Viva las Tapas!!

Anyone who has visited Spain will know about TAPAS. Tapas are to Spain what pasta is to Italy – quintessentially part of Spanish cuisine. Tapas however vary considerably from region to region as it is necessary to use fresh, local ingredients to produce good tapas. The origin of tapas is cloudy and it is believed they came from Andalusia in the south. The following story might be true: King Alfonso X, The Wise, (1252 -1284), was ill and needed to take small mouthfuls of food with wine between meals. Once he had recovered he wisely passed a decree stating that no tavern in Castille should serve wine unless there was food to accompany it. This was to prevent the poor of the land drinking alcohol on an empty stomach because they could ill afford a nourishing meal.

Another story relating to King Alfonso and the possible origin of tapas, was that he was travelling with his retinue when they came to Cadiz situated by the sea and well known for its high winds. The servant presenting the king with his glass of sherry, covered the glass with a slice of ham to prevent the sand from entering the king's glass. The word “tapa” literally means “cover” or “lid”. Medieval Spanish inns were no doubt dusty places, so “tapas” would have been a useful method of keeping the sherry or alcohol untainted. Many tapas are rather salty and this might have been to get the clients to drink more alcohol.

Whatever the true origin of these delightful morsels, they are to be found throughout Spain using whatever nature and agriculture has to offer in each area. For example, on the coasts, tapas are made mainly from fish and shellfish, whereas inland, they consist of ham or cheese. In Galicia they are called “pintxos” and elsewhere in the north, “alifara”. Unfortunately these days, “tapas” are often just basic items fried in oil with added salt, catering to the mass market and tourism.

When you come to live in Spain you have the opportunity to seek out “real” tapas, to try food combinations that you might never have though of, and to enjoy the social element of a good tapas bar. In a way, they are a bit like pubs in the UK used to be – a long bar, very few tables & chairs, people standing engaging in much conversation while drinking and consuming their tapas. Some modern tapas bars are more like restaurants where you are served at tables – these are perhaps not as authentic as their narrow bar cousins, but the food and wine can be just as good. I think the best tapas are still to be found in Andalusia, with Galician specialities a close second. Major cities like Madrid and Barcelona also have excellent tapas bars, but they are not usually found in the main tourist areas.

Near to where I live is the pleasant seaside town of Palamòs, which welcomes cruise ships and has an excellent local hospital. The old town, uphill from the port, is quite small but pretty with narrow streets of ancient stone buildings, many of which have become shops and bars. On Saturday, I was invited by friends to join them in Palamòs at a tapas bar which had recently opened. To my delight it is of the traditional style, long bar groaning with a myriad of different tapas to choose from, full of noisy and happy clients, TV showing a Barça football match, excellent beers and wines – plus between 9.00 pm & 10.00 pm, waiters emerging from the small kitchen handing out freshly made hot tapas to the assembled throng, rather as if you were at a cocktail party. I have to say the quality and variety of the tapas they serve are fantastic. How, you may wonder, do they know the amount each customer has consumed? Indeed there is a traditional and clever system...small cold tapas are all served with a cocktail stick in the centre, so they merely count up the number of cocktail sticks you end up with. Other tapas come in small, different shaped dishes, so you pile them up with the cocktail sticks and the staff recognise what you have eaten by the shape of the dish. As to the alcohol imbibed, some bars keep a running tab for each person, others – like the one in Palamòs – rely on the honesty of their clientèle! We were 5 people, the guys had 3 large & 3 small beers, there was a bottle of red wine, one lady had 2 glasses of white wine & another a glass of cava. Together with the tapas eaten, the entire bill was just under 60€!! Wonderful value, wonderful tapas.

I would suggest that you seek out such a bar when you are next in Spain. You may have to ask local people for recommendations, but it is well worth it and don't be afraid to try something you don't recognise as you may well have found what will become your favourite “tapas”!

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/

Discounts, octopus and car parks...

Last week I went to Girona, capital city of the region in which I live. A friend and I decided to investigate the “fiera” which had been advertised – apparently this happens every year around now, and is set up so that clothes shops, linen and sports shops and others can sell off winter and last season's summer goods at up to 50% discounts. Spain is not like the UK, there are no “permanent” sales or heavily discounted events except in January and in July, at the end of the winter and summer seasons. Even then, you rarely see items for sale at more than 40% discounts, so this “fiera” in Girona is a major opportunity for people to find a good bargain.

