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Vol 3 Edition 7 January 2003
Costa Blanca Netguide Newsletter
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com
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Hi,
Feliz Aņo Nuevo and welcome to the first edition of the
Costa Blanca Netguide newsletter for 2003.
To kick off 2003 we are launching an "ex-pats diary", this
is due mainly to the many emails and phone calls we that we
receive for more information about living here.
The diary is to give people who are thinking of taking the
plunge, essential information, not only about the initial
things that need attention on arrival, such as buying or
renting a house, finding work, Spanish legal processes,
healthcare etc. but also a broader view of the reasons why
they came to this part of Spain, the towns & villages that
they live in and why they chose the particular place they
live.
One email we received came from a Scottish website
owner for articles about the areas we will talk about in
the diary, so if you are a Scottish ex-pat and would
like to contribute specifically to a Scottish audience
website with articles of the shape and texture of an
expatriate's life, please email me direct and I will
gladly put you in touch with them.
The Netguide Ex-pat Diary is open to all ex-pats though and
I would love to hear of your experiences (good & bad)
on your life on the Costa Blanca to share with our other
Newsletter subscibers. To this end we are starting this
month with Suzanna's Ex-Pat Diary as she has been living
on the Costa Blanca for 14 years and has plenty of
experience with the in's and out's of living and working
in Spain. So if you feel that you have some valuable
insights into an ex-pats lif please email me at the
usual address, editor@costablanca-netguide.com
We also received an email from one of our subscibers who
asks us this
"I have a house in the Los Balcones area near Torrevieja
and visit several times a year for short visits. My
husband and I are keen to find good walks in the area
or not too far away, but when on a short visit we don't
have time to explore very much on our own, so would be
very interested in hearing from anyone who knows the area
well and can advise us on such walks or places to visit"
So any of our subscibers who are based in the Los Balcones
region or know it well please email me direct at
editor@costablanca-netguide.com and we'll be sure to include
it in future newsletters
We are also currently rounding up and collating as much
detail, times and dates for all the local fiestas across the
region for 2003 and we'll publish them hopefully in next month's
newsletter or sooner if possible on the website.
We do have lots planned on the website for this year
and I'll keep you regularly updated as we improve and update
the site over the coming months.
Until next month
Robin
Editor - Costa Blanca Netguide.
editor@costablanca-netguide.com
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CONTENTS:
1) An Ex-Pats Diary
2) New Businesses on the Guide
3) Costa Blanca Resources
4) Sticker/Screensaver Information
5) 2003 Publishing dates
6) Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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Direct Car Rentals in ALICANTE - VALENCIA - MURCIA and
MALAGA airports
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Our Non-agent status allows us the freedom to offer the very
best prices on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol
Currently featuring Free Additional Drivers,
Baby Seats and Roofracks
TEL +34 96 649 1472
http://www.rentspain.com/reservas/reservation1.asp?=cbng
reservas@rentspain.com
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1) Hello,
Feliz Aņo Nuevo. Firstly let me thank all of you that sent
us Xmas wishes and the kind remarks that many of you added
regarding the website. As you know we try to keep it topical
and interesting for the vast and varying audience we are
catering for. We do receive emails on a daily basis with
very different requests for information. Being the bod on
the spot so to speak and having lived here for a number of
years it is usually left to me to answer these. In December
I even had an email asking for packing advice for a lady
travelling over to Barcelona and the Costa Blanca from
California for Christmas and wanted to know what the weather
was like and what she'd need to pack. Hence I sent the
relevant info with only hours to go before her departure.
Anyway I hope she had a good time and was dressed
appropriately. However, PLEASE do not all start sending us
emails with packing requests next time you are due out here!
We also had a gentleman in Australia trying to locate the
graves of his parents here on the Costa Blanca. I try to
give the best advice, to get the information you want but I
can't promise.
One of the main themes of the emails sent are for advice for
those people intending to move here. It is very difficult to
answer some of them as you can appreciate everyone has
different expectancies, tastes and requirements. So I have
decided that part of my contribution for the newsletter each
month will be a mini diary throughout the year. The idea is
that you get a glimpse of life for an expat living over
here.
To give you a bit of background I moved to the Costa Blanca
almost 14 years ago with my husband. We knew the area well
as my parents have had a house here since 1980. We had
visited 6 months beforehand on a 2 week holiday with my
parents, and whilst we were here we decided that we had had
enough of England and would move out the following Spring.
