FR
www.allabroad.es
EE
Auguast 2013 issue number 25
Starting SCHOOL IN SPAIN advice, features, quizes, puzzles, crosswords, markets, fiestas, what’s on + more!
A trip to the Isle of Tabarca Fabulous!
SANDALS & SOCK S? Nooooooo!
VE? I L O T E R E H W ? po Coast or cam
Meet SUE SHARPE EXTRAORDINARY EXPAT!
GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66! Sue Sharpe on life in Extramadura
for the locals...by the locals..!
Gewinnsteuer Bei dem Verkauf einer Immobilie wird in Spanien die Gewinnsteuer fällig. Bei Erscheinen dieses Artikels liegt sie bei 21 Prozent. Image: skyefotos
I T ’ S H OsTp e! a k E n g l i s h ! en
n v e e t ’ n o d y e h t and
I met Mr and Mrs Stupid last month. They were on holiday (bless ‘em) and had just come back from Elche hospital after suffering from sun-stroke the day previously having spent a good eight hours basking under the hot Spanish sun with no shade, protection but plenty of liquids…beer.
Real Radio International Weekly Lineup Listen online - www.realradiointernational.com Monday –Friday
08:00hrs -11:00 hrs
Now, we’ve all been there and done something similar I guess – just not for as
The Breakfast Show with Dave Bull
long I reckon – but, you see that wasn’t the reason we had to give the label ‘stu-
Monday Wed Friday 11:00hrs – 14:00hrs
pid’ because once they’d made use of Spain’s medical services they then came
The Lunchbox
back to my town where I had the pleasure of bumping into them, outside of a
Tues & Friday 11-.00hrs - 14.00hrs
bar – in the sun again.
AgirlcalledSoo Tuesday –Friday
14:00hrs – 17:00hrs
Once they discovered that I spoke Spanish that was it, “well you will have to
The other side of the sheriff
come with us when we go to the doctors again cos, can you bloody believe it in
(Monday Captain Rai 14.00-17.00)
this part of Spain – they don’t speak English! Bloody joke!”
Friday 17:00hrs – 20:hrs An Evening In With Bernie
Having listened to them sympathetically for about ten minutes I agreed that they would need someone to help them at the doctors and if they wanted me to go with them that was fine – I’d be happy to help folks – “my fee is 100€ an hour” (I wish). That seemed to nip it in the bud and I left them happy and content that there was an English speaking doctor just up the road in Benidorm, and you can drink in British pubs. They left the next day. I’d have willingly given them a lift too! Still, it takes all sorts to make the world interesting and if MR and Mrs S. are reading this – you’ve probably got it upside down..? Have a great month – met Sue Sharpe inside this issue, an interesting lady with lots of stories to tell about life in Spain in All Abroad in future too!
The Sound of Spain Dog barking, kids laughing, people eating, mozzy slapping, drill drilling, food cooking, beach heading, door slamming, chat making, sun burning, engines running, music playing, coffee smelling, summer sunning, always waiting, water splashing, day outing, freestyle parking, lotion rubbing, aircon blowing, make loving, abuela shouting, market shopping, scooter whizzing, drink sipping, siesta taking, life living…Spain!
Saturdays 10:00 hrs -13:00hrs The manic breakfast in bed with the sheriff 13:00hrs – 16:00hrs Weekend @ Bernies Part One 16:00hrs – 19:00hrs A girl Called Soo 19:00hrs Saving The Seventies With Mike Walker Sundays 10:00hrs – 13:00hrs Weekend @ Bernies Part two 13:00hrs – 16:00hrs Lazy Sunday Afternoon With Tony Moore 16:00hrs – 19:00hrs A girl Called Soo 19:00hrs Captain Rai’s Country Rodeo
www.realradiointernational.com
ABOGADOS · BARRISTERS SOLICITORS · TAX ADVISORS Any legal problems?
965 480 737 / 606 056 282 info@pellicerheredia.com
contact us on: 96 669 5160 - 606 540 408 - ask@allabroad.es
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4
QUALIFIED GESTORA
Est. 1991
Fiscal help... GEWINNSTEUER
INHERITANCE IN SPAIN – PART 2
Bei dem Verkauf einer Immobilie wird in Spanien die Gewinnsteuer fällig. Bei Erscheinen dieses Artikels liegt sie bei 21 Prozent.
What happens if my heir/s do not have the money to pay the inheritance tax?
Diese Besteuerung gilt für Residenten und Nichtresidenten. Der einzige Unterschied besteht hier darin, dass Residenten diese Steuer in ihrer jährlichen Einkommenssteuer in Spanien begleichen, während von Nichtresidenten direkt beim Verkauf pauschal 3 Prozent vom Verkaufspreis einbehalten werden.
They can take out a small loan to face the payments and become the owners of something of a value far exceeding the tax, they can refuse to accept the inheritance or they can sell the property.
