Issue Nº 5

September- December

2012

Articles about Life in Spain ...

written by people who live here!

Are you thinking of moving

to Spain?

Would you like advice on which area is best foryou & your family? Find out how to avoid payingImport Duty if you take your UK car with you ...

You can save a lot of money by talking to theexperts and taking the right steps before you make

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Bienvenidos! Welcome! to the the fifth edition of our Family Life

in Spain Newsletter. We are now oficially One Year old!

Due to the popularity of our little mag, we have changed theformat to allow more people to read the publications on Kindleand other devices. This caused a wee delay in this edition! Sorryabout that.

This month is actually our 1st Birthday. The very first issue ofFamily Life in Spain was published in Ocotber 2011 … Time for acelebration!

Once again we would like to thank everyone for sending in theircomments and feedback on what we have published so far and whatarticles you would like to see in future issues. Keep the messagescoming … email us at familylifeinspain@gmail.com

This issue welcomes back some of our previous contributors andwe also welcome some new members to our team. Please rememberto visit their websites to read more about their own lives andadventures in Spain.

So, what are you waiting for …. Happy reading!

www.familylifeinspain.com

Family In Spain

A to Z: Reasons to Live in the Malaga Province(Part Two) by Lisa Sadleir

Nightlife: The province of Málaga and the Costa del Sol

have one of the most thriving nightilfe nationwide. From

beach bars and restaurants, bars, or pubs to nightclubs.

Malaga offers both traditional and exclusive

establishments. The towns come alive at night.

Olives & Olive Oil: Olive groves line many a road in the Malaga province.

Unlike the bitter olives tasted in some other countries, Spanish olives,

particularly the manzanilla variety are juicy and even sweet. Iberian olives

are usually cured and eaten, often after being pitted, stuffed (with pickled

pimento, anchovies, or other fillings) and packed in brine in jars or tins.

And of course, almost everything is cooked in olive oil!

Proximity: The excellent location of Málaga Province and Costa del Sol,

plus the effective road infrastructure make it easy to access them by air,

by road, by sea or by rail. Málaga’s size, the road infrastructure and

modern vehicles make the province easily accessible from different

Spanish locations. Málaga Airport is located 8 miles from downtown and

well connected with Costa del Sol. The airport is the chief of all Spanish

airports and one of the original locations with the first airline that was

established in Spain in 1919 .The most important traffic in the airport is

the European Union. London Gatwick is the destination with the most

travellers, followed by Manchester, Dublin, London-Luton, Paris Charles

De Gaulle and Brussels.

Quitapenas Bodega: Home to one of the most ancient wines of Spain.

Although a relatively new DO compared with the many other wine regions

of Spain, Malaga produces the distinctively flavoured wins such as

Moscatel, Malaga Dulce, Malaga PX, Vegasol and Vegasur. Visit the

bodegas website for more details visit this website: www.quitapenas.es

Recreation: The province of Malaga offers a multi-

tude of recreational activities to suit all ages and

interests. Watersports, golf, ice skating, inland rural

activities, water parks, theme parks, animal rescue

centres, bars, restaurants, shops. Whatever your

favourite past time, you will be almost certainly able

to find it here.

Sierra Nevada: Ok we are cheating a bit here as the Sierra Nevada is

actually in Granada! However, it is only a 2 hour drive from Malaga and

so is a popular option for day trips or weekends away. It is also possible

to ski in the snow and swim in the sea on the same day! Details about

Sierra Nevada here: http://sierranevada.es/

Tapas / Tinto de Verano: Tapas are a wonderful Spanish

tradition and can be found in many bars in Malaga. Tapas are

small plates of food that are a great way to test the local

specialities. Tinto de verano is a refreshing summer drink. A

mix of red wine and lemonade poured over ice and topped

with a slice of lemon. Beware of drinking too many in the sun!

University: Málaga University (UMA) is a public institution which promo-

tes outstanding research and teaching within the European Higher

Education Area. The institution follows an educational model to promote

competitive, quality teaching which is employment-orientated and

accredited in Europe. Its vigor and growth over recent years have resulted

in it becoming a reference point for universities in Spain. University

School of Nursing (Provincial). Plaza Hospital Civil. s/n, 29009, Malaga

(Spain).

Villages: Famous for its whitewashed villages scattered

around the province, this is where you can experience the

“real Spain of old”. In contrast to the modern and cosmopoli-

tain coastline areas, the white washed villages of Malaga

maintain their cultures and traditions.

Weather: One of the reasons why the Costa del

Sol has become a world-class travel destination

is the Mediterranean climate: mild all year

round with an average temperature of 18º C. In

the summer, temperatures rise to 25º C-30º C,

whereas in winter they never go below 14º C

during the day. There are hinterland areas,

however, where the climate is continental and

therefore marked by greater diurnal and seaso-

nal variations in temperature.

X … marks Malaga as the spot to move to! (and if you want another subs-

titute for the letter X: Xavier Dupre designed the Malaga font)

Yurts & Glamping: Glamping (glamorous camping) is a growing global

phenomenon that combines camping with the luxury and amenities of a

home or hotel. Also called boutique camping, luxury camping, posh

camping or comfy camping, glamping allows travelers to experience

nature without the hassle of finding camp space, carrying their tents, and

erecting and taking down their own tents. Lodgings at a glamping sites

include structures such as yurts, tipis, pods, bell tents, safari tents, tent

cabins, and tree houses.

Find some glamping options here: www.GoGlamping.com

Zoo Bioparc Fuengirola champions a new model of zoo

based on respect for nature and the preservation of

natural species, a model which has already established

itself as a flagship for Europe. What Bioparc Fuengirola

represents is a different concept of zoo. A zoological park

where animals live side-by-side, recreating their natural

habitat and so fostering their development at all levels.

For more information:

Visit http://www.bioparcfuengirola.es/en

For more information about this beautiful area of Spain, contact : Costa

del Sol Tourist Board - Plaza del Siglo, nº2 - 29015 Málaga Tel: +34 952

12 62 72 Fax: 34 952 22 52 07 info@costadelsol.travel www.visitcosta-

delsol.com

For more information about living in Malaga and the Costa del Sol, visit

www.familylifeinspain.com and www.movetomalaga.com

10 Interesting Facts about SpainSo Spain is just sun, sea, sand and sangria right? And maybe another thing

beginning with ’s’ that often happens after the other four. Well no actually

it is a lot more. Stereotypes are just that of course but Spain has a lot

more, some of which you may not have known. Here are ten things that

may or may not surprise you about Spain.

1) Spain has more World Heritage Sites than any other country in the

world apart from Italy ( the home of the Romans) It has more than Greece

(the cradle of civilization) and the UK where so much history fills such a

small country and of course younger countries such as the United States.

It even has more than the huge country that is China!

From the Moorish Palace at the Alhambra in Granada to the prehistoric

caves at Altamira Spain has something for everybody. Take a look at the

list in Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Spain.

How many have you seen?

2) Spain exports things. I know. A surprise. But despite the economic crisis

enveloping the country exports continue to grow, they are ten times

higher in 2012 than in 1992. Take a look at the variety of what Spain

exports here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Spain_Export_Treemap.png

3) In Spain people speak Spanish. Ok I know you sort of expected this but

some people are worried about coming to Spain because they hear that it

Barcelona people only talk Catalan and the Basques only talk Basque. It's

not true. Spanish is more or less universally spoken. However if you are

in Andalucia expect to find it more difficult to understand as that accent

is a little less comprehensible.

One thing though and you probably do know it, Spanish is not actually

called Spanish, it is really Castellano (Castilian)

4) Most Spaniards dislike bullfighting. Believe it or

not the Fiesta Nacional is an essential part of

Spanish Culture maybe but most people ignore it

or dislike it. this is not so much the case in Anda-

lucia where the appreciation of the "art" of bull-

fighting is much greater. Personally, and I know it

may be sacrilegious to say this, I find it really

boring.

5) The Spanish are not lazy and the siesta is not a

national sport. Spanish people work longer hours than the vast majority

of people in countries in the rest of Europe although those hours are split

by a break in the middle of the day due to the heat.

Do most people disappear off for a siesta at that point? No.

They try to do whatever that they cannot do in the long hours

that they work, ie shopping, cooking and seeing the kids among

other things.

6) (I got this one from yahoo answers) In the year when the US

built its first steam locomotive and Brunel built the Menai

suspension bridge in the UK, the Spanish Inquisition killed its

last victim. (A guy called Pont in Valencia)

7) In many provinces in Spain people still live in caves, this is especially

noticeable in Granada province. Of course the caves are a little more

comfortable than our ancestors had, no staring into the fire and hunting

and gathering here. They don't lack mod cons and they do a single job

really well of course, temperature regulation. The reason people keep on

living on them is because they keep cool in the summer and warm in the

winter.

8) Madrid is the highest capital city in Europe and Spain is the second most

mountainous country in Europe behind Switzerland. The rain may fall

mainly on the plain but seriously that plain is really high. You climb up to

it from the coast in most of Spain gradually and the plain is at about 800m

high throughout the country. Despite this the highest mountain in Spain

is not on the Peninsula, it is Teide in the Canary Islands.

As a result Spain is a paradise for adventure and risky sports. There are a

myriad of ways to break bones whilst having fun all over the country.

9) Life expectancy in Spain is the second highest in the World by some

estimates only beaten by Japan. Why? Well the traditional Mediterranean

diet and the sun help and the consumption of oily fish is also good (The

real reason Japan is number one perhaps) If you want to live out a long

and happy life then Spain is a good option especially for trees. (don't get

the impression that it is hot all the time though, it isn’t)

10) Much of the cultural heritage of Spain is Muslim in nature as the

Muslims occupied most of Spain from the 8th to the 15th century. This

700 plus years of occupation left its mark especially in agriculture,

irrigation was a big thing due to the lack of water, and architec-

ture. In fact the only part of Spain the Muslims did not occupy was

the northern territory of Asturias and thus the Asturians say “As-

turias is Spain, the rest just conquered lands”. King Pelayo started

the reconquest in a battle at Covadonga Monastery in Asturias.

