by Helen | Jan 8, 2025 | Lifestyle
We’ve considered an air fryer for a while, but haven’t done anything about acquiring one, as we thought they might be a bit gimmicky. Used a couple of times and then put back in the box and pushed to the far recesses of the cupboard. Only to be got out again when we did a big clear out and either binned it or donated it to charity. Yes, we have form here.
But at Christmas we received a voucher and after thinking about what we might use it for, we decided to investigate air fryers a little bit more, and started to like what we were reading. We quickly started to realise that an air fryer could be an investment, both financially and in terms of cooking more healthily. We liked the idea that they can reduce fat intake by up to 80% compared to traditional frying and cooking methods, and the fact that food is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, was another tick. Because there aren’t many components to an air fryer, even the largest capacity ones, they are clearly much easier to clean than a traditional oven or microwave, and less cooking/baking dishes are used because most cooking occurs in the basket. Everything is also contained within the tray, so no splashing or dripping or spillages. This was all sounding good.
However, we did also consider the disadvantages – and to us, these seemed largely to be price, dimensions and potential cooking times of certain foods. We discounted price pretty quickly as we didn’t want to pay silly money for something we ultimately may not have got a lot of use out of, so had a budget in mind, and stuck to it. Again, the issue of size was dealt with pretty quickly, as with only two of us most of the time, we could opt for a smaller capacity fryer. And, although it’s clear that certain cooking times, in an air fryer, may be longer than in a conventional oven, the other benefits were definitely starting to outweigh this. We spent quite a lot of time looking at different models, and to be honest, the final decision came down to the best design. Most in the price range we had set, seemed to offer more or less the same things, so we focused on what we had space for currently, as well as looking for a model that was pretty unobtrusive, with as few flashing lights and controls as possible – and we kept coming back to the Mi Smart Air Fryer with a capacity of 3.5 litres.
This model, with it’s circular OLED screen – and no other buttons or controls – looked sleek and super stylish, in white. The handle for the tray was even an attractive design. But the real pull of this air fryer, was its smart capabilities. Once connected to wi-fi and the app downloaded, it seemed to offer a whole load of new possibilities, including smart scheduling up to 24 hours in advance, meaning the timer can be pre-set. Very handy if you are out and about but want your meal ready, when you return home. Over 100 smart recipes are available, making it easy for beginners straight away – although, to be fair, this wasn’t the clincher as we’d already sourced so many recipes just by googling. However, the Mi Smart Air Fryer also supports custom cooking modes, so that you can adjust the settings as you please, and this feature did appeal. Without much more further ado, we placed an order for it, and three days later it arrived. Thanks to the very efficient Spanish postal service.
It is very much as beautiful as we had hoped. Not knowing how our new kitchen will eventually turn out, the decision to opt for white was a good one. As was selecting one that was as minimal as possible. Because it’s only 3.5 litres – which by the way, is perfect for two people – it sits easily on our counter top, and doesn’t take up too much space. It also doesn’t overpower, as some kitchen accessories do. It was simple to set up – once it found the network, it connected automatically to the wi-fi and when the app was downloaded, it was all pretty straightforward, too. We’ve only had it a few days, but already have discovered the benefits – less washing up, less using of trays and dishes, clean and compact, easy to use. But best of all – the quality of the cooking.
We started off with frozen chips – Harry Ramsden’s, which we think are the best – and wow! They were so different to oven cooked frozen chips. These were the best frozen chips we have ever cooked. Crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. Next up, we tried frozen white fish fillets, which were marinaded with olive oil, paprika, basil and oregano – again, cooked from frozen and what a result. The perfect texture and cooked to perfection, with slightly crisped edges but juicy, thoroughly cooked flesh. Amazing. We’ve also tried bacon and eggs – and this one really, really surprised us. Bacon will NEVER, EVER be cooked under the grill, ever again. Cooked in the air fryer, the smoked slices were succulent and full of flavour, and with very little fat. The eggs – fried eggs! – were almost perfect. I like my fried eggs to have quite hard centres, as I’m not a fan of a runny yolk and he likes them a bit more runny. I think we just need to work on timings as bother were almost perfect in their own way, but just not quite. The main oven and hob is still being used – last night we made a kedgeree, so everything was done on the hob. Apart from the hard boiled eggs, which were done in the air fryer. And this for me, was a bit like magic. Eight minutes – perfect eggs. And not a single crack in any of the shells.
