Our first gay party was held a week ago. Due to social distancing the numbers were limited to 10 guys.
Entertainment was provided by a classical singer, brilliant rendition of "O Sole Mio" and later on in the jacuzzi at 37 degrees.
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Yes, we are expanding!! Last year, we purchased the land next door to increase our holding from 500 sq m to 1019 sq m.
.The land was cleared of all vegetation and construction of a wall around the new land was completed in early August along with the delivery of a new sliding gate.
A portion of the wall by the pool was knocked down finally re-uniting the two pieces of land. Further constructions are planned for the future, potentially 4 studio apartments and a dining area.
Presently, an area by the pool is being constructed to provide a shaded seating area next to the pool along with steps and a ramp down to the new land.
This year we purchased a Xiaomi Short Throw Laser Projector and a 150" screen that fits over the front of the music stage.
It has taken nearly two years since the delivery of the jacuzzi to construct the Greek Temple, but finally it is ready for Summer 2019!!
A Greek Golden God stands at the entrance to his Temple, a place where you can relax inside and be at one with your God, whoever he might be.....
The outside design was based on the famous churches from Santorini and includes an outdoor shower area and an outside toilet, so there is no need to go inside the villa when sunbathing around the pool.
Whilst inside, the areas surrounding the jacuzzi are covered in gold panels, with orchids growing up the pillars. The jacuzzi and inner part of the large dome are lit at night with RGB coloured LED lights to provide that perfect ambience.
This summer has been absolutely hectic, the resort has been busier than ever and our pool parties better attended.
It seems that everyone who attended has had some fun evenings, some lasting into the late hours of the night.....
......and now with the jacuzzi being fully operational, the perfect time to enjoy a relaxing soak is the early morning hours
we pride ourselves on our parties and just bought an additional large TV for the bar for 2018....
We decided to hold our first pool party on the afternoon and evening of the 23rd June 2017. Clothing optional - most guys attending decided to bare all. It was certainly a great day weather wise, clear blue skies, hot sun and temperatures up to 32 degrees centigrade. Even the evening was warm so it was not necessary to robe. The pool was perfect for cooling down (25C) with fun and games, whilst the jacuzzi was a favourite later on and into the night.....
Food was served, skewered chicken fillets marinated in yogurt and madras spices or pork marinated in Greek Giro spices along with mushrooms, peppers and onionsand of course corn on the cob - all prepared on the Bulgarian BBQ. Followed by a choice of gateaux.
Meanwhile the bar was open serving the lastest trendy "lemonade" drinks in specially bought glass jars fitted with metallic lids with straws. These "lemonades" contain a highly concentrated fruit syrup, with a slice of lemon, fresh mint leaves, carbonated water and plenty of ice. Others stuck to more traditional drinks such as wine, vodka or brandy
After the meal, the music was turned up activating the disco lights and there was some dancing to the latest sounds, a few took the microphone for karaoke, whilst others preferred to bathe in the hot jaczzi, into the early morning. Quite a night and repeated during the hot dry summer and old guests departed and new ones arrived!!
The plastic Laz-y-Tub served us well for last season, but there was a need for a more permanent feature and so a 6 person SR-831 Jacuzzi was bought.
What fun it was getting the base and location sorted out as it needed a new power cable from the box outside with lots of digging and plumbing. Just at the same time as the pool was undergoing repairs with new tiles laid around the top.
Late one evening the jacuzzi arrived and was lifted into position by a crane over the wall. After installation, the next job was to level and tile the floor for the outside shower and then install all necessary electrical cables before rendering and painting the wall, followed by installation of the shower. An RGB remote controlled LED pool light was fitted along with new timers to control the pump pool and light.
All completed it was time to enjoy the new jacuzzi, wonderful at 38 degrees centigrade.
Is there a best time of the year to view the sunsets from the terraces of Villa MiKosta? If there is one thing that never changes in life, it is the constancy of the sun. The twelve picutres above, one for each month from January through to December confirm there is very little change apart from the position of the sun on the horizon, appearing to move to the right up to June and then back again until December. Though perhaps the winter sunsets are cleaner due to occasional rain storms that clear the air and the lack of airplances leaving trails in the skies above as shown by the picture taken in May, when most flights resume into Burgas.....