Als neuer Eigentümer der Immobilie (gleichzeitig Haftungsobjekt für eventuelle Steuerschulden) ist der Käufer verpflichtet, diese einzubehalten und innerhalb von 30 Tagen beim Finanzamt einzuzahlen.
If in that given case the heir is the spouse who already owns half of the property, then there is a great difference whether the spouses are resident or non-resident.
Diese Zahlung ist jedoch nur eine Pauschale und befreit keinesfalls von der Verpflichtung, innerhalb von 4 Monaten ab Verkaufsdatum die Gewinnsteuererklärung einzureichen. Hierzu wenden Sie sich an Ihre Gestoría oder Ihren Steuervertreter, am besten bevor Sie die notarielle Verkaufsurkunde unterschreiben. Dieser rechnet Ihnen die tatsächlich zu zahlende Gewinnsteuer aus und zeigt Ihnen auf, welche Unterlagen für die Einreichung benötigt werden. Sie werden wahrscheinlich alte Rechnungen ausgraben müssen und ist die Urkunde erst einmal unterschrieben, bleibt für gewöhnlich wenig Zeit, diese Angelegenheit noch vor der Abreise geregelt zu lassen. Sollte die beim Verkauf einbehaltene Steuerzahlung Ihre tatsächlich fällige Gewinnsteuer überschreiten, erhalten Sie vom Finanzamt die entsprechende Rückzahlung. Und hier noch ein paar wichtige Punkte: • Es wird der Nettogewinn Ihrer Immobilie besteuert • In Betracht gezogen werden nur offizielle Rechnungen in Bezug auf den Kauf oder Verkauf der Immobilie, z.B. Steuern, Notar, Grundbucheintrag, Maklergebühren. • Bei Einreichung der Gewinnsteuer ist ebenfalls Nachweis über die Zahlung der Nichtresidentensteuern zu erbringen.
Für weitere Informationen oder einen Termin kontaktieren Sie uns telefonisch 96 6697824 oder unter office@andreaburns.es. Web: www.andreaburns.es
Spanische Testamente
(auch BERLINER Testament)
Erbschaften/Nachlässe in Spanien Steuervertretung Nichtresidenten-Steuern Gewinnsteuer Vollmachten Notarielle Urkunden Immobilienübertragungen Übersetzungen
As a resident the surviving spouse can benefit from a tax deduction of up to 98% if the property is the habitual residence. However, it is important to remember that the inheritance tax will have to be paid if the property was to be sold within 10 years from the date of death. But, at least, after a sale funds will be available for the payments of the tax. Can the heirs sell the property and then make all the payments? That is the wrong way round. The heirs need to be registered owners before they can sell it! One way to solve this problem is to take a deposit from a prospective buyer that will cover the cost of the inheritance, set a reasonable date of completion by taking into consideration the necessary time for accepting and registering the inheritance first.
Is it worth setting up a separate account for my children so they can face the cost? This only makes sense if the account is in the name of the children or they have access to that particular account. It is no good to have sufficient funds in your own account since your children/ heirs will only have access to it after the inheritance tax is paid. For more information or an appointment please contact us on 96 6697824 or office@andreaburns.es. Web: www.andreaburns.es
Spanish Probate / Inheritances Spanish Wills Fiscal Representation Non-residents’ Tax Capital Gains Tax Power of Attorney Notarial Deeds Property Conveyancing * Translations
Avenida América, 32, GRAN ALACANT 96 669 7824 OFFICE@ANDREABURNS.ES
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TABARCA
THE COSTA BLANCA AT IT’S LAID BACK BEST
Images by Skyefotos
by Ian Webster. My family and I took an impromptu trip to the island of Tabarca the other day and it was something of a revelation. After countless flights in and out of Alicante Airport I’d viewed the island from the air many times, but to really appreciate it, you really do need to go there. The fun starts with the boat ride across. There are scheduled ferry services to Tabarca from Alicante and Torrevieja, but we left from Santa Pola. The advertised return fare is €15 but I was quickly able to negotiate that down to €10. With persistence I reckon it would have gone lower – competition amongst the boats for passengers is high. There are plenty of boats to choose from, from large,
sedate glass-bottomed ferries to small and extremely fast speedboats. We chose something in between and 15 minutes later, after a lively and enjoyable sea crossing, were pulling into the harbour at Tabarca. The first thing that hits you is the clarity of the water. Tabarca is a protected marine reserve and you could be forgiven for thinking you’d landed in the Bahamas, the sea really is that clear. Fish are everywhere and it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular snorkelling and diving destination. From the harbour, walk up a slight incline and you’re rewarded with an unexpected view of the main bay on the far side of the island (I say ‘far’ but it’s just a couple of hundred meters away). In the bay itself snorkelers were idly threading their way between a flotilla of expensive-looking yachts moored up in the shallow crystal clear waters. The busy, but not crowded, small sandy crescent beach offers sun loungers & parasols for hire.
and just beyond it you’ll come across a number of restaurants. Again, competition for your business is intense – you won’t have any trouble securing a table for lunch and the seafood is excellent, as you would expect with such an abundant larder on the doorstep. Keep walking back in the direction of Santa Pola and you’ll come across the old town (population 50). It’s a charming collection of small houses, and the odd traditional Spanish bar, arranged along tiny streets inviting exploration. I say streets, but there are no real roads on the island, so there are no cars to spoil the atmosphere. Other than the boats, the only other motorised vehicle we saw was a forklift truck. Not even the church, which dominates the island’s skyline, made a sound with its bells. Should you go? Unquestionably. The Costa Blanca is pretty laid back. Tabarca takes things to a new level.