The “fiera” was held in a large exhibition hall with each stand well spaced apart, displaying the name and location of the shop. Parking nearby was free and the car parks were full. The strange thing was that, once inside (no entry fee!), the hall seemed very tranquil and we remarked on how civilised it seemed compared to say Olympia in London, where the throng is quite overpowering. This was the perfect place to go if you were looking for something in particular – quality trainers for example, lovely bedlinen or new additions to your wardrobe. Neither my friend nor I had gone with such intentions, so we just wandered around looking for the best buys at each stand. In fact, we came away with very little but the locals were carrying several bags, especially the young, so they had found things that they had wanted.

Smaller towns hold end of season “street sales” whereby local shops sell their discounted stock from stalls, often placed outside the business itself. Here you find a mixture of wares, sometimes handmade items are next to piles of clothes or towels. These sales are usually at the weekends and the public tannoy systems blare out music to encourage a festival atmosphere. How much business is actually done is anyone's guess, but the bars and cafés take full advantage of the crowds so they at least do rather well.

From time to time, towns and larger villages have artisan fairs, where local producers of cheeses, hams and other meats, pastries and breads, wines and olive oil sit side by side with lace makers or wooden toy makers, crafts people and leather workers. It would be wrong to assume that these fairs sell things cheaply, in fact most items are rather expensive but bearing in mind they are not mass produced nor advertised, they offer the chance to taste some really excellent food and drink or to buy a handmade, one-off item for the house or as a present.

Well, after we had walked around both floors of the exhibition hall in Girona, we felt that it was definitely time for lunch and a glass of wine. My friend introduced me to a great little Italian restaurant which offered 2 courses plus glass of good wine for 12.50€ a head, slightly more costly than the usual “menu del dia” but as it turned out well worth the extra euro or two. We both started with “carpaccio de pulpo” (carpaccio of octopus) which was delicious and then had a risotto with sausage and mushrooms which was even more delicious. These, washed down with a glass of good dry white wine, rounded off our day perfectly.....
…. or it would have done had someone not hit my car in the nearby car park and broken the nearside rear light. However, our faith in human nature was quickly restored when we noticed a piece of paper on the windscreen, which turned out to be hastily written note in Catalan with a telephone number.

The next day, I rang the number and spoke to a charming man who explained that a colleague from the college where he worked in Girona had accidentally hit my car and if I would get an estimate from a garage in my town, the college would pay for the damage. This evening, I am going to collect my car, now repaired and all being well the college will refund the cost as promised. Watch this space.

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Spainbuyingguide.com

To buy or not to buy...that is the question

I was sitting in the town square on Sunday morning, drinking coffee with some friends. It was warm enough for just a top and cardigan so we were really enjoying the sunshine. Sunday is market day here, so all the shops are open until 1.00 pm and there is a real bustle going on. We have a daily food market Tuesdays to Saturdays but on Sunday the streets come alive as much of the town is taken over by stalls selling everything from oranges to suitcases!

My friends have been renting an apartment in a pretty seaside town while they search for a property to buy. The have been renting now for 5 months and are considering renting permanently rather than buying but this will mean they will have to move as they only have a short-term lease on their apartment, which is up to one year. Long term letting requires different regulations and is heavily weighted in favour of the tenant. The duration of the lease is 5 years, during which time the tenant may leave, giving one month's notice. The owner must inform the tenant in writing that they do not wish to continue renting the property one month before the 5 year period ends or the contract will continue for another 3 years.

My friends see advantages in renting. Apart from paying the rent which sometimes includes a community charge if it is in a block of flats, and the usual utility bills, all other expenses fall upon the owner who must, by law, keep the property in good condition, but the owner is not responsible for repairing any damage caused by the tenant. It is the owner who must pay property taxes and insure the building. You can find both furnished and unfurnished rentals, many these days in brand new blocks. Some come with an opportunity to purchase the property after a period of 2 years and the rent already paid will go towards to the purchase cost.

By renting, my friends feel that they have less to worry about with inheritance tax, which is true, as all property is liable to this tax in Spain, whether it is owned by a resident or not. We discussed the question of security, knowing that no-one can force you to move within the rental period, but also the insecurity of knowing that at the end of 5 years you might have to move. Five years may seem a long time, but in fact it passes quickly, especially if you are settled and enjoying life.

