According to the British Chambers of Commerce in Spain we should all get off Spain’s back, stop comparing it to the financial mess that is Greece, ignore the overly negative rating agencies that have apparantly shown a lack of objectivity and not be alarmist over the state of the Spanish economy.
All this from a lunch [...]

On the surface the fact that more foreigners are registered on the Padrón as the more people registered on the Padrón the more funding the Town Halls get fron central funds to provide services locally, as I have said before.
Last week the INE (National Statistic Institute) announced that despite (or maybe because of) the [...]

I attended the Mojacar Business Association event on Saturday night, primarily a) because I was intrigued to see that they were actually trying to do something about the dire economic position in Spain, and b) because I wanted to meet a number of people, many of whom I have dealt with for a while now, [...]

Sunday morning in Mojacar is not my normal haunt by any means and I can’t say that I know Mojacar at all, but David was at hand and decided that the best place to attempt a cure for our hangovers was his friend John’s bar, the Beachcomber (waypoint N37 07.383 W1 49.562).
As you [...]

The National Tasting Association has announced that despite, or probably because, of the recession in Spain people living in Spain are eating more tapas than ever before, as they cut down on eating meals out.
Head of The National Tasting Association José Manuel Escorial, says that ‘the future of eating out lies in tapas’, or its [...]

A while back I wrote that long term rentals in Spain was going to be a good indicator across Spain of how quickly the country shows signs of getting out of the current recession that many forecast will continue through 2010, but yesterday I had a far more local indicator demonstrated to me.
After my recent [...]

Despite writing, and still believing, that 2010 is a good time to be positive about Spain I am not sure that is a view held by many, if recent conversations are anything to go by.
Now, to be clear, these are not conversations that I have had with people currently living in Spain but with friends [...]

You now how it goes. Bit bored, late afternoon, sat outside in the winter sunshine in Spain, you the only sober one as you are still on your Sin Alcohol month, and during a discussion on the current economic position in Spain, especially the high levels of unemployment and the high level of immigrants desperately [...]

This Saturday 6th February at the Punta del Cantal Hotel in Mojacar Playa the new association of Mojacar businesses (ACEM) is having a dinner to launch what it says are exciting new initiatives designed to promote the town and businesses in a positive light across Spain and abroad.
As part of the evening there is [...]

All is not looking good for the future of Pirate Radio in Spain at the moment, with headlines such as Pirate Radio Crackdown, and 3003 illegal radio stations to be closed by Christmas 2010 certainly catching the eye.
And that is the interesting fact, they are catching the eye ….. well mine at least. A year, [...]

The economy and the trip to London by Elena Salgado dominate the papers

  SINCE the Basque separatist terror group ETA killed its first victim, 22-month-old Begoña Urroz, in San Sebastian in June 1960 the organisation has murdered nearly 1,000 people. With its inexperienced leadership, ETA is today weakened and depleted but as Portuguese police discovered on February 5, it still thinks big. Read more...

DR SAROJ ADLAKHA was described as “deceitful” and “dishonest” and struck off the British medical register  last week for taking her 18-year-old daughter Shilpa Abrol to Spain for an abortion when she was 31 weeks pregnant.   Adlakha was found out after offering to help two undercover reporters do the same for a fictional daughter. Read more...

LA CORUÑA - A SECONDARY school La Coruña was told by the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores that it cannot put on a performance of Lorca’s Blood Wedding without first paying 95 euros in copyright fees.  Assistant headmistress Alicia Veres said the demand was serious in itself but the SGAE’s “attitude and manner” made it outrageous. Read more...

THE PARENTS OF an Ecuadorian teenager who died in Cuevas del Almanzora last weekend have asked for aid to repatriate their child’s remains. Nineteen-year-old John Henry Torres Caicedo, who was... Click to read this story

Their car was in a head-on collision with a lorry on the N-332

The case is being investigated by the court in Málaga

Spanish and British businessmen and politicians have met in London

The blaze broke out in the 'Aurora' pensioner's home in the centre of the city

Elena Salgado, Minister for Tax and the Economy, presented a new document in English to London investors

Not good news for expats and regular travelers in Spain who travel tourist class with Iberia as they have announced they will be charging for second suitcases checked into the hold from 1st March 2010, in an attempt to lighten the planes, save fuel costs and speed up operations ….. no mention of making more money or reducing costs to passengers you note! ...

One issue high on every expats priority list when moving to live in Spain, when they have children, is the quality of the education that they will receive so the news that a new scheme will allow overseas schools to be accredited by the British Government for the first time will surely be pleaseing to note. ...

