by Helen | Feb 6, 2019 | Denmark, Travel
We love Copenhagen. Everything about it just oozes understated style and sophistication. It is effortlessly cool. Bars and restaurants (or at least the ones we’ve visited) are contemporary without being up themselves. Shops are largely of the independent variety, and always seem to be owned by people with exquisite taste. The city is clean. Cyclists are definitely more important than motorists here – the infrastructure is actually geared up for people on two wheels, rather than four. Imagine that in England!
But there is one part of Copenhagen that’s very different – much more rough around the edges, than areas like Vesterbro (named by Lonely Planet in 2017 as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods), Nørrebro or Frederiksberg. Freetown Christiania, in the borough of Christianshavn, is a definitely in a world of its own. A real one-off. Created in a squatted military area in 1971, the anarchist spirit of Christiania quickly developed, in stark contrast to the site’s previous military use. Nowadays, approximately 900 people live in the car-free area, in a community that has its own rules and regulations, largely independent of the Danish government.
Since its opening, Christiania has been famous for its open cannabis trade, taking place in the aptly named and centrally located Pusher Street, in the so-called Green Light District. However, there is much less evidence of this trade these days, as many residents are now campaigning to clear Christiania of all drug activity. Although whispers of marijuana deals can still be heard within The Green Light District, locals have appealed to the people of Copenhagen, and visitors, asking them not to buy drugs in Christiania.
The whole area has a very relaxed feel, almost festival-like, in places. However, as a visitor, there are certain things that are good to know about – probably the main one being about taking (or not) taking photographs. However, tempting it is, try and resist snapping away on Pusher Street – and take notice of the sign at the entrance…
Taking photos is forbidden because buying and selling hash is still illegal.
Running – yes, really – is a no-no, too in Christiania, and very much discouraged. Another sign says ‘running causes panic’. Freetown Christiania is a peaceful area and if you’re just strolling about, taking in the sights, you’ll have little to worry about, but due to the cannabis trade, police raids take place quite often. Consequently, residents came up with the ‘Don’t Run’ rule especially for the area around the cafés, bars and restaurants where most people gather, so as to minimise commotion and painc. Keep your pace slow and steady, and you’ll be fine. It probably also goes without saying too, that it’s not the best idea to try and make any purchases on Pusher Street…
Christiania is colourful – buildings which have been taken over, are generally covered in artwork and grafitti. Everywhere you look, is a feast for your eyes. In fact, for all of your senses. But, cross the wooden bridge – Dyssebroen – that connects Christiania’s main area (Christianshavn Side) to the Amager side, and everything seems a lot more peaceful. Take a walk among the trees, where the locals’ colourful houses are dotted along the waterfront. In this area of Christiania, you’re free to take photos. And even run, if you feel like it. Some of the houses are ramshackle, cobbled together structures, which look as if they could blow away in a strong wind. Some are very cutesy and some look very architect designed. All sorts of materials are used to create these houses – and no two look the same. I’m not sure if I could live in one of them, but hats off to the residents for creating and developing such an interesting area. Up on leaving Christiania, you’re left in doubt that you are leaving a little independent state and re-entering the “real world”. As the sign at the exit says,
And indeed, just blocks away, you’ve arrived at Noma. A contrast, if ever there was one…
by Helen | Jan 28, 2019 | Italy, Travel
On trips to Bergamo, we’ve regularly meant to eat at Il Circolino, just off Via Colleoni, up in Citta Alta. But, we’ve never done it. It’s always looked interesting. The menu has always appealed. It’s definitely inexpensive. But, in such a small city, with just so many options to explore, there’s always somewhere else to go. We always say, “We must go!” but every time we’ve decided to go, somewhere else turns our heads. Until our last trip, a couple of weeks ago.
And, do you know what, we’ve been missing out on one the best experiences we’ve ever had in Bergamo. That is how good it is!
Once through the big old wooden front doors, you enter a large-ish dining/bar area. When we visited – a Wednesday lunch time, in early January, this room was packed with locals. Some eating. Some drinking coffee and reading the day’s paper. Some with a glass of wine. Because we’d decided that this time we had to eat here, we were a bit crest-fallen, as it didn’t look like we’d be getting a table anytime soon. However, we were immediately whizzed through this room, and around a corner and into a number of cavernous dining areas. We simply hadn’t expected anything of this size – and again, all areas were packed, largely with locals – and we were lucky to get a table for two. Once seated, we were able to appreciate the amazing surroundings. If I’d had been told the building used to be a convent or a monastery or a church, I wouldn’t have been surprised. Ancient frescoes, which had clearly been uncovered during a renovation phase, were clear to see on the ceilings. And under the frescoes, tables and tables of chatting Italians, all clearly completely familair with the surroundings. (Tourists, like us, were easy to spot, with phones held aloft, snapping away at the interiors and the food and the general buzz).