There are two places on the Black Sea Coast where you can get muddy.
At the front of Lake Pomorie in Pomorie, a local will collect medicinal mud, spread it all over your body, cover you in sand and cook for 25 minutes prior to washing it all off in the sea for only 5 leva.
Alternatively you can do it yourself at the popular pools nearer to Burgas, from the Kableshkovo junction of the dual carriageway between Sarafovo and Burgas. The healing mud and lye pools are in the south part of the Atanasovsko Lake and are the largest free outdoor SPA centre in the country. All locals know the place and recently more and more visitors are learning about it, too. The mud and lye are acquired sustainable and this does not hurt the lake inhabitants.
The black mud is a proven treatment for different illnesses. Healing mud is a sedimentary product of the enclosed saline lake; its clean and homogenous, has a dark grey to black colour and smells of hydrogen sulphide due to the numerous decaying microorganisms. It contains inorganic substances such as silicates, sands, gypsum, iron and aluminium compounds, different hydroxides and salts. This composition has been formed for thousands of years of decaying unicellular organisms, weeds, fish, crayfish, mussels. One centimetre of mud takes at least one year to form. The essence of mud treatment is the complex effects on the whole peripheral nervous system. Its thermal properties dilate the blood vessels and open new capillaries. This reduces swellings and pain, heals wounds and reduces scarring, improves metabolism and regenerative processes. Mud not only heals but it also beautifies and rejuvenates by bringing calcium, iodine, phosphorus, etc. to the skin. It heals almost the full range of skin disease, arthritis, disc herniation, gynaecological problems, plexitis.
After the English Referendum to leave the EU, it was decided to hold an afternoon English Tea Party for selected guests to cheer up the Ex-Pats.......................The English are truly crazy, English Afternoon Tea must go ahead in the worst of conditions and the hot, sunny afternoons of Sunny Beach are no exception! The only problem is that everything has to be eaten rapidly due to the hot and sunny conditions, no such problem there! After a refreshing round of drinks in the bar downstairs, guests were directed to the first floor terrace where afternoon tea was waiting to be served.
Freshly baked mini Victoria Sponge Butterfly cakes with the tops removed, whipped cream added, the tops replaced, a strawberry placed on top and dusted with icing sugar provided one of the refreshments along with freshly made scones, filled with strawberry jam and whipped cream again dusted with icing sugar. Tea was kindly provided by family who brought over Punjana Tea Bags (Thomson Teas, Belfast), even the invited Bulgarian, who initially ordered a double espresso, was converted and finished the pot.
So the final construction part on the ground floor terrace is nearing completion, a music stage for those of a musical bent! Good job that we are relatively private here, so that you can sing to your heart's content!
The construction began with laying concrete foundations and then wooden beams to raise and support the floor. Electric cables were laid around the insides to provide power for the CD players, amplifier and mixer at the back and musical instruments at the base of the front of the stage. Further power sockets were affixed to the upper front beam of the stage for disco lighting, which was ordered from Thomann in Germany.
Then sheets of plywood that had been pretreated with a black coating, were laid over the wodden beams. Black wood effect linoleum was affixed over the plywood to provide a waterproof layer. Further sheets of plywood were used to provide the two side walls and a uVPC door was fitted to allow stage right access.
The outsides of the walls were coated with white UVPC plastic to match the door. Meanwhile, an aluminium remote controlled shutter was fitted for the front of the stage such that the entire stage will be secure. Disco equipment finally left the house after storage for over a year in cupboards. Disco lights arrived and installed above the stage, now the programming begins with the DMX controller to produce light shows......
A 2-4 person Jacuzzi was observed in a Metro brochure and we just had to have one. Fortunately, we managed to buy the last one, the instructions boasted ready to use within 10 minutes. Hah! 3 hours spent in a wet pump room sorting out the electric mess, re-affixing all the wires securely, switching off, switching on to test and we were ready to go.
