But first of all, let's put ourselves in the picture.
It is March 2015.
We are in spring, in full bloom, and our friend Sally has just arrived at Villa Matilde.
She has just got out of the car after a long journey from England and just as she opens the car door, she feels it.
She feels the peace.
The silence.
Nature.
As if the trees are talking to her. Or as if the birds were welcoming her.
She feels happy. Fulfilled. Stress-free.
And she hasn't even been in Villa Matilde for 10 seconds.
Suddenly she sees us and greets us with a hug.
-It's been a long time since we've seen each other. - We say.
-I know, I couldn’t get away from London any sooner. - She answers with a smile.
We get to talk. And after Sally has told us about the ups and downs of her work and life, she exclaims:
At that time, Villa Matilde was a rural house (it is still a rural house today), but the difference between then and today is that Villa Matilde is now for sale.
That's right: for sale.
Before we get to that part, though, let us tell you a little about us, the people behind this house and who have lived here for many years.
It will all make sense in a moment.
Let us introduce ourselves:
We are Mercedes and Roland, and together with our daughters Aisa and Mila, we have worked and lived in Villa Matilde for more than 20 years.
We made it a rural house and today we can assure you that we know every corner of the mountain range where it is settled:
The Sierra de Andújar, in Jaén. After so many years of work, it is time to move on. Our daughters no longer live here and for us it is time to retire.
That's why this beautiful house called Villa Matilde is for sale.
And although we rave about the place and Sally is 100% accurate in her descriptions of the surroundings, it's impossible to imagine the place if you've never been here.
We don't know if it's the minerals in the mountains that create a special energy, or if it's the more than 250 species of flora and 180 species of mammals and birds that live in these places (
here you can see a list of some of the species in the mountains. It's incredible!).
We don't know for sure what it is, really. But...
And it's not just the perfect place to take a break, or to unwind.
It goes further than that.
People return year after year to Villa Matilde, and for many the environment in which it is located has become a kind of sacred place.
In fact, everyone who has come here tells us so:
"There is a peace, a tranquillity."
"I've never slept so well."
"I forget everything. All the worries."
"I feel part of nature itself."
It is as if they have all experienced a before and after.
Just the mere fact of opening the door of Villa Matilde in the morning, leads you directly in the middle of the sound of birds. And that everything around you is in bloom, is something you will never forget.
Can you imagine it?
It is quite an experience.
An experience of such magnitude that you can only understand if you have come here.