We’re now actually asking ourselves, how did we survive before the arrival of the air fryer? And, over the next few weeks, I’ll start to share some of the recipes we’ve found and the results…
by Helen | Dec 29, 2024 | Lifestyle
Well, Christmas 2024 is certainly going to go down in our record books as a pretty memorable one. Although we couldn’t spend it with family – our rented apartment, although lovely, isn’t really big enough to accommodate guests and whilst I wait for my Spanish residency to be approved, I’m wary of leaving the EU, as, although I still have Croatian residency, there is the risk that the 90 day rule might kick in – we did spend a lot of time online, face-timing and chatting, so we didn’t feel as if we didn’t see anyone. However, what made this one memorable, was that up to Christmas and definitely over the festive period, we had the most amazing weather. Sunny, warm days – often hitting the low twenties – meaning that we could escape to the beach. And that is exactly what we did, when we shut down the computers and switched off for Christmas…
chipiona beach
The weekend before Christmas, we found ourselves in Chipiona, less than a ten minute drive from where we are living. When we first arrived here, we drove through what we thought was Chipiona, and thought it was pretty awful so hadn’t headed back – lots of derelict,shack type buildings, unkempt areas and a pretty grotty beach. However, we’ve since realised that this wasn’t Chipiona, it was somewhere on the outskirts and the town itself is really pretty, with a fabulous sandy beach and shallow waters. As we were only really passing through, before Christmas, we didn’t stay too long – just long enough to grab a table in a restaurant overlooking the beach, and have a lovely selection of tapas, in the very warm sunshine.
christmas day
Because we knew that the weather was going to lovely on Christmas Day, we decided we’d come back to Chipiona, bring a couple of beach chairs, glasses and a bottle of wine. After speaking to family and opening presents, and a lovely brunch of salmon and scrambled eggs and fizz, we packed a cool bag and headed off. Quite a few other people had obviously had the same idea, as we weren’t alone on the beach, although it’s such an expansive beach, that once we’d chosen a spot, we weren’t aware of other people being around. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the sun was so warm. A perfect way to spend a couple of hours on Christmas Day – and such a different experience to any December 25ths previously!
We also took a leisurely stroll back to the car, through a beautiful little square – Plaza de Juan Carlos I. The small square is perfectly formed with a terrace of the most elegant town houses and a church – Parroquia De Nuestra Senora De La O. But Christmas dinner was calling and as pretty as this square was, we decided that we’d come back to investigate further, later in the week.
Christmas dinner was also a real treat this year. We’ve discovered a shop called The Food Co in Sotogrande which stocks lots of British supermarket brands, including a fabulous range of goods from Waitrose. We shop locally most of the time, and use Spanish supermarkets regularly, but this little gem of a supermarket is great for when you need something you can’t get in local shops or when you want a proper treat. Like pigs in blankets, at Christmas. Or proper stuffing. Or double cream – something we have always struggled with, but no longer! We also went super lazy this year – our kitchen in the rental is great, but small and we didn’t want to spend lots of time in it, so we bought cheat food. Roasted potatoes, sprouts and bacon, honey glazed parsnips, stuffed turkey crown, Yorkshire puddings – all ready to just put in the oven in their trays. Totally lazy but totally worth it, especially when we didn’t end up with piles of washing up.
We did manage to feel very festive, as we also bought a few Christmas decorations, which will now supplement the boxes of decorations currently in storage, and obviously lots of good food, chocolate, cheese, Baileys and pink fizz does help. So, yes a very different Christmas – but one in the sun is one I would definitely recommend!
by Helen | Dec 14, 2024 | Spain, Travel
For a short stay in Malaga, we recently discovered a really good company, offering fully renovated apartments in the center of the city, located on Calle Santa Lucia, in one of the city’s most vibrant areas. The accommodation, in a recently renovated townhouse, comprises studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, all designed with a contemporary style and equipped with all the necessary amenities you’d expect. We booked a two bedroom apartment as we were staying with friends, and we were all pretty delighted with both the location and the standard of the apartment.
Communication from the company prior to arrival was excellent, and we were provided with access codes, as there is no reception. Some people may find this off putting, and would rather be greeted by someone – and sometimes, we do – but sometimes we quite like just being able to get into a property and not to have to do the meet & greet at reception. Obviously, online check in is essential for a stay like this, so worth knowing these points if you really prefer the personal touch. If you arrive by car, there is a public car park about 300 metres away – not the cheapest, but it is in central Malaga and it’s definitely somewhere to leave your vehicle.
Our duplex apartment was on the top floor, so we had a great view across the city rooftops and down into the streets below, from the little Juliet balconies, which opened out from big French doors. There is a lift so none of that struggling up flights stairs with luggage. The apartment itself was really large, and more than roomy for four adults. The layout was great for us, but again it’s worth knowing that you need to go through one of the double bedrooms to access the kitchen/living room upstairs. It’s easy to get around this though – both bedrooms are on the lower level, with one being private with its own door. The larger bathroom, with the shower, is located opposite, so whoever has this room can use the bathroom opposite, and whoever has the other double room, can use the smaller bathroom upstairs, meaning that in the night, no-one has to really go through anyone else’s room. A small drawback is that there is only the one shower, but for such a short stay this wasn’t an issue, and the shower is in the private bathroom.