So we returned to England and sorted out our affairs, jumped
in the car and drove over with our worldly possessions in
the back of the car. It wasn't quite as smooth as that but
suffice to say we arrived... in the pouring rain in a hire
car (ours didn't make it!)with no money, no work but
somewhere to live...my parent's house.
Also remember there was no internet sites to go and check
out the area before the move. Actually when we arrived very
few people had land line telephones and mobile phones
weren't the norm here either.
Well we are still here after 14 years so it proves it was
all worth it.
So back to the diary......
December: The 6th and 8th of December are National fiestas
in Spain so we had a long weekend holiday which was lovely.
The weather was fantastic and we spent the time gardening at
my parents house ready for their trip at Christmas. We only
lived in their house a short while and soon realized that as
lovely as it is we preferred the Spanish lifestyle and moved
further inland. During the first year whilst we lived in
their house I don't think we picked up a dozen words of
Spanish as being on the coast so many people speak English.
Moving inland certainly sorted that out and working with the
locals means that we can now speak the language well.
The shops do start to take on the Christmas feel as December
begins but not before. Our son attends the local Spanish
school and therefore can speak Castellano and Valenciano
fluently. It also means that he is learning about all the
local traditions and fiestas. At the beginning of December a
"Belen" was erected in the school foyer. This is a Nativity
scene but not just the stable scene. It is the whole area
with fields and so on. (Not a Christmas tree in sight).
Santa Claus or Papa Noel arrived on the last day of term
bearing gifts for all the children escorted in the local
police car with children's Christmas carols blaring out of
the loud speaker.
My parents arrived and we did the traditional English
Christmas lunch at home. Most of the local restaurants offer
a special Christmas Day Lunch. My Dad dressed up as Santa
Claus on Christmas morning and knocked on the front door
much to one local's surprise. Our son was totally convinced
though!
Our son will be 5 this year so he has been invited to be a
"festeret" (a little festero) this year. To raise money for
the event in August the festeros organized a "teatro" or
performance to run over 3 evenings between Christmas and New
Year. The actual organization of the evenings was mayhem,
timings were changed, not enough seats were put out...the
usual, but the actual show was great. Considering they are
17 & 18 year olds performing in front of their friends and
families with no theatrical training they were fantastic.
Comedy sketches, dances etc and the contribution from the
festerets was 2 songs, one a latest pop song with all the
movements and a traditional Spanish carol in "pastoret"
outfits (peasant type outfits) again with all the movements.
Anyway it went down a storm and I'm sure they raised a
goodly amount.
New Year's Eve was spent at a friends' restaurant. Emma and
Brian took over this restaurant now named "La Bayuca" in
Orba, not far from us, back in November sometime. It has
taken them this long to organize not only the stream of
paperwork involved in opening a new business with "Licencia
de Apertura" (opening license) and correct electrical wiring
but to actually clean and decorate the place top to bottom,
inside and out. Apparently the last owners had stripped the
place down to even the light bulbs! Quite amazing really as
they told me they had to get the electric re-connected
(they waited over 2 weeks for the guy to turn up) as the
previous owners hadn't paid the bill and even the main box
outside had been taken away. The kitchen floor they
discovered was about 6 shades lighter than they first
thought due to the thick layer of grease and dirt left on
it. Having scrubbed the place and received the appropriate
sanitation certificates , goodness knows how the previous
owners operated when it was in that state, they took the
plunge and opened to 85 reserved places on New Year's Eve.
A great time was had by all and as Brian and Emma are
accomplished entertainers the singing and dancing went on
until the early hours. At midnight we did the traditional
Spanish lucky grapes and carried on to see in the British
New Year at 1am with "Auld Lang Syne" for all the Brits.
Brian and Emma's son Christian is best friend's with our son
so they whooped it up as well. Children are part of all
celebrations here and are welcome in all restaurants. Unlike
in the UK you can take them anywhere and they will be
welcome.
Of course that isn't the end of the celebrations here. The
night of the 5th Janury, which is more significant to the
Spaniards, sees the arrival of the 3 Kings into the village
on horseback. They ride through the village and to the
Church where they hand over gifts to the children. The Kings
are played by the festeros and give out presents which we
take to the town hall beforehand. As with any announcement
or notices that villagers may need to know, the local police
drive through the streets of the village announcing over the
loud speaker whichever message we need to know. In this case
when to take the presents to the town hall. You place the
name of the child on the present, pay a few Euros to the
fiesta fund and they then give them out in the Church on the
night of the 5th. To let you know when to go and greet the
Kings the Church bells begin to ring and do so until all the
Kings and their eager followers are safely inside the
Church.
