Costa Blanca Spain Newsletter Archive.

SPAIN MADE SIMPLE NEWSLETTER

24 April 2012

In todays edition we have an article that examines the Spanish culture of greeting people kissing on both cheeks.

Did you know you should kiss the right cheek first?

Find out more about this unique custom AND how to do it properly - Spanish kissing.

In the last edition I couldn't help sharing some advice for living life to the full and as a result I was contacted by Violet King who lives in Spain where she offers counselling services and is a regular contributor to several English publications.

This wonderful woman has agreed to let readers of www.costablancauncovered.com have her 152-page book FREE OF CHARGE!!

change-your-life-book

It is in the form of an e-book and all you have to do is email me and I will email you your free copy.

It has all sorts of sections on building your confidence, battling depression, improving your relationships and being more positive which is what Violet wants people to be.

To find out more about her visit her own website at http://www.makechanges.webs.com

Now I was going to talk about news in Spain and in particluar the latest financial crisis gripping Spain but you know what, I don't want to!

The free book (which does usually cost £9.99 by the way) is so positive I don't want to distract you or end on a negative note.

Email me now, I'm half-way through the book so you will probably catch me as I'm reading it, it really is fantastic!

Until next time...

Mark Eastwood

If you like our content which we produce free of charge, there is something you could do to help us.... you can click on the social icons that we have newly placed at the bottom of each page on our website i.e. these icons:

If you are going to click these buttons we prefer you do so on any of our other main pages and not this newsletter page.

This enables you to Facebook Like a page, Tweet it or share it with others. Or why not link to our site from yours, a blog or a forum?

The more publicity we get helps us survive by being able to attract more advertisers! Thanks!

30 March 2012

You Are One of 163,000!

I was just checking our web statistics and was quite surprised. I know our site is popular but the figure of over 163,000 visitors since the 1st of January of this year surprised even me!

Living and Working in Gran Canaria

After our last newsletter in which we talked about jobs in Spain we received a guest article from author Matthew Hirtes who told us about moving to Gran Canaria and what sort of luck he found in trying to get work.

You can read the full article here on our partner website:

Work and Jobs in Gran Canaria

If you have any interest in moving to the Canary Islands then you may want to consider buying Matthew's new book 'Going Local in Gran Canaria'.

“Matthew Hirtes probably knows more about Gran Canaria than many who were born there. Going Local is an engaging and authoritative guide for visitors and new residents alike.”

Louise Parkin, editor Living Spain magazine

Covering everything from places to see on your holiday to property advice and career opportunities, Going Local is much more than a travel guide. New residents will be delighted by its accessible, humorous style and the lowdown on what’s hot and what’s not, coming from British journalist and resident of eight years, Matthew Hirtes.

"The best thing about living in Gran Canaria is its sheer diversity," says Matthew, "from the surf of the Atlantic Ocean to the turf of the Tamadaba pine forest. I wanted to correct the lazy stereotype of Gran Canaria as a sunnier Blackpool and show the island in a fairer, truer light."

"I've lived and breathed the place since we relocated from the UK, becoming an adopted native and investing in bricks and mortar to very much make the island our home," he concludes.

Amazon Deliver To Spain!

You may not be aware of this but you can save a fortune on books, CDs and so much more by buying from Amazon.co.uk who actually deliver down to Spain. I believe if you order over £25 worth delivery is free. The only snag is that they won't ship certain items such as computer equipment.

Click the link below to go to Amazon and see their product range. I've always been amazed just how much things like computer games are in Spain compared to the UK so when I found Amazon were delivering to Spain it was a great relief.

Expat or Immigrant?

Paul Shoulders poses this question in a guest article - If you are a foreigner living in Spain, do you consider yourself an expat or immigrant?

Design Your Life

Finally, a bit off topic but I don't care (!) I just wanted to share what I thought was a great article which really affected me.

It is about a lady who has looked after people who know they are about to die soon and she shares with us their 5 biggest regrets, it is quite surprising to say the least and could change the way you think about your life.

Until next time...

Mark Eastwood

If you are going to click these buttons we prefer you do so on any of our other main pages and not this newsletter page.

This enables you to Facebook Like a page, Tweet it or share it with others. Or why not link to our site from yours, a blog or a forum?

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15 March 2012

In this newsletter we wanted to tell you of a very important opportunity for getting an English-speaking job in Spain.

This great new article on our partner site (which has live listings of current job vacancies in Spain) is all about getting a job as a holiday rep in Spain.

Hurry because vacancies for 2012 are going fast.

http://www.jobsinspain.info/work-as-a-holiday-rep-in-spain/

This job is all about looking after customers who arrive in Spain on a package holiday from one of the major tour operators such as Thomas Cook.

This job is a great way for young people to travel and see new places while being paid at the same time.

We also would like to publish and feature stories from people who have already worked in Spain (or currently working). Please write in and tell us all about your experiences and where you worked and what you did.

I've always joked about how as a last resort I can always work in McDonalds, now this might be true - I see they are opening 66 new restaurants at a cost of €160 million euros which will create 3,300 jobs.

I'll bear that in mind although I would prefer to emulate Amancio Ortega. I hear you saying Amancio who?

Well in the famous 'richest people in the world list' as published by Forbes magazine, he is a new entry at number 5.

How has he made his money? Well you probably know the Zara fashion chain.

I'm also guessing you are curious as to who else is on the list:

1. Carlos Slim Helu (age 72)
Net worth of $69 billion - How? Mexico Telecom

2. Bill Gates (age 56)
Net worth of $61 billion - How? Microsoft United States

3. Warren Buffett (age 81)
Net worth of $44 billion - How? Stocks and Shares United States

4. Bernard Arnault (age 63)
Net worth of $41 billion - How? LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) France

5. Amancio Ortega (age 75)
Net worth of $37.5 billion - How? Zara Spain

The free competition to win 1000€ to spend on any available holiday home found on Spain-holiday.com is still running until 4th April so you still have a chance to win...

All you need to do is follow 4 easy steps as outlined here...

Click Here To Enter Competition...

Until next time...

Mark Eastwood

PS - Each of our pages now has the Google +1 button i.e. this in the top right hand corner in the navigation column - so you can click on it and help like/promote our website for free.

Please do this on the pages you like such as the home page (not here).

If you are going to click these buttons we prefer you do so on any of our other main pages and not this newsletter page.

This enables you to Facebook Like a page, Tweet it or share it with others. Or why not link to our site from yours, a blog or a forum?

The more publicity we get helps us survive by being able to attract more advertisers! Thanks!

28 February 2012

It has been a long time since we wrote (before Christmas in fact) but now the weather is set to slowly get better, we will step up the frequency of the newsletters as more and more people will be coming to Spain for holidays in the sun.

So where have we been?!

Well we have been working hard on our sister websites about Spain. To give you an idea, did you know there is now a price comparison website that compares over 30 different insurance companies for car and home insurance in Spain... to give you the lowest price in just a few seconds...

Spanish price comparison website

There are other guides on that insurance website telling you how to buy a used car in Spain and avoid the possible horrendous pitfalls etc. etc.

As well as all the website stuff we have been getting our villa ready for the summer season rental, August has gone completely and we have plenty of other bookings but strangely no Easter booking. Do people not realise just how good the weather can be at that time?

I will give any reader here, £200 off each Easter week.

Javea villa for rent

Where are we? Javea, Costa Blanca. The beach around the corner from me was used in the shooting of the big new Bruce Willis, Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver film - see trailer below:

Since we last wrote, on the 1st of January, there has been a rise in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on non-residents to 21%.

The previous rise was in 2010 (it went from 18% to 19%).

This follows a ruling in 2007 by the European Union which made Spain lower the CGT rate of 35% for non residents (15% for residents) to 18% - ruling it to be unfair on EU non-residents.

In more gloom I read a shocking article, it is well worth a read, about Spain's lost generation.

This refers to the generation of 20'somethings who have little work and few prospects of getting any.

In fact almost 50% of Spaniards aged between 16 and 24 are unemployed right now!

Anger and frustration among young adults have already taken root and some Spaniards fear that Spain's relatively new democracy, only launched in 1978 after decades of dictatorship, may become threatened if an entire generation ends up convinced they will never attain the same lifestyle as their parents.

Finally, from the European Commission comes a report which forecasts Spain to go into mild recession during 2012. They expect a contraction of 1% due to the impact of the debt crisis, cuts in the public sector and cuts in private consumption, due to unemployment and high debts.

Hope to be more cheerful next time!

Mark Eastwood

24 December 2011

We just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Today on the Costa Blanca it is 17 degrees and sunny.

Everyone here you talk to moans that Spain never feels 'Christmassy' compared to the UK.

So how do the Spanish celebrate Christmas and the New Year?

