The Koel’s strident call echoed through this jungle environment , reminiscent to us of Asian sojourns . The atmosphere was appropriately damp, enhanced by a crashing waterfall . Every visible surface was covered in a green profusion of ferns and orchids . A king palm stretched majestically skywards . This was no mental aberration , I was still in southern Spain , but In Estapona’s very own orchidarium ; a unique environment , not only to Spain but Europe . 1000 square metres housing 5000 plants including 1500 species of orchids from all over the world .
Orchids love growing on cork , so every spare surface was covered ; with cork bark used to construct artificial trees and branches. A newly constructed one exposed its reformed truck comprising expanding polyurethane foam. Still , shortly even this would vanish into the greenery . A 15,000 cu m temple to a ubiquitous , yet unique plant. To match the drama of this special flower , the temple’s architect had let his imagination run riot . It was though a space ship had landed in the middle of an Andalusian village . ….all for an entry fee of 3 euros .
Someone, somewhere must be Estapona’s financial fairy god-mother ( or for correctness should I say god-person ). The provision and maintenance of the profusion of flowers in the old town does not come cheap , neither did or does the orchidarium. The promenade is being completely refurbished as a flower strewn pedestrian walkway . At its' southern end, a partly completed hotel has been demolished and (amazingly for Spain ) not rebuilt , but replaced with a 10 storey “ multipurpose space “ clad in a semi transparent facade . ( all for the quoted price of 14m euro ) . You may think , well those of a cynical disposition , that this would be the mayor’s new office …it having the best views all along the coast . You would be wrong; because the council’s new offices are already under construction . A 14.000 m2 futuristic cube , abutting the historic old town . Certainly not one that would gain the approval of our new king ; but in his newly acquired role , not a view he could share .
All this construction needs tower cranes, lots of them . Approaching Estapona we passed one development of apartments that required 7 of the beasties . Our top floor apartment had a great view , especially of four more cranes. Nowadays these apparently need no intermediate support, defying the laws of physics , certainly that of the lever principal . They don’t look remotely stable . But there they are , swaying only slightly when transporting loads to the end of those impossibly long jibs . So I research why ; but only could really ascertain that they are anchored to massive blocks of concrete ; the weights they are sloughing are small in comparison to the weight of jib and counterbalance blocks …and they don't fall over very often!
So how to dismantle one of these creatures. In our own eyrie , we had a grandstand view of deconstruction. First you need an even bigger mobile crane and an employee without fear of heights ‘ whilst perched atop undoing connecting bolts . The various bits of the crane were then dismantled in strict sequence so as to maintain throughout vertical stability. No doubt that employee was relieved to be back at ground level, surrounded by a now horizontal crane .
A modern look out tower
No comments:
Post a Comment