issue 5 September 2011
INSIDE:
Featured Properties on the Website Fantastic Bargains available Right Now!
Camping in the Sun
Is Camping in Spain the same as in the UK but without the rain?
Also:
View From the Web When Hackers attack
Spain? Isn’t That Just for Pensioners? Hazard Warning Lights explained
The Dark Side of the Market We visit the street market of Garrucha... at Night!
Interview with the Devil We uncover the truth about Undiscovered Spain
2
www.spainpropertyportal.com
September 2011
info@spainpropertyportal.com
3
September 2011
Back to School Welcome to the September Edition of the Spain Property Portal Magazine. It’s that time of the year again, pencil cases have been purchased and filled with brand new pens, pencils and rulers and should stay filled until at least the second day of school; Uniforms have been paid for or adjusted to fit the ever stretching child who owns them and now you can relax, safe in the knowledge that your child is tucked away happily learning in a safe environment, or at least they’re out of your hair until 3pm! Yes, it’s back to school time, so what better time to think of new beginnings and start searching for a dream home in Spain? Convinced? Well, we here at SPP Magazine have put together a monster issue packed with an array of articles to help you decide where to invest your hard earned dosh. We’ve moved things around this month and kick off with a light-hearted review of camping in Spain. The lady who wrote the article is used to her home comforts, so dealing with spiders, outside toilets and nightly noises makes for an enjoyable read. Interview with the Devil makes a welcome return after a brief holiday last month. This month I spoke to Derryl at Undiscovered Spain about the Spanish Property Market, living in Jaen and Personal Service amongst other things. This month we have two features about villages in Spain, Alhaurin el Grande and Alcala la Real are both given the SPP treatment. We have a review of the new Chiringuito, Mooney in Mojacar, Almeria to tickle your tastebuds and right at the back of the magazine is an article about a truly fantastic day at Terra Natura in Murcia. We also have usual tidings from the website designer and this month he is explaining a little about hacking, while our resident under 35 lets off a little steam with a review of Spanish driving. Delving further into this months magazine will bring you the delight of the Night Market in Garrucha, Almeria. As always, we have some amazing bargains dotted throughout the magazine from our advertising agents which should suit any budget, quirk or location. Be sure to check them out and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, a click on the link to the website surely will. If there’s anything, anyone, or anywhere you would like to see us feature in the magazine, please let us know. Until next month, keep up to date with Spain Property Portal via the links below: www.spainpropertyportal.com www.facebook.com/PropertyPortalSpain twitter.com/SPropertyPortal info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
4
September 2011
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Calpe 149,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Moraira 164,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Moraira 179,000€
3 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in La Alfoquia 69,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Valor 54,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Arboleas 130,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
5
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Albox 125,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Arboleas 165,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Villaricos 150,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in La Siesta 135,995€
7 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Saliente Alto 136,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Velez Rubio 125,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
6
September 2011
Hi de Hi! Camping in the UK Stirs Up Memories and Visions of Paul Shane in a Yellow Blazer, but the Spanish Version is Quite Different Taking up much of the eatern side of Jaen region is the Sierra Cazorla Natural Park. The largest natural park in Spain. The parks botanical importance within Andalucia is matched only by the Sierra Nevada, with a fifth of the vascular plants in the Iberian peninsula being found here. It is also home to 51 species of mammals, 185 birds, 21 reptiles (including an endemic lizard), 12 amphibians, 11 fish and one of the highest number of butterfly species in the Iberian peninsula, with 112 varieties found here. Two of the Iberian peninsula’s most important rivers, the great Río Guadalquivir and the Segura, have their sources in the Sierra de Cazorla, amid some of the wildest landscape in Spain. It encompasses many beautiful and historic towns within it boundaries and is a magnet for cavers, hikers, and watersport enthusiasts alike.It’s a wonderful location to both live or visit. Just outside the town of Pozo Alcon is one of the parks smaller lakes Embalse de la Bolera. It is here and around this breathtaking expanse of crystal blue waters a long time resident of Spain went to enjoy her first taste of camping. Here’s details of the experience in her own words. Conjuring up great ideas for a super weekend away is never too far from my mind. I could quite happily waste an afternoon dreaming of good food, a nice tipple or four, maybe a bit of pampering followed by a touch of romance. After 