La Morada de Madera or how to reinvent yourself when you cannot travel
The story of Lucía and Rubén does not come to us new. Creators of the well-known documentary Hello World and the short films The syndrome of the eternal traveler I and II , years ago this couple decided to leave the world of advertising to which they belonged to dedicate themselves full time to their great passion: traveling.
After two long trips as a couple -one around the world and another for eight months in Asia-, their son arrived Koke, a new fellow traveler who at his young age can already boast of having been to 18 different countries.
Lucía, Rubén and Koke, in La Morada de Madera
2020 began for this family with a new adventure that promised to last two years: travel in your Arminda motorhome touring the Canary Islands, Morocco, the Nordic Countries and Eastern Europe . But fate had other plans for all of us when on March 14 a national confinement was decreed, stopping the lives of most of us completely. Including that of Lucía, Rubén and Koke.
And how did they adapt to this situation of uncertainty? “Due to the pandemic, we did not get to leave the Canary Islands . Until we can travel again, we have adapted, reinvented and reconverted. We didn't want to sit back and wait for wave after wave. Rather, we decided to ride them”, Rubén and Lucía tell Traveler.es.
and they have buying a beautiful wooden house in Fuerteventura that serves as their home while they are not on the move as well as tourist rental accommodation for those travelers who are willing to visit the island.
From life on the road traveling by van, to finding calm in a wooden cabin
About to finish their tour of the Canary Islands -the only thing missing was Fuerteventura-, a state of alarm was declared in the middle of March. “The worst thing was that Lucy and Koke went to Madrid for routine tests with the idea of returning. We spent two and a half months apart. Since May 2020, we are together in Fuerteventura . Which hasn't been hard at all. An island that has conquered us despite its wind and its scant greenness”, says Rubén.
The problem came when what seemed like a few weeks, in the end they ended up turning into months and even a whole year. Too long to be in a motorhome without the possibility of moving or leaving the island itself.
“Despite the security that Fuerteventura offers and life in a camper in terms of social distance, we felt that we had gone from living traveling, always moving forward and seeing new places, to living in a van. We knew the island well enough and somehow, we were in the middle of 'the worst of both worlds' : standing more or less in front of the same beach, but in three square meters”, add Lucía and Rubén.
Instead of taking the situation as a defeat, they decided to face it and plan a new strategy going forward. How? Settling down roots without losing the illusion of continuing touring the world as soon as the situation allows - They still have that trip through Europe pending, doing the Pan American, crossing Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, visiting Mexico and returning to New Zealand-.
the orchard
“The pandemic made us think. For one thing, we didn't have our place in the world to return to between trips; and on the other, we wanted that enclave to be special enough to return with enthusiasm. Fuerteventura was the site. The Wooden Dwelling , the place”, they say excitedly.
The best? Both the house and the motorhome are a perfect source of extra income in these troubled times . “If we rented the house, we would go to the camper. If we rented the camper, to the Morada de Madera”, they comment.
The calm, the silence, the peace
THE FIRST WOODEN VILLA IN FUERTEVENTURA
In the north of the island of Fuerteventura, specifically in the Municipality of La Oliva Lucía, Rubén and Koke are waiting for us in this house that they can call home for a few months now: “ We are in front of the first Finnish wooden villa that was built on the island more than 20 years ago ”, they indicate.
A plot of more than 1000 m2 welcomes the traveler with a orchard, several fruit trees, a cactus garden, a swing for the little ones, a barbecue and a place from which to witness the magical sunsets of the island, watching the sun go down behind the Tindaya mountain.
Space just for kids (and for their creativity)
“On the porch there are two armchairs to observe how the silence passes and an experimentation corner for children. Inside, there is a bathroom, a completely renovated kitchen, a guest room with a double bed, a living room - without television and with a mini-library that is growing little by little - with six poufs instead of a sofa and a beautiful mezzanine with two double beds with a work corner and a reading corner”, Rubén and Lucía describe to Traveler.es.
With capacity for six people , is the perfect accommodation for families or groups of friends looking for a special place, one of those who make a trip make a difference. And if you come as a small group, either as a couple or alone, there is also the option of reserving just one room.
Eating out with views of that Martian landscape of Fuerteventura
“At the moment we have had everything. Travelers have already stayed while we went to the camper or to another island and couples have also come to the guest room while we were in the house. As well as other friends, of course. If something was clear to us, is that we wanted to have a space to receive people , entering money but also altruistically with people we love”, add the creators of the blog something to remember . Said and done.
The northern area in which La Morada de Madera is located is presented as the ideal enclave for those seeking accommodation in a rural setting surrounded by nature , quiet and as the perfect starting point to discover the main attractions of the island.
The surroundings of La Morada de Madera
Located in the municipality of La Oliva , we can achieve the traditional Lajares town about 5 minutes by car , at 10 of The Cotillo -one of the most charming towns on the island- and 15 minutes from Corralejo.
“The house is located on the slope of the oldest mountain on the island. A badlands area with an incredible landscape that can be accessed on foot . Surrounded by volcanoes from whose summits the views are spectacular”, indicates the couple.
And what about Lucía and Rubén's recommendations for our next visit to Fuerteventura? “To cover the entire north coast from the Jarugo beach until Dunes of Corralejo , Go through the beautiful town of Betancuria, see the Cuevas de Ajuy, walk along the tongue of sand that forms in the lagoon of the Leeward Beach and stroll some of the 15 kilometers from Cofete beach . That is the 'must have' for us. To those who come for more than a week and stay at La Morada de Madera, we will tell you some other secret corner. Fuerteventura is plagued with them. It is a very wild island”, they comment.
We will have to pay attention to them and book a getaway as soon as possible!