What's Happening. Positive Sp(a)in

Raining In Valencia - The Gota Fria

2009-09-29T13:17:00.005+02:00

It's the time of year again when the floods take everyone by surprise, schools get closed to the pleasure of the teachers after all they have been working for almost a month since their last holiday and the next one is still two weeks away, roads get cut off, garages get flooded and images of floating cars drift across our TV screens. The Gota Fria has got to Valencia.

So for those who are unsure what then is the Gota Fria? It is a breaking of the summer that arrives in Monsoon fashion and results in things like those shown in the video below. Enjoy it and remember this usually lasts just a few days up to a maximum of a week or a week and a half in the worst case scenario. Be prepared for the Gota Fria but remember that Valencia gets about 300 days of sunshine per year to enjoy talking about how bad the Gota Fria was this year.

If you like the lifestyle information presented here why not sign up for the newsletter which includes loads more information about life in Valencia and Spain and also a free ebook about the process of buying property in Spain. Guaranteed to save you thousands when you buy. Go here to sign up right now and you will get a free ebook about buying a property in Spain explained in stages.

Oh and by the way here is an explanation about how my other site "Houses For Sale in Spain" works

Free Computers For All

2009-05-13T09:00:00.003+02:00

The Spanish government announced in the State of The Nation debate yesterday that all 11 year olds would have a PC to take home next year and that the scheme would be rolled out to the rest of the secondary school network over the next few years. This is the first of many necessary steps to modernising the Spanish education system. So if you are thinking of coming to live in Spain and like the sound of that don't forget that there is more than just private international schools available out there.

I bet they are not Macs!

Spanish Scientists All in a Buzz

2009-04-15T12:26:00.002+02:00

You can see the original article here

Great article by Debbie Hadley at the link above about the findings by Spanish scientists regarding colony collapse disorder and finding a cure for this illness which is affecting bee populations worldwide.

The scientists have found a lone parasite which seems to be causing the problem and have also found how it can be treated. Good news for the bees but even better news for all farmers the World over as bees are the pollinators of flowers and crops the world over as can be seen on the video below.

(The film is great fun too)

A Great Presentation

2009-03-23T00:46:00.001+01:00

Make sure you watch it all the way through. Otherwise you miss the twist. Great use of a simple presentation

Fallas Photos

2009-03-17T14:22:00.005+01:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36444047@N07/3362557642/in/set-72157615457945384/

Above you can find a photostream of some images from Fallas 2009 up to now. Do a search on Flickr for others and you will find extravalencia, holavalencia and many more.

Spain Needs Self Belief

2009-02-18T11:38:00.004+01:00

Spain is getting battered at the moment by everything but it still remains a marvellous country to live in or to aspire to live in. Maybe what it needs is a little self belief and confidence rather than the constant navel gazing and inferiority complex that seems so prevalent. This video has got nothing to do with Spain but it shows what a bit of self belief can do.

Believe In Yourself - video powered by Metacafe

Barter with Bart. New Concept for Getting Stuff for Free in Spain

2009-01-30T00:18:00.002+01:00

Bartering is the age-old practice of swapping or trading a skill or item you have with someone else for something you want or need. Pete Clarke has brought this concept into the 21st Century with a clever website www.barterwithbart.com. This takes the concept of bartering in Spain to the next level and enables people to exchange their skills and time for things they really need.

Pete identified that the main problem with the traditional barter was finding someone who both wanted what you were offering and had something you needed. For this reason, he has established a currency called Barts which you can earn for providing your service to someone and then “spend” with another person on the site who has something you need. This credit system makes the bartering a lot easier and more rewarding for the individuals and businesses taking part.

If you have a skill, service, time or product you can offer, then you can benefit from www.barterwithbart.com. For example; Hotel owners could barter a few spare rooms, Mechanics could offer their hours, Baby-sitters could get new clients, Teachers could offer their skills, Beauticians or Hairdressers could pledge treatments, Gardeners could get rid of excess produce or Decorators could paint a room in exchange for Barts. In return, they can use these credits to trade with other professionals or individuals who have something they are looking for.

Be part of this online bartering community and swap your skills and time for something you need. Register at www.barterwithbart.com; search for what you need close to where you live, visit the product exchange and let the other members know what you can offer. Bartering will minimise your outlay, allow you to make new contacts and take advantage of the skills and products on offer in these difficult times. www.barterwithbart.com will be launching in Spain on February 1st 2009 visit today to see what you could get through bartering.

Hotel Molino Santo in Ronda

2009-01-29T13:30:00.003+01:00

A friend of mine has just won a prestigious award for his fantastic hotel in Andalucia. See what Trip Advisor has to say about this extraordinary hotel below.

"Hotel Molino del Santo has been chosen as a Best Hidden Gems Hotel (Europe) and a Best Bargain Hotel (World) by TripAdvisor® in its 2009 Travellers' Choice® awards. Now in its seventh year, the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards honour the world's best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best - real travellers.

Hotel Molino del Santo Managers and owners, Andy Chapell and Pauline Elkin, said, "These are amazing accolades for us and our brilliant staff. We don't know how many hotels are listed on Trip Advisor but to be recognised in one category as amongst the best in Europe and in the other as amongst the best in the World is excellent.

It makes our new season even more exciting and helps to consolidate our position as the leading rural hotel in the Ronda area. Our bookings for 2009 are already very good and this will help to ensure a great season for us. We are so grateful to our guests for their fantastic support"

Unlike any other hotel awards programmes in the world, TripAdvisor® Travellers' Choice® winners are based on the millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions about hotels on tripadvisor.com™ and content from across the web.

"TripAdvisor travellers always appreciate great values, and 2009 is certainly no exception. The 2009 Travellers' Choice awards highlight more bargain properties than ever before with 190, nearly five times as many as last year," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. "Millions of real travellers worldwide have helped identify these outstanding hotels, recognized for their exceptional accommodation, service, and value."

Contact Details

info@molinodelsanto.com

Tel 952 16 71 51 Fax 952 16 73 27

For reviews on Hotel Molino del Santo, go to this link

Valencia and New York

2009-01-20T22:22:00.003+01:00

The direct link from the Big Apple so that New Yorkers can come and experience Valencia is now official. From June there will be four flights a week coming into and obviously going out of Valencia direct to JFK with Delta Airlines. Prices start at 383 Euros so all of you Americans out there who wish to visit a beautiful Mediterranean city relatively cheap can now do so. (Oh and Valencians can go to New York for the weekend and go shopping)

The 33rd America's Cup Looks Like Coming Back to Valencia

2009-01-17T23:44:00.002+01:00

There have been debates, arguments and my dad is bigger than your dad moments but finally it looks as if an agreement is imminent for the 3rd America's Cup to take place in 2010 in Valencia with Challenger Races in 2009. There are many teams involved in the negotiations which can only be good news for Valencia's tourist prospects for the next two years and also for the property rental market too.

The teams currently discussing the way forward are Alinghi, the Holders (SUI), Desafío Español (ESP), Shosholoza (RSA), Team Origin (GBR), Team New Zealand (NZL), DCYC (GER), Green Comm Challenge (ITA), Ayre Challenge (ESP), Victory Challenge (SWE), Argo Challenge (ITA), Mascalzone Latino (ITA), Team French Spirit (FRA), Luna Rossa (ITA), Russian Challenge (RUS), Italia (ITA), K-Challenge (FRA), Greek Challenge (GRE) and Dabliu Sail Project (ITA).

I find it difficult to believe that there will be five Italian challengers but you never know.

Torrevieja Good News

2008-12-26T21:12:00.000+01:00

Now Torrevieja is not in my area but as Liverpool Veterans played there recently here is their new initiative which looks really cool. This is how football clubs in Spain can move forward

"The presentation on Tuesday evening at the Torrevieja Theatre was spectacular to say the least. The whole project should make Torrevieja the envy of the whole country if not Europe in the sporting field. Apart from the 10,000 all-covered all-seating football stadium, 2 open air swimming pools will be built, a covered Ice rink, rugby pitch, another football pitch, hockey park, updated athletics stadium, 7 tennis courts including a 700 seater show-court, a fully operational residential sports hotel incorporating medical, physio and recovery facilities. The list and plans are truly staggering.

It was explained that all finances are in place and that work will be done in stages and will start almost immediately. Apart from the sports side of things, the Friday market will be moved to the area in front of the aqua park which was were the sand pitches were. This space will also be used to events and concerts with a capacity of 50,000. The Fun Fair down by the port area will also be permanently based here. A superb initiative which will no doubt give employment to hundreds of people in the town and more importantly, give FC Torrevieja the chance to became a big Club in the future."

"Taking the Heat" Nick Snelling's take on life in Spain

2008-12-18T17:35:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago we had a meetup in Valencia of a bunch of ecademists and Nick Snelling turned up to regale us all with his impressions of the current situation in Spain.