Find out here in our article on Christmas in Spain.

See you in 2012.

Mark Eastwood

10 November 2011

In today's edition we have a unique insider tip if you are searching for Spanish bank repossessions at bargain prices. We personally know a highly professional and respected property agent who usually only deals with high-end luxury properties in Spain.

Talking to him to the other day he disclosed that through his many Spanish bank contacts he has been offered a tranche of bank property repossessions in the town of Javea on the Costa Blanca of Spain.

Previously being sold by the developer at over €500,000 before the credit crunch hit and wiped him out, these properties have been repossessed by the bank and can possibly be had for almost half-price!

Here is an example below:

javea-bank-repossession

This brand new 3-bed villa of 208 sq metres on a plot of 1,102 square metres has been recently repossessed and is located on a brand new urbanisation with full, modern infrastructure and underground services on the outskirts of Javea. 80% finance available – fixed rate, interest-only for 3 years.

There are plenty more. If you are a serious prospect only, please get in touch by emailing us at support@costablancauncovered.com and we will pass your details onto our agent friend who can tell you more.

Most people when they think of Spain picture in their minds: dry, dusty, sun, package holidays and beaches but Spain is one of the most diverse countries in the world with a rich and interesting history, read John's article to find out a whole host of surprising facts you didn't know about Spain.

It is now estimated that 100 people a day are leaving the UK to live in another country, 40 of them will be emigrating to Spain.

Having lived in Spain for over 18 years and brought 2 children up here Lindsey Robins has been through all the highs and lows and understands how important a decision this is, not only for you but for your whole family.

She has written a useful guide to moving to Spain including things you must do once you arrive, in terms of paperwork and registering with the appropriate authorities.

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

9 October 2011

At last some positivity about Spain - as a riposte to our recent dismal articles about people moving back to the United Kingdom, Jasmine from Marbella has kindly written in to tell us she loves Spain!

This does make a pleasant change and she lists the things she loves about Spain. It is a good read because I know many people keep in touch and sign up for the newsletters as they plan their eventual relocation to Spain.

Today our resort guide is one of our favourite places in Spain, the upmarket swanky resort of Moraira just to the south of our base in Javea.

Finally we end on a quirky story which I found in the Spanish press. A bar in Maspalomas, a popular resort on the island of Gran Canaria were fined €600 when local authorities found that no one working there spoke any Spanish!

The Canary Islands have a law that requires all tourism-related businesses to have at least one management level employee who speaks Spanish. Just imagine the chaos if this law was carried out on the Costa del Sol and Costa Banca!

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

23 September 2011

In our last newsletter we featured the true expat story of Kate who moved to Spain, her marriage crumbled and she ended up moving back to England.

Today we have her follow-up where I asked her if she would do another article to let people know how she has fared back in the UK. I know lots of people are moving back so it is good to hear how people are getting on and whether they wish they had stayed in Spain.

Kate's story of moving back to the UK from Spain.

With all the talk of crisis can you believe it but the Spanish government have just released figures showing a rise in property sales!

In the second quarter there were 90,746 property sales in Spain, a massive 22% increase on the first quarter of the year.

So where are all these sales taking place? Apparently they are mainly coming from large amounts of foreign buyers in the regions of Alicante and Málaga. Many properties have halved in value and investors figure they can't go down much more. Maybe, maybe not!

Are you looking to move to Spain and have thought about buying a business? Our businesses for sale Spain page has been updated with some new businesses for sale at knockdown prices.

We are also offering free listings right now so if you have a property for let or sale, or business for sale, email me a photo and a paragraph and I'll publish it free of charge.

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

13 September 2011

In this edition we have an interesting account of life in Spain sent in by Kate who has been a long-time reader and visitor to our website.

A year ago, she finally decided after 6 years of living in Spain, to uproot herself and her children (once again) in order to move back to England.

It is a massive decision in the first place to decide whether to take the plunge and move out to Spain, yet it is also another huge decision to return again, perhaps because of what people might say.

I'm sure many people feel like they have failed and they must be embarrassed when they come back to see their friends and family again.

Anyway Kate's story of her decision to move back to England from Spain is a good read for anyone who is considering moving to Spain, but certainly to those who are considering moving back.

If you would like to submit your story please email us at support@costablancauncovered.com

We have a great destination guide to Palma de Mallorca which is the capital of Mallorca/Majorca. Forget the image of rowdy resorts such as Magaluf, Palma the island's capital, is a historic gem frequented by the rich and famous.

Also today we have a brand new destination guide for you in Lloret de Mar. Something of a Benidorm equivalent on the Costa Brava coast, Lloret is popular with families in summer and young people seeking out outrageous nightlife. Not quite my cup of tea but many people love all that.

my-villa-Javea The weather here on the Costa Blanca is just incredible.

From the 24th of September onwards I have an opening in my villa if you want to come out and get some sunshine on your faces.

It is one of the best times of year to visit Spain as the pool and sea are still hot and you don't need to battle all the hoardes of tourists.

I will do special rates to any readers of the newsletter - take a look at my villa here: http://www.rentvillasjavea.com

Regards

Mark

02 September 2011

Today's newsletter topic focuses on one massive topic of interest to virtually everyone who reads our newsletter!!

Every day I get emails from people who want to move to Spain yet they don't know how to survive financially once in Spain - so many people ask me about jobs and how to find them.

Every day I also get many depressing emails from people who reluctantly have to go back to the United Kingdom, many of whom have got themselves in financial difficulties with regards to personal debts and mortgages outstanding.

Finally I have come across a potential solution which I just had to share with everyone!!!

There is no catch and it won't cost you any up-front fees or administration costs or anything like that.

As you know I am always on the lookout for ways people can earn money without compromising their life in Spain.

I've come across a company which allows you to base yourself in Spain yet fly back every so often to the UK and earn really very good money - and I mean by UK standards - not Spanish standards - and then you fly back to your life in the sun!!

Earnings start at about £400 a week, with no living expenses.

The company I have come across is Christies Care, it is one of the UK’s largest agencies that specialise in live-in care only. So you go back to the UK to live with and look after a person who needs help, such as a disabled person.

Over 100 expats in Spain are already doing this for Christies Care so this is genuine!

You don’t need to be fully experienced, although it helps. That is because they put all new carers through an intensive five day residential training course at their head office in Suffolk. You are fully trained before you start!

And they have a large support team to help you if you have any problems with your clients. They really want you to be a success.

It is hard work but you get to know the company well and you will meet lots of fellow-carers, often from all over the world as well as Spain!

They have been recruiting in Spain for some time now and have found that their clients like expat carers, especially when they can return regularly to the same client, month after month.

I expect a few of you already work with Christies Care.

If you want to talk to someone who has already done it, email Sue at suesantander2@gmail.com - she has been working for Christies Care for two years now, and knows a lot about the agency and how they work.

Have a look at what they offer http://www.christiescare.com/spain.html - you can get onto their main website from the bottom of the page on Spain.

I just had to mention this to give people either the opportunity to be able to move to Spain and survive, or to help people who are stuck in Spain and who are really struggling. If you can mention this on any Spanish forums or by sharing this with people you know, that would be excellent.

Finally, do have a look round our website, we have been adding many new articles and many amazing new photos to really enhance the look.

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

17 August 2011

If you have been wondering why the newsletters have been pretty infrequent over the last few months I can finally come clean.... I've been massively distracted by the renovation of my tired and worn villa into the stunning modern villa with magnificent sea views that it is now.

In fact today finds me writing this newsletter from England as I now longer have a home to go to...I can't get back into the villa for months it is so fully booked... so what is the secret of my success???

Without doubt the major reason is my own website. My research discovered enormous competition from over 400 other villas in my area. The market is flooded with villas to rent following the building boom and bust. Now people can't sell they are renting instead, desperate to keep up with the mortgage payments and not be a victim of Spanish house repossessions.

Despite the competition I found most villa owners to be a little lazy in their promotional methods and many didn't even have their own website! I also found a lot of DIY websites that are frankly awful!

My own website shows off my villa in a spectacular professional fashion and once people have seen it they are very very unlikely to think of booking elsewhere. Look at it and you will understand what I mean.

I'm now offering readers a special offer to have a professional website like mine at very low cost, there is even a pay-as-you-go option. You will get more bookings as a result, putting much needed money in your pocket. Get just one extra booking as a result and the website is bought and paid for.

Also if you fancy staying in my house in the gorgeous northern Costa Blanca beach resort of Javea I will give you a special rate as a subscriber of CostaBlancaUncovered. Just mention voucher code CBU15 in your email.

Here is the link to my own website...

http://www.rentvillasjavea.com

Finally today....