The owners of the apartment they are currently renting are only interested in renting the property for short-term lets, mostly to holidaymakers. This involves extra expense as unless you are on the spot and have the time, you will need to employ a managing agent to arrange for cleaning , linen change, etc between lets. Some people advertise their holiday property on websites especially formulated for owners to manage the lettings, others prefer to use trusted local agents to fill their properties and yet others use a mixture of the two. Good properties in popular areas can generate a reasonable income but beware – this income is taxable, whether you are a UK or Spanish resident and must be declared.

I have quite a few friends who act as managing agents for UK property owners, some require a percentage of the rental, others a flat fee for the year. This can be quite stressful work especially during the height of the season in July and August, when there is just a short time to clean a property between one tenant leaving and the next arriving. The managing agent also has to deal with any urgent repairs or other problems on behalf of the owner, make sure the pool is in good order, that the pump works properly and that the gardens are well maintained. It is not a job for the faint-hearted!

Well, only time will tell whether my friends finally decide to rent or buy. For the moment, they are enjoying their rental apartment by the sea, content in the knowledge that should there be any problem, the landlord is required to deal with it efficiently.

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Spainbuyingguide.com

Baked beans and Cheddar cheese in Spain

It was a Monday. I had just been to a meeting at my bank and was driving home via a supermarket. I looked up at the sky which was the clearest blue you can imagine, not a cloud in sight and my car registered an outside temperature of 10º. The clock indicated 3.15 in the aftrnoon. Instead of turning left for the supermarket, I went right at the roundabout and headed 4 kms towards the little village of Llafranc.

I live on the Costa Brava, roughly a costal area that stretches from the French border in the north to Lloret de Mar to the south. My town is about one hour from France and is 4kms inland from the sea, but I have 3 fabulous beaches, set in small coves just a few minutes' drive away – Calella de Palafrugell, Tamariu and Llafranc. So, that day I headed to Llafranc,the smallest, but for me, the most charming of the three. Parking was easy because we are in winter. Sadly, in the summer, parking is more of a problem, though one can always find a spot in which a car will fit, albeit a bit of a walk away from the sea. On that Monday however, there was virtually no one there. The sun was warm, the shade chilly. I walked along the seafront looking at the light glistening on the shimmering sea. I went to the little port and walked to the promontory as far as it stretched out to sea and then back towards the village. It occurred to me that I was indeed fortunate to live where I do. Sometimes our busy lives prevent us from appreciating what we have, what is on our doorstep and what opportunities there are to enjoy ourselves locally, often for free. On that Monday, I was in the sun, strolling in a beautiful place, breathing in iodine and sea air, virtually alone and it did not cost me one centim!

There were a few people in the Hotel Llafranc, drinking coffee or finishing their wine after, no doubt, a very good lunch, all looking at the lovely view across the bay. This hotel/restaurant, like many of a similarly good standard, have weekday menus from 18€ a head, inclusive sometimes of wine, water and bread. The service is always good, the food often a modern twist on traditional fare.The house wines are always worthy of the restaurant so I see no reason to go to their excellent wine list unless you are celebrating a special occasion.

Just about an hour later, I arrived back at my car, feeling altogether much better for the exercise and fresh air....but also for the stillness, the tranquillity and the visual therapy of the beauty that is Llafranc. All too soon, daily life resumed as I headed for the supermarket.

Having said that, it needs qualifying. When I am in the UK, I much enjoy a visit to Sainsbury or Morrisons, both of which are near where my sons live, each in different parts of England. Every time I am frankly astounded about the choice available for every conceivable item and I treat myself to things not readily available in Spain. Although we have many different supermarkets here – some you will already know, like Carrefour, Lidl and Aldi – others are more regional or Spanish, such as Esclat (a bit like Waitrose) or Caprabo or Mercadona, you will not find everything you feel you need in one alone. My supermarket trip that Monday was to my local Carrefour, where I go for very specific things. Their fish counter is small but good and much cheaper than the fishmongers in the daily market. They do also sell a small range of goods for “foreigners”, baked beans, water biscuits, some English and other cheeses, etc. Being of French ownership, Carrefour caters very much for French tastes, which suits me well as I lived in France for 12 years before moving here to the Costa Brava. There are throughout Spain specialist “English” food shops for those who really miss a taste from home, my nearest is actually a good hour's drive away in Lloret de Mar, so I never use it, though I know several people who do.

I also feel quite strongly that if you choose to move abroad to live, for whatever reason – better climate, better way of life, children's education, retirement, then as much as possible you should embrace what your new country has to offer and perhaps forego certain items that are traditionally from your country of origin in favour of new flavours and new cuisine. Most expats I know ask friends and relatives to bring them “treats” such as a good cheddar cheese, back bacon, even jersey new potatoes! This is good, this is how it should be as these things should be “treats” or they become a necessity in a country where they are frankly, a rarity!