Now Nick gave me a copy of his book Taking The Heat and the next day I broke my collarbone and as a result holding a book and turning pages has been, let us say, a challenge. So I finally finished it a couple of days ago and I have to say it does exactly what it says on the tin. A really funny account of an incompetent's life at Casa Desolada. Now to all of us who went to the dinner, Nick didn't seem too useless, I think his own character assassination may well be ever so slightly exagerrated, but exaggerating to make a point has always been a favourite of mine, so these bite sized chunks of incompetence in the full glare of Spanish life are great fun and if you want a stocking filler this Xmas Amazon have it here

Guide2Valencia going well

2008-12-18T16:05:00.001+01:00

My friends John and Chris from PeekProp have started a new website in the Guide2 series. Their focus on Valencia is full of good news today including IKEA and the announcement of two other shopping developments. Check out their page here. And look at the news as it's all good

50th Post so IKEA time again

2008-12-16T10:48:00.003+01:00

IKEA has been umming and ahhing for a long time now. The Valencian regional government has been doing the same as they are worried about the giant Swedish multinational putting greater pressure on Valencian furniture manufacturers, of which there are lots. Finally, it seems that IKEA has plumped for the new Alfafar Parc area to the south of Valencia. Completion will be sometime in 2010 apparently and the huge park already has 91% of its surface area agreed on for new outlets, mostly furniture, that will create 3900 new jobs. More good news from Valencia.

Top Sevens

2008-12-08T11:13:00.001+01:00

Spain Expat is a very informative and hugely complete site about living in Spain. It has a series of Top 7`s of which the link here goes to the top seven Spanish contributions to the World. An emphasis on culture so have a look and then search through the site to find out more info. It's good.

Just to give you a taster

1. Pedro Almodóvar
2. The Spanish language
3. Zara
4. Pablo Picasso
5. Don Quixote
6. The Alliance of Civilizations
7. Sherry

If you crave to know more about the quixotic filmmaker or any others follow the link above. If you have any other suggestions then make them known here in replies.

Liverpool veterans play at Torrevieja. See the story about the Torry Army

2008-12-07T13:08:00.001+01:00

http://www.plus.es/esp/fiebre_maldini/terceratemporada/_esp_//index.html?id=20081201pluutmftb_11.Ves

So anyway, the Liverpool veterans played against Torrevieja veterans a couple of weeks back. Here is a report on Canal Plus, mostly in Spanish, about the game. Enjoy.

Good News in Valencia

2008-12-05T15:49:00.002+01:00

Thanks to my friend Robert Burns for the info. If you have a pension you want transferred outside of the UK he can help you.

Despite all the bad news we are still seeing investment and infrastructure projects into the Valencia Region. Recent announcements include:

# The Alicante Trade Fair (IFA) is to invest 360m euros including a new multi purpose sports and events pavilion.

# The opening of a "Short Sea" connection between Valencia and Sardinia. Expected 25 percent increase in traffic between Spain and Italy.

# Hits Mobile jointly owned by a Kuwaiti Group and Metrored from Valencia are setting up a base in Valencia to target international mobile calls.
And if you want a Hits phone to get cheap phone calls to the UK and elsewhere then sign up with me here and I will get back to you

# Molino Real are to donate 15m euros for the rehabilitation of the Paterna area of Valencia.

And finally, to quote the Chamber of Commerce, the Air Cargo Center in Manises Airport "is a strategic area for multimodal transport since Valencia is situated in a privileged location in the Mediterranean Rim."

It's the place to be...the Generalitat de Valencia.

Misleading Title but Great Conclusion

2008-11-20T16:24:00.000+01:00

Under the title Is the Sun Setting on Solar Power in Spain" The Scientific American Magazine has answered the question in the negative. Have a read of the article here which talks about the advances already made and the plans for the future.

This is one of the areas that Spain will be able to lead the World because of the simple reason that the sun shines here and the will is in place.

Forget Spain. Go to Pyongyang

2008-11-17T22:18:00.000+01:00

I have just received the following from a friend in the UK. I will be immediately packing my bags for the 150m2 average dwelling space in Pyongyang!

Bizarre and not really anything to do with Spain although some of the tower blocks looked familiar for those having visited Benidorm.

Finding my Feet in Córdoba

2008-11-14T15:46:00.000+01:00

A friend of mine, Amanda Hamilton, runs a boutique B+B in Cordoba, Iznajar to be exact, if you look online you will find it here. She has written an article for the Website www.womeninspain.com and I thought it might light your fires.

"I'm the owner and manager of Casa La Celada, my beautiful guest house, micro hotel and B&B on the outskirts of stunning Iznájar in Córdoba, Andalucia. I am also a published artist and I practice healing and reflexology in my "spare" time.

Having had a 15 year dream to live in Spain, alongside a violent and drug infested marriage, the thought that I would ever realise my Dream seemed like a stupid pie in the sky idea. But with a lot of support from family and friends and many court cases later, I departed the shores of England on 12th May 2006 - ironically my wedding anniversary, with my then six year old son, a motorhome packed to the hilt, and a lot of hope in my heart.

We spent our first year in a mountain village called Rubielos de Mora, in the Teruel area of the Aragón province - about an hour and a half from the beautiful city of Valencia. But it wasn't our "home". We were strangers, and worse still, I was a "loose woman" - no husband to reduce the threat perceived by the locals. It was time to move on.

So I packed up our lovely motorhome again, sold and gave away probably 70% of my possessions, and we headed south towards Andalucia, finally stopping in Cazorla after many kilometres and a lot more adventures. Then, when my son went to spend August 2007 with his father, I spent the first two weeks of my August paragliding, canyoning, and exploring the vast province of Andalucia in a tiny little hire-car . and I started to fall in love.

Within days I found Iznájar. Iznájar comes from the Moorish and means Happy Castle - and it truly is a happy castle - teetering atop a huge rocky outcropping that juts out into the vast lake called the Embalse de Iznájar - 999,000 hectolitres of water when full . and my heart was stolen for good.

Within a matter of days I had found a property that would be perfect for us - Casa La Celada - right in the heart of a gorgeous little white sleepy Andalucian village called La Celada with it's own tiny school, shop and divine eight sided church, just 2km from Iznájar itself. I didn't want to buy within the village of Iznájar because, magical though it is, it is all hills and very narrow streets which means that the views are limited mostly to your neighbours' windows unless you are lucky to be able to afford a lake view, to say nothing of the damage you'll do to a car while you get used to the tiny roads. Instead, I have the delight of seeing Iznájar every time I need the bank or post office - a drive that thrills me every time I make the journey.

And our house in La Celada is HUGE! We have five, arguably six bedrooms, three of which are on the ground floor with luxurious bathrooms - it was immediately obvious to me that I could set myself up as a B&B Guest House owner, work from home where I could also paint, and therefore be "there" when my son came home from the local school and be a Mum. WHAT a luxury after the six jobs I held down in the UK!

My son is totally accepted, loved and integrated into our community, as am I. Thankfully we can both speak Spanish which in my view makes the difference between surviving and "going Native". He can play outside in the street on his bike, roller blades, or playing football with the other children without me ever having to have concerns, and I can work on marketing and PR, painting a new commission, practicing healing and reflexology knowing that he is safe, loved and happy in our sleepy little village.

And when we need "action", we are an hour's drive from three of the most important cities of Andalucia! To the South we have the beautiful city of Málaga and the Costa del Sol beaches, to the East we have Granada and the Science Museum, ski resort and the world famous Alhambra Palace, and to our North we have possibly my favourite city - Córdoba - once the capital city of Europe (a LONG time ago) - absolutely steeped in history, flamenco and beautiful winding streets festooned with flowers during May when the huge fiestas begin.

And speaking of fiestas - well Spain is famous for them! A long siesta in the afternoon prepares you for a night of revelry, paella, local sangria and a lot of dancing and games. The Spanish really do know how to party and have welcomed us into their party fold with open arms - I couldn't have possibly asked for more.

But it does get better. House prices were great when I bought here enabling me to buy a second house which has the most exquisite views over the huge Lake and our mountain range, the Sierra Subbética. So my longer term dream is to bring this lovely but abandoned house to the reaches of people who want even more than Casa La Celada offers - I will renovate it so we have little cottages around a huge pool with the view that you could happily die gazing across ...

And when I consider that just six years ago a doctor put me on tranquilisers to survive my marriage, and I used to hide under tables when it was all unbearable, and I look at the successful, motivated, happy and dynamic woman I have become, I say one thing : Follow your Dreams, and NEVER be afraid to make changes - If I can do it, ANYONE can .."

How is Obama Positive For Spain?

2008-11-05T15:51:00.000+01:00

Don't know yet and I don't really care but I feel a lot better today because of what happened last night in the States.

El Bulli,. The Best Restaurant in the World

2008-11-02T22:50:00.000+01:00

El Bulli is generally considered to be one of the best restaurants, if not the best, in the World. It is in Catalunya near Roses on th Costa Brava. AA Gill in the Times today has a great article about it which you can read here, but just to get a taste of it have a look at the following..

"getting a table at elBulli, in Girona, Spain, is an infuriating performance. The restaurant is open six months of the year. There are 8,000 chairs available, and 2m requests for them. Every one of them gets a courteous reply; most of them never get to smell the coffee. The few who do are told what date and when to come. It’s actually easier to get a seat next to the Pope than in elBulli."

Have you ever been? If so post in the comments section. A friend of mine from University is a good friend of the main man at El Bulli and he concurs on the food being the best.

Another Excellent Times Article

2008-10-26T22:17:00.000+01:00

I have reproduced this one in full but if you want to see it in its original form go here.

So what's the story. Well not many Brits are getting too drunk on their holidays in Spain. Maybe they are getting to respect the place. Interesting use of stats here.

Article Starts Here.
Spain's Costa lager louts sober up
by Tom Chesshyre

British tourists visiting Spain are shaking off the image of drunken lager louts on the Costa del Sol and are better behaved than ever, according to the British Ambassador to the country.

Embassy figures show that the number of detentions for alcohol-related offences and admissions to hospital were “minuscule” last year. Altogether 1,931 Britons were held by the Spanish police, which works out at 0.001 per cent of the 17 million annual visitors from the UK. There were 748 people admitted to hospital, 0.0004 per cent of all visitors.