Spain hosts hundreds of festivals throughout the year covering almost everything and anything you could think of; religion, music, wine and more. We’ve selected a pick of the truly strange, weird and wonderful festivals in Spain for your wonderment…

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

18 July 2011

Welcome to a wet and windy day here on the Costa Blanca! Not good timing for our latest new article all about the beaches of Spain.

We have more exclusive content for you as usual - once again I have been out and about taking the time to interview more expats in Spain. This interview is with Jane Wilson who moved to Spain as a single mother. We find out about what made her move to Spain and how she has found being single in Spain.

To read the full interview click on this link: Spain expat interview

Finally we have a guide to renting your property in Spain, many people now have second homes here and it can be a great way to cover your costs or even make a profit while paying down the mortgage. This is a topical article for me because I have just started letting my own villa, of which more in future issues.

Until next time

Mark Eastwood

01 July 2011

Well it is peak holiday season now in Spain with heatwave warnings due to the extreme heat. The heat is great for tourists but unfortunately there are always the dangers of forest fires burning out of control, most of which sadly, are started deliberately.

Temperatures in the interior of Spain in the Madrid region are expected to hit 39ºC. This is why Madrid tends to empty in August with it just being too hot to work and function normally. At this time the Spanish flock to the beaches to enjoy family holidays, the coast often having lower temperatures and cooling sea breezes.

In other Spanish news the maximum speed limits for driving on the roads have been raised back to their previous levels of February (120 km per hour). A temporary level of 110 km per hour was introduced when the price of a barrel of oil hit $115, but this has now fallen back below $100.

Readers will no doubt not be surprised to read that Ryanair appear to have won their battle with Alicante airport in threatening to slash 80% of flights. In a statement from the airport director Santiago Martínez-Cava, he states that technical staff have allocated two areas on the runaway apron on which test studies are to be carried out on the viability of allowing passengers to embark and disembark by foot as demanded by Ryanair in an attempt to avoid the incrased charges for using the walkways.

As of now any airline can use these two positions to see, if as Ryanair claims, the turn around time for flights is quicker than if they use the telescopic walkways.

In this edition we continue our highly popular series of real-life expat stories in Spain. Our updated article continues the story of Sharon Richards and her family of five; they completely sold up in England and began a new life in the town of Albatera on the Costa Blanca. To read the full-article click on this link - expats living in Spain.

We are constantly being emailed by readers of our website regarding the subject of re-registering their foreign licence plated car (or other vehicle) into Spain. Having talked about this in the past, we always gave the advice to just go do it and get it over and done with. You can then drive legally on the Spanish roads never having to worrry about having your car impounded again!

29 April 2011

In today's newsletter we have a guest article on renting holiday villas in the northern Costa Blanca with a look at the different towns and resorts. I know many people are looking to book villas now for the summer and we also happen to live in this very beautiful region of Spain so we are a little biased in saying it is spectacular and very different to other regions of Spain - the beaches are great too!

The Spanish are renowned for their celebrations and we have a new article containing a list of the very top 5 festivals not to missed in Spain. Make sure you try get to these, except maybe the running of the bulls!

Also had a message in from Barbara (see below) my contact at the Costa Blanca Samaritans who tells me about a venue which you can call in to if you need to talk over your problems:

"The Drop in Cafe's doors are open every Monday morning 10am to 12 noon at Laura's at Westbeach, Avenida Gabriel Miro, Calpe (near the fountain at the bottom of Gabriel Miro). Come and have a coffee and a chat with one of our trained volunteers who will listen to any issues you may be encountering regardless of what the problem is, or how big or small it might seem to be.

We will not judge you or tell you what you should or shouldn’t do or feel but instead, encourage you to explore your situation and feelings in your own way. In the privacy of a separate room from the main cafe, what is heard is entirely confidential within the organisation, and you do not need to give any personal information whatsoever when you talk to a volunteer.

A very warm welcome awaits everyone, so please do come and visit us. The Costa Blanca Samaritans (tel. 902 88 35 35) are also available for telephone support any evening of the week 8 pm to 12 midnight."

I wanted to promote that as I think it is important because I know so many people in Spain with problems that they tend to keep to themselves, not realising there is help out there.

Finally I have to say I'm concerned about this Ryanair dispute as I use them a lot to travel back and forward to the UK. They have announced from October they will be cutting back flights from it's Alicante base by 80% in protest at increased charges by the company (AENA) who run the airport.

This has to do with the new terminal which has opened at Alicante on March 23rd. Previously you would walk outside to the planes but now you use the covered airbridge so you don't have to go outside, you go from the gate and just walk on. AENA is charging Ryanair an extra €2 million each year for the obligatory use of these which Ryanir believes unnecessary.

Ryanair claim their threat to pull-out could cost the loss of over 2500 jobs as well as a loss of more than €18 million a year in passenger and turnaround fees from Ryanair, and at least an additional €12 million in lost commercial revenue from the 2.5 million passengers a year who will not be travelling to Alicante by Ryanair from October.

Personally I would rather walk outside and pay less but please everyone sort this out!

Regards

Mark Eastwood

15 April 2011

In today’s interview with expatriates living in Spain we talk to Lee Hartopp who runs the business CB Property Brokers based in Alfaz del Pi which is on the Northern Costa Blanca just to the north of Benidorm. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

This interview will be of particular interest to anyone who is considering moving to Spain and thinking about the option of buying a business in Spain, especially if you are looking at buying a business for sale on the Costa Blanca.

Now that the holiday season has well and truly kicked off with the wonderful Easter weather here in Spain, we just wanted to remind readers of a robbery scam in case you don't know this tactic. I was reminded of this as I was just reading about a couple from Sunderland who were driving through Spain to Morocco.

The couple had stopped to fill up their 4x4 with fuel and they think the thieves slashed their tyre at the petrol station, forcing them to pull over soon after on the autoroute.

A local driver pulled over and began shouting at them for not displaying the warning triangles which are obligatory by Spanish law.

Later the couple discovered their mobile phones and camera were missing. What happens is as you are distracted a robber slips into the side of your car.

Another scam which has been reported near Madrid is the thieves impersonating the police and getting you to pull over and demanding on-the-spot fines. I know these cases can get blown up out of proportion but please be careful.

There is finally some good news for the Spanish property market with planning approvals on the rise. The latest figures from the Spanish government show that approvals rose by 7% in January compared to the January 2010.

Having said that the figures must be taken with a pinch of salt as January's approval figures were down 15% on December 2010.

But could this be the bottom of the house price crash in Spain?

Regards

Mark Eastwood

31 March 2011

With summer rapidly approaching we take a look at exciting news for Spain's tourist industry as it is definitely announced that a new theme park from Paramount Pictures will be built in the Murcia region of Spain.

Also some important, frankly horrific, but at least honest statements from Spain's central bank about the property market:

"Looking at previous cycles, the experience of other countries, and indicators of affordability, the adjustment in housing prices could continue."

It follows up by saying that the 'official' fall in property prices of 17% since values peaked is likely set to carry on falling due to the high mortgage debt burden on households.

The good news is that the proposed strike by airport workers which was likely to cause devastating chaos to travellers to Spain at Easter and beyond, is now officially off. The 13,000 airport employees voted 70% in favour of the settlement as proposed by AENA who run the airports in Spain.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

25 February 2011

In today's edition we have a great first-hand account of Ron Perry's move to the Costa del Sol area of Spain, then back to the United Kingdom and then back again to the Costa del Sol!

I think this is quite a topical article because there are so many people moving back to the United Kingdom and we all must wonder what happens to them and whether they have any regrets of moving back to the UK. I'm absolutely sure that everyone is different of course, but this is an interesting account nonetheless.

Andalucia-beach Quite clearly the reason most expatriates end up having to leave Spain and go back home with their tail between their legs is because of financial difficulties in making a living in Spain. So with that in mind we have a useful article all about jobs in Spain if you are an English speaking person and your Spanish is not absolutely fluent.

Now is also a good time to plan ahead if you happen to be a student or somebody who wishes to potentially work in Spain over the summertime. Our article on summer jobs in Spain will be very relevant. Your best option for getting a seasonal job in Spain is to find a bar job in Spain which will involve working extremely long hours but is also great fun over the summer tourist season.

Finally thanks to reader Brian robinson who writes in with this bit of advice for everyone: "I would like to share with your members how to get bank exchange rates without charges. In other words bank rate not tourist rates. I am member of Bank March where they have a UK branch in London. I opened a London account with sterling then transferred to my Spanish account, thus getting bank rate without charges. It saves me a lot Euros."

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

11 February 2011

Thanks you to everyone who has been sending their Spanish articles in to us for publishing, keep them coming. I was a bit dubious when I received the article entitled 'Seven Reasons to Enjoy Swinging and Siestas in Murcia, Spain' but it turns out this is an excellent guide to golf in Murcia!