This bar/restaurant is a co-operative, founded in 1981 by Aldo Ghilardi and fourteen others. According to the Bergamo website,
Il Circolino is the historic headquarters of the Città Alta Cooperative, born as a meeting place and then became a real social enterprise with the aim of keeping the community united in the light of the new economic and social transformations. Il Circolino is recognised as an Aggregation Centre for Seniors, who can frequent without any obligation to consume in a climate of conviviality. The Cooperative is committed, with the profits made from the restaurant, to multi-sport activities, job placements, cultural events, and volunteering.
We really liked this and dug a little bit deeper, to find out what the building had actually been. And what a surprise. Not a church, or a covent. A prison! And even more ticks, when the menus arrived, as just a look at them, told us that they were DagStyle menus. A bit of We Are Life Design geekiness, there – but we just know that if a restaurant has DAG menus, the food will be good. We’ve never been disappointed so far!
The menu, it’s fair to say, was absolutely fabulous in terms of choice and price. All produce is local – I’d guess the provenance could be traced to almost the immediate locale – and we were amazed at the prices. In fact, so amazed, that had the food been a bit average, we’d still have been impressed. But, it was AMAZING. And judging by the turnover of diners, we’re not the only ones who thought this. A daily set menu is available, but I like a little bit more flexibility sometimes, and so we ordered off the normal menu. A huge basket of warm fresh bread and delicious olive oil was delivered quickly, with the house wine we’d ordered. And when I think what we paid for this house wine, compared to the rubbish you get back in the UK, for a comparable price, it makes me so happy that we can get to experience things like this, as the norm, now.
The turnaround in this restaurant is incredible. We certainly didn’t feel we were being rushed, and so it was clearly testimony to the efficiency of the operation that as soon as one table was finished, it was cleaned down, set up and the next diners seated. Sometimes lunchtime meals can be a bit soulless, especially if in a cavernous setting – but the buzz of chatter (no music) meant that this was a lovely experience. In fact, so lovely was it, that we didn’t want to leave. Even though tables were being turned around quickly, the staff never made us feel as if we couldn’t just savour the moment. So, more wine was ordered and the dessert menu perused. We’re not greedy, mind you. It was only lunchtime (and we still had evening meal to consider!) so it was a dessert with two spoons…
Apparently, in the summer, this place is just even more wonderful, with a fabulous outdoor terrace. So, whatever time you might go – day/night, summer/winter – we cannot recommend this hidden gem any more highly.
Il Circolino, Vicolo Sant’Agata 19, 24129 Bergamo Italy
by Helen | Jan 22, 2019 | Travel, UK
Although we know most of the north of England fairly well, we weren’t aware of Brimham Rocks. How did we not know about them?
Found on Brimham Moor in North Yorkshire, England the rocks began taking their shape roughly 320 million years ago, when water, grit, and sand washed down from Scotland and Norway to form the land of Yorkshire. However it was a much more recent event, during the last glacial period, (the Devensian glaciation, roughly 73,000 BC to 10,000 BC) that would shape the rocks into the bizarre silhouettes you see today. As the last of the giant ice age glaciers melted they created the ripples and waves on the rocks, creating sculpted looking forms. Since then, rain and wind have further eroded the strange rock formations seen throughout the area. Atlas Obscura
Located about 10 miles north west of Harrogate, where we were staying, we visited on a freezing cold January day. It was a great time to discover this area of outstanding natural beauty, as literally no-one else was mad enough to be out in the sub-zero tempertures, so we were able to explore on our own. Before the snow came down, the views from the rocks, across the Yorkshire countryside were stunning – we could even see the infamous “golf ball” structures, away in the distance over at the RAF base at Menwith Hill.
