Andalucia B&B Blog - The Sierra Nevada has SNOW!

As of this weekend, the Sierra Nevada ski resort of Borreguiles is enjoying a TWO METRE fall of Snow! And at more than 3,000m above sea level - considerably higher than some of France's most well known resorts - it looks TEMPTING!!

We're lucky - from our lovely Andalucia B&B we can jump in our cars, laden with ski wear, and be on the slopes by 10am, picnics in rucksacks and gloves on hands .....

Yep, I'd say we're lucky here :)



Bed and Breakfast in Andalucia - Iznájar Spain
Quirky Watercolour Paintings Website
Living the Dream in Spain Blog
Iznajar B&B Casa La Celada Blog
Art Blog

Ecademy España - Ecademy Spain

Lake Iznájar - in Iznájar Spain - A Poem ...

LAKE IZNÁJAR - IZNÁJAR SPAIN

Lake Iznájar - Springtime flowers crowd your shores
Olive blossoms fill the air all around your ragged cliffs
Flowers flying on the breeze until they settle gently down
Floating softly on the surface of your impenetrable depths

Lake Iznájar - Summer warms you, the suns rays are beating down
The haze above you out of focus through the vapours rising up
Your shores surrounded with the tinkling sound of laughter all around
The colours dazzle with the brightness of the sun from high above

Lake Iznájar - when the Harvest Moon is huge high in the sky
Softest light reflects so clearly of palest white on velvet black
Lighting up your dappled Autumn face serene and filled with hope
Bringing promises of coolness to the sun scorched land around

Lake Iznájar - to walk around your crusty crunchy wintry shores
Taking millions of pictures of the sparkling winter sun
As it dances through the day across your vast and watery expanse
Like a million twinkling Tinkerbells waiting Springtime once again.

The Thieving Hotel From Hell - Hotel Piemonte - Rome - I AM SEETHING - What to do?

Boy am I seriously pissed off today .... and I wish a hex on the Hotel Piemonte in Rome and their appalling behaviour .... They're going to wish that they were never BORN after this!


I think I blogged previously about one of the many online enquiry systems that I used to try and find a hotel with a room free at short notice .... and I think I also mentioned that one system in particular asked for credit card information without stating on the system that any enquiries constituted a confirmed booking .... therefore obviously you can use the system to enquire .... CAN'T YOU??

Do you have ANY IDEA how angry I am with myself for not simply clicking "next" and ignoring that WHOLE lying cheating forked tongued heinous snake faced system??

Aaaarrrggghhhh!

But the hotels they represented looked nice, so I typed in the dates, and in the comments section wrote to say "Do you have any availability for these dates?"

The system was automated and came back saying yes we do for these dates....... but as I found a hotel I preferred, I simply ignored all those automated responses ...


I now find out from ONE hotel, out of about 15 that I enquired at, that as far as they are concerned THAT CONSTITUTES A CONFIRMED BOOKING ............................

At this point please imagine a string of Tourette's Style Major Swearing Going on .....


I received an email from the Hotel Piemonte while I was in Rome informing me they were now going to debit my credit card to the tune of an entire night's stay - a whacking 85€ - because I didn't "honour my booking" - EVEN THOUGH I NEVER EFFING WELL MADE A BOOKING !!!

And I am spitting FIRE here I can tell you ...

How DARE an online booking system that gives a "comments" section wherein you can write "I wish to know if you have any availability?" take that as a confirmed reservation. When you ask a question of a hotel, you want an answer, NOT an assumption on their part that you now wish to lick their loos for them .....

So folks - I'm going to tell the bank today to NOT honour the request for payment, and that the money has been taken fraudulently ....

And BOY am I going to blog about this .....

It just goes to show that if you have a great time, you tell three good mates ... and if you have a BAD time,

YOU YELL AT THE WHOLE WORLD !!!

Snow Boarding holidays at Casa La Celada

Thanks to a local young man with a lot of nerve and a great deal of experience, Casa La Celada is now thrilled to offer

SNOW BOARDING DAYS !

In the Sierra Nevada mountains, you'll be taken through your paces by our guide and mentor Steve.

The package includes all rental equipment, transport to and from Casa La Celada's front door, ski passes and any necessary coaching on the mountainside.

Why not couple it with a pamper day the next day to ease out any aching muscles?