Turn left and follow the coast and you’ll come across a host of smaller bays and inlets (if you’re easily offended by nudism you may need to avert your eyes from time-to-time). Towards the end of the island you’ll find the old fort. Turn back towards the harbour
Our own contributors - experienced for expat info
7
Fashion faux-pas ...or quite a sensible idea? We’ve all seen them – and probably winced – but just why do some people insist on wearing socks with their sandals? We were keen to know and so we asked our investigative reporter to put her best foot forward and find out….. It’s difficult to find any real reason why people have come to adopt this way of dressing. Type ‘shoe’ or ‘sandal’ into an internet search engine and you will get plenty of information about the history of both types of footwear, but not the point in time when they joined forces to become the butt of many an expat joke. Of course, when you put the two words together, the majority of search results are of sites like this one - http://www.sandalandsoxer.co.uk/home.htm - which is a collection of photos of serial sock/sandal offenders – including some very famous celebrities.
by Sue Sharpe It hasn’t been a recent evolutionary process, either, as this extract from Wikipedia on the history of socks explains:
3) They hide my hairy big toes (Yuk!) 4) They stop mosquitos from biting my ankles (they’ve got a point, there, I think!)
The Ancient Egyptian style of sock is a blend between modern Western socks and Japanese tabi, both of which it predates. Egyptian socks have one compartment for the big toe and another for the rest, permitting their use with sandals. So, it looks like the Japanese are comfortable wearing socks & sandals although it does, however, give a whole new meaning to ‘Walk like an Egyptian’ – don’t you think? In fact, it looks like it’s been quite a common trend throughout history. The Dreary Torygraph ran an article in 2010 stating that remains found on an archaeological dig in Yorkshire (UK) proved that the Romans wore socks with their sandals – so maybe it’s
5) I don’t feel properly dressed without my socks on (You are kidding, right?) 6) I feel unsafe because my feet sweat so much that they slip around inside my sandals (I could have lived the rest of my life not knowing that, thanks) 7) My feet don’t get cold in the evening when it’s cooler (probably because you cooked them during the day, Sweetie!) And the women:
another thing that should go on the ‘What Have The Romans Ever
1) They show of my Barbie pink flip-flops better (yes, some-
done for us’ list?
one actually said that – I know - the shame…)
Delve deep enough into an internet search and you can find dis-
When it comes to the reasons why people don’t wear socks, the
cussion groups both for and against. Here are some of (the best)
answer was unanimous from both camps:
reasons men give for looking like a dork wearing socks: 1) I don’t want to look like a dork 1) They prevent my sandals from rubbing my feet (Poor I was very surprised to discover that it’s not only the north Euro-
baby!)
peans who have been affected by this phenomenon. Many of the 2) They keep my feet clean (yes, but the sweat? Really?)
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discussion groups were in Canada and the USA who were a little
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foreigners in Spain...that means us!
more – how should I put this – forward with their thoughts on the
I could spend the rest of my lunch hour researching this more
subject:
deeply and still not get a conclusive answer. I think it should best be left that we, as a species, are just plain old weird! What one
When asked the question “Who should wear socks with sandals?”
person may find aesthetically pleasing is another’s worst fashion
one guy responded:
nightmare.
“There are only three types of people who should wear socks with
What are your thoughts on the subject? Are you a sock wearer?
sandals.... (1) Men who are insecure about their feet. - (2) Real
What are your motives? – Seriously. The editorial team here at
life Ninjas or wannabee Ninjas and (3) Samurais.”
All Abroad would love to hear your opinions. Why not send us an
Another responded with this; when asked how they felt about the concept of wearing socks with sandals: “That’s sorta like having your rubber on long before ever having sex, right??”
e-mail at ask@allabroad.es. Alternatively you can find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/AllAbroadMag. Personally I would never contemplate the notion. For one thing, I would think that they just give you the most bizarre tan lines. I mean, it must look as though you’re wearing wellies when you’re
When asked if there was ever a circumstance when it would be
naked. I’ll leave you with that thought……..
permissible for anyone to wear socks with sandals, one response was: “Nope, none whatsoever....though usually it’s old men doing it............the same guys with their pants pulled up dang near to their armpits”
Sue Sharpe lives in the wilds of Extremadura which – let’s face it - is probably the best place for her. She (and her partner) grow their own food; keep chickens and other sorts of hippy stuff. She is occasionally allowed out in public to write for travel guides and
It’s big business too. During my on-line research, I found at least a dozen specialized sock companies selling sandal and flip-flop socks. Bizarrely, one of the best-selling patterns/designs is of cartoon ninjas (maybe that guy had a point with the ninja thing?).
maintains her own blog about her life & experiences at www.hiddenspain.info/wordpress. Should you ever encounter her while she is on assignment, approach with caution and preferably with a gin & tonic or chocolate!
