by Helen | Dec 1, 2016 | Lifestyle
So, flights booked. We hope there’s no turning back now. Come the beginning of December, we hope the deal has been sealed. We hope that as well as those UK National Insurance numbers – which you *always* remember – we’ll also have Croatian ID, and the ownership of a Croatian farmhouse. We hope that the electricity and water and gas will have been transferred to us and that we will have a phone line and super-duper broadband all ready to go.
We hope this will be our Christmas present to ourselves and the beginning of a massive adventure…
by Helen | Nov 25, 2016 | Lifestyle
December is going to herald in some big changes! We fly out on 1st December to Bergamo in Northern Italy and pick up a car, which we’ll drive down to Istria. On Dec 2nd we apply for our Croatian Osobni Identifikacijski Broj numbers – ID numbers, similar to our NI numbers in the UK and then on the following Monday, we meet with our vendors and Croatian solicitor to do lots of signing of paperwork. We’re hoping that by the time we return to Didsbury, a week later, we have a new set of these…
by Helen | Jul 19, 2016 | Lifestyle
So, we’d arrived in Istria and hired a car, with the intention of finding the house we’d spotted online. Armed with a map and sat-nav we set off, climbing higher and higher up into the Istrian hills. Although it was July, it was quite cool and a overcast, but we could still see the potential of this part of the world, as hilltop village after hilltop village rolled past us. The roads were wide and cut through fields and meadows – and no traffic jams! Unfortunately, we got hopelessly lost. We just seemed to be driving around in circles as we’d repeatedly pass the same landmarks, but just never catch a glimpse of the house, which we knew from the online details, should be visible from the road. We were just about to give up, when suddenly, there it was, to the right of us. Thank goodness this had been another occasion when, despite the signs, we didn’t give up…
We were able to poke around quite a bit outside and the more we investigated, the more we just knew that this was the house. The village – Pici – was small, but it was clear that lots of renovation work was going on with lots of the properties and we knew that this one would go quickly. The mobile phone number on the painted For Sale sign was different to the one we’d been ringing, so we gave this a go – and it was answered by the brother of the people selling. They were apparently on holiday in the States so not answering calls or emails – and in their absence, he agreed to come over to the house the next day and show us around inside. Giving us a bit more time to explore outside…
There’s a story attached to the dwelling above, which we hope will eventually become part of our story, but more of that in a future blog…
by Helen | Jul 19, 2016 | Lifestyle
Our second trip to The House, this time to view internally, was much less problematic direction-wise, as we were already becoming used to the Istrian roads. What had seemed like a very long journey and an isolated location the previous day, all of a sudden seemed a whole lot more accessible and whilst in a rural location, certainly not isolated. This gave us heart as we had had creeping doubts the evening before, thinking we were potentially going to be cutting ourselves off.
The house we had found had been a family holiday home. It had been extensively structurally renovated, and closer inspection showed it to be in great condition. New roof, new guttering & downpipes, new windows and shutters – although no pool. As yet.
Once inside, we really saw the potential of this gem we had discovered…
We found out that the house had once been the only one in the village with a water supply. Although things have moved on quite considerably, the well is still working – quite a feature, but one we have some exciting plans for. Connected to the room above, is the living room. The living area is very spacious – we could immediately see the potential once cleared of the furniture and decorated in our style. Shuttered windows on facing walls, once opened, flooded the room with sunlight.
The main bedroom is huge – so much scope and potential, and unlike the rooms downstairs, it has high vaulted ceilings with original beams. Like the other rooms, it is a complete blank canvas as is largely undecorated so we can really begin to make our own mark over time. The second bedroom is ripe for conversion – originally used by the children of the family when on holiday, it is packed full of bunk beds and so seems quite small. However, once these are out, we’ll have another spacious room to play around with.
The current bathroom upstairs is very small and so our plan will be to transform the third bedroom into the main bathroom and knock through from the main bedroom into the current bathroom to create an en-suite. This means that when people stay they have exclusive use of the main bathroom. The smallest bedroom currently looks like this…
Under the living room is an area which was used for storage, but we immediately saw its potential as a really cosy second living room. The room where our beautiful Dovre woodburner will eventually be housed.