21 years of marriage any opportunity I get to escape my chief role as Senior Officer in charge of 10 kitchen cupboards is welcomed with gusto, so when my husband suggests a weekend away I am filled with joy... until... seconds later, and in the same sentence, the word CAMPING hits me... Oh the horror. As an aging flibberdigibbet with a love of glamour, heels and all things girlie, this is my worst nightmare. Hell, it takes an awful lot of faffing and preening nowadays along with skillful makeup application to even venture into the garden without scaring the birds. God knows how I’m gonna cope in a field with no home comforts and only a rucksack for all my weekend belongings, the toiletries I usually need on a day to day basis take up more room than the meagre bag I have been given for my weekend packing and if one more person tells me the natural look is flattering, I will SCREAM, it takes me an hour to achieve the natural look with the help of a heafty bag of cosmetics. Roll on Friday, Camping, yippee, can’t wait. Well guys it´s here, the car is packed our teenage son and his girl have provided the music for the journey and we are on our way. If the quality of the weekend reflects the quality of the tunes I am listening too, then god help us, but just as I am about to rant I hear gasps coming from the back seat and as I turn my head to www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
September 2011
7
the right I am bowled over by the incredible scenery, miles of blue lakes weaving in and out of the green mountainous landscape. We have reached our destination and I havent seen anything like it before in Spain, its breathtaking, I suddenly feel like Julie Andrews and want to run to the top of a big hill singing ‘The sound of music’, much to the horror of my family. We pitch our tents over looking the lake within the pine forest, and take a picnic of bread, cheese and ham down to the lakeside, the colours are so vivid here I feel as if I am in a fairytale, it’s almost too pretty to be real life. Watching the locals fish, courting couples holding hands and my family rock jumping and swimming in the lake I realise how lucky we are to have all this within easy reach, even the prospect of sleeping in a tent doesnt seem so bad at the moment. As night time falls and we head off to the campsite restaurant for supper, my husband squeezes my hand and tells me to look up. Against the black sky are a million twinkling stars, bright as diamonds... Aaawwww... feeling all soppy now. After a fantastic dinner of freshly caught fish, all washed down with some good chilled vino blanco I head off to the ladies, it is only here upon looking in the mirror I realise I look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards, forwards and to both sides, not a good look by anyones standards, but do you know what, I have had such fun, I dont even bother to reach for the lip gloss, coz hey nobody knows me and nobody cares, not even me. Surprisingly enough I awake the following morning with a bit of a spring in my step, now thats not to say I am enamoured with the whole living in the woods like Grizzly Adams concept but I feel quite saintly knowing that bets were on that I would check into a hotel by the end of yesterday, which, may I add, having spotted several stately lodges, quaint and typical spanish country hotels and a luxury Spa retreat was very, very tempted. Although I take pleasure in informing the family that I have almost successfully completed the ‘How to become a Chameleon’ Course, roughly translated as ‘To enable One who has been born for shopping, to reap equal enjoyment in making hippy headbands from wild flowers and pine cones whilst actually enjoying the experience’. ‘I wonder what Proffessor Higgins would make of me now darlings haha’. No one is impressed with either my home made headband or infact me... Oh well, I’m happy with the acheivement. We venture off for some brunch into the really endearing Town of Pozo Alcon, bustling and jovial, people here are so friendly and we find numerous mouth watering menus in all the tapas bars and restaurants, we settled on a pavement cafe who serve delicious cakes and pastries and treat ourselves to several calorie laden treats. Lunch can wait......bring on the chocolate.....Everytime we order a drink we get served fantastic homemade tapas including serano ham, marinated manchego cheese, pork in red wine, mini bbq spare ribs and the food just keeps coming, at no charge if you order a drink, incredible. I had planned to take a challenge this afternoon, jumping off the rock into the lake with our son but after consuming all that food my midrift resembles a pink blamange with an elastic band around it, and yes, it wobbles, dont think I can bring myself to inflict this sight on the locals who have been so kind and welcoming. Talk about spoil the views. Will have a nice long walk, then see how I feel. Maybe i’ll just keep my t-shirt and shorts on and go for it. Wow, this place is just paradise, huge Cabin Lodge with covered terrace and bar restaurant nestling in the mountain tops over looking the incredible blue lakes. The beautiful people are lounging around on cliff tops, in coves and at the edge of the bay, families are dining out, and hikers are stopping for a cold beer. I could people watch all day, enjoying the sound of laughter and lapping water, but have decided to unleash action girl and jump off the rock into the lake, in for a penny in for a pound... Woohoo, feel like a Charlie’s Angel. ‘Bosley’ come hold my hand... I did it... Hoorah... I jumped... I am so proud of myself, I have done things this weekend I never thought I would and have thoroughly enjoyed myself, as we settle down for a nice cold beer served in frozen ceramic Toby Jugs with a lovely plate of sausage and onion tapas, courtesy of the restaurant, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrored window, no makeup, hair scrunched back and wispy but my smiling face is sun kissed and looks relaxed, something I would normally expect to pay a fortune for. This really has been A Great Escape, in more ways than one and as for this camping malarky, well, it’s not so bad after all...