Bon appetit! Buen aprovecho! Bon profit! (Catalan)

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/

Driving on the right side

I don't know about you, but I feel nervous about driving in a foreign country – at least for the first few hours or sometimes for a day or so. Well, after 15 years' away, the UK is a “foreign” country for me and so I try to avoid driving when I am there and trust that my family and friends will be kind enough to transport me or I use public transport. There are so many signs on English roads, variable speed limits, speed cameras, warnings not to do this or that and of course, a lot of traffic in all but rural areas and apart from the ubiquitous yellow lines, there are now red lines (urban clear-ways, I think).

I cannot pretend that there is no traffic in Spain, but once you get used to driving on the right, it is generally a more pleasant experience. Major cities and conurbations do attract a lot of cars, lorries & motorcycles but once away from these centres, the main roads are good with smoothly flowing traffic, the motorways (autopistas) are excellent, though you will have to pay to use them, the “B” roads are also good, with few distractions. Roundabouts are used more here than traffic lights out of the town centres and there are inevitably speed cameras, but nowhere as many nor so closely packed as in the UK. In Catalunya the drivers are mostly courteous and it is obligatory to stop at pedestrian crossings if someone wishes to cross, which makes walking much safer. Sometimes, I have to admit, the crossings are too close to each other, which can delay the traffic, but as I am a pedestrian as well as driver, I am happy to be able to cross the road conveniently.

Road near Madrid

If you come to live in Spain from any EU country, you may keep your existing driving licence until it expires, or if you incur any points for traffic “crimes”, you will have to change your licence to a Spanish one. The process for changing it is relatively simple. You will need to go to your Provincial Traffic Headquarters, in my case in the city of Girona and take with you your passport, NIE number (foreigners identity number), your old licence, 2 recent photos, a written declaration that the driver has not been suspended or banned from driving plus another stating that the driver does not hold a similar licence in another country. Your new licence will be sent by post.

In Spain, licences need regular renewal. They are valid for 10 years if you are under 45, 5 years between 45 & 70, and just 2 years after 70, when you are required to bring a medical certificate for each renewal. As in the UK there is a points system for traffic offences, starting with a credit of 12 points.

One things that seems to be a universal problem is parking! Most small towns provide free car parking but this is usually situated some distance from the centre. It is inevitably difficult to park anywhere on market and fiesta days, during the high summer season and at Easter, however a little exploration down side streets where you see just white lines, may prove worthwhile, as this is also free parking. Blue lines mean you must pay at a meter. One thing I have discovered is that the space provided for each vehicle tends to be narrower than in the UK..I eventually gave in & bought a smaller car which has proved to be a very wise decision.

Anyway, wherever you are, happy motoring!

Sally

Tha Overseas Guides Company
http://www.spainbuyingguide.com

Flu, cigarettes and fresh air

Having much enjoyed 2 weeks in the UK with my family and friends it is good, however, to get back to a normal routine, catch up with those things put to one side and to wonder what 2011 will bring. As I write, the sun is shining and it is pleasantly warm here in north-east Spain, which is as good a start to the new year as one could wish for.

Whilst I was in England I was able to catch up with most of the newspapers. Of course, we can buy English papers here daily, as most are printed in Spain, but they are quite expensive and one usually buys just one. I much enjoyed reading many, the different points of view, the different editorials. The Independent of 22 December ran a very interesting article about Healthcare in Lombardy (Italy), which is one of the “Four Engines” in Europe for excellence. I was delighted to learn that Catalunya is another of these “Engines”, together with Baden Wurttemberg in Germany and Rhones-Alpes in France.

I have mentioned before that the health service here is extremely good and efficient. It was surprising to find that there is a UK national debate about flu vaccines this winter as here in Spain, all those in “at risk” groups are automatically contacted and given the jab. Others can get a prescription from their Doctor and buy the vaccine for 7€. People here accept that flu “la gripa”, is a normal occurrence in winter and so protect themselves accordingly.

Today I went for a routine blood test at my local CAP (Centre d'Assistencia Primaria) – the local clinic, offering GP and paediatric services, blood tests and a first-line 24 hour emergency service. The system here for blood tests is that about 80 people arrive at the CAP at 8.00 am and wait inside for their name to be called. You are then given a small plastic jar containing whatever number of phials you need & asked to go to another area to be shown to a cubicle where the blood is taken. The whole process takes about 15 minutes and you can be on your way, though in some larger centres it may take a little longer. It is not “cosy” but is highly efficient and practical and negates too much waiting around for the patient. Next Monday I shall see my doctor for the results.