However don't believe the hype. The truth is the Moorish

occupiers never fancied Asturias much, the mountains are too high

to cross and the weather too wet once you got there so they ten-

ded to avoid it. The famous battle was probably against some

traders just crossing into Asturias to sell some stuff. ;-)

If you know anymore interesting facts about Spain why not tweet them

to me on @grahunt.

Graham Hunt has lived more than half of his life

in Spain. He now lives in Valencia and runs Va-

lencia Property. He also produces a monthly

magazine for the iPad called “Spanish Property

Mag” find it in the app store here.

http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net/SPM0

Following the Footsteps around Comares

Though many visitors arriving at Málaga

airport turn west and head for busy tourist

resorts such as Torremolinos, Fuengirola and

Marbella, if you´re looking for somewhere a

little more authentic, then you should make

your way to the eastern Costa del Sol.

La Axarquía is the name given to the roughly

triangular shape of land that starts immediately east of the city of Málaga

and continues some 54 kilometres along the coast, to the border with the

neighbouring province of Granada. The Axarquía region extends inland

from the coast in a roughly north-westerly direction to the north of

Málaga.

Situated some 35 kilometres east of Málaga and 25 kilometres inland

from the coast at Torre del Mar, one of the highest white villages (pueblos

blancos) in Andalucía (at 739 metres above sea level), is the village of

Comares.

As you turn off the A7-E15 motorway (Autovía del Mediterraneo) at KM

272 and head inland, Comares can be seen from miles away, perched

high on its cliff-top position, watching serenely over the surrounding

countryside. After following the winding road ever closer, park just be-

fore the village and walk the final few metres into the main square (Plaza

del Balcón).

From here, there’s a circular walk around the village marked by series of

blue ceramic footsteps set into the stone paving. The footsteps lead to the

main historic sites of Comares and to some spectacular viewing points. At

a gentle stroll, the walking route takes around an hour, and is steep in

places but, if you don´t want to walk, you could always take a donkey taxi

(burro taxi) ride around the village!

As you wander around the narrow streets you may find yourself invited

into the home of one of the Spanish ladies who selllocal produce such as

wine, almonds, avocados, raisins, olives or honey. Be warned - they can

be formidable saleswomen!

One of the interesting places the ceramic

footprints lead you to is to the Plaza de

los Verdiales, where there is a beautiful

tiled mural, statue and plaque to comme-

morate the Panda de Verdiales – a band

of local men playing lively music.

The village name of Comares originates from the Arab word for castle -

Qumarix. The first fortress was built here by theRomans, but the history

of the village is pre-Roman with the main traces of occupation being

Arabic. When the Moorsinvaded Comares they made full use of its

excellent location and developed the town into one of the areas principle

defensive strongholds.

One of the highest points of the village is the cemetery (cementerio

municipal), from where there are magnificent viewsacross the surroun-

ding countryside. Comares is known with good cause as the “Balcony of

La Axarquía”, and it´s well worth a look.

Finally, if the steep streets have taken their toll, you could

always stop and have tapas or a cool drink in the main

square, before you return to your car.

To really enjoy the views that Comares has to offer, make

sure to go on a clear day. Summer skies are often hazy, so

an autumn or winter day is probably best for a visit –

though if you´ve been to Comares once, you´ll

surely want to return!

Marianne Elizabeth is originally from the north-west of England but relo-

cated to Spain seven years ago. She writes about her life in the beautiful

Axarquía region of the Costa del Sol. Why not visit her blog and sign up

to have updates delivered to your inbox as soon as they are published?

www.eastofmalaga.net

Twitter : @eastofmalaga

Facebook: Eastof Malaga

Seville Markets

Municipal markets are great places to wander

round admiring the produce on display, and also

great places for people-watching and experien-

cing a part of the daily life of the locals. In Spain

they are usually the best place to buy fresh fruit

and veg, fish and seafood, as well as cheeses,

meat and other food products such as wine and

olive oil. And there are often small bars to sit and enjoy a snack. Sevilla

has four main central markets, each with its own particular character.

The oldest of the four is the Feria market, in the street of the same name.

It's also the smallest, and feels the most like a local community market.

On one side, sandwiched between the market and the wall of the 13th

century Omnium Sanctorum church next door, is the La Cantina bar, one

of my favourite places for a quick tapa of really fresh fish or seafood.

The Arenal market can be found on calle Pastor y

Landero in what looks like a splendid old building

with a stained glass window at one end and

lovely arched doorways, but which was actually

only built in 1937 on the site of a former prison.

Sadly, it is currently looking a little down-at-heel

and in need of sprucing up. It's also the venue for

"opera at the market", a small company performing selections of operatic

works accompanied by food and drink.

The newest market, at least in one sense, is La Encarnación, which is on

the ground level of the Metropol Parasol, and only opened at the end of

2010 (rebuilding the market took almost 40 years). In another sense it's

much older, as the original Encarnación market was built on thie site

around 1840. Arguably it has the least "personality" of the four, but it does

have the most modern facilities. The market hall is light and airy with glass

walls most of the way round, and there are also shops and bars in a

separate section nearby. The setting, however, is spectacular, with the

innovative architecture of the Parasols themselves – the largest wooden

structure in the world, known locally as the mushrooms – and the shade

of the trees in the square across the way, not to mention the roman ruins

in the basement (so much nicer than the underground car park originally

For more details and to book your vey own Sevilla Tapas Tour:

Email azahar.sevilla@gmail.com , www.twitter.com/SevillaTapas

planned), and the walkways and bar complex on

the top. I'm fortunate enough to live just two

minutes' walk away, and do a lot of my fresh food

shopping here.

Not actually in the "Casco Antiguo" (the area

inside the mediaeval walled city), Triana market

is just across the river at the end of the Isabela II bridge. It was completely

refurbished a few years ago, but still retains much of its traditional

appearance, including the tiled nameplates. Recent additions to the list

of vendors include a champagne and oyster bar with live music on

Thursday evenings, a micro-brewery and a new gastrobar. There's also a

viewing point for the ruins of San Jorge castle beneath the market, once

the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition and now a museum.

If you are shopping at any of these markets the usual etiquette is to ask

who is last (quien es el último?) as people don't tend to queue and just

gather around the front of the stall. And if your Spanish is rusty (or non-

existent) you can still do quite well just by pointing at items (but don't

touch!) and holding up fingers for the amount wanted.

However, if you find the whole market shopping process a bit daunting

then a Market & Tapas Tour at the beginning of your stay can help you

get set up and feel more comfortable on future market visits.

Why Alpacas?

People always ask us ‘Why alpacas?’ Well, the answer is pretty simple

really. We fell in love with them. One day, we were on a short break in

Prague, and we decided to visit the local zoo. There, we met the strange

animal that was to shape our destiny. He was a brown, goofy looking, long

necked sheep. He was very friendly, and he came up to us for attention,

and we stayed with him for ages.

Over time, I must have googled alpacas, and found out that they were a

lucrative business, both in the UK, and around the world, and one day,

when Lorna and I were discussing her health problems I suggested moving

to Spain, and breeding alpacas for income. We made some enquiries,

visited a few farms, and fell in love with the animals.

Alpacas come in a range of 22 natural colours, from white, through fawn,

to brown, and also grey and black colours. The ancient Incan societies

used to breed alpacas, and referred to the fleece as ‘Fibre of the Gods!’

The recent worldwide population of alpacas originates from the altiplano

in the Andes, and in the early 1990’s people started to import the animals

into the UK, the US and Australia. Throughout Europe alpaca breeding is

still relatively unknown, however there is an industry built up around it

that includes clothing (alpaca fleece has no lanolin, and is therefore hypo-

allergenic, and is considered to be of equivalent quality to cashmere),

bedding, selling the animals as pets and chicken guards, and selling show

quality animals to be used to compete in competitions and win prizes.

Obviously the better animals you have to breed with, the better quality

the offspring, and therefore the price you can command for sale. The real

reason alpacas exist is because of the quality of the fleece, but most farms

make money by producing the best animals they can, and selling them on

to new breeders. In 2010, there was one stud male, in the US, that sold

for $675,000. One animal!

We looked into buying alpacas in Spain, and found a farm that could

supply us with animals, and the industry was still very much in its infancy

in Spain, and we hoped that if it took off as it had done in other countries

around the world, we would be getting in at the start of something very

big. Sadly, it is taking a lot longer to emerge in Spain as a real alternative

for farmers, as here they are very traditional, and would much rather keep

a goat, that will cost a fraction of the price yet provide the family with

milk, and meat to eat. Spaniards struggle to understand how you can

justify high prices for an animal that stands around looking pretty and

only gives you a ‘harvest’ of fleece once a year. With only three hundred

or so alpacas in Spain, the fleece market is yet to take off as well. We are

forever hopeful that one day, when the world is in slightly better shape,

maybe, just maybe alpacas will take off in Spain. In Spain you can get al-

pacas ranging from pet quality males starting at a few hundred euros

all the way up to show quality animals available at a much higher price.

The locals around here were fascinated when we first had the animals

delivered. We would have people outside taking pictures on phones and

even fully armed Guardia Civil out the smiling at the girls. Nowadays

people are used to seeing them here, but occasionally a family will stop

and we let the children meet the alpacas, and of course feed them.

Next year we are hoping to start offering alpaca trekking in the olive

groves, and I have also just finished writing a book which I hope to be

available soon, called ‘Bloody Hell, What’s An Alpaca?’