Our own contributors - experienced for expat info
9
Cathy´s Curiosity Shop Benijofar Tel. 622 899 906
ad!"
re B ed c li S e c in S g in h T “The Best When I asked a couple of customers
are under the same orders, and enjoy a
just what they thought of a wonderful
coffee and a natter amongst some fine
little (not really) shop, tucked away
furnishings and trinkets.
behind the Citroen garage in Benijofar that sells such a variety of what can only be described as interesting and good quality used furniture and curiosities, they offered a range of adjectives ranging from fascinating to mysterious and pretty much everything else in between.
Prices are kept realistic as Cathy says she likes the shop to be an ever-changing oasis in the heart of the Spanish village of Benijofar, and it is just that. Whether I call in daily or weekly the stock at the Curiosity Shop is always changing and there´s always plenty of new and interesting pieces to mull over while you enjoy a coffee.
You see Cathy´s Curiosity Shop in Benijofar really is just that. Take a wander
Oriental and Asian throws adorn a few
around and you´ll be met by the impos-
of the walls while a
ing figure of Cathy
duck (a noisy one...)
who will welcome
guards the entrance
you as warmly as
and further into this
she
Aladdin´s
does
every-
Cave
an
one and everyone
antique wooden rock-
who shops here is
ing horse gently trots
now her friend -
back and forth - odd
just pay the shop
seeing as I was the
and visit and I will
only one there at the
bet you now that
time...
you come back as with a new friend
Fancy a haggle, barter
in Cathy.
and a natter? Cathy usually does so if you have something to sell or are looking for
Inside this Tardis of a place lay all sorts
something that will enhance your home,
of treasures, art deco. Classical, tradi-
and make it that little bit different, pop
tional. Italian
in and you´ll find something that´ll make
made,
you say, ´now what is that..?
or
retro
just
the
down-right
If you haven´t
daft and fun-
been
ny!
Cathy´s
place yet, don´t
shop is just as
miss out on what
much a place
really is the best
for selling as
shop I’ve seen in
it is for meet-
years!
ing and Cathy encourages all her clients to come back and see her, or others who
10
to
this
Please allow me to introduce myself… Since I started my blog in 2011 I have met some very interesting folk and been part of a few expat groups. The one that I have found most beneficial is Costa Women. Started at the end of 2010 by Ali Meehan, Costa Women was set up to help women moving to Spain – initially on the Costa del Sol – to share their experiences, offer friendship and support to others and make new contacts. Over time that network has spread throughout the whole of Spain. There are regular meet-ups and organised events – none of which I have been able to attend, as yet, but I’ll get to one eventually (honestly – I will!).
about the Conquistadors, wanted to see where the Conquistadors had come from, visited Extremadura, fell in love with the place and moved here! Simples!
Ali’s efforts resulted in Costa Women winning the Daily Telegraph ‘Best of British’ award in the Best British Social Club category – an award well deserved as Ali is totally dedicated to her work and has given a lot of women the opportunity to get involved. As a result, a joint initiative by members of Costa Women resulted in a book in which they share their inspiration, hope, encouragement, ideas and personal experiences in order to help others. I felt, therefore, quite honoured the other week when I received a message from Ali asking if I wouldn’t mind being the featured member for the following week.
Living in Surrey, chained to a desk making numbers dance and jump to please my superiors (because accountancy is such a boring word!) & secretary to two (men’s) football leagues.
Before Spain you were…
You are keen to promote “hidden Spain” – what’s the thing which most surprises misconceptions about Spain?
That everyone lives by the sea and it’s hot all year round – we do have winter here too, you know!
Extremadura; tell us about your area and what’s great about living there
I hate the term ‘real Spain’ and, therefore, refuse to refer to Extremadura as being so. However it is a little known area of Spain that is most famous for its Roman remains – Mérida has more Roman monuments than any other city in Spain – and Jamon de Bellotta (cured ham from pigs fed on acorns). The pace of life is slow here and the locals are more curious than skeptical about foreigners.
Here is the interview: Introducing … Sue
Why Spain?
