Was going to Spain from start to finish but now I, Luca have taken over

Was about researching about where to look & about living in Spain I am here. So was for anyone interested here are the good & bad things that happened to me. But now I (Luca) will tell you about my experiences, both very bad, better and good.

Is the sun shining on us at last?
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 2:22 PM

So at about 6.30pm we arrived at Puente Don Manuel & set about looking for our temporary apartment. As usual the satnav sent us totally the wrong way although the owner, Stephenie did warn us that the apartment & satnav are not compatible. The apartment was lovely, spacious & not expensive with English TV & all mod cons, so that was OK then! We ventured into Puente Don Manuel which in American terms would describe it as "a one hick town" Not our cup of tea I'm afraid. Everyone I heard was speaking English with most of the shops & restaurants English. Sadly there were also also a whole block of half built apartments very derelict, so sad.Seemed to me as if the village was dying.

At the restaurant & later that night, we talked more seriously & in depth about the past three days, the properties we had viewed & how much further we had come. Really there were only two possibilities, the house in Riogordo & the other in Sedella. Phet & I though, mutually & quickly came to the decision that the house in Sedella was the house we liked the best. On our visit the owners Neil & Sandra, we discovered, were really lovely & warm people & we felt an immediate rapport with them. I telephoned Neil & asked him if we vould look around the house again & discuss the details more fully. We wanted also another walk around, & talk to some villagers, look & visit the bars (again) & look at the little shops. Neil was most happy to see us again & the more Phet & I talked & thought about we liked this house. I felt I didn't want to look at any more houses so happy were we with the one in Sedella so we put off our further appointments leaving us free for a couple of days.

The following day, Monday we decided to drive to the Sierra Nevada's & from Puenta Don Manuel we climbed for about 30 minutes untill we reached a 30 miles plateau about 100 Kilo's high & on to Loja where is was pretty cold (2 degrees) & then past Sajar. A few minutes later we were in Huetor Tajar, what a wonderful but unusual place. It is exactly as if you are in the Andes or South America. The people look the same, dress the same, wide roads and the buildings & shops are the same. Could be Bolivia or Peru! We even got stuck in the snow when we arrived at the top of the mountain!

On Tuesday we went to Nerja but this time came away quite disappointed - strange that!

On Wednesday we drove to Sadella feeling a mixture of apprehension & elation. Would this second viewing crash our hopes would the walk again around the village disappoint us? Neil was waiting for us again with his happy & open demeanour & they left us to look around the house on our own, looking in every nook & cranny, we were even happier this time, so a two minute discussion between us resulted in us shaking hands on a deal with both of us very happy & comfortable with each.

WE NOW HAD A HOUSE IN HOUSE IN SPAIN & the black door on the right is the one in our beautiful little Calle.

On the right is the entrance hall, the centre the lounge & on the right one of the very efficient pellet burning stoves.

We are returning home contented but will their be any twists, we'll see.

0 Like

Permalink

Spam post or Abuse? Please let us know

25 Comments

Maddiemack said:
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 5:19 PM

Wow! I wasn't expecting that, Gerald. Well done. That's brilliant news. I hope the sale goes through quickly and smoothly for you both. I'll be looking at the area around the village of Sedella on my map of Spain and thinking about you. I reckon it's not so strange that Nerja lost its appeal once you had a good look around some of the villages inland. They have so much more of a 'Spanish' feel about them....Puente don Manuel excepted, it seems!

Patricia (Campana) said:
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 6:39 PM

Congratulations Gerald, to you and your wife! Sounds like you have found your "place in the heart". May you have many happy times there.

Look forward to hearing more.

Patricia

Gerald said:
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 7:08 PM

Thank you Patricia I hope so, no, not hope so, but expect to.
I have read & taken on board everybody's offer of advice & think I have avoided all of the normal pitfalls.

Maddie, I don't think may people expected that A I've had difficulty myself not telling the world. But we are not buying but renting & get the keys March 1st. Sedella is wonderful except you really do need to concentrate when driving as the roads are very hilly & bendy. So much so in fact that it has it's own Helipad in case of serious accident or illness.