Anyway, the layout is a tiny issue, because the whole of the two floor apartment is just lovely. Furnishings are simple but very stylish, so there is no clutter and the rooms feel roomy. As were only there for one night, and our friends arrived quite late from the airport, we didn’t take huge advantage of everything on offer, but we did use the upstairs living room to have wine and snacks. Both bedrooms benefited from large windows, the more open bedroom, with the stairs, having windows on two sides as this room is on the corner, therefore making it even lighter and airier. Both beds were extremely comfortable and bedding was excellent. Through out the apartment, there are tasteful accessories and the overall feeling is one of comfort. It has been renovated well and to a high spec, and with its location, we found this apartment to be just what we needed for a short stay.
For more information, see website here.
by Helen | Dec 6, 2024 | Spain, Travel
Well, this was definitely a new one for us. The Hard Rock Hotel. In Puerto Banus. Not really our usual less-is-more. More, more-is-more-and-the-brasher-the-better…
So, it begs the question – why? Why on earth did we chose to stay somewhere, so at odds with what we normally like? Well, we only needed a one night stay and it had to be somewhere near Malaga as we were meeting friends. And then staying in Malaga, so we felt we had the opportunity to do a night somewhere different, and up popped the Hard Rock Hotel. Maybe I’d been buoyed up by the purchase of my cowboy boots, but I just thought it was a great opportunity to stay somewhere a bit on the daft side. I honestly thought it would be tacky-and-amusing-in-an-ironic-kind-of-way, but it wasn’t at all. It was actually really quite nice! Maybe it was the time of year – beginning of December – that meant that there was very little pouting, Instagram posing or flexing of muscles around the pool. The pool was open, but only a few hardy guests lounged around the side of it, reading or scrolling through phones. It was quite busy, but nowhere near the levels of madness I’d expect to see in the summer.
To be fair, the communal areas were kind of what I was expecting. Lots of memorabilia, including glass display cases with the costumes of famous rock stars and music legends. I’m guessing they were the real deal, but I couldn’t swear to this. In the middle of reception, a circular seating area provided a bit of stage, and sure enough, we did experience a singer giving a live performance. He wasn’t bad at all, given that he was signing to a queue of people at 11am in the morning, checking out, but it did make for a pretty bizarre exit. We checked in and out at the “normal” reception, where cool, groovy young staff, headphoned and microphoned up – maybe even wearing roller boots behind the desk (I wouldn’t have been surprised) – tried to persuade us to download the app, wear the wristbands and generally just get into the Hard Rock spirit of things. This was all sadly a bit lost on us, as we can’t stand being forced to be jolly and join in – we’ll do it in our time, at our own pace, IF we want to, thank you very much. Across the way was the VIP reception area, with a few people sitting behind the glass partitions. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, they were not celebs. Maybe just people who’d taken advantage of the whole shebang being a lot less expensive in the winter. I did wonder if they also got the wristband treatment, too…
So, the room. The most important part of the stay. We booked a superior double room, as the price was so good. Even a suite was affordable but it seemed a bit excessive to book a massive suite for just one night, so superior double it was. The hotel is huge, and we found this out to our cost, when we finally located our room, which was at the furthest end of a very, very, very long corridor with lots of twists and turns. Great for keeping up the steps, but not so great when you’re breaking in a new pair of boots.
The room was actually really stylish, with good furnishings, cool accessorising, great lighting (once you’d worked out the workings) and funky artwork. There was plenty of storage, with built in wardrobes, with additional bedding and pillows, and internal lighting – always a good feature, I think. Big, fluffy robes were provided, which were really comfy. The bathroom was a good size, with an excellent shower and again, big, fluffy bath sheets. Bath sheets – big tick. However, the star of the show was the bed, which was huge, with a super, super comfortable mattress and the most wonderful white bedding. I’d have booked another night just to get another sleep in that bed!