The current kitchen, although large, is separated from the rest of the living area and so the idea is to go open-plan. We want the living room/well room/kitchen to become a space which is completely used, with no area wasted. It’ll be a structural job and a half but we’re more than ready for this particular challenge…
So, without hopefully giving too much away at this stage, this is what our new life is shaping up to look like…
by Helen | May 23, 2016 | Spain, Travel
Casa 1800 are hotels I’ve had an eye on for some time. With one in Seville and in one Granada, I figured that some way we’d find a way to visit one of them, at least, but I also assumed that price may be prohibitive. So, when we decided to visit The Alhambra again, we investigated Casa 1800. Not only is this particular hotel almost underneath the walls of the beautiful Moorish fort, we also got a night for a really decent price. Booked. There & then.
Located in a historic and fully refurbished 16th-century building that used to be the barracks of the militia, known as “Casa de los Migueletes”, this boutique hotel is in the historic centre of Granada, in the district of Albaicín. It’s in a pedestrianised area, but the hotel sent clear directions to the nearest car park and it was a relatively short distance to walk. Although – we did visit in April so it wasn’t stifling, and we only had an overnight bag. I assume the hotel has a transport service – but if not, be prepared in hotter months and if you have more luggage, for a much slower walk than we did. Initially, it’s quite difficult to find, as the hotel is tucked up and away behind the main pedestrian street, and there are a few twists and turns to navigate, but once you arrive, it is absolute heaven on earth.
Our beautiful, spacious suite – with a bathroom with a bath! – overlooked the internal courtyard, where breakfast is served, and where in late afternoon, complimentary afternoon tea is served. What a fantastic idea, in such gorgeous location.
An utter class act of a hotel. Now to book Seville…
by Helen | Jan 6, 2015 | Italy, Travel
We love Bergamo in Northern Italy. It’s often overlooked as a gateway to its more showy neighbour, Milan, as lots of flights land here with easy transport links to the bigger city. But, you are really missing a trick if you just land in Bergamo and hop on a transfer, without ever experiencing this beautiful medieval, fortified city. As well as being crammed with historical treasures around every corner, the eating and drinking scene is pretty spectacular, too. In Citta Alta, the higher, and older, part of the city, the choices for dining are extensive.
Vineria Cozzi, on via Bartolomeo Colleoni, the beautiful cobbled thoroughfare off Piazza Vecchia in the old, upper town, is just stunning. It’s a family run restaurant, that is just an utter delight, decor-wise. And that’s before you’ve seen the menu…
The menu is innovative, and like the decor, sometimes a bit on the eccentric side – although not pretentious, so you do feel as if you actually being served a proper hearty meal. Given the standard (and quantity) of it, it’s also pretty inexpensive.
Christmas does seem to be a favourite time of year for us to be in Bergamo, and Vineria Cozzi is always way ahead of the festive game. Sometimes quirky, sometimes traditional but always super gorgeous, in the attention to detail.
This restaurant is most definitely a magical experience – and when visited on a cold, crisp December night, it’s even more magical. As is Bergamo, itself.
by Helen | Dec 3, 2014 | Spain, Travel
On a drive from the white washed hill top town of Frigiliana, down to Torrox on the coast, we noticed some strange shaped buildings looming up on a hill ahead of us – and were totally bemused, as we drove past them, to see that they looked like hobbit style dwellings, looking out to sea.
As soon as we got back to where we staying in Nerja, I looked up these strange buildings and found out that they were actually pods, part of a rural hotel and restaurant, called Los Coracoles – snails, in Spanish! So, of course, we had to make a booking and a couple of days later, were checking in.
The reception was housed in a cave-like building, with the restaurant to the rear of the check in area. If you don’t like rustic touches, this may not be for you, but we loved it immediately. Very Moorish, with lanterns strung across the low, arched of the ceiling. Dark wood, white washed walls, tiled floor. Just very different and very pretty.