Rochelle sends in a very topical article on villas to rent in Spain. This is the time to book your summer holiday in Spain while cheap flights are up for grabs, I just looked and Ryanair have some great bargains still for July and August.

While you are doing that get your car hire in Spain sorted because the last couple of years there has been a shortage of cars and prices have been astronomical, you could have been forgiven for thinking you were actually buying the car!

We have a handy price comparison car hire Spain search engine that finds you the best deal from the various local car hire companies.

Despite many of the economic problems in Spain there is some good news from a recent poll which finds that holidaymakers feel that Spain is the safest destination. This poll comes in the wake of the turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia which has caused havoc for travellers.

A survey of almost 3000 people carried out by independent travel agent www.sunshine.co.uk finds that out of a score of 10, Spain tops the safe list with a score of 9.8 followed by France, Cyprus, New Zealand and Denmark.

Places to avoid with the lowest scores were Mexico (bottom with 1.8), South Africa, Bulgaria, Jamaica and Dubai.

An official of the Spanish tourism office is quoted as saying that visitors from the United Kingdom do not feel like they're in a foreign country in Spain. The roads are safe, hospitals and airports are modern and the Spanish people are friendly and welcoming - very true.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

28 January 2011

Well it's been over a month now since our last newsletter but with all the Christmas and New Year celebrations going on we felt it was worth giving the newsletter a little rest. Okay and we also wanted to put our feet up a bit too!

We are now back into the swing of things and producing more valuable content on our website all about Spain. It seems from the e-mails we receive that more and more people have taken the start of the New Year to launch a concerted mission to escape the United Kingdom and move to Spain, perhaps this year or in the not too distant future.

We moved to Spain six years ago and it was a great decision in hindsight although it hasn't been without its problems and challenges. Perhaps this is a good time to remind you to check out the story of my move to Spain if you haven't read it before. We also have plenty more stories from expatriates in Spain which is pretty much how our website began.

I've been seeing some interesting stories in the Spanish press. One I wanted to share with you is about the massive UK MOT in Spain certificates scam and fraud which has been smashed. Expat couple Seamus and Paula Montgomery have been arrested in Portugal and are believed to have collected over a million pounds by issuing stolen MOT certificates in Spain and Portugal to expats who did not want to take their car back to the United Kingdom for its annual road check.

People paying this €200 which was advertised in expat newspapers could be in major trouble with the Spanish police. MOT certificates can only be physically issued in the United Kingdom to UK residents. It is now believed hundreds of UK registered cars are now driving on the Spanish roads illegally. Even if they have Spanish car insurance, this insurance can be deemed invalid in the event of an accident without a valid MOT certificate.

Now these drivers will be praying they don't get pulled over by one of the many Spanish roadblocks manned by the Guardia Civil. They could potentially find their car is impounded or they are fined heavily. It could also be argued that they were complicit with the fraud as it was fairly obvious this was illegal. If your car is in Spain for more than 60 days it must be reregistered onto Spanish license plates and Spanish road tax paid. If you read our story of how we imported our UK car into Spain then you will understand how we strongly believe that you should do so as you will feel a lot less stressed driving about in Spain.

Just before Christmas the financial newspapers and even the mainstream press seemed to be proclaiming the death of the Euro but in typical contrarian fashion in January it is up 6% against the dollar. Many commentators are now more optimistic about the Euro's prospects. Sure Greece and Ireland are in real trouble but so far Portugal has avoided a bailout and has raised money successfully.

Spain represents the fourth biggest economy in the European Union with 20% unemployment, a cracked banking system and a hammered property market. Despite all this gloom Spain's prospects have been rapidly picking up on the markets with its credit insurance costs dropping to their lowest levels in two months. Good news for everybody with a Spanish mortgage.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

20 December 2010

In the last newsletter of the year we end in a charitable Christmas mood by doing another one of our popular Spanish expatriate interviews with Val Parker who moved to Spain, principally about her work with the Costa Blanca Samaritans and the issues people face in Spain. We are proud to be highlighting the services of the Samaritans as many people are unaware of their existance in Spain.

We also wish to thank you for your kind support of our newsletters. In 2011 we shall continue bringing you news from Spain, tourism features and expatriate information and interviews.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Mark Eastwood

6 December 2010

This edition has been so enjoyable for me as I went back to how I started the newsletter when I began interviewing people as a follow-up to my own story of my move to Spain.

So today we have an extensive Spanish expat interview with Julie Colcutt who moved to Spain two years ago with her young family. Find out how she has got on and established herself with her own business, Alta Villas based in Javea, Costa Blanca and providing all sorts of services to property owners.

This is a great read and thanks to Julie for giving up her time.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

15th November 2010

I just had to bring you this article on a restaurant in Spain called El Bulli. Astonishingly it has been named the best restaurant in the world.

Now the amazing part is that it has been voted best restaurant in the world three times!!! Read the full story here - El Bulli restaurant.

If you have an interest in Spanish food and drink you may also like our pages on the Mediterranean diet, Spanish coffee, paella and Rioja wines.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

1st November 2010

There is good news and bad news on Spain's economic front. Starting with the good news, unemployment has fallen from 20.1% down to 19.8% in the third economic quarter of 2010.

This was generally regarded as an unexpected drop given the perilous state of the Spanish economy.

The bad news however is that prices have gone up due to the increase in IVA (similar to VAT) from 16% to 18% which came into play in July. Consumer prices rose 2.2 percent in October compared to a year earlier.

This edition's quirky Spanish story that caught my eye was one in which roadside prostitutes in the area of Lleida in Catalonia have been ordered to wear those reflective yellow jackets for health and safety reasons - or face a fine of 40 Euros.

Amazingly, prostitution in Spain is actually not illegal and the law being applied to these ladies is one which applies to all pedestrians on major highways and hard shoulders, which is that you must be wearing a yellow high visibility jacket.

Anyone who has visited Spain has probably come across these scantily clad ladies standing at roadside laybys. They are not looking for a lift trust me. They will certainly stand out even more now!

On the new article front we take a look at glitzy and glamorous Marbella in this article kindly submitted by Vanessa Alexander.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

18th October 2010

Well today everything is slightly blurred as we recover from the investigation into German culture, otherwise known as the Oktoberfest in Calpe. Why bother going all the way to Munich?

This fantastic festival revolving around beer, beer and more beer brings together a multitude of nationalities which has to be a good thing. It was good, and slightly surprising, to see so many Spanish people there.

Calpe is actually one of my favourite places in Spain and it is well worth a visit. I always make a point of taking friends and family visiting me to Calpe for lunch at the fishmarket. It is bustling with the backdrop being superb sandy beaches and the stunning Calpe Rock (Penon de Ifach) which I just adore. You can see more on our Calpe tourist pages.

Finishing on a more light-hearted story, one that caught my attention was the subject of sunken treasure off the coast of Spain. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries many Spanish galleons sunk in the Gulf of Cadiz laden with gold and other treasures that they were bringing back from South America.

There could be as many as 800 sunken ships and Spain has sent a modern day Armada into action. Already the Spanish navy have located 100 wrecks.

This has been instigated due to US treasure hunters salvaging a haul worth over 400 Euros in 2007. This is now the subject of legal action with the Spanish government claiming the haul belongs to Spain - it was landed into Gibraltar and flown to the US.

Anyone got a boat? I'll supply the diving gear.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

4th October 2010

There has been a lot of disruption with strikes. A couple of friends sat on the tarmac at Alicante airport before their flights were cancelled due to French unions announcing two one-day stoppages - the next is on October 12th in protest at the government’s pension reform plan.

There was a major general strike on September the 29th to protest government spending cuts aimed at slashing the large public budget deficit. The effects appeared to have a relatively limited impact as currently most Spaniards today accept that these measures are necessary given the countries troubles.

These troubles are fairly well documented with Spain having the highest unemployment rate in the Eurozone at over 20%. This has put a huge strain on the public deficit because of rising unemployment benefits. Spain's public deficit is now 11.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) which is actually the third highest in the Eurozone only eclipsed by the disastrous economies of Ireland and Greece.

Spain’s economy is barely emerging from the recession and the credit crunch with anaemic growth of just 0.1% in the first quarter.

Interest rates couldn't get any lower but unfortunately more more people are suffering from having their homes repossessed with figures from the Alicante area showing a rise of over 30% compared to 2009. Just imagine what would happen if the economy slips backwards as looks increasingly likely.

Depressingly this is what we believe will happen - for all the low interest rates and government stimulation, nothing tangible appears to have happened apart from adding to the already out-of-control debt.

At least the tourism industry is doing okay, Spain’s Ministry of Tourism reported that visit figures in the summer were actually up around 4% compared to 2009. The number of British visitors has stayed the same but there were more visitors from the Scandinavian countries, Holland and France.

