After a bit of a delay due to my accident on 1 July, I have now finished preparing and installing a couple of new package ideas for our hotel website. I have added Ivan's Cooking Class offer, a Relaxation Offer and added the English Language courses being offered by an American woman living here in the Genal Valley. Perhaps we will get more bookings this way as having a nice variety of offers should entice some bookings out of the travelling public. I myself would take up the relaxation package, a face massage poolside sounds heavenly to me.
Have a look:
www.hotelbandolero.com/themes/home-emg.htm - English
www.hotelbandolero.es/themes/home-esp.htm - Castellano
Sunday 13 July 2008
Tuesday 8 July 2008
It has been more than one month since my last posting to this blog. So what's been happening at Hotel Bandolero recently? June was a quiet month in terms of bookings.
The Spanish travelling public needs a bit of education about what their own native land has to offer as they seem to only consider . Here in the mountains, it is hot during the day and very cool and comfortable in the evenings. Great for swimming in the rivers, lakes or pools available nearby. There are plenty of activities to undertake as well even if you are on a budget; one can still enjoy the nature surrounding the area. There are plenty of birds to see, paths to follow, white villages all distinctly different. There is history here worth investigating.
I recently bought some print advertising in an English language locally published paper of which I am not all that impressed in an attempt to increase our traffic. That did not work as we have not had one query as a result of that advertisement. How can I be so sure you ask. I can be so sure because the ad offered a complimentary bottle of wine with the meal if the advert was mentioned. Not only has no one mentioned it that has dined here recently, we have not had many diners at all in fact recently.
Our painting workshop booked in October has not only confirmed, but has paid a deposit as well. Unfortunately, our September workshop has also cancelled, maybe next year. But we have received a few more bookings for this month and a couple of new ones for the Juzcar fiesta in August as well as a couple of new bookings in September. "Think Positive" is the meaning here, perhaps more business will come our way. We still have plenty of availability during the first two weeks of August available so make your bookings now. We have an offer on until the end of July, all rooms at the same price of 60 Euros per night plus VAT. A pretty good offer I think.
Júzcar had its annual Romeria during the last weekend in June. Ivan prepared the food for them which was a ham stew with carrots, peas, onions and potatoes. Delicious was what the people said when they brought back the empty pots. He also made litres and litres of traditional gazpacho of which none remained, in fact it was finished before the event was and some did not get to have any. Many people have told Ivan that he makes the best gazpacho they have ever had. It is quite good and healthy for you too.
It was on the 1st of July that I had an accident, a week ago today in fact. We have this beautiful big oleander tree on the bar terrace. It has pink flowers. All of the oleanders that I see in the last couple of months are full of flowers, white, burgundy, pink, yellow. But not ours. Our has suffered from an annual infestation of small yellow bugs that eat all the new growth on it. This has been the case for the last couple of years up to mid to late July when the bugs disappear and the flowers can finally bloom. This year, I decided that I needed to kill those bugs and let my plant flower. We bought some insecticide and spray bottle. As the plant is quite high, about 3 M high, I could not reach the upper levels of the plant. So I climbed up in this barrel that has been on the terrace since we arrived here almost 4 years ago. I stood there happily applying this liquid for a few minutes actually. I even took photos with my mobile of my dogs from up there.
Then it happened; the top of the barrel gave way under my weight and I went crashing through, smashing my back against the rim of the barrel in the process. Ivan was on the terrace heard this loud noise and then me, screaming in pain. Together, we some how managed to get me out of there fairly quickly. Neither of us remember exactly how we did that as I was in such agony, that was what all the focus was on. I quickly stretched myself upon the terrace breathing fast and feeling lots and lots of pain in my back. Neighbours started arriving, enquiring what was wrong. Ivan called for an ambulance as there was no way I could sit down to go to hospital. Then we waited. Forty five minutes later, the ambulance arrived. Ivan was quite anxious waiting for them and let them know he was unhappy about the length of time it took for their arrival.
I would venture to say that they get that kind of reaction to their arrival quite a lot because the first thing the medic said to Ivan was he would call the police. I think there have been many angry family members waiting for an ambulance that does not come fast enough and someone is suffering. Anyway, I didn't care, I just wanted them to take care of me. Clearly I was not dying but I felt terrible. They managed to get me onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. They administered oxygen and some pain meds and got me to Ronda. Ivan followed in our car.
The hospital staff were actually quite attentive. I was seen right away and taken into radiology. I had many x-rays taken of my back and side. Then we waited. Then more x-rays on the next floor and a sonogram. Then more waiting. Finally the doctor came in and told me I had not one, not two but three broken ribs. Everything else was checked such as liver, kidney, spine and other functions. All checked out fine. I only had three broken bones. Two other doctors came in to consult, as they say. They told us that when there are 3 or more broken ribs, they advise a stay of 3-4 nights in hospital. But in my case, as it was a clean break and nothing else was affected, I could decide whether I wanted to stay or recuperate at home. Naturally I chose home with pain meds.