The exterior of the hotel, I should imagine in the summer, would be lovely, with lots of lounging and pool areas and bars. However, on a grey day in December, it didn’t tempt us – although one or two hardy souls were on the loungers. But because of the time of year, the hotel did have an “out of season” feel, which was great in one respect as we got a much better room than we would probably normally have gone for, at an excellent price, and it definitely wasn’t party central. Unfortunately, fewer guests obviously also meant that not all restaurants were open and so we were limited to what seemed to be a Mexican themed restaurant, as all others appeared to be closed. Or, very empty. We couldn’t complain about the staff, who were exceptionally lovely, but the food was just a bit disappointing. Perhaps we don’t know enough about Mexican cuisine to appreciate what was on offer, but the meal we had definitely wouldn’t be included on the dining highlights of Andalucia list…
All in all, we had a thoroughly enjoyable time at the Marbella (although located in Puerto Banus) Hard Rock Hotel – and it seemed a fitting venue to crack out the new white leather cowboy boots…
by Helen | Nov 20, 2024 | Renovation
When we decided to sell our house in Istria and move to Spain, we initially didn’t look at future renovation projects. We thought that we wanted somewhere we would move in, and tinker around the edges, putting our stamp on the property. But, the more that we looked online, the more we were being drawn to projects. We saw lots of ready-to-go houses, but most were pretty soulless and most were recently built – the kind of houses you see a lot of when A Place in the Sun films in southern Spain. Many were discounted immediately, as well as the areas. We’re not averse to living somewhere that has lots of nationalities living there too, but we definitely didn’t want an enclave of British ex-pats. As a result, we started to find ourselves drawn to Andalucia, and especially the south west. Here, we started to find old houses, town houses, which really piqued our interest and we earmarked a number to view, when we travelled out over the summer.
The first house we viewed was in the beautiful pueblo blanco of Medina Sidonia. It was actually a fairly new house, but constructed in the style of a townhouse, and so ticked many of our boxes. Over three floors, with quirky features, we did like it a lot, but ultimately the outdoor space wasn’t enough, and to either side, there was land, which definitely looked ripe for additional houses to be built on.
So, our next viewing was in the pueblo blanco of Jimena de la Frontera, not too far from the coast, but far enough away to feel like an authentic Spanish town. We had about five houses to view but the first was a rather grand looking townhouse, for an amazing price. Originally, we had discounted this house, because the estate agent’s website stated it was “Sold”. However, I contacted the agent, and said if anything similar became available to let me know – and in a moment of serendipity, he told me that it was about to go back up for sale. Almost as if it was meant to be…
As soon as I walked through the door, I knew this was our home. Perhaps because we had viewed it online so many times, it felt so familiar. Walking through it, only made the belonging grow, and by the time we had seen everything, I knew this was the one. I didn’t want to see any of the other properties before we had had a chance to discuss this house and so we postponed them. A relatively quick chat confirmed what we were both thinking – call off the search. This had to be our house. And, two days later our offer was accepted!
Fast forward three months, and she is ours. Documents all signed, deeds transferred into our names and paid for. That dream of buying a house in Spain that we could more or less move straight into, hasn’t quite materialised, but I do think we now have our dream home. Initial plans are now being drawn up for the internal renovation and we expect that over the winter – when we will be living elsewhere – work will begin on the really dirty demolition work. The house is in a bit of a state at the moment, because it has been unloved and neglected, but not for long.
This is our starting point, and as daunting as it feels currently, we think we have found ourselves a gem of builder, who will work with us on this new, and super exciting, renovation project.
by Helen | Oct 29, 2024 | Lifestyle
Now that the clocks have gone back, it’s time to break out the autumnal recipes. We’ve had a wonderful summer of tapas and salads and fresh fish – light food, which doesn’t leave you feeling too full – but now that the candles are out, and throws are appearing on the sofa, it’s time for heartier, but still healthy – meals. We’re now living in Andalucia and the onset of autumn hasn’t been quite as much a shock, as it used to be back in the UK, and even in Istria. Days here are still very warm in the sunshine – although today we have rain – and even though the clocks have gone back an hour, the sun doesn’t set until well after 7pm. But, when it is dark, and the sun has gone, there’s definitely more of a chill in their air. And, as much as we’d rather have spring and summer, I think our years of having to embrace this time of year, have made us welcome certain aspects of autumn and winter. Like changes in what we eat.
It’s been a while since we enjoyed this very simple Spinach and Sweet Potato Bake. We used to make it a lot back in our West Didsbury kitchen, especially at this time year, because it is all the colours of autumn, in one tray. The original recipe has been long lost, so we’ve improvised over the years – possibly one of two ingredients may have been forgotten, as it always seemed more complicated and more of a lengthy process, but I think we’ve now nailed a really easy, full of goodness, super tasty, quick and easy dish. If you fancy giving it a go, here’s what we do…
what you’ll need
- Bag of fresh spinach
- A couple of large sweet potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
- 2/3 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and finely sliced, diced or crushed
- Medium sized carton of fresh single cream
- 3/4 fresh chillies, deseeded and finely chopped (or chilli flakes, if you don’t have fresh)
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
what you’ll need to do
- Heat the cream in a small pan, with the garlic and chillies – don’t leave to boil;
- Lightly oil an ovenproof dish and begin layering the ingredients;
- Layer of sweet potato, layer of fresh spinach, a pouring of the heated cream mixture, salt & pepper to taste;
- Sprinkle over a layer of grated or sliced parmesan cheese;
- Repeat the layers of sweet potato, spinach and cream, until all ingredients have been used;
- Finish with a layer of parmesan to achieve a cheesy crust.
