Changing the pace of urban life for the peace and quiet of the countryside is a dream of many, but only a few dare to fulfill it. from Lucas Rutten and Johan Berkvens They considered it, during one of their trips to Spain, until they dared to do it, several years later. The idea remains as such, a beautiful fantasy that arose during one of his trips to the south of the peninsula.
They returned to their lives in Eindhoven (Netherlands) and they continue their work. Johan as the manager of a casino, with shifts that lasted until three in the morning, and Lucas as the owner of a tea and coffee shop which remains open six days a week and one Sunday a month. “One day we told ourselves that we need to make a big change in our lives. “We’re about 40-something years old and the idea won’t get out of our heads.”
After some time of investigation, they discovered a space in the middle of Sierra de Aracena (Huelva), very close to Cortelazor. A small, fairly flat deciduous forest for the area. Among the oak trees and wild lilies, three old farmhouses stood, almost in ruins. “We rehabilitate the houses and decorate them ourselves. The other two are new, with details inspired by the architecture of the towns in the area,” they said. Condé Nast Traveler.
It took them time to turn this semi-abandoned space into the paradise it is today and which they named Creek Valley, but after taking the first step, the most difficult, they arm themselves with patience and strength. “The decor is a combination of things we have in our homes in the Netherlands and some we bought here. We We like to look, we don’t buy anything. “We’re always looking for details that can fit into our home.”
Twelve years have passed since they fulfilled their dream and Now there are two more compatriots from that area. Every year they participate in the town’s festivals and on December 31 they go out to dinner with friends from Cortelazor, whom they affectionately call “their Spanish family.” Among his friends, there are a small colony of foreigners settled in the mountains, but most of his close circle from the neighboring towns.
