Spain has undergone a period of massive growth in recent years, with a sudden, dramatic population increase that mostly consists of immigrants. So it is hardly surprising that during such a boom, there wasn’t time to enforce every rule and arbitrate on the various issues and loopholes thrown up by this influx of people.

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Last year: Rod Stewart in Zaragoza, April: Mark Knopfler in Madrid, last night: Chambao in Beniel. Who in where? It all started with the Andalucian Tourist Agency advertisements on Spanish television - Andalucia te quiere (wants you). The ads really do entice you to visit Andalucia with aerial shots of fantastic beaches and luscious green […]

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Spontaneity is just one of the Spanish characteristics which makes them so interesting and fun to be with. Last week we heard a rumour, via my Spanish mother-in-law - who at the advanced age of 83 knows a lot but sometimes some of the details are missing - that we might be getting visitors. This […]

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In my part of the world, if you see a man walking towards you chanting loudly, you don’t have to panic. He is not an escapee, he is just a lottery ticket seller. There are no betting shops here, so the lotteries (note plural) are big business. Around 157 million euros is bet every week […]

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I read in a recent survey that of all of the marvellous technology such as DVDs, MP3s, computers, etc., the one that the Spanish find most useful is the good old mobile phone. They have been around in some form or another for over 20 years. But now, as they are so cheap and easy […]

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Summer is well and truly here … and so are the tourists. Although Torrevieja has a permanent population of around 100,000 - so it is not just a tourist seaside resort - the numbers swell to over 250,000 during July and August. Lots of tables and chairs line the streets as everybody wants to be […]

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If I shared with you that I have just spent an entertaining hour in the butchers (carnicería) you would probably think - now he really has lost it. But to understand why spending an hour in the butchers really can be a good crack, you have to appreciate the facilities in a Spanish butchers … […]

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We all like a good whinge about poor or down right bad service. People usually discuss a bad service experience more than a good one. The usual contenders here are Telefonica (Spain’s BT) or Iberdrola (the electricity provider). Both companies boast a client base of millions, so I suppose it is inevitable that a few […]

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Well, I was wrong on two counts. Firstly I thought the Germans would equalise (because they always do against England) and secondly I did not think there would be an even bigger party than after the semi-final win - but there was!
After three weeks, six undefeated matches - and scoring twelve goals and only conceding […]

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Spain’s annihilation of Russia (sorry Ivan) has sent the centre of Torrevieja into a total frenzy. Hours after the match ended 3-0 to Spain an impromptu cavalcade of neverending cars are still cruising down the main roads with horns blaring, flags waving, klaxons sounding. Guys sitting on the roofs of moving 4×4s banging drums - […]

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