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

The Three Kings, cakes and the New Year

I do hope that everyone managed to be with their friends and family over the festive period, as the weather decided to disrupt every type of travel around Europe. Now we are in a new year and I suppose we all wait with anticipation, wondering what 2011 will have in store for us.

Here in Spain, the festivities go on for a while! 6th January is one of the most important days of the calendar here, the day of the 3 Kings (tres Reis), when most local towns put on a pageant, mainly for the children, with the “Three Wise Men” as we know them, the 3 Kings here, riding in open horse-drawn carriages throwing sweets to the children in the crowd.. Other floats follow and this at dusk is something that the entire family looks forward to. In Sant Feliu de Guixols, on the coast and just 40 minutes' from Girona, the crowd gathers early to get a good position for the children to be able to catch the sweets thrown on either side, wrapped in colourful paper, easy to spot when they fall, as inevitably they do, on the ground. Traditionally, this was the day when children received their “Christmas presents”, but now, due to advertising and external customs, most children open their presents on Christmas Eve. Nevertheless, 6th January remains an extremely important event for everyone, so every year we hope the weather will be kind as we stand outside for 2-3 hours!

There is also a very special cake to be eaten on this day. It is a cake baked in a ring, so hollow in the centre and inside are hidden a miniature figure of a king or other court member and a bean – the person who receives the king in their slice will be “the King” of the household for the day, and the poor individual who finds the bean is the “servant”of the king for that day. It is a bit of fun and everyone looks forward to this as much laughter and ribaldry goes on when either the “king” or the “servant” are revealed.

On 7th January it is all over. Life begins in earnest again, businesses begin to think about the year ahead, late or “lost” postal deliveries slowly start arriving, the Christmas trees and decorations are taken down and everyone looks forward to the Spring with optimism. In these times of economic hardship, many will be facing the next few months with some anxiety. Before Christmas, some supermarkets were asking their clients to buy extra items to be put in a trolley for families who had become victims of the economic downturn and I am happy to say that in my town, almost everyone did contribute. Despite all the gloom, Spain does have several things in its favour, an excellent climate overall, some stunning coastline and pretty towns not ruined by over development – though one might not believe this it be generally true according to some foreign press articles – generally friendly people who regard tourism as a good thing, a country which over the last 40 years or so has modernised itself and is in the forefront of medical and technical excellence and last but not least, a country which retains its traditions but now looks to the future.

I really hope that Spain continues to deal with its financial adversity well as I, for one, thoroughly enjoy my life here and would not hesitate to encourage others to sample this existence for themselves, always of course, having taken proper advice from lawyers, tax consultants and the like before making the journey.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

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/

The joys of Spanish trains

I went to Barcelona on Friday to meet a friend for lunch, visit a wholesale jewellery company and to collect my new glasses. All this in 4.5 hours. I am lucky as every time I go there the sun shines and as I walk the streets of this lovely, vibrant city, the sun catches a Gothic window, the side of a contemporary office block, a statue or shop front and lights them up like Christmas tree lights.

Being the capital city of Catalunya, Barcelona is steeped in history, old and not so old, as the Summer Olympic Games were held there in 1992 and an entirely new “Olympic village” was constructed by the sea. That was probably the year in which the World discovered Barcelona, now one of Europe's top tourist destinations.

For those of us who live within reach of the city, it is much more than just a sightseeing destination, as Barcelona can happily compete with London or Paris for wonderful shops, great little restaurants, a fantastic daily covered market (La Boqueria), opera, concerts and musicals. It is about a 90 min drive from where I live but I usually take the train. The MD (media distancia) fast train goes from Figueres near the French border right to the heart of Barcelona and there are several stations on the way where we can board. I usually drive 35 minutes to Caldes de Malavella which lies to the south and so nearer to my destination. Others catch the train at Flaça which is a shorter run but the train journey is rather longer. RENFE is the Spanish Rail Network. The MD trains are clean, modern and fast. Generally speaking trains arrive according to the timetable but the stations vary with regard to comfort. There is usually free parking by the station, so I leave the car there not worried about how much the parking will cost if I delay my return by another hour. The station at Caldes has recently been renovated externally and internally and is actually a beautiful building with wonderful Art Nouveau tiles in the foyer. Of course you can get to Barcelona by train from all directions and with equally good services. The AVE trains are hi-tec, super fast long distance trains, from Madrid to Barcelona taking just 2hrs 30 minutes.

When I go over to the UK and travel by train, I am truly shocked at the ticket prices. Here in Spain, train travel is much cheaper for everyone. There are various cards one can buy which give large discounts, one especially good one, the DORADA (gold) card, is for people over 60 and gives a 40% discount on MD trains & 25%-40% on AVE trains. The DORADA card is purchased annually at a current cost of 5.10€ !!

So on Friday, I took the train to the centre of Barcelona, the Passieg de Gracia, where I met my friend & we went to the jewellery company she works for. I couldn't resist a pair of earrings sold to me at cost price. We then collected my new glasses (much cheaper in Barcelona than in the smaller towns) and set off for lunch. There is such an amazing choice of eateries, but we decided to return to one of our favourites, on the Passeig de Gracia itself, so near the train station. Housed on the first floor above a good Tapas bar, is Restaurant Citrus, a contemporary space where one is never too close to anyone else. They do not have a Menù del Dia, but the prices of the dishes are reasonable and the cuisine which is modern catalan, is excellent. Drinks are a bit pricey, but then you are right in one of the smartest parts of Barcelona. Just time to savour my lunch before strolling to the station and a one hour train journey back to Caldes. I was home by 6.25 pm having had a great day out.

Sally
The Overseas Guides Company

http://www.spainbuyingguide.com/