It's all available here - all you have to do is ask : 0034 957534939 or visit http://www.casa-la-celada.com for further information.

The Best Pamper Day Of My Life

Yesterday probably ranks as one of the best "me" days in living memory - and something I will definitely be repeating again and again and again …..


I drove the 15 minutes from home to Adelantado - a beautiful drive winding down and around Iznájar and the lake, then up the other side and into the campo where I was pampered beyond belief in the most beautiful house set in a rolling valley of silvery green olive trees.


Starting at 11am, I had a full body exfoliation in a treatment room that truly felt like I had walked into a loving, healing womb - sofas covered in rich royal blue accentuated with soft blues, purples and silvers, rich deep purple towels on the treatment couch, and gentle music playing in the background complimenting the soft whirring of the ceiling fan.


Having had my entire body gently scrubbed and polished, I then nearly died and went to heaven with the deep back, neck and shoulder massage. Sarah Jackson, our local extremely highly qualified and experienced therapist, is without a doubt the best masseuse and beauty therapist I have EVER encountered - and I have travelled a fair bit and always had treatments wherever I have gone - over a period of 20 years!


After my massage, it was pure bliss to have a wonderful, deeply cleansing and stimulating facial with collagen and lavender mask which made my skin feel so alive and tingly while gaving my hands a massage and mask before starting on my feet with a luxurious pedicure. By this time I'm practically floating away ...


Once the face mask was off we adjourned out into the cool shade of the terrace overlooking the pool and on down through the olive groves, where my pedicure was completed with a final paraffin and wax foot dip which rehydrates and soothes sun-scorched feet. Delicious! While that was doing it's work, we had a lovely chilled glass of Freixinet - my favourite Spanish Cava, and a delicious lunch prepared by Jenny who owns this glorious pamper retreat.


Languishing over our lunch the company was perfect - the balance of laughter and quietness just right, and towards the end of lunch Jenny offered me the opportunity of experiencing a psychometric test. I have never had this, and have always been deeply skeptical of such things, but I have to say that it was very useful, the results absolutely reflected me in every way and helped me see some areas where I can be more focussed in managing my time - so I rated it as being an extremely useful exercise.


And then it was the pool !! Oh my !! Swimming in the late afternoon sun, lounging on the deck chairs, the only sound coming from the trees being lightly ruffled by a gentle breeze ….


I feel so relaxed I could MELT …….


It was such an amazing experience that we have decided to team up so that we can offer it as an option to our guests here at Casa La Celada too - I can imagine that for anyone spending a few days taking in the Alhambra, the Mezquita, or climbing our Sierra Subbética's mountains, such a blissful and completely recharging experience would send most people into paroxysms of bliss ...

What will YOU be eating for breakfast tomorrow?

Are you a breakfast person or a "grab an apple and run out the door" kind of person?

When I stayed in Rome last week, I was disappointed with the breakfast simply because there was no wheat free option - I really did think that the world today was far better educated in that regard ....

Because of my own wheat intolerances it's made me really think about the breakfasts we serve here too - there must always be an option for wheat free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan diets - even though the majority of people don't have those requirements it makes the world of difference for those who do....

Does it make a difference for you what you have for breakfast? Do you think about it in terms of health, speed, caffeine hit? Or do you have food intolerances that seriously affect where you can go to eat?

www.ecademy.com where I spend a lot of time marketing and working, has a club called the Wheat and Dairy Free Club which is a great place for help incidentally if you are affected by what you eat ...

Guitar Festival in Córdoba 2008

Look Here

I LOVE Festival Season!! It is a case of dressing in your most unloved clothes as you will need to pour copious quantities of the coldest water you can find straight over your head at some point - especially if the music is too good to leave the arena for a cool down .... !!

And then once that is done, back to back pretty much, we have Etnosur 2008, which I understand is Andalucia's answer to Glastonbury (!) - sounds like an excuse to take the inflatable hotel I reckon - and then at the end of July there is the lovely "Blues Cazorla" festy which we did last year ...

Put your party shoes on! Summer is HERE !!! (It's official - 21st June!)

Jaén - An Unsung Treasure of Andalucía

Living as we do in the very heart of Andalucia, our guests frequently use our peaceful base to visit local cities - Córdoba, Málaga, Sevilla and Granada being the most obvious choices.

