MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN AWESSUMMERO SPECIALME SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 1 INSIDE: the Joys of AUGUST Owning a Home on the Island
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SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN AWESSUMMERO SPECIALME SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 1 INSIDE: The Joys of AUGUST owning a home on the island. INSIDE: Your Full What’s On Guide for August. The top month of the year for Majorca MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 2 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT SUMMER SPECIAL INSIDE GUIDE 04 PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT 08 PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT 18 EVENTS Anna Nicholas Shirley Roberts What’s On this A home of my own in Majorc.a The joys of owning a home in Soller. month Michael Bolton is fi- nally coming to the island after resche- duling last June. Concerts, sai- 12 GASTRONOMY ling and more Andrew Valente events Ajo Blanco: a cold soup from Malaga. to enjoy. 20 EVENTS Summer Fiestas in 06 PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT 10 OPINION Katie Handyside Frank Leavers August Andrew Ede lists the main fiestas for this Making Seriously - you need to get out more! coming month including the Moors and dreams Tourism on the island. Christians in Pollensa next week! come true. Katie re- does an old 14 GASTRONOMY apartment into the Marc Fosh one she Mediterranean salads, the Italian “Capo- has always nata”, the French “Salad Nicoise” and the wanted. Lebanese “Fattoush”. Luxury Villa with sea views in best position of Montport Central Office Plaza Mayor Office C/ Estanco 3 C/ Plateria 24 07012 Palma de Mallorca 07001 Palma de Mallorca Tel. 971 723 041 Tel. 971 728 811 [email protected] [email protected] www.morcas.com SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN SUMMER SPECIAL SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 3 MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 4 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT SUMMER SPECIAL PROPERTY - SPOTLIGHT A HOME OF MY OWN in Majorca b Some years later my dream came true and my husband, Alan and son, Ollie, and I found ourselves the owners of a beautiful, yet forlorn and battle-worn old finca in Soller. Soller Valley. PHOTO: BULLETIN FILES Unlike London, we also quickly learnt that homes in rural Majorca come with commu- by Anna nity.Our peaceful private stony track was also used by our Majorcan and German Nicholas neighbours, all of whom we have got to know well. We have shared meals and laugh- ter, fretted over new council taxes and initia- tives together and helped one another in ne of the joys of settling in a new times of need. country such as Spain, and more At the rear of our house is a friendly land- specifically Majorca, is the sense owner who trains horses and mules for O of newness. Everything grips the breeders and it is always a wonder to see senses from the richness of the gastronomy these majestic creatures being put through and its exotic perfume to the very different their paces and handsomely rewarded for sounds of nature – such as the rasping cicadas their efforts. Embraced by theTramuntanas and vociferous frogs – and tuning into the and yet only a five minute drive to the sea, music of the Castilian and Catalan language. and a fifteen minute walk to the town, we And of course there’s the architecture. Dur- count ourselves so lucky to have the best of ing my first sojourn to the island, visiting the all worlds. honey-hued mountain village of Deya I With the glorious climate, my husband has would dream of living one day in an ancient, been able to cultivate a plethora of Mediter- solid stone finca, so characteristic of the Sol- ranean trees, shrubs and flowers as well as ler valley, and indeed other rural zones of creating a vegetable patch. We grow arti- Majorca. chokes, tomatoes, broad beans, aubergines, Some years later my dream came true and salads, peas and beetroot among other pro- my husband,Alan and son,Ollie, and I found duce. With so much terrain we have reared a ourselves the owners of a beautiful, yet for- flock of loveable hens and so we delight in lorn and battle-worn old finca in Soller. We fresh eggs every day – as do our friends and knew it was more than 300 years old and neighbours! that it had enjoyed a lively and curious his- In our pond in the courtyard the lively tory. What we didn’t know was the utter joy throng of musical frogs lull me to sleep in the this magical, ancient property would bring spring and summertime and the nightly to all of our lives. scops owl bids us goodnight with its haunt- After several years of refurbishment and ing single cry, so like the sonar bleep of a sub- tinkering, our home had taken shape and marine. there was a renewed hint of pride in the old We have noticed how the fresh air and stone walls.A