Sharpe
Long story short – We wanted to get more out of life than we were getting in our hectic UK lives – went on holiday to Mexico, toured the Mayan ruins and heard
There is an abundance of wildlife here and not just in the national park at Monfragüe, which is an EU designated Special Protection Area for bird-life. It is common to see storks, eagles and vultures in many parts of the region. For the outdoor types there are plenty of areas for hiking, mountain-biking, sailing and fishing. Because there is very little heavy industry in the region there is practically no pollution – especially light pollution, which makes it ideal for star-gazers like me. Most locals head for the rivers and lakes in the summer as Extremadura has more shoreline (1,500 km) than any other region and, although it is all fresh water, it does have a Blue Flag beach at Orellana. Culture vultures can find a host of museums and
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(Get Your Kicks on... )
Route 66!
by Sue Sharpe Images by Skyefotos
This is the first in a short series of posts about our recent trip to the UK. I hope that you will not only enjoy reading them but also gain some useful information about travelling in Spain. The first stage of Our Route - Alange to Santander - was to be 662 km and should take us five hours and fifty-nine minutes (as advised by Google). I guess that Google assumes that everyone drives a Ferrari, does not have a bladder, does not need to eat or drink, that speed cameras are put up for fun and that the Guardia Civil (Traffico) are purely on the motorways to assist lost goats………. Anyway – Let us begin: I’d loaded all of the jars of jams and olives into the car the night before, shoving newspaper in gaps so as not have a musical accompaniment on the journey, distributing the weight evenly to give the car a chance on long, steep inclines – so all that was left to do was shove in our luggage and food for the trip just before we left. It was raining – and when I say ‘raining’ - I mean it was throwing it down. Our old (by modern standards) Peugeot Partner is neither built for comfort nor for speed but it does have the capacity of a reasonably sized wardrobe and is as sure-footed as any mule and so at (just after) 9am
on the morning of Tuesday March 5th we set off, destination Haslemere (Via Santander, Bay of Biscay and Portsmouth). Our route, as always, started on the A-66. The Autovia De La Plata runs from Gijón in the north to Sevilla in the south and although it took years to finish, Tit’s now one of the quickest routes north and passes through some of the most stunning countryside in Spain. The junctions on all major highways in Spain are numbered by distance in kilometres (as opposed to the English way of numbering from 1 to infinity and having to add letters i.e. 56b when they add another junction in between two existing ones!) which makes it much easier to (a) monitor your progress and (b) plan your stops. two hours on, two hours off, is our driving strategy, and having joined the A-66 at junction/km 636 we made our first coffee/comfort stop at km 495 – Venta el Caldero is a 24 hour service area providing fuel (Repsol), a restaurant/café, shop (because you really NEED to buy souvenirs!) and hostal – the (toilet) facilities here are always clean and the cafeteria serves everything from toast to full meals (all day). We, however, always travel with a full cool-box (to save money) and after we’d taken on board some (much needed) coffee we tucked into some of my home-made pastries and scotch eggs. The next (my first) stint took us from just south of Placencia, making our way past the snow-capped peaks near Hervás and Béjar leaving Extremadura behind as we entered Castilla y Leon. The weather started to improve as we circumnavigated Salamanca and joined the A-62. By the time we made our next stop at km 214 the sun was at least trying to make an appearance. This stop was new to us (I hadn’t been concentrating and drove straight
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"We are moving to bigger premesis"
“Vehicles can still be viewed at our temporary showroom by appointment"
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past our usual stop at km 225!) but had a restaurant, clean facilities and fuel (Repsol). Although the car didn’t need refuelling, we did. After another quick coffee and a pasty, Phil took the wheel for his stint taking us up through Valladolid* and onto the A-67 at km 88 (pausing briefly at a service station at km 89 for me to take a quick comfort stop – too much coffee!). The weather turned against us again as we joined the A-67 and it battered down for about half an hour. By the time it had cleared we were quite far north and were beginning to see snow on the hills again. It is worth mentioning at the point that the A-67 has to be the quietest road in Spain – we hardly saw another
vehicle on it – which probably explains why there are very few roadside service areas (on one trip we found ourselves in a village 10km from the motorway after following the ‘knife & fork’ signs!). Our final stop before Santander was at km 94. Although this service area isn’t on the side of the motorway, it is at least visible from it. After another coffee (and comfort stop) I was ready to take the wheel for the final stint over the mountains and down into Santander. There was snow piled up at the side of the road, and the fields surrounding us
