One of the most striking changes to Spain that I have seen over the past nine years has been a marked improvement in the infrastructure of the country. By this, I mean virtually anything to do with public works, such as the roads, airports and facilities within towns. To illustrate the point, I could take my own town of Gandia, [...]
A Place in the Sun and the best kept secret on the Spanish coastline
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun team (including the lovely Jasmine Harman), who were filming in my area. They have some house hunters who want to move to the Gandia area, which gave the A Place in the Sun team a reason to come here and their first experience, to the [...]
British Embassy Madrid, reaching new heights
The British Embassy in Madrid is located within one of the highest skyscrapers in Spain and can be found/contacted as below: Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259, 28046 Madrid, Spain Tel no. 917 146 300 Fax 917 146 301 Website: http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/ Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00 The Ambassador is currently Giles Paxman – a European affairs specialist. [...]
Holidays in Spain, beautiful Mijas and the largest golf resort in Spain
Mijas is one of the most famous traditional “white” villages in Spain and one of the largest municipalities in the Malaga province of Andalucia. The municipality is generally divided into two areas – Mijas pueblo, the capital set high up in the hills and the coastal area of Mijas Costa, which consists of the residential areas of Las Lagunas, Riviera del [...]
The cost of living in Spain, rising costs and reduced income
In January 2002 the Euro became the currency of Spain, replacing the Peseta (which had been introduced in 1869) as the nation’s currency. This set in motion two matters, both of which had a profound effect upon the cost of living in Spain. One of the first effects of the demise of the Euro was an explosion of Spanish property [...]
Spain 2011 and predictions for Spain 2012 – a summary!
So, 2011 gradually ebbs away – a year that many people in Spain will be pleased to see disappear, hoping that 2012 will herald better times ahead. Unfortunately, I fear that may not be the case and there are compelling arguments to suggest that 2012 may be more difficult and challenging for Spain than 2011. So, how does one round [...]
Expat evacuation plan for those living in Spain and Portugal
Well, I think if I was in Spain in charge of marketing Spanish property to the British (if there is such a person!) then I would probably finally have my head in my hands. Either that or I would be looking frantically for a wobbly, three legged stool and a short rope. Why? Because the UK press has recently been [...]
The traditional food of Spain and menus del dia: value for money?
Throughout Spain around lunch time, you cannot fail to notice the numerous blackboards outside of restaurants boasting various renditions of the ‘Menu Del Dia’ or Daily Menu. For those not familiar with the concept, this is a set menu in Spain providing anywhere from two to eight or more choices of ‘primero plato’, (first plate), ‘segundo plato’ (second plate) and [...]
Corruption in Spain, still a problem
One thing that always saddens me about living in Spain is the level of corruption in Spain – despite the country priding itself upon its First World standards. Certainly, no-one who has lived in Spain, or tried to work here, would ever deny that corruption in Spain exists and that it is a malign influence upon many aspects of life. [...]
Beach holidays Torrevieja
For many people, beach holidays in Torrevieja are exactly what Spain is all about. After all, Torrevieja provides almost everything that many people want from their holidays in Spain: consistently fine weather, great beaches, an azure Mediterranean sea, a lively nightlife, a pretty marina, plenty of golf courses, an elegant promenade, good shopping and lots of accommodation. However, Torrevieja provides [...]
