Several months have passed since our last blog while lots has happened, hence we thought it was about time for a new blog.
At the very end of our Summer in Asturias, while enjoying a mini vacation after a summer of hard work, we received a call that our bid on the house in Pravia was accepted! Needless to say, we were incredibly happy and shared a big hug and a high-five for our great teamwork. This had to be celebrated and so we ordered a beer, while enjoying the view of the forest in one of the mountainous areas of Asturias. Soon the papers were signed and we could officially call ourselves house-owners!
As we already had a contract signed to spend the winter of 2023-2024 back in Swedish Lapland, we returned to the cold North by car. A journey of 5000km, crossing the entire of Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and from there a ferry to get to Swedish soil. So here we are, back in Lapland, working at a beautiful lodge, while mentally balancing between being here and Pravia, where our house is waiting for us.
Overlooking the hills surrounding us here, covered in snow, we often envision the beautiful green hills surrounding the village of Pravia. The ocean on a 15 minute drive or the mountains on a 30 minute drive. So here we are, living life ‘in between’.
Working at our job and often in our free time working on the project. Planning floors, which walls we are going to put down, where the new water connection comes, counting how many sanding papers we need to buy (an immense amount), which permits we need to arrange for the renovation, which materials to use for both the build as for the interior, which colours we are going to use in each apartment etc etc… While enjoying the snow outside or enjoying a sauna after work, often the subject changes to the house.
Some history on the type of house we have bought:
Locally they are called ‘Casas de Indianos’. They are magnificent houses with a very unique and exotic style, often in bright colours, built by Spanish locals who emigrated to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for economic reasons, looking for opportunities. This was in times when South America was a prosperous region and Europe was in economic turmoil. When these people (“los Indianos” as they got called then) returned to their homeland after several years, they started building houses combining both colonial architectural style as using native elements. Casas de Indianos are common in parts of Cantabria, Asturias and Northern Galicia, all in the Northern parts of Spain and showed off the furtune they made while being away from their home land. Meanwhile they also often helped their local community in Spain by building schools and hospitals.
The house we bought has bright blue colours on the exterior, which we are going to re-do. However we want to keep the original colour and this is how we choose the name. In 2,5 months we will return the long drive to Spain, to then start our new adventure: “Casita Azul”!