were covered in it, but at least the road was clear of the wretched stuff. Entering Santander I should have taken the S-10 which would have delivered us neatly at our hotel. I, however, managed to get myself in the wrong lane and ended up on the S-20. Sardinero is a lovely area of Santander! It is where the football stadium and university campus are located and has many, many sets of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings allowing a (lost) driver ample opportunity to consider her next move as she tries to navigate her way back to the port area. After about twenty minutes (three cigarettes and much swearing) we arrived at our hotel at 6.30pm (That’s nine and half hours – not the 5hrs 59 mins that Google had allowed for the journey!). The NH Parayas, Santander is located just outside the city centre and although it is not within comfortable walking distance of the city centre itself, it does have a huge El Corte Ingles nearby and plenty of local bars and restaurants. It was our third stay here and once we had parked the car in the (secure) car park we checked in. The receptionist spoke good English but we were both more comfortable speaking in Spanish. I had made the reservation using Booking.com (I have used them for years and have never had cause to use anyone else!) which, I have found, makes checking into hotels much easier as they already have all of your details. The only additional paperwork required is sight of your passport and whether you will be paying by the credit card used to make the booking or by other means (cash, in my case) Once checked into our room we were able to unwind. The rooms here are clean and comfortable (if a bit warm) with (digital) TV and WiFi provided. The bathroom has shower, basin, toilet & bidet with towels (& toiletries) supplied. This is going to sound
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a bit weird to some of you. There is no restaurant at this hotel, what they do have in each room is a takeout menu for Telepizza (Think Pizza Hut and you’re on the right track). You simply place your order with hotel reception and within thirty minutes it is delivered, no money changes hands as it is put on your hotel bill. No? Me neither, but it’s there if you want it, OK? The hotel does, however, serve a buffet-style breakfast (additional charge) and coffee at the bar. We have yet to see the bar open in the evening, but suspect that when the hotel is busier that it probably is. After about twenty minutes (three cigarettes and much swearing) we arrived at our hotel at 6.30pm (That’s nine and half hours – not the 5hrs 59 mins that Google had allowed for the journey!). The NH Parayas, Santander is located just outside the city centre and although it is not within comfortable walking distance of the city centre itself, it does have a huge El Corte Ingles nearby and plenty of local bars and restaurants. It was our third stay here and once we had parked the car in the (secure) car park we checked in. The receptionist spoke good English but we were both more comfortable speaking in Spanish. I had made the reservation using Booking.com (I have used them for years and have never had cause to use anyone else!) which, I have found, makes checking into hotels much easier as they already have all of your details. The only additional paperwork required is sight of your passport and whether you will be paying by the credit card used to make the booking or by other means (cash, in my case) Once checked into our room we were able to unwind. The rooms here are clean and comfortable (if a bit warm) with (digital) TV and WiFi provided. The bathroom has shower, basin, toilet & bidet with towels (& toiletries) supplied. This is going to sound a bit weird to some of
you. There is no restaurant at this hotel, what they do have in each room is a take-out menu for Telepizza (Think Pizza Hut and you’re on the right track). You simply place your order with hotel reception and within thirty minutes it is delivered, no money changes hands as it is put on your hotel bill. No? Me neither, but it’s there if you want it, OK? The hotel does, however, serve a buffet-style breakfast (additional charge) and coffee at the bar. We have yet to see the bar open in the evening, but suspect that when the hotel is busier that it probably is. There are also TVs strategically placed around the bar areas making it the ideal location to watch Man Utd get their asses whooped by Real Madrid (I hasten to add that I am not a RM fan – I just hate Man Utd!). We like the location of the hotel because, as you will find out in my next post, there is plenty of time to explore Santander while waiting for the ferry to the UK.
* – If you are travelling up from further south I can recommend the Hotel La Colina located at km 139 on the A-62 for an overnight stop. Although this hotel is at the side of the motorway, you’d never know it once inside. It is clean and comfortable and has a bar and restaurant. Disclaimer: The content of this blog are the views and observations of the writer and may differ from those of the reader. The writer of this blog is not a travel writer and does not pretend to be one. If you find any of the content to be wrong or inaccurate please advise the writer by posting in the comment section, but remember to be nice! The writer takes no responsibility for your lack of sense of humour. The content of any external links used which may, at any time, change are not the responsibility of the writer of this article.
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. .. h g u a l a g n i v ‘a A man goes to the doctor and says: ‘Doctor, there’s a piece
have any corn?’, the man gets so upset he yells: ‘NO! For the
of lettuce sticking out of my bottom.’ The doctor asks him to
last time we don’t have any corn, and if you ask again I’ll nail
drop his trousers and examines him.
your beak to the counter!’ The next day, the duck returns and asks: ‘Do you have any nails?’ The man answers: ‘No.’
The man asks: ‘Is it serious, doctor?’ and the doctor replies:
Then the duck asks: ‘Do you have any corn?’
‘I’m sorry to tell you, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.’ When NASA started sending up astronauts, they quickly disA man left for work one Friday afternoon. Instead of going
covered that ballpoint pens would not work at zero gravity.
home, he stayed out the entire weekend hunting with the boys and spending all his wages.
To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that wrote at zero gravity, up-
When he finally got home on Sunday night, he was confronted
side down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass
by his very angry wife.
and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300C. The Russians used a pencil.
After two hours, she stopped nagging and said: ‘How would you like it if you didn’t see me for two or three days?’ He replied: ‘That would be fine with me.’ Monday went by
(with apologies to joke 4) A penguin walks into a shop and and
asks the assistant: ‘Do you have any grapes?’ ‘No,’ he replies.
he didn’t see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went with the same results.