We had a small amount of strong, blue cheese which needed to be used, so this was sprinkled across the top for a bit of an extra kick. Cook for about 40 minutes, in an oven which has been heated to 180°C. Once cooked, leave to rest for about ten minutes, then serve. This works well with a really simple salad or fresh, crusty bread. Perfect for the onset of autumn.
by Helen | Oct 22, 2024 | Lifestyle
Eating out in our new temporary home of Sanlucar de Barrameda seems to be very easy. With many options, in what The Guardian called, Spain’s new capital of gastronomy, we do seem to be very spoiled for choice. We’re still to get stuck into really exploring the food scene here – we’ve only been here a couple of weeks (but have extended our stay to the end of January, so plenty of upcoming opportunities) and we are still delighting in the fact that we are close to excellent supermarkets, full of the freshest of produce and we have a fabulous, full size, fully equipped kitchen, so cooing in, is a pleasure again.
However, not too far from our apartment, we came across Pizzeria Macana, which is takeaway only, but had just amazing reviews.
“An experience full of flavor from the first bite to the edges. A very pleasant dough, you can taste each ingredient. It feels like the ingredients are of quality. The speed with which I was served was excellent. You can see the effort and passion, you can see it in the details.”
“A great discovery! Thin dough, well made, crispy on the edges and with super tasty and top quality ingredients! Very clean and modern staff and premises. Without a doubt they are in the top three pizzerias in Sanlucar.”
“The best pizza I have ever tried without any doubt! I came expressly from Seville to spend the day in Sanlúcar and to try the pizzas that people talk so much about.”
And, as over the past seven years, in Istria, we’ve had to travel a fair distance to get decent pizzas, we just had to investigate Macana, less than 100 metres from our current temporary home. Especially as someone had actually travelled over 100kms from Seville to get one of these pizzas! We were immediately impressed by the branding and the design of the takeaway – nothing cheap or off-the-peg here, which we knew was a good sign. The interior was also scrupulously clean – another good sign, showing attention to detail and a clear signal that this is NOT just a fast food joint. The stylish counter, which opened up into a big kitchen, meant that you could also see your food being handled and prepared. I can honestly say that this place is restaurant standard, with the advantage that you either collect or have your food delivered, to the comfort of your own home. Which is sometimes a really nice thing to do, especially when your opportunities to have superb takeaways pizzas have been very limited.
So, the pizzas. What did we think of these? Well, we firstly quite surprised by the prices – all at €19.90 – which did seem a bit hefty, but we quickly realised that the pizzas were huge, and you could order an individual slice, half a pizza or a whole one, and this meant you could mix it up, by the slice, or the half and the price reduced accordingly. A perfect way to do it if a few of you were getting together for a pizza night. But we decided that we wanted a bit of spice, and so opted for the full size La Jalapeña, with tomatoes, mozzarella, mushrooms, black olives, pepperoni and chopped jalapeñas. With a portion of what seem to be the very famous fries. These comes with a variety of toppings, but I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to me fries, so we chose the ones with four separate, fresh salsas, in individual pots – perfect for a couple with one who loves salsas, and the other who doesn’t like them.
Happily, the reviews were right. Our pizza was huge – although with a fab thin crust and just the right amount of toppings (so not overloaded, especially on the cheese front) – we weren’t stuffed at the end, even with the addition of the fries. All of the ingredients were super fresh and ridiculously tasty. Especially the pepperoni, which was incredibly good quality and with a smoky flavour. Although it was the spiciest pizza on the menu, it wasn’t fiery. It was superbly seasoned and exceptionally tasty. A real Saturday nigh treat – and even more so, because we only had to go around the corner to get it. Looking forward to our next Macana Pizza Night already…
by Helen | Oct 16, 2024 | Lifestyle
We’ve been on the road now, for over three months, having sold up in Istria and waiting to complete on our dream Andalucian townhouse. We’ve stayed in a variety of hotels and apartments along the way, and are onto our third Airbnb stay. The first was for the month of August, and we did struggle to find anywhere suitable, at a reasonable(ish) price in the height of summer. We stayed in the very Spanish town of Algodonales, in a three story house, which sounds lovely – and it was – but there was no air-con, so it was largely quite uncomfortable. Next up was a renovated apartment in beautiful Medina Sidonia, which was much better – larger, cooler, better equipped and more of a home, than a holiday let. We liked this place sufficiently to extend our stay by a few days, but by the end we were ready to move on.