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
8
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Partaloa 160,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Arboleas 215,000€
3 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Oria 125,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Orihuela 72,000€
3 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Torrevieja 89,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Orihuela 93,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
9
September 2011
3 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Aspe 180,000€
3 Beds, 3 Baths Villa in Ciudad Quesada 149,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Ciudad Quesada 179,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Estepona 135,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Townhouse in Mollina 149,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in El Faro 149,999€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
10
September 2011
6 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Monte Lope Alvarez 65,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
4 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in La Rabita 58,000€
4 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Mures 145,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
11
September 2011
Interview With the Devil
We Find Out if Derryl at Undiscovered Spain Really is a Normal Human Being Excerpts from an interview in August 2011 with Derryl Philpot, the founder of Undiscovered Spain, based in Alcalá la Real in the Andalucian Province of Jaén. Derryl has been involved in property sales for over 20 years and unusually began her career in Spain via exhibitions in Dubai. Since setting up Undiscovered Spain in 2003, Derryl splits her time between living in the UK and providing a personal service to clients looking to purchase in Spain and residing in Spain during viewing trips. Derryl tells us that this way of doing things is because she feels clients prefer to talk to someone at their home where they are more relaxed and open to talking about what they need before making any arrangements to fly to Spain and commit. You’ve been here a few years now, what’s changed in that time and what makes you stay? The market has changed significantly, there are a lot more people looking further afield from the standard coastal property and more open to looking at inland properties. Clients tend to be more knowledgeable about inland towns and villages than they were in 2003/2004 and realise that the inland areas are just as well supplied as the coastal areas. What sets you apart from other Estate Agents in Spain? It’s the extra little bits we add on for the clients, like the home visit in the UK. This is something no other agents in Spain are able to offer because I’m mainly based in the UK and willing to travel anywhere in the country, clients deal with me from start to finish, both in the UK and Spain. It’s personal too, each client is never just a number and I tailor each sale to the personal requirements of the client. Because my family own a property in the area which I stay at during visiting trips I have local knowledge for clients, so if they want to know where is the best place to get their hair cut, I can point them in the right direction. What do you love about being an Estate Agent in Spain/UK? It’s the moment when an offer is accepted on a property, they stand there and you can see the excitement in their eyes. I absolutely love it when I can match a client with their perfect home because there’s a lot of work that goes into getting to know what the client wants, needs and dreams of so I can tailor their visiting trip to viewing properties they will be interested in. Seeing the client the moment they know that their dream home is theirs is magical. What “gets your goat” about being an Estate Agent in Spain/UK? Silly people who enquire about properties with no intention of viewing, buying or even discussing properties. info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
12
September 2011
How has the Economic Downturn affected your business? Is it as bad as people are saying? No, it’s not as bad as it’s being made out in the press. I think it’s mainly affected the price of properties, but that’s not such a bad thing as I think some of the properties were overpriced in the first place. People are now seeing that there are bargains to be had in Spain if they go to the right area, it’s made it more affordable to move to Spain. If people choose the right area they can buy a house for a small amount of money. What would you say to people who are thinking of buying a property here, but worried about the devaluation and losing money on the purchase price? I can understand the concerns, but I don’t think people should be any more concerned about property prices devaluating in Spain than any other country. I believe that