Registro General para Retiros
Nourriture à la Finca Ara Oko
At Finca Ara Oko, food isn’t just nourishment; it’s an experience. Our meals are lovingly crafted by a local Italian chef who brings a masterful touch to each dish. Every meal showcases the best of Spain’s seasonal, organic produce sourced from nearby farms to bring you vibrant flavours that honour the land and the seasons.
From handpicked vegetables and sun-ripened fruits to fresh herbs and locally pressed olive oils, each ingredient is carefully selected for its quality and taste. Our chef combines these with the warmth and authenticity of local cuisine, creating meals that are as delicious as they are nourishing.
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Directives de la maison
Please take a minute to read through our house guidelines, as living at a place like ours, off-grid, is not like living in a house in a city or a town. There are several important considerations regarding living habits you may have to change while you are here to protect our home and environment. Please take the time to read through these guidelines before you arrive.
WATER: There is a serious water shortage in Spain. We do our best to conserve water by collecting rainwater and water from the outdoor shower. Please consider reducing your shower time or using our outdoor shower (cold) to minimise water waste.
**NO TISSUE DOWN THE TOILET**: Our septic tank uses a filtration system that purifies waste. If it becomes contaminated with tissue, it will stop working, and we will have a severe problem.
**NO HARSH DETERGENTS**: All the water from the main house showers runs onto the land – however, it is not collected like the outdoor shower – therefore, we use natural soaps and shampoos. We can provide these if requested.
THE PLUNGE POOL: Like in all swimming pools, the water is filtered and recycled. Please wash before entering the pool to stop the build-up of oils in the water. NO GLASS IN THE POOL AREA
ELECTRICITY: We use solar power. This means we can’t use certain electrical items such as hairdryers, irons and washing machines unless we have a full day of sun. Please check with us if you would like to use any of these items.
SMOKING: No smoking inside the house. If you are a smoker, we will designate a smoking area. Fire is a serious hazard in Spain, so please extinguish matches/cigarettes carefully.
RUBBISH: Please empty your toilet bins regularly and take them and any general waste to the black bin by the garage.
RECYCLING: There are three main recycling categories: 1) Glass, 2) Paper/card, 3) Cartons/plastics/tins. Inside the garage are larger bins to dispose of your recycling.
CHORES: You will be expected to help clear and wash dishes after each meal. We will put together a rota so this is fairly distributed.
NOISE: As this is supposed to be a retreat for everyone, it is very important that those attending can sleep without being disturbed. Curfew on making noise at night and in the morning is based on when people go to bed and wake up. Please be mindful of talking/laughing in close proximity to those wanting to sleep. We also have a siesta time between 3-5 pm.
BEFORE YOUR LEAVE: Please strip your beds, put all your dirty linen in a pile, and dispose of all your rubbish (see above).
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have any questions, let us know.
Informations sur le voyage
Coordinating your flight times with others attending the course is the cheapest way to travel to the Finca. We will help facilitate this and may suggest flight times. We can also help organise taxis or carpools. Buses can be a cheap way to get to us if your flight doesn’t arrive late at night.
Here is some information you may find helpful.
Airports
Distance to Finca Ara Oko
Almeria: 1:20 hrs drive
Granada: 1: 30 hrs drive
Malaga: 2:20 hrs drive.
Fares range from £50-350 return. Malaga is often the cheapest and has the most frequent flights.
Airport transfers
For buses, please see the up-to-date prices and times from Alsa. We recommend buying bus tickets in advance.
Our location is not served by public transport. We usually organise a car pick-up from the following locations, depending on which airport guests are arriving from.
Arriving at Malaga Airport:
- There is a regular shuttle bus to the main bus station in Málaga.
- Take a bus to either Motril (1:15 – 2:30 hrs) or Adra (2:10 – 3:03 hrs)
- Car/taxi to ours from Motril (1 hrs )
- Car/taxi to ours from Adra (40 mins to ours).
Arriving at Almeria
- Take a bus taxi (12 mins) to the Almeria bus station
- Take a bus to Adra (40 mins)
- Take a bus to La Rabita (1:20 – 2:15 hrs)
- Car/taxi to ours from Adra (40 mins).
