The Cave
The Cave & The White House
Story and Photos by Finley Fagan
(See full Feature on pages 46- 47, Issue 044.)
“…It didn’t take long to realize that Gorafe is not your average town. Nestled into canyons on the edge of Europe’s only desert, most of its 540-odd residents live in cuevas (cave dwellings) chipped into the earth. Nobody seems in too much of a hurry; middle-aged women wearing bathrobes stroll casually through the streets while chickens, cats, dogs and donkeys roam freely in their own chaotic harmony.
Modern caves have become a little more sophisticated since the Moors of Northern Africa crafted them in the 800s as a natural way of regulating extreme temperatures. The cave we rented (yes, you can rent a cave) had a fireplace, white-washed walls, a shower, a simple kitchen and a cozy bedroom.
With danger from traffic virtually non-existent, we followed the custom of the town and let Paco off-leash. After an initial embarrassment of Paco cornering the neighbor’s cat up on top of her garden shed, Paco relished the opportunity to make curious friendships with the local dogs (a mixture of strays and Podengos of all shapes and sizes), and spent hours following scents into the endless folds of the desert canyons….”
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