there will always be a demand for property in rural Spain and the prices wont be as affected by global fluctuations as in other areas. You have a different setup to most Estate Agents, doesn’t the commute to work get a bit tiresome sometimes? No, not really. I enjoy flying and I have a frequent flyer account with Monarch so I get a discount on most flights. I also plan well in advance so flights are booked at the earliest opportunity which brings the price down again. I get two hours of quiet time on the flight and then get to spend a few days in the sun, what could be tiresome about that? Why did you choose the Alcalá la Real area and not another part of Spain, or indeed another country? Like I said before, I was selling in another country but I was introduced to Spain. I originally looked at a different area but fell in love with Alcalá la Real and that’s why I chose to setup Undiscovered Spain there. It has absolutely everything, the amenities the countryside, the views are absolutely spectacular and you’re just a short drive to the Sierra Nevada, Granada or just an hour away from some of the best beaches. It has everything you could wish for. And lastly, what advice can you offer to people who don’t know where to start when looking for a property abroad, or indeed to invest some money in overseas property? Give me a call and I can visit you in your home to talk about your options. If you have no idea what to expect then visit Spain and have a look around. Spend time with an agent taking you around the areas, explaining the benefits of each area and its downsides. Ask the locals about the area as these people will give you an unbiased opinion because they’re not trying to sell you a property. Ask the Estate Agent for people they can contact about the area and about the agent in question as well as reputable agents will have no qualms about giving out this information. In a nutshell, do some background work about the area, the people, local connections and if possible take a look around the area before committing to anything as it’s a big step to move to another country. Derryl Philpot was talking to Spain Property Portal Magazine in August 2011. To contact Undiscovered Spain, call them on (+44) (0) 1789 550 202 or visit their website www.undiscoveredspain.net
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
13
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Vera Playa 114,799€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Fortuna 199,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Algorfa 109,000€
5 Beds Country House in Bedar 119,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Albox 139,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Vera 160,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
14
September 2011
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Mijas Golf 170,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Tolox 99,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in La Cala de Mijas 172,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Benalmadena Costa 129,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Miraflores 320,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Viñuela 150,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
15
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Santiago de la Ribera 69,950€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Sucina 100,000€
4 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Hondon de los Frailes 135,000€
1 Bed, 1 Bath Villa in San Luis 60,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in San Luis 79,950€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Murcia 90,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
16
September 2011
A Life Long Love Affair... with Alhaurín el Grande
A Stunning Slice of Spanish Life - A Visit to Alhaurín el Grande, Málaga - The Start of a Life Long Love Affair Forming an imposing natural fortress, the traditional town of Alhaurín El Grande is steeped in history, soaked in classical Andalusian architecture and atmosphere throughout. It boasts truly magnificent views across the undulating interior of the Costa del Sol. Its beauty, easy access to Málaga Airport, and affordable homes has attracted many expat residents/holiday makers over the years who have easily integrated with the friendly Spanish community. An inland town at the forefront of the British love affair with moving to southern Spain, Alhaurín is the epitome of the El Dorado village. The pretty new-build villas, houses and apartments fit in perfectly with the incumbent surroundings, augmenting and complementing the town’s magical aura. Whilst the expat population has created a thriving community that has buoyed Alhaurín’s economy and given it a purpose the town has retained all it’s charm and warmth. From holiday and residential homes to great bars and sports clubs, Alhaurín loves its inherited inhabitants, and they love Alhaurín back. The town’s setting is dramatic rather than imposing. Nestled in the fertile Guadalhorce Valley, the lush green hills that give way to bare rock face create a magical backdrop that could only be Spain. Alhaurín sits at the heart of this landscape, snugly wedged into the hillside. There’s a rich history here that goes back to Roman times and was shaped massively by the Moorish occupation in the 7th century. Remnants of Roman columns and Arabic arches sit nicely with the classically Andalusian architecture, which comprise a number of charming plazas, cube-like whitewashed houses and narrow alleys and streets.
