Did you reach your destination?

Aliye van Pijkeren
Jan 4
3 min read

A wonderful photo in Setenil de las Bodegas

Humor from the Universe

Last week I received another wonderful lesson from the Universe. A lesson with a lot of humor, because the Universe certainly has humor, in my experience.

We were enjoying a wonderful tour in the mountains of Andalusia, a break from the hustle and bustle of the coastal towns. A few months ago, I'd seen a beautiful photo on Instagram of a picturesque and famous village in the Andalusian mountains: Setenil de las Bodegas. It's located near Ronda and is world-famous for its cave houses. A remarkable feat of construction, as houses are built beneath the enormous rocks.

The photos looked magical, and I thought the buildings were absolutely beautiful. I really wanted to go there. I booked a cute cottage in the white village of Benarrabé. Another typical Andalusian white village, with very narrow streets, cheerful tiles, and breathtaking views. We stayed in an old mill, right at the bottom of the village. In the evenings, we enjoyed the endless starry sky, the hooting of the owls, and waking up to the silence of the countryside.

The breathtaking route

The eagle

The route from our accommodation was breathtakingly beautiful. We drove through the rolling and mountainous interior of Andalusia, after passing the beautiful Ronda Valley in the province of Cádiz, surrounded by grain fields and olive groves. I was constantly amazed. The sun was shining, and we could see endlessly, spotting the occasional "white village." Some were situated very high up, others nestled in valleys. I felt dizzy from the elevation changes and the winding roads, but it was very pleasant.

Along the way, we stopped at a so-called El Mirador, or lookout point, with a beautiful panoramic view. There, I read that falcons, owls, and eagles can be found in this area. A little later, we saw one flying, an eagle. We were speechless for a moment; it was so quiet, and all we heard was the whooshing of its enormous wings.

After a beautiful tour through rolling countryside, olive groves, and mountains, we finally arrived at our destination: Setenil de las Bodegas. We drove into the town, completely elated, looking for a spot to park our campervan. And you guessed it: no spot! We drove around in circles, searching, and it was incredibly busy. After about an hour, we finally found a spot, far outside the center, and walked uphill towards the famous little street with its overhanging rocks.

After walking for half an hour, my partner said, "I think it's over there!" He pointed to a small street with an overhanging rock. I saw all sorts of people taking pictures and started laughing...at myself mostly: This is it. A clever bit of marketing for an admittedly impressive street...but mostly, it was so small. "I really want a picture," I said, laughing. And so it happened. A nice Instagram photo and another one for the "funny anecdotes drawer."

Because of the whole route back we were able to stay there for about 10 minutes and then we were on our way again...all the way back.

Inspiring insight

We're often so focused on the end goal, the destination, achieving our goals, success, etc. Especially in these times, when everything seems to be about "a quick fix," a quick 7-step plan , a 3-phase method, etc. We're searching for that ultimate moment of happiness. Satisfaction. Finishing something and moving on to the next goal. My themes for Soulware 2026 will be much more about dedication, commitment, and an even deeper inspiration. No quick-fix methods, but deepening and touching the essence.

The first quarter of 2026