The rock structures are really quite amazing – paths lead you through a maze of balancing rock formations, many of which look as if they are about to topple over. Sculpted by 320 million years of ice, wind, and the movement of entire continents, they have taken on weird and wonderful shapes. Many have taken on familiar appearances – the Dancing Bear, the Gorilla, the Eagle and the Turtle, and the Smartie Tube. For the more nimble, there are also the Rocking Stones – try and balance on these!
Opening times do vary, both across the National Trust site and over the year, so do check before you set off as you may have a wasted journey. Parking facilities are available – £6 for 4 hours or £8 per day, at the time of writing.
Not too far from Brimham Rocks, and definitely close enough to visit in the same day, is the beautiful Fountains Abbey, one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England…
If you do ever find yourself in North Yorkshire, you will be spoilt for choice in terms of places to visit, but we do definitely recommend both Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey. Especially if you can hit lucky at the time of year we did, as you’ll largely have both places to yourself.
by Helen | Jan 14, 2019 | Renovation
If there’s one thing that is consistent about The Well Room, it’s that it is constantly in a state of renovation. The problem with this room has a lot to do with what we now call it – The Well Room. When we bought the house (and for a good few months), we had an internal stone well, slap bang in the middle of this room, with a deep, deep chamber where the rain water collected. It had been a working well, but as the house is connected to mains water, the function of it became pretty redundant. Nearly a year ago, the actual overground stone well was relocated to outside the front door and the chamber drained. A reinforced glass well cover has been on order for, forever. But we are in Croatia, so this is perfectly normal. Other parts of the house take precedence too, as need arises and so we never, ever seem to complete this room.
The other issue is that the front door opens straight into it, and so as work is being done around the house, this is the “messy room”. The one that always has the dirty floor when it rains – the floor is still the original stone so we don’t mind this too much at the moment, but it doesn’t lend itself to being overly comfy. Or warm. The window surrounds and cills need to be treated and fixed. The temporary well cover replaced. A wood burner fitted. A new wooden floor laid. But none of this can really be done whilst there’s still a lot of renovation work going on in the room, so we just chip and chip away.
Part of the recent chipping away, has been the sealing and insulation of one of the outer walls. This room is really cold in the winter – unsurprising with no heating (apart from our electric heaters and millions of candles) and a stone floor, single glazed & pretty ill-fitting windows and a front door which when open, brings in the elements. So, a false wall has been created, behind which is thick insulation. We’ve also taken the opportunity to sort out the “day bed” AKA the big lump of concrete in the corner of the room, which abuts this exterior wall. A false shelf, with very soft, integrated LED strip lighting, has been built. This is all in-situ, and now just waiting for the final plastering and painting. It’s looking like this, currently…
…but hopefully, by this time next week, will look quite considerably better!
We’re also taking the opportunity to final get up our beautiful white concrete light bulb pendant shades, bought from Moth in West Didsbury, when we renovated our last house. They are very delicate and very pretty and I’ve just been waiting to find *the* place to have them installed. Now that we have our LED shelf lighting and the same lighting on the steps going up into the kitchen from The Well Room, they will work perfectly, on a dimmer, in a line above the concrete dining table. Which might soon be used for its intended purpose, rather than a tool storage!
We’ve asked that the concrete shades are connected by exposed cables, so that they can hang at different heights above the table – and I, for one, cannot wait for these beauties, last seen in Arley Avenue, to be out of storage.
Concrete pendant light bulbs from Moth, West Didsbury…
by Helen | Jan 8, 2019 | Travel, UK
Not too long ago, when we still lived in Didsbury, we often thought about having time away in London, but never got round to it, because, well – London was just too far away from Manchester. The traffic would be awful. We’d end up sitting on the M6 or the M25. It was over-priced and over-crowded. And so, for a long time, we never did the trip. The last time we were in London was, I think the early 90s. But things are different now. We think nothing of long trips – and so when we were planning our Christmas road trip back to England, we decided that this time we would take in London.
Not all of it, of course – we were on a fairly strict timescale and so had to narrow down where we were staying, so that we were able to do a bit of the touristy trail, but also head up to Manchester quite quickly. As we were driving, we took a ferry from Calais to Dover, so it made more sense to stay in the East, rather than driving through the London traffic on the afternoon of the last Friday before Christmas. Rather than search by area, I searched for accommodation that I liked the look of first, and then checked out the area – and this was how we came to find the very lovely Pilot Inn, in Greenwich. The journey from Dover up to Greenwich was easy – just over an hour, straight up the A2. No traffic jams either. As you will all know, Greenwich has changed beyond recognition. We’re lucky enough to now visit lots of places on our roadtrips, but there was something quite exhilerating about being a tourist in London, and seeing for real some of the landmarks we’ve only seen on TV.