- Car/taxi to ours from La Rabita (30 mins)
Arriving at Granada
- Take a shuttle bus to the main bus station
- Take a bus to Cadiar (2:15 – 2:45 hrs)
- Car/taxi to ours from Cadiar (15 mins)
Taxi prices
Taxi to/from Almeria (7-seater) – €110.
Taxi to/from Malaga (7-seater) €170.
Bus to/from Malaga to Motril (Alsa bus company) – €10
Taxi to/from Motril €80.
Taxi to/from Granada €110
Transport during your stay.
Some of you may wish to hire a car during your stay. It’s a lovely place to drive, with good roads and minimal traffic. If you choose this option, please let us know, as we have plenty of experience avoiding being ripped off by car-hire firms.
Check out this article, which provides important information on avoiding overcharging.
Travel insurance:
Please make your own arrangements.
Extra nights accommodation
If you wish to stay longer than seven nights, please check with us to see if we can accommodate you. If we can’t for any reason, we can suggest nearby places to stay.
Extra lessons:
1-1 lessons may be available. If you would like help organising other activities, such as horse riding, cycling, or walking, please let us know beforehand.
Résultats d'apprentissage et niveaux des étudiants
Here is a chart giving a guideline of musical skills our students can expect to gain from attending our courses and workshops when combined with home study.
| Level 1 | |
| Drum Technique | Hand positions on various drums.
Basic drum sounds – open and bass. Playing and understanding of 1 or 2 clave patterns with the pulse. |
| Drumming Styles | Afro-Cuban Folkloric percussion -An understanding of simple polyrhythmic drum parts for rumba, batá and makuta with one variation.
Salsa Percussion – An understanding of simple polyrhythmic drum parts for son, chachacha and salsa. |
| Context | A basic understanding of how drum patterns enter and fit with associated songs. |
| Level 2 | |
| Drum Technique | All sounds – slap, open, bass, fingers and muffled.
A deeper awareness of different clave patterns as a rhythmic structure and how drum rhythms interlock. |
| Drumming Styles | Afro-Cuban Percussion – A more complex understanding of rumba – yambú, guaguancó and columbia including some variations. The ability to play more complex batá toques including conversations and variations on okónkolo and itótele. An understanding of other styles such as palo and güiro.
Salsa Percussion – A more complex understanding of charanga, son and salsa and their variations techniques and ensemble context. |
| Context | A larger repertoire of songs including some simultaneous singing and playing. |
| Level 3 | |
| Drum Technique |
Clarity of sound and fluency of technique (i.e. effortless movement between tones at speed).
|
| Drumming Styles | Being able to understand and remember drum parts and how they interconnect.
Playing rumba with fluency and at higher tempos. An understanding of some quinto phrasing. Learning and remembering complex batá toques on all 3 drums. Appropriate drum language for songs. A more complete level of playing in other styles – palo, guiro etc, including lead drum phrasing.
|
| Context |
A wider repertoire of song sequences and their contexts. Simultaneous singing and playing.
|
Avis
Anne Martin
il y a 2 jours
Je ne peux pas imaginer de meilleures vacances. Bel endroit, gens charmants et chaleureux, bonne nourriture et musique fantastique.
Laura Valenti
il y a 8 mois
J'ai absolument adoré passer du temps avec Vicky et Dave et un groupe fantastique à apprendre des chansons afro-cubaines !
La nourriture était super savoureuse et nourrissante, et les vues depuis la finca, surplombant la mer, avec des ciels dorés et la Voie lactée, étaient vraiment inoubliables.
Mais ce que j'ai le plus aimé, c'est passer du temps avec ces êtres humains incroyables, qui sont sincèrement dévoués à la musique, à l'enseignement et à la création de communauté d'une manière si amusante, humble, terre-à-terre et sincère. Ce sont des qualités que j'ai rarement rencontrées chez les professeurs, alors rencontrer Vicky et Dave a été comme un cadeau précieux qui a apporté beaucoup de joie dans ma vie.
J'ai hâte d'y retourner. Merci !
La nourriture était super savoureuse et nourrissante, et les vues depuis la finca, surplombant la mer, avec des ciels dorés et la Voie lactée, étaient vraiment inoubliables.