new roof was fitted, strong mellow climate have improved our skin and ceilings with old beams, a staircase, and for how having to maintain our terrain has kept the first time the property boasted bath- us fit and healthy. Holiday villas in Majorca · Availability for high season weeks · rooms. Having lived in a small garden flat in Those frantic days back in London seem so Self catering villas in Majorca the heart of Pimlico in London for countless far away and yet I am grateful for the mem- years, the joy of having a sizeable house with ory as it will always serve to remind me just Visit our website or phone our office for a quote a swimming pool and pond, and more than how lucky and privileged I am to be living in an acre of orchard land laden with lemons this Garden of Eden, in the home of my www.rentalspollensa.com - 971 866 150 and oranges, was palpable. dreams. SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN SUMMER SPECIAL SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 5 MAJORCA DAILY BULLETIN SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017 6 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT SUMMER SPECIAL PROPERTY - SPOTLIGHT all the extras you have to pay on top). I had my heart set on three bedrooms, a light apartment, top floor- (would not by Katie want a noisy neighbour above) and as I am fairly fit (!) climbing stairs is nothing Handyside to me. I also wanted to stay in Santa Cata- lina- although seeking a street with less activity (!), open plan kitchen - American style, outside space … and lo and behold believe if you persevere for long eventually I found it. In fact I bartered enough , with a clear idea, patience with the owners and bought the flat for and commitment you will eventu- an absolute steal - all the nay sayers told I ally get what you are looking for. me my ambitious goal for my budget Starting on the property ladder can be were unrealistic …. not so…. I managed to daunting and tricky to get a foothold but find a flat that had been badly damaged by once you are there - boy does it feel good. a leaky roof- damp throughout, the flat I have lived in Palma for over 11 years and the lay out was not what I wanted - Kitchen before and after but still not finished though ....work in progress. and been visitor for over 20 years, so I but I had imagination. have seen the old school Palma transform. I managed to find an amazing builder - I have watched the boom, the crisis and recommended to me - Danny (Romanian) the boom again and have been on the who saved my backside. He managed to point several times of almost buying a put together an incredibly economic property - then finally (being autono- quote and started immediately tearing mous) not having the right paperwork in down walls, insulating and replacing eve- place and losing it. Feeling totally gutted rything in the apartment on a budget. and let down. Everything happened so quickly to be- At one point I saw the most beautiful gin with but then as the builders began to flat in Plaza Corte going for an absolute work - more problems opened up - taking steal about four years ago - but I lost it at a wall down to make an open plan the last minute. kitchen dinning room - and the rest of the I tied up my first lot of savings in a wall falls down….. rotten windows that Palma based flat, then the next lot of sav- need replacing …. dodgy tiles on the back ings I invested in a cottage in my home terrace that allow rain water to drain back town in Cornwall and then I missed the into the apartment…. all these jobs that boat again - not having sufficient collat- from the onset you do not consider. How- Bathroom before and after. Below: Work being done before and after. PHOTOS: KATIE eral to put down for all the extra fees on ever both Danny and I tackled this with HANDYSIDE top of the initial deposit for an apartment. force and despite the sweltering summer Watching property continue to rise and heat work continues. everyone buying around me I would be I was desperate to move in - my little lying if I said I did not get despondent at baby - my first renovation. It’s like Christ- times and frustrated. mas every day - I return home to (despite In the end I sat on my rental right in the a lot of dust and dirt ..and empty coke middle of Santa Catalina and continued to cans!) a new development, something has scour all the bank website, idealista.com been done, changed / installed or made to and many other web pages offering re- look prettier and its so, so exciting. duced rate flats. Surely if I kept looking I I look back at the old photos and the would find somewhere..? whole flat has been transformed exactly I was particularly interested in down by as I wanted it - wooden floors, wooden the convention centre as I still believe counter tops, plain but smart kitchen, this area must be developed due to its cream tiles, fitted wardrobes and very close proximity to the sea, the develop- cool doors.