Sorry to be a bit depressing today, I guess it is Monday, however we really do have to tell it like it is - at least the crickets are still outside my door making a racket and the sun is shining!

Regards

Mark Eastwood

20th September 2010

Today finds us back in Spain after a long trip to the United Kingdom and I'm just in time to catch Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver filming in the beautiful 'undiscovered' bay of Granadella in the town of Javea, just a stone's throw from where I am writing this (see picture below).

granadella-javea In this edition we have another great contribution from regular writer and friend Nick Snelling who explains in great detail the in's and out's of the Spanish state health care system - is it any good? and are you eligible? are just some of the issues tackled.

If you like Nick's writing you will love his new book which is 'The Secrets to Working and Making a Living in Spain.' This downloadable e-book contains over 329 pages and clearly the book is aimed at any English speaker thinking of coming over to Spain - together with those already here.

The idea is to provide a guide to the realities of working in Spain whilst providing examples of practical routes to earning an income - especially that of making an income from the Internet from the comfort of your own home.

By buying through our link you get the following limited edition bonuses:

1. The first seven sections of Nick Snelling’s highly regarded e-book ‘How to Move Safely to Spain’ (complete work: 345 pages 84,000 words).

2. Four audio interviews with experts on Domaining, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing and Blogging.

3. Full access to the ‘Success in Spain’ audio series – comprising interviews with 14 successful entrepreneurs in Spain.

4. ‘The Estate Agent Chronicles’ – an audio book about how to avoid the worst tricks of estate agents in Spain and how to recognise bona fide agents and thereby potentially save thousands of £s.

5. Exclusive access to the authors of ‘The Secrets of Working and Making a Living in Spain’ on a monthly Q+A session.

Click here to buy The Secrets to Working and Making a Living in Spain.

Finally we end on a most positive (and true) story, kindly supplied by fellow newsletter reader Derek who wanted to challenge the somewhat negative account of property inspection trips we ran in the last edition. Derek reports in about honest estate agents (!) as he recounts his tale of looking to buy property in Spain through an inspection visit to Alicante.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

6th September 2010

For the first time ever we find ourselves writing the newsletter from 'sunny' England. We are here visiting relatives and friends. To tell the truth we are rather enjoying ourselves, most people seem to develop a hatred of their home country and speak of their desire to leave the UK as soon as they possibly can, we don't agree with that view. We also don't find people miserable either as most people seem to claim. Most seem very friendly and helpful in the main!

Yes the Brits are a great race indeed but without doubt the weather is a major factor with our love of Spain and the lifestyle. For two weeks now we have suffered rain most days and this was August! Today however has been beautiful and when the sun is out and you are driving through green countryside, it is almost perfect. The old country pubs are just fantastic too as are some of the meal deals in the major pub chains. We do however look forward to the clear blue skies, sweeping views of the mountains in the background while walking along the Costa Blanca beaches when we get back.

I just think I need to stick up for the UK as too many people knock it to justify their move or wish to move to Spain. If someone asks me is the UK better or is Spain better I would have to ask them certain questions about their circumstances in order to get an idea which country they would be best suited to - there is no yes or no answer.

In general Spain favours older people who have retired and built up a nest egg or who have a pension to draw from. For them Spain is really a fantastic place to live. However young families really struggle and most end up going back sooner or later. The glamour of Spain soon wears off when there isn't enough money coming in to feed the kids.

We also have a story entitled 'Spain Is A Wonderful Place To Live But' from Chris Hawkins which really sums up the frustration of Spain as he tries to pay a simple Iberdrola electricity bill. This typifies life in Spain which can be so good but so annoying at getting things done that we take for granted in the UK. Here in the United Kingdom we find everything efficient and working and people are at the end of the phone to sort things out which we really appreciate now we have spent many years living in Spain!

Finally we had a good tip concerning our new forum in which a reader suggested we make people aware of the facility to post a message and be notified by email if anyone replies to your own post - after you have typed a message you typically click on submit, well before you do so, underneath you can tick a option box entitled 'notify me when a reply is posted'.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

2nd August 2010

It's quite an effort doing the newsletter today, the temperature here in Javea in Spain is 32 degrees Celsius. Doing anything energetic drains you so it is best to remain still and do nothing. Of course if you are one of the many tourists and you can dip in and out the pool, well... it's paradise.

Today we talk about bullfighting in Spain. Many of the local fiestas here involve bulls, with locals chancing their hand by getting in the arena with the bulls or in the port the bulls fall into the sea and swim back in.

So I was amazed to see on the news last week that in the region of Catalonia (Barcelona area) that bullfighting is to be banned after the local parliament voted 68 to 55 in favour of banning the 'sport'. The bull fighting continues until 2012 when the ban will start.

Love it or hate it, the bull fights are part of Spanish culture, we have an article telling you more about bullfighting in Spain.

I hear from my insider friends in the industry that more Brits are looking at buying property. So here is a timely expose of those free or very cheap property inspection trips to Spain.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

5 July 2010

Welcome to our latest newsletter and today we try help you out to reduce the frankly rip-off pricing that you have to pay to park your car at the major gateways to the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol - namely the airports of Alicante and Malaga.

To massively reduce your costs read our guides to Alicante airport parking and Malaga airport parking.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

PS - If you were interested in that Internet course that we did ourselves (see last newsletter below) - teaching you how to make money from working from home on the Internet, then I think they have introduced a special offer to try it for $1.

21 June 2010

Welcome to our latest newsletter and because it is holiday season we have produced two very useful articles for anyone arriving into the very busy hubs of Alicante airport and Malaga airport.

Unless you are booking cheap car hire (in which case try this price compare Spanish car hire) then you will be wondering how to get to your destination as cheaply as possible and as easily as possible. In these two articles we give you options for Alicante airport transfers and Malaga airport transfers.

Anyway back to Spain, if you're anywhere near the tourist resort of Moraira which is on the Costa Blanca coast, don't go to the main beach with all the other tourists, make your way to the 'hidden secret' El Portet beach.

I took my kids there on Saturday, it's the closest thing I have found to a Caribbean hideaway. We had a perfect afternoon which was only slightly marred by a jellyfish sting to my youngest daughter but even that could not spoil it. It seems the cure for a jellyfish sting, apart from the excellent lifeguards medical treatment, is a simple ice cream which instantly cured the pain!

Below are a couple of pictures and we just want to thank Mark and Sonia for sending these in. They e-mailed us after their holiday to say they used our website extensively for their visit to Moraira - especially our restaurant recommendations. We are now using their photographs and their own useful feedback on the restaurants they visited and we encourage any other readers to e-mail any photos or comments about anything Spain related and we will use them somewhere on the site.

Finally I had an e-mail in from one of our readers who asked me if they could pay for an advert in order to find a long-term renter for their villa. I said I would do it free by mentioning it here:

Six year old villa on Monte Pego near Denia/Pego on the Costa Blanca. 800 sqm plot, 2 floors of 120 sqm each, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens. 8x4m heated pool, sea views, balcony, south facing terrace. Oil central heating, A/C Gas water heating. Fully furnished, no steps from road and gate. Would suit 1 large family or 2 smaller, pets welcome, looking at 1250.00/month plus bills for a long term let. For more information contact Bob and Carol Davies on 07889033339 or 0044 1902 896777.

If you are thinking of moving to Spain then our advice is always to rent first because you will almost certainly find the location that you rent is not the ultimate location you would decide to buy, once you have actually lived here. we have a long-term rentals and lets in Spain page giving you more information.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

PS - Couldn't resist two more pics from Mark and Sonia:

7 June 2010

Welcome to our latest newsletter and excuse any spelling mistakes as I didn't get too much sleep last night due to be holidaymakers partying by the pool, yes it's that time again, the tourists are here in droves, the weather is now so hot it is shorts and T-shirts every single day. This year the winter seemed to drag on so long I forgot just how wonderful it can be and when it's like this there is no better place to be.

The Spanish news has been interesting in the last week due to the collapse of a major bank called CajaSur. The Bank of Spain have now taken control of it and injected €550 million so they can continue in business. This resulted in more falls in value for the Euro against other currencies and Wall Street dived also.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) have called for “urgent” labour and banking reforms in Spain and indeed the Spanish Government have now introduced a fresh round of austerity measures aimed at reducing the public deficit down to a eurozone limit of 3 per cent of GDP from 11.2 per cent last year. Unions have announced strikes and marches, Greece anyone?

Basically economically Spain is a real mess with unemployment at over 20%, anyone living here could see it coming with greed and corruption taking place in front of our eyes as huge new developments sprung up in rural areas without a thought for infrastructure such as water, roads and the effect on the countryside.

