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Mildura Weekly : Friday February 13 2015 Vol 9 No 14
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NEWS 27 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015 MILDURAWEEKLY.COM.AU A cool way to spend summer • From previous page “The village of Niagra-On-The- Lake is cute, with many small special- ist shops, mostly on the one street. There is one tiny supermarket, many restaurants and coffee shops, all within four blocks of my house. This house is actually a Bed and Break- fast during summer, but I have it all to myself for 13 weeks....apart from four sweet cats. “Before she left Isabelle invited her friends and neighbours to morn- ing tea to meet me, and from that I was invited to dinner the next night, also to coffee,” Wendy said. “I was asked to join the University Women’s Group, the Retired Teacher’s Travel Group, and I got to speak to about Australia at the local schools.” Wendy was staggered that there are more than 140 B&Bs in a village with a population of just 14,500. She has promised to keep Mildu- ra Weekly readers up to date with any further adventures. WENDY Mills has lived in some pretty exotic places over her years as an international house-sitter, and she rates the Principality of Andoora right up there with the best. Most readers probably haven’t even heard of this country. Its capital city is Andorra La Vella... nestled in a valley in the snowy east Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain, PICTURED. Wendy says she got the oppor- tunity to visit this amazing coun- try when her daughter and her husband chose to live there. Andorra has been around for almost 1000 years. It even has a seat in the United Nations, and an Olympic team. It’s the 16th smallest country in the world, with the highest capital city in the world, at an el- evation of 1023 metres (3356 ft). The country covers a mere 290 square kilometres, with a popula- tion of 85,000. Wendy said Andorra is the world’s only co-principality... ruled by a Prince...two Princes, in fact. They share the position, de- spite the fact that neither of them are from Andorra. One is the President of France, François Hollande, and the other is the Bishop of Urgell, Spain, Joan Enric Vives Sicília. The posi- tion is a constitutional one simi- lar to the British Monarchy, and holds no real power. The two Princes must exercise their au- thority together, not separately. Catalan is the official lan- guage of Andorra, however Span- ish, French and Portuguese are commonly used. English is also spoken in all establishments re- lated to tourism. Wendy says around 90 percent of the country is beautiful forest. The main industry is tourism, with many popular ski resorts, although the country also earns foreign income from being a tax haven. Furniture and brandies are local products. “The traditional economy is centred on the pasturing of sheep and the harvesting of modest quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, olives, grapes, and potatoes,” she says. “Industry is limited to pro- cessing these products, and mak- ing a few handicrafts. “School children must learn to ski, swim, climb mountain, and learn English, a well as all the usual subjects.” Wendy says that because of the lack of customs duties and low or non-existent taxes, Andor- ra has become an important inter- national centre of retail trade that has attracted millions of shoppers from all over Europe, with duty- free imported consumer goods, including alcoholic beverages, electronic devices, tobacco, and clothing. Pas De La Casa, located on the French-Andorran border is a mec- ca for duty free shoppers, who come from the UK and all over Europe ...by cars, recreational vehicles, camper vans and buses to buy up all manner of duty free items, and to ski the wonderful slopes of Andorra. Wendy is planning a return visit at some stage. A country fit for a Prince CALL NOW FOR FREE QUOTES Ph: 5023 5855 Austel Approved INSTALLATION & SERVICES “We Come To You” Ph: 5023 5855 Austel Approved “We Come To You” ANTENNA SYSTEM UPGRADES SURROUND SOUND SYSTEMS LCD & PLASMA TV INSTALLATION WIRING OF NEW HOMES Qualified TV Technician & licensed cablers Bowel cancer often develops without any warning signs. Screening every 1-2 years could save your life. Don’t wait until it’s too late Stay at the Silver Haven Motor Inn From $80 for two people per room per night Call 08 8087 2218 Visit www.silverhaven.com.au Looking for Accommodation in BROKEN HILL? 2277 Te nnth SSt Milildura || 50022 77227 Open Daily 10am - 5pm Sweetheart V alentine’sDay Gift Hampers Now Available 100A Langtree Avenue, Mildura | Ph: (03) 5023 4878
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