Unemployment in Spain is now close to the five million mark, according to the Institute for National Statistics in Spain – with some 21.5% of the Spanish population out of work! This is terrible news and must come as the final death knell for the ruling socialist party in Spain (PSOE) who shortly face the electorate at the Spanish General [...]
The changing of the clock times on the last Saturday of October brings new winter airline timetables and for Alicante airport a major reduction in flights by the low cost airline Ryanair. As from the end of October Ryanair are to relocate nine of the eleven planes currently based at Alicante airport to new bases elsewhere in Europe. This reduction in [...]
The popularity of Spanish food and wines is on the up and up! Surreptitiously Spanish food products have been taking up residence on the supermarket shelf. On a recent trip to my Irish supermarket I noticed a few new products nestling amongst the curry sauces and fajita mixes; paella seasoning, alioli, smoked paprika and patatas bravas sauce have made an [...]
Evidently, 39% of all Spanish men have used a prostitute, over 900 cases of stolen babies in Spain under Franco are being investigated and ETA have declared that they will no longer use violence to obtain the independence of the Basque country from Spain. The PP (conservative party) are still on course to win the General Elections in Spain on [...]
On Thursday the 20th October 2011 ETA declared that they would no longer use violence in Spain to obtain their objective of gaining Basque country independence from Spain. This has been heralded as a breakthrough, with the Spanish Prime Minister (Zapatero) calling it: “a victory for democracy, law and reason”. Certainly, the ‘war’ conducted by ETA in Spain, to most [...]
Yesterday I was sent a link to a very old film of the great Flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla. I am not sure of the precise date of the clip below but Camarón de la Isla (considered one of the all time greats of Flamenco) looks as though he is in his late teens/early twenties – so the clip [...]
I am probably almost last person in Spain to have realised that the beautiful Canary Palm (Phoenix Canariensis – otherwise also known as the Canary Island Date Palm or Pineapple Palm) is under devastating attack. Indeed, it is being decimated by a beetle (the Red Palm Weevil), the larvae of which eats the inside of these lovely palm trees resulting [...]
The news in Spain over the past week has seen the Spanish Indignado movement effectively go global, the Spanish secretary of State for housing claim that it has always been safe to buy Spanish property(!), the downgrading of the Spanish banks and the credit rating of Spain itself. The Spanish government has stated that it has a 4 billion Euro [...]
Following a week in which confidence in the Euro re-bounded, the Euro has come under pressure this morning – as credit rating agent Standard & Poor’s downgrades its Spanish credit rating. There has been good news for people planning to send money to Spain this morning! Following a week in which the euro gained against currencies including sterling it has [...]
Like most countries, Spain relies upon a ten yearly national census to provide an update on the country and the evolution of the population in Spain. The last census in Spain was in 2001 so, of course, a further national census is due to occur this year. Indeed, if you live in Spain you may receive a census form to [...]
My husband and I own a 22 acre olive farm. Yes, you read that right! We have 850 of the things, not to mention vegetable gardens, cherry trees, walnut trees, almond trees and chestnut trees. All need tending, pruning and harvesting, so we spend a considerable amount of time outdoors, rain or shine. Despite the fact that this seems like [...]
The past week in Spain has seen the wedding of the elderly Duchess of Alba, unemployment in Spain reach a 15 year high and a strike by Spanish teachers. Meanwhile, although the majority of Spaniards are Catholic, 57% (a figure rising annually) do not go to church regularly. Elsewhere, a residential home is being constructed for gay Spaniards and El [...]
Sterling remains in a strong position against the euro compared to recent months, following a decision from the Bank of England to initiate another £75bn in quantitative easing. The announcement from the BoE reflects recent weakness in British economic data and a desire to prevent Britain slipping back into recession. For instance earlier this week the Office for National Statistics [...]
If you are looking for a quick break or a base for an extended trip around Andalusia you would be wise to head directly for Seville and do not pass Go! As the capital of Andalusia, there is much to admire; culture, food and dance set against a stunning backdrop of ornate and stylish architecture. Set on the banks of [...]
Spain is being rocked, at the moment, by the news that the directors of various Spanish banks have taken huge compensation packages – despite relentlessly driving their own banks to the point of destruction. To everyone’s amazement, some of these packages have been awarded by the directors, to themselves, just days before the Bank of Spain was forced to bail [...]