If you live in Spain and would like information on owning these amazing

animals please get in touch with us.

You can email us on lornaalpacaselsol@gmail.com To keep up to date with

the book and the farm please check out the website:

www.whats-an-alpaca.com

The Huge and Exciting World of Spanish Wines

One of the big advantages Spain has for winelovers is that it has literally

hundreds and probably thousands of wineries (bodegas in Spanish). These

bodegas vary from being huge modern cathedrals of design to small

traditional family run businesses. Not only are they varied in modernity

but also in types of wine. They are also spread over all the regions produ-

cing an amazing variety and an interesting selection of different styles.

Whether it is the reds from Rioja or the amazing whites of Albariño or

Rueda there is a wine for everyone. The range of wines is so huge that

anyone can find one that suits their tastes, temperament and situation.

You can drink dry Jerez(sherry) as an aperitif chilled or you can have one

of those fantastic fruity dark reds from Ribera del Douro or a Mostela

from Valencia as an after dinner sweet wine. The options are endless and

that is the key to wines in Spain. There are so many different wines that

it is fun to discover the wines you like. In my opinion it is a mistake to

drink the same old wine even if it is very good. There are so many great

wines in Spain that you can have a lot of fun discovering new wines pretty

easily. How? Well there are various options: eg. by going down to the local

shop(bodega /wine store) and asking for advice or at any restaurant listen

to the waiter/sommelier and see if he really knows his stuff by trying his

recommendations. Also you can get recommendations from friends who

know their wines. And then you can just choose according to region,

price, label etc .

One of the really fun ways to learn more about wine in general and

discover new wine is by visiting bodegas. Nowadays most bodegas can be

visited and some really make it an experience with grape picking, seeing

the process of production, tasting and even short tasting courses. Bodegas

also tend to be in the countryside and in beautiful surroundings.

I can’t recommend visiting bodegas enough if you like your wine and

want to learn more. The owners and/or the people at the wine producers

are nearly always very open and friendly and very willing to talk about

their wines and the region’s different fermented grape juices. They are

proud of their wine and want to share it with you as well as their

knowledge.

So next time you are not sure what to do for a day out look up the best

options locally and get yourself down there to taste what they have.

Gastronomic fairs are also a great place to discover new foods and wines.

These fairs always have wine on offer, although sometimes it can be of

the rougher type! Of course , one of the best ways to discover wine is to

travel in Spain. There is nothing quite like visiting a new region and sitting

down to try new food and wine. Some of the best wines I have discovered

have been whilst on holiday (or working) in different regions of Spain.

These are three underrated and relatively unkown (for expats) regions I

can highly recommend to try: Toro, Valencia and Bierzo. Choose carefully

as logically not all wine from these areas is guaranteed to be excellent

but I can say that they produce some very interesting and fun wines.

Above all what I love about Spain is that it a myriad of different customs,

traditions, foods and wine. After thirty years exploring the backwoods

and the wines of Spain I still have so much to discover. I can’t wait to go

on my next trip!

Paddy Waller has lived and worked in Spain for over twenty years and

along with his wife Julia, runs The Spanish Thyme Traveller

http://www.thespanishthymetraveller.com/ , a small travel company that

specialises in Food and Wine Tours in the Valencia and Teruel regions.

They also have a blog about all things Spanish: The Artichoke Adventures

http://theartichokeadventures.thespanishthymetraveller.com/

Spain’s UNESCO Sites

Spain currently has 44 UNESCO sites dotted all

around the country. It made me wonder how

many of these sites I had actually been to after li-

ving in Spain all these years. The list of sites is still

growing. I noticed that 24 places in Spain are wai-

ting on the tentative list. Awaiting approval are

sites such as Jaen Cathedral & the Monastery at El

Escorial.

This year the mercury mines of Almaden, Ciudad Real were included due

to their historic relevance. The reasons that sites are included in this

UNESCO list are to raise their profile and ensure a good level of support

and conservation of the site.

After looking into this further I discovered that on my travels

through Spain I have on visited 8 and a half of these landmarks.

Here they are:

The biodiversity of Ibiza

Around the year 2000 I visited the islands of Ibiza & Formentera

staying for 4 weeks on a small yacht. I remember seeing the na-

tural mud baths and swimming in the beautiful turquoise waters there.

The Alhambra, Generalife & Albayzin of Granada

I live in Granada and know the Albaicin quarter well. Of course I have

visited the magnificent Alhambra palace & it´s gardens many times.

Archaeological sites of Tarraco

When I was studying Spanish as a teenage I spent several summers

in Tarragona. The archaeological sites there include fortified walls,

amphitheatres and other ancient buildings and relics.

Seville I visited Seville on a 3 day city break a few years ago, the

monuments and historic buildings are breathtaking. I particularly

enjoyed seeing the Alcazar.

Historic Cordoba I visited Cordoba in August (yes I am actually mad! It´s

one of the hottest areas of Spain) but my photos are excellent as no one

gets in the way when taking shots of this beautiful city. The infinite line

archways in the Mosque are memorable.

Historic Toledo I took a 3 day city break to Toledo.

It wasn’t hot, it bucketed down with rain.

Continually. The photos are all grey even so

Toledo is a fairytale city.

Works of Gaudi Of course having lived in Barce-

lona I am familiar with the Works of Gaudi. Of all

of his work I believe I have seen everything in Bar-

celona (he has works outside the province in other places of Spain) More

recently I visite the Palau Guell which is less known. I found this building

to be very inspiring. (it is located just off the Ramblas)

Palau de la Música Catalana. Barcelona

I have actually been lucky enough to attend several concerts in the

beautiful Palau de la Música Catalana. This has the feel of an Art Deco

Opera house. Chocolate box pretty and of course fantastic acoustics

too.

8½. On the list Ubeda & Baeza in Jaen appear, this is my neighbouring

province. I actually did visit Baeza a few years ago. The thing is it was

midday in August. Every step we walked was an effort. I only had 1

hour there. So that doesn´t really count. I must revisit and add Ubeda too.

So I´m adding to my every growing to do list three places: Merida, Ubeda

& Cuenca.

I have always wanted to visit Extremadura and seeing Merida on the

UNESCO list gives me just another reason to go. I am also looking forward

to visiting Cuenca to see the famous Casas colgantes (hanging

houses, they are perched on a cliff face)

Which ones have you seen? Which ones do you plan to see?

Check the list at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list

Molly, originally from Nottingham, moved to Spain in the 1990´s, initially

based in Barcelona and for the past 6 years has been living in Granada,

Find Molly on Twitter: ww.twitter.com /@piccavey

Read her updates on her blog: http://www.piccavey.com

CCB Spain Updates

Do you have a minimum interest rate clause in your

Spanish mortgage contract? Are you aware that this

could be costing you approximately €1,000 annually?

Throughout 2012 the Mercantile Court in Málaga has

dictated 7 sentences ordering three banks to pay

back considerable sums of money which they were

illegally charging their clients through what is called

“minimum interest rate clause” stipulated in their mortgage contracts.

The truth is that in this mortgage contracts it is established that at no

point in time can the variable rate be inferior to a minimum rate fixed by

the bank – this tends to be between 3 and 5%, whilst on the other hand

the maximum limit is unrealistic – in the majority of cases this is between

7 and 15%.

The detriment to the consumer arrives when the Euribor descends below

the minimum rate stipulated in the mortgage contract – particularly at this

moment in time seeming as the Euribor has descended below 1% - and

the client has to continue paying as if it were at 3 or 5% because of this

“minimum interest rate clause” imposed by the bank. However, the

maximum rate will never be reached meaning that the consumer will

never benefit from it and the only beneficiary will ever only be the bank.

This banking practice trespasses on the very fundamental principles of

contractual good faith and provokes a substantial and unjustified imba-

lance of contractual obligations, generating a loss in the economy of

Spanish consumers at the same time. In fact this same minimum interest

rate clause has been mainly responsible for the progressive decline of the

Euribor; (this being the main variable mortgage reference rate) not having

led to a widespread drop in monthly payments.

Because of this, the CCB Spain recommended lawyers, are offering the

possibility of demanding the annulment of the minimum interest rate

clause and legally claiming back the difference between the amount which

should have been paid if the clause hadn’t of existed in the first place, and

the amount which has been paid up until now.

For further information, call us now, on +34 952 48 68 08 or email a copy

of your ESCRITURA DE COMPRAVENTA and a receipt of a recent mortgage

payment to info@ccbspain.com and we will send you an evaluation of your

personal situation.

New Residency Application Procedures

Following on from our recent articles relating to

changes in the Spanish Residency Application

procedure (read the articles HERE), we can inform

you of the following information, based on recent

guidelines that we have been given.

We strongly advise you to contact your own local

police station / immigration office before submitting

your own Spanish Residency applications.

Alternatively, contact us and we can make enquiries for you.

All applications for Spanish Residency must present:

Correctly completed EX18: Spanish Residency Application form (Instruc-

tions here.)

Original and copy of applicants valid (ie not expired) passport or national

Identity card. In the event that this document has expired, a copy of the

expired document and proof of renewal will be required.

Bank receipt to declare Spanish Residency Application taxes paid, Modelo

790 (currently 10.30€).

The following documents, subject to the applicant´s personal situation…

If the Applicant is employment by a third party (ie. with a Spanish work

contract), they must submit at least one of the following:

A letter from the employer that includes the Name, address and CIF num-

ber of the company and the Company´s Social Security number (Código

Cuenta Cotización en la Seguridad Social).

A certificate of employment (including the details stated above).

A work contract that has already been presented at the INSS (Instituto Na-

cional de la Seguridad Social)

Proof of registration in the Social Security (alta en seguridad social).