But have you heard of Jaén?

The Province of Jaén is situated to the East of Córdoba, touching Castilla - La Mancha to the North, Murcia and Almería to the East, and Granada to the South, and boasts the incredible statistic of producing on average 900,000 tonnes of olives each year from 4,500 sq km of groves and some 40 million olive trees.

That translates to more than 200,000 tonnes of olive oil, or aceite de oliva - half of Andalucía's requirement, one third of Spain's, and a 10th of all the olive oil consumed in the world today.


The City of Jaén is breathtaking - http://www.andalucia.com/cities/jaen.htm - it was taken from the Emirate of Granada in 1246 following an amazing six month siege, and it is held that the new frontiers would be respected in exchange for half of the emir's income!

However all that changed in the 15th Century when the Catholic Monarchy used Jaén as a base against the Granada emirate.

Come back for more interesting information titbits on Andalucia's places of fascination - they occur regularly!!

Fully Booked Again!

It is one of the most pleasurable experiences imaginable, as a newly opened Guest House, to be Fully Booked ....

The publicity, public relations, editorial and effort shows itself to be paying off ...

And more importantly, that the word of mouth from our lovely Guests is saying what we always hoped it would say ....

Stay here - It's Great ...

I am humbled and delighted with the press we get - thank you!

Córdoba in May

For any of you thinking of visiting Córdoba, May is the time! Córdoba hurls itself into the Party Spirit from now until the last day of May with every kind of attraction for the young and old alike ...

Here is a brief glimpse :

Starting today, Córdoba celebrates the Fiesta de Los Cruxes - the Cross Festival - Crosses are erected all over the city, festooned with flowers, and around each cross you will find revellers partying in their own way - enjoying the weather, the visitors, and the river flowing along the south banks to the sea.

This year, the Fiesta de Los Patios, I am informed, begins next Thursday 7th May and runs til 18th May. It is an extravaganza of flowers - Córdoba is reknowned for the beautiful decoration of the Patios and more than 70 open their doors to visitors during these two weeks ... Some die hards recommend that you spend the evening before exploring the "Old Quarter", and visit again the following morning in order to visit the more out of reach Patios ...

And then at the end of May, 24th - 30th, we have Córdoba's annual Fair including the Fiesta de la Battalla de Flores on the first day to open proceedings, Bulls in the Streets, Circuses and Shows as well as some traditional Spanish riding skills, Flamenco Festivals and Flowers being hurled from balconies at the passing traffic below.

The Playground - in the loosest sense ...

Sitting here waiting for guests arriving this morning, I am remembering yesterday's excursion to "the play ground" which my son Zack wanted to take me on ... together with his lovely friend Lucas.

We packed water and several plastic bags for "treasure" and set off in the direction of our lovely 8 sided church.

Walking through the olive groves, just coming into flower now, we dipped down through the silver trees, birds and wild flowers everywhere - the wild garlic is absolutely beautiful at this time of year.

All I could see was what looked like a roped off quarry, so my hackles were up for signs of danger ... but as I relaxed, I started to notice that the ground all around us was sparkling and twinkling in the afternoon sun.

Stopping and paying more attention to what was underfoot, we all started to find crystals - quartz, mica, citrine and pyorite - turned and churned by the ploughs working the land between the trees! It was amazing - I have never found crystals "in the wild" before and was secretly hoping to come across an amethyst cathedral at any moment.

Zack then told us that he wanted to go down to the playground ... and shot off with little Lucas bobbing along behind him. He looked back at me, beaming his bright sunny smile, and said "Look Mummy, here's our slide!" ...

And there, next to an abandonned plough with jagged edges everywhere and all manner of items that in the UK would make the place deemed unfit for children, was an earth bank, with a very clear earth funnel smoothed out of it heading vertically some 25 feet down to the grove beneath .... down which shot Zack, bumping all the way to the very bottom, whooping with glee all the way !

Who needs plastic?!

San Marcos - What a Party!

The Day in the Campo has been and gone, and BOY did we have a blast!

We had Guests staying whom we scooped up and, laden with a gorgeous picnic of Spanish Albondigas (meatballs), Chicken with Goats Cheese, Red Pepper and Onion, and all manner of Quails Eggs, Yoghurts, crusty bread etc, headed down for a spot beneath the sweet smelling pine forest beside the lake.