Sure enough within 10 minutes the spa was inflated, some of the pH balanced and chlorinated pool water was soon pumped in, we were ready to go! Not so as the temperature slowly crept up to the ideal value of 37C during the day - still not hot enough at the end, so we had to wait for the next day, sucess achieved - the water felt wonderfully warm and the air bubbles massaged the whole body, success!
I can see this being a popular item for future visitors!
A large stone covered purpose built barbecue / pizza oven was purchased from Raimar Bulgaria and delivered within 2 working days, very efficient service! Three men were employed for a day to construct the barbecue as the dome of the pizza oven weighed 200kg! Now operational, we look forward to those warm summer evenings with barbecued foods or a spit roast on the rotisserie or a freshly cooked pizza.
What home is perfect without its own bar? Construction of the roof began last year and now with the warm sunny days returning, it was time to complete the construction.
The first step was to put the electrics through the wall to a RCD device and to complete the wiring inside the bar to provide suitable mains sockets and lighting. An RGB LED strip (Praktika) was added to the back beam to provide remote controlled ambient lighting, whilst UVPC panels lined the unsightly wall.
The unsightly areas underneath the roof were lined with wood effect PVC panels (Masterhaus), whilst leaving the wooden beams exposed to give an "old world" feel.
Some bars I have visited are rather quirky in that the floor slopes to the bar, so that it is easier to get to - but coming back with drinks can be problematic! With this in mind, it was decided to level the floor area first - this would mean that any inside units would be easier to fit.
It took quite a while and effort to mix and lay 500 kg of concrete mix, but this was accomplished, allowing flooring tiles to be laid (Mr Bricolage). Two door frames were added on opposite end of the bar to allow lockable access. Currently waiting for the doors to be made and fitted in the next few days (Nessebar). Meanwhile, the front of the bar was panelled with wood effect panelling and a HD colour TV with internet access was added to provide entertainment.
Two units (AIKO) were bought and erected at the back of the bar for storage of alcoholic drinks, whilst the wine refrigerator was repaired and moved into position. There are numerous fine wines available ranging from a selection 2010 Bordeauxs (Lidl) to the best Bulgarian wines such as the Katarzyna Estate (Janet & Metro)for that extra special meal and everday drinking fruity wines such as Chateau Karnobat (Janet).
Rich and saturated purple color. Classy and harmonious aroma of wine combines concentrated shades of spices, pepper, leather, earthy tone, black fruits and exquisite French oak. Taste including harmony of volume, sweetness, velvety, intense flavor aroma and exceptional length.
Deep purple color with gloss. Generous and multi-layered nose with hints of black fruit (blackberry, plum), pepper, cedar and tobacco. The body is powerful, the taste is full-bodied, impressively balanced, soft and juicy, with a feeling of ripe fruit, dark chocolate and caramel. The tannins are caressing, and the final is long, smooth and elegant.
Beautiful, impenetrable color with ruby highlights. Attractive, jam nose with hints of sweet blueberries, cinnamon and cloves, mocha and dark chocolate. Medium body with melted tannins, very black fruit and chocolate taste with an elegant, long finish.
The wine is aged 12 months in 225-liter barrels of old French and American oak and has the potential to develop in the bottle up to 5 years. Beautiful deep ruby colour with brilliant shades, discrete shades of spices on the nose accompanying intense aromas of ripe black berries, very elegant, with a satin structure, well rounded and long soft and aromatic finish, dominated by ripe red fruits.
70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Nice ruby colour with leather notes and fresh cherries on the nose, roasted notes of typical ripe fruit of the most beautiful grave in the region with a very large attack on the palate with flexible elegant tannins.
55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet FrancAppearance: Ruby red with crimson tints. Dense and brilliant. Bouquet: Fine and open with hints of lovely fresh black fruit (blackcurrant, plums). Floral and vanilla scents when swirled around the glass. Palate: Well structured and balanced. Driven by fresh fruit initially, then by the finesse and volume of toasted and liquorice flavours. A long-lasting finish with floral (wisteria, peony) and toasted hints.