If the Applicant is self-employed, they must submit at least one of the

following:

Proof of inscription in the “Censo de Actividades Económicas” (Modelo

036 or 037).

Proof of inscription in the “Registro Mercantil” for a Company.

Proof of inscription (Alta) in Social Security.

Permission for your details to be checked at the TGSS (Tesorería General

de la Seguridad Social) can also be given.

If the Applicant is not working, all of the following must be submitted:

Proof of health insurance for the period of intended stay in Spain (this

does not apply to pensioners who can provide a copy of their registered

E-121 or S-1 forms).

Proof of sufficient funds (Pensioners must prove they are in receipt of re-

gular pension payments).

If the Applicant is a Student, there are two possibilities:

A course registration document, proof of private health insurance or the

EHIC that covers the intended period of residence and a declaration of suf-

ficient funds.

Proof of participation in an inter EU educational exchange programme.

The above information is provided solely as a guideline to assist you with

your Spanish Residency application. Always check with your local office

before submitting your application.

Procedures and requirements are changed on a regular basis, we will con-

tinue to publish updates as we are informed about them.

Lisa Sadleir has lived and worked in Spain for over twenty years. Her web-

site, http://costaconsultingbureau.com/ offers advice and assistance in

dealing with day to day bureaucratic issues necessary when moving to and

living in Spain. Send any question via the contact form on the website or

call +34 952 48 68 06.

www.familylifeinspain.com

A Recipe for Pepi’s Spanish Tortilla by Anne Manson

The Spanish are the most fantastic cooks. They cook from their hearts and

not from cookbooks. They follow traditions and not recipes. They take a

few simple ingredients and create dishes that you will never ever forget .

You will never forget the taste of a perfect tortilla. Soft and warm. Com-

forting and indulgent. Like Gazpacho, people will argue that their tortilla

is the best. Some cut the potatoes in slices, some in cubes and some even

use Patatas Fritas!

Here is my definitive recipe for Tortilla, from the hand of my master, Pepi.

Pepi is Vejeriega. Her family own and run the best place for pescados fritos

in town. There is nothing about fried fish, Gazpacho & Tortilla she doesn’t

know. She can whisk up magic with the simplest of ingredients. No recipe

required.

Pepi’s Perfect Spanish Tortilla Recipe:

1 kilo of large new waxy potatoes (they soak up less oil

than old floury potatoes)

500mls Olive Oil (never use Extra Virgin for cooking)

1 medium finely chopped onion

5 beaten eggs

1 ½ teaspoons of salt

Optional extras – diced green pepper, diced Jamón, chorizo,

salt cod – in fact just about anything

Peel potatoes and cut into large sticks the size of a large chip. Dice each

chip into small nuggets.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, (preferably non-stick), large enough to

hold all the potatoes. Mix 1 tsp of salt through the potatoes and when the

oil is hot enough, add the diced potatoes. The potatoes should be pretty

much submerged under sizzling oil.

Stir every 4 minutes or so until they are tender. After around 15 minutes

or so, when the potatoes are just turning golden around the edge, add

the finely chopped onion and cook for a further 8 – 10 mins until it is

translucent and sweet. The potatoes will be really soft by this stage but

will still hold their shape due to the fact they are new and waxy.

Sit a colander over a bowl and drain the potatoes from the oil.

Whip up 5 eggs, adding the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then add the

drained potatoes to the egg mixture, mixing gently with a fork.

Return a tablespoon of the oil to the fry pan and after a few moments,

pour in the potato and egg mixture.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, smooth over the surface of the mixture

, pressing down to make sure that the potatoes are compacted.

Fry for several minutes until the eggs appear to have just set throughout

the mixture.

Place a plate large enough to hold the tortilla over the pan and very care-

fully flip the pan over, in the hope that the tortilla will slip out! If not, no

worries as any part of it sticking to the pan can be scraped off and placed

back to where it should have been.

Add a teaspoon or so of the oil back into the pan, reheat, and then slide

the tortilla off the plate into the pan. Cook for a further 5 minutes on a

medium heat until golden.

Slide the glistening tortilla onto a plate or again, place. Plate on top of

the pan and invert

Enjoy with several glasses of chilled Fino , some Jamon, olives and a

tomato & onion salad.

¡Buen Provecho!

For more delicious Spanish recipes, visit www.AnnieBSpain.com

''Annie B's Spanish Kitchen included in The Sunday Times Top 100 Holidays

for 2012'' - January 2012

Follow what´s happening at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen Group on Face-

book.

Warming La Rosilla Recipes

As I sit in La Rosilla's country kitchen, with the sun high in

the sky, and temperatures warm, it's hard to believe, that

soon we may need warming up, and be craving comfort

food, as winter is upon us. Luckily in Spain, Autunm &

winter produce is plentiful, fruits and vegetables breathe

a sigh of relief as now they can florish away from the

burning summer sun. In this edition I share two family favourite recipes,

which capture the taste of the season, and which will give us a glow from

inside to out.

Buen Provecho

Carrot & Coriander Soup

A hearty sweet tasting soup, made on a budget, but big on flavour ,takes

just a few store cupboard ingredients and will get thumbs up from all the

family.

Ingredients

15ml/1tbsp vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

2 onions, chopped

1kg carrots, washed and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

5ml/1 tsp coriander seeds

1.5 ltr/ vegetable stock

Big handful of chopped fresh coriander

Squeeze of lemon juice

grated rind of an orange

freshly grated nutmeg to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Greek Yoghurt to serve if liked

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions, carrots and garlic, sauté for

4mins, until they are beginning to soften but not colour. Stir in the

coriander seed and plenty of seasoning and cook for 1min, to let the

spices develop.

Add the stock and bay leaf bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20mins

or until the carrots are really tender. Stir in the fresh coriander.

Whizz the soup with a stick blender or transfer to a food processor. Add

the lemon juice and nutmeg to taste and adjust the seasoning as neces-

sary.

Reheat gently, do not boil, Serve with the grated orange rind and a little

Greek yoghurt & a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

Just serve with a chunk of rustic home-made bread, satisfying, comforting

& filling.

Quail on Pardina Lentil Broth.

A true taste of autumn on a plate. This dish looks

impressive for a dinner party, or equally the len-

tils can be served with roasted chicken for an

economical supper

Lentils are a Spanish store cupboard ingredient,

my favourite the Pardina lentil is dark green in

colour, (similar to the Puy lentil of France) and

has a deep earthy flavour, to cook they are

simmered in water with a bay leaf or two, they

retain their shape and texture and are delicious stirred into many dishes.

Ingredients

1 Quail per person – seasoned inside & out with S & P, stuffed with a ro-

semary sprig and quarter of a lemon.

250g Pardina lentils, rinsed and put in a saucepan with dbl qty of cold

water and 2 bay leaves, bring to the boil & then simmer for 25 mins.

Drain & reserve a cup of cooking liquor.

Olive oil to saute & serve

2 carrots diced

2 sticks of celery diced

1 large onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

Tin of plum toms, chopped

1 tsp of Pimenton Dulce

Glass of dry sherry or white wine

Jamon chopped – or you could use chopped pancetta

1 tsp caraway seeds.

salt flakes (I use maldon) & fresh black pepper.

Method

Roast the quails in the oven for approx 15 - 25 mins depending on size,

till when pricked juices run clear, once cooked set -aside in a warm place

to rest.

In a large sauce pan saute the carrot, onion celery until softened but not

coloured.

Add the garlic & caraway seeds and saute gently for 2-3 mins.

Add the jamon and stir for a min, or so. then add paprika.

Pour in the sherry and let everything bubble for a minute, to cook of al-

cohol.

Add tomatoes, then stir in cooked lentils.

It should be a thick sauce consistency, add the reserved lentil water to if

it looks to dry.

Add salt & pepper to taste – Simmer very gently for 10 mins.

When ready to serve add fresh chopped parsley, & drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon a pool of lentils onto a plates, then top with the roasted quail.

You can also top with hard boiled eggs too .

www.larosilla-catering.com – Lifestyle & Food.

Home cooked seasonal dishes served with style. Personal inland tours of

the Axarquia, bringing local food, culture & knowledge together for a true

experience of real family life in Spain.Private dining, Mountain 'Supper-

club' & Event Catering.

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Is it Time for Reinvention?

As expats we have probably done our fair share of reinvention – living in

a completely new country, surrounded by new sights, sounds and smells,

new language(s), culture and even food that can bring about change both

in our lifestyle and our attitude to living.

People choose to reinvent themselves for all manner of reasons – because

they are unhappy with where they are, or their business isn’t generating

the rewards it should. Because of a need to keep up with what is happe-

ning in the business world around them, or something isn’t working for

them, financially, emotionally, or environmentally.

First choose! Unless you are committed to changing something, nothing

will change. Sounds a bit obvious, but it ’s amazing how part of you may

be niggling about not wanting to change anything. Really you like it how

it is and you are “comfortable” with the habit, or the easier life. Making

a change may appear to be very difficult and involve a lot of stepping into

the dark and jumping out of that plane freefalling before the parachute

(if there is one!) kicks in.

Waiting for the “how” will paralyse you

into doing nothing! “How” can be such a

big word which represents something so

daunting when its actually only three

letters. “How” can come later so lets re-

place the H of how with an N and start

with NOW

If you really aren’t sure about taking the first step, then this exercise may

help with your decision-making. Start by creating a square with four sec-

tions on a piece of paper, or your computer. In the first box write what

you want to change. In the next box write why? In the third box what

happens if you don’t change and in the final box write “the future” once

you make the change.

Now you have your thoughts, use this to

drive your decision forward.

