Vol 3 Edition 11 September 2003
Costa Blanca Netguide Newsletter
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com
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CONTENTS:
1) Editorial
2) Suzanna's July Article
3) Site Updates
4) New Businesses
5) Costa Blanca Resources
6) Sticker/Screensaver Information
7) 2003 Publishing dates
8) Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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Hi [FIRSTNAME],
As you are probably already aware we have had many problems
this summer sending out the newsletter to the vast majority
of you, who have simply received nothing for 3 months.
This has been due to the many virus outbreaks that have
done the rounds on the internet in recent months. Although
our own systems were completely unaffected, one of the
consequences of most viruses when they propagate, is they
modify the return address, replacing it with one picked from
the infected user's address book or saved emails. As the
viruses propagated with our email address as the "sender"
we were absolutely inundated with compaints to our office,
claiming we were not only sending them unsolicited emails,
but they contained viruses as well. To compound the problem
our domain name was also blacklisted for a while as
complaints were made to ISP's and most of our outgoing email
was returned to us as it bounced off many email servers for
being a "tainted" address. We have worked very hard to
resolve these issues and have tried to reply to most annoyed
people and contacted the various ISP's and Spam Cops on the
net and have now (hopefully) cleared the problems.
If you have not got antivirus software currently installed
on your PC or MAC, I hghly recommend protecting yourself
as soon as possible. A free antivirus program is available
at http://www.grisoft.com or you can get a Norton Internet
Security software here
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/av.html
SO....this edition may seem a little out of date as
Suzanna's article was written in July, but once we have
established that the newsletter is reaching all of you we
will be back in full from October onwards.
There will also be a little bit of a reshuffle in the
newsletter team as I will be taking a backseat from now on
and Suzanna will be taking over the editors seat, providing
guest articles and her own editorial style as well as giving
you an "on the ground" account of living in Spain. We also
have 2 more members of the team joining, who will be helping
with resource research, newsletter layout and responding to
your questions and comments.
It has been a fun 2 1/2 years for me compiling the newsletter
but my Business committments have now grown to such an extent
I cannot devote the time that is needed to produce the
publication full time.
So goodbye from me and welcome Suzanna into the driving
seat for next month.
Robin
(Former) Editor - Costa Blanca Netguide.
editor@costablanca-netguide.com
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1) Hello [FIRSTNAME],
Are you all looking in your summer wardrobes wondering what
to pack for you hols and what still fits from last year? Well
it is hotting up here - only to be expected of course. We have
been in contact with my husbands eldest son and girlfriend and
my Mum and Dad who are all arriving at the beginning of August
for our son's fiesta celebrations. So we are now in the throes
of who will be sleeping where, times of arrivals and
departures, hire cars and so forth. My Dad is preturbed by the
strength of the Euro to the Pound but it can all change before
then and anyway you can still go out for a meal for a
reasonable amount. One of my favorite bottles of wine is still
only 2,49Euros so I can't complain. The summer fruit and veg
is in abundance here and extremely cheap. This week on our
weekly village market a kilo of red cherries was 3 Euros which
I thought was expensive until my Mum told me how much they
were near them in UK at the moment.
As regular readers may remember we have some odd requests from
our visitors (remember the "what shall I pack" email) well
recently we received one asking among other things how much we
thought the person in question would spend in a weekend!
Answers on a postcard please.
The local elections took place on 25th May and for the very
first time in my life I managed to vote. Not that I've never
wanted to before just that I was never in the country to do
so. This year of course foreign residents were entitled to
vote for the local elections. Both major parties were
apparently claiming victory in the regional elections but
that's another story.
The hours have now changed at school for the children. Through
until June 20th when they break up they are on half days 9am -
1pm. In July our son has elected to go for swimming lessons
held each morning through July at our local municipal swimming
pool. The fee is very small and I am pleased that he will be
getting more confident and stronger in the pool. Living in a
country where there are swimming pools in most locations and
of course the sea it is important that I can trust him near
water. He has no fear of water even now, in fact is a little
water baby just like his grandmother. They spend hours in the
pool together when she is here. He is quite good at swimming
already so he is really looking forward to the lessons with
his friends and at the end of the course they receive a
certificate and medal. Last year he did a summer arts workshop
each morning and came home each day with fantastic creations.
It cost the princly sum of 12,00 Euros and that included all
the materials.
Remember last month the story about Telefonica? Well it has a
further installment. Our friends Barry and Pam went back to UK
for a few weeks and whilst there tried their new Spanish
number. As a complete surprise an English voice answered. They
found out from this guy that he had been issued the number
recently and was now using it. Barry then called me from the
UK and asked me to check up on it. I duly phoned the number to
be again answered by the same guy. Having done this I then
phoned Telefonica and asked them what had happened. The answer
was that the number had never been issued to Barry. But it was
I argued I have it listed on my last telephone bill!! No
definately not phone directory enquiries. I did this asked for
Barry's number only to be told he hasn't been issued with a
number yet! Well Barry gets back this weekend so we will have
to go through the whole process again.
