The Word on the Street

International Edition - September 2014

 

News and Information from Spain

 

Welcome to the September issue of 'The Word on the Street'. Your monthly news and information from Spain provided by Ábaco Advisers. In a couple of columns we hope to keep you in touch with the news, events and just a little bit of gossip.

Noisy is nice? Bars v. residents

Bar owners want music to keep the customers coming but too much, too loud can soon lead to complaints. There are arguments on both sides and it's not an easy one to resolve.

In this article we look at the clamp down on noise pollution in Seville and Elche and reflect on the dilemma for bar owners and residents. Which side are you on?

abacoadvisers.com

This interesting and well-written article puts the debate in perspective:

elpais.com

Booking a medical appointment in Valencia

How do you make your appointment at your local salud (health centre)? Do you pop in or make a phone call?

Provided you are on the internet the best method seems to be booking your appointment on line. You will need your SIP card number and date of birth. From this information your doctor's available appointments come up automatically for you to select. No need to argue your case to circumvent a stroppy receptionist:

www.san.gva.es/citaprevia

What would you like to be when you grow up?

This usually leads to an interesting answer when posed to an under 12 year old. Spanish News Today, reports the results of a survey of Spanish children.

I do warm to the child who indicated they would like to be the 'Good Witch' when they grow up. And another who suggested that the government should just consist of mothers because they always know what to do:

spanishnewstoday.com

Drinking red wine and eating chocolate - the antidote for HBP?

Another health-related article, I'm not sure that the kind of advice given here is common to all doctors in Spain, much though we might like it to be!

expatica.com

Are you a mum or grandparents of a child in Spain?

Or even a dad? 'Sure Signs that you're adapting to life as a mum in Spain' is an insightful peak into the life of the expat parent.

It's a list that certainly holds some resonance for me, particularly the explicit lyrics and up after 12.00. Long live the difference!

eyeonspain.com

 

Making a denuncia in Spain

Have you ever had to make a denuncia? A denuncia is a police report that you should make if a crime has been committed against you in Spain. It can be for anything from neighbourhood noise to assault.

It's a system that can work well, provided you know what to do. In this article David Ruiz, translator, explains what they are, what you might use them for and what happens after you've made one:

abacoadvisers.com

Fitting back in

You expect to have some teething problems when you move out to a new country, but what about when you move back to your own country?

The reality is that repatriation can be as difficult and disconcerting as emigrating in the first place. During the time you have been away, you have changed and your home country has changed too. However, being aware that everything might not immediately fit into place is the key to making a successful transition.

This article highlights the issues and how you might prepare:

expatica.com

But we hope you're not going to be leaving us any time soon!

A-Z of Spanish politics

It's not as boring as it sounds. This is quite a handy list to have as a ready reference. It contains lots of names you might have heard before but don't actually know who they are. It contains one or two interesting facts as well. For example, did you know that King Felipe, the new King of Spain, is 1.98 metres tall (6'6")?

thelocal.es

What is a parador?

'Parador' sounds a little like 'paradise' for a good reason. The 'parador' is a nationally run hotel in Spain traditionally built in a beautiful or historic setting and offering high class accommodation and food.

To make it even more tempting, there is a discount opportunity for those over 55. The website can be changed into English and you can book your hotel directly from here:

parador.es

10 Tourist traps to avoid

What parts of Spain would you recommend/prefer not to go anywhere near?

Perhaps before you visit this link you should compile your own list of 'places to avoid'. There are perhaps some surprises here in The Local's choice - they don't hold back and offer us some strongly worded comments:

thelocal.es

Dos and don'ts for hospitals

Bemused by what to do and say in a Spanish hospital? David Ruiz gives us some honest tips about what doesn't go down too well:

torreviejatranslation.com

 

53 places to add to your bucket list

Some of them are obvious, some of them less known. Either way they make a very good list to begin working through when you have the time and the money. Take a good look at the slide show and select where you might like to begin:

viajar.elperiodico.com

Travelling by train? Do it cheaper!

We've publicised Money Saver Spain before. Many of you may have already received its newsletter. If not, this extract, published in Expatica, provides some really useful information about buying Spanish rail tickets. If you plan on taking advantage of Spain's railway system, it's definitely worth a read:

expatica.com

Recommendation if you like Music

It's always good to have emails and feedback from newsletter readers. It proves that there is someone out there after all.

Following the last newsletter I received a query from a reader about future concerts at the Torrevieja International Auditorium. He had already attended one concert there and had been very impressed.

My first surprise was that this 'international' venue does not appear to have a website of its own to alert you to what's coming up. I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows any different.

You can see a lay out of the International Auditorium here:

turismodetorrevieja.com

Information we have been able to find about cultural events in Torrevieja can be found on this website:

torreviejacultural.com

If you are afraid of heights... don't watch this!

This is a video of someone attempting the Camino del Rey walkway in Andalusia. As someone who finds escalators at times a little daunting, the will to take up this challenge beggars belief.

We are not recommending that anyone tries this walk - in fact you risk not only killing yourself but a hefty fine too if you attempt it. According to this video it's a warning that's been ignored by plenty:

thelocal.es

The good news is that it should be rather less dangerous in future as it is given a bit of a makeover. In the meantime, I think I'll stay with my feet firmly on the ground.

 

Ábaco Advisers: (+34) 96 670 3748
info@abacoadvisers.com

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