My usual choice of accommodation isn’t usually a pub with rooms above, but The Pilot Inn (far right building on the photo below) ticked our boxes. It has been refurbished and whilst it is still a pub downstairs, it has been very stylishly renovated. There’s a restaurant too, and we chose to eat here – it’s clearly a very popular choice amongst locals as it was packed. The food was exceptionally good, too – definitely not pub grub. Breakfast next morning was as good, with plenty of vegetarian options, too. Our room was lovely – just what we needed after a long journey through Slovenia, Austria, Germany, France and across the channel. Very tastefully decorated, with a super comfy bed, metro-tiled bathroom with a powerful walk in shower, strong wi-fi and views of the O2 Arena and the iconic gas holder at East Greenwich Gas Works. Another bonus was free parking bays, just outside the accommodation. And, interesting fact – the avenue on which The Pilot is situated, River View, Greenwich, is the very terrace (albeit with doors now painted blue) that featured in Blur’s “Parklife” video…
The Pilot Inn is perfectly located for the O2, which is no more than a ten minute walk away. Again, ashamed to say, we’ve never been here since the area was redveloped and so were quite surprised at how beautiful it all is now. With the Canary Wharf glass towers glistening in the winter sunshine, and the redevelopment of the river area, and the explosion of modernist buildings around Greenwich Peninsula, we really did regret not having taken more of an opportunity to explore the capital when it actually was a lot easier. Now, a journey of four hours seems nothing. Previously, it seemed like such a long time to spend in a car. How your perspective can change!
We spent a good few hours just walking, taking it all in – and I even persuaded my other half, who has a very real fear of heights, to do a round trip on the Emirates Air Line, which crosses the River Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks. I thoroughly enjoyed my aerial view of London. Not too sure about him…
Above, is the beautiful facade of Ravensbourne University, next to the O2 Arena.
It was a shame the next day that we couldn’t extend our touristy trip of London, but we had to head north to Manchester. Instead of skirting around the M25, we decided to do a drive through the city and so were able to see some old haunts, as we drove through Deptford, Bermondsey, Southwark and over Tower Bridge to the north of the river. We’d wanted to get to see The Cutty Sark, The Royal Observatory, The Naval College and of course, a bit of retail therapy at Greenwich Market, but time was against us.
However, our taste for London has returned. Now that our preferred way to get back to the UK is by driving, we’ll factor in a capital visit next time. Especially as I’ve now got my eye on The Good Hotel – the concept of which is described on the website as combining…
…premium hospitality with doing good for the local community. The hotel is located in the historical Royal Victoria Docks in London, on the river Thames, and is a profit for non-profit business. This means it employs a social business model that re-invests all its profits…
by Helen | Jan 7, 2019 | Lifestyle
When I ordered the SkyBox – the one that I thought would solve all of our TV issues – I hadn’t realised where it would be coming from. But early on Christmas Eve morning, I knew exactly where it had come from, as we’d brought it all the way back to England with us from Istria. To Heywood, in Oldham. About 10 miles from Didsbury. It was dropped off unceremoniously – I don’t think Tom wanted to engage with me about the problems we’d encountered, on Christmas Eve morning, when all he probably wanted to do was not be in his soulless office. However, prior to leaving for our Christmas roadtrip, we’d had a bit of a breakthrough and this time Mike helped us to access UK TV. From his base in Wythenshawe – yes, we come all the way to Istria and we’re still dealing with Manchester based companies – he used magic to get us connected. So, we do have a way of watching UK TV, which is brilliant, but it’s still not the perfect solution.
However, when we were back in England, we got a call from Mauro, the engineer from T-Com. Out here, you get the same guy coming out to you, so you do get to know them – and this does make things easier as you don’t need to constantly re-explain the problem. My understanding was that Mauro wanted to come and collect the redundant 4G router – we’d upgraded the 4G service prior to Xmas and a new router had been delivered, which we hadn’t had time to set up before we left. We arranged that he’d come out when we got back.