So finally all the festivities are over, the kids went back
to school on the 8th January and we are back to the
grindstone. Having had beautiful weather over Christmas, we
sat outside on Christmas day eating late breakfast and
drinking cava (Spanish champagne), the weather has now
turned very cold, in fact I'm told the coldest since
February 1983. Our son saw frost for the first time this
week on the way to school and when he saw snow on top of the
surrounding mountains he wanted to go and see it!
OK that's all for this month. I hope you found the first
part of my diary interesting and an insight if you are
thinking of moving here now or in the future.
As you may well have seen Theatre Express joined the Costa
Blanca Net Guide Directory last month and they are very busy
rehearsing for their pantomime, Mother Goose. I contacted
Suzanne Bradley, one of the directors to find out more
details for you. Panto dates (Mother Goose) are set for
Thurs & Fri 30/31 January & Thurs & Fri 6/7th February. The
show will be performed at the Casa de Cultura in Benissa at
8pm. Tickets cost 6 Euros and are available from Theatre
Express at their Studio and from Humpty Dumpty newsagent
both in Javea. Tel. reservations on 699840213 /616869352 and
the studio no.966461600. For e-mail reservations -
theatreexpress@hotmail.com.
Researched and Written by Suzanna
info.es@costablanca-netguide.com
if you know someone who may benefit from any of
the articles in this newsletter please feel free to pass it
on.
PLEASE NOTE: These articles are for personal use only and
may not be posted on any website, newsgroup or bulletin
board. If you wish to use any of our articles for commercial
purposes please contact us articles@costablanca-netguide.com
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2) New Businesses on the Guide
i) A Business opportunity in Spain. (very topical)
The shop is set in the centre of Jalon. The business
involves video and DVD rental, greeting cards, books,
jewellery, helium balloons, English sweets & confectionary
and has the capacity to be expanded if you wish. Our
clientele are primarily English and therefore it is an
excellent meeting point for the entire expat community
in this area which is increasing at an amazing rate right
now!
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/listings/295.html
ii) Bespoke Kitchens
We are two quality, time served joiners who came to
live in Spain 3 to 4 years ago and are thoroughly
despondent with not only the quality of modular
kitchens available but the supply time for these kitchens.
We source and buy the raw materials to construct exactly
what you require. We are not salespeople looking for that
next 10% commission but professionals who will sit and take
the time and listen to exactly what you need.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/listings/296.html
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3) Costa Blanca Resources
Books:-
i) Lonely Planet: Valencia and the Costa Blanca
This guide focuses on Spain's most popular holiday
destination and includes information from locals who know
the area. A special section on the region's raging fiestas
shows travellers where to go to burn effigies and fling
tomatoes.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/lpvcb.html
ii) The Rough Guide to Spain
Reviewer: A reader from Gloucestershire, UK
For first time or budget travellers to Spain, this is the
guide for you. The layout takes a while to get into, sticky
labels were useful, but the contents are very good. The
history and cultural sections are impressive and a great
helpin understanding all the places you are likely to visit.
Every town and city mentioned has a list of places to eat
and stay, ranging from budget to 5 star, with easy to use
maps showing where they all are. The only down side is that
there do not appear to be many low budget places to stay,
but in each town there are hostals everywhere so this is
not a great problem. Overall a very well written and
informative guide.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/rgs.html
Software:-
iii) Talk to me Spanish Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Reviewer: A reader from Cambridge, England
I have found this software package to be very helpfull to
me. It focuses on speaking and pronunciation exercises so is
ideal for somebody who needs to work on speaking a language.
A progress chart enables you to keep track of your progress
and results. I have learnt a lot with this software although
true beginners might find it a little bit difficult at
first. Overall an excellent package well worth the money.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/ttms.html
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4) Sticker Information
We have available our Costa Blanca Netguide car or shop
window stickers that we will send out to you free of charge.
Just email stickers@costablanca-netguide.com with your name
and postal address and how many you require (3 Max) and
we'll post them out to you anywhere in Europe at no cost.
Screensaver Information
Version 1 of the Costa Blanca Screensaver can be downloaded
at http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/screensaver.html.
The Free version has a few limitations but gives you a good
idea of what you can expect from the Full version which is
priced at 7 EUROS
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5) 2003 Approximate Publishing Dates
February 10th | March 10th | April 7th |May 12th
June 9th | July 7th | August 4th | September 8th
October 6th | November 10th | December 8th
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