This all seems so incredible as a year ago the Euro was so strong against all the other currencies but is now so weak that even a city friend of mine is willing to bet me that by the end of the year Spain will have the Peseta once more. This is a story that we are bound to come back to and monitor closely.

On a lighter note this weekend I took my family to one of the most popular and visited tourist attractions on the Costa Blanca this is the small inland village/town of Guadalest which has a castle and tower perched precariously in the sky or so it seems. The views as you approach Guadalest are spectacular as are the views once you actually get to the top of the castle through the tunnel carved out of the rock face.

We finish with a light article on celebrities and famous people who own homes in Spain as well as a look at famous Spanish people both past and present.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

16 May 2010

Welcome to our latest newsletter, I just hope you're not one of the travellers today who are experiencing more chaos as result of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano which continues to erupt. The good news is winds are likely to disperse this so things should get back to normal on Tuesday. Over the weekend planes flew into the ash cloud to gather more data, hopefully it will be found that planes can fly with higher concentrations of ash than is currently allowed to avoid a summer of continued disruption.

Over the last couple of weeks we have been hard at it improving our website. A number of people complimented us on the help we were giving to people who were navigating the uncharted waters in Spain in trying to understand and deal with things such as television in Spain.

So today we have continued the theme of producing practical information for those people who live in Spain or who are about to be make the big move to come to Spain.

Firstly we have introduced a massive new section on insurance in Spain, we have many pages but for now we will just direct you to our main insurance Spain page. Probably the most important thing that we have done on these pages is to list the main insurance brokers who are able to provide English-speaking services to expats.

We have also turned our attention to the subject of making cheap telephone calls within Spain and also from Spain to countries such as the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA. We personally use Europa Network for our telephone calls but we have also listed information from other rival companies such as Telitec and Vonage.

Finally, we finish with some tourist suggestions that most visitors to the Costas would be unaware of, as kindly provided by R Coenen:

Famous Places of Spain

Spain is famous among the tourists for its wonderful sites. Here are some of the sites worth visiting:

Castilla y Leon: The community of the Castile and Leon as it is formally known is one among the seventeen independent communities in Spain. It consists of nine provinces which include Avila, Burgos, Leon, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora. Most of these provinces are tourist attractions.

Avila: Avila which is a World Heritage site declared by UNESCO is a revived medieval town. It is known worldwide for its 11th century walls marked with nine gates and several huge towers. Saint Teresa popularly referred to as Saint Teresa of Jesus was born here. Avila gives its visitors fine walking, good food and a wide range of shopping outlets. And not to be missed are the Avila Cathedral and well known religious art museums.

Salamanca: The old town of Salamanca is a noted UNESCO World Heritage site. It is very well known for its well preserved and remarkable architecture and also the historic university. The social centre, Plaza Mayor is well known for its food and fine shops and most tourists spend a good amount of time here. Both the old and the new cathedrals are a must watch and since both the cathedrals are joined, it is impossible to miss one of them. And finally do not miss the University of Salamanca which is the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest learning centres in Europe.

Segovia: Segovia is another UNESCO certified World Heritage site. It is famous for the splendid Roman aqueduct which was built with 20400 stones and stands even today after about 2000 years of construction. The Alcazar of Segovia which is a brilliant perfect fortress from the thirteenth century and the Lady of Cathedrals which is well known for its interesting ornamentation and gothic style of design are two places that are a "must see" in Segovia.

Seville: Seville, the capital city of Andalusia offers a wide range of Moorish architecture. Seville's Cathedral, the tomb of Christopher Columbus and Giralda, the bell tower are the most important places to be visited in Seville. When you are in Seville, you are right at the heart of Andalusian culture and can witness some bullfights and experience the famous Flamenco music. Do not miss Plaze de Espana and the Alcazar, a medieval Islamic palace.

Costa del Sol and Costa Brava can also be visited, especially if you are beach lovers.

Read About Villa Mallorca and Location Ibiza

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

3rd May 2010

In today's newsletter we look at the wonderful city of Barcelona. Friends of mine have just come back from a weekend away and it put me to shame because here I am living in Spain and I have hardly ventured ouside of the Costa Blanca! It is a bit like when I used to live close to London but never went there just because I knew I could go there anytime... so I didn't... that doesn't make sense or does it?

Anyway, sites of cultural and historical interest can be found right throughout the city of Barcelona and such is the wealth of the city as a tourist attraction that there is no one area that dominates interest. Read more and see videos and photos in our Barcelona tourist guide.

On the weekend we went down to Benidorm to visit the theme park of Terra Mitica. We got a season pass as with just two visits the tickets are bought and paid for and then we can go as many times as we like for the rest of the year. The kids absolutely loved it. I've done a guide to Benidorm's theme parks - believe it or not there are five in close proximity to each other, another reason why Benidorm is the number one tourist destination on the Costa Blanca.

Finally I must mention a dreaded word - taxes. Many people intending to buy property in Spain, and even those who have already bought, do not realise they are legally obliged to submit an annual income tax declaration in Spain. We have a useful guide to Spanish property taxes for non-residents to help clarify tax matters in Spain.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

19th April 2010

Welcome to our latest newsletter. Luckily I just got back from the United Kingdom before all this volcanic ash grounded all the flights. This means I got to go out for a night on the town in Benidorm so I have now added our new Benidorm nightlife page. It sure was a wild one as always. Benidorm attracts visitors as much for the free nightly entertainment with the tribute bands, comedians and cabaret shows and good atmosphere as much as the sun and beaches.

It is handy living in Spain and being able to get to beach resorts that one would only usually be able to visit on holiday. Living in Spain does have many disadvantages but the climate and close proximity to beaches is a definite plus.

Speaking of beaches and tourist resorts, my own town of Javea has seen sense and held off demolishing the terraces of the bars and restaurants on the promenade. But the damage is done in terms of bad publicity, as if Spain hasn't had enough what with many stories of corruption, greed and property scandals. Luckily in forthcoming editions we should have some good news about how buying property in Spain is set to become safer.

If you have any interest in property in Spain read this article about Spanish property developers and their debts from Mark Stucklin who writes in the Sunday Times, very interesting indeed. We can verify this because in our own area house prices continue to be going down.

Finally the storm caused by our I Hate Spain article shows no sign of abating with a new comment added by one very disillusioned expat.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

26th March 2010

Welcome to our new readers, we are now up to 2,300 so that is 300 people who have never read this newsletter before.

This edition is a really interesting one. With unemployment in Spain hitting 19% - and that is from official government sources, so imagine that it could even be more! we take a look at the possibilities of finding work in Spain. We look at what types of jobs can you expect to find as an expat who maybe doesn't speak such great Spanish.

Previously we had an article from an expat called 'I hate Spain' well one of the things mentioned was the lack of customer service here in Spain. On that subject an amazing development in our own home town of Javea here on the Costa Blanca. The promenade and beach area is known as the Arenal. A strip of bars and restaurants line the pedestrianised promenade. Virtually all the bars and restaurants have over the years made the outside terraces better by closing them in with windows, making them plusher, adding in glass curtains etc. to sustain tourism throughout more of the year.

A bye law from the 1980's when these bars and restaurants were closed for 5 months of the year state that terraces must be open and can only have tables and chairs outside.

Now the town hall have taken that bye law and issued demolition orders in the middle of this recession! The bulldozers could be moving in on Tuesday. Hopefully the protests that are planned will avert this situation but with Easter around the corner and Javea to a great extent relying on tourism this is just unbelievable, you couldn't make it up!

Critics of the town hall will point to the fact that neighbouring Moraira has massively invested and enhanced its seafront areas, it is absolutely beautiful. Many friends of ours point out how little Javea has progressed since they have lived here with many areas now looking rough, tired and run-down.

Many people are confused about whether they can receive free UK television in Spain. The subject of what UK channels you can receive is something we are always being asked. Terms such as free UK television in Spain, Freeview and Freesat are always cropping up so we ask an expert satellite installer to explain it all.

For our tourism article I wanted to feature the Costa del Sol because some people believe all we cover is the Costa Blanca - not true - we cover all parts of Spain on our website and in any case much of the advice we give applies nationally anyway. Today's topic is all about the many fabulous golf courses on the Costa del Sol.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

12th January 2010

Welcome to the start of a New Year everyone. We just hit a new milestone as you are now one of over TWO THOUSAND people reading this newsletter about Spain.

Well I'm really enjoying this time of year. It seems like all my past sins and mistakes can be just thrown away into the bin and I can start afresh!

Seriously it really is a great time of year to reflect and make new plans and I know from the upsurge in traffic that currently there are many people fed up with the UK weather surfing our website to ponder about whether they should move to Spain or not. So this month's articles reflect the New Year/new start theme.