Our main issue stems from the fact that we still don’t have fixed line internet – depsite the fact that all of the infrastructure was all installed way back in April. We did have it for one day, and then the connection was “broken” and it has never been fixed. The frustration of the TV situation finally spurred me onto doing what I should have done months ago, and I emailed T-Com head office in Zagreb, copying in everyone, in the hope that my complaint would hit the right person. SUCCESS! Just after the call from Mauro, two emails pinged in from T-Com, one after the other…
Dear,
we are kindly asking you to write us back billing account number so that we can make necessary check of your technical difficulties. We advise you to register on the Moj Telekom portal for access to your accounts and current consumption and administration services. You can make a registration through a link.
Best regards,
Dear Ms. Corr and Mr. Ruane,
We apologise for the inconvenience You experienced when activating our services. We are letting You know that we have reported a connection trouble at your location, which should resolve the inconvenience. As a contact number we have set the mobile number 385993333797. Please be patient until the above mentioned difficulty is removed.
Best regards,
To be honest, we had no idea what the implications of the emails were, but at least they’d replied. Which, for T-Com, is a massive result.
Fast forward to Sunday morning. Sunday 6th January – a big day out here as it’s The Epiphany and even though it fell on a Sunday this year, it’s still a public holiday. You know, the kind of day when no-one is working. Not Mauro, however, who rocked up with all of his kit and set about doing what he needed to do – to get our fixed line reinstated… Yep, that email to Zagreb had worked and he’d been sent out to resolve the problem! Almost ten months later, we have a glimmer of a hope that we can soon have normal internet access.
We’re not quite there yet. We now have a landline, with a Croatian number – and we are now awaiting, with bated breath, a call from Mauro’s colleague, who will assess whether this line can be upgraded to accommodate broadband. And if it can, that means that all of our TV problems are sorted! We’re trying not to be too excited about this unexpected situation, but we now have another router, and it has to be said, the lights all seem to be lit up correctly. To be continued…
by Helen | Jan 7, 2019 | Travel, UK
Split by the River Esk, Whitby is one of my favourite spots on the Yorkshire coast. I always seem to have visited in the winter months, and although I am sure spring and summer are glorious (mostly!) – my impression of Whitby is of brooding and dramatic skies, and waves crashing in from the North Sea. The Bram Stoker association just adds to the allure of this seaside resort – I love that the vampire arrived in Whitby, from Transylvania, in the guise of a black dog…
But, strangest of all, the very instant the shore was touched, an immense dog sprang up on deck from below…and, running forward, jumped from the bow onto the sand. Making straight for the steep cliff, where the churchyard hangs over the laneway to the East Pier…it disappeared into the darkness.
St Mary’s churchyard is exactly what a churchyard should be – ancient, with crooked headstones & weathered inscriptions, sitting on top of a wind swept cliff. An amazing place just to wander – but, you do need to get wrapped up, especially if like us, you like a winter walk!
High up on the headland, exposed to the elements from all directions, sits the atmospheric Whitby Abbey, a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. Only the shell of the priory now remains, but it was one of the most important Anglo-Saxon religious places in the world. Like the graveyard, it is beautiful, especially under a winter sunset.
From the Abbey and the churchyard, you can walk down the famous 199 steps (or 198 or 200, depending on which way you count them), from the top of East Cliff to the historical centre. These steps were originally wooden, and before the 19th century, were often the way people were carried up to their final resting place in the churchyard. Wooden planks were built to enable the pall-bearers to rest the coffin on the way up – these are now benches where you can take in the view…
Once down the steps, it’s a joy to explore the older part of the town, located on the East bank of the estuary. This part of Whitby is a jumble of narrow, cobbled medieval streets and alleyways, full of rickety buildings, leading down to the beautiful harbour. Pretty cottages sit next to utterly beautiful gift shops. Proper old pubs nestle up against cool bars and restaurants. And then of course, there are the fish & chip shops. Oh, the fish and chips from Whitby. Sublime…
So, if the east coast is not somewhere you’ve discovered before, we’d highly recommend you investigate Whitby. And then pop a bit further down the coast, and you’re in the stunning Robin Hood’s Bay, a maze of tiny, cobbled streets, with a tradition of smuggling. In fact, there is supposedly a network of subterranean passageways linking the houses – legend has it that Robin Hood encountered French pirates who came to pillage the fisherman’s boats and the north-east coast. The pirates surrendered and Robin Hood returned the loot to the poor people in the village that is now called Robin Hood’s Bay.