Next create a time plan of how you will make the change, broken down

into smaller chunks; small bite-size pieces so it doesn’t seem such a daun-

ting task. Spend time on this part as it will be your plan over the coming

months and years. Put some timelines in too – with dates when you will

achieve each part of the plan.

If you are a visual person, why not create a board with pictures of what

your future will look like once change has taken place. Look at it every

day to encourage yourself to keep moving forward.

It might also be a good idea to chat through your ideas with a friend, or

business mentor. Someone with whom you can share the plan and give

you guidance on areas where you may see a blockage, but they see more

of helicopter view of where you are trying to head and the changes you

need to make to get there.

Of course there will be moments, minutes, hours, days or even weeks

when you will be tempted to go back to the beginning and start again.

However go back through your original “Change Plan” and remember why

you decided that change was for you.

Ali Meehan runs Costa Women, a social and business

networking group for women living on mainland Spain,

the Balearic and Canary Islands, or women planning on

living in Spain as part of their life plans.

http://about.me/alimeehan

Join Costa Woman free by registering at http://costawomen.ning.com/

(image via www.zazzle.com)

The Other Bull Run

The Coastrider sent writer Dave Bull away with a

budget of just 200€ and instructions to see as much of

Spain as he could. Always up for a challenge Dave

headed for Alicante train station (no flights allowed!)

to see just how far he could get.

According to some UK based newspapers the recession

in Spain is so bad that we Brits are now on the streets

having to resort to begging – and putting love hearts on car windscreens

before giving them a clean that the drivers’ don´t want I suppose?

It´s rubbish, you know it, I know it but what to do? Those who sit in big

chairs at Coastrider HQ decided I should be packed off to go and check

out Spain for myself – with 200€ as my budget…hmmm.

So, being an obedient type of lad, late on a Friday afternoon in August I

packed a bag ready for my trip – but I didn´t know to where. The ´plan’

was to choose a few random cities and see for myself whether Spain is

really heading down the path of becoming the twenty first century´s

´Ethiopia´ or not.

The ´plan´ had changed a little by Saturday morning as I’d decided by that

point that to be truly random I should get on the first available train out

of Alicante – so that´s what I did.

Alicante

Parking my motorbike up in Alicante and walking to the station I wondered

where I would end up sleeping that evening and, more to the point, what

was going to happen in between now and then?

´Valencia, ´ said the friendly lady selling the tickets, after I’d asked the

question – not a bad start, I could put up with that. I handed over the one-

way fare (€27.30) and headed for the platform to begin my two hour jour-

ney north. As ever the train was punctual and clean and comfortable –

and just as importantly, it was full.

As the train cut through the mountains (which were my constant compa-

nion throughout my journeys that weekend) I struck up a conversation

with a Dutch couple opposite me although it did get a little tough at times

as all the woman said was ´Goodo!´ every time I mentioned something.

Still they were happy and off to Valencia too, although my planned stay

was a little shorter than theirs – a good look around the city and then onto

the next available train – to who knows where. I should mention the sus-

picious looking guy who could have been Al Qaeda – in his bag he carried

what looked like sticks of gelignite, but fortunately I didn´t need to go

into full Indian Jones mode when it turned out it was a family pack of fun-

size Mars bars…

Valencia

I was met at the impressive Valencia Nord station (with its elaborate

décor both inside and out) by my good friend Graham Hunt of Spanish Pro-

perty Magazine who had got wind of my trip on Facebook and kindly of-

fered to show me around his city, after a cool beer of course…

Refreshed (it took two beers to fully rehydrate us…) he took me on a two

hour tour of Valencia, impressing me with his knowledge of the city´s his-

tory (Marco Polo used to pop in now and again to trade) and its modern

standing as (still) one of the world´s major ports. He also showed me the

huge fish market, the smallest building in Valencia (which is tiny) and of

course, some more bars. It’s a beautiful city and well worth a visit and

will take another trip and a few more pages of words to fully do it justice

at some time in the future, however one thing was for sure, it was full.

Tourists; foreign and Spanish filled the pavement cafes and bustled along

carrying bags of purchases and after my tour with Graham I decided I ne-

eded a hat. All the great explorers had one, Dr Livingstone, Indiana, Sid

James…. So I thought I should get into the ´role´. I didn´t find one and time

was getting short so it was back to the train station to find out where I

was going to next. This time, rather than choose the next train out, I tried

spinning a pen on my map of Spain to help me decide the direction (al-

though South was out as that´s where I’d just come from and East would

see me getting wet so I was left with two options – and ´North’ was deci-

ded – with the help of Bic. Ok, north, but how far – that was a decision I

didn´t need to make as the only available seat on a train would

take me to Tarragona –– another historical city – that would do,

they obviously would have hats for sale for the discerning explo-

rer there too.

Tarragona

By the time I arrived in Tarragona it was 7.30pm and I didn´t

have anywhere to sleep for the night so that was a priority, the hat would

have to wait a bit and as I left the railway station (which is right next to

the Mediterranean) and walked up the hill into town I began wondering

whether I would find a bed for the night or end up sleeping on the beach

– Tarragona was packed!

For the next three hours I wandered Tarragona´s histo-

rical centre (up and down La Rambla and beyond)

trying a succession of Hostals, Hotels and Pensions but

all had the same answer, ´Sorry, were full.´ I was just

starting to wonder whether I should find a pregnant

woman and a donkey – at least that way I’d get a sta-

ble…maybe? I was tired by now, and I needed a wash

and a shave after six hours of travelling and would have

happily settled on sharing a stable –– with a horse if necessary - but luck

was on my side and as I tried the last of the three Hostals in the Placa del

Font (which was full of people by the way) I got an affirmative ´yes´ from

the owner who (rather quickly it seemed to me) took me to my room and

made a point of showing me the shower…

Cleaned and changed (I hadn´t shaved as I’d forgotten my razor but I’m

sure Indiana would have approved of a two day stubble – even without a

hat) I went to explore the town, and get something to eat. I saw some of

the roman monuments that the city is famous for (it is also a UNESCO

world heritage site) and made my mind up to see the rest (or what I

could), in the morning, before I headed off to somewhere else, to find a

hat. Now, I needed to eat and that wasn´t difficult at all as Tarragona has

an abundance of street cafes and squares all throbbing to the beat of vi-

sitors contently eating away – so I became one of them and thought about

the next day – where would I go next?

I got up early, rested after a comfortable night and was exploring the am-

phitheatre and the aqueduct (both of course Roman) by 8.30am and even-

tually (and a little reluctantly) I headed down to the bus station to see

what awaited me. It´s also worth pointing out here that because of Tarra-

gona´s unique climate (the seasons are all very similar) it feels like spring-

time – all year round.

So I walked into the bus station and hopped on the first bus I came to (dri-

ven by the friendly Andres) and asked where it was heading, ´Barcelona,

´ he replied. Yes! Now that was something to look forward to on the one

and a half hour journey. Andres also gave me a useful map of the city

which pointed out all the ´Places of interest´ and, this being Spain, number

one on the list was the Camp Nou (Barcelona´s football ground) which is

understandable but number two gave me a frown. You see in this city, he-

avily influenced by artists and architects (not the least of which was

Gaudi) the second on the list of top ten attractions was…El Corte Ingles. I

think a little commercialism may have slipped into the bus company´s

agenda?

´You like Michael Jackson?´ asked Andres, who really should have been lo-

oking at the road and not turned around with both thumbs up looking at

me.

I replied that I did and the rest of the journey was filled with Billie Jean

and Thriller (at a good rate of decibels) and Andres bouncing one foot or

the other off of the floor or the pedals depending on the song...

Barcelona

It was 1.00pm when I arrived and I said farewell to Andres (and Michael)

and decided to head straight for ´La Rambla,´ Barcelona´s famous area

where bohemians, pavement artists and dodgy sunglasses sellers can be

found. Here also you´ll find some of the best restaurants and hotels in Bar-

celona – but, of course, they come at a price. I needed a room but one on

La Rambla was not only out of my budget, it was my budget for the whole

weekend! No, I needed somewhere a little more economical and I was just

beginning to get a little concerned about my accommodation for the night,

or lack of, as trying to find a bed in Barcelona, in August is probably a bit

like trying to find a Spanish Olympic gold medal winner (sorry guys but I

owe you that one!).

By 3.30pm I’d called over 20 different places advertised offering accom-

modation – and they were all full. Not good. However, I always find the

best way to deal with a problem is to ignore it for a bit – so I went to look

for a hat.

I had no luck (again) with the hat – I wanted to look like Indiana but whi-

chever one I chose made me look less like an explorer and more like…well,

a pratt really. I plonked myself in a seat on La Rambla and ordered a cool

beer to help me think about my priorities which were rapidly changing

their order. Now I was hungry, so the hat had to take second place but re-

ally I needed a room above all else or I was definitely going to end up on

Barcelona beach for the night. I tried several more places all with the same

answer ´lo siento, pero no…´ and by now it was dark, making it that bit

harder to find my way around. Finally, I found a room at ´La Paloma´ hotel

which ok, was a bit brightly painted on the outside (pink) but they had a

room – and I could have it. However, the look of (at first) respect I got

from the TWO concierges when I asked for a room for the whole night,

soon turned to smirks as they pointed out that I was, in fact, trying to

sleep in a brothel…

I moved on, determined to avoid brightly painted boarding houses – es-

pecially if the concierges were built like Oak trees – and began looking

again for somewhere to sleep, by now it was 10pm and I was very tired,

very hungry and by now very hairy. After another dozen or so fruitless

calls I found a place! Now, at this point the experienced traveller should

be asking himself why a hostal has room, at the weekend, in august, in

Barcelona…but I’m not the experienced traveller so I just headed for the

place – and that was another mistake.