And now, we think we’ve hit the Airbnb jackpot. Perhaps because the season is ending, it may be a little easier to get better accommodation, but this apartment in the westerly town of Sanlucar de Barrameda is pretty exceptional, so far. Close to the beach, so great for bracing autumnal walks, it’s in a small modern block – possibly not what we’ve have seen ourselves choosing, but it had the real benefit of a parking space in an underground garage, which leads directly up to the apartment. Honestly, after weeks and weeks of on street parking, sometimes in the narrowest of streets in historic centres, this feature is worth the fee we paid, on its own. Our weather has changed and we’ve had some real downpours recently, so being able to return with shopping, park up securely and just walk up the stairs, is an absolute treat.
But what’s made this particular Airbnb stand out is the fact that the owner is someone who wants to provide guests with a really wonderful experience. It is decorated, furnished and accessorised to a very high standard, with top notch amenities. As well as two good sized bedrooms and a large bathroom with a walk-in shower, we have an open plan living/dining room and super equipped kitchen, as well as a small, but very cute courtyard, with houses the washing machine and dryer, as well as giving additional exterior dining space. In the kitchen, we have a full size oven, four ring halogen hob, full size fridge and freezer, microwave and wine fridge, as well as a breakfast bar, providing a natural division in the open place space. Everything seems new and very well kept and maintained. The living room has a huge, super comfy L-shaped sofa, for which we are eternally grateful, having had to live with fairly cheap IKEA sofas and chairs in the last two apartments. Wi-fi is strong and stable – although to be fair, this seems the norm in Spain, but again after our erratic Istrian internet, we are so happy to have normal service resumed.
So, a little tour of home for the next couple of months – we did initially rent for one month, but as soon as we realised how good this place is, we immediately booked to mid-December, with the possibility of extending further.
I don’t think that anywhere that we rent is ever going to compare to our own home, but with most of what we own still in storage in Istria, this apartment is making us feel surprisingly “at home”. Because we will be here for a good few weeks, we have added a few new things of our own. We’ve bought some rugs and cushions and now that the weather has cooled down a little, we’ve invested in new bedding, as again, all of ours in storage. A couple of lamps and some candles have added greatly to the ambience, and it’s fair to say we feel very settled. It helps that Sanlucar de Barrameda is in a good location – between Cadiz and Seville, on the western coast of Andalucia, and only twenty minutes from Jerez de la Frontera, giving us access to real big city amenities. Sanlucar is a small city – very Spanish – and we are yet to investigate the historic centre, but what we have seen so far, we have loved. Especially the proximity and number of bodegas!
But for us, the best part of this experience, has been our interaction with the owner of the apartment. She communicated well with us prior to us arriving, and on arrival she met us at the apartment, having travelled over from Malaga. Great relationships were immediately established, with a thorough introduction to everything at our disposal and the instruction that if we were to be in need of anything, we should contact our host straight away. Although, we hadn’t anticipated just how soon we’d be contacting her, because unfortunately, on the Friday night (the day we had arrived), from about midnight, the electricty tripped a number of times. We only knew this, in the middle of the night, because the much needed bedroom fan kept going off. Although we could switch the electricity back on, we felt that we needed to let our host know, and so with apologies, we advised her of the situation. We were delighted with the speed and efficiency of her response on the Saturday morning – an electrician was arranged who came out and checked everything over and obviously did whatever was needed to be done, as we’ve had no issues since. You hear so many horror stories about Airbnbs and hosts, that we feel mightily relieved to have found this apartment, and this host – and we look forward to making ourselves even more at home, as the summer gives way to autumn and the evenings start to draw in.
We are thoroughly enjoying getting into a routine again, and having the space and facilities to be able to do normal things, like cooking regular evening meals, watching TV (we did have the foresight to pack one of our televisions and our magic TV box, which gives us access to UK programmes, Netflix etc), listening to music and actually getting stuck back into design work. And, hopefully, we’ll have this place as our temporary home until we get the keys to the real new home…
by Helen | Oct 15, 2024 | Spain, Travel
It’s over ten years since we lasted visited Ronda, and that was a flying visit, as we were en route to Seville for Semana Santa. But it imprinted such a memory that we always said we’d return for a longer visit, and in August we did just that. The summer of 2024 has been one of getting to know Andalucia, which we hope, very soon, we will call our new permanent home. We’d driven around Ronda a few times, in order to get to places we were staying, but when we pitched up in a rented apartment in Algodonales for a month, this seemed the perfect opportunity to revisit the city we had very fond memories of. Especially it was only just over half an hour away.
