We''re planning to entirely renovate both bathrooms at the beginning of May 2017 and have been spending some enjoyable time over the last two weeks visiting bathroom and tile shops and planning the work. Obviously, both bathrooms are obviously completely functional now, but they are decorated in a decor that is now 13 years old and we felt they definitely needed freshening up in a more modern, clean and bright style. Anyway, we are really thrilled with what we've been able to source here on the island, and at prices that make B&Q look extortionate. A lot of top quality ceramic ware is produced in Turkey and that makes it cheap here. We have already taken delivery of the tiles so that they are available immediately at the start of May. The floors will look like aged, golden oak but they are actually ceramic. The walls are a very brilliant white tile with a contoured design in it. Hopefully they will give the bathrooms a very bright look. All the sanitary ware is white. The sinks are mounted onto a golden oak unit that has an undersink cupboard, a large mirror fronting a cabinet and some shelves to the side. The showers are full width of the bathrooms, walk-in style, with both a rain shower and a wand shower. The shower in the family bathroom replaces a bath with a shower over it. This was quite a difficult decision to make. Most of our guests prefer to shower and would rather have a luxurious, large shower unit. But, some people like or need a bath. So, in order to accommodate small children and older people we have chosen a Turkish style shower tray in there. This incorporates a raised bench-end so that someone could sit and shower or a mum could sit and shower a small child in front of her sitting in the tray like a bath. Its a great idea and we've never seen one in the UK. It stems from the Turkish custom of the hamam, where you sit and either shower or pour water over yourself from a large jug. Rather a relaxing experience. Anyway, can't wait to get the work started now but we have to...... Will post pics next May as it all begins. Summer guests are going to be in for a treat! |
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JA very exciting day because we had a call from Mermaid Fabrics to say that our curtains, chair and cushions were all ready for delivery. That was quick! I couldn't believe it. So we drove out to their showroom to see them and settle up. Really delighted with the work and with the price. They do a fantastic job and even deliver it all free of charge too. I think we had the whole lot done (including 6 cushions for the outside dining chairs which I haven't taken a picture of for some reason!! for what it would have cost to re-upholster the armchair at home. And I can't stress enough what first class work they do. The terrace furniture cushions are not only covered but they have changed the filling in them to be more "full". I must admit they had got a bit "squashed" over the 4 years since we shipped them out. The armchair is covered in a green material that feels like suede but is apparently very hard wearing. And the curtains match the ones in our living room and are all fully lined and weighted. Just hope our guests like everything as much as we do.
After the delivery, we set to hanging the curtains and deploying the cushions. Had to take some pictures. Next spring when we come out I am going to change the blinds in two bedrooms and also the kitchen too. Just because our holiday home is in a holiday location doesn't mean it's not subject to the same update needs as a house back in the UK. In fact it seems to have more needs than our house back in the UK. The standard of Cypriot build, the weather, holiday use all mean that we find ourselves with a host of diy and update jobs waiting for us whenever we visit. This autumn one of our jobs is to update some of the soft furnishings. Our terrace sofa cushions need recovering with new weather resistant fabric, the terrace dining chair cushions also need this, we need new curtains in the formal dining room and our favourite reading armchair in the lounge needs re-upholstering. So we have had a run out to our favourite fabric and sewing shop, Mermaid Fabrics, in Catalkoy, to get everything chosen and ordered. The shop is an amazing, huge Aladdin's cave of all sorts of fabrics and trims and it is run by a Turkish Cypriot family who hail from London. There are a couple of senior ladies in charge who are just so helpful and know all there is to know about re-upholstery, curtain and blind making. As well as selling the fabric they have a workshop to make everything and it is a fraction of the price it would cost in the UK. Even with the falling pound. They were their usual helpful selves and we had a great time choosing. They will send their van to pick up the chair and cushions on the 7th November after our last guests have departed and then about 10 days later we should get it all back again, recovered in spanky new fabric. Plus our new curtains of course. Can't wait to see that, so expect pictures. When we come back next May (probably) we'll update curtains and blinds in two bedrooms and also the kitchen and that will mean we've done the whole house in the last couple of years. Who wants to do laundry when you're on holiday????? Well, you might if you are holidaying with babies, children, sporty