Silver at Concours de Bordeaux Vins d'Aquitaine. Consistent with Montagne's viticultural traditions, Chateau Lacoste-Chatain is 70-75% Merlot. The balance of the estate's Grand Vin is typically made up of equal amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernets add important structural components, aromatic complexity, palate finesse, and balanced acidity to the velvety, fruit-dominant Merlot. This is a brilliant, intensely-colored, thoughtfully layered Right Bank Bordeaux recalling scents and flavors of cherries, red currants, and red/black raspberries. Aged 12 months in barrel and already delicious upon release, Chateau Lacoste-Chatain will continue to develop positively in cellar over the next 7 to 10 years. 2010: supple and elegant; bouquet of red fruits follows through on the palate; quite balanced with subtle oak; outstanding with pork, but equally exciting with fowl, grilled fish, light cheeses and cold cuts; a ready complement to friendly conversation after dinner and late into the small hours.
Expressive and beautiful bouquet. On the palate juicy cassis, vanilla, some bell pepper, some sweetness balanced by good acidity and mild and round tannin. I tasted almost all Pomerol wines, but this one was new to me and a pleasant surprise.
This Bordeaux blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (28%), and Cabernet Franc (2%). Aging took place over 12 months in French oak; 33% of the barrels utilized were new. 3,500 cases of this offering were produced. Bits of toast and black raspberry aromas are present on the welcoming nose. The palate is stuffed with a bevy of fruit flavors including cherry, black currant, and dried black fruits. In addition savory herbs such as sage and thyme are also in play. Bits of red fruit, black tea, earth, minerals and chicory are all present on the above average finish. Approachable tannins and firm acid help provide fine structure upon which all of that fruit is built. This is a restrained, elegant and lovely wine that is counterbalanced by plenty of eager fruit flavors. In short it should satisfy wine lovers with a variety of different palates. While this offering was great sipped alone it really stood out with food. I paired it with a burger topped with Smoked Gouda, caramelized onions and a side of rosemary roasted potatoes, which was a fantastic match.
Ripe, rich, elegant, forward fruit, balanced, long finish. 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc
Silver - Concours de Bordeaux Vins d'Aquitaine 2013. This wine has won many prizes and has received good scores from various critics, this wine has increased in popularity over the past year. Beautiful classic Bordeaux, black fruit, cigars on the nose, nice tannins, subtle acidity. Love it
Steady dress, young reflections, nose enters afforested vanilla, mature fruits. Ample and aromatic attack. Obtained Silver medal in Concours de Bruxelles, quoted to the Guide Hachette. Elevage : 35% of new barrels, 35% of one year old barrel, 30 % of two years old barrels, 12 months. "Muted black cherry nose, with a light herbaceous tone. Medium-bodied but juicy and full of fruit, backed by firm tannins that give some structure. Spicy and lively, this has potential, and the acidity gives it some elegance too. Good length". "Black-red, purple rim, quite richly concentrated nose, rich summer/autumn berry fruits, quite rich on the palate and quite supple overall, though the natural tannins will hold it, quite a forward, pleasing style, robustness that needs to open up, good medium-term".
Gold - International Challenge du Vin 2014. Aroma of fruits (black currant, dark cherry) with marmalade and spices (black pepper, fennel) and some smokey and oaky notes. On the palate it tastes of blueberry with some black currant and lots of residual sugar. Finish with sage, short but nice. Nice organoleptic impressions and definitely it is worthwhile tasting.
Cedary red and black fruits with a touch of cassis and liquorice on the full-flavoured palate. A fragrant bouquet, notes of vanilla and toasted slightly, a long, lingering finish .... The scents of its aging in oak barrels give him length, strength and finesse.
Red robe franc still young. very ripe fruit nose, slightly jammy key. In the mouth the wine with soft tannins, ripe fruit and the aroma blossomed. A gourmet style, jammy, pleasant to drink now.
Base kitchen units (Mr Bricolage) were ordered and fitted at the front of the bar with a plastic wood effect top, above wood effect PVC panels fitted beneath. Two Wood effect plastic/Al doors were made to measure and fitted, allowing through access from the two opposite ends of the bar. The "bar" itself was designed to be 40-42" off the ground, apparently the perfect height for a bar. Connecting a HDTV to a computer allows us to enjoy music vidoes at the bar, as appropriate.