Mais ce que j'ai le plus aimé, c'est passer du temps avec ces êtres humains incroyables, qui sont sincèrement dévoués à la musique, à l'enseignement et à la création de communauté d'une manière si amusante, humble, terre-à-terre et sincère. Ce sont des qualités que j'ai rarement rencontrées chez les professeurs, alors rencontrer Vicky et Dave a été comme un cadeau précieux qui a apporté beaucoup de joie dans ma vie.
J'ai hâte d'y retourner. Merci !
Venetia Bennion
il y a 8 mois
Quelle belle façon de passer une semaine! Jouer de la salsa avec des gens charmants dans un cadre idyllique entouré d'amandiers et de la lumière éblouissante des Alpujarras! Le logement était fantastique et la nourriture aussi. Dave et Vicky sont des hôtes fabuleux.
Safiyya S.B.
il y a 8 mois
Une expérience absolument incroyable. Ça fait deux semaines, et je n'arrive toujours pas à oublier les vues sur les montagnes ondulantes, la belle lumière, les arbres fruitiers, la nourriture délicieuse et, bien sûr, les cours quotidiens d'ensemble de salsa ! Les arrangements et les chansons choisis étaient si entraînants que nous n'avons pas arrêté de les chanter toute la semaine. Dave et Vicky sont des hôtes et des professeurs merveilleux, et je n'hésiterais pas à réserver à nouveau.
Rachel Dymond
il y a 10 mois
Immersion brillante dans les chansons, le rythme et les traditions de la culture afro-cubaine.
Je chante encore des bribes des chansons… mes synapses ont créé toutes sortes de nouvelles connexions en apprenant à équilibrer le mouvement, les applaudissements et le chant dans différentes signatures rythmiques – comme se frotter le ventre et se tapoter la tête !
Excellente nourriture et hébergement aussi.
Je chante encore des bribes des chansons… mes synapses ont créé toutes sortes de nouvelles connexions en apprenant à équilibrer le mouvement, les applaudissements et le chant dans différentes signatures rythmiques – comme se frotter le ventre et se tapoter la tête !
Excellente nourriture et hébergement aussi.
Marie Paul
il y a 10 mois
Quelle semaine incroyable, le cadre, les gens, les chansons, la nourriture, l'hébergement ont tous concouru à créer une expérience inoubliable. Travailler avec Dave et Vicki est toujours une source d'inspiration. Leur capacité à adapter le niveau de difficulté à chaque groupe permet à chacun de vivre une expérience positive. Chanter avec le choeur Lobras a été particulièrement mémorable et édifiant.
Charli Rees
il y a 11 mois
Je ne saurais trop recommander un séjour à Finca Ara Oko. Le logement était merveilleux, nous étions très à l'aise. De nombreux espaces différents pour se détendre et la petite piscine était un agréable bonus pour se rafraîchir.
Le cadre était tout simplement magnifique - des ciels immenses, des couchers de soleil incroyables et une grande tranquillité, une véritable retraite loin de nos vies trépidantes.
Vicky et Dave sont des hôtes formidables, ils nous ont fait nous sentir vraiment bienvenus et à l'aise, des gens si gentils et authentiques.
Le cadre était tout simplement magnifique - des ciels immenses, des couchers de soleil incroyables et une grande tranquillité, une véritable retraite loin de nos vies trépidantes.
Vicky et Dave sont des hôtes formidables, ils nous ont fait nous sentir vraiment bienvenus et à l'aise, des gens si gentils et authentiques.
Debbie Kleiner
il y a 11 mois
Quel endroit magnifique et paisible avec tout ce dont vous pourriez avoir besoin. Facile d'accès en voiture de location. Des appartements magnifiques et des espaces pour se détendre et réfléchir. Belle promenade locale pour admirer le lever du soleil.
Carli Dawson
il y a 12 mois
Je ne peux que recommander chaudement Vicky et Dave à Finca Araoko. Ils sont si accueillants et compétents, et d'une gentillesse incroyable en tant qu'enseignants. L'endroit est spectaculaire, vous avez vraiment l'occasion de vous déconnecter et de vous détendre. Si vous envisagez de vous initier à la musique cubaine, vous ne pourriez pas choisir une meilleure équipe !
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Bombo Productions is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
Finca Ará Oko may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from Jan 2020
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