Parco meridiana

[hallphoto]

Just got back after new year in Scalea weather only 4 hours delay on return compared to others great weather in scalea new years eve a bit hairy new years day with the storms but a lot better than uk,we have uploaded photos of the latest addition from Pino which work well, luckily the satalite was working we could track the english weather on SKy, everything else was ok lost power 3 times in one night but other than that ok, We have also uploaded a great shot on news years eve of the sunset and we think a great view of Stromboli from our balcony, perhaps someone could confirm if it is or not we thought we were to far up the coast

[Caroline]

Hi everyone,
Not long home from Scalea ourselves. Our first trip out for nearly seven months!

Weather was warmer than this time last year and New Years eve in particular was a gorgeous day. We had a fantastic meal at Kevin and Jayne's and then took in the bells watching the wonderful fireworks from the viewing point at
Via Panoramica(?)

Just to inform any fellow residents when we arrived we had no water supply to our apartment and we spent a full day with no water thinking it must be a local shortage before we realised it had been turned off under the stairs!

We have come to the decision after this trip that we are not going to rent our apartment out to Italian holiday makers this year. It was a lot of stress and hassle for very little reward and we we were so busy trying to make the apartment perfect for any potential guests that we weren't getting the chance to relax and enjoy the place ourselves.

Hoping to have a lot more free time next trip and hopefully we will get the chance to get acquainted with more of our neighbours this year and meet some of the locals too!

Best wishes for a Happy 2010. Caroline

[Hev&Steve]

Hi Kevin&Jayne Caroline&Simon

Glad you all had a nice new year, weather was obviously much better than here. It's cold enough in the south, bet it's a lot worse up north.

Wow, where have the canopies come from, are they on all apartment stairwells? Pino must have had an inspired moment from somewhere (or off the back of a lorry).

Kevin, it's definitely Stromboli, we saw it in October, and as we drove South (Paola), it got very clear.

Are we still on site electric or meters?

We are out out in beginning of Feb & at Easter, you never know we might actually meet our next door neighbour one day!!

Heather planted some daffodils under tree outside our balcony, have they come up yet?

Happy new year to you all

Heather & Steve

[bobconners]

Happy new year to all our neighbours at parco meridiana. Canopies look fantastic "well done Pino". We are out Feb 10th look forward to seeing some of you.

Bob & Pat

[Caroline]

We still appear to be on site electricity with the same problems we had last winter.

My advice would be to buy a stove top kettle and a hat, our electric kettle and my hairdryer seemed to use a lot of power!

I was told by someone who has a holiday home in Spain that the power supply in many other European countries is not as strong as we are used to in Britain and if you put on too many appliances at once, the electricity supply will automatically switch itself off at the fuse box. Apparently when you are being joined to the grid you can pay a bit extra to get a stronger supply via a more heavy duty cable. Although since electricty is supposedly very expensive in Italy maybe its best if you can't use too much at once without your fuse box warning you off. Maybe someone who lives locally could advise us if that is true?

Didn't spot any daffodils although I guess its not spring yet, certainly not in Scotland anyway!

[MarKel]

We also saw that fabulous sunset on 31st December from our balcony in Petrosa. There were two islands in very clear view which are not usually visible. Just wondering what the other one is called. It definitely isn't Cirella, which can be seen at all times. Could it be the volcanic island of Vulcano?

The beautiful sunset definitely disproved the old adage "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight " as the storm that raged afterwards was not for the fainthearted.

Happy New Year to all,
Markel

[buttermint]

Happy New Year to all our neighbours at Parco Meridina!
Nice touch from Pino, canopies look great! We will be out again mid May to the end of May, lets hope the pool is in operation by then as Ben (now 2yrs old) loved it!!
Will anybody else be there at that time? Would be nice to introduce ourselves?
The pictures looked brilliant, (thanks for posting them on) and the weather looked great for you all. Looking forward to May now!!
Regards to you all
Jackie, Paul & Ben

[iggy]

Hi Jackie, Paul and Ben,
We are also going to be over in mid May (one way ticket so far) for a few weeks with our two year little boy as well. Maybe we could meet up some evening or have a play date? Have an apartment next to railway station
Cara, Brian and Luca

[dmbt54]

Look on the Enel website for costs. And then I think you have to double them as foreigners! The 'bigger' the supply you get, the more it costs ~ and the more you are likely to use.