More updates to follow shortly.......
Fortunately, it is possible in Sunny Beach to make your Christmas wishes come true.
A strong ex-pat community delivering all your favourite UK foods in combination with local produce from supermarkets such as Mladost, Janet and Lidl ensure that all is in place for a typical Christmas Dinner.
But who makes the best Christmas Dinner? Chefs are trained in the art, but art isn't necessarily as expected or as tasty. Some chefs are truly excellent, but may offer insufficient for such a feast - others are mediocre - boiled turkey, frozen sprouts...
Of course, the best Christmas Dinner is prepared by your mother, she has had years of experience and knows exactly the procedures of when to start all preparations.
But, there is another profession that is highly skilled in following procedures and that is the chemist. Each method of preparation is followed according to exact parameters producing the Perfect Christmas Dinner.
Case solved (this picture was shared online by Facebook Security).
Renovation of the Pollo Resort Apartment was finished in time for Christmas! The works included installation of new air conditioner, a central chandelier in the lounge and the fitting of a luxury kitchen complete with integrated appliances. The curtains are still being made up to match the red/gold decor.
Renovation of the Kamelia Gardens Apartment was finished early November! The works included installation of new boiler, new internal doors and kitchen appliances. All the light fittings were changed with the main LED being capable of operating via remote. The decor was orange/yellow/silver/black/white and so we decided to call this apartment St. Clements!
Creation of the "Imperial" room was dependent on putting a new UVPC door through to the terrace and removal of the wooden ceiling and replacement by plasterboarding, which was then painted and coved with a chandlier installed in the centre of the room. The Victorian cast iron bed brought over from England completed the effect along with co-ordinating bedding and curtains brought from Dunhelm Mills.
Who doesn't love Greece and those spectacular sunsets on Santorini? It was this inspiration and the West facing direction that drove the creation of the "Santorini" room, themed with white and Greek Blue, yet with a touch of gold after the new UVPC door was put through to the 1st floor terrace. Complete with a 3D LED Wireless Internet Skype TV.
Rated as the No.1 Attraction in Sunny Beach is perched on the top of a hill just outside Sunny Beach on the main road from Burgas to Varna. The restaurant/entertainment centre offers a variety of entertainments, dancing girls, jugglers, acrobats, music groups, comedians, whilst the attentive staff support your every requirement in an efficient manner. Food is avaiable either as a set menu or 'al a carte' and is of good quality. There are beautiful well-kept gardens outside and panoramic views of sunny Beach down below. Each evening during the Summer is allocated to different nationalities and it is always packed, so it is best to arrange your visit beforehand to select the correct day.
There are two aquaparks located in or near Sunny Beach. Action Aquapark is located just off the main Burgas-Varna road on the outskirts of Sunny Beach, just 10-15 minutes leisurely stroll away from Karmelia Gardens. The other aquaprk is located halfway between the Nessebar and Ravda junctions and offers free pick up and drop off from bus stops in sunny Beach.
The nightlife in Sunny Beach is highly varied to suit every taste. Perhaps you prefer a meal in a restaurant followed by a walk along the long promenade or on the beach or a look around the many varied shops lining the path between the hotels and the sea. Or perhaps some drinks in a bar with friends watching cabaret acts or perhaps to watch the latest sports? For the younger crowd there is a great selection of various discos, such as Den Glade Viking, Disco Orange or perhaps at Cacao Beach. The choice is yours to make - there is plenty of choice for everyone.
2015 was a busy year for us here at Villa MiKosta.
Since purchasing the house in December 2014, a lot of work was required to turn a holiday villa into a permanent home. The first step was to get the air conditioners working to survive the winter. Fortunately, the weather was kind to us, but we resolved to install central heating before the next winter! The next was to get connected as there was no internet, phone or TV. So fiber optic cables were laid from 350 metres away and soon we had 150Mb/s internet, phone and over 100 TV channels in every language for just 50 lev per month (around 25 euro). A nice Christmas present for our first! None of the light bulbs in the walls that completely surround the property were working so these were all replaced with energy efficient coloured bulbs, blue for the pool area, green for the garden areas and yellow for the terrace.
