A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree: Our Andalusian Adventure Continues

A humorous account of a couple’s trials and tribulations in search of the good life continues in A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree.

＂I loved Sabina Ostrowska’s first book about a new life in Andalusia, ’The Crinkle Crankle Wall’, and couldn’t wait to get cracking on this new addition to the series. This is another excellent easy read. I love her humour!＂ Julie Haigh, Top 1000 Reviewer

＂If you liked the first book in the series,＂The Crinkle Crankle Wall＂, then you’ll like this one, too!＂ Amazon Reader

＂Worth the wait! Such a well told story of their adventures and challenges renovating in Andalusia. I already want to read the next book!＂ Lisa, Amazon Reader

＂Hysterical stories about workaways, Spanish lessons [...] getting enough water to provide to their paying guests, and many others are the meat of this book. [...] The Spanish countryside comes alive in the eyes of someone who has never been to rural Spain [...]. The neighbors, both Spanish and English with a smattering of other nationalities are vivid in the imagination due to Sabrina’s wonderful descriptions.＂ S. Raymond, Amazon Reader

＂This is a delightful book, filled with [...] shrewd observations, outstandingly witty diatribes, and sketches that had me laughing out loud. If you’re looking for an intelligent, fun read in a beautifully drawn setting, I heartily recommend a few days in Sabina’s company.＂ Jacqueline Lambert, author of Fur Babies in France: From Wage Slaves to Living the Dream

＂Sabina Ostrowska’s wonderful romp through Andalucia had me laughing at the antics of her rustic neighbours, agape at the foibles of demanding B&B guests and impressed at her expat ability to navigate through multiple frustrating situations. A truly wonderful read.＂ Simon Michael Prior, author of The Coconut Wireless: A Travel Adventure in Search of the Queen of Tonga

＂Sabina continues to regale us with funny stories about their continued life in Andulusia. The usual bureaucracy and delays, local characters and adventures are all told with a bright and breezy voice that encourages you to keep turning the pages. [...] Life abroad is often far from the sun, sea, sand and sangria portrayed by many and it is refreshing to read an honest account of life in a rural Spanish village.＂ Alyson Sheldrake, author of Living the Dream: in the Algarve, Portugal

With their Andalusian guesthouse ready to welcome visitors, Robert and Sabina face new challenges. They battle through a snowy winter and face another year of drought. With few bookings, no water, and very little money left, they start looking back and doubt their decision to leave their cushy jobs in the Middle East for the harsh reality of life in the countryside. Was moving to Andalusia a big mistake?

At times, it’s hard to see how they can continue on this adventure. Learning the ropes of the hospitality business is riddled with stress. Held captive by guest reviews, they endure numerous customer indiscretions in order to put their guesthouse on the map. Instead of the gracious hosts that they had imagined themselves becoming one day, they become somewhat disillusioned with it all. It’s not all sangria and castanets. But while their journey is filled with setbacks, burdens are made lighter thanks to new friendships and the kindness of their neighbours, whose families had lived in the valley for generations.

Written with a wry sense of honest humour, this story is filled with events that will make you laugh out loud, moments when you might shed a tear, and situations that will make you ask: What were they thinking?

A perfect read for the fans of Driving Over Lemons, Under the Tuscan Sun, and A Year in Provence