house essentials
thank you for choosing to come and stay at my house, I hope that you have a magical stay and I am open to making deals for returning customers. If there is anything I may be able to help you with or any questions that you may have, please just ask.
First of all allow me to mention that the house and garden are situated in the wilds of nature, so you may well hear wild boar roaming the lower lands or find a spider in the bath. Whatever nature throws at you, please take it all in your stride, detach from the city and accept that this is part of the experience.
Secondly: This is my home and I am leaving her with you to enjoy. Please try to remember three points that will keep her loved while I am away:
1. Please give the fish some food once a day. I usually feed them in the morning when I sit on the terrace with my coffee.
2. Please try and water the plants on the terrace. There is a tap and watering can nearby.
3. Please try and keep the pool clean by using the net provided. i now have permission to cut down some pine trees that are very close to the house yet this year there will still be needles and bugs that fall into the pool.
Thanks in advance !
dear guests,
On arrival
You shall either be met by me or by my neighbour Caroline who has been helping me over the past few years as i also like to take a holiday sometimes ! I usually arrange to meet at Sa Canterella restaurant which is just outside the village. this way you get a chance to have a drink after your journey without the hassle of possibly getting lost trying to find my house.
At home you will find the basics already in the kitchen : bread, eggs, milk, coffee and a bottle of wine for your first evening.
House
I like to run the house with the philosophy of being as open, sharing, trusting and as green as possible. There are not a lot of rules, just one golden rule - NO FIRES what so ever !It is so easy to start a fire in the Spanish summer by mistake so also be very careful when smoking and please use ashtrays placed around the garden. The use of charcoal on the BBQ is also necessary rather then wood. Apart from that, I really rely on guests to use their common sense yet here are some pointers of things you may not have thought of.
The whole house is run on solar power so please be aware - NO irons and NO hair dryers to be used.
If you have food left over from your stay please leave it for the next guests to benefit from.
Water is a precious commodity so please use water as sparingly as possible. If you notice a leak coming from any tube in the garden please let me know so that i can get it fixed.
If you want to wash some clothes please use the washing machine from 2:30 - 5:30 on a quick wash, cold setting when the sun is out ! If it is not a sunny day please try again tomorrow ! I'm just playing safe here because I have had one family without electrics for 4 days after the solar converter stopped working because the wash was put on on a high setting and at the wrong time of day.
There is a compost bin outside on the terrace, just tucked around the corner at the end of the blue wall.
I have a light on a timer for the decking so don't worry about turning it on or off. The same applies to the plunge pool and lower pond.
Health
If you have a medical issue the best place to go to is in Callossa, a 15 min drive away. As you enter Callossa there is a road on the right going up a steep hill with a sign saying " Centro de Salud". It is open 24 hours. There is a good pharmacy in Callossa in the center of the town. For anything more serious may need Benidorm Clinic - 965853850
There is a fire extinguisher and basic medical kit in the draw in the kitchen.
Emergency phone number in Spain is 112
Tarbena
In the village you will find a supermarket, a bakery, a pharmacy and a few bars and restaurants.
The fish mongers is open on Thursday mornings and a small market selling fruit & veg, plants and clothes is also on Thursday mornings.
Shop opening hours are generally :
Monday to Friday : 9 am - 2 am & 5 pm - 8 pm
Saturday : 9 am - 2 pm
Sunday - closed all day
Places to eat and drink
Tarbena hosts a few bar and restaurants.
My favorite has to be the As Moli - found right on the corner of the village on the main road. On the weekends you will find a classic Spanish tapas selection and if you're after a meal, I recommend the ham & cheese omelette.
In the village plaza there are a couple of bars if you want a drink after shopping at the small yet full supermarket.
Another good meal to be had is at Can Pinet, this restaurant can be found on the main road when you leave the plaza on the way out of the village.
For a Sunday paella I would recommend Ca Pelut. Eat outside on the terrace for a wonderful view across the village.
At the bottom of the village you will find Sa Piscina bar / restaurant - simple food to accompany a swim at the local pool.
A bit further out of the village there is the Sa Canterella restaurant which does meals and has a pool with bar where you can get snacks / salads / juices.
Even further afield, on the road down towards Callossa you will find Venta Figuerel - a bar with a pool table - only sandwiches served here.
things to do / places to visit
You will find weekend markets at Halon ( Saturday) and La Nucia ( Sunday)
Fonts d' Algar are worth a visit as long as there are not too many tourists. A spectacular waterfalls set in nature. You may also wish to visit the Dino park which is literally two minutes from the falls.
A bit further away yet still close to how is Guadalest where there are many things to choose from for a day out.
fonts d' algar - callossa
dino park - callossa
miniature museum - guadalest
museum of historic vehicles - guadalest
Head carved from a grain of sand.
benidorm
A bit further on from Algar and Guadalest is Benidorm, about a 30 minute drive. Here you will find a number of theme parks and attractions for children.
Terra Mitica - The park is divided into 5 themed zones: Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia, and the Islands of the Mediterranean.
Mundo Mar - The Mundomar Marine Park in Benidorm is one of the resort's main attractions for children. Your entrance ticket will also get you into the Aqualandia Water Park.
Aqualandia - Spend a full day having fun in the water slides.
Terra Natura - Terra Natura is a next generation zoo where you can discover “Zooimmersion”, a new concept in habitat design that allows you to come into contact with the animals.