types or hikers... So, of course we have a washing machine for you to use. Or not. As you like! But it does give you the choice. It's one of the advantages of staying in a villa rather than a hotel. You have access to a machine and it's free of charge. It also gives you the option of washing all those dirty socks before you travel home rather than face the festering and depressing pile on your first day back. We don't have a tumble drier because quite frankly for 10 months of the year it would be totally redundant. Instead we have a portable clothes drier and a line under the car port. You have to dry in the shade out here. Drying in the sun would result in faded, board hard clothes. It's not the UK. So, this week our 14 year old washing machine finally gave up the ghost and we bought a new one. The old one certainly didn't owe us any corn and I hope the new one goes on as long with so little trouble. We are rather excited with the new machine. Quite apart from all the modern features, it comes with an instruction manual in English and also all the buttons and controls are in English. This is just sooooo much better than the old one which was only available in Turkish. We had to translate the controls and then leave a translation for guests. Not terribly convenient. The nice men from Vestel installed it this morning and it is currently underway with its first load. One of them carried it in strapped to his back in a harness rather reminiscent of a Sherpa climbing Everest. They delivered and installed as all part of the service with no extra charge and even took the old one away FOC. There was no sucking of teeth or veiled hints of tips for any of this. So, we gave them one anyway. I know it's not as exciting as telling you we have installed a 60 inch curved screen tv. But on the other hand, faced with that suitcase of dirty laundry.... you might just disagree! Here we are again! Back in our little corner of paradise. Very smooth flight out with Turkish Airlines from Heathrow. A quick change of planes in Istanbul and then the short onward flight into Lefkosa. The nice man from Baspinar Rental Car was waiting for us outside arrivals and we were in the villa within 40 minutes.
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Today we began to slowly pack our things up ready to leave tomorrow afternoon. Our flight is at 730pm from Larnaca so we are leaving here at about 330 to leave plenty of time. We have some things here at the villa that are too precious to us to leave out when we are not here. Nothing particularly valuable but things that would be irreplaceable if they were accidentally broken. So we began to put them into the cupboard that we lock up. Marion came up in the morning for a last catch up and chat. She is having both of her knees replaced over the winter and hopes to be fighting fit again for the letting season next year. She has been suffering with her knees for some time so it will be a relief to get them done. The medical care here is excellent. Short waiting times and access to all sorts of tests that are difficult to get on the NHS at home. Bob finished his last job which was to paint two bathroom cabinets and we emptied some of the pool water into the garden watering tank. I have ordered up a tanker to top up the pool, although we leave it a few inches below capacity this time of the year to allow for winter rain. If we have guests, it can be quickly topped up to overflow level. Had a last walk around of the new trees, shrubs and the little orchard. It will be exciting to see how far they have grown by next year. They will probably put on a big spurt over the winter in the mild weather and with watering and rain. Tonight we had dinner out at the Cabin. Bob fancied a fillet steak and they do a good one there. He had a mushroom and peppercorn sauce. Not to break the habit of the holiday, I had lamb cutlets with pistachios. No, I have not had enough lamb yet..... A very pleasant meal with a shared scampi starter and complimentary coffees and liqueurs to round off. About £13 each with a beer, a g&t and a glass of wine. The weather was beautiful again today. Very clear so we could see Turkey and tonight a marvellous star field above us again. The milky way and the plough and Orion's Belt all very clear. It is a pleasure to just turn the patio lights off and sit out there looking up. I never tire of the view day or night. |
Pulled back the curtains to an absolutely picture perfect sunny day. Just a little breeze and a genuinely lovely temperature. Neither too hot or too cold. The sort of day you just want to spend outdoors. Habibi and his friend turned up at about 9 so we leapt up (yes,..... still in bed at that point!) and they began their work by repairing one of our dining terrace beams that had rotted at one end. Then "the friend" started painting the wooden fascia with some sort of Sadolin type product. It is sooooo high in places. I daren't look as he balanced on precarious edges, balustrades and stepladders. They have made a good start. Habibi helped for a while then carried on with the gardening: planted a pomegranate and an almond tree. Bob walked him through the watering system so he can change the settings if required in our absence. This afternoon I went to a 112 Tea and Talk at a restaurant up in the hills called the Black Olive. 