The same thing happens the next day and on the third day the assistant replies: ‘No, and if you come
Thursday, the swelling went down just enough for
in asking for grapes again I
him to see her a little out of the corner of his left eye.
will nail your flippers to the floor!’ Next day the penguin walks in and asks: ‘Got any nails?’
A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The audience was different
‘No,’ replies the assistant. ‘Got any grapes?’ the penguin asks.
each week so he did same tricks over and over. I stopped at a friend’s house the other day and The problem was, the captain’s parrot saw all the shows and began to understand how the magician did every trick.
found him stalking around with a fly-swatter. When I asked if he was getting any flies, he answered: ‘Yeah, three males and two females.’ Curious, I asked how he could
He started shouting in the middle of the show: ‘Look, it’s not
tell the difference. He said: ‘Three were on a beer can and
the same hat. Look, he’s hiding the flowers under the table.
two were on the phone.’
Hey, why are all the cards the ace of spades?’ The magician was furious but, as it was the captain’s parrot, he could do
A group of chess enthusiasts were kicked out of a hotel re-
nothing. Then one day the ship sank and the magician found
ception for discussing their winning games. The manager can’t
himself floating on a piece of wood with the parrot.
stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.
They glared at each other but said nothing. Finally, after a
Patient: Doctor, doctor. I’ve come out in spots like cherries
week, the parrot said: ‘OK, I give up. Where’s the boat?’
on a cake. Doctor: Ah, you must have analogy.
A duck walks into a post office and asks the man behind the
One which had the Germans in stitches: It involved a lengthy
counter: ‘Do you have any corn?’ The man answers politely:
description of how to tell the weather by placing your dog
‘No, we don’t have any corn here.’ The next day, the duck
outside the back door and examining the state of its fur.
enters again and asks: ‘Do you have any corn?’ Annoyed, the
t ends: ‘Of course, to be able to tell the weather like this,
man answers: ‘No! We don’t have any corn.’ This goes on for
you have to leave the dog outside all the time, especially if
a couple of days until finally, when the duck asks ‘Do you
you expect bad weather. Sincerely, the cat.’
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ICKE - Resident SKATT 2012 NON RESIDENT TAX FOR 2012 ABOGADOS – SOLICITORSBARRISTERS KNOW YOUR RIGHTS BEFORE THE ADVOKATER - ASESORES TRIBUTARIOS YEAR 2013 TAX TIME EXPIRES!! KÄNN TILL DINA RÄTTIGHETER FÖRE SKATTEÅR 2013 TIDEN GÅR UT!
• överlåtelsehandlingar • Testament & arv • Lag tvister av alla slag • skatterådgivare & Bokföring • Fordon & körkorts registrering
Är du medveten om dina skatte förpliktelser samt skattekonsekvenserna av att vara en icke bosatt eller bosatt i Spanien?
ARE YOU AWARE OF YOUR TAX OBLIGATIONS AND THE
Visste du att vara bosatt och vara en ”fisical” Resident är två helt olika saker? Oroa dig inte om du inte visste det, eller även om du inte förstår skillnaden mellan dessa.
RESIDENT IN SPAIN??
Pellicer & Heredia kommer att vara värd för en höst av kostnadsfria seminarier, för att ge dig all den hjälp och råd i frågor som denna, och därefter hur man betalar sin skatt, vilket är det mest fördelaktiga för dig. Du kanske har frågor som: När blir jag en skattskyldig? När är det dags? Vilken information behöver jag ge?
are two entirely different things??
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS OF BEING A NON RESIDENT OR
Did you know that being a resident and being a FISCAL Resident Do not worry if you didn’t know this, or even if you do not understand the difference between these. PELLICER & HEREDIA are going to be hosting an Autumn of FREE seminars to give you all of the help and advice on issues such as this, and subsequently how to pay your taxes, which is
För att ta reda på mer, och få dessa frågor besvarade, följer nedan där vi kommer att hålla våra kostnadsfria seminarier i Costa Blanca. 24 september - Hondon De Las Nieves - La Font 30 september - Gran Alacant, Cafeteria Huginn & Muninn 8 oktober - Castalla, Glenns Restaurant 15 oktober - Ciudad Quesada, Centro Municipal
HAR DU JURIDISKA PROBLEM? Vi talar engelska spanska och skandinaviska språk Startar Kl 11:00
the most beneficial for you. You may have questions such as: When do I become a tax resident? When is it due? What information do I need to provide?
Dessa seminarier kommer att hållas av fullt kvalificerade, professionella internationella jurister. PELLICER & HEREDIA är advokater som du kan lita på, som har en stor erfarenhet av att hantera spansk lag, och företräder internationella kunder.