Tamara said:
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 10:02 PM

HURRAH!!! From the pictures Sandra had sent me when I was finding places for you to view, it looked just FABulous! Really full of character, but at the same time beautifully done and to a high standard. Very artistic too. I'm so happy that you found somewhere that really suits you and I can't wait till you organise that gathering you've promised us all :-)

I wish you as much happiness in your corner of paradise as I have found in mine.

Gerald said:
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 10:36 PM

And the wonderful thing Tamara, is that not only is most of it down to you, but the house is similar to yours as well which pleases me to bits.
I'm so glad you invited me to Colmenar. Many many thanks.
As to the gathering I have either emailed or Im'ed about half a dozen of them & we have been already speaking about it, all with enthusaism and keenness & they are in the Axarquia area, The stuff over here to sort out will I think be a problem but I'll manage.
Didn't the pictures open up then?

Tamara said:
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 @ 12:11 AM

Yes thanks, the photos came through fine :-). What l meant was that Sandra's pics in advance had got me quite excited, but unlike you l hadn't known Sedella so wasn't sure if it might be too rural, like the first one we viewed.

Louise said:
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 @ 1:31 PM

Even though I knew about this, I still really enjoyed reading it as I will the rest to follow! Can't wait until we're all there and can meet up, including Tamara. Not sure who else you might have included! :)

Gerald said:
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 @ 10:17 PM

Tamara don't you think the house is similar to yours? It was seeing yours that made me realise just what I wanted.
Louise I hope your purchase is proceeding OK & I'm hoping we can arrange for us all to meet later in the year. Everyone is invited in a mutually agreeable town/village.

Nick said:
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 @ 11:23 AM

Oh WOW congratulations - Pictures Pictures Pictures Please.
It really would make a difference. I have a picture in my head of what i think you may have bought but please, if you can, post a couple of pictures.
Good luck, I really look forward to reading your upcoming adventures. Off to google map Sadella!

Gerald said:
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 @ 4:12 PM

Thanks Nick, I'll see what I can do with the piccies!
My immediate worry now is what to bring, what to dispose of & shutting everything down here. This part I hate.

Gerald said:
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 @ 9:59 PM

Right Nick, Louise, Maddie, James, Patricia & of course Tamara some of the photos of my lovely house. It really is a Tardis.
Just gotta work out how to print around the photos now!!!

james said:
Thursday, January 24, 2013 @ 1:42 PM

Hi Gerald,
Tried to comment earlier in the week from the frozen Midlands but did not load, however congratulations it looks great and I wish you all the happiness in your new home, and although not local, I would make the effort for a reunion later in the year as I am in and out of Spain regularly so who knows.

Your pictures are lovely and although my home is on an Urb as the ex-pats call it my immediate neighbours are all Spanish, and it feels like a very small village with only 6 homes out of 70 or so being owned by non Spanish.
I look forward to your next adventure (packing up ) which I do not envy LOL

I have a gut feeling you will settle well in your new village, all the very best.

James

Gerald said:
Thursday, January 24, 2013 @ 11:16 PM

thank you James, we've have so many faceless friends on these blogs, just hope we correct that within the next year.
Where in Spain are you James?

james said:
Friday, January 25, 2013 @ 10:15 AM

I am in Playa Flamenca on the Costa Blanca about 4 hrs from your area, I have friends in Granada and Fuengirola so know that area quite well. I fly out to Spain tomorrow,so looking forward to slightly better weather than current -2 deg LOL

Have fun with the packing LOL

Gerald said:
Friday, January 25, 2013 @ 5:41 PM

wow James you are a long way away, you'll have to come for a couple of days & see the best part of Spain!!

james said:
Friday, January 25, 2013 @ 7:10 PM

That will not be a problem I love travel and new adventures, and my friend has a property in Domingo Perez near Granada, so would manage a few days to potter around area.