That out of the way, I went for a walk in the countryside as the sun had just shown its face to the world. At this time of the year there is still a lot of greenery here but as yet no real signs of the emergence of Spring, though they shouldn't be too far away. It was very quiet, just 2 or 3 others with their dogs nodding “buenos dias” as we passed. It was now 8.30 am. and I was in no hurry as apart from the school children arriving for a day in class, the rest of the town was just waking. Offices open here at 9.30 or 10.00 and apart from local food shops, commerce does not fling open its doors until at least 10.00 am. Many foreigners find it difficult to get used to the shop opening hours in Spain, which differ in each region with a longer closure for a “siesta” in the south than in the north. Here in my town for example, the hours are 10.00 -1.00 and 5.00 -8.00 or 8.30, giving a four-hour siesta each day. Just down the coast, shops stay open until 1.30 and in Girona, the capital of this province, many stay open all day. At the height of summer you can shop till 9.00 or even 9.30, but in the south shops often stay open until midnight!


On my way home I walked passed a pleasant corner café and stopped for a “cortado” (small strong coffee with a dash of milk) and mingled with workmen having a quick breakfast before heading to their work. As of 2nd January this year, ALL smoking in public places is banned and you can't even smoke outside hospitals and other sensitive areas. As a non-smoker, I am absolutely thrilled to be able to enter one of the typical small Spanish bars without being confronted by a sea of smoke or to be able to eat a meal without the smell of a cigar wafting over me. Of course, I do understand that for smokers this is a difficult time, adjusting to a new regime and so, just as in the UK, there are groups of smokers standing outside, only here at least, they can usually enjoy their cigarettes in a warm climate. As for the rest of us – we can now breathe easily!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Spainbuyingguide.com

Feasts, Baracas and the simple life...

Last Wednesday was FIESTA time here (so was last Monday, but that was Constitution Day, Wednesday was religious, celebrating the Immaculate Conception). Unexpectedly, I was invited by local friends to join them at their “Baraca” for lunch. Over the time I have lived here, I have tried to determine the true meaning of “Baraca” as this is not the first time I have been invited to such a location. Originally, it seems, the word “baraca” meant a hunting lodge, situated outside a village or town, where men would meet to enjoy the cooking and savouring of the game they had caught. Also, much drinking of locally brewed beer and wine carried on and no doubt they told many ribald jokes, entirely unsuitable for ladies who were not present at these festivities.



These days things have changed. A “baraca” is now the term for a basic building, out of town, on an allotment, in the countryside or anywhere in which the family get together for fiestas, birthdays or any occasion to be celebrated. It must be said that some “baracas” are rather grandiose affairs, with electricity, gas, loos and even bedrooms and bathrooms. Others, like the one I visited on Wednesday are simple constructions, in this case, 2 rooms at one end of a large allotment, one with a an open fire on which our sausages were cooked, the other without heating or electricity where we sat around a large table groaning with food brought in from my hosts' home. The weather was particularly kind that day, the temperature reaching 16º at its height and the sun pouring into our eating area – just as well, or it would have been very very cold in there! The delicious lunch comprised an apple & tuna salad, numerous and varied types of sausage and chorizo, avocado, a wonderful bread with the typical Spanish tomato spread on it, pork patties fried in breadcrumbs (taught to my hostess by her German friends), and best of all for my taste, a very hot and spicy home-made Romesco sauce (tomatoes, mayonnaise, herbs, chili and spices). The remains are currently in my fridge! Plenty of fresh fruit for dessert and a special cake with almonds and marzipan which is eaten at this time of the year. This was indeed a true feast.

The sun was still shining into the baraca after we had washed up and stored the plates, so we sat down to a game of dominoes, followed by a Spanish card game I had to learn called “La Brisa” which was great fun and I seemed to have beginners' luck as I won each time! It occurred to me that, fundamentally, we are all much the same, wherever we live and whatever language we speak – a good meal with family and friends, a game of cards, laughter is to be enjoyed anywhere, even in a basic shed with a tin roof lit by the sun on a Wednesday in December. Perhaps in these days of ultra consumerism, we should try to spend more time enjoying the simpler things and remember that the secret of such enjoyment is sharing whatever we have with those we love.

