Local Life
Rural idyll to urban sprawl
I moved to this ‘ once-idyllic ’ part of Nerja because it ’ s within walking distance of the town and the sea , and was like living in the country . Surrounded by farms with olive and avocado groves , I could hear donkeys braying and goats bleating . The daily tinkling bells of the goats as they followed the goat herder at the bottom of the communal garden was my idea of heaven . Goats have right of way here , but where are they now ?
I live beneath the hill I called the Mount of Olives because it was then covered in ancient gnarled olive trees . I loved to smell the crushed herbs beneath my feet as I walked on the hill and looked down on my house with its backdrop of the town and the sea . Now a fence has been erected around the hill preventing anyone from walking on it .
A few years ago the farms were bulldozed and roads built with
The infrastructure
are holiday homes ! Where is the affordable housing so desperately needed ? All over the world local people are being forced out of the places where they were born because there is more money to be made from selling and renting out holiday homes . Our gardener lives in El Morche because he can ’ t afford to live here .
I signed the petitions and attended the demonstrations with the hippies who live on the land and grow their own food . It made no difference , for money speaks . The infamous golf course will probably go ahead in spite of local opposition . It will use precious water resources to keep its grass green as will the hotels planned to be built for the increased visitors to this area .
Land for development
street lights blotting out my precious view of the starry night sky . Plots were sold , houses built , and more are planned between here and Maro . My rural idyll is no more ! Now the walk across the campo to Maro has been fenced off . The Mount of Olives is being sold and the ancient olive trees destroyed . All has been bulldozed in preparation for villas with swimming pools and a road to connect them .
I know people need homes but the new ones being built here
We all know how busy Nerja is in the summer . Can it support even more visitors with their rental cars ? What bothers me is that the eastern end of the Costa del Sol may end up like the western end which is one long stretch of over-developed sprawl . On previous trips to the other end , I am always relieved to be back here , but for how much longer ?
MARILYN BARRY a writer who lives in Nerja www . innerwayonline . com
The hill
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