It was quite a long and winding road up to Los Coracoles – you definitely need transport – but wow, was it worth it for the views down the sea. A small pool was perfectly placed for drinking in those views, and an outdoor terrace looked very tempting, for outdoor dining. However, as we were staying very late in the season, both were closed.
So, to our apartment. Again, another wow! It was a proper cave-like dwelling, with a balcony with a magnificent view.
Luckily, even though out of high season, the restaurant was still open, showing its popularity. People apparently travel from some distance to dine here, and we found the food to be pretty amazing.
In fact, we loved it so much here, and prices in November were so affordable, that we returned a few days later and tried out a suite, with more facilities and a larger bathroom. That woodburner was needed too, as the weather took a real turn and being on the top of the mountain, it was drizzly and misty and quite cold. Very atmospheric though.
We got to experience the restaurant again – for dinner and breakfast – and were as impressed as on our previous visit. Both with the food and the decor.
We also got to know Blass, the hotel “puppy”. His size suggested he was way beyond puppy years, but his personality and boundless energy definitely marked him out as a puppy. Although a large one, it has to be said…
by Helen | Oct 5, 2014 | Italy, Travel
Having driven around much of Italy, I think we can safely say that this guy – Padre Pio – is very definitely a superstar saint. You can hardly escape him – statues, images, grafitti, even a whole TV channel dedicated to him. I had heard of him before & had been mildly fascinated by the tales of his stigmata, and when were staying in Peschici & found out (via said TV channel!) that the town of San Giovanni Rotondo was a mere 30kms away, we had to investigate…
I’m sure that many people find this place deeply moving, but to be honest, I found it a bit nuts. Padre Pio’s image looms large, especially from the hospital, up on the hill. Tour buses spill religious tourists out. Stalls, peddling religious paraphenalia, can’t be missed. Priest and nuns mingle with the visitors in bars and restaurants. Everywhere trades on the Padre Pio story – and it’s quite clear that it’s a vibrant economy.
However, the real wealth is all too clear in the actual shrine of Padre Pio, inside Santa Maria della Grazie, the church which was built to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims – and the 50+ new hotels, which have sprung up in the town. As well as the actual tomb of Padre Pio, where he lies, his body well preserved, but without any signs of the stigmata (hmmm…), the walls and ceilings are elaborately mosaiced. Devout pilgrims, some in wheelchairs, many clearly unwell, file past the open casket, praying, and usually stuffing paper money into the collection boxes. There’s definitely a whiff of a charade going on here. But, in a mad way, that I just cannot understand, it clearly gives comfort to the devotees who file past his tomb. And spend money in the gift shop…
Leaving the town, which remains one of the craziest places I’ve ever visited, we turned on the car radio. And of course, which station was picked up? Only Radio Padre Pio! There’s no escaping this superstar saint dude in Italy…
by Helen | Sep 30, 2014 | Morocco, Travel
This is riad is quite simply, stunning. Located right on the sea walls, and converted from a very grand 19th century residence, you just could not have a better place to stay in Essaouira. The entrance to the riad is breath-taking – hand carved thuya wooden ceilings, stained glass windows, mosaic tiled walls and floors, a central fountain, winding stone stairs, an open fireplace. Just jaw-dropping!
We stayed in January so the hotel was probably much quieter than in spring/summer months, and we were actually upgraded from the booking we made – and were thrilled to be allocated a suite on the third floor, which had real wow factor. It was huge, with the biggest bed we have ever slept in, an amazing bathroom – and then the highlight. Floor to ceiling (sound-proofed) windows which overlooked the Atlantic, and the waves crashing against the medina walls directly below. Everything in the room was spec’d to the highest standard – you could not find fault with anything. (Wi-fi is not available in the rooms, but is great in the entrance/reception, which is a huge space, full of comfortable sofas, so not having it in the room was not an issue).
The hotel is atmospherically lit – no top, overhead lights here, so the quality of the photos is a little bit grainy, as it didn’t feel right to be snapping away and using the flash.
