Since years we promised Monika and Tobi to help to harvest their mangos. This year it comes true. The Finca MonTor is located inthe hills outside of Nerja at the Spanish Costa del Sol. After driving 2300km we reach the Finca. We have to park our camper half way from the mainroad to the house; the road is too steep and in bad condition.

Tobi gives as a short lecture which fruits are to be picked and which have to let on the tree to grow more.

Merciless the sun nurns from the Andalusian sky. There is a water shotage and Tobi explains us how to save water. But the pool is filled and provides pleasant cooling.

But even so the Fince is a paradise of flowers because of Monika care.

Next morning at 9.30 we start with the harvest, definitely too late at this temperatures. The sun hits the ground and it is very hot. The decision which one to take and which one not is not so easy. Which one is round and which one is flat? At noon we are knackered and need a break in the pool.

At 5.30 after a siesta we start again. The sun has wandered around the hill and trees lie in the shadow but the temperature is still at 32°. By the time you can feel if the fruit is round or flat. At 7 o'clock we have harvested 36 boxes - 17kg each.

Next morning Rainer starts at 8 - before the sun comes. After breakfast he prefers the cool kitchen where he cuts the ripe picked up mangos in small pieces, cuts garlic and ginger. At night this will become Monika's famous mango chutney.
I have also been inventive to deal with the heat. I try to keep my shirt constantly wet to cool my skin. This helps a lot.

At 6 o'clock next morning I wake from thunder. For twenty minutes it rains. This makes it bit cooler than the last days. But only for the moment because in the afternoon the scale climbs to 36°. To manage the full wheelbarrow down is not so easy and sure enough mine turns over and the whole load falls out. Luckily the mangos don't roll to far!


At this temperatures today nobody wants to go out in the mangos. But there is always work in the kitchen: peeling and cutting mangos, onions, garlic and ginger. Together with sugar, vinegar and spices it becomes chutney. No fruit gets wasted.

After we have gone through our side we harvest the neighbor's. He doesn't take much care of his mango hill, it is full of weeds. This stuff clings to our clothes and when you get it on your skin it is itching like crazy. But at the bar at night we recover.


Even on Sunday we keep going with the harvest. But only in the morning. For lunch we visit the restaurant "Los Caracoles " on top of the hill. The food is excellent and the view magnificent.

Hurray, from today on we are allowed to harvest the big flat fruits. Everything what is bigger than Tobi's hand goes in the box. The smaller ones can grow a bit more. One can really see how the tree feels when he is freed from the weight of the fruits.

Tonight a heavy thunderstorm comes down and rain is pouring. The road is washed out, let's hope we will not have problems driving up tomorrow. It is too wet to harvest. Tobi shows us around the country side. From a hill high above Frigilianathe view at the town is wonderful.

. We drive into the mountains to a tiny village called Acebuchal. At the time of General Franco here sat the rebells. Nowadays the village is restored for the tourists. In the small bar we get delicious tapas for lunch.

Am Abend treffen wir uns mit Monika in Nerja und zum Abschied gehen wir in eine Tapa Bar, die hauptsächlich Fischtapas serviert. Sehr lecker!
Next day we have to say good-bye. We leave our working cothes behind, maybe for the next harvest.