Here's a topic I've not written about in a while: Real Estate in Europe! Specifically, this time, about Spain along the south-eastern Mediterranean coast in the area of Murcia. See map:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spain/@40.463667,-3.74922,6z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0xc42e3783261bc8b:0xa6ec2c940768a3ec
This wealthy agricultural area boasts spectacular weather year round with mountains and the sea for natural beauty. Location is ideal: 30 minutes to local SanJavier Airport (and soon new Corvera Airport), 60 minutes to Alicante, 2.5 hours to Valencia and 3 hours to Madrid - all by car. There are American-styled shopping malls in the area, loads of both Spanish and International fare restaurants featuring fabulously prepared meals for a fraction of what you would expect. The beaches are pristine and water sports from surfing, kite/wind surfing, fishing and boating are offered. The mountains provide for scenic hikes or biking. Golfers take notice there is no shortage of golf courses and resorts in the area http://www.golf525murcia.com/map-of-murcia-golf-courses . There are hotels in varying price ranges, but seldom, if ever, would break the budget. Car rental is easy - they drive just like us on the "right" side of the road! And best of all, the friendly Spaniards are almost all bi-lingual - they speak a fair amount of English. And fear not, because Spain has many British citizens living there, it's easy to make friends! Now that you can feel comfortable with the background of living in Spain, here is a link for a company that specializes in selling foreclosed properties in the area, and mostly in the Polaris World Golf Resorts. The golf resort of Mar Menor has a luxury hotel for guests - and they have an inventory of condos and single family homes. The annual community fees and real estate taxes are low: as in just a few hundred a year!! Click on the link and start dreaming of living "La Vida"! http://www.lavidaspain.com/ or http://www.chersun.com/
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Travel: Iles de Lerins (Cannes, France)
Cannes, France...Images fill your mind of jet-setting Hollywood celebrities and recording artists taking up residence in ultra luxurious seafront hotels and private yachts bobbing in the sea. Chic boutiques showcasing the latest fashion arrivals in fanciful windows displays to shoppers with sky-high credit limits. And as late evening approaches, smartly dressed diners will enjoy aperitifs before 5 and 6 course meals. Afterwards they'll by-pass the velvet ropes and make their way to VIP clubs and party until the wee morning hours.
But a 15 minute ferry ride is a world away....
The Iles de Lerins is a collection of 4 islands; two are uninhabited the others, Ile Sainte-Marguerite and Ile Saint-Honorat are open to visitors. On this particular day, we opted for the ferry ride to Ile Saint-Honorat where the Cistercian monks live, pray and make wine and honey. Hmm...interesting. There is a restaurant on the island, La Tonnelle, serving up delightfully fresh seafood among the items on the menu. Situated right on the waterfront, every table has a view, but our table was the best! We made reservations well in advance: if you don't you run the risk of not getting a table. Considering how many come by the hourly ferry, best to have a reservation confirmed. True it is; as we arrived the cue/line for dining was several groups deep. We worried that our reservation would not hold: there were more people than tables! As we approached the host, we could hear that no tables would be available unless a reservation was a no-show. Whew...we were greeted by the host, confirmed our name and were quickly shown to a front line (beachside) table, under a rattan shade, with sand at our feet and the view was spectacular: looking back toward Cannes in the distance with bobbing boats between the blue Mediterranean Sea in front of us and the lush green of Ile Ste-Marguerite beyond. The view was picture postcard. With lunch we had one of the award winning bottles of wine produced by the monks...worthy of every accolade.
After a very generous lunch, we began the leisurely stroll around the island. Not knowing what to expect, we thought it would just be a walk in a lovely treed park. As we walked we'd stop admire the view and continue on until we came upon the church. Under a canopy of bougainvillea we walked to the church and admired the serenity and peacefulness. Once outside, we found a boutique selling some of the wines and honey made by the monks. Further along we were at a rampart and we saw the ruins of a fortress. Open to the public, we made our way over and explored the ruins, floor by floor by way of the curving stone staircase. Atop, the views were spectacular. The sea was crystal clear and one could almost imagine being on lookout duty. The warm afternoon sun, the sparkling sea and the gentle breeze was a relaxing moment that should never end...but it did and we timed ourselves to be sure to depart the island before the last ferry back to the mainland. We still had another half of the island to walk before we'd circle back to the ferry landing.
Once on board the ferry, we left behind serenity of Saint Honorat and headed towards the hectic pace of Cannes. Fifteen minutes and worlds apart...
Fifi
But a 15 minute ferry ride is a world away....
The Iles de Lerins is a collection of 4 islands; two are uninhabited the others, Ile Sainte-Marguerite and Ile Saint-Honorat are open to visitors. On this particular day, we opted for the ferry ride to Ile Saint-Honorat where the Cistercian monks live, pray and make wine and honey. Hmm...interesting. There is a restaurant on the island, La Tonnelle, serving up delightfully fresh seafood among the items on the menu. Situated right on the waterfront, every table has a view, but our table was the best! We made reservations well in advance: if you don't you run the risk of not getting a table. Considering how many come by the hourly ferry, best to have a reservation confirmed. True it is; as we arrived the cue/line for dining was several groups deep. We worried that our reservation would not hold: there were more people than tables! As we approached the host, we could hear that no tables would be available unless a reservation was a no-show. Whew...we were greeted by the host, confirmed our name and were quickly shown to a front line (beachside) table, under a rattan shade, with sand at our feet and the view was spectacular: looking back toward Cannes in the distance with bobbing boats between the blue Mediterranean Sea in front of us and the lush green of Ile Ste-Marguerite beyond. The view was picture postcard. With lunch we had one of the award winning bottles of wine produced by the monks...worthy of every accolade.
After a very generous lunch, we began the leisurely stroll around the island. Not knowing what to expect, we thought it would just be a walk in a lovely treed park. As we walked we'd stop admire the view and continue on until we came upon the church. Under a canopy of bougainvillea we walked to the church and admired the serenity and peacefulness. Once outside, we found a boutique selling some of the wines and honey made by the monks. Further along we were at a rampart and we saw the ruins of a fortress. Open to the public, we made our way over and explored the ruins, floor by floor by way of the curving stone staircase. Atop, the views were spectacular. The sea was crystal clear and one could almost imagine being on lookout duty. The warm afternoon sun, the sparkling sea and the gentle breeze was a relaxing moment that should never end...but it did and we timed ourselves to be sure to depart the island before the last ferry back to the mainland. We still had another half of the island to walk before we'd circle back to the ferry landing.
Once on board the ferry, we left behind serenity of Saint Honorat and headed towards the hectic pace of Cannes. Fifteen minutes and worlds apart...
Fifi
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