We booked two nights in Hotel Catalonia Ronda, part of the Catalonia Hotel group, which we found out afterwards. The location could not have been better – almost directly opposite the famous bullring, on the corner of Carrera Espinel, which is a beautiful boulevard, packed full of fabulous bars, restaurants and shops, and less than two minutes walk from the Puento Nuevo and Ronda gorge. The hotel also has private parking (right next to the bullring) – always a bonus in a historical city centre – but the biggest bonus is that hotel will take they keys and park for it for you. The reason this is great, is that often these car parks can be quite a squeeze, and with a roofbox and a large(ish) car, we’d rather leave the parking to someone familiar with the layout. Anyway, great to have car safely stowed away for two days.
Our room was large and more than adequate for a two night stay. Not exceptional, but this wasn’t an issue, as the view over the Ronda rooftops was beautiful – and the facilities in the hotel were pretty exceptional. Most notably being the wrap around roof terrace, with a view directly into the bullring, as well across to the gorge and the town, campo and mountains beyond, and the pool on a level above this terrace.
We arrived in Ronda over a very, very hot and stifling weekend, so exploring in the intense heat of the day was pretty much ruled out. However, we did feel, that with a very comfy roof terrace, and umbrellas to keep us in the shade, we could sit back and explore with our eyes, and indulge in a couple of G&Ts. Which we did. Although we kept it to a couple, as we’d have quickly run out of money otherwise. Pricey, to say the least…
Sunday was as hot as Saturday, so whilst we did get out and about, we punctuated it with a stop at the Parador restaurant and a fabulous spread of tapas, overlooking the gorge. It definitely didn’t seem like ten years since our last visit, as pretty much everything was unchanged. Which I loved as it showed that they city hasn’t needed to introduce new show-stoppers to encourage tourists – it just seems to tick along very nicely with what’s always been there and its natural crowd pullers. The terrace of the Parador hotel gives a great view of the Puente Nuevo and the stomach churning drop down into the gorge, because it is slightly raised – meaning that you can good photos, without fighting through selfie sticks. (I hadn’t realised these were still a thing, but apparently they seem to be).
We had expected our meal to be exorbitant, but were just glad of the shade and so decided that whatever it cost, at least we’d have had a view. But, we were very pleasantly surprised – as with many places in Spain, rip-off culture just doesn’t exist – and we had a fabulous meal, costing round about the same as the bar bill on the hotel roof terrace.
After a much needed siesta, we ventured out again, to explore, although not getting much further than the area around the bullring and the Puente Nuevo. This tiny part of Ronda – which is much, much bigger than we realised – is so pretty and with limited time, it’s probably where you’d want to focus your sight-seeing. Early evening, for obvious reasons in mid-August, is also a much more pleasant time to be out and about. If you have a head for heights, walk past the bullring, and through a blossom lined avenue, and you’ll get to see the gorge from the other side, as well as the cave house settlements, which now look largely abandoned, far below. It’s a breathtaking spot to catch the sunset, too.
In Spain, as in Italy, food plays a huge part in our travels, and Ronda was no exception. As well as the Parador, we read about a restaurant, just around the corner from our hotel on Carerra Espinel, called Toro Tapas, which had excellent online reviews. It was super busy when we arrived and we were lucky to be able to get an outdoor table – although the restaurants indoors, is air-conditioned and looked to have a fabulous roof terrace. The thing about the food here, was that it just didn’t look the best, and so I think my photos don’t really tell the full story. It was excellent – and although most tapas dishes, here in Andalucia, seem to be served with a portion of fries, the actual tapa dish is usually always very tasty.
We’re definitely getting our quota of tapas now that we are finally in Spain, so for our second night, we decided to investigate Restaurant Jerez, located opposite the Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda, to give it its full name. The restaurant’s website says that it “…combines authentic Rondenian traditions with generations of experience in high quality service in an ideal location to savor the gastronomy of our land…Our menu fuses traditional Andalusian cusine with modern innovation…” so we were keen to investigate, and we enjoyed another delicious meal of croquettes, stuffed mushrooms, cheeses, filled pasta and pistachio sauce and sea bass on a bed of vegetables, followed by a shared dessert, to round off our Ronda food journey.