Firstly, seeds were sown indoors, some flowers for the hanging baskets and vegetables to be grown in grow bags. Various fruit trees and vines were planted to provide both fruit and shade during the hot summer months. I rapidly discovered the fantastic sunsets here from our terraces and enjoyed sitting outside, wearing my winter coat sipping a glass of cheap Merlot.
Following that two UVPC doors were installed in the two double bedrooms facing West onto the terraces and work began to renovate these rooms. The wooden ceiling of the top room was replaced by plasterboard, painted, gold coving added and an old chandelier brought over from the UK was installed. Co-ordinated bedding and curtains along with the Victorian cast iron bed was brought over from England to complete the look for the "Imperial" room. Meanwhile, the pool was emptied and thoroughly cleaned in early May, refilled and then began the long process of learning how to maintain the quality of the water in a pool. The other room on the first floor was renovated to provide a Greek style and a picture of "Santorini" with some Greek trinkets, created the Santorini room. The smaller third bedroom on the first floor, which contains two single beds, was renovated to create the "Venezia" room, in red, green and white.
A German builder was engaged to construct a new wooden terrace on the large concrete area to the side of the house. On top of the construction was to be installed a solar installation, as time progressed - the construction grew to include an outside bar area, dining area, gym and entertainment stage. Furthermore, the area under the house on the first floor was enclosed to provide a storage area for a freezer and a new entrance hall.
The summer was long, sunny and warm, sometimes too hot, so we were glad we had air conditioners. Days were spent watering plants, swimming in the pool or relaxing on one of the many sunloungers dotted around the pool. We bought more tables and chairs, bringing the total up to 18, so there is plenty of choice for dining. Some evenings friends came round and we spent enjoyable times, chatting, eating and drinking on the large first floor terrace. Happy Days! Then guests started to arrive in August, so we spent some time in the pool, sunbathing, travelling around Sunny Beach, Nessebar and St. Vlas with evening meals on the terrace until the early hours. An evening at Khan's Tent was a particular highlight, whilst I enjoyed the Drag Queens' performances at the Central Bar!
From September onwards, renovations began first on the apartment we bought in Kamelia Gardens and then in the Pollo Resort, planned to be complete by Christmas. Meanwhile, at Villa MiKosta, a wood burning central heating was installed, which produced dust everywhere as pipes were introduced into floors, ceilings and walls in every room. Looks like there will lots of repair works needed in early 2016! Some local tradesmen made three UVPC glass doors to measure and fitted them to each of the three bathrooms in three hours for just 750 leva (around 300 euro), exceptional service!
So our second Christmas here in paradise has just gone and snow lies all around us at the moment, everything looks pristine outside. We have learnt a lot in the past year, become on first name terms in the local DIY superstore, Masterhaus, at Bistro Balena and the fast food cafe on the main road and in the lighting supermarket, Deni Lighting, in Burgas. We now know to buy fresh vegetables, cheeses and meats, water and some wines from Lidl but not fresh bread and milk; wines, drinks and spirits, eggs, milk, spices, cigarettes and tins from Janet but not cheese, fresh vegetables and meats; whilst Mladost is rather compact and difficult to navigate. The supermarket Perla is closed and up for auction at 2 mllion leva, so its future is uncertain.
Roll on Summer 2016!!!
Situated on the top floor facing West. A blend of romantic ideals from Imperial times and modern technology. A comfortable iron bed & chandelier with co-ordinated decor contrasts with the 3D Wireless Internet TV.
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The Santorini room on the 1st floor presents you with the feeling of Greece, from the window you can watch the sun set over the mountains, step out onto the large terrace or keep up to date through the 3D wireless Skype TV.
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Who makes the best chef? Some trained chefs excel whilst others are mediocre. Accountants may be good at cooking the books, but chemists are trained to follow procedures with precision. All you can do is judge for yourself..
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