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
September 2011
17
The beautiful location is undoubtedly something that will draw the crowds, yet the pretty streets of Alhaurín remain pleasantly unencumbered by trilling visitors, day or night. Whatever the reason for this, potential homebuyers should not worry - the town is accessible, attractive and convenient, so the lack of day trippers is actually something to be celebrated. By Day The addictive atmosphere of Alhaurín will appeal to all ages. The Los Candiles and El Postillón plazas boast pretty fountains and come resplendent with charming cafés; the municipal sports hall has an open-air swimming pool and multi-use sports pitches, and the dusky tapas bars delight with their tempting menus and cool, air-conditioned interiors. In June, the Flamenco Festival shakes up the entire town and is a must-see, while August brings the El Portón Jazz Festival, which is an internationally-recognised celebration of all things jazz. Golf-lovers will enjoy the challenges posed by the excellent courses at Lauro Golf Club and Alhaurín Golf Club, and the intriguing open archaeological excavation sites will interest history buffs too.Unlike Mijas and Benahavís, Alhaurín El Grande doesn’t bring out the bunting for anybody. What you see is what you get... and what you get is typically laid-back Spain: pet dogs take themselves for walks along the quiet streets; old men enjoy the shade, a strong espresso and a game of chess with friends on the plaza; tanned youngsters scoot about on their mopeds in a carefree fashion; and stylish señoritas saunter by, oblivious to the heads they turn. By Night Spaniards famously know how to party, and Alhaurín’s residents most certainly live up to their reputation. Impromptu street festivals, shows and gatherings are commonplace, and the town boasts a surprisingly large number of funky late night bars and clubs. However, Spaniards also love to eat, and eat late. The streets of Alhaurín El Grande reverberate at night to the sounds of clinking glasses, rapid chatter and scraping cutlery. Simply cherry-pick the restaurant that appeals to you and await the great service and – invariably – wonderful cuisine, which consists of plenty of local dishes that are well-worth trying. And for dessert? A moonlit stroll, a few cheeky glasses of local wine or a couple of beers with friends in one of the many welcoming bars - the choice is yours. Long established estate agents Property Search Spain http://www.propertysearchspain.com run by Piero Repetto and Linda Langley have been selling property in Alhaurín El Grande and surrounding areas for many years. Their combined knowledge, not just about property, but the location is second to none and they will happily help guide you with any aspects of relocating to this wonderful part of Spain. info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
18
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Albox 60,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Chirivel 110,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Palomares 79,000€
1 Bed, 1 Bath Apartment in Alhaurin de la Torre 136,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Alora 170,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Alhaurin de la Torre 189,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
19
September 2011
2 Beds, 2 Baths Duplex in Turre 139,500€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Vera 199,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
4 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Turre 595,000€
3 Bed, 2 Bath Villa in Puerto Rey 279,900€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Mojacar 165,000€
3 Beds, 4 Baths Villa in El Pinar 179,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
20
September 2011
Food Glorious Food!
The Fashionistas and Foodies Alike Make a Beeline