Showing posts with label Living in Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Living in Spain. Show all posts

Friday, September 09, 2011

The Sense Of Summer

Here is a little post submitted by Dave Bull about what it is like actually living in Spain. Enjoy

 

Its Sunday morning and from my balcony I take in the view of Alicante bay while the kettle boils and the toaster begins its (painfully slow) relatively simple job of turning some bread brown in readiness for my very British tradition, on what is a very Spanish morning, of slapping marmite all over it but that can wait as I breathe in the salt-scented air..

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Stretching along the coastline I can see the beaches are starting to fill with locals and tourists all planning on enjoying the day before it reaches full temperature in the middle of the afternoon. A speedboat cuts a white scar through the Mediterranean on its way to who knows where and the while white sails of yachts and the seagulls contrast with the beautiful blue backdrop.

San Juan at the other end of the bay juts out into the sea blocking my view of El Campello where the mountains meet the sea as they do all the way up the coast and past Calpe. In the distance I can see the rock of Benidorm stationed like a huge aircraft carrier protecting Spain’s tourism crown jewels while Brits in vets (I don’t need to be able to see them) will have enjoyed yet another evening in the town that never sleeps and all that is uniquely Benidorm.

Further on the mountains again intrude into the sea to form the pretty fishing town of Calpe but the best I can hope for today is to see Calpe’s own battleship of a rock standing proud.

Driving past me the 4x4’s and VW’s of the hang-gliders who will jump off of the top of the cliff at Gran Alacant and eventually make their descent down to the Carabasi beach, landing (conveniently) next to a Chiringuito where cool refreshment is readily supplied.  

Not a bad soundtrack to the morning either as my neighbour has just put on some pretty good jazz that compliments the percussion of the crickets below me very nicely and add to that the odd splash in the pool and the rare bark of a dog and we have an orchestra playing the sound of summer.

Soon mums, dads, kids and young lovers will be making the colourful trek across the sands and claiming their pitch for the day – the Spanish within an inch of each other, and us North Europeans wanting at least a football pitch distance to next towel and umbrella combination.

The gypsies below the cliff have already set up ‘camp’ with converted market-stalls used as sunshades and lined up in such numbers you can imagine what the wild west frontier camps  probably looked like. And boy do they eat well too, I’ve walked past before and a medieval banquet is made to look like a ‘Happy Meal’ buffet compared to what these families put on the table, and it looks delicious.

Talking of delicious, the smell of frying bacon and warm croissants is now reaching my balcony from somewhere below me, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is wafting around in the air reminding me that my own, somewhat less Spanish, breakfast awaits – toaster permitting.

Lunch is with some Spanish friends in the campo today where I have no doubt that some poor animal will be served up that I wouldn’t have thought (or heard) of eating before or they’ll dish up that part of the animal that you’d prefer to look at (living) than to share its final moments on the planet on a fork, with a Brussel sprout. So I always take along a jar of marmite just in case – touché! I think is the correct term…?

This article was written by Dave Bull for MASA International who are experts in the sale of property in Spain.

You can follow the adventures of Dave Bull in Spain by following @DavejBull on Twitter

Saturday, August 20, 2011

More sales of the Work in Spain book this week

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Huge surge in enquiries for the Valencia region according to RightMove

Monday, December 21, 2009

Confessions Of An Estate Agent

Welcome to the first chapter of the Confessions of an Estate Agent, part of the Audiobooks that I made a few month ago. The introduction will come at a later date but this part will tell you how the situation came up that 1 in 400 people in Madrid was working as an Estate Agent in 2006, how the mind of the Spanish seller often works and how much money you are actually paying in commissions to the agents involved. It tells you how Spanish Estate Agents work, the tips, tricks and terrors you need to avoid in order to get a Spanish property at the best price and how an ethical estate agency can work for you too.

LISTEN TO THIS FIRST PART HERE


(Or click on the bull below)




The audiobook has six chapters in total and then there are currently 19 audio interviews of people who have made a success of their move to Spain. These interviews are the main part of the Audiobook series and this part of the monologue is just a small part. To see more about the product and how it can save you thousands when you purchase a Spanish Property go to the download pages and sales page here. You can watch videos about the content of the audiobooks and judge for yourself how much money this will save you in the future when you buy a property in Spain whether that is through my services or through any other agent.