The beach of Valdearenas was HEAVING! We were sensible to arrive early - as by the time we had had enough, there was standing room only in the bar (and that was if you could get through the door!) ...

HUGELY recommended though - campers, star-sleepers, and a lot of young people boogying the night away - San Marcos is a lovely fiesta Spain over :)

Bed & Breakfast Arty Style in Spain: Aphrodite at Casa La Celada

Bed & Breakfast Arty Style in Spain: Aphrodite at Casa La Celada

Bed & Breakfast Arty Style in Spain: Aphrodite at Casa La Celada

Bed & Breakfast Arty Style in Spain: Aphrodite at Casa La Celada

Casa La Celada's Visitors book

Running a Guest House, one of the most exciting aspects once our guests leave is reading what they write about us in our Visitor's Book ....

"Your hospitality cannot be surpassed"

"Lovely house, lovely people, made us very welcome"

"Will return and recommend to everyone"

"We enjoyed a lovely stay with you"

"Very warm, friendly and caring"

"Very personal touch"

"We will definitely be back"

No matter how much effort you make, or how much you try to anticipate peoples' wants and needs, it is impossible to be certain that people have really enjoyed themselves and aren't just being polite.

So we are very proud of the service we offer here - and hope to offer it to you too :)

Aphrodite at Casa La Celada

Hello, My Name Is Aphrodite ....

I own Casa La Celada, no matter what anyone else says ....

When you come here, you can cuddle me, turn me upside down, tickle my tummy and play the piano with my paws. I will allow almost all affectionate behaviour and will probably claw your legs with feigned affection because that's how we cats behave.

I love it here - my boyfriends in the village sit outside and sing me love songs, my owners allow me free reign of the house (provided I behave REASONABLY well) ...

It's a cat's life ........

WHAT a fiesta - this village knows how to party!

I can only say WOW ....

WHAT a fiesta - for a very small village, and I mean SMALL, they really do know how to party .....

Streets lined with the "village girls" all dressed to kill as they did everything they could to stay Too Cool To Move - while secretly drooling over their "macho" who was in the motorbike race ...

Children on their bikes doing the same race, but at a fraction of the speed ....

Dancing and Partying til WAY past dawn ...

And the Procession - well - that's a blog in itself ....

Basking in Sunday Mirror Glory

Today, Zack and I are feeling very proud - the SUNDAY MIRROR has written about Casa La Celada - and about Amanda Hamilton's Art Work !! Does it get any better?

As a result of this wonderful publicity, we are offering a 10% discount to those of you who might be considering a holiday in Andalucia this year ...

Bring the Article with you and for a stay of 2 nights or more, 10% stays in your pocket!

Hurry Hurry Hurry !!

Fiesta in La Celada, Iznájar

Hurry Hurry Book Your Room - it's PARTY TIME!

La Celada's own festival, the Fiesta de San José, is going to fall on 14th 15th and 16th March - and it is a REAL, RURAL, Spanish Fiesta ...

We're going to have dancing every night and apparently (God forbid) a stripper on Saturday (LATE) .... there will be games in the streets every day, and Sunday is the day of the massive free lunch of Sardines and salad and heaven only knows what else!

Bring Bikes if you want to partake in the street jousting races, and if you fancy coming in fancy dress, we'd fancy seeing you like that!

Roll Up Roll Up !!!

Hurry now and book your room .... !

Iznájar's Answer to Quirky Poetry

Poetry - Written By A House ?


Open door
Open heart
Open house
and
Open mind

Come and see me
Feel me
Hear me
I'm a House - the Loving Kind

Warmest welcomes
All invited
Come and share our home today
We are friendly
Warm, inviting
New friends - why not come and play?

EXCITED CASA LA CELADA

My dear owner is very excited - because she is giving an interview tomorrow to be published in an important Sunday Glossy .... about moving to and living the dream in SPAIN!

Carnival Comes to Juncares, La Celada and Rute

We are getting ready for Carnival and Clients !

Chop Chop Busy Busy Work Work Bang Bang !!

Gluten Free Breakfasts!