I don´t think I’ve been offered so much sex in such a short space of time

ever (in fact I know I haven´t – I would have remembered). I was on the

wrong road at the wrong time of night and I looked like a tourist (I knew

I should have got a hat…) looking for a room. Time to get a move on. I

found the place that had said that they had a spare room (and conformed

that they were not a brothel) – ironically called El Paraiso (Paradise) and

it was after 10pm by the time I entered the rusty iron gate that ´protected´

its front entrance. I sent my son a photo of the entrance hall (see photo)

and he began to worry for my safety…

Fortunately, for me, the staff in El Paraiso were great and very laid back

even when one of the guests came running into ´reception´ (a small win-

dow in the entrance hall) screaming that there was a rat in the shower,

the reply was an understated, ´it´s probably gone by now…´ so the woman,

nervously, headed her way back to the communal bathroom.

I checked into my room – I’d had to pay for a double as it was all they had

left - it was comfortable (as in it had a bed) and furnished (as in it had a

bed…) with bright orange walls and a view of a wall carrying some cables

and the drain pipe. Still for 44 euros near to the centre of Barcelona, at

the weekend, it wasn´t half bad – if you didn´t mind a big mouse popping

in now and again…

I still hadn’t spoken any English for some 30 –plus hours by now and it

felt strange, but good and I’d not even heard an English voice since leaving

Graham in Valencia. Lots of French but very few Brits were on the streets

as I headed down the narrow alley ways and streets that line either side

of La Rambla and what a place La Rambla was, I discovered. A place full

of the cool, the trendy, the bohemian, the lovers, and me. But it was alive

with the bustle off locals and tourists either heading up or down the cen-

tral part or seated at one of the many fine bars and restaurants that line

La Rambla. At the bottom I found the pavement artists, a varied lot of all

ages, cultures and creeds but all clearly talented in art and PR judging by

the way they all had clients waiting.

I walked around the area near to Gaudi´s cathedral and where his in-

fluence is richest in this city of magnificent buildings and I could write

pages about the sights in Barcelona, but they are there – go see them for

yourself and you´ll see why I haven´t room here. In the end I settled into

a little square just off of La Rambla and ordered a cool beer ready to in-

dulge in a spot of people-watching. Within five minutes a young lad and

his girlfriend sat down and began playing guitar (and smoking something

rather exotic judging by the smell) - five minutes later he was joined by

another guy who had a saxophone. Now, for me, listening to ´Baker

Street´ being gently played in a Barcelona square at the weekend, with a

beer has to be one of the best experiences I’ve had in a while (ok, I don’t

get out much…) but seriously the city is full of places and people like this,

and its wonderful to be a part of it.

With the music relaxing myself and my purse strings I ordered a beer or

two more before switching for a glass of Spanish red wine which came in

a glass so big I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to drink it or swim in it – but

it did the job, either way I reckoned. At this point I should say that it´s not

cheap in Barcelona (what city is?) for example,

I paid 2.80€ for a small beer and the large wine

was 4.50€ - not cheap, but I should also say,

that by this pint…I didn´t care…

I returned to find my room rodent free (for

now) and had a go at getting some sleep. I say

´had a go´ because being a hostal this place

was full of young people enjoying themselves-

in every conceivable way by the sound of it –

all night. It was too hot to shut the windows

but eventually I managed to tune out most of

the noise and drift into a Rioja-induced semi-

coma.

It was 6.30am when I confirmed to the confused Norwegian standing on

the other side of the door threshold that I wasn´t his brother and had no

idea who/where he was. Sleg (I think that’s what he said his name was)

apologised politely and left – to bang on the next door to mine and go

through the same routine. Apparently his brother Thomas had disappea-

red with another guest the night before and now they needed to leave to

catch a train, which is exactly what I needed to be doing –– ok I had ano-

ther hour of sleep if I wanted but thanks to Sleg I was wide awake now.

The beauty of Barcelona (apart from all the obvious stuff)was that there

are plenty of places open early to get a good coffee and as I started the

45 minute walk to the train station to catch a train back to Alicante I found

several that served the purpose very well indeed.

Homeward bound

I´d imagined catching the nine o´clock train to Alicante - which would see

me arrive at around 2.30pm - which would be useful as the dogs were

under the care of my son and therefore were probably crossing their legs

with watering eyes in desperate need of a walk. What I hadn´t imagined

was that they would be full…and the first available train to Alicante would

be a 3pm, too late for me. My other option was to go the ´long way’ which

meant a slow train to Valencia and then another from there to Alicante –

total travel time seven hours. I had no choice as I had work to do, in the

evening, back home too.

As the mountains followed me as I (and the train) headed

south I reflected on the weekend, four cities and lots of

people. And I still hadn´t spoken English for 48 hours. But

four great cities with plenty to see and do, two hostals

that cost me less than 75€ for the two nights and the

whole trip done on a budget of less than 200€. Not bad

eh? I wonder where I’ll end up next month…?

By the way…anyone need their windscreen cleaned?

Dave Bull has lived in Spain for twelve years and now writes about his ex-

periences in expat publications and on blogs. Read more of his observa-

tions on everything from getting arrested by the Guardia Civil to cutting

his lip (and his son’s eye) while fighting a wasp (and losing) in front of a

packed bar terrace at www.loadofbull.es or follow him on twitter @da-

vejbull

How to Attract More Families to Your Holiday Villa (and when you

shouldn’t try)

Spain is one of the best destinations for family holidays and over the years

I´ve seen many changes in the travel industry here on the Costas. A huge

trend now is that families are moving away from half-board hotel packages

in one of two directions – budget conscious families are headed for the

new raft of All-Inclusive holidays by operators like First Choice, while

others are gathering up their extended family and booking one of thou-

sands of private holiday villas available to rent in Spain.

The recession hasn´t affected the affluent market so much and sales of

“luxury” holidays are still on the up, so villa owners based in the Spanish

resorts could be looking at a golden ticket for more bookings.

I wanted to share some tips for attracting more families but firstly just a

little word to the wise - being family friendly is a mindset, so if your idea

of catering for children is offering a travel cot for a small supplement, then

perhaps this niche is not for you…

Contemporary Sells

Affluent families want their villa to be like a “home from home” but take

note - they may be bringing the grandparents with them but that does not

mean they will forgive lace table cloths, flowery bedspreads and net cur-

tains! Contemporary and modern décor photographs well and sells holi-

days - by all means showcase the antique hand-carved heirloom but think

“Vintage” not “old fashioned” (check out our Pinterest boards for inspi-

ration)

The quickest way to be more contemporary is to clear all clutter, swap

bedding to white cotton and accessorise with gorgeous cushions – aim to

style your villa like something out of Red Magazine, then book a profes-

sional photographer to bring it all to life and you won’t go far wrong!

Keep the Kids Happy

If the children are happy then the parents are happy, it ’s a simple as that.

In summer the swimming pool is the centre of entertainment, but by pro-

viding plenty of toys and games as well as facilities for Mums with babies,

you can extend your season and appeal to a very lucrative niche market.

Autumn/Winter is the best time of year to buy kiddie kit thanks to the pre-

and post-Christmas bargains, so invest a little in making the children

happy, and Mum and Dad will love you for it!

Think Mod-Cons

The biggest shift we have seen this year is that villas without internet fa-

cilities are now losing out on bookings, and if you can offer WiFi free of

charge then even better. Think about it, who doesn’t know someone with

a smart phone or iPad full of apps? Sadly, Parents may even need to stay

connected on holiday due to work and if your place doesn’t deliver, they

will find a property that does.

Be Real

Holidays are a chance to explore new places, cultures and gastronomy,

but staying in a private villa may leave families cut off from the informa-

tion that would otherwise be available in a hotel.

We encourage owners to build a relationship with guests before their stay

and answer any questions they may have. Even better if you can compile

an info book full of insider tips about the best restaurants, beaches with

good facilities, the best times of day to visit the local attractions with chil-

dren, etc

What we see repeatedly is that when your guests feel connected with you

as owners, they will treat your property with the respect it deserves and

more than likely become loyal repeaters.

Treating families as VIPs can bring amazing success to your lettings busi-

ness. But if you still are not convinced, just check out this recent testimo-

nial from guests staying in one of our villas in Andalucia.

Lindsay is the local agent in Andalucia for award

winning family holiday company, Tots to Travel.

She has recently set up the website http://rental-

tonic.com using her passion for fabulous holidays

to help holiday home owners run a more success-

ful business.

A devoted Mum, self-confessed Tapas addict &

lover of all things Spanish, you can get in touch via

lindsay@rentalconic.com or on Twitter and

Facebook @LindsayinSpain

Fun Learning Spanish

After an amazing summer of sport, we are certainly left with many great

memories: Andy Murray becoming the first British man to win the Olympic

tennis singles; ‘the fastest man alive’ Usain Bolt running even faster to de-

fend his sprint titles; Oscar Pistorius storming to victory in the final event

of the Paralympics. But the question is: how much of the Spanish sports-

related vocabulary do you remember?

Here’s some Spanish sports-related vocab and phrases that might be

handy to know when making friends or discussing sport in Spanish:

¿Eres hincha de...? = Are you a fan of...?

¿Qué jugadores te gustan? = Which players do you like?

¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito? = What's your favourite sport?

¿Quién ganó? = Who won?

¿Cuál fue el resultado? = What was the result?

¿Haces algún deporte? = Do you do any sport?

¿Puedo jugar? = Can I play?

¿Dónde está el campo de golf más cercano? = Where is the nearest golf

course?

¿Hay una piscina aquí? = Is there a swimming pool here?

Juego al/a la... = I play...

Hago al/a la... = I do/practice...

Me gusta... = I like...

No me gusta... = I don’t like...

Me encanta... = I love...

Yo prefiero... = I prefer

Tíramela = Throw it to me.