Our first article is from regular writer Nick Snelling who puts on his serious hat to ask why so many people who move to Spain end up moving back so quickly. Just what is it that makes Spain spit people out so swiftly?

Our second article continues this theme. It is a fact that most young families moving to Spain do end up going back. However for retired people, Spain is everything they desire and dream of. Read this article if you are considering retiring to Spain.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

3rd November 2009

In this month's newsletter we have a completely different theme. Last month it was all doom and gloom and our 'I hate Spain' article caused a stir. This month we have world leaders, politicians and economists telling us all that the recession is coming to an end everything is suddenly ok, stocks are up, house prices are apparently rising in the UK - personally I don't buy it but it sounds good to me.

So in this upbeat mood as an antidote to last month's article we have posted a reply at the bottom from Shirley Crago - read why she loves Spain.

We have been back to doing what we do best - interviewing real people living in Spain to find out their experiences of life in Spain. First off we had a chat with Ton from Iber Estates in Moraira to get an update on the housing market in Spain and specifically the property market in Moraira which is on the Costa Blanca coast approximately halfway in-between Alicante and Valencia.

Our second interview is with Neil who runs a bed and breakfast in the charming inland town of Montichelvo close to Valencia. He tells us of his experiences and why this could be a good way for other expats to make a living in Spain.

If you are visiting Spain, you don't just go into a bar and ask for a coffee - it is much more complicated than that! Find out about the huge variety and types of coffee in Spain in our Spanish culture and customs section.

Finally, a plea for help! We can't be everywhere at once, if anyone can e-mail a picture or pictures in JPG/JPEG format of any view, sight or tourist attraction anywhere in Spain that we can publish on our site, only it would make the website a whole lot better and more interesting for others.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

1st October 2009

In this month's newsletter we have a highly controversial article called I Hate Spain sent in from Nick Anders in Nerja, a seriously frustrated expat he pours his heart out over what drives him mad about living in Spain.

We really had to think long and hard about publishing this article but then we thought - you know what - many people are feeling this way about having moved to Spain, we should let this out, after all we are not in the business of sugar-coating life in Spain. We publish information about Spain - the good, the bad and the ugly.

We certainly don't agree with all of the comments but we know some of you will. Please feel free to email us some of your comments - we will print them in the next edition.

Also in the newsletter:

* Things I Learned The Hard Way by Barry Ibbotson. Barry is a reader of our newsletter and kindly sent us this article unprompted. He lives with his wife Margaret on the Alenda golf course in Monforte del Cid, about 20 km north west of Alicante.

* Proving we are not just about the Costa Blanca we take a look at the Costa Brava tourist resort of Blanes, which offers a different type of holiday compared to the mass resorts such as Lloret de Mar.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

10 August 2009

Life is suddenly changing rapidly here in Spain, it seems that many of the things we didn't like in the United Kingdom are now being introduced here and suddenly there is an exodus back to the United Kingdom.

Since the introduction of the Euro the cost of living in Spain has been getting steadily more expensive. A year ago I think most people would have agreed that it was still cheaper to live here in Spain than in northern Europe/UK - now I'm wondering if it is actually more expensive!

The credit crunch seems to have led to deep discounting and competition on the high-street of the United Kingdom, here in Spain you just don't see that and I wonder why considering Spain is meant to be suffering even more than most countries.

I know a gym that was struggling to pay rent of €2500 a month. Instead of working out a deal, the landlord demanded more rent. The gym moved to cheaper premises and the place has now been empty for a year - when more and more offices and shops are closing!

The credit crunch is now clearing a lot of people out, sure there is a lot of 'deadwood' going which we are grateful to see go but then many solid long-term expats are going back too! Some people who are struggling told me that in the past you could always rely on some villa cleaning for some extra cash but now even that has dried up.

A major impact is the withdrawal of airlines from Spain. Then if you can get here you can't get a hire car as there aren't any! I'm hearing the car companies haven't been able to get enough credit from the banks and so demand is outstripping supply. One story I heard was someobody got here with a reservation for €500 only to be told that it had gone but the good news was they did have a car available for €2,000 - and they paid it!

Spain has always been a relaxed place but increasingly people are being pulled over by the police and fined for very minor infringements (such as wearing flipflops). Now drinking just one small beer and then driving could land tourists or residents a jail sentence or a hefty fine because Costa Blanca police are carrying out over 15,000 roadside checks and anyone with more than 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per millilitre of blood are considered over the limit (for most people that is one drink).

Don't get me wrong, I love it here and the lifestyle is envious but this is what I am seeing around me and I'm reporting it as I see it. Draw your own conclusions.

Also in the newsletter:

* A quite astonishing letter sent to us from Steve Hall who runs the popular website www.thisisspain.info - the completely brutal, down-to-earth truth about moving to Spain, why expats struggle and what it REALLY takes. Forget sugar-coated replies on forums, Steve tells it as it is!

* In this light-hearted relocation to Spain article our popular guest contributor Nick Snelling finally finds out why he was so unpopular in the UK, only to find himself a 'legend' in Spain!

* Nick Snelling, author of 'How to Move to Spain Safely' as well as 'How to Sell your Spanish Property in a Crisis', 'Taking the Heat' and 'Home Ownership' gives up 10 top tips on how to sell your Spanish property - NOW!

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

30 May 2009

Welcome to your latest newsletter from www.costablancauncovered.com
- we are now up to 1355 people reading this newsletter every month.

I do have to confess that there has been a little bit of a gap since the last newsletter but that isn't because we are lazy but because we have been working on some other 'secret' projects.

One that I can tell you about is our sister site that we started a year ago but it really needed a total overhaul and we ripped the site apart and started again. It is all about restaurants on the Costa Blanca including actual reviews. Please feel free to add new restaurants as well as your comments and opinions.

Spain is really suffering from the financial fallout and the property market is especially hard-hit. It's a buyers market - want to know where the best bargains are to be had?

This article shows you where to find the cheapest property bargains in Spain with insights from many Spanish property experts.

Our website is not just about the Costa Blanca, we cover many others areas, in this article we have advice from a family who moved to the Costa del Sol:

Please also consider sending us your story or photos or anything else you think others would like to hear about.

If you have a business and can give us an exclusive special offer we will mention your business, speaking of which, we have an offer of an exclusive discount for our members of 10% from Easybuy estate agents in Javea and Moraira.

Until next time.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

31 March 2009

Welcome to your latest newsletter from www.costablancauncovered.com - we are now up to 1031 people reading this newsletter every month.

This month I have virtually nothing whatsoever to say!

But don't worry, this newsletter is full of goodness thanks to some of our subscribers who have submitted their stories and useful information to us.

By the way we just passed a milestone - we now have over 1,000 readers. A month ago we had 818 - that is pretty impressive growth!

We have our first contribution this edition from Mark Paddon Building Surveyor who has consulted for Channel 4's 'Selling Houses Abroad' appearing in three programmes.

After 6 years surveying properties in Spain he has seen some 'interesting' things and helped many people out of difficult situations, working with lawyers and assisting in court cases.

In future editions we will come back to Mark to find out what is happening at 'ground level' in the property market. He has also volunteered to try help answer any questions, so by all means e-mail us your questions.

Last month we asked if you love or hate Spain.

Shirley loves Spain, she searched all over Spain for a holiday home and ended up buying and living in Ontinyent.

To read Shirley's expat story click here:

Beryl loves Spain, she bought a house in Moraira.

To read Beryl's expat story click here:

We have a new page listing the top 10 tourist attractions in Spain. Do you agree or disagree? - if we have missed anything let us know and we will add it to the list.

Click here for the 10 top tourist attractions in Spain:

Can you help us?

Please also consider sending us your story or photos or anything else you think others would like to hear about.

If you have a business and can give us an exclusive special offer especially for our readers, we will happily mention your business in Spain.

Until next month.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

27 February 2009

Welcome to your latest newsletter from www.costablancauncovered.com - we are now up to 818 people reading this newsletter every month.

In our last edition we interviewed author Nick Snelling about his move to Spain. In this second half of the interview we get more serious as we cover the property market and the credit crunch.

In fact these subjects make Nick so angry that I thought he was going to turn green at one point, with buttons popping off his shirt and to start throwing tables and chairs around the restaurant.

Nick happens to be an expert on these topics, so much so his latest book has just been released entitled "How To Sell Your Spanish Property In A Crisis."

To read the second half of the interview click here

Just as we were about to go to press I got an email from one of our newsletter subscribers, she had kindly written about her experiences of her move to Spain and did I want it? - yes, of course!

So this second expat story is from Laetitia who is 60 and lives in the campo close to a village of around 2,500 souls in the Albaida valley, which is roughly 30 mins driving inland from Gandia (Costa Azahar).