by Helen | Dec 17, 2018 | Lifestyle
So, nine days after ordering, and paying for it, the Sky digi box and viewing card arrived. The UPS driver went away with a bottle of wine and we oohed and aahed over the delivery. A very exciting delivery and a very exciting day…
Everything was connected, the card inserted, the screen changed to a Sky screen – all good so far – and then we saw the message which we did NOT want to see…
Your Sky+ HD box isn’t getting a signal…
Prior to making the purchase, I’d had numerous email exchanges with the company, ensuring that a) they did deliver to Istria, b) that we did NOT need fixed line internet for this service and c) that the satellite we had in place would enable this all to work. I was advised that the digi box we had would not work with this system, so we purchased their Sky box – an additional expense but one we felt was ultimately worth it, if it meant we got UK TV finally. I was assured that our current satellite set up was perfect as we needed the Astra satellite and this is exactly what we had. Online instructions – and reviews – all suggested that this was a total doodle to set up, and I had no reason to believe otherwise as I read the experiences of people all over Europe, who were sitting pretty, probably watching “Strictly Come Dancing”.
Still no luck, though. Online chat was initially helpful, but it soon became clear that things weren’t going to be as smooth as we’d been led to believe. It was helpfully suggested that we get a local satellite engineer to look into this, and Oli left the live chat, making it quite clear he couldn’t really be arsed any more with my issue in Istria. Let’s just say the night we had planned in front of the TV didn’t quite pan out that way…
However, next day we felt a bit more upbeat. It couldn’t be that hard, surely? Everywhere you look around here are satellite dishes, so it had be resolveable. We found a shop on the coast that seemed to be the answer to our problems – we’d found out we needed a coaxial cable as well as an LNB and this shop had them. Hurrah! Investigating a little bit more, the guy in the shop didn’t think we’d need these as he felt we had everything to make it all work. All we needed was his man, Leonardo, to come over and hopefully just change the direction of the dish so that the signal from the Astra 28 (and this number is significant!) could reach us.
When Leonardo arrived, it all started out so positively. He could speak perfect English – always a bonus as our technical Croatian hasn’t advanced too far – and he made the right noises about signals and receivers etc. Unfortunately it all unravelled when he went to check the actual dish and spoke to a colleague. We’d need a MUCH, MUCH bigger dish (as in 3 metres wide!) if we were to have any hope at all of the Astra 28 signal reaching us. And, even worse, the signal would only work on a bright, clear day. Any fog, low cloud cover, rain, wind or snow and we’d get nothing. Zilch.
To test if we had coverage, he searched online. And there was the answer. We could see an outer lilac band, on screen, *just* about covering northern Italy, but skirting over the top of Istria. Yep, proof that we weren’t going to be getting UK TV any time soon, as the coverage did not actually reach us! A quick internet search revealed that it used to, but the footprint had recently changed, meaning that people who had previously been able to receive a signal in Italy, the Balkans and Greece, no longer could. So a dish, no matter how large, was never going to help.
By this time, I was utterly despondent as we’d made a fairly expensive, but seemingly useless, purchase and were STILL no nearer getting the TV we were craving. (If you’re still reading and wondering why we don’t do it via fixed line internet, that’s a whole other story, which we’re currently pursuing with T-Com in Zagreb). So, it was back on the internet. I couldn’t accept that there wasn’t a solution. People must live in much more remote areas than us, without fixed line internet, and be able to access satellite TV other than the rubbish Croatian offering. And, seriously, I don’t say this lightly – it is appalling.
A day searching online was well worth it. By a process of elimination and dogged determination, I found an answer, through a company based – believe it or not – back in Manchester! And, on Friday evening, as if by magic, we were at last able to settle down and watch *normal* television – and the added bonus we even got North West Tonight so got to watch was going on in the NW. The unveiling of the Emmeline Pankhurst statue outside Manchester Central Library, on BBC NorthWest, in northern Istria!
The set up isn’t perfect just yet, but Christmas came early to Istria this weekend and I was able to gorge on Come Dine With Me, SCD Final and The Apprentice Final. And, in a new twist, our brilliant builder/electrician, who loves a challenge, has been investigating the satellite option and is on his way over. We think he may have a solution…
by Helen | Dec 5, 2018 | Lifestyle
The one thing that we have realised since relocating to Istria, is that PATIENCE is a quality which we must have, at all times. Every waking minute. Because usually, nothing happens quickly. And never immediately. We are gradually shaking off our (*my*) impatient nature(s) and realising that things do not happen here, like they did back in England. And to think we would moan and tut and grumble about how bad systems were back in the UK!