¡Cógela! = Catch!

¡Dentro! = In!

¡Fuera! = Out!

¡Haces trampas! = You're cheating!

¡Corre! = Run!

Me divierte ver jugar fútbol = I enjoy watching football

Explícame las reglas del juego = Explain to me the rules of the game.

Sports – Deportes

el ajedrez = chess

el alpinismo = rock-climbing

el atletismo = Athletics

el bádminton = badminton

el baile = dancing

el baloncesto = basketball

el balonmano = handball

el balonvolea / el voleibol = volleyball

el béisbol = baseball

los bolos = bowling

el boxeo = boxing

el buceo = scuba-diving

las carreras de galgos = dog racing

las carreras de caballos = horse racing

el ciclismo = cycling

el cricquet = cricket

el dardo / el juego de flechillas = darts

la equitación = horse-riding

la esgrima = fencing

el esquí = ski-ing

el esquí acuático = water ski-ing

el excursionismo = walking/hiking

el fútbol = football

el fútbol americano = American football

la gimnasia = gymnastics

el golf = golf

el hóckey = hockey

el hóckey hielo = ice-hockey

el judo = judo

el kárate = karate

el lanzamiento de disco = discus throwing

el lanzamiento de jabalina = javelin throwing

la lucha = wrestling

el motociclismo = motorcycle racing

la natación = swimming

la natación sincronizada = synchronised swimming

el patinaje artístico = figure-skating

el pentatlón = pentathlon

la pesca = fishing

Across1.The Spanish word for SCUBA-DIVING

2.The Spanish word for CYCLING

3.The Spanish word for BICYCLE

4.The Spanish word for RACKET

5.The Spanish word for BASKETBALL

6.The Spanish word for CHESS

7.The Spanish word for TO LOSE

8.The Spanish word for BALL

9.The Spanish word for CHAMPION (masculine)

10.The Spanish word for TO DRAW

11.The Spanish word for TO SWIM

12.The Spanish word for PLAYER (masculine)

13.The Spanish word for SAILING

14.The Spanish word for REFEREE

15.The Spanish word for GOALKEEPER

16.The Spanish word for RACE

17.The Spanish word for TRACKSUIT

18.T.he Spanish word for TO SKI

19.The Spanish word for DANCING

20.The Spanish word for COURT

21.The Spanish word for TENNIS

22.The Spanish word for ROWING

Down1.The Spanish word for TEAM

2.The Spanish word for SPORTS CENTRE

3.The Spanish word for GOAL

4.The Spanish word for FOOTBALL

5.The Spanish word for FAN

6.The Spanish word for FENCING

7.The Spanish word for STADIUM

8.The Spanish word for EXERCISE

9.The Spanish word for TRAINING

10.The Spanish word for MATCH

11.The Spanish word for CHANGING ROOM

12.The Spanish word for DRAW

13.The Spanish word for SWIMMING

14.The Spanish word for CHAMPIONSHIPS

15.The Spanish word for TO WIN

16.The Spanish word for HORSE-RIDING

17.The Spanish word for ATHLETICS

18.The Spanish word for FISHING

19.The Spanish word for TO PLAY

20.The Spanish word for NET

Sports Crossword Fun

el piragüismo = canoeing

el polo acuático = water polo

el remo = rowing

el rugby = rugby

el salto de altura = high jump

el salto de longitud = long jump

el salto con pértiga = pole vault

el squash = squash

el surf = surfing

el tenis = tennis

el tenis de mesa = table-tennis

el tiro con arco = archery

el triatlón = triathlon

la vela = sailing

.

Website: http://www.fun-learning-spanish.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/funlearningspanish

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/funlearnspanish

Email: funlearningspanish@yahoo.co.uk

Ja Ja Ja Tips for helping Children to Learn Spanish

In our past articles I have always been a big advocate of making learning

fun. Children learn by reading our books due to the engaging nature of

our stories. Take the emphasis off of learning and children will naturally

become absorbed in the task at hand, without even realising they are

picking up knowledge along the way!

This obviously isn't always possible in school settings and with every

subject, and naturally as children get older the style of learning changes

too, but I always believe you should make it relevant. If I had known how

learning percentages would have helped me now in my business I would

have concentrated a bit harder in my maths class!

If you are going to start a language class for young children out of school

hours then you will want to make it as fun and lively as possible. You could

include songs, games and activities as part of the lesson- however be

aware- leave the really exciting games until the end as if you have a big

class it can be hard to bring them back down to earth!!

For vocab: We love using our flashcards for guessing games- you can also

lay them out on the floor and see how many words they remember. If they

can remember the word, they can keep the card.

For numbers: You can play LOTTO- older children love to play a little game

of bingo.

For colours: You can purchase a play parachute and get children to throw

a bean bag into the correct colour sector as you shout ROJO, AMARILLO

whilst everyone holds a part of the parachute.

For stories: You can create sock puppets or buy some in for the characters

and get the children involved in the story.

For body parts: I often purchase a large roll of paper and get one child to

lay down whilst the other draws round them and then they can take turns

labelling it up

For songs: I have been creating my own songs for my classes however

there is a whole host of popular songs that you can choose from – here is

one as an example to set you on your way!

Los cinco patitios fueron a pasear

y en la colina fueron a caminar

Papá pata les dice – cua cua cua

Los cinco patitos nadando van a regresar

(repeat losing one more duck each time until you are left with one little

duck. Have Mamá duck call and end with “Los cinco patitos regresaron na-

dando”)

Lastly, enjoy your class. If you are loving your class, your students will

sense your enthusiasm and they will love it too!

Genevieve was born in Colchester, Essex in 1978. She studied at the Uni-

versity of Sussex and has a degree in Linguistics and Spanish. Writing the

books has brought the two of her passions together. She has been a pri-

vate Spanish tutor to children for many years and picked up along the

way, what interests children and what makes them tick!

www.jajaja-books.com

Preparing for Christmas in Spain Without Breaking the Bank

Even though the sun may be shining out-

side, many of us will undoubtedly

already have started to think about

planning for Christmas, even though you

may be going away during the festive

season.

Also if your kids have convinced you that

you need to celebrate with gifts both

December 25th and January 6th (King’s

Day), it works out even more expensive. Here we’’ve rounded up some

tips to ensure that your bank balance won’t be suffering until Easter!

Greetings Cards: Even in the internet age, greetings cards and postage are

still a major expense in December. If you have relatives in the UK why not

take a look at personalised online cards? It ’s a fun activity to do with

children (a chore for adults!) and a great way to save.

Marks and Spencer: 3x2 on personalised Christmas cards (cheapest free)

use code XMAS2012. Standard card price £2.99 each, postage from £0.49

per recipient. Great choice for all family members, just use the drop-down

menu. May be a good idea to split orders, as often you’ll get a “£1 off next

order” voucher code.

Funky Pigeon: Use their “refer a friend” scheme: you get £3 and friends

get 50% off their first order. Postage can be free if you order 2 or more

cards together, otherwise from £0.60 each.

Hallmark: Free delivery on orders of £20 or more. Standard card prices

£2.99.

Drinks: If you want to stock up make sure you take advantage of online

offers, with the added bonus of delivery right to your front door.

Bodeboca: To get a 10€ voucher to spend on your first order, search for

Bodeboca on Google and enter the site via the Google ad. Guaranteed low

prices or difference refunded. Delivery free on orders over 150€.

VinosEnLaRed: Delivery costs only 3.99€ for up to 12 bottles, free on

orders over 125€. Get points for purchases to convert into discounts on

future orders.

Your local supermarket: Note down special offers when in store, then

order online in bulk – you may get free delivery if you have a points card

(depends on stores).

Hampers & Hams: Great for discovering new delicacies, maybe not so

great on your pocket.

Carrefour offers 10% off all hampers orde-

red for delivery between 15 and 30

November. Free delivery on orders over

150€.

Lotes de España: Good selection (terrible

music on web!). Can search by price or

product. They also have a competition on

to win an iPad2.

EsIberico.com: Free membership of their

Club Premium gives you free delivery on

orders, discounts and special offers, however you have to make a

minimum of two orders in a year.

DIY solution: Get a basket and tissue paper at your nearest “everything

for 1€” store and buy a selection of products from your local supermarket.

An easy way to save (when you don’t need delivery) and if you can theme

it even better!

Toys: If you buy early to take advantage of offers, watch out with

electronic items as if they’re faulty you may have to deal directly with the

manufacturer rather than the store. Waiting for pre-Christmas offers may

sometimes be worthwhile, however stocks may run out (at the same time

as your patience!).

Sign up for the Toys R Us newsletter to get info about their online flash

sales and free delivery days in Spain.

Play.com has prices in euros and offers free delivery on everything, but

they don’t delivery many electronic items to Spain.

Argos online in Spain has nearly 2000 items in their toys department.

Single delivery charge regardless of weight: 9.95€.

Gifts: The inevitable toiletries for her and socks for him!

Take advantage to stock up with discounts of up to 50% off, 3x2 offers and

freebies with orders at online stores such as The Body Shop, Yves Rocher

or Bodybell – you’ll easily find a way to order enough to beat the thres-

hold to get free delivery.

Forget the socks and check out Curiosite for weird & wonderful gifts –

delivery flat rate 6.90€ (OK, if you must have socks then get 3x2 offers at

El Corte Inglés!!)

With all this extra expenses don’t forget to get all your purchases on a cre-

dit card that gives you cashback or points and pay back in full at the end

of each month to avoid interest charges.

And Have Yourself A Money Saving Christmas Time…

www.MoneySaverSpain.com is an English language website full of infor-

mation, tips and advice about how to save money in Spain with in-depth

articles split into different areas.

There’s also a separate section for latest offers, freebies and competitions.