On Thursday, at last, the shops began to decorate their windows in a Christmas style. Unlike in the UK, they generally wait until after 8 December (Immaculate Conception) to bring out the trees, baubles and glitter, but it is not overdone here in any way, Each town and village has Christmas lights but there is not that frantic pre-Christmas bustle in Spain. Traditionally, the children do not get their presents until 6 January (Tres Reis - 3 kings), but with the pressure of TV advertising and customs learnt from immigrants, some do now receive a present on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is very much a family day here as it is in the UK, and they celebrate the 26th December too, St. Estephan (St Stephen's Day). Christmas Carols, roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes are an essential part of Christmas in Catalunya as in other parts of Spain and I really have the feeling that it is still a religious-cum-family celebration here, not totally overwhelmed by commercialisation, at least for the time being.

Sally

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Spainbuyingguide.com

Spanish Laws...are they loco?

Every country has its peculiarities, especially legal ones. Spain has a cluster all of its own, so it is vitally important that you check and if necessary, re-check laws that may affect you if you come to live here permanently or just own a second home somewhere on the Spanish peninsular.

This week, a woman from Galicia, north-west Spain, has legally registered herself as the owner of the SUN. This was done under Spanish Law at a notary's office. She now intends to “charge” us all for the use of the SUN and says she will give the larger part of her new-found income to the government to help with the current economic crisis, some to stall the reduction of pensions and 10% she will keep for herself. Now..just imagine if she “charged” us all a nominal 1€ a month: that would 40,000,000€ each and every 4 weeks rolling into her coffers. Any government would be happy to have a large part of that income without having to do anything for it.

This brings me to yet another thought: that all governments are constantly finding ways of increasing their income for virtually no effort on their part which, I suspect, is why the government of Catalunya has recently passed a law concerning everyone who wishes to rent out a property for 3 months or less, i.e. to tourists. It is now necessary to obtain a licence to rent out your property for tourism and you need to go in person to the Ajuntament (Town Hall) to obtain it. Fees and requirements have been left up to each individual Ajunatment. The property owner will also be responsible for any problems caused by their holiday-let tenants and fines for failing to obtain the licence are expected to be very high.

You should not be put off the idea of renting out your property as it can still be very lucrative, especially from mid-June to mid-September. I suspect that landlords will try to put up their rental prices to cover the extra costs involved in getting the licence, but this may not be wise just at the moment when money is tight and the holiday rental market is extremely competitive. Good properties, though, near beaches or other leisure attractions always find holidaymakers to fill them.

I have a pretty 2 bedroom apartment in lovely seaside town to the south of Girona. Until now, I have let it out on a long-term rental but since my last tenants left without paying several months' rent, I will relaunch it for holiday lets from next Easter. I will now have to negotiate the new licence law in that particular town, so will be able to tell you more about what it involves as time goes by. I already have the “Cèdula d'Habitabilitat”, a certificate of habitability from the Generalitat of Catalunya (Catalan Government), which you need this for either long or short term lets. It is one of the “good” requirements as you only receive it once the property has been declared in good order and fit for habitation, which is necessary for everyone's peace of mind.

It is also possible that this new “Law” may not in fact be implemented. There were elections on Sunday for the Generalitat (government of Catalunya) and the balance of power has swung away from the ruling party. It may well be that, with hindsight, they decide that this licensing law will be detrimental to the tourist industry here and therefore “put it to one side”. Is that not Loco?

Sally
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/

Guess the amount of documents we needed!

I went with a friend to Girona the other day. Girona is the capital city of my corner of Catalunya and home to all the government and administrative offices as well as having a wonderful old town with cobbled streets, a cathedral, Arab baths, parks and an archaeological walk around what is left of the ramparts.Girona is largely unspoilt by tourism and is a discreet city often overlooked by travellers heading for the bright lights of Barcelona, about 90kms to the south. Straddling the banks of the River Ter, the brightly painted old houses hang over the water as sentinels of times gone by. The old town is a maze of alleyways and little squares, each keeping its own secret – perhaps a cafe in the cellar, perhaps a shop frontage that has withstood the ravages of centuries past. On the other side of the river is the “new” town, part of it very much of the 18th Century, with the lovely arched Plaça de Independcia teeming with restaurants and tapas bars. Not too far away is the covered market, open every morning. Girona is also a cultural city, with well presented museums and art centres as well as a strong musical tradition. After many visits, my friend and I have only touched the surface of this intriguing city .