Denise Holt, who has been the British ambassador in Spain for 18 months, said that there were parts of Spain, such as San Antonio in Ibiza and Magaluf in Majorca, that still had trouble from drunken British visitors. She told Times Travel: “This is usually the starter market of holidaymakers: 17-year-olds on a rite of passage. It's their first trip away from Mum or Dad and sometimes they take it too far.”

But she believes that extensive reporting of incidents at these resorts has affected the image of the country: “People love to hear the stories of over-indulgence - they love to thrill their imaginations. The same stories happen every year.” Holt, who is the former British Ambassador in Mexico, added that there were probably more people detained in Southampton on a Saturday night than Britons in the whole of Spain.

“When you look at the figures, it's amazing how many British people come to Spain and how little trouble there is,” she said. “With 17 million visitors to Spain each year, that's like the entire population going every four years. About one in every four aircraft from Heathrow flies to Spain.”

Many of these are filled with expat travellers rather than tourists. There are one million British expats living in Spain, making Britain the fourth-biggest group of migrants to the country after Ecuadorians, Romanians and Moroccans.

Tourists from the UK going to Ibiza for nightclubbing holidays probably do more damage to the reputation of Spain than any other group. “People come on cheap holidays,” Holt said. “They don't have proper accommodation. They try to propel themselves through the weekend listening to music and popping pills.”

She recently went on a trip in a police car with the Ibiza officers: “They know who the dealers are, and they are making sure it does not get out of hand. They will pick them up if they start dealing on the street corner.

There is a slightly different attitude towards drugs in Ibiza: if you get stopped at the airport and it is personal consumption, the police will simply take the drugs.”

One continuing problem is lost or stolen passports: consulates and embassies issued more than 6,000 emergency documents last year. Many visitors are also neglecting to buy travel insurance. But Stephen Jones, the British Consul for the Canary Islands, said: “I think our image abroad has changed. The numbers getting in trouble are tiny.”

ONCE Ticket Seller Shows Total Honesty

2008-10-15T10:36:00.000+02:00

A story has just appeared in Spain which warms the cockles of my aging heart.
The story comes from a friend of mine who is currently down in Andalucia.

"I walked down the street and saw a Spansh tapas bar and walked in. I ordered agua con gas - which predictably they had and picked up the local rag as I waited for my tapas. This is what I saw!!

What an amazing story and one which made me so proud to even be in their country even if I can't add Spanish to my passport.

A one-legged Once salesman kept a winning ticket of 35,000 euros safely for a regular customer who had been away a few days so had not paid for it. Obviously the salesman could have kept it, cashed it and nobody would have known. What an amazing story. As the waiter came over, I asked whether he had read it and he said, yes, and he knew the guy. He'd been selling in town for many years. Wow, I said, "What a gent!". The waiter nodded and smiled. I guessed he felt that a fellow Fuengirola citizen had brought honour to the town,.....and in some ways it rubbed off on him. As I was leaving, he said, "By the way, take the paper if you like, we're closing in 10 minutes."
He asks the following after being here for many years.
When did you realise that you were more Spanish than whatever it says on your passport?

The link is here in Spanish.

Great Story About Black Money in Spain

2008-10-06T14:49:00.000+02:00

Has a country ever been so benevolent with lawbreakers as Spain is right now? The government has come up with a plan to allow people to deposit their Bin Ladens (500 Euro notes usually gained during the property boom years and hidden under the bed or in safes at home so called because everybody knew they existed but nobody had actually ever seen one) to be taken into banks and deposited no questions asked and without any responsibility on behalf of the person who puts them in. The reason is simple, to restore liquidity in the banking sector and rescue the economy. It is being presented as the huge advantage that Spain has over the rest of Europe in this respect.

So there it is, you give an amnesty to money laundering and illegality in real estate transactions to save your contry's backside in hard economic times. A totally novel and exciting way of making sure that the wheels keep turning and Spain can regain its preeminence in shady financial practices from Nigerian scammers.

Another Spanish Success Story. Health

2008-10-01T09:44:00.000+02:00

You of course knew that Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the World and it is regarded by the WHO as one of the best places to live on the planet. What you may not have known is that it has a health care system to envy, with very short waiting lists for operations and excellent pre and post op treatment. Here is an article in Expat Focus that tells you more about what to expect. It is reproduced below for those who do not wish to click away from this page.

Spain's Healthcare Service

by Ciara Carruthers

A relaxed, carefree person may move to Spain and begin to enjoy the laid-back way of life immediately; the tapas, the music, the amazing people and the fantastic weather. Life in Spain is wonderful and there is no need to worry about anything, everything is going great. Until they run into a health problem. Yes, life in Spain truly is wonderful, but it doesn´t hurt to find out a little bit about the health care system before you move over, to ensure that if anything does happen with regards to your health you´ll be able to go straight to your doctor and get it sorted out. So, here is a run down of what you need to know about the Spanish health care service.

The health care system in Spain has improved considerably in the last few years and is currently something which the Spaniards have every right to be proud of. Health care centres are widely and frequently distributed throughout the country and finding the centre closest to you is as simple as going to the government health website (http://www.msc.es/ciudadanos/prestaciones/centrosServiciosSNS/home.htm), though it is in Spanish so you may need help from a friend. The health centres offer all the services which people need on a day to day basis; GP, midwives, paediatrics and physiotherapists. The centres are positioned and distributed in such a way as to be, theoretically, within fifteen minutes’ reach of all residents. It´s simply a case of finding out which one is most convenient to you.

People coming from EU countries have the right to free medical care. However, you will need a card known as the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which replaces the old E111 that used to be the necessary documentation. It is advisable to get this before coming to Spain. In England, you can get an application form for the card from your local post office. This card is actually really for tourists, but for people moving to Spain, it will cover any emergencies for the first three months whilst you secure your official Spanish medical card, known as the Tarjeta SS. This you can get from your local Social Security Office and it too entitles you to free medical care. Getting the tarjeta SS is generally no bother and shouldn´t take long. You´ll simply need to show some official documentation such as your passport, residence card and EHIC card, and fill out some forms (which will be in Spanish).

When visiting a doctor, you are entitled to bring with you a person whom you trust. This person doesn´t need to be a family member, just anybody who you would like to be there. Given that most doctors and nurses won´t speak a sufficiently high level of English, a Spanish speaking friend is really going to help you out in this circumstance if you are not fluent, or at least competent, yourself. You are also entitled to choose your own doctor, or change doctors if you are not happy with the one which you have been assigned. In my experience, doctors prove to be friendly and caring, with plenty of time to listen to your problems. However, as with all things in Spain, it helps to be a little bit patient, you may be assigned an appointment time only to find five people ahead of you, also waiting, when you arrive. It you have a real emergency and need to be dealt with right away you can go directly to the nearest public hospital.

Ciara Carruthers works as a freelance content writer for oppSpain (www.oppspain.com), a company that is specialised in selling new developments and off plan properties all over Spain.

Banco Santander. A Major Spanish Success

2008-09-29T09:59:00.001+02:00

Banco de Santander has developed from a small regional bank to become one of the major players in European banking and the biggest bank in Spain over the last few years. It has now decided that it wants to dominate the European scene, starting with the UK, as it does the Spanish banking scene. In Spain where Santander goes the other banks soon follow and it seems that they have started to open the tap to new mortgages, a tap that has been closed now for almost a year. Expect other Spanish banks to follow.

Banco De Santander HQ in Sao Paulo

So what made the Santander strong in the current market? Spanish banks never bought into toxic debt to the same extent as other European banks as they were too busy being parochial in Spain by funding developers here, hence the huge construction boom of recent times, and also they looked to Argentina and other Spanish speaking South American countries as well as Portuguese speaking Brazil to develop their brands in new markets. So busy were they that when all of the newly repackaged toxic debt from the States was offered they didn't even bother looking at it. So now they are cash rich and picking up good deals like Abbey, Alliance and Leicester and Bradford and Bingley in a sort of Buffett way, buying in at the best time.

So why is the Spanish housing market dropping so much, just like the UK market? The major reason that transactions in Spain are down 26% this year is the lack of availability of credit. The 33% drop in mortgages given out is one of the proofs of that. People still want to buy but cannot because of the restrictions on lending and therefore the market in dropping in price bringing in even more people who want to buy. Obviously there is an oversupply of two bed two bathroom flats in coastal areas but the latent demand for the larger conurbations (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao) is still there as the population grows year on year and rural depopulation increases as people look for opportunities in the cities. If the Santander open the taps again expect the Spanish market in the major towns and cities to perk up, especially if, and that is a big if currently, it coincides with a drop in interest rates from the European Central Bank.

So what will be the next target for Santander in the UK and when will the Competition Commission start looking into their adquisitions?

Still Positive?

2008-09-16T23:42:00.000+02:00

I have read so many negative blogs about the situation in the UK today due to banking failures in the States and the stock market plummeting that it surprises me that there is anyone left in the country. Why don't you just leave and join the exodus? So anyway, if anyone wants to come and join us here in Valencia please make sure to bring a few things.

1) The intention to learn the language
2) A positive can do attitude
3) Respect for the culture of the country even if that means putting up with goats been thrown from towers etc...
4) Money. Two years of it minimum so that you have time to learn the language and set up a business you can be proud of.
5) An intention to add something to where you are. Remember givers gain.

We will be delighted to help you.