To read about Laetitias move to Spain click here

This is a great positive read and has inspired me to ask you if you love or hate Spain - how about jotting down a quick paragraph (explaining why) and we will print it in the next newsletter.

Until next month.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

28 January 2009

Welcome to your latest slice of life in Spain from www.costablancauncovered.com

This edition is an absolute gem - by far our best yet. Hello also to all the many new people who have subscribed to the newsletter, we now have 727 readers and growing.

Thanks to everyone who took the time after the last edition to say don't stop writing the newsletters. The newsletter is a real act of faith - we get nothing for doing this and of course it takes our valuable time to produce so it helps to know we are being appreciated.

I also think it helped last time for me to make clear that we only send this newsletter to people who have given permission for us to do so - if your circumstances have changed and you no longer want to receive our information, there is a unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page.

With 2009 here we have stepped up a gear when it comes to our expat interviews. As an antidote to all the doom and gloom surrounding us we been reading an outrageous account of life in Spain from the famous (or should that be infamous?) author Nick Snelling, a larger than life character who lives with his wife and two children in the mountains near Valencia.

So we picked up the phone and asked if we could meet up to find out more about his experiences and thoughts on moving to Spain and how he is coping with Spanish life.

To get a flavour of Nick's unique sense of humour you can read his article about how the credit crunch is affecting his family.

To read the credit crunch article click here:

Nick is a colourful character no doubt, but he also has a serious and sensible side too and he has some superb advice to anyone coming to Spain. In addition he is very experienced in the property industry and has a new book coming out soon which will help people trying to sell their property in these difficult times.

Because Nick had so much interesting advice and experiences to share, we have had to split the interview into two parts. The second part of the interview will be in the next newsletter.

To read the first half of the interview click here:

By the way - when you visit our website you may think you are in the wrong place because we have completely changed the look of the site. We had some comments along the lines of love the content but don't like the design.

So we changed the yellow and red colours of the Spanish flag and went for a more soothing look which so far people have said does look much better - but do tell us what YOU think.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

20 November 2008

Welcome to the sixth www.costablancauncovered.com newsletter.

We have had some really encouraging comments from readers of our newsletter. Thanks because it keeps us going!

It is worth pointing out that we are not selling anything in our newsletters and it costs us precious time to put them together, especially with the going out and interviewing people in Spain in order to provide unique content that we feel distinguishes our site from others.

We only send this newsletter to people who have opted-in to receive it, so if you don't want it then you can just unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom - complaining to your ISP, as some people did last time, may mean we have to consider stopping this free service.

Our latest exclusive content came as a result of being emailed by Paul & Karen who offered the readers of CostaBlancaUncovered.com an exclusive 10% off discount (until the end of 2008) for their newly opened flower boutique, Cream and Browns Florist, located in the Port of Javea.

I decided to go meet Paul and Karen to find out why they moved to Spain and what made them start their own business in Spain.

In another article I put together a number of tips and advice that our readers have been sending to us, I've called it:

To read the full article click this link - 16 Tips For People Thinking of Moving to Spain.

Finally thanks to everyone who responded to our offer to list your properties free of charge on our website. We now have villas for sale and villas and apartments for rent.

I did say we might charge in the future but to be honest at the moment we are just happy to list properties for free because it enhances our website for people looking for these properties - so take advantage and list your property or business for free.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

16 October 2008

Welcome to the fifth www.costablancauncovered.com newsletter.

This edition will be fairly short as I wanted to rush out an important announcement that I think many of our readers will be interested in.

We have also been out and about shooting videos of popular Spanish towns such as Calpe, Altea and Santa Pola.

To see any of these videos go to this page: Spanish Travel Videos

So on to the big announcement - as an exclusive to our newsletter subscribers we are offering a free listing on our website if you have either:

A property in Spain you wish to sell.
A property in Spain you wish to rent.
A business in Spain you want to sell.

To find out how, click on this link - advertise for free

Regards

Mark Eastwood

01. October 2008

Welcome to the fourth www.costablancauncovered.com newsletter.

So what is happening here in Spain?

Well I had a great summer, some people didn't - one person I know was gassed and burgled while they slept, one person had their house repossessed, a few people I know packed up and left.

While that is all negative I can honestly say I'm loving life in Spain right now. There is much to like and other things to detest.

As usual our newsletter and website tries to tell it as it is.

I've got a good expat interview for you which covers relationships in Spain, being single in Spain and online dating in Spain.

To read the full-article click on this link - online dating in Spain

I was going to talk about how the credit crunch is affecting Spain but honestly with all the terrible financial news in your face in the media right now, I thought I would do us all a favour and leave it for another time!

One thing I do have to mention is repossessions in Spain as this is a serious situation on the rise. We try inform you to help you before you get into trouble.

To read the full-article click on this link - repossessions in Spain

Finally, I've a link to the amazing firework display held at the end of the fiesta in the Port of Javea called Virgen de Loreta.

We saw this in September - over a million euros are spent so we go to get some value for our local taxes (rates). My wife gets annoyed because so many of the roads here are potholed and the beach full of cigarette butts but even she had to admit she enjoyed the fireworks!

To see the video click on this link - fiestas in Javea

Regards

Mark Eastwood

9.8.08

The world has gone mad

Or at least the world in Spain has gone mad, or that is how it seems anyway. The tourist season is in full force here in the Costa Blanca and the roads are congested and full of maniacs it seems, temperatures are rising and car horns are being tooted frequently down at the beach area as tempers fray.

So much has been happening I don’t know where to start; well I do actually, because many people have been asking where have I been?

Yes, it has been some time since the last newsletter. In that time I have been obsessed reading the financial sections of newspapers and watching Bloomberg TV to gauge the effects of the credit crunch/recession on Spain.

I’m meeting people each day and I am hearing on the ground horror stories of Brits in Spain – read my full article in the NEXT edition of the newsletter on how the economic situation is right now and how it will affect Spain in the forthcoming months.

Also in the next edition is a brilliant interview with an expat who runs a dating service, we find out all about meeting people in Spain and what it’s like being single in Spain.

I’ve also been busy tackling jobs that I previously haven’t been able to face – like re-registering my UK car onto Spanish plates. It’s taken me four years – read why and what made me take action now?

I’ve also been getting out and about. I had a great Sunday afternoon in which I took a trip up to the town (and beaches) of Oliva. Not technically on the Costa Blanca – it’s actually on the Costa Azahar but is only 45 minutes drive north of where I live.

I took some great pictures and video of Oliva – you can see my new Oliva beaches page here and my Oliva tourist information page here.

It strikes me that Oliva and surrounding area has great potential for the future. No way are the same amount of British there as they are in other Northern Costa Blanca towns such as Moraira and Javea. It means property prices in Oliva are much cheaper yet the beaches are superior, the restaurants as good and in general prices seem cheaper i.e. food.

The only reason I can think that it isn’t more popular is the distance from Alicante airport (it’s a lot closer to Valencia but then flights are not as frequent to the UK).

We finish this edition with a fantastic article (well I loved it) all about expat children in Spain and the schooling. This article actually interviews two girls about their thoughts and experiences. They both go to International schools on the Costa del Sol.

Regards

Mark Eastwood

21.05.08

Welcome to the second www.costablancauncovered.com newsletter.

At last the sun has come out here in Javea after a period of about two weeks of rain and clouds. It seems we swapped weather with the UK who luckily got Spain's weather. Still we do need rain here in Spain, in Barcelona they are even shipping in water in tankers the drought is so bad.

It struck me since writing the first newsletter that I haven't really explained who I am! Well at Costa Blanca Uncovered we have a small team working here but I'm the owner and the main driving force behind the website.

I moved my young family to Spain about 4 years ago. I think in future editions it might be interesting to relate some of our personal experiences and incidents to give you a flavour of life here in Spain.

In today's edition I have focused on the topic of where to buy property on the Costa Blanca, both from a point of living here full-time or from the perspective of purchasing a holiday home. To read the full-article click on this link - where to buy property on the Costa Blanca.

costa blanca website owner Now the sun is out I might just get out and about and shoot some new videos of the Costa Blanca for you.

That's all for now.

Mark Eastwood

19.04.08

I'm a little nervous to say the least but I hope you enjoy this issue and the many more to come.

In wondering what people are interested in hearing about, I've taken the approach that interviews with people will help not only people who are thinking about a move to Spain, but also people who already live in Spain.

I've been here coming towards four years now and I'm still learning!

Today's interview, which is currently exclusive to our newsletter, is with Steve Forber from Playa Flamenca on the Southern Costa Blanca. Click on this link.

We also have a couple of important new articles.

Secondly a look at whether now is the time to snap up a bargain property in Spain. Click on this link.

That's all for now.

Mark Eastwood

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