what you get here

This is not a blog which opines on current events. It rather uses incidents, books (old and new), links and papers to muse about our social endeavours.
So old posts are as good as new! And lots of useful links!

The Bucegi mountains - the range I see from the front balcony of my mountain house - are almost 120 kms from Bucharest and cannot normally be seen from the capital but some extraordinary weather conditions allowed this pic to be taken from the top of the Intercontinental Hotel in late Feb 2020

Thursday, June 3, 2010

late update


Saturday dawned wet and reckoned this was the day to see Carhaix – 20 minute drive back east. It seems in fact the most liveable of all the settlements I have seen – with medieval touches and some nice glimpses of countryside from its hilltop position. House prices seem good – although the English in evidence through voices and newspapers in shop. Booked in to 2 agencies for Monday. The literature in the tourist agency the best yet – for the Poher region.
Then on to Park I agency (Josiane) in Rosporden which has the TGV and is only 12 kms from sea – the first 2 modern houses being well designed – although overpriced at 143 and 128 respectively. Garden at first was great.
The notaires’ system somewhat redeemed their reputation – by the Rosporden guy showing me 2 fascinating houses right in the centre – smaller one for 117,000 (conservatory added at back to make its sitting room, 2 bedrooms and large office space in grenier) and then a 3 level period house for 125,000 et un jardin sauvage. Price low because (original) windows need double glazing. The guy who received us was dignified, open but a bit brittle. He had had the house for 6 years and the agent told me later that he was leaving because of a divorce. Ideal but for the 3 levels – and the house starting basically on first level. Obviously taxes are higher – perhaps 300 more so.

Even after 10 years living in Finistere, people apparently still discover new places – and I can believe this after the last few days. The tourist information centres are an impressive feature – ensuring that local history and geolo/graph/y are properly celebrated. You have the feeling that you could never be bored. Although there has been criticism of the role of the English in inflating house prices, we should never forget the role they played in restoring old houses – adding to the supply as well as the demand. Someone has surely done a study of their net effect? Probably a thesis hidden away in a university library!

Friday drove the short distance to Huelgoat which is very picturesque and very...English! Enough said.
Le Faou is the estuary and had the smell of the sea.
Brasseparts tourist centre has an edge – only one so far with an internet connection for 1 euro an hour
Discovered that Port Aulnay was vision on my retina from 1999. Popped in to Jenny and Kevin to share my thoughts. They mentioned an interesting decision tool which involves listing all the desiderata – and then scoring each against the others. Sounds intriguing.

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