Referring back to my blog last week on Ecademy and to my podcast from the weekend which you can listen to here have a look at the positivity pouring out of the first and the news from Valencia and Spain too. It is not all doom and gloom. If you still decide you want to go then get in touch, ask me about anything regarding living in Spain or particularly Valencia and start planning your future. Remember you do have a choice. Sit back and let the media batter you into following the crowd into a recession or get off your touche and do something to make your life better.

(The photo refers to a house newly reduced to 345000 Euros to live the good life in Turis. Stunning place reeduced because the owners have moved back to Buenos Aires and need some cash. See it here)

Is Spain encouraging entrepreneurs at last?

2008-09-09T22:51:00.000+02:00

The mayoress put in a by law that it was illegal to rent out balconies overlooking the pit lane for the recent European Grand Prix in Valencia. Therefore straw hats and pens became must have ultra expensive items for those petrolheads wanting to see a car stop, get filled with petrol for eight seconds and get out quickly.

How? Well as the law was in place eBay and others suddenly became totally inundated with Straw Hats and Pens for 1000 Euros with a free invite over to the owner's house to watch the Grand Prix. Entrepreneurship comes to Spain, finally and just in time to head off the biggest crisis and crash in history, it must be, it says so in the papers!!!

A Story About Falling in Love With Spain

2008-08-03T21:34:00.000+02:00

Here is a great story illustrated with art by Lynda who writes the story about her development as a painter. She has a three week exhibition coming up in Barcelona so if you are around at that time then get yourself there, Lynda will be delighted to see you.

A Love Affair with Spain and Horses

By Lynda Cookson

Having emigrated from South Africa to Ireland in 2001 I found I missed hot-country colours. I had visited Spain as a twenty year old backpacker way back in 1974 and would quite happily have stayed there if life's path had let me, so I snapped at the chance to exhibit my work in Spain at Barcelona's Sala Barna in 2005. Selling a painting was just one of the highlights of my two-week trip - I lost six kilos from spending eight hours each day tramping the streets, getting lost and loving the places I found by accident, gazing at the architecture and absorbing the sights, sounds and language of the city … and still I didn't see everything I would have liked to see.

The markets in particular are my favourite places. Bustling, colourful and noisy with non-touristy everyday life. They're a people-watcher's haven and I ate like a queen - fish, salads and fruit. One day I was amazed to come across a wooden box teeming with live snails for sale! That's not something I had seen in my life before.

Jose, the art director at Sala Barna became a temporary mentor to me and taught me much about abstract work. How, I'm still not quite sure because his English was a few words only, interspersed with many 'um's' and 'er's' and my Spanish consists largely of the sound of dictionary pages being madly turned in search of each word. It must have been the telepathy of abstract artists!

The turning point in my career as a painter happened in Barcelona that week. I found the most amazing book, in Spanish, rich with images of wild and spirited horses. I fell in love, knew I should try and find the same book in English somewhere, but was unable to put the book down until it securely belonged to me.

I went home, picked up my brushes and stopped trying to be a conventional painter. I acknowledged that art comes from the heart and soul, switched on the music which makes the blood in my veins sing … and now happily paint free-spirited horses which charge around the canvas in rebellious and powerful colours. I paint other things too, but the horses are my love and my life as a painter.

My artist's statement is part of my life's philosophy and explains my need to work with many layers of paint, whatever the subject I am painting. I am interested in what I call the 'behind music'; the masks of protection and the layers of learning people develop and build up through their lives; and how they learn to live with those masks and layers; and how they achieve their wisdom.

The 'behind music' is all the parts of a symphony concert in their separate forms, all the patterns of sound, the individual notes, the individual instruments, the emotions elicited, the energy expended and the people involved, which unite to make the complete piece of music so beautiful, soul-reaching, acceptable and exciting to the masses of people who listen to it.

Happily I have a three week solo exhibition coming up in Barcelona at the Sala Barna with the Opening Night on Friday 26 September 2008. It's the end of my contract with them and I would love to meet as many people there as possible … because the more people I meet then surely the more excuses I have to return to Spain again and again and again.

To join us at the exhibition in Barcelona on the evening of 26 September or to let me know the best places to find non-touristy Flamenco dancing please …
email me at lyndacookson@eircom.net
Or call me on +353 (0)91 571 983
Visit www.lyndacookson.com

Spanish Invention

2008-07-23T20:58:00.000+02:00

To put a positive spin on this is difficult but the ingenuity of it is fantastic. In discussing the biggest sporting b**tards the Guardian have pulled out this beauty from Spain. The full report can be found here with a myriad of other suggestions in the comment section

4) The Spanish Paralympic basketball team, Sydney 2000

They pretended to be mentally disabled so they could win the Paralympic gold medal. They pretended to be mentally disabled so they could win the Paralympic gold medal. You just can't go any lower than that. It was only once the team had won the learning-disabled gold that it was revealed that the players hadn't actually been disabled. Not only were 10 of the 12-man squad entirely learning-able, some of them were actually club basketball players. Their coach actually instructed them to dumb-down their play because the ease with which they were winning was making people suspicious. Even then they tore through the competition, notching up a 24-point win over Russia in the final. "There were two or three players who could have competed in our national basketball league," observed Australia's coach. "What they did with, and without, the ball was way above what any of our athletes could have achieved." Sensing that they were on the brink of being rumbled, the team were kitted out in false beards and spectacles to disguise them on their return to Spain.

Fantastic ruse don't you think?

More About a Beautiful Guest House

2008-07-19T08:35:00.001+02:00

My friend Amanda down in Cordoba has updated her website and it now looks even more appetising to visit. Have a look here Just a short drive from the beautiful white town of Iznajar, if you want a really good place to wind down with a great hostess then this could be the place for you.

Some Good Press Finally

2008-07-18T00:37:00.000+02:00

The Sunday Times this week has come up with a greta selection of the 22 best coastal restaurants in Spain. Do you agree with their choices? Two are in Valencia and I have had the privilege of going to both of them. One day I will get to El Bulli though. Check out the article here

Have a great day

The Drought Must Now Be Over

2008-06-09T09:23:00.002+02:00

Rain, rain and more rain. Seville's Easter Week and Feria, since Fallas in Valencia, most football matches from the last few weeks of the season. If you have seen any coverage of Spain on the TV or images in the press recently it was probably accompanied by raindrops falling on the reporters or players' heads.

A month and a half of rain in Valencia virtually every day and the images from around the rest of the country have convinced me that if the country complains about lack of water this summer then there is a conspiracy about. As the saying in Spain goes "En Abril aguas mil" (The equivalent is about April showers) What it doesn't mention is May and June too.. So right now I am off out to get myself wet before the summer heat arrives.

Valencia Tourist Numbers Growing

2008-06-05T11:36:00.000+02:00

In the first quarter of 2008, 1.6 million international tourists visited the Region of Valencia, according to the Encuesta de Movimientos Turísticos en Frontera (FRONTUR) survey of inbound tourist movements. This figure represents an 8.7% increase on the same period of the previous year, putting the Region of Valencia above the average growth figure registered for Spain as a whole (3.3%).

The survey reveals that in the first four months of the year, a total of 15.2 million international tourists arrived in Spain. The Region of Valencia was one of three regions that registered the highest growth in foreign tourism in comparison with last year, along with Madrid and the Canary Islands, and is now the fourth most visited region in Spain. This positive outcome is largely due to outstanding growth in tourism from the main country of origin, the United Kingdom, which increased 4.4%, as well as from secondary countries of origin, France and Scandinavia mainly, which currently represent 52% of all international visitors to the Region of Valencia.

April, the strongest month

April was the busiest month for destinations in the Region, with an increase of 4.2% in international tourism, a figure that contrasts sharply with the trends observed in other Spanish tourist destinations, where foreign tourism has decreased by 1%. In turn, these figures show that Valencia has been one of the least affected regions by the negative impact of this year's early Easter Break. In total, 483,000 tourists visited the Region of Valencia in April, 43.6% from the United Kingdom and 16% from France. These figures denote an increase in the number of visitors from these countries in comparison with April 2007: the British market has grown 1.2% and the French market has increased 17.4%. There was also a significant increase in visits from Italian and Scandinavian tourists, with increases of 16% and 54.9%, respectively. In April 2008, 4.7 million tourists arrived in Spain, 1% less than the previous year. However, when comparing the figures for March and April 2008 with the same two-month period the previous year, a 2.9% increase is observed in the influx of international tourists to Spain, which translates into 250,000 more arrivals.

Air travel and hotel accommodation

The vast majority of foreign tourists who visited the Region of Valencia came by plane. According to the survey, in the first quarter of 2008, 81.7% of all arrivals were by air. El Altet Airport, in the province of Alicante, was the main point of arrival for these visitors, accounting for 72% of all visits with a year-on-year increase of 30.9%. Manises Airport in Valencia also experienced growth of 27.1%. As for the rest of the country, close to 12 million tourists travelled to Spain by air in the first four months of 2008, representing a year-on-year increase of 4.9%. Road travel, on the other hand, experienced a decrease of 3.1% in the flow of tourists. In terms of accommodation, foreign tourists tended to opt for hotels, with an increase of 5.8% in comparison to the first quarter of 2007, which has led to a decrease in the figures for accommodation outside hotels. Over 10 million tourists stayed in Spanish hotels, representing 66.5% of the total. As for travel arrangements and organisation, in the period from January to April 2008, most foreign tourists preferred not to go on a package holiday (68%), whereas the remaining 31% did choose this mode. Both options, however, experienced year-on-year growth of 4.1% and 1.5%, respectively.

