Disappointment or Google Earth is your friend...

Phil spotted a small industrial estate behind the property some time before our second visit to the house at Cercal, we did some research on the net and found it might be problematic, that proved to be true. We have now revisited, we still love the house and the land but it is not for us. After a visit to the local Camara we have found that planning permissions are currently being granted for the industrial estate that will go down pretty much to the border of the property we had kind of set our hearts on, that in it's self was not the deal breaker. The final straw was that the little lane at running the length of the field was likely (in the words of the man from the planning department) to not only be used for access but be developed into a proper road, as the water mains run along the far side of the lane any widening of the road would be likely to be on the land we wanted. So onwards and upwards there will be other properties and somewhere out there is ours quietly waiting for us to buy.

Well...

We're booked to go back on April 17th. If we still like it permissions will be asked for and if granted, an offer will be placed!

Exciting times...

"Don't fall in love with the first house you see", wise words! But we did and as you can see why from the photos, especially as we want to put up yurts to offer accommodation. Just ten miles from Vila Nova de Milfontes and the sea, the local council(Camara) wanting an increase in local tourism, the chance to see whether the council will OK all our ideas before we even think of buying the property...











We have of course been doing lots of research into buying property, taking advice from friends and generally nosing around the area, I have to say it is looking a very attractive proposition. We're going back next month for a second viewing and if we're still happy forging ahead with permissions to see how we go with that and who knows maybe putting in an offer, watch this space...

Well....

Well, after an 18 month delay our journey starts next weekend with a flight out to Portugal where we have actually booked to view three properties! Needless to say we are very excited! We are also combining the trip with visits to friends which makes it all the better.

Two of the properties are in the vicinity of Vila Nova de Milfontes and one in the Loule district, but it's not lol, it's quite a bit further out. A fantastic large house which needs a fair bit of renovation but looks structurally sound. One near VNdM is habitable and the other, well the other has walls and a roof past that we don't know until we see it!

In other news, I'm taking a Diploma in Photography, waiting for my fifth module to be marked.

Fingers crossed!

I accepted an offer on the house today, less than I wanted but I have to be realistic in the current economic climate, t'will be good to remove that millstone from my neck.

Hopeful...

Well the house is back on the market, estate agents say they've got a lot of interest and viewings... Fingers crossed we get a buyer soon so we can begin the adventure of our lives. It's almost a year since I started this blog and gave up work!

A Valentines Weekend...

A couple of weeks ago Phil turned round from his computer and announced he had booked us into Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel for Valentines weekend, possibly the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.

We decided to head to Wales on the Friday so we could visit two of our best friends Lyn and Will. We had a lovely visit with them, caught up on everything and I took the opportunity to get some shots of the birds on the feeders.



Saturday, after a lovely breakfast we headed along the coast stopping off at Aberaeron by the sea.



Then onto Aberystwyth, where we had the most delicious fish and chips and wandered down the promenade.



We bimbled on and came across the Furnace waterfall.



We arrived at the hotel around 5pm with three hours to chill out before dinner, (Photo taken in August).

Wales 2010 (16)

Our room...



The food was absolutely top quality, pate, rare venison with roast vegetables and cheesecake on the first night.

Sunday the day dawned cloudy and wet but that didn't put us off we headed out into Snowdonia National Park where we found the Black Waterfall.



And this made Phil's day...



We had a last look at the sea...




Before heading back to a Valentines meal, asparagus in beurre blanc sauce, beef en daube and chocolate roularde with cherries soaked in kirsche for me, complete with Champagne.

Monday we meandered home, content and happy after a wonderful weekend.