Page 36 - Spanish Insight - August 2019

By Naomi Diestro

Day Trips

on a motorbike

This month my husband Oscar and I are
visiting Kitty Harri’s Sculpture Garden and,
learning our lesson from the last trip, we set
off early to avoid the worst of the heat. Taking enhancing the villa, pool and bar area. In We finish up at the pool and enjoy a refreshing
the N-340 from Nerja to Almuñécar then short, an enchanting, tropical paradise. drink with Kitty and Nick, served by a couple of
turning inland along the A-4050, we arrive in Italian students. They’re part of a succession
Jete 45 minutes’ later for breakfast. Nothing’s Kitty came to Spain in 2003 to write her of volunteers who stay, two at a time, for a
open, the place is deserted! Apart from the novels. She bought the land, built a house fortnight to help maintain the garden.
Casa Juan restaurant that is, so we have our on it, and has been adding exotic trees,
toast and coffee here, and very nice it is, too. shrubs and sculptures to it ever since. Those I ask Kitty where she gets her creativity and
attending her talks and writing workshops zest for life from. “Probably from my mother,
were so enthused by her unique garden, they who is 98 and still very active, well informed
encouraged her to open it to the public. Nick and busy studying languages”.
arrived in May 2014 and, after several intense
months of joint creativity and hard work, it Kitty’s such a busy lady, I’m wondering what’s
finally opened in September 2014. next on her agenda …? “I want to learn to read
music properly and play classical guitar so we
Nick introduces himself and leads us to can both play together, and also develop my
where they run their Mosaic and Sculpting- love of painting”, at which point Nick laughs
in-Concrete workshops - on top of a huge – “She presented me with a picture of me
water tank! As he shows us examples of playing the harpsichord recently … and then
wooden panels and metal tables he makes sold it! I didn’t even get the money for it!” Kitty
for the classes, we learn that he’s originally promises to paint him a replica very soon.
from Hull, he has a passion for music, plays
lots of instruments, and has a background in It comes as no surprise to see this attraction
engineering. Having had 120 people working has five stars on TripAdvisor; it must be
for him back in Montreal, he is used to dealing sweetly satisfying for them to see the fruits
with people, and is so creative, practical and of their labour being thoroughly appreciated
brilliant with his hands - “A good engineer can by so many.
The Sculpture Garden (a not-for-profit teach himself to do and make anything” – he
organisation) is high upon a mountain ridge, is perfect for this place, and for Kitty – the It’s time for us to have lunch, but where? –
five minutes’ beyond the village. We’re two of them are blessed with considerable “Otivar - the views on that road are astonishing,
greeted by a smiling Kitty at the entrance, and talents and intellect, and are going through you’ll love it!” says Kitty, so that’s what we do,
the calming sounds of classical music being life making the absolute most of them. and it’s true! We stop at Meson Madera and
played on a harpsichord by her partner Nick are given free battered chicken goujons and
Tasker. As Nick returns to his harpsichord (made by tasty fat olives with our drink. Fab panoramic
After having read her biography on the him personally!) to continue playing for the views from the upper floor roof terrace here.
website (kittyharri.com), I am thrilled to meet visitors, we wander indoors and pick up a We also visit Restaurante Buena Vista, where
this dynamic Swedish lady – she’s had such brochure with information and descriptions of we’re handed another free tapa (prawns with
an interesting, full-on worldly life, and has some of the 160-odd sculptures, over half of olives, this time). I’m dismayed to see a big
nine professions under her belt, including which have been done by Kitty. The rest are picture of a red London bus and hear Ed
notary public, psychotherapist and novelist. by artists and sculptors who have donated or Sheeran on the radio. He gets everywhere,
She’s written several books under the name left their creations on long-term loan. Others that bloke!
of Kitty Sewell (the latest of which is The get free accommodation and sustenance
Fault, published last July), and her first was while they work on their sculpture, which they Arriving back at home, I remember at the
a bestseller. “Ice Trap sold one million copies, leave behind once done. end of their brochure, Kitty and Nick wished
which paid for this!” Kitty tells me, as I take Taking the brochure with us, we spend a fine visitors “A joyful and inspirational experience”.
in the surroundings: dozens of eye-catching old time following the sculpture trail, reading Well, Kitty and Nick, it most certainly has
sculptures nestled within two acres of trees about each one as we go. (Some, marked been.
(mango, lime, avocado, nispero, banana …), with a code, are for sale). It’s all so fascinating, © Naomi Diestro 2019
dazzling bougainvillea and colourful mosaics and the views are splendid.

36 Spanish Insight September 2019