Fernando Torres Ad

2008-05-31T16:24:00.003+02:00

Well combining a couple of things dear to me, Liverpool and football of course, this video on you tube of the new Nike advert in Hungary is rather cool.
The effects of Torres, Benitez and the like at Liverpool has meant that many schools have changed to Spanish as the second language above French and there is a great appreciation for Spanish cuisine and culture in this year's European City of Culture. Check out the video.

Fancy Going Walking in Spain?

2008-05-19T09:48:00.004+02:00

Nothing majorly positive about this except to think that maybe you just can do many interesting and sometimes frankly stupid things in Spain. Thanks to Ben at www.notesfromspain.com for the heads up on this video. If you are of a nervous disposition you shouldn't really watch this.

It is the Camino del Rey in Malaga and if anybody fancies going there this summer for a walk get in touch. I will put yu in touch with a psychiatrist.

To Counter All the negativity

2008-04-27T15:09:00.002+02:00

Here is a post I have placed on our Valencia Property Blog I thought it appropriate for this blog too as Spain continues to be a great place to live despite the impending World Economic Recession if you wish to see it that way. However as you are reading a positivity blog you probably won't be thinking like that dear reader.

If you have been following developments recently in Spain in the UK press you could be mistaken for thinking that the sky was falling in as the country grinds to a halt. The British press loves giving grief to others when ignoring problems at home except when it is politically expedient to point out the problems. Look at the news in the UK last week about mortgage approvals being down 47% year on year and prices down 2.5% in a month and you have a much truer comparative picture with what is happening there. Here in Spain, much the same really but mortgage approvals have dropped about 20% despite the banks seriously cracking down on credit. Prices are dropping as many sellers were asking over the top prices. On our page we have some sellers who are British who need to take out money because of the huge increase in the cost of living in the UK. That allied to the weakness of the pound against the Euro has given them the opportunity to drop their prices to achieve a quicker sale.

So what about quality of life. Here we generally wake up in the morning knowing that it will probably be sunny and warm and knowing that when we use the water or gas for our morning shower, go to do the shopping or even fill the tank with petrol that, despite the fact that the Pound has depreciated against the Euro 15% recently, it is still much cheaper here to live a simple life. Public transport is cheaper and you can get about happily by metro, train or bus for pennies rather than pounds. It's not all good news though, electric is roughly equivalent to the UK and phones and mobiles cost more. Crime is lower, people are generally healthier and the World Health Organisation recommends Valencia and the surrounding area as one of the best places to live in the World from a health perspective.

According to the UK press the Brits over here are all bored as they do nothing all day except drink. Untrue again, many of our clients here work in multinationals, in the oil industry, in I.T, in international sales and development roles and they are given a choice of living anywhere as long as they have good communications. Believe it or not they choose Spain and more particularly Valencia as their base and have a thoroughly great time.

So what will your money get you currently? Evidently you have to spend fewer Euros to get a great property because sellers are more willing to accept offers whereas previously they would only sell at asking price. Factor in the need of the seller and you will generally get good discounts but don't set your heart on one single property as there are plenty on offer. Take a good look through the main site at www.valencia-property.com and see for yourself what you will get.

(The photos illustrating this article are of two houses at the following links, Almansa, La Pobla a typical Valencian Paella, an image of the current America's Cup holders Alinghi and the end of a rambling route by Olocau.) For more info get in touch on info@valencia-property.com

The Elections and The Guardian

2008-03-09T12:05:00.004+01:00

Spain has elections today against a backdrop of a typical negative campaign with the politicians taking pot shots at each other. Whoever wins not much will change but the prediction is for the government to get back in. Valencia is in a strange position because it is run on a regional level by the PP and obviously has to answer to the PSOE at national level. Whoever gets in has some great possibilities to build on and a few challenges too.

The Guardian newspaper has been running a series of articles this week comparing Spain and Italy as Italy too is on the verge of elections and if you read the articles you will find that Spain comes out very well. Have a good read and get back to us with your thoughts.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/rometomadrid

Have a Laugh

2008-02-07T16:32:00.000+01:00

If you know a little bit of Spanish and want to learn more I will give you a great site to hear a lot more in a minute but first have a look at the following video. Excellent mickey take of your first term of Spanish classes.

Anyway I have found a great site for learning Spanish through blogs and vlogs. Try it for yourself and sign up for their course. Spanish is a great language to know and not only because of the huge variety of swearing you can indulge in. The site is at http://www.notesinspanish.com/ Also check out their site in English at www.notesfromspain.com. Join the forum. It is rare to find a forum so friendly but have a look.ç

If You Want A Place to Stay Near Granada

2008-02-02T13:38:00.000+01:00

I have been contacted by someone I now consider a friend in Granada. She has a beautiful B+B Guest House in the mountains near Antequera in a small town called Iznájar. If you are in the area and want somewhere to stay or even if you want an idea about somewhere to stay then read on and check out the website link at the end.

Casa La Celada

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Subbética mountains, to the south of the ancient and historic capital of Córdoba, La Celada is a small but beautiful white "aldea", or satellite village of Iznájar - famed for overlooking Andalucía's largest freshwater lake.

Iznájar means "Happy Castle", and it is a truly classical White Village, or Pueblo Blanco, complete with the essential dozens of bars, narrow winding streets and festoons of colourful flowers and fiestas all year round.

One hour from the cities of Málaga, Granada and Córdoba, La Celada and Iznájar are ideally placed for all manner of holiday requirements. For the sports enthusiasts we are in cycling country, abseiling and canyoning terrain, we offer myriads of wonderful walks from the famous El Torcal in Antequera to any number of walks around the lake and surrounding carpet of ancient and beautiful Olive Groves. For the family centred holiday we have our own "beach" by the lake together with the famous Belen de Navidad made by Galleros out of pure chocolate, or Flor de Rute's spectacular spun sugar displays in Rute. Further afield are many water parks, wolf parks and zoos .. but for the children the safety of the streets is the biggest attraction - and the friendship that the local children automatically and wholeheartedly give.

And for those amongst us who simply wish to relax ... we offer here at Casa La Celada a beautifully appointed Guest House offering Bed and Breakfast, where we happily cater for Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Intolerances, a blissful retreat from the hectic lives we live ....

Suites with jacuzzi baths and four poster beds; twin rooms tastefully furnished; a huge and well supplied sitting room; and above all our roof terrace with hot tub, barbeque, sunbathing and shaded seating areas.

We look forward to welcoming people from all walks of life to our own Piece of Paradise.

Visit us at our website www.casa-la-celada.com

January Weather and Life

2008-01-19T13:05:00.000+01:00

I have a friend back in London at the moment on a visit and every time he sends an email he ends with the words "brass monkey weather" Here in Valencia I can see the sun at the moment. Yesterday was T-Shirt weather and when playing football at 5.30pm yesterday let us just say that we were sweating profusely.

Today again is a really sunny day and the kids are playing in the garden. The garden is full of trees with lemon trees in full producing mode and a lovely lawn that isn't too muddy to play on. This evening we will go out for a walk as the fiestas are on in the town and that of course in Valencia means Fireworks, bonfires and more fireworks.

Now when you hear about Spain in the news the picture painted is usually a black one these days but from a quality of life perspective I really wouldn't wish to be anywhere else at the moment.

Global Warming to be Addressed

2007-11-10T13:47:00.000+01:00

The recent joint Nobel Prize winners the IPCC, are holding their annual meeting in Valencia this week from the 12th-17th of November so expect traffic jams and lots of extra security.
They are preparing to release their annual report which will point out areas where urgent action needs to be taken. Why is this positive? Well, they are seen to be doing something and Valencia has been chosen for this major event.

You Know You Have Lived in Spain When...

2007-11-03T12:26:00.000+01:00

Thought it would be good to put a few light hearted things on here. I particularly like 3, 20, 28, 38 and the last one.

This list comes from a great group on Facebook. Here Join the group.

1) You think adding lemonade, fanta or even coke to red wine is perfectly acceptable. Especially at lunch time.

2) You can't get over how early bars & clubs shut back home - surely they're shutting just as you should be going out?

3) You aren't just surprised that the plumber/decorator has turned up on time, you're surprised he turned up at all.

4) You've been part of a botellon.

5) You think it's fine to comment on everyone's appearance.

6) Not giving every new acquaintance dos besos seems so rude.

7) You're shocked by people getting their legs out at the first hint of sun - surely they should wait until at least late June?

8) On msn you sometimes type 'jajaja' instead of 'hahaha'

9) You think the precious aceite is a vital part of every meal. And don't understand how anyone could think olive oil on toast is weird.

10) You're amazed when TV ad breaks last less than half an hour, especially right before the end of films.

11) You forget to say please when asking for things - you implied it in your tone of voice, right?

12) You love the phenomenon of giving 'toques' - but hate explaining it in English

14) You don't see sunflower seeds as a healthy snack - they're just what all the cool kids eat.

15) You know what a pijo is and how to spot one.

16) Every sentence you speak contains at least one of these words: 'bueno,' 'coño,' 'vale,' 'venga,' 'pues nada'...

17) You know what 'resaca' means. And you probably had one at least once a week when you lived in Spain.

18) You know how to eat boquerones.

19) A bull's head on the wall of a bar isn't a talking point for you, it's just a part of the decor.

20) You eat lunch after 2pm & would never even think of having your evening meal before 9.

21) You know that after 2pm there's no point in going shopping, you might as well just have a siesta until 5 when the shops re-open.

22) If anyone insults your mother, they better watch out...