So for the last week, Ivan has been taking care of everything and I have been prone on the sofa watching old movies, reading, sleeping and getting to know my new mobile phone. Today, I am doing some work here at the computer as sitting straight up does not hurt so. I can now get up and lie down without assistance... already. The doctors said it would take up to 40 days for this to heal. "Poco a poco" as they say here in España. Having had time to reflect on what happened to me, I can now say that I was very lucky to have only broken 3 ribs. A more serious injury would have been a bigger drag, an unfortunate event. But as luck would have it, it is only 3 ribs. And a week later here I sit able to work again on the PC. Ivan has been very supportive and patient, I am lucky to have such a wonderful spouse.
The Spanish travelling public needs a bit of education about what their own native land has to offer as they seem to only consider . Here in the mountains, it is hot during the day and very cool and comfortable in the evenings. Great for swimming in the rivers, lakes or pools available nearby. There are plenty of activities to undertake as well even if you are on a budget; one can still enjoy the nature surrounding the area. There are plenty of birds to see, paths to follow, white villages all distinctly different. There is history here worth investigating.
I recently bought some print advertising in an English language locally published paper of which I am not all that impressed in an attempt to increase our traffic. That did not work as we have not had one query as a result of that advertisement. How can I be so sure you ask. I can be so sure because the ad offered a complimentary bottle of wine with the meal if the advert was mentioned. Not only has no one mentioned it that has dined here recently, we have not had many diners at all in fact recently.
Our painting workshop booked in October has not only confirmed, but has paid a deposit as well. Unfortunately, our September workshop has also cancelled, maybe next year. But we have received a few more bookings for this month and a couple of new ones for the Juzcar fiesta in August as well as a couple of new bookings in September. "Think Positive" is the meaning here, perhaps more business will come our way. We still have plenty of availability during the first two weeks of August available so make your bookings now. We have an offer on until the end of July, all rooms at the same price of 60 Euros per night plus VAT. A pretty good offer I think.
Júzcar had its annual Romeria during the last weekend in June. Ivan prepared the food for them which was a ham stew with carrots, peas, onions and potatoes. Delicious was what the people said when they brought back the empty pots. He also made litres and litres of traditional gazpacho of which none remained, in fact it was finished before the event was and some did not get to have any. Many people have told Ivan that he makes the best gazpacho they have ever had. It is quite good and healthy for you too.
It was on the 1st of July that I had an accident, a week ago today in fact. We have this beautiful big oleander tree on the bar terrace. It has pink flowers. All of the oleanders that I see in the last couple of months are full of flowers, white, burgundy, pink, yellow. But not ours. Our has suffered from an annual infestation of small yellow bugs that eat all the new growth on it. This has been the case for the last couple of years up to mid to late July when the bugs disappear and the flowers can finally bloom. This year, I decided that I needed to kill those bugs and let my plant flower. We bought some insecticide and spray bottle. As the plant is quite high, about 3 M high, I could not reach the upper levels of the plant. So I climbed up in this barrel that has been on the terrace since we arrived here almost 4 years ago. I stood there happily applying this liquid for a few minutes actually. I even took photos with my mobile of my dogs from up there.
Then it happened; the top of the barrel gave way under my weight and I went crashing through, smashing my back against the rim of the barrel in the process. Ivan was on the terrace heard this loud noise and then me, screaming in pain. Together, we some how managed to get me out of there fairly quickly. Neither of us remember exactly how we did that as I was in such agony, that was what all the focus was on. I quickly stretched myself upon the terrace breathing fast and feeling lots and lots of pain in my back. Neighbours started arriving, enquiring what was wrong. Ivan called for an ambulance as there was no way I could sit down to go to hospital. Then we waited. Forty five minutes later, the ambulance arrived. Ivan was quite anxious waiting for them and let them know he was unhappy about the length of time it took for their arrival.
I would venture to say that they get that kind of reaction to their arrival quite a lot because the first thing the medic said to Ivan was he would call the police. I think there have been many angry family members waiting for an ambulance that does not come fast enough and someone is suffering. Anyway, I didn't care, I just wanted them to take care of me. Clearly I was not dying but I felt terrible. They managed to get me onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. They administered oxygen and some pain meds and got me to Ronda. Ivan followed in our car.
The hospital staff were actually quite attentive. I was seen right away and taken into radiology. I had many x-rays taken of my back and side. Then we waited. Then more x-rays on the next floor and a sonogram. Then more waiting. Finally the doctor came in and told me I had not one, not two but three broken ribs. Everything else was checked such as liver, kidney, spine and other functions. All checked out fine. I only had three broken bones. Two other doctors came in to consult, as they say. They told us that when there are 3 or more broken ribs, they advise a stay of 3-4 nights in hospital. But in my case, as it was a clean break and nothing else was affected, I could decide whether I wanted to stay or recuperate at home. Naturally I chose home with pain meds.
So for the last week, Ivan has been taking care of everything and I have been prone on the sofa watching old movies, reading, sleeping and getting to know my new mobile phone. Today, I am doing some work here at the computer as sitting straight up does not hurt so. I can now get up and lie down without assistance... already. The doctors said it would take up to 40 days for this to heal. "Poco a poco" as they say here in España. Having had time to reflect on what happened to me, I can now say that I was very lucky to have only broken 3 ribs. A more serious injury would have been a bigger drag, an unfortunate event. But as luck would have it, it is only 3 ribs. And a week later here I sit able to work again on the PC. Ivan has been very supportive and patient, I am lucky to have such a wonderful spouse.
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