Casa La Celada, thanks to the owners' own special dietary needs, is proud to be able to say that we can cater for people with Gluten issues, wheat intolerances and dairy problems. Due to years of psoriasis, I found out myself that I had wheat and dairy intolerances, and so have made it my point when moving around Spain to source foods away from the standard "bocadillo" that for me, is NOT a happy experience.

So do feel free to visit our website, see if you fancy the amazing tranquility - and give us the challenge of meeting your needs!

www.casa-la-celada.com

Ecademy - WHAT A FORUM!

I have to say this - Amanda speaking here rather than the house - that I am AMAZED by the effectiveness of Ecademy. Within the past 24 hours I have connected with people from all over the world who are interested in who I am, what I am offering, and what I paint.

So thank you to the world of the Internet - from myself, from Casa La Celada, and from Ecademy! I have even set up my own CLUB there for heaven's sake -who would have thought it - check out this link :

www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=club&c=5248

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon

What can a gorgeous house say? Owners sprawled on my roof terrace, cats luxuriously decorating the space around, plants stretching and waking up to Córdoba's early spring .... I like being a Bed and Breakfast here in Andalucía, and I love my owners who know how to enjoy themselves, and know how to enjoy me.

The House Writes :

Goodness am I CLEAN! And I have been looked over, photographed, primped and plumped up for a lovely woman who wanted to see around me to put me "On Her Books" for the Summer ...

My toe nails are polished, my eyelashes duly mascara'd (so to speak), and I feel loved up and cared for, as every good house should.

Now, we wait and see who comes next to see us !

PAY ME ATTENTION - I LOVE IT

One of the things that I love, (this is the house speaking here) - is ATTENTION. When you have stood, raw, open and unfinished, with every dog piddling against your exposed brickwork, .... well, life gets a bit cheesy I can tell you. So having been "loved up", "tarted up", "renovated", "restored" - whatever word you want to use ... well you get kind of hooked on being paid a LOT of attention.

And THAT is why I love being a Bed and Breakfast!

Because my owners like me to be "just so" - and so do I.

Today, for instance, I had my eye make-up redone on a few of my eyes (Note from Ed : think windows) - a thick coat of protecting varnishing laquering good for ever gloop that makes me look a million dollars ...

So if you could see me today, I would DEFINITELY be fluttering my eyelashes at you.

The House Speaks!

Casa La Celada

Calle Principal 1

La Celada

14979 Iznájar

Córdoba

0034 957 53 49 39

0034 635 12 04 95

The HOUSE Speaks ...

Here I Am ...

Without a doubt the most beautiful of all houses in the village actually - and I think most would say that - short on a flower or two for a windowbox but the owner is so busy polishing and mopping me that that might take a bit of time to happen ...

But look at the VIEW from my roof terrace! That's Windows Mountain that is - okay La Montaña de las Ventanas - and it is walkable from my lovely arched front door ....

So now a question - I LOVE being filled with people - children, adults, family, friends and guests - I am, after all, a bed & breakfast in Andalucia - so how do I let the world know that I am here without spending all my owner's money on advertising with every Tom, Dick and Harry?

We don't want to do it like that, my owner and I. We far prefer the idea of bringing people to us because we are a bit quirky - the paintings for instance that are for sale in the house .... or the food that is super good because of all the willing chefs around who like cooking in my wonderful kitchen ....

Anyone got any ideas ? It's hard enough, being a house, to borrow the computer and type, but it would be even more absurd if I just lifted my skirts and tried to walk down through the village of Iznájar to speak to the Alcaldesa about this ....

I wouldn't fit actually, I'm too big ....

Smiles from La Celada - Iznájar

New Gorgeous Luxury Bed & Breakfast Now Open!

CASA LA CELADA

LA CELADA

IZNÁJAR

ANDALUCÍA

0034 957 53 49 39

0034 635 12 04 95

amanda_hamilton2004@yahoo.co.uk

WELCOME!

This is the first ever post from Casa La Celada's very own Blog, on Blogger.com .....

Our beautiful Guest House will be posting her news, views and opinions of her new owners, her situation, and what it is like to be a Bed and Breakfast.

We hope very much that you will enjoy Casa La Celada's unique view on life, and will come and visit us in Andalucía's rural heaven - just an hour inland from the mahem of Málaga, or the grind of Granada, or the chaos of Córdoba .....

Come and see us soon !

www.casa-la-celada.com