23) You know how to change a bombona. And if you don't, you were either lazy or lucky enough to live somewhere nice.

24) It's not rude to answer the intercom to your flat by asking 'Quien?' (or maybe that was just my flatmate...)

25) You don't accept beer that's anything less than ice-cold.

26) The fact that all the male (or female) members of a family have the same first name doesn't surprise you.

27) The sound of mopeds in the background is the soundtrack to your life.

28) You know that the mullet didn't just happen in the 80s. It is alive and well in Spain.

29) You know the differenc between cojones and cajones, tener calor and estar caliente, bacalao and bakalao, pollo and polla...and maybe you learned the differences the hard way!

30) On a Sunday morning, you have breakfast before going to bed, not after you get up.

31) You don't see anything wrong with having a couple of beers in the morning if you feel like it.

32) Floors in bars are an ideal dumping ground for your colillas, servilletas etc. Why use a bin?!

33) You see clapping as an art form, not just a way to express approval.

34) You know ensaladilla rusa has nothing to do with Russia.

35) When you burst out laughing every time you see a Mitsubishi Pajero (thanks Stuart Line for reminding me of that one!)

36) You have friends named Jesus, Jose Maria, Maria Jose, Angel, maybe even Inmaculada Concepcion...

37) You know that 'ahora' doesn't really mean now. Hasta ahora, ahora vuelvo...etc

38)When you make arrangements to meet friends at 3, the first person turns up at 3.15...if you're lucky!

39) Central heating is most definitely a foreign concept. In winter, you just huddle around the heater under the table & pull the blanket up over your knees...and sleep with about 5 blankets on your bed!

40) Most women under 30 own a pair of those attractive 'Aladdin' style trousers with the crotch around the knees (you know what I mean!)

41) Aceite de oliva is 'muy sano', of course. So you help yourself to a bit more.

42)When women think that clear bra straps are in fact invisible.

43) When it's totally normal for every kitchen to have a deep-fat fryer but no kettle.

44) Te cagas en la leche....

45) To avoid that cheap Eristoff vodka you have to ask for 'un esmirnoff'

46) When you know what a guiri is / have been called one

47) When you add 'super' in front of any adjective for emphasis

48) When it's completely normal for men and women to have at least one facial piercing

49) When you pay for something that's, say, 8.50, you always ask, 'Quieres el cincuenta?'

50) Blonde girls actually start to think their name is 'rubia'

51) When you accept that paying with a 50 euro note is going to get you a dirty look if you're buying something that costs less than 40 euros

52) If something is great, it's 'de puta madre'

53) You can eat up to 5 times a day - first breakfast, 2nd breakfast around 11.30, almuerzo, merienda, cena

The Real Truth About the Market

2007-10-28T00:59:00.001+02:00

If you believed all the hype about what is happening in the Spanish property market then you would be looking for the blood letting everywhere. While it is true that the market has slowed considerably compared with five years ago, we at Valencia Property said for many years, rises year on year of over 20% in property values were not sustainable. However bear in mind the following. Foreign investment in Spain in the first six months of 2007 went up by 30% compared with the same period last year.

My explanation is that Russian money is flowing into the country and all of the immigrants from South America and Eastern Europe are now starting to settle into jobs here and want to buy property. Short term prices may start to fall but long term the future looks pretty stable due to the increasing immigration and disparity between demand in large cities and availability. It is also a good time to rent out properties that you may have bought some time ago as demand is growing because higher interest rates are moving some people out of the possibility of buying. Expect rates to start dropping next year.

Levante Win A Trophy

2007-10-01T11:19:00.000+02:00

Levante are the other team in Valencia. The one supported by thos living in the port and beach areas. They do not have a great history but now their only ever trophy is to be remembered. Could this be a sign that finally the Spanish are coming to terms with the stupidity of the divisions caused by the Civil War from 1936-9? Hopefully it is.

The article is taken from the Guardian newspaper and the url is here.

Levante pick up football trophy - 70 years on

Levante sit bottom of the Spanish football league, with a single point, and were thrashed 4-1 by Barcelona on Saturday. But Levante will be picking up one trophy this year - even if it is 70 years overdue. The Spanish parliament has voted to recognise Levante's victory in the Republican Cup final of July 18 1937, a game that had long been wiped from the official records.

In 1937 Spain was divided; the fascist forces of Franco occupied just over half of the country, while the republicans were besieged on the other side. Football still had its place, and the eight clubs on the republican side organised their own league, with the four top-placed teams competing for the Republican Cup, an offshoot of the King's Cup, the Spanish equivalent of the FA Cup. That year Barcelona, having won the league, went on a tour of the US and Mexico to raise money for the republic, allowing fifth-placed Levante to take their place in the cup. Levante went on to beat their cross-town rivals Valencia 1-0 to lift the only trophy the club has ever won.

But Franco's regime rejected the republican league and cup, removing all mention of Levante's victory from the record books. The only evidence of Levante's win comes from newspaper reports and their fans' memories. One fan in particular was desperate to get the history books rewritten. Xavier Rius appealed to the Spanish football federation to reinstate their victory, but initially met with little success. He went to the Valencian MP Isaura Navarro of the leftwing IU-IVC, who took the issue to parliament. Success was achieved last week, with the help of a rebellious centre-right People's party MP. Parliament approved a call for the football federation to recognise the Republican Cup. Seventy years on, Levante's long-suffering fans can finally celebrate their one trophy.

A Positive Turn On Immigration

2007-08-25T19:47:00.000+02:00

The Spanish secretary of state for EU affairs, Alberto Navarro, claims that over the last six years Spain has become the second emigration destination country in the world, after the US.
He said there are some five million legal migrants living in Spain, more than half of whom are from EU countries. Two million are from Latin America and the rest are largely from North Africa and Eastern Europe. He added that it is estimated there are a further 700,000 people who are living in Spain illegally.
He did not say how many immigrants are only here on a temporary basis, on their way to a third country.
“It is this government’s opinion that immigrants should accept and assume the culture and traditions of the host country and I consider immigration to be a wholly positive phenomenon,” he said.
“Statistics show that 50% of Spain’s economic growth can be attributed to the effects of immigration and half of all jobs being created here are being taken up by immigrants. Every year 600,000 immigrants join our labour force.”

All Eyes On Valencia

2007-08-16T15:42:00.000+02:00

A great article taken from the San Francisco Chronicle. The original can be viewed here.

All eyes are on Valencia, Spain, vibrantly transformed by native architect Santiago Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences. It's an extraordinary complex of futuristic buildings surrounded by shimmering water and sweeping green spaces.

Architect Frank Gehry put Spain's northern port city of Bilbao on the map when his curvaceous Guggenheim Bilbao Museum opened 10 years ago. Valencia's newfound panache extends to its port, elegantly rejuvenated to coincide with the America's Cup competition, which the city hosted in June. Befitting the jet-set yachting event, the seafront has chic restaurants, glittery hotels and broad promenades of palm trees and lavish flower beds.

Yet long before the media began trumpeting the America's Cup, Valencia's Turia Gardens attracted international attention. The project goes back to 1957, when floodwaters devastated the Ciutat Vella, the historic district, and threw the province into chaos. In an effort to avoid another such deluge, the government diverted the Turia River. Rather than turn the dry riverbed into a highway, a proposal rejected by Valencia's residents, the city made it into a public "green zone."

Architect Ricardo Bofill led the gardens' planning during the 1980s. Bofill imagined a greensward meandering through Valencia toward the sea. The former dry riverbed - a 105-square-mile expanse - comprises sports facilities, bike paths, exercise stations and lush gardens. Visitors can stroll eastward around the heart of old Valencia's serpentine streets and plazas, rich with Baroque, Romanesque, Gothic and Islamic architecture.

Here, running parallel to the riverbed, is the 19th century Alameda, a leafy, Moorish-inspired walkway. In contrast, a series of evocative bridges define the newly landscaped Turia spaces, unfolding as you amble toward the site of the City of Arts and Sciences.

Approaching Exposition Bridge, you'll observe its startlingly contemporary white-bowed form, playing off the tactile stone wall of the riverbed, resonant of centuries past. The iconic span, designed by Calatrava in 1995, is affectionately referred to as "the comb" by locals.

The old wall continues to embrace the walkway with a view to Flower Bridge. A popular pedestrian crossing constructed in 2002, its masses of colorful blooms are replanted seasonally.

Bofill's modernist aesthetic characterizes the Turia area, linking the 16th century Bridge of the Sea, where a spacious, circular pool below evokes the river, to the Bridge of the Guardian Angel.

Bofill laid out the parcel in a symmetrical, rectilinear arrangement, softening the straight lines with a lush green oasis that incorporates groves of orange trees with an orderly progression of fountains set into the ground and enlivened by red-tinted walls.

The fountains serve as a gateway to Valencia's Palace of Music, where concrete colonnades articulate the palace's formal courtyards. Characterized by olive trees, emerald lawns and elaborately patterned carpet bedding, the popular spot is animated by a vast reflecting pool with dancing water jets synchronized with music from the concert hall.

The mirror image of Bofill's design is restated in the path beyond, its soothing geometry leading directly to the recently completed urban complex of the City of Arts and Sciences.

The gleaming white buildings of glass, steel and concrete have risen in a formerly depressed industrial area near the sea.

Exhibitions and performances take place in the arts center, science museum, oceanographic park (designed by Felix Candela) and combined planetarium, IMAX theater and Laserium. The vast, undulating grounds are densely planted with swathes of fragrant herbs and trees, which will braid together as they reach maturity.