112 is what you dial here for the emergency services and this group holds various events to fund raise for them. The afternoon teas come with a speaker: today it was an ex Army Officer talking about his long and interesting career. The tea was very nice. Rolls of different sorts and 4 different sorts of cake. Delicious. At the end there was a raffle and I won two really nice red wine glasses and then the organiser gave me a funky little pottery egg cup for reasons unknown but apparently because I was smiling at him!! All contributions gratefully received say I. Rather an enjoyable afternoon in most congenial company (our neighbours and the ladies from quiz night largely). I would definitely go again on another visit. I can see that if we lived here life would be one hectic social whirl of such events.... Evening at home watching The Battle of Britain and catch up TV and eating the remains of the lamb dinner from last night. Still delicious and the fact we have had 2 good dinners for one price makes Villaggio even better value. A good day. |
m Wednesday again! And that means market day in Kyrenia. we got down there about 10am to find that they had moved into their very posh and modern new covered area behind the open area where the market normally is. Parts had spread out and were uncovered but most is now under a roof. It's such a big bustling affair. Today we were on the look out for a load of vegetables, especially some more of the green beans I bought last week. We'd had some from the supermarket too but they weren't a patch on the market ones. I suppose it was down to the freshness. There were absolutely mounds of fruit and veg and so colourful. And cheap. We bought a goodly selection including the beans and also some baby leeks which are just starting. They are going to be great. Had a few more errands to run and then home for the afternoon. Finished with the watering system and Bob tidied up some of the electrics in the pool room. Later on Habibi came up with his friend who does building maintenance. He is going to do some jobs for us starting next week. The wooden fascia under the guttering needs re-staining/painting; the gutters need cleaning out before winter. It is so high to get up there. We haven't got a ladder high enough and if we did there is no way Bob would go up that high. He is also repairing one of the beams over the dining terrace that has come away on one side with a bit of rot. On the development side, he is putting in an end pillar to the wall at the orchard end of the terrace and building 4 steps down to the orchard level. Then he is putting a wrought iron arch over the opening and Habibi will grow a climber up and over it. He is also putting an arch over our garden gate which will also have a climber. The jasmine I think. It will be exciting to see these jobs done next year when we come back. I doubt he'll finish before we leave here on the 14th. It is difficult to find good workers out here. We corrupt them. What happens is that they come and do the first few jobs for you and its all very reasonable and well done. Then, they get popular or complacent or whatever and the prices become truly ridiculous and the work goes downhill. And then we have to find someone else..... I really hope that this does not happen with Habibi's friend because we need someone to do the maintenance jobs over the winter that we haven't got to in the autumn. Fingers crossed. This chap is a Pakistani like Habibi so maybe he will be different. He's certainly started well. I have written up the 2016 Villa Information Pack today, updated for our guests next year. It's got lots of helpful info about the villa itself, Cyprus sightseeing, things to do, recipes etc. I send it to guests about 2 months before they arrive so they have time to absorb some of it. Look who has been visiting!!!!! Left some nice garden manure in the orchard too! Did I mention that we just back out to the hills and mountains behind us? Also had a visit from 3 Alsatian dogs who live in a house up the hill. I was watching Bob in the pool room and I turned around and the three of them were standing watching me. In silence! I felt a bit like the deer being eyed by the wolf pack. Anyway, I made a bit of a hiss and they turned tail and fled all the way up the hill. Most odd. Tonight we went to The Cabin for dinner. It's a restaurant above the shoreline in Lapta (turn left at the bottom of the hill). An incredibly warm welcome heralded a fantastic dinner. Inside and outside eating areas. I debated over lamb or steak for dinner but in the end went for a ribeye with a peppercorn sauce. Bob had the lamb special which was slow cooked in an unctuous gravy. Our dinners were accompanied by a massive salad, chips, mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked vegetables (a selection). The dinner was just great. We would definitely recommend this place. Of course the meal ended with coffee and brandy or liqueur. We paid about £10 each for the whole lot with 2 g&ts and a beer as well. Just incredible. Try it. |
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The Boler family love travel, food and drink. Not necessarily in that order! The villa is our home from home which we love to share with our friends, old and new.
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