The work on the wall in the Well Room started over two weeks ago. Previous to this, the room did resemble a room. We were using the concrete table, we had created a sofa on the platform and gorgeous navy blue velvet curtains had been hung, providing us with warmth and privacy. The work has involved fixing insulation tiles with insulating adhesive, plastering it, fixing a mesh barrier, plastering again and finally a layer of skim. Then building a ledge which will sit along the back of the raised ledge, with lighting. So, quite a bit of work and time is needed for the plaster to dry out – but it is taking forever. Because of the nature of our house – an old stone house that hadn’t been lived in regularly for some time before we bought it – we always have to factor in unforeseen problems. And, so we need to exercise patience.
But never mind, we almost have our lovely kitchen, which we have had to exercise much patience over. It took a good few months to get everything done prior to it finally being installed, but it’s still not quite finished. A couple of jobs still need to be completed by the company who installed. Another exercise in being patient, as we bat emails back and forth and we try to keep our cool so that they don’t just decide to go quiet on us. Other jobs are down to us, adding to the builder’s list – and again, as each job is added, another takes a bit more time to complete. Today’s job has involved installing the lighting for the shelving in the corner, meaning wiring all over the place again and everything having had to be moved from shelves and work tops. Still, at least it’s being done and I’m crossing my fingers that by tonight, everything will be back to normal and not looking like it currently does…
Never mind, it’ll all soon be put back together and our corner shelves will have lovely under-lighting. Hopefully tonight.
But, we are still having to exercise patience. And this time, it’s properly killing me! We have finally, we think (and we hope, as it’s cost quite a few pounds) found a way to at last get UK TV. We’ve not yet got fixed line internet – patience again, being key here – and our internet situation is reliant on 4G, so we have to have satellite. But, and here’s the rub, Croatian and Italian TV are both pretty rubbish. We tend to default to BBC World News or Kitchen 24 – yep, a channel of cookery programmes, 24 hours a day, which means that at times we can gorge on Jamie, Nigella, Nigel etc. A little bit of TV sanity. The TV situation has been driving us mad – and we haven’t been able to see the wood for the trees, but have now worked out a way that we just might be able to access everything we have missed on the TV. Next instalment coming up…
by Helen | Nov 25, 2018 | Renovation
Our stone house doesn’t have normal staircases. For over eighteen months, we’ve had exposed treads and no handrails. A bit like a big version of a stepladder. We have two of these – one going to the upper floor (the more sturdy set of stairs) and one down into The Snug (the less sturdy set of stairs), and both run from the living room. The stairs have been an on-going pre-occupation since we moved in because theyare a) pretty horrible and b) pretty unsafe. This was what the stairs were like prior us to doing anything at all to the house. And before all of our furniture arrived…
As you can see, precarious, definitely not good looking and not really the finished items. We’ve had a number of quotes for a number of different staircase options, but all were a lot more than we wanted to pay – but, we knew that if only for the safety of us, and visiting family and friends, we had to do something with them.
So, in between everything else we throw at him, we asked our builder to make them safe in the simplest, most cost effective way possible. The treads were all brought forward slightly, giving you a lot more foot-room going up and down, and pine boards were attached to the frames at the back of the treads, meaning that you no longer felt your foot was going to disappear out of the other side on the way up.
These wooden treads (below) might look no different to the previous photo (above), but the treads have been moved forward and secured much better, meaning that there is more depth and strength to each one…
Wooden boards were then attached to the back of the stairs, so that they were no longer open and exposed, and the job of painting them started.
Obviously this is still a work in progress – the stairs down into the cellar haven’t even been started yet (and yes, that blob of paint on the wall will be whited out!) – but we think just doing this has made a huge difference to the living room. A industrial handrail will be fitted on the wall side, with three or four vertical poles (made of the same scaffolding poles) attached to the open side of the staircase. We want to keep the feeling of openess, but with just a little more of a nod to health and safety.
Very glad we didn’t run with the original quotes – the stairs undoubtedly would have been amazing – but a massive chunk of money would have had to have been handed over. Doing what we’ve done, we’ve paid for pine boards and paint, plus our builder’s time. A whole lot less than was quoted. And, we think that we now have stairs which will actually fit into their surroundings, rather than look like dangerous eye-sores.