Follow us on Twitter @MoneySaverSpain and like us on Facebook. Make

sure that you sign up for the newsletter out every Thursday to make sure

you don’t miss any of the latest offers – why pay more?

To QROPS or not to QROPS

QROPS - Qualified, Recognised , Overseas, Pension, Scheme, they are

everywhere, being touted by the qualified and the non-qualified, being

promoted by the regulated and non-regulated, indeed being pushed by

all, but are they really the answer for all?

Despite the fact that there are some useful benefits associated to trans-

ferring UK pensions schemes to certain QROPS, it may not be the best

solution for the entire expat community, indeed as a result of the recent

changes in legislation and the current economic climate it may not be the

best solution for quite a few.

It might help you to know that transfers to QROPS represented an

estimated 70% of the business transacted by overseas advisers, qualified

or non-qualified over the past number of years. Indeed one could argue

that if QROPS never existed, would they have survived this period of

austerity themselves? Maybe that’s why they have been promoted so

heavily?

No I´m not that cynical and to add some balance to this article, for many

expats, QROPS have been a very beneficial transaction and continue to

provide a useful and tax efficient pension platform and will continue to

do so. Alone the simple fact that there is no tax charge on death will be

justification for some, and I´m happy to admit that I have used QROPS in

the past and will continue to do so in the right circumstances.

However, due to recent changes in legislation, the QROPS market has been

shaken up and tightened up and after a period of quiet, with little or no

mention of them in the papers, magazines or the radio, they are back, like

a heavy weight giant awaking from slumber.

Yes, they are back and in many different guises, however they have some

very worthy opponents. In deciding what solution is right for you, it ’s first

advisable to consider the alternatives. Not that easy when, in general, we

are only being sold QROPS.

Consider the Alternatives

Of the worthy opponents to QROPS, one of the most underutilised of all

pension schemes are Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPS). These are

available to all expats and they provide a cost effective platform whereby

investments can be made in the ever popular “alternative Investment”

space. This tends to drive far greater returns and in some cases provide

fixed returns. Very useful when you consider that the equities market as

not been performing over the past 12 years.

Possibly the number one contender is a scheme that competes head on

with both QROPS and SIPP´s and is proving extremely popular, especially

in these tough economic times. This is an occupational scheme that allows

the policy holder access to alternate investments that look to return 8 –

10% per annum. In such schemes there are often opportunities to gain

access to fund at any age.

These schemes allow you to transfer your existing pension benefits,

whether they are private or occupational, indeed even existing QROPS

schemes into them and allow you to access the cash, in the form of a lump

sum regardless of age. This is proving to be a popular solution for many

people and should in my view at least be offered to any would be client

especially when you consider that the majority of our pension funds are

exposed to equities that are simply not performing, indeed one could

argue that it is better to get some of your money out of this heavily in-

debted system, sooner rather than later.

Overview

In my opinion there is still a place for QROPS, however they have become

a little more expensive and the benefits have been reduced somewhat and

they could be the answer for some, but certainly not ALL.

In my view what is most important is that the product chosen meets your

personal and financial objectives and this alone should be the deciding

factor by which the product is selected and not simply what the company

wishes to push or in many cases the only thing the adviser knows.

As briefly highlighted above there are a number of alternatives open to

the expat community some of which have benefits that may far outweigh

those offered by a QROPS. Therefore in my opinion it ’s only right that you

are presented with more than one option, then and only then is the

decision truly yours.

To get an independent view of what solution is best for you or to see if you are able

to access some of the cash held within your pension, call me today on +44 (0)8450

040925 or +34 622 345 558 or email me at info@essentialreview.co.uk.

Help us to support the Malaga Food Bank (Bancosol)

by donating ONLY €6

For more details. read this article...

http://familylifeinspain.com/charity-in-spain-bancosol-malaga/

ONLY €6 will make a BIG difference for a Family in need!

Currencies Direct Market Commentary October 2012

Euro Climbs as Draghi Says ECB Ready to Start Purchasing Bonds

The euro rose as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the

currency was irreversible and the ECB’s decision to start buying bonds

helped ease tensions. The 17-nation currency gained the most in almost

three weeks versus the US dollar after Draghi said the ECB was ready to

start buying government bonds from nations such as Spain as soon as the

necessary conditions are met. The US dollar stayed lower versus most

major peers as claims for U.S. jobless benefits rose less than forecast,

encouraging investors to buy higher- returning assets. A measure of

volatility declined to the lowest level in almost five years. The euro jum-

ped 0.9 percent to $1.3017, gaining the most on an intraday basis since

Sept. 14. The Federal Reserve will release the minutes today of its Sept.

12-13 meeting, where it decided to buy $40 billion a month in mortgage-

backed bonds under the quantitative-easing stimulus strategy until the

economic recovery is well under way.

Spain sold a combined 3.99 billion euros ($5.19 billion) of two-, three-and

five-year notes today as investors debated whether the nation will ask for

an international bailout. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy this week denied

he has any immediate plans to do so. Spain was told today by Europe’s

economic overseers that its 2013 plan to cut the deficit to 4.5 percent of

gross domestic product relies on excessively optimistic assumptions, two

people familiar with the issue said. The 2013 budget assumes the

economy will shrink 0.5 percent.

The European Central Bank kept its benchmark rate at 0.75 percent today,

“Economic growth in the euro area is expected to remain weak, with

ongoing tensions in some euro area financial markets and high uncertainty

still weighing on confidence and sentiment,” ECB President Mario Draghi

said at a press conference after the decision.

The pound strengthened versus the dollar after the Bank of England left

its asset-purchase target at 375 billion pounds ($604 billion) at its monthly

gathering. The central bank kept its main interest rate at a record-low 0.5

percent. Sterling appreciated 0.7 percent to $1.6181 and declined 0.2 per-

cent to 80.45 pence per euro. The minutes of today’s decision, showing

how each MPC member voted, will be released on Oct. 17. Deputy

Governor Paul Tucker raised questions in an interview last week on the

efficacy of more stimulus. “We still think Quantative Easing works, even

if in some respects it does not have the same bite it used to have,” he

said. U.K. inflation cooled to 2.5 percent in August. The BOE sees it ave-

raging 2.1 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and reaching the 2 percent

goal by the end of the year.

The debt crisis in Europe, the U.K.’s biggest trading partner, is clouding

the outlook, and recent reports have cast doubt on the strength of

Britain’s recovery. Services growth slowed more than economists forecast

in September, while manufacturing and construction shrank. House prices

fell for a third month and will probably remain little changed into 2013

amid a “weak” economy.

Information provided by Currencies Direct, leading providers of foreign

excange. Call to find out how we can help you get the best rates and save

your transfer fees. Contact the La Zenia office on +34 965 994 830 or email

costablanca@currenciesdirect.com.

The contents of this report are for information purposes only. It is not in-

tended as a recommendation to trade or a solicitation for funds. Curren-

cies Direct cannot be held responsible for any loss or damages arising from

any action taken following consideration of this information.

Fun at the Fair

Work initially began on the Parque de Atrac-

ciones in Madrid back in August 1968 and the

park opened its doors on May 15 1969 and

became the first and only park of its kind in

Spain.

At the time visitors paid just five pesetas (€0,03 in today’s money) and

this stayed the same for the following two years until it was upped to the

grand price of 15 pesetas (or €0,09).

When the park opened it had 30 rides including novelties such as Los

Ponys for the children and Pintoyo, Labyrinth and Mirrors. Later on in 1990

the first flume ride was built followed by a major refurbishment in 1998

which cost €48m but transformed the park into a true theme park.

In that same year the Parque de Atraccio-

nes de Madrid together with the Zoo Aqua-

rium de Madrid, Aquopolis and Teleferico

de Madrid founded the company Parques

Reunidos. Today you can often find price

deals for all these group facilities on one

discount ticket.

The refurbishment saw the park divided into five zones - Maquinismo (Ma-

chines), Gran Avenida (Main Avenue), Naturaleza (Nature), Tranquilidad

(Relax) and Infantile (Kids zone) and today it features 40 modern rides and

attractions and has a capacity to cope with 27,000 people per hour and

has seen a total of 100 million through the gates since it opened.

It has some great reviews especially by hard core roller coaster and theme

park enthusiasts who are impressed with the adrenalin rides and the fact

it also has water rides.

Top attractions include the Abismo (Abyss) which is the most spectacular

roller coaster at the park reaching 49 feet high and top speeds of 100km

per hour. Meanwhile give yourself about six hours minimum to visit the

park and get round all the facilities.

RoundaboutSpain is the only online directory listing 'things to do' and 'places to go'

for children and families, living on, or visiting the Costa del Sol.

Web: www.roundaboutspain.com Email: info@roundaboutspain.com

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PLUS POINTS:

Great park for all the family as plenty of

kids zones and roller coasters for the

adrenalin junkies.

Lots of surprise features – do your re-

search or you may miss them

NEGATIVE POINTS:

As with most theme parks food isn’t very impressive so maybe eat before

you go or picnic outside in the Casa de Campo picnic area.

Busy at weekends and summer. Go out of season if you can.

OPEN:

All year but in winter only weekends and holidays and various times

throughout the year so always check the website for schedule.

PRICES:

Adults €29,90. Children under 8 (or under 90cm in height) are free and

ages 8-12 years (90-120cm) are €23,90. You can book online.

HOW TO GET THERE:

By car the park is accessible directly via the NV (Carretera de Extremadura)

or on the M30 towards Badajoz. Or Linea 10 on the Metro or Bus link Linea

33 or 65.

CONTACT:

www.parquedeatracciones.es parque@grpr.com

Tel: 902 345 009

Wishing Everyone a Fantastic Christmas

Here’s to 2013!www.familylifeinspain.com