Since we returned from Rovinj last Sunday, this week has largely been a week of heads down and getting on with work. We’re very lucky that we can continue our business from here, and so shouldn’t really complain when we are in front of a computer screen, when it’s hot outside. Luckily, we’ve also had […]
Every four years we love our football fest that is the World Cup. But this year has been very different for a number of reasons. Firstly, my beloved Italia failed to even qualify for this World Cup. Although I am resigned to them usually going out, non-qualification has made this particular tournament a little bit […]
We thought we knew Rovinj, in Istria pretty well as it’s now one of our go-to places when we need some sea air and a bit of comfort away from an on-going house renovation. We decided to stay somewhere different this time, and chanced upon the very stylish and boutiquey Casa Amando, run by two […]
This is going to be an experiment, so bear with me. I’m trying to document what we get up to on our travels and on our new adventure in Istria but sometimes I’m aware that I can’t do a blog about everything we do. However, I do want to have a record – you never […]
It seems like no time since we were in the depths of winter, with no kitchen, a gaping hole in the wall where the new window was being fitted and heavy falling snow. It’s now mid-summer and although, as I type it’s hammering down with rain , thunder is rumbling all around and lightning is […]
When we saw that Eels were playing in Italy, in a town we’d never heard of, called Cesena, we decided to go for it and booked tickets, researching the town afterwards. Cesena is in the province of Emilia-Romagna, about 30 kms inland from Rimini, so a fair distance from us in Istria, but we decided […]
We’re loving making the interior of the very traditional Istrian stone house we have bought, much more cool and contemporary, and it’s no secret I’ve been very influenced by this image of a Greek house and these colours, on Pinterest. All of the rooms are now predominantly white, the exception being the gorgeous Hague […]
We’ve just said goodbye to our second set of friends who’ve been staying with us for a few days. Amanda and Steve had a few days in Italy first – they flew to Venice Marco Polo from Manchester and then spent a couple of days 30km north of Venice, in Treviso and then took the […]
Spring has arrived, and like the garden which is blossoming, things really seem to be happening renovation wise. The kitchen is fitted – but like everything in Croatia, progress is slow, so we are still waiting for final snags to be dealt with. The downstairs bathroom has been ripped out, the plumbing has been done, […]
Spring has arrived and that means – hurrah! – our first visitors have arrived. We welcomed two very old (as in long-standing!) friends last week. We’ve had many experiences with them – they were our neighbours in West Didsbury, we went to their wedding in Greece and have shared many parties and late, late nights […]
You know when your car tax, insurance and MOT all fall at the same time? It’s a hassle isn’t it? Getting the car booked into the garage, crossing your fingers that it’s OK, getting online to renew the insurance etc. We used to think it was a big hassle – but now, having just done […]
We know what bad weather is like. We know what winter is like. We’re from Manchester. But, winter just gone has been something else. We’re used to dismal grey clouds, that hang over you for days/weeks on end. Rain that seems as if it will never stop. Fleeting snow – then the return of the […]