usually a local fiesta with parades, costumes, stalls and music at one village or another, if you fancy sampling a little local colour! People are friendly and love children, and if you can speak a very few words of Spanish the locals will be keen to chat with you and answer your questions.

We hope you'll come and visit this beautiful and vibrant part of Andalucia, and see for yourself how special it is. 

Not just a place to come and lie by the pool (although you can do that too, of course!), but a place to explore and discover a whole new world of colours and flavours.

With love, from Villa Amapola

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A Day Out in Malaga City

“Málaga is turning into the coolest city in Andalusia – not temperature-wise, obviously, as it is warm throughout autumn, and even in December and January you can usually sit outside or walk along the waterfront without a jacket – but in a cultural sense.”

 The historic centre is a warren of little streets with interesting shops and some fabulous bars and cafes where you can sip a chilled drink or sample some of the distinctive local cuisine.

Opposite the cathedral is El Jardin with its wonderful Art Nouveau style décor.

 A few streets away is El Pimpi, haunt of flamenco stars, where the walls are lined with aged barrels of sherries and local wines, and posters signed by local celebrities – including Antonio Banderas!

Nice Things is the home of gorgeous local fashion designer Paloma Lanna, selling pretty accessories and jewellery and unusual clothes for women and children.

There are shops specialising in Andalusian decorative fans, flamenco dresses and shoes, and lots of little food shops selling the delicious local ham, olives and manchego cheese.

If you’re a foodie, Malaga market is a must. There are stalls selling a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, herbs and leaves, fresh cherries, mangoes and peaches in season. The market stalls sell cheeses, Iberican cured salamis, chorizos and hams, there are Moroccan stalls selling olives and pickled lemons and Moroccan pastries and flat breads, and the most incredible variety of fresh fish and seafood.

If you’re a culture vulture, Malaga will not disappoint. There are museums, shows and galleries to suit every taste. Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso, and as well as the famous Picasso museum, visitors can explore the town house in the Plaza de la Merced where Picasso was born.

The Thyssen museum is tiny but has gorgeous and regularly changing exhibitions including Pop art and Impressionism.

The pop-up Pompadou gallery at the port holds some 80 paintings and photographs including Picasso, Rineke Dijkstra, Tony Oursler, Frida Kahlo, Francis Bacon, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Chirico, Alberto Guacometti and Sophie Calle.

Other museums include the Russian museum with the St Petersburg collection, and the eclectic CAC Contemporary Art Centre

For sightseeers, the Alcazaba and the ruined Gibralfaro are two famous Malaga landmarks,both dating back to the time of Moorish rule. The city also features a Renaissance cathedral and a Roman ampitheatre.

El Corte Ingles is Spain’s Selfridges – a multistorey department store selling everything from sellotape to Apple Macs to fashion to food. The food market on the 6th floor has a variety of different eateries - you can pick and choose and, if you wish, take your food outside to eat on the very pretty rooftop terrace overlooking the city.

We like to visit the newly renovated port in the evening and see the Malaga coastline with ships in the distance and the lights of the town and the harbor all laid out below. There are covered walkways and gardens, restaurants and bars, and lots of shopping opportunities.

 Whatever the season, if you’re visiting the Axarquia, Malaga makes a fantastic city for a day out!

  Thanks to Chloe Gavin for some of the gorgeous pictures of Malaga port!

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Marianne from East of Malaga writes about the Baños de Vilo in Periana, just 5 kms from Villa Amapola. These restored Moorish baths feature medicinal waters and natural thermal pools.