Related Posts

1) Where you can find this product

2) The Spain Uncut Video Series

3) The NIE Number Guide

Latest Spanish News

1) El Pais Newspaper

2) El Mundo Newspaper

3) As Sports Paper

4) Marca Sport Paper (Official Mouthpiece of Real Madrid)

Monday, December 07, 2009

Great Villa For Sale In Villamarchante 238k

This four bedroomed property was purchased by the current owners from us five years ago. They are now moving further south and they have decided it is time to sell. In the years in between they have done some serious work and this is one of those houses that you can just move into straight away. Have a look at the video and and get in touch with us to tell me what you think.



(By the way on some PC's the video might not work except in HD so try it both ways. If it doesn't work for you try this link)

The basics are four bedrooms, three in the main house and one in the guesthouse, two bathrooms, large open plan kitchen and living room, glassed in terrace with TV room, beautiful swimming pool area, 1400m2 plot and set just a couple of kilometres outside of the small town of Villamarchante where the metro arrives next year.

Download:
FLVMP43GP
Download:
FLVMP43GP

Friday, December 04, 2009

Getting The Full Story

You may have noticed that there is a little pop up that appears if this is your first visit to the site, or every couple of days if you are one of the many regular readers. Well I have changed the offer for those who sign up to the newsletter. Now you get my great new report on "The Seven Secrets to Buying A House In Spain" which is a very quick overview of the buying process and what you need to have crystal clear when you are going to buy a property in Spain.

Pedralba House Sold

Remember though you also get the ebook "Living and Working in Spain", loads of hints tips and more, first access to the Podcasts, Newsletters, Audiobooks, Videos made especially for the mailing list and much more. Sign up using the sign up form either on entry to the site or on our sign up page and get yourself well informed before you come over to Spain or keep yourself in touch if you are already here.

I look forward to welcoming you and giving you some fantastic information here on Houses For Sale In Spain.

Related Reading:

1) The Latest Podcast

2) The Latest Photo Report

3) The Latest Newsletter

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Valencia Photo Report

I thought I would give you a little gift today. I have done a little photo report of Valencia with a small introduction to what Valencia really means to people.

Download it here.


It is a PDF file so you should be able to see it easily enough.

Hopefully it will whet your appetite. Meanwhile for those of you who need a little more convincing to download stuff here is the introduction to this little piece.

What is Valencia?



Valencia Central Market

"Valencia is many things to many people; the traditional dress of the Fallas, the stunning modern architecture, the old mixing it with the new, paella, horchata, fireworks and a whole lot more. The hidden jewel of the Mediterranean is just that, well hidden away from the throngs of Stag Party goers cruising up and down the Ramblas in Barcelona, the Hemingway hunters in Madrid, (How many places did Hemingway actually sleep or get royally drunk in really?) and the drunken hordes of the Costas."

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Banging on About Learning Spanish Again


After hearing some rave reviews from people who had used the product I thought it was time to recommend another product to learn Spanish and start the integration process. So here it is. It is called Streetwise Spanish and claims that you will be speaking good Spanish and getting complements for it within a month.
(Disclaimer: It might take you a bit longer than that ;-))


Anyway have a look at it and decide for yourself. I have to say that it is much better than any other ebook I have seen for learning Spanish although you do nee to put some work in. It will not just come to you. If you are coming to Spain really you should be learning Spanish as virtually every interviewee in the Success in Spain audiobook series stated. It is very important and every day more essential when you think about getting a job in Spain.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Success in Spain Audiobook Series - Buy it Now

Hi There

The Success in Spain audiobooks and ebooks are now available for you to purchase. Here is the video introduction to them so that you know exactly what you are going to get when you buy this great product. For anyone planning on moving to Spain, working in Spain or living in Spain this guide will save you thousands and also give you a roadmap for planning your move over here.


Hopefully you will enjoy and we will see you here in Spain sooner rather than later.


Thanks

Monday, October 05, 2009

More Food Shopping

I found this really cheesy video on YouTube. Great images from markets in Spain. Compare and contrast with my recently bought fruit and veg video.