To find out more, and to have those questions answered, please
För att undvika besvikelse, och att reservera din plats vid ett av seminarierna, kontakta Linda eller Tamsin på 965 480 737 eller skicka ett mail till Info@pellicerheredia.com
24th of September – Hondon De Las Nieves - La Font
Vår fastighetsförmedling Från slutet av juli kommer vi att erbjuda en full service fastighetsförmedling, under namnet, Estate Agency By Solicitors. Vi erbjuder en samlad lösning för att sälja din bostad. En avgift, ett kontrakt. En konkurrenskraftig provision takt med fastighetsförmedling, med full rättslig överlåtelse av Pellicer & Heredia solicitors ingår. Som med alla andra medel ingen försäljning, ingen avgift. Om du vill sälja din bostad, vill vi erbjuda tjänsten fastighetsförmedling, men som alltid kan du välja oss istället, bara för att hantera representation som din advokat, vilken som alltid kommer att tillåta dig att sälja på ett säkert och i de mest skatte effektiva sätt.
find below where we will be holding our FREE seminars in the Costa Blanca .
30th of September – Gran Alacant, Cafeteria Huginn & Muninn 8th
of October – Castalla , Glenns Restaurant
15th of October - Ciudad Quesada, Centro Municipal Starting 11:00 AM We look forward to seeing you there if you cannot make it contct us on the the numbers below and we’ll be happy to see you at any one of our offices.
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GENERAL BUILDER Reformas en General Tel.
661 401 584
BUILDING PAINTING PLUMBING ELECTRICS TILING
CONSTRUCCIÓN PINTURA FONTANERÍA ELECTRICIDAD AZULEJOS
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By Bob Arhibald I have followed the expected arrival of the High Speed Train (AVE) at Alicante with excitement and so it was with anticipation that last week I bought a ticket to Albacete leaving Alicante at 9.00 am to return on the 4.30 pm (not all the trains are AVE during the day). I used my “tarjeta dorada” ( and here I ought to tell you that if you are 65+ you can obtain this card at the main RENFE station in Alicante for €5,20 which allows you discounts on all the trains in Spain) and the return fare was €65. I always use my discount to travel Clase Preferente (first class) because when I travel alone I get an individual seat. Anyway, I passed through the barrier as I was not carrying any luggage and I could see the stewardesses ready to show passengers to their seats. The train left on time (that`s what I like about Spain) and in the carriage there was an indicator showing the speed which slowly climbed to 200kph (125mph). As the track is still being tested this is the maximum, but because the train was making a stop at Villena there was a time when the speed was 195kph (121mph). During the journey we could have a free spanish newspaper but wanted to see the countryside. We were, however, served breakfast (tortilla with bacon bits, fruit salad, bread, croissant and coffee) like they used to serve on planes and although there is a cafeteria car this is what I like about travelling first class in Spain, We arrived at Albacete after an hour and I had 5 hours to wander around before catching the train back. Albacete is not a tourist town and apart from the cathedral there not much to see. It is renowned for it`s knife making and there are some shops with window displays, but the most delightful thing`s are the terraces and colourful gardens of the coffee shops. I loved sitting in the shade drinking coffee and in one street I passed a bodega (well I didn`t actually pass it) to partake of a glass of wine and a tapa. Now it was time to return so I walked back to the station and was standing on the platform when a goods train clattered through then our AVE arrived. As it was teatime we were served chicken curry, bread and coffee, but the train had problems I saw that the speed was 177kph (105mph) and twice we had to stop for 10 mins because we had caught up with the goods train. I will return to the AVE when it is allowed to travel at high speed and go to Cuenca. Overall I would recommend it but only if you can travel in Clase Preferente.
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All BORED? All BORED? All BORED? All BOR
s e l ridd 1: A traveller comes to a fork in the road which leads to two villages. In one village the people always tell lies, and in the other village the people always tell the truth. The traveller needs to conduct business in the village where everyone tells the truth. A man from one of the villages is standing in the middle of the fork, but there is no indication of which village he is from. The traveller approaches the man and asks him one question. From the villager’s answer, he knows which road to follow. What did the traveller ask? 2: Name four days of the week that start with the letter “t”? 3: There are two books sitting side by side, consisting of exactly 100 pages. The book on the left is upside down. If you add the page number at the extreme left side of the book on the left to the page number at the extreme right side the right hand book, what is the total? 4: Dee Septor, the famous magician, claimed to be able to throw a ping-pong ball so that it would go a short distance, come to a complete stop, and then reverse itself. He also added that he would not bounce the ball off any object, or tie anything to it. How could he perform this trick?
Answers! 4: He threw the ball straight up in the air!
L A
E N A E
L R T E
I
YN T C T L I N YA T E C E N A T E
3:The total is 2 2: Tuesday, Thursday, Today and Tomorrow! 1: the traveller would ask “which roads goes to your village” , he would then take the road the villager pointed to, since a truthfull person would point to the truthfull village and the liar couldn’t point to his own village.
Our own contributors - experienced for expat info 31 The THOUGH one The EASY one The word is: CERTAINLY
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