Our trip was not for pleasure really as my friend decided she wanted to change her UK driving licence to a Spanish one and since her knowledge of both Castilian (Spanish) and Catalan is poor, she asked me to tag along as interpreter. Navigating ones way through Spanish bureaucracy requires extreme patience and fortitude. In fact, if you have an EU driving licence, you do not have to change it to a Spanish one, but you should register it with the traffic authority. My friend decided that she wanted to change hers, so we found ourselves at the offices of the Traffic Department.

It is vital before you go to any of the government agencies that you check..and recheck... what paperwork you need to present, otherwise you will have made a wasted journey, stood in a queue for ages and felt utterly frustrated. In the case of my friend and her driving licence, she needed to show:

• Proof of identity (passport original and copy)
• Proof of residence (Certificate of Registration in the Central Aliens Register - the NIE number (foreigners identification number))
• Valid driving licence to be exchanged (original and copy)
• Two recent photographs (32 by 25 mm)
• Declaration in writing stating that the applicant has not been banned or suspended from driving
• Declaration in writing stating that the applicant does not hold another driving licence of the same class in another country
  

Her new licence will arrive by post & will be credit card size. I should mention we were lucky that day as the queue was short and we were dealt with by a very pleasant and helpful lady who insisted on explaining everything to us twice as she somehow worked out we were foreigners!
Business done, we headed for Girona old town for lunch. We settled on a restaurant called Mimolet, near the cathedral, not the cheapest but which serves very good bar food. The weather was kind that day, so we sat outside on the terraza enjoying a well earned glass of Cava – Catalunya's answer to champagne and very good it is too!

It was time to head home, but not before we agreed to come back to Girona sooner rather than later to go window shopping (at least that is what my friend said) and sit at a cafe on the Rambla Llibertat watching the world go by, perhaps visit an Art Exhibition or come back on a Saturday when there is a huge market (also on Tuesdays) and a flower market on the Rambla. It is just a question of finding the time.........

Sally Veall
The Overseas Guides Company
Have you visited the main website yet? http://www.spainbuyingguide.com

Have you ever been to a mushroom festival?

Do you like mushrooms? I adore mushrooms – not the closed-cap variety available all year in supermarkets – no, real mushrooms, hidden in the woods in secret places, which when found, are carefully picked, carried gingerly back home and then cooked in virgin olive oil, garlic and parsley. Absolute heaven!

Well, it is mushroom season in Catalunya, North Eastern Spain. Many small villages and larger towns hold mushroom festivals here, where you are drawn into this secret world of fungi. They lay out every type of mushroom you can imagine and carefully signal which are edible are which are likely to cause illness and even death if eaten. Then there are the tastings.."rossynols" are my favourite, a deep yellow with long fine stalks. Also there are "ceps", the most expensive, selling at 50-100€ a kilo, with a deep mushroom colour and intense mushroom flavour.

Tastings are not confined to local festivals. Many restaurants have special menus using the various types of mushroom and it is definitely worth a visit to one or more as somehow the local chefs manage to make an "ordinary fungus" taste like nectar from the gods. In fact, Catalunya is home to many culinary delights, one of the most famous restaurants in the world, El Bulli, is situated just across from the French border in Cadaques. Sadly, the owner, Ferran Adria, has decided to close it for two years and is taking time out to reinvent his cuisine and is currently working in Barcelona.

You don't need to spend a fortune, however, to eat well here. I frequently go out with friends for lunch and we are served a three-colour meal for 10 – 14€ per person, usually including a good local wine, water and bread. It costs more in the evenings – I have never really understood why, except that the lunchtime clientèle includes workmen and in the evenings, the restaurants imagine that they have a different clientèle, which is not usually the case, except that the workmen are now dressed for dinner. We tend to enjoy our lunches and entertain at home in the evenings, except of course on special occasions when throwing caution to the wind, we head for one of the "better" restaurants and usually are truly favourably surprised at the quality and service we receive for around 30-40€ a head.

My local restaurant which has a delightful outside space in a semi-private garden (which I overlook!!), serves an excellent lunchtime meal for 12€ all in. They have a vast menu of starters and a smaller but excellent choice of main courses and most of the "postres" (deserts) are home made. The wine is excellent too. My friends and I have enjoyed many a happy few hours there, in the shade of the garden in hot summer and if we decide to splash out on a second bottle of wine, we are charged only about 7€. One does not, of course, spend every day having lunch in such delightful places. There is a very active U3A here on the Costa Brava which invites one to visit interesting localities … but more of this in my next Blog.