Seriously though buying food can be a great experience in Spain and is much better experienced in the markets or the small shops than the supermarkets. For a good discussion about what to buy and where have a look at this blog post by @bencurtis at Notes From Spain.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Extremely Good Explanation of Why You Should Learn Spanish

My friend Steve Hall runs a few websites about Spain and is an erudite authority on Spain, he speaks the language fluently too. He has tweeted today an answer he put on a forum in Jan 2008 and I think that it is even more relevant now. Have a look at the link and see what you think. Comments welcomed below.
Here is the article link

For one of my previous blogs on learning Spanish have a look here

Monday, July 13, 2009

Upcoming Audiobook

Success in Spain - An Introduction


Here are two videos telling you about what it means to live and work in Spain. I recorded them carcasts last week and now they are here to introduce you to the audiobooks that I will be producing very soon to help people out who are moving to Spain. There are two distinct areas of the audiobook and it is aimed at people who are thinking of coming to live in Spain and also those already here who are searching for their own particular roadmap. It will be accompanied by a document with links, tips and that extra special sauce for getting the most out of living and working in Spain.



The first video talks about the mistakes that people make before coming over and how they can be avoided. The second takes it to a deeper level and introduces you to the Audiobook about Success in Spain, how you too can be successful when coming over to live in Spain. The audiobook comprises a series of interviews with people who live and work successfully in Spain and provides a roadmap for those wishing to come over to avoid the crash and burn scenario so common among expats who move abroad on a wing and a prayer.



It provides a road map for coming to live in Spain that gives you all the information that you want and need for starting up in Spain and setting yourself up. It should be ready by the end of the month but meanwhile keep an eye on this site and our other sites for more announcements about the audiobook and how many lucky clients will be able to get a discount on the audiobook when it comes out.

Like any good launch it comes with bonuses one of which is something I have thought about for a long time and never got around to doing until now, the Estate Agent Confessions. An inside look at how estate agents in Spain operate and how you can avoid falling for the tricks of the trade. This audiobook will save you thousands on any potential purchase and hundreds on rental costs. It is more than worth the value of the course on its own. Apart from this there are free chapters from other books by those featured in the interviews and lots of other goodies you can get hold of.

I am aiming for a launch date around the end of July so sign up for the newsletter from this site or Houses for Sale in Spain and I will give you first notification on the launch.

(By the way why is it in two parts? Camera stopped recording during the first one!)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Guest Blog From Chris Lee

A different post today which relates to Valencia. Chris Lee runs a website called Cycle Tour Spain and the site will give you all of the information you may need about planning a route and carrying out a cycle your in Spain. Enjoy Chris' blog and click through to his links.

I’m writing this from a roof terrace in the Valencia Community, marvelling at the dark blue sea in the distance that lies above the green muddle of the orange groves through which we wander to reach the beach. These are definitely the main plus points of living on the Costa Azahar, south of Valencia city.

I’ve blogged before on the best and worst aspects of living in Spain, but what I love most about the Valencia Community is the shear randomness of it all. If there’s one thing they like here it’s making a noise, be it the annual Fallas (mid-March) festival, regular mascletàs (short daytime firework set-offs) to celebrate saint’s days or 8am wake-up calls by blunderbuss on a Sunday morning. You never know what will happen in Valencia.

One thing that is guaranteed is the quality and value of local produce – oranges, cherries, strawberries, tiger nuts (xufas) and almond-based breads and sweets – all of which tantalise the tongue and make a trip to the local market a very pleasant and cost-effective experience.

I run a website dedicated to getting on your bike and seeing off-the-beaten-track Spain on two wheels called CycleTourSpain.com, and – once you venture inland got away from the costas here, which can be busy, ugly and run-down in places – you get a real sense of freedom. Small towns of Arabic origin, shear mountains and dramatic off-road hiking and cycling routes, such as the Racó del Duc offer incredible variety in scenery, plus a sporting challenge (coupled with quiet roads) that one simply cannot enjoy in the more congested, flatter confines of most of the UK.

Whatever you’re into, the chances are you’ll find it in Valencia.

Ebay Auctions of Spanish Stuff

About Me

Today is a new day, the sun is in the Sky. I wake up this morning and greet the new day.