Breakfast is served in the roof-top restaurant, which has views on all sides across Essaouira and the Atlantic coast. What a way to start the day, as the sun rises! It was very windy when we were there, and the glass windows were closed – which made it even better to watch the seagulls swooping & circling outside, knowing that they weren’t going to snatch your breakfast!
There’s also a sun terrace with loungers, and up a little flight of steps, the highest point of the riad, with a few more loungers – perfect. But, it’s the interiors which do steal the show. The whole riad has a sense of history – it is large and imposing and feels very, very grand. Many of the original features have been retained and where accessories have been added, they are totally in keeping and help to produce an overall feeling of quiet opulence.
We had six nights at Riad Mimouna, and spending a little extra than we would normally have done, was the best decision we could have made – our flights from the UK were booked in advance, so were very affordable & Essaouira is not an expensive place for eating out/shopping so we felt we could justify a little more luxury. And, we cannot recommend doing the same, highly enough. You will NOT regret it!
(A word of warning – don’t be alarmed by the route to the riad. Essaouira is an ancient town, full of narrow, dark, cobbled alleyways, and this is how you get to Mimouna. However, it is also a very safe town, and once we got our bearings, and realised that as long we were just aware, there is really nothing to be alarmed about. It’s all part of the magic of Essaouira).
We flew, return, to Marrakech from Manchester by Easyjet for just under £300 (for two of us). After staying two nights in Marrakech, we travelled by coach to Essaouira, with Supratours, a four hour journey west (plus a 30 min comfort stop). Riad Mimouna was booked online (via Booking.com) and for a seven night stay (we booked a superior room but were upgraded, at no additional cost, to a suite) we paid 763 euros. This was definitely one of the pricier riads in Essaouira – we checked out a number of others which were less expensive, but just as beautiful – and we return in Jan 2015, now that we know the quality of accommodation generally in the town, we’ll be looking into one of the others, simply so that we have a different experience. On our return to Marrakech, to fly home, we actually took a taxi – this worked out at approx £40, but the plus side of this, was door to door, in less than three hours.
by Helen | Sep 27, 2014 | Italy, Travel
Tropea is an absolute jewel on the Calabrian coast and we couldn’t recommend highly enough, a stay in this beautiful town. However, if you are looking for accommodation, we couldn’t recommend highly enough that you steer completely clear of Hotel Residence Valemare. We made the error of arriving in Tropea & making a booking over the internet for 4 nights. The hotel we had wanted – Rocca Della Sena – was fully booked and we had seen good reviews for Valemare so we booked there & then. Had we not been on the road for a week, we might have investigated a little more, but we were just glad to be settled for four days.
We were greeted by Francesco – very pleasant guy, but with hindsight, the ONLY pleasant experience we had. We were shown to our apartment, having been advised by Francesco we’d been given an upgrade. I shudder to think what the original room must have been like.
We had a sea view – plus point. We had a balcony. Sort of a plus point but dirty plastic furniture and plastic foliage separating us from people on either side. Still, we weren’t so unhappy at this point. Francesco led us in, so it was only later, that we realised how utterly disgusting the door handle was – a sticky, black substance had been painted over the knackered door handle. The apartment was large – a good size kitchen/diner, a small bathroom and quite a large double bedroom. So, if size is your only criteria, you might like this kind of apartment. However, a cursory glance around showed how utterly filthy and decrepit this accommodation actually was. The only lighting on the living/kitchen area was an overhead light, so you were either in darkness or fully illuminated. The bed settee had a blue cover which was covered in white stains. See photo & make up your mind as to origin of stains.
The hob did not appear to be working – not such a problem as the greasy, dirty, filthy condition had made any kind of cooking a complete non-starter. The sink was filthy, as were the cupboard doors – greasy finger/hand prints. Door handles were missing & the cutlery drawers had clearly not been cleaned in a long while. There was a remote for the air-con, but this did not appear to be working, as we later discovered.
The bathroom was very small – don’t have a problem at all with this. But I do have a problem with a small, filthy bathroom. See photos of shower, taps etc. It was so dirty, I would not use the shower. There was gunk engrained in the folding shower door and the base of the shower had not been cleaned for some time.