Meanwhile, if you are anywhere near a mushroom festival, (in the UK, France, Italy or Spain) I urge you go along, increase your joy and knowledge by discovering one of nature's best kept secrets.

Sally Veall
The Overseas Guides Company
Go to the main website at: http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/

Autumn Leaves and walks by the sea - Bliss

Autumn, according to the poet John Keats, is a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness and this is also true here in Catalunya, northeast Spain. The days are still warm but there is a chill at night and early morning, mists hover over valleys and many trees are now bearing their fruit. It is the step between the long hot summer and the winter months ahead, lulling us back into the warmth of our homes. Yes, here we have all the seasons.

Autumn brings us golden and red leaves which start falling, flocks of starlings on their way south...I reckon each evening there are about 300 perched on roof tops, a nearby crane and in the treetops which I look out at from my office. It is an amazing sight. Autumn also brings with it more unpleasant things, coughs and colds, flu season and central heating. Thankfully, the National Health Service here is available to rescue us. Each region of Spain runs its own health service and the system in Catalunya is excellent. I had my free flu jab yesterday, available to those over 60, people with respiratory and lung problems and also to children at risk. For the rest, there is a small cost to have the vaccine. Most towns and large villages have a medical centre known as the CAP (Centre de Attenció Primària) which is like a large clinic with GPs and other front line medical staff plus an emergency department which is open day and night.Their job is to treat your condition if they can or to refer you to the local hospital or specialist if they can’t.

That brings me to the local hospital, in my case located in a pretty seaside town called Palamós. Unfortunately, I have got to know this place rather well during the time I have lived here and once you get used to the system (which isn’t particularly cosy nor blessed with a great bedside manner), you will find an excellent medical service with totally up-to-date X-ray, scanners and other necessary medical aides. Their job is to cure you.

CAP PALAFRUGELL
(local health centre)

Of course autumn brings other activities too. Walks by the sea bathed in the lowering sunlight, jazz evenings in courtyards, sitting in local restaurants with a group of friends bemoaning the fact we can no longer sit outside at night, but warm and comfortable in the rustic interiors. And let's not forget the tramuntana wind which comes from the Pyrennees and blows hard with a distinct chill for 3 days, it's dryness taking humidity out of the air.

Yes, autumn here on the Costa Brava is a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Please contact me if you have any questions about life on the Costa Brava.

Sally
The Overseas Guides Company
Visit my main website at: http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/

Living in Catalunya

Hola!! My name is Sally and I will be writing the Spain Blog. I live in Catalunya (Catalonia) which is in the north-east of Spain & stretches from the French border to just north of Valencia. It is a region of contrasts, sea, mountains, beautiful and varied countryside, old medieval stone villages & towns and a language of its own, Catalan. Of course you can speak Castillian (Spanish) here but it helps if you try to speak their language as well. Catalan classes are free for newcomers and it is worth the effort as you will find new doors opening to you, even if you only speak a few words.

My town is just 4kms from some of the most beautiful beaches on the Costa Brava, which means "Wild Coast". It is a land of little coves, often hidden from the modern roads, where you take earthy tracks down to the sea. The three nearest beaches to me are Callela, Llafranc and Tamariu, each one with its own identity and ambiance. There is an easy and beautiful coastal walk among pine trees with stunning views which is widely used by locals and visitors alike.

Well, that is where I live. Why did I choose to move here from France where I lived for 12 years? Actually it was almost by accident as my husband was in contact with several people in Valencia & Barcelona universities and we were making regular car journeys from where we lived, about 60 minutes north-west of Toulouse, to both these cities. Eventually we decided that it would be easier if we moved closer to them and so we began discovering the Costa Brava, far enough from the big city, but with good communications in all directions.


I mistakenly imagined that the Catalans in Catalunya would be similar to those in south-west France, and yes - they do speak the same language, but the local and cultural difference become evident once you live here. Over the next months, I hope to tell you about the history & culture of what is now a very modern Catalunya which is in itself part of a very modern post-Franco Spain.

I love living here, even in the Winter when people generally stay indoors after dark but are to be seen on coastal walks or at special events at the weekends. I look out across the town of Palafrugell towards the Pyrennees with their snow-capped peaks changing colour in the evening sky.

I am very lucky to have found this corner of Spain.

I hope I am able to help you see what life in Spain is like and give you some tips if you are thinking of buying here. Please email me any questions to: Spain@OverseasGuidesCompany.com

Sally Veall
http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/