EXPAT RADIO WITH JOHN SMITH

JOHN is an editorial consultant with the Euro Weekly News (EWN) and it is good to have collaboration with Expat Radio and EWN John will be a regular contributor and will fill us in on what is happening around Spain and some wider stories.

John explains how the seven weekly editions of the Euro Weekly are organised, with the first pages of each edition focusing on relatively local news and other sections of the paper looking at wider Spanish news and UK and international news. Over the years John has written for almost every section and now pulls together the content for all the editions.

John shares with us his special insight into Gibraltar with the thousands of people who travel daily over the border to work, a bit of history about the Jewish community on ‘the Rock’, its strategic position at the opening to the Mediterranean Sea, and the changes in ownership over the centuries.

John picks up on some of the recent stories including the group of Irish paramedics who saved the life of a motorcyclist on their way back to the airport. John also warns us of the possible airline strike that is on the cards in the first full year of getting back to normal, the fire season in Andalucia being brought forward by two weeks and the story of the €800 cup of coffee which you have to order a week in advance. Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun are also looking for participants for their new season.

The full interview is available on YouTube cause the other driver was French and had no local paperwork and I needed to have proof of the incident for my insurance. The police were great and even hung around until the tow­truck arrived. I mentioned that my daughter had also had an incident that morning and he replied “they’re idiots, the lot of them. Can’t they see it’s raining?” He also mentioned that rainy days were amongst the worst for them to work and the busiest, precisely due to all the idiots that don’t adapt how they drive to suit the understandable adverse conditions.

We already negotiate very hazardous roads with incongruous systems in this country, such as zebra crossings placed immediately off roundabouts and main roads. Those of us who live here know how heavy rain usually means everything floods and mayhem reigns (excuse the pun). Add to this the many international drivers doing the craziest of things like swerving across the road to park or re­entering the main road from the exit they almost took.

The only thing left to add is: the forecast for the next few days is rain…

Be safe.