I have been lucky as I have travelled the world with work over the last 30 years so new places don't faze me any more

It will be something during my treatment to look foward too.

James

Gerald said:
Friday, January 25, 2013 @ 8:37 PM

So watch this space it won't be long. Be good to have another bloke as well as we did seem to be outnumbered by the ladies (not as I('m complaining).

Treatment James ?????

james said:
Saturday, January 26, 2013 @ 8:50 PM

Yes the horrible C attacked me 6 years ago, treatment quickly because unlike some Men I aint ashamed to consult doctor if out of sorts, therefore i was diagnosed with bowel cancer subsequent treatment cleared the C but radiotherapy damaged my plumbing and over last six years I have had several operations to sort me out, but I do not dwell on it, stubborn as I am, I continue working despite being an ostamate, and currently fitted with catheter whilst awaiting further surgery to fix fistular and hole in bladder. I have been lucky or prudent open to comment but with private health care I have been treated quickly and efficiently to date. never tempt providence.
But I look apon myself as lucky as during my treatment I met some wonderful people who have not been so lucky.
Cherish your time on this planet.

Gerald said:
Saturday, January 26, 2013 @ 9:33 PM

James you are an inspiration, extreme good luck to you. Come visit or I'll pop up to you. I thank the Lord for every day it is precious.
Today I went on a 3 hour course for Emergency Life Support & Defibrillation. Which taught me how to do CPR properly & the use of an automated External Defibrillator - fascinating.
If I can help but one person it will be worth it.

james said:
Sunday, January 27, 2013 @ 4:11 PM

Hi Gerald well done, I am a trained first aider and have been for over forty years, receiving refresher courses yearly. and you never know the moment you will need those latent skills, only last October I had to step in when one of the directors in my company suffered a stroke while dining in a hotel with me, and the paramedics said it was my quick reaction and training that reduced the damage done by the stroke.

He has now recovered movement now thank God and is planning to run a half marathon in May 2013, I will not be joining him LOL.

Yes we will meet up later in the year when you are settled in your new home.

Inspiration ? I am not so sure, stubborn more like, with a strong faith and grim determination to be happy and content with my lot no matter what life throws at you and like you i count my blessings every day.

Graeme said:
Monday, January 28, 2013 @ 12:26 PM

Well done....

All the best with your new place!!

Nick said:
Monday, January 28, 2013 @ 2:25 PM

PICTURES :) - Excellent thank you.

And WOW what a lovely quaint Calle - Good Luck Gerald, I'm dead jealous!!!

Gerald said:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 @ 12:53 AM

Terrific James just keep being stubborn!
Thank you Graeme I appreciate it.
Nick glad you like them & it and as for jealous? jealous; I'm almost jealous of myself I love it so much.

Reality said:
Saturday, April 6, 2013 @ 9:09 PM

"But I'd be lost without my laptop and Sky television"

PoorJames, Sku TV will be lost forever after June 2013 and Internet access in Sedella is abysmal. Sedella is very remote and the drive down to the coast is treacherous, with many serious car accidents a year. Puente is much better. On a main road an 10 mins to coast straight through. All English?? This is a very Spanish town - we should know, we live here for 20 years.

Gerald said:
Saturday, April 6, 2013 @ 10:51 PM

Couldn't disagree with you more whoever you are!
Only crap drivers find the drive "treacherous" & I have a smashing internet in Sedella. At the moment I have the freeview channels but that will soon change when I get back. Remote suits me fine. Takes me just over 10 minutes to get on the main road at Puente if I decide to go that way.

Only registered users can comment on this blog post. Please Sign In or Register now.

Blog home page

Gerald
Was a retired old fart who still likes to be fairly busy but now at a more sedate pace, as my occupation always ran at 90 mph often working above 55 hours per week. Love to see new country areas & ain't afraid of change. In England was secretary of quite a lot of institutions. But I'd be lost without my laptop & am lost without my Sky television. Gonna be interesting learning Spanish (or trying anyway!). But now taken over by me Luca, superdog!!