We will be having a 3kW supply initially - and I want to avoid upgrading if I can. We can run 2 aircons, but have to turn one off for the water boiler or the electric kettle. It's a new way of life, but you may work out how much you waste at home!!

I am looking at the possibility of an LPG combi boiler for instant hot water, and a couple of radiators as I believe LPG is cheaper. (We are also just starting out and learning - a language translator on the PC helps!)

[Italy4me]

Originally Posted by Caroline

I was told by someone who has a holiday home in Spain that the power supply in many other European countries is not as strong as we are used to in Britain and if you put on too many appliances at once, the electricity supply will automatically switch itself off at the fuse box. Apparently when you are being joined to the grid you can pay a bit extra to get a stronger supply via a more heavy duty cable. Although since electricty is supposedly very expensive in Italy maybe its best if you can't use too much at once without your fuse box warning you off. Maybe someone who lives locally could advise us if that is true?

Didn't spot any daffodils although I guess its not spring yet, certainly not in Scotland anyway!

We have a 3kw supply (which is the norm here) and since the kettle is 2kw if I tried to put the washing machine on and/or dry my hair the electricity most certainly will trip out.
(To give you more idea of how small that supply is most electric showers are 7 or 8 kws in the UK!)
It is possible to upgrade to 4.5kw or 6 kw (and more in certain circumstances).

The cost of electricity for residents with a 3kw supply differs to that for non-residents or residents with a bigger supply than 3kw.

Interestingly, although the standing charge and first tier of the tariff is cheaper for residents the other tiers are not.

NON RESIDENT (or more than 3kw supply)
Annual fixed charges 44,644300
Charge for power supplied (is this multiplied by each kw supply?) €/kW/anno 14,4354

Consumption to 1800 kWh €/kWh 0,109830
Consumption 1801 kWh to 2640 kWh €/kWh 0,128830
Consumption 2641 kWh to 4440 kWh €/kWh 0,166730
Consumption higher than 4440 kWh €/kWh 0,207130

RESIDENT AND 3kw supply

Yearly fixed charge 18,390800
Charge for power supplied (is this multiplied by each kw supply?) €/kW/anno 5,134000

Consumption to 1800 kWh €/kWh 0,094010
Consumption 1801 kWh to 2640 kWh €/kWh 0,135090
Consumption 2641 kWh to 4440 kWh €/kWh 0,179070
Consumption higher than 4440 kWh €/kWh 0,225960

We have been on the dual "biorarie" tariff for almost 2 years (where it is cheaper for the power that is used in the evenings, through the night and at weekends).
Also the price was fixed for a 2 year term.

Since the term is almost up this has been a timely thread for me to have a look at the other options available. Enel also does a fixed monthly rate plan (small, medium, large and extra large depending on previous consumption) but I definitely need to do some comparisons.
I can feel a spreadsheet coming on...

Hope you are still all awake after that - my daffodils are almost bursting into bloom, certainly won't be long!

Lesley

[Doug]

Good Stuff Lesley,

I'm hoping we can start chiming-in soon with input on these things. We put mains gas to our place for heating, cooking and the on-demand water heater (boiler) thinking it would be cheaper than electric. The gas bills from last year for just a couple weeks in the winter were horrifying. We need to learn if it was just me screwing up with the gas heating stufa, unusual cold, my long hot American therapeutic showers, or the fact that we are not residents -- yet to get reduced prices for gas and electric.

We've been in our contractor's lovely large new home in Papasidero where his family spends their winter days cornered in the warm kitchen w/ fireplace before scampering to bed in bedrooms at 10C, and the rest of the 250 msq house goes unused even tho' there are radiators throughout. Simple frugality or horrible costs?? We'll learn soon. Our Italian at the time was not good enough to ask such questions without risk of insult to someone.

We plan to keep close records on utility usage and costs starting next month on arrival.

Can't wait to see your daffodils. This Wednesday is hopefully the final time in my life that I will be skiing at someone else's will. Perhaps it's time Brian takes up golf and goes to Cetraro with me 22 February. Shall I call for a tee time?

Doug
Santa Domenica Talao
Il Terrazzo Italiano

[Lynn]

Doug you must be really excited. I will be there in May for a few days and hope to see you then.

Good Luck with the move. Keep us posted.

Lynn

[Doug]

Yes Lynn, it's finally about to happen for real. I think the transition to retirement will be less stressful given the new adventure ahead in Italy with all it offers. Just sent you a PM. dj