For many expats living in Spain it appears that the distressed property market, high levels of unemployment in Spain, and the weak pound have combined to shatter many a dream of enjoying the sunshine, culture and traditions of Spain. A recent survey reported that almost 75% of British expats in Spain are considering moving back to the UK. ...

Despite the current exchange rate which has made Spain seem much more expensive for many expats living in Spain, there is some good, if not surprising, news which despite Which? saying recently that Spain may no longer be such great value, shows that many goods in Spain are cheaper than their equivalent in the UK. On a typical monthly shop expats in Spain can save up to 100€ on a household shop, and petrol is cheaper at 1.09€ a litre in Spain compared to 1.26€ in the UK ...

Toyota has announced a global recall of its newest Prius model because of concerns about brake problems.

The recall of the 2010 Prius and two other hybrids will affect 437,000 cars across ...

Sat 13th: Live Music As Usual TBC
Sun 14th: Valentines Day Special WITH FOSIL

5.00pm At Fusion: Mínia & The Pipes (Soul - Aretha Franklin, James Brown etc)
6.30pm At ...

No Sé, No Sé

Black, red and white are the colours used by Rosa Rubio in her creations, which can be seen at the Castillo de Santa Anda in Roquetas ...

The PSOE and PP recently approved a motion presented by the latter, to ask the regional and central governments for funds to repair damage caused by recent rains, which are ...

Adra Town Hall is donating 1,800€ to the victims of the Haiti earthquake, according to a motion which was passed at a plenary meeting to which both PP and PSOE both ...

The hamster that runs the wheel that powers the Almerimar router is in a cheap cage, and when it rains the water drips on his head. So he stops running ...

Monday 8th February

A 19 year old has died playing football in Almería. It happened in Cuevas del Almanzora when the youngster suffered a heart attack and collapsed during the ...

Week 25

Good week for Man Utd, Hull and Stoke, especially Hull with 4 more points than I doubt even they expected!

Still looks like a 2 horse race at the top to ...

Almería 3 Sporting Gijon 1

Week One:

6th and 7th Feb:

Ireland 29 Italy 11
England 30 Wales 17
Scotland 9 France 18

Nice poem, and as I said before really good news that the little chap is back home again. Friends think they make have seen him the day he returned down ...

Thanks to all that turned up yesterday. A much needed and appreciated 135€ was raised!

England have been placed in a qualifying group with Wales for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, Scotland draw France, Northern Ireland will face Italy while Russia are the ...

I received this email from Alberto Boy, editor of EWN

Please extent our apologies the information we received was clearly wrong.

Just heard on Sky News that research states that cat owners tend to be more intelligent than dog owners. What can I say ...... we have 3 cats LOL, but they are ...

The weather in Spain today is looking better here in Almerimar after a windy night with the sun trying to shine and some blue in the sky. It is still cold though (check out the webcam if you want to see for yourself) but the general weather forecast for Spain is worse with gale force [...]

Todays market analysis and exchange rates from Currencies Direct
Exchange Rates
AUDEUR AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – EURO 0.6344
AUDGBP AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – STERLING POUND 0.5563
AUDUSD AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – US DOLLAR 0.9211
CADUSD CANADIAN DOLLAR – US DOLLAR 0.9403
EURMUR EURO – MAURITIUS RUPEE 41.3200
EURUSD EURO – US DOLLAR 1.3672

The weather in Spain today is looking wet and miserable here in Almerimar (check out the webcam if you want to see for yourself) and the general weather forecast for Spain has rain across most of the country with ten provinces along the Galician coast and on the Canaries are on alert for rough [...]

After a very pleasant lunch yesterday I thought I would grab an hour up on the roof in the late afternoon sun and the latest issue of The Reader.

Seemed like I was not alone with that idea, as Oscar decided to jump up my knee and read it with me!
Maybe we should [...]

Todays market analysis and exchange rates from Currencies Direct
Exchange Rates
AUDEUR AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – EURO 0.6314
AUDGBP AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – STERLING POUND 0.5507
AUDUSD AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR – US DOLLAR 0.9211
CADUSD CANADIAN DOLLAR – US DOLLAR 0.9403
EURMUR EURO – MAURITIUS RUPEE 41.3200
EURUSD EURO – US DOLLAR 1.3682

The weather in Spain today is looking better here in Almerimar, but there is still a stiff wind, cloud in the sky and the threat of rain (check out the webcam if you want to see for yourself) and the general weather forecast for Spain is very much for a cloudy day with occasional showers.
Spanish [...]

Having just read about the 87 parks and gardens workers (Orange Boiler Suits) that work for the companies belonging to Juan Antonio Galan (currently in prison for his connection with the ‘Operacion Poniente’ corruption scandal) having camped in Almeria City’s Rambla to protest for not being paid their wages for the past four months, which [...]