This mecca of art and technology has some magical effects. One concept involves pencil cypresses breaking the surface of the pale blue water encircling L'Hemisferic, the planetarium building inspired by the human eye.

The domed entry pavilion, L'Umbracle, stands atop the parking garage. Designed as a public space, the innovative open-air structure captures the imagination with its clarity of light, illuminating allees of palm trees, ornamental vines and aromatic specimens.

Adding to the impact, Calatrava created emphatic sculptural forms sheathed in mosaics to house elevators and mask air-conditioning units.

The scope of the Turia is growing. Recent additions include the 86-acre Cabecera Park at the western boundary, which formally connects the diverted river to its former site. The parkland's reconfigured terrain gives rise to naturalistic hills and a lake, threaded with winding paths culminating in a series of overlooks.

Plantings emulate a Mediterranean pinewood and natural wetland habitat, enhanced by enclaves of exotic trees. And work goes forward on the Bioparc, a natural zoo reserve adjoining Cabecera.

A few hours south of Barcelona, perched on the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is drawing garden lovers to neighborhoods vivified by 21st century landscapes.

More secret gardens both old and new await. The achingly romantic Monforte Gardens hold sway in the city center and are not to be missed. A classical, mid-19th century gem encompassing magnificent statuary, murmuring fountains and a pool shaped like a water lily, its garden rooms are given form by clipped hedging, while a canopy of cypresses, laurels and pines offers a haven from the sun.

Horse Racing on Sand. Red Rum all over again

2007-08-07T22:57:00.000+02:00

Hi Again and welcome to a story of tourism that is positive because it is so unusual, and no I don't mean the Tomatina, that is next week in Buñol. Thanks to Typically Spanish for the story.

Along the shore of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, these are the oldest official horse races in Spain

The oldest officially-regulated horse race which still exists in Spain today was held on the beach in 1845 in one of the three towns of Cádiz province which, together with Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa María, make up the world-famous sherry triangle: Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Lying in the northwest of Cádiz province, on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Sanlúcar de Barrameda has a long history which dates back to pre-Roman times. It was later the site of a defensive fort during the Moorish occupation, and, once retaken by the Castilian monarchy, was first a major trading port and then one of the points of departure for the conquistadores after the discovery of the New World.
Christopher Columbus set sail from Sanlúcar on his third voyage in 1498. Another historical departure came in 1519, when the explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, set sail with 270 men on his attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

According to tradition, the Carreras de Caballos owe their origins to the informal races which used to take place between the owners of the working horses which were used to transport fish from the former port of Bajo de Guía to the local markets and other nearby towns.

The first race was organised by an association which was set up specifically to promote the Andalucía breed of horse, the Sociedad de Carreras de Caballos de Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It has been held almost without interruption ever since, and now straddles the festivities held in honour of the town’s patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Caridad Coronada.

This annual race on the flat southern sands of this part of Andalucía is today renowned all over the world, and has been classed as International Tourism Interest since 1997. The King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, is Honorary President of the Racing Club.

The races take place every August, and are spread over two separate three-day events.
At low-tide at the mouth of the Guadlquivir River, just as the sun is setting, and with the marshes of the Doñana National Park as the backdrop across the other side of the river.

The racehorses run for distances ranging between 1.2 and 2 kilometres, while a crowd of thousands watches jockeys from Spain and elsewhere in Europe resplendent in their racing colours as the horses’ hooves pound across the wet sands. There is official betting, with an unofficial system run by children on the side, and total prize money running into the millions.

The largest purse is awarded during the last weekend of the races, for the first horse to cross the line in the two kilometre stretch in the Gran Premio Ciudad de Sanlúcar.

Spanish farmers modernize water control

2007-08-05T22:36:00.000+02:00

Fantastic Article in a newspaper in South Carolina, The State, about how Spanish farmers are leaving behind the traditional Moorish irrigation methods.

VALENCIA, Spain --
The Moorish invaders who once ruled Spain brought with them a clever irrigation system that helped turn arid land into verdant fields. A millennium later it is still largely in use, and Spain remains one of Europe's breadbaskets.

But after years of chronic drought coupled with vastly increased water use, not to mention worrying climatic change, farm groups have realized it's high time for change.

Spain's federation of irrigators, known as Fenacore, is promoting an initiative to computerize Spain's irrigation system by 2010, connecting some 500,000 farmers to an irrigation network headquartered outside Madrid.

The scheme should allow valuable water to be monitored and controlled by computer, drop by precious drop.

"We're jumping from the 13th century to the 21st century," said Juan Valero, Fenacore's secretary general.

While computer-assisted irrigation is not new, Fenacore believes no other country is organizing it at a national level. So far 200,000 farmers have signed up for the project, Valero said.

"The only way to manage water is to measure how much enters each channel, and computer technology is the best way to do this," he said.

Farmers are being encouraged to move away from outdated, wasteful Moorish-style flood irrigation systems toward drip and dispersion irrigation. They are also asked to lay highly efficient telecommunications cables alongside main water conduits so that the irrigation grid can be monitored from a national computer center.

"In almost half of Spain, the irrigation technique used is flooding, which uses up to three or four times more than the water that is necessary," Environment Minister Cristina Narbona said recently.

Fenacore estimates computerized irrigation will mean up to 20 percent water savings.

Spanish scientists use maths to cure terminal liver cancer

2007-08-01T20:00:00.000+02:00

This is a story that appeared in 2005. Steps have been taken since but it is quite fascinating.

By using a mathematical formula designed to strengthen the immune system, a team of scientists in Spain have succeeded in curing a patient who was in the last stage of terminal liver cancer.

The team of researchers from the Complutense University in Madrid believe that this discovery could open new doors for the treatment of solid cancerous tumours.

The new treatment was developed in 1998 by a team led by Antonio Bru, a physicist who bases his theory on the idea that the evolution of solid tumors depends on a mathematical equation which defines their biological growth. An equation is then obtained in the laboratory and used to design a therapy to destroy the tumor.

The scientists, who have carried out successful tests on mice over the past few years, announced yesterday that the only human experiment they have carried out so far has been a complete success.

Apparantly the patient was suffering from liver cancer which had been diagnosed by his doctors as terminal and in its final stage. The scientists used a mathematical formula to create a treatment based on neutrofiles that strengthened the patient's immune system. The patient responded well to the treatment immediately and has since made a total recovery and has returned to work.

The treatment produces no side effects.The Spanish scientists believe that their theory could be applied to treat all kinds of solid tumors although they will need to carry out many more tests on human patients before they can be sure.

Closed for Holidays

2007-07-12T10:41:00.001+02:00

We are closed from today until the 26th of this month for holidays. If you need to get in touch, want to offer up an article for consideration or anything else then feel free to get in touch on grahunt@gmail.com. There may be a delay in replying but anything urgent will be answered asap. Leave email address and phone number to contact.

Valencia From Above

2007-07-04T22:50:00.000+02:00

Fancy a look at what Valencia has to offer from above. Well this is just a lovely compilation.

Spain vs India

2007-06-29T23:39:00.000+02:00

I just love this. We are always reminded that driving in Spain is like taking your life in your hands. Well recently with the new points licence apparently driving has become a lot safer despite the police being rather zealous in their approach to the new law. Deaths, accidents and cautions are all down and apparently speeding is drastically down.

However even without the new laws driving in Spain will never be like driving in India and that is the positive news story for today. Enjoy the video.

Inspiration and Favourite Places

2007-06-29T00:21:00.000+02:00

My life in Spain is differentiated into two different parts. Firstly, the wet North and Asturias, one of the most beautiful areas in the World (In my very humble opinion). Then down to the Mediterranean lifestyle of Valencia, a fantastic place to live and work. The landscapes are different, the people are different and the lifestyles are different.

However there are also other places in Spain that are special to me and here I have included some photos of the most impressive places I have been to in Spain, for whatever reason, nostalgia, wow factor or simply put pure beauty.

Have a good look. If you have any questions about any of the places or would like to know where they are then get in touch with me on devanio66@gmail.com

Spain's National Anthem to Get Words

2007-06-26T23:30:00.000+02:00

Thanks to the Washington Post for this story, an oldie but goody. This story has been going around the place for some time now but it has just been picked up by the Americans. So here it is in all its glory. For a more irreverant view on the story go to the following link.
The picture is of a confused looking Spanish national Team in the 98 World Cup humming and making it up as they go along. If you have any suggestions (And they must include the words "Going home in the quarters" I think) then send them into Marca.

ARTICLE
Spaniards never have to worry about forgetting the words to their national anthem. It has none.

Now, however, the country has embarked on trying to come up with lyrics _ a task that some see as leading to a perilous fight.

The wordless anthem has often caused consternation among onlookers from other nations at international events such as soccer matches and Olympics because all Spaniards can do is hum along to its tune.

"It gives me a very odd feeling that people should sing 'La, la, la,' or 'Chunda, chunda, chunda,'" said Alejandro Blanco, president of Spain's Olympic Committee. "Spain is a country with cheerful people who sing at any opportunity, so why shouldn't they be able to sing the words of a national anthem?"

Staunchly Catholic Spain has for centuries intoned religious rites such as the "Angelus devotion" instead of rallying round an anthem, although one existed mainly for use at military occasions.

Paradoxically, during the 1939-75 military dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco, the national anthem was rarely heard and it has only re-emerged with a return to democracy in 1977.

Franco's iron grip on government and the destructive civil war that preceded it have left a nation that is divided not just along traditional regional lines _ based on the ancient kingdoms that united centuries ago to form modern Spain _ but also politically.