A final amusing story I heard this week - well I think it's
amusing anyway. A friend of ours came to see us this week and
we were talking about local restaurants. We were saying how
we tend to use a local Spanish restaurant which serves good
food and are really friendly plus they regard our son as part
of the family. She then told us that the owners, who we have
known for years, have a small casita just behind her house in
the middle of the vineyards. Her other neighbours, who are
English. she told us they hate these people with avengence.
This we were stunned at. They are very amicable typically
laid back Spaniards. Most of the time they are at the
restaurant working and of their 3 children only one still
lives at home and he is at college most of the time so what
on earth could be the problem? Well the English lady in
question wants to put a "denuncia" (denounce) on the
Spaniards because - wait for it - they have chickens and a
cockerel and the cockerel makes too much noise! The picture
in my minds eye is an office full of Spaniards rolling around
the floor laughing when she explains what she wants to
complain about. Only a Brit would move to rural Spain and
make that sort of observation surely! And on that note I
leave you for this month.
Researched and Written by Suzanna
info.es@costablanca-netguide.com
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[FIRSTNAME], 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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3) Site Updates
i) We have expanded and updated the resources section.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/resourcesb1.html
ii) We have introduced an articles section to the guide that
uses the most popular newsletter articles of the last 2 years
and these include:-
A Glimpse of Christmas in Spain
A Look at Torrevieja and Villajoyosa
An Insight into Gata de Gorgos
An Introduction to the Classical Guitar
Background Into the El Gordo Lottery/Sweepstake
Background on Nispero Trees and Fruit Orchards
History of Manisses
History of Valencia
Introduction To The Town of Guadalest
More about Feliz Ano Nuevo (Christmas) in Spain
The Fishing Industry in Spain
The Fuentes Del Algar (Algar Waterfalls)
The Fallas Festival in Valencia
What are Fiestas and Festeros?
What is a Rastro?
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/articles/index.html
iii) We have also started a Town and Villages Guide
to the Costa Blanca and the following towns have been added
so far:-
The Town of Al Moradi
The Town of Alicante
The Town of Altea
The Town of Benidorm
The Town of Denia
The Town of Moraira
The Town of Torrevieja
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/articles/index.html
Over the coming months we will be adding to this section but
if there is any town in particular you would like to see
featured or have a good review of any town to submit for
publishing on the website, please email
towns@costablanca-netguide.com and we will add them to the
site.
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4) New Businesses on the Guide
Finca For Sale
A one off opportunity to purchase a Finca on the Bernia
Mountains. With tranquillity and breathtaking views the
position of this Finca is unique. This charming house has
been part reformed and offers on the upper floor two good
sized bedrooms, both with fitted wardrobes, one bathroom.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/listings/302.html
La Guitarreria - Calpe
The Music Shop which offers everything for the musician
professional and amateur!! We have a wonderful selection
of our own hand made Spanish and Classical guitars plus
models by other well known guitar makers.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/listings/303.html
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5) Spain Resources
Books
i) Paella! Penelope Casas
In this book, Penelope Casa presents 60 mouth-watering paella
recipes - some traditional, some her own creation - and shows
how some of the preparation can be done ahead of time. She
also details recipes for a collection of tapas, Spanish meal
starters, simple desserts and a handful of broths and sauces.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/books/pc.html
ii) Buying a House in Spain: Where and How to Do It
(Buying a House) Dan Boothby
If you're looking for property in Spain, this guide provides
information on property prices, housing regulations and
taxation as well as essentials such as raising finance and
dealing with estate agents and arranging removals. A 70-page
section details up-and-coming areas.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/books/bhis.html
CD's
i) Reflections of Spain
This incredible music CD comes highly recommended and
includes some amazingly enjoyable recordings for your
listening pleasure. Click on the link to hear sample tracks.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/CDs/ros.html
DVD's
i) Discovering Spain
The film takes the viewer on a journey through Spain and
visits many places of particular interest, including Madrid,
Avila, Segovia, Granada and Barcelona.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/DVDs/ds.html
Software
i) KidSpeak Spanish
KidSpeak Spanish is a fun and easy to use program that will
help children and parents practise their Spanish through a
range of games, songs and puzzles. We recommend this
especially as a gift to children of ex-pats.
http://www.costablanca-netguide.com/bac/Software/kss.html
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6) 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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7) 2003 Approximate Publishing Dates
October 6th | November 10th | December 8th
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