Marbeilla

We have all fallen for Marbeilla. How can you not not have your heart melting in front of the breathtaking scenery of sun lightning the sea against the dramatic mountains. During the past week, everyday has given reasons to like the region more. We have done hikings in villages of Ojen, Istan, Camino de Cuesta. All with the kids, although my husband has done a fair share of carrying the pushchair up the mountain It is such a contrast to the concentration of wealth of Marbeilla to immerge onself in the modest mountain villages, only 30min. drive from Marbeilla, as was the case for Ojen and Istan. The kids are as equally mesmerised by this Southern Spanish lifestyle. They have tasted the tapas, listened to traditional Spanish music and enjoyed of course the sun and heated pool of our house. Incidentally, we have rented a house at the best area of Marbeilla, the Bahia, in a close guarded residence, 5 min. from the beach. The house has everything a family with kids could wish for. As we learned, we have the priviledge of living in a russian oligarcs summer residence. Who would have thought as we hastily reserverd the place just two weeks before leaving. In honesty, it was the fenced pool and kids playground in the garden which blew me away. We took the dreaming to the next level by visiting a model house for sale not far from Bahia. We were welcomed by a warm serbian lady, who presented the house to us, with a pool and view to the sea and mountains alike. A three-year concierge service would be offered free on the 1.5 million house. We were all ready to swap our Belgian house for this tastefully designed dream house! All in all, as the sun sets on this last day of this particular year, I could not wish to be elsewhere. (Except of course with the extended family up North!). We will soon leave this decade behind, a decade for me of building my life and family, buying a house, changing career, giving birth and raising four beautiful children. I could not feel more grateful and blessed. With humbleness I bow to the next decade to bring us as many happy moments of sharing, love and health. Welcoming to us a prosperous New Year 2021!

Going against the crowd at Christmas

"We are probably staying at home, although my husband still dreams of going somewhere warm." I tell my neighbourg asking our plans for Christmas. This is the enieme time I tell this, to other neighbours, teachers, our friends. Everybody are wondering what to do this year, after the year "Horribilis" as some have called it. So despite the recommendations and the inconvenience of having to get covid -tested, we decided to take the risk and buy flight tickets and rent a house in Spain. It turns out Marbeilla is the warmest bet thanks to its micro climate, snugged between the sea and mountains, just as we love it! I find a seemingly perfect house close to the beach with a heated swimming poo, kids playground in the garden and we hesitate no longer! For the first time, it was possible to put a euro figure to the risk we took. Should one of us get a positive result in the test, the trip was off. No insurence covers covid, at least not ours. In the next days, I meditated daily to get the negative tests. We filled in the bureacracy, booked a test time and on a Sunday morning 72h before our departure, we packed our babies and drove to the airport for a test. Kids were so excited and brave. Everything went smoothly. We celebrated the bravery by stopping at the boulangery to get some comfort pastries. It always makes a merry group. I refused to consider other alternatives and packed our suitcases. In the evening, we got the results, one by one getting the confrimation this is actually happening! I was so relieved! The night of our departure finally arrived. Kids were extremely concerned what would happen to their Christmas gifts, would Santa find his way to Spain? Well, as it turned out, he was thinking of all, and as we woke up the kids 3am to leave to the airport, they discovered all the presents already waiting for them under the Christmas tree. What a Joy!! The journey to Spain turned out to be horrible. Not because of covid or bureaucracy, everything went flawlessly: the airports empty, no lines to wait, personnel very friendly. It became a challenge, because of banal illnesses that had been staying put the whole year, and decided to emerge just now, at this day of travel. My son threw-up first time at home, second time in front of the security check ("euh, no symptoms of covid, this is just travel sickness"), third time at the plane. My daughter started to complain she had pain in the bladder. My baby threw up in the car and was already on antibiotics for an erupted ear the day before. So in a word, we were all sick. Fortunately, my usual medical arenal for traveling was as complete and came to a real use: we avoided going to the hospital. With a handful of sleep in our hand, we visited Malaga, drove to Marbeilla, went to do grocery shopping (including Christmas meal) and finally could go to our new home for the next two weeks. We entered by a guard by the gate to a luxourious residence area. Our house turned out to be gorgeus, the best actually we have ever had. A smiling buddha welcomed us at the front yard, sending blessings to us for our whole stay I hoped. Evening sun was casting last rays of light to the mountains, as we put our babies to bed and congratulated ourselves for the once again little heroic challenge we had taken. It seemed already worth it.