The house we are in the process of buying is located in the white town of Jimena de la Frontera, only 65kms from Ronda, so we are very excited that weekend trips away like this, will become the norm, to this beautiful city and that we’ll be able to get to know it a whole lot better. Our two days this summer was just lovely, and enough to once again make us realise just how lucky we are going be, when we call this part of Spain, home…
by Helen | Sep 24, 2024 | Spain
Our roadtrip around Andalucia has introduced us to some incredible places, and definitely places we probably wouldn’t have otherwise discovered, if we hadn’t been “in between homes”. One such place which will stay in our memories for a very long time, is a hotel in an 11th century castle, in Castellar de la Frontera. We wanted to have a night somewhere remote, and away from it all, with a restaurant so the decision making about dinner was out of our hands, and we could just relax. And this is exactly what we found. Although not so remote, that we couldn’t see the imposing Rock of Gibraltar in the distance…
Hotel Tugasa Castillo de Castellar has a real privileged hillside setting in a Medieval walled enclosure, set around an ancient fortress in the Andalusian countryside. It really is an authentic Spanish castle, surrounded by the wonderful scenery of the Alcornocales Nature Park, and sitting high over a well-preserved village of characteristic, whitewashed houses, giving it a peaceful atmosphere in which you can really relax. The small car park is situated under the castle, and it’s necessary to do the last 300 metres or so on foot. (Although I think if you are laden with luggage, the hotel will assist). It’s worth noting that the access road is a cobbled one, which is quite steep and winding, and so if mobility is an issue it might be worth phoning ahead to see what assistance is available. However, there are plenty of stopping points, where you can catch your breath – and the views are stupendous!
This is not a Disney-fied hotel, made to look medieval – it is the real deal. Restored very sympathetically, original features are in abundance. The wooden furniture feels authentic – in other settings, I’d probably think it was a bit old fashioned and uncomfortable looking, but in this castle setting, it was perfect. Thick, thick stone walls, huge wooden doors, tiny windows (obviously with defence being the first thing in mind, when the castle was constructed) and beautiful original tiled and mosaiced floors were all present. The phrase “stepping back into history” is a bit overused, but this really, really was stepping back into the past.
Somehow, and we’re not sure how, we managed to be allocated the “Turret Room”, and this was a real treat. I thought we had booked a double room, which it was – but a whole lot more too. Being the turret room, it was located right at the top of the castle, so again, anyone with real mobility issues, just be aware if you ever find yourself here. There is a lift, but it only goes to the first floor, so the rest of the way is winding corridors and stairs – but it’s worth effort when you get there. The actual bedroom itself, was huge, with a wrought iron four poster bed and a large bathroom. But leading off from the bedroom, was another corridor, and further stairs which opened out into a large room area, and then up further to another large bedroom and second bathroom. And, it didn’t end there. Up another set of stairs and you are on your own roof terrace, right at the top of the turret, with the most astonishing views across to the mountains and down to the Bay of Cadiz, and overlooking the beautiful Guadarranque reservoir.
Dinner is served in the hotel restaurant, although it’s not served actually IN the hotel. One of the whitewashed houses in the very, very pretty village which lies at just outside the entrance to the castle, is the restaurant. This enables you to really experience the village, rather than staying in the castle – as spectacular as that would be, it was lovely to explore and to realise that lots of the beautiful houses are actually accommodation, too. However, this village has been renovated and restored so well, that it really feels like an authentic Andalucian pueblo blanco. There really isn’t a hint of over-tourism or over commercialisation. It really reminded me of the albergo diffuso concept in Italy – a form of hotel where guest rooms are spread out in various buildings within a small town or community, generally of historical significance. The concept was launched in Italy in the early 1980s as a means of reviving small, historic Italian villages and town centres off the usual tourist track. The term is translated into English as “dispersed hotel”, “scattered hotel” or “virtual hotel”. It has to conform to the following conditions, which is how this castle concept seems to operate –
- Run directly by an individual owner and providing normal hotel services;
- Rooms distributed in existing converted buildings in historic centres;
- Central reception area with food available;
- Part of a genuine community so that guests can be part of local life.
Dinner was amazing – and sadly, so good that I failed to take many photos as we were too busy enjoying the meal. However, my fish main course, with black rice and asparagus was pretty stand out and I managed to capture this before devouring it…
The village itself is absolutely picture-perfect and I am so glad, on our short stay, we were forced to leave the hotel, because might otherwise not have seen it. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect of an Andalucian village – white houses, tiled roofs, tumbling plants, colourful flowers, cobbled streets. Just gorgeous.
We had a one night stay at the castle, and it probably was just the right length of stay. Unless you are going to head out and hike in the surrounding countryside, an evening of relaxing on your terrace and then going out for dinner, with a wander around the village, is probably all you’ll need to do, especially if you just want a night of peace, quiet and calm. Leaving the hotel, we took the opportunity to savour the views on the way back down and to appreciate the remote location. A very special place, which we are delighted to have found.