The bedroom furniture was very functional. Again, not a problem with this – as long as the furniture is clean and does what it should do. One of the bedside lamps wasn’t working, meaning that in the whole apartment we had one working lamp. The bed cover was taken off immediately as again, it was stained, very old and looked distinctly beyond its best.
The walls are literally paper thin – the occupants next door were playing some kind of computer game and we could literally hear every beep. The flushing toilet was very audible, as was any moving of furniture – ie pulling a chair in & out.
Because we had booked this late, we did get a cheaper rate through Booking.com, but the overall dirtiness was horrible. I asked at reception if we could see another room as we weren’t very happy -Francesco advised that they were fully booked. It was past 9pm so we decided to stay for the evening and leave in the morning. We spoke to the receptionist the next morning, advising we would be leaving. We acknowledged that Booking.com have a no refund policy, but we requested that given the circumstances, we would pay for one night and would be obliged to have a refund on the three subsequent nights. By this time, we had already looked into other accommodation options in Tropea – both internet searches & walking into town and having a look around – and we were v fortunate that one room at Rocco della Sena was available. We booked it immediately.
The receptionist was GENUINELY perplexed by us stating we were leaving. She came up to the apartment – we showed her what we felt was lacking. She did show us that the air con was indeed working. We had not been told the previous evening that you first of all had to locate the switch behind the curtains before using the remote. Not a huge problem, and one that out of necessity we would have worked out as it was very hot, but quite a fundamental thing not to tell guests. The same with the hob – the ignition switch wasn’t working, so you had to use one of the lighters in the cutlery drawer. Again, we could have worked that out but possibly having a working ignition might have been the best solution. Upon seeing how dirty the bathroom was, and the bedding, she offered us a complimentary breakfast. We refused. She insisted. We refused. She insisted. She also offered to speak to her director to see what could be done. We decided to check out the dining area. The cracked plates and lack of food covers (therefore flies on the food) was enough for me and we walked out. (The dining area does have a lovely view over the sea – plus point). We took our already packed luggage to reception to check out. We weren’t holding out much hope for a refund, but we thought we’d try.
The receptionist was nothing if not very keen to get us to stay – I had to explain that we were so dissatisfied, we had actually made a booking elsewhere. She offered to show us another room. We refused. She said if she had been working on the previous evening, things would have been different and would we look at another room and stay? Again, NO. We asked to speak to the manager to register our complaint – unfortunately, we couldn’t as the director was at hospital with a “bad head”. There is an office, just outside of the main reception area, and this is clearly where the “director” was – the receptionist had frequent audible, animated conversations with someone who despite language barriers, was refusing to budge. Booking.com was called by the receptionist – although they wouldn’t budge in terms of a refund, they were extremely helpful. The receptionist kept reiterating the offer of another room – eventually we had to show her the photos we had taken. She was on the phone immediately, to her director, and we understood her to be mentioning photos/publicity etc etc. Booking.com were called again & we were put on to them – knowing that the “director” was in the office next to reception, we conducted our conversation with the booking company right outside the office & knocked on the door when the call was finished to return the phone. A call came through to reception as we were knocking – from the person inside. The Director…As we were going to get nowhere with speaking to anyone with any kind of authority we left, thankful we were going to another hotel. At the car we realised we still had the room keys and I returned them to reception – just at the right time to meet the “Director” coming out of the office.
This hotel still has our money. In the grand scheme of things, if we don’t get it back, we’ll get over it. But, we would like to advise people that if you want to stay in accommodation that is, at the very least clean, please do NOT make a booking here. It is truly the most awful place and clearly run by someone who is utterly inflexible and yet prepared to have their reception staff face guests who are very unhappy.
We have since spent three idyllic nights since in Hotel Rocca della Sena – if you can, spend a little bit extra here. We cannot tell you how different our experience has been here. Stunning. As is Tropea. And soon, Hotel Valemare, will be put down to a very bad decision.
