Hola
Just one question this am. Do goat boys have a special language. I have just had a 10 minute conversation with the local one. He stopped by to tell me "Farmer Bob" would not be coming today to see me as planned . That is all I understood in the whole ten minutes he rattled on. I told him I was not understanding but that did not slow him down. I imagine it is an accent that I do not know but as he works (and lives) here I would assume it is local, yet I can understand others in this area. This was our second conversation and it is very frustrating. I hear him making noises at the goats when he is the valleys around here but am never sure if it is just noises ... Asking him to speak slowly did not seem to make any difference ( to my ears at least) .
Fred
Goat Boys
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fearfulfred
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I totally agree with you Fred! Where we used to live, there was a farm at the very bottom of our track. The guy spent all day every day (it seemed), walking the mountains with his goats. Whenever we would see him, whilst out walking our dog, we would stop and chat for a few minutes, and yes, I never understood ANYTHING, not even the greeting! It was like a totally different language! I am not sure what we chatted about! 
Have you noticed how the goat men can walk up the mountainsides with the goats,as easy as anything, that the general person wouldnt even get as far as 2 feet up?
Karen
Have you noticed how the goat men can walk up the mountainsides with the goats,as easy as anything, that the general person wouldnt even get as far as 2 feet up?
Karen
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
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country boy
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Yes...totally agree...we call it "Goat Speak". It certainly isn't Spanish...could be Geordie! You appear to have to speak down your nose. We have two Herds near us and when the goatherds meet and shout to each other across the valley you can't even tell what planet you are on, let alone which country -
fearfulfred
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karandjon & country boy
Glad someone understands. This morning the farmer was supposed to come so I could pump him some water (he's run dry and needs it for the animals) . We are doing this every few days until the rains come . But goat boy came this morning to say the farmer could not come ( the farmer has a house in Malaga and usually sleeps down there) . That much I got, but he obviously was trying to tell me the reason for the farmers non appearance and I got nothing out of it. It is just so frustrating and I am begining to think they are aliens (goat boys) .
As you have said we see him all over these mountains. I have seen him walk at least 7 or 8 miles within a few hours and all very steep hills and valleys skirting the montes de malaga park. When it is cooler he is off at first light, often, or after milking, and comes back just at dusk. Mind you I can hear him shouting or making noises at the goats when he is still two valleys away. I wonder where the next generation of goat boys will come from ? Ours is just about 40 I would say . Do they ever marry etc? It must be a learned trade , there has got to be a bit involved even in picking where they take the goats as the farmer once told me it is goat boy who decides his own route etc.
Fred
Glad someone understands. This morning the farmer was supposed to come so I could pump him some water (he's run dry and needs it for the animals) . We are doing this every few days until the rains come
. But goat boy came this morning to say the farmer could not come ( the farmer has a house in Malaga and usually sleeps down there) . That much I got, but he obviously was trying to tell me the reason for the farmers non appearance and I got nothing out of it. It is just so frustrating and I am begining to think they are aliens (goat boys) . As you have said we see him all over these mountains. I have seen him walk at least 7 or 8 miles within a few hours and all very steep hills and valleys skirting the montes de malaga park. When it is cooler he is off at first light, often, or after milking, and comes back just at dusk. Mind you I can hear him shouting or making noises at the goats when he is still two valleys away. I wonder where the next generation of goat boys will come from ? Ours is just about 40 I would say . Do they ever marry etc? It must be a learned trade , there has got to be a bit involved even in picking where they take the goats as the farmer once told me it is goat boy who decides his own route etc.
Fred
Yes, you can hear them from quite a distance away, especially when the wind is in the right (or wrong ) direction! I used to love hearing the goats bells tinkering all around the mountains. It is a year and a half since i have heard that now. 
I dont know where the next generation will come from. I remember a discussion once in our village bar.The guys were saying that the kids have all moved into the towns as soon as they can, and the grand kids don´t even like visiting the village/farm for short visits.
) direction! I used to love hearing the goats bells tinkering all around the mountains. It is a year and a half since i have heard that now. I dont know where the next generation will come from. I remember a discussion once in our village bar.The guys were saying that the kids have all moved into the towns as soon as they can, and the grand kids don´t even like visiting the village/farm for short visits.
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
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fearfulfred
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Yes , well look at our farmer he does not even sleep in the old family home ( which has been done up very nicely I may add) not sure if he had all the permits 
Especially for the granite top bar he has in the large reception/party area. Mind you he is very good to his animals and that counts. Goats , chickens, pigs , horses and mules , cattle . His children only come up on the occasional weekend. So really goat boy is the only one in attendance and I presume he lives in the house also.
I know the house and farm belong jointly to the brothers and sisters and the farmer runs it for them, but what will the next generation do ...Sell it off for a pretty penny!
Especially for the granite top bar he has in the large reception/party area. Mind you he is very good to his animals and that counts. Goats , chickens, pigs , horses and mules , cattle . His children only come up on the occasional weekend. So really goat boy is the only one in attendance and I presume he lives in the house also. I know the house and farm belong jointly to the brothers and sisters and the farmer runs it for them, but what will the next generation do ...Sell it off for a pretty penny!
A guy who had a cortijo down our track, travelled in from town every morning, around 5am, and left around 9pm each evening. He would have loved to live in his cortijo with all his animals & vegetables. Unfortunately his wife refused to live there as soon as they had kids (many many years earlier), so for the last 50 years, he has travelled in daily to tend to his animals. He spends all day with them, even to the extent the goats are living in the Cortijo. He has one room for himself, very basic, but he absolutely adored it there. Every week we would chat, he´d bring us veg from the garden, show us when to cut vines etc. He wanted to show me how he killed the rabbits, and to let me have one for the pot, but i explained to him that to me they looked just like pets. I am sure he thought i was loco! He loved it in the Campo, but his wife and kids and grandkids (and great grandkids) all refused to go as they thought it was "boring" So sad.
He loved it in the Campo, but his wife and kids and grandkids (and great grandkids) all refused to go as they thought it was "boring" So sad.vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
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