"I doubt very much anyone will be able to come up with words that everyone will be happy with," said Jose Guzman, a 42-year-old businessman.

Although the idea of setting words to the national anthem was first voiced by the Association of Victims of Terrorism, a group linked to the conservative opposition Popular Party, Blanco said the current initiative is free of politics.

"The politically independent Spanish Olympic Committee put forward the idea," said Blanco, who added that many sectors of society have responded with enthusiasm.

Some observers think trying to find words most people will have no qualms about intoning at public functions is going to be a near-impossible task.

"Look, Spain has so many languages, what are they going to do, set each stanza in a different tongue?" said Juan Suarez, presenter of musical radio show "La Ciudad Invisible" _ "The Invisible City" _ on national station Radio 3.

Spaniards speak at least five regional languages _ not including dialects _ and share the distinction of having no words to their anthem with a handful of countries, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose anthem was written in 1985, and tiny San Marino, whose tune was penned in 1894.

The competition to write words to the anthem is open to anyone, said Blanco, who expected the first 300 suggested lyrics from sports daily Marca on Wednesday.

Blanco said his committee expected more than 5,000 suggested lyrics to the anthem by September, when the candidates are to be assessed by parliament.

"The final choice will be left to lawmakers in government," said Blanco, who said he was convinced the outcome would unite rather than divide the country.

Solar Tower

2007-06-25T21:13:00.000+02:00

Spain is starting to lead the world as it really should on Solar Energy production. Just look at this new project in Sanlucar, Andalucia.

ARTICLE
http://www.positivenews.org.uk
A dramatic new feature dominates the landscape in the arid south of Iberia. Europe’s very first, commercially-run, solar energy plant was recently opened in the Spanish town of Sanlúcar la Mayor, Seville. Surrounded by an area as big as 300 football fields covered in mirrors, a cylindrical, 115 metre high solar tower showcases the latest technology.

624 huge mirrors called ‘heliostats’ circle the structure from the ground and automatically track the sun as it moves from east to west. Each 120 square metre mirror reflects the sun’s rays, beaming them back to converge on a receiver at the top of the tower. Intense temperatures of up to 250 degrees centigrade generate steam, which is blasted into turbines to produce electricity for up to 6,000 homes – all without emitting a single whiff of greenhouse gas!

Over the next six years, another 300 megawatt solar platform will be built on the Sanlúcar site, producing power to light up some 180,000 homes, enough for a city the size of Seville. The wider project is expected to prevent annual emissions of at least 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The BBC science correspondent, David Shukman, reported being amazed by the spectacle. “From a distance, I couldn’t believe the strange structure ahead of me was actually real,” he says. “A concrete tower, 40 storeys high, stood bathed in intense white light – a bizarre image in the depths of the Andalusian country-side. The tower looked like it was being hosed with giant sprays of water or was somehow being squirted with jets of pale gas. I had trouble working it out.”

With the most available sunshine of any European country, Spain is leading the way in developing solar energy with projects happening across the country.

Solar panels are now compulsory on all new and renovated buildings as part of the Spanish government’s efforts to meet its 12 per cent objective of energy from renewables by 2010. Another solar power plant is to be built near Granada later on this year, and a gigantic 750 megawatt solar tower near the capital, Madrid, is in the planning stages.

Positive News is a great website promoting just that, positive news. It will help you to cheer up so go there regularly.

Everybody Likes Dolphins

2007-06-25T21:05:00.000+02:00

Eveyone likes dolphins don't they! Anyway it seems the Spanish are getting on this particular bandwagon with this extremely positive news story.

ARTICLE
(Taken from http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/529214)

Scientists from Earthwatch, the global environmental organization, are celebrating this week after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed to divert shipping lanes off the southern coast of Spain in order to avoid important bottlenose dolphin foraging grounds.

When passing through the Alboran Sea, merchant ships and fisherman will now be required to travel 20 miles further south off the coast of Almeria. This diversion will reduce acoustic and water pollution in the area and should help to mitigate the impact of accidental oil spills on coastal habitats and tourist beaches.

“This is very positive news for the bottlenose dolphin,” says Earthwatch scientist Ricardo Sagarminaga van Buiten. “Cargo ships, often carrying dangerous substances, regularly pass through the Alboran Sea’s primary dolphin feeding grounds.”

He continues, “Bottlenose dolphins have suffered a sharp decline in the Mediterranean over the last decade, so diverting the shipping route should give the species an opportunity to recover.” *

The Alboran Sea is a gateway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. It provides an essential migratory corridor for a large variety of marine species and attracts an abundance of fish. This high productivity makes it one of Europe’s most valuable feeding sites for dolphins and sea turtles. However, almost 30 percent of the world’s maritime traffic currently passes through these waters.

Together with maritime experts from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Earthwatch scientists made recommendations to the Spanish Merchant Navy and IMO, following five years of research in the area for the European Commission LIFE Nature project.*

Since 2002, they have spent more than 700 days at sea, surveying 10,000 miles in order to develop conservation management plans for marine protected areas. In this time, over 500 international Earthwatch volunteers have given up their time to support them.

This long-term research project confirms that throughout the Mediterranean the bottlenose dolphin population is fragmented; their migratory activities have decreased and local populations are genetically isolated. The Almeria dolphin population is currently the only healthy one in the Mediterranean; dolphin groups average 30 individuals here, compared to 2 to 5 individuals in other regions.

Conserving this site and providing safe access between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean basin is therefore crucial for the survival of the species.

Spanish Lynx Stops Motorway Building

2007-06-25T00:13:00.000+02:00

Here is a great story which would definitiely not have happened a few years ago here. As people become more aware of the environment we may well get more of these stories. (On a side note compare this with one of my favourite "Only in Spain stories" which you can see after the article.)

ARTICLE
(Thanks to Earth Times for the story)

The Spanish Environment Ministry has decided to stop the construction of a 300-kilometre motorway to save the Iberian lynx, the world's most threatened feline species. The motorway would link Toledo with Cordoba, passing through two nature parks containing two of the country's three most important lynx populations, the daily El Pais reported.

"It does not make sense to spend millions in a programme to raise lynxes in captivity... if a motorway then divides the most important lynx areas," ecologist Miguel Angel Hernandez said.

The construction of the motorway has already started, though that stretch will also form part of another motorway.

The Environment Ministry delayed its announcement until after the May 27 local elections for fear of protests from the regional authorities.

Environment Minister Cristina Narbona has blocked nearly half a dozen large infrastructure projects for environmental reasons, according to El Pais.

There are only about 100 Iberian lynxes left. The cat, also known as the Spanish lynx, has distinctive, leopard-like spots on its yellowish coat.

ONLY IN SPAIN

A few years back, 1991-2, the AVE fast train link from Madrid to Seville was inaugurated (AVE means bird so bear that in mind). It went through several important ecological sites of special scientific interest but the government made a special play as to how the line hadn't ruined any natural habitats and all precautions had been taken to make sure that natural laws were not affected. One of the protected areas was for a rare type of Vulture. One day a deer was knocked down on the track and became carrion for the vultures. The next train came along at over 200kmph and sent eight of the vultures to meet their maker thus reducing the wild population by 66% at a stroke. Four were left. Hopefully they didn't spot a bit of carrion on the line as a result of the incident!

What is Positive Sp(a)in?

2007-06-24T22:38:00.000+02:00

This site is a response to all of the negativity in the media about living in Spain and Spanish property and lifestyles. Prices have risen amazingly in Spain over the last six or seven years both of property and lifestyle but in the end it is still a great place to live with fantastic people, remarkable natural wonders, superb cultural offerings and just the best modern architecture where imagination runs wild.
Just take a look at the pictures and compare with the staid offerings in other parts of the World. You have images of the City of Arts and Sciences here in Valencia, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, a Market in Barcelona and a hotel roof in Alava. These buildings act as emblems for the areas where they stand and create tourism. And just to show that Spain is starting to think at the micro level aswell as the Macro have a look at the article reprinted below, taken from Reuters the standards mentioned are now in place.

ARTICLE.

Solar panels are now compulsory on all new and renovated buildings in Spain as part of the country’s efforts to bring its building rules up to date and curb growing demand for energy, ministers said on Monday.
Until now Spain’s building standards have dated from the 1970s and have done little in seeking to improve energy efficiency.
“We have to make up the time we have lost,” Environment Minister Cristina Narbona said, inaugurating a seminar on the new technical building code.
The code will come into force fully next March but the energy saving element was implemented on Sept. 29.
This means new homes have to be equipped with solar panels to provide between 30 and 70 percent of their hot water, depending on where the building is located and on its expected water usage.
New non-residential buildings, such as shopping centers and hospitals, now have to have photovoltaic panels to generate a proportion of their electricity.
Solar power has not yet taken off in Spain, largely because subsidies have been directed at wind energy, and it provided a negligible amount of the country’s electricity in 2005.
Other measures in the new building code enforce the use of better insulation, improve the maintenance of heating and cooling systems and increase the use of natural light.
“The new standards will bring energy savings of 30 to 40 percent for each building and a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption of 40 to 55 percent,” the Environment and Housing Ministries said in a joint statement.
The Housing Ministry is trying to rein in the amount of new building, although it is Spain’s local and regional governments that are responsible for planning permission.
“In the last decade we have built the equivalent of a quarter of all the urban area that existed until then,” Housing Minister Maria Antonio Trujillo told the seminar.
The building standards code should limit the damage of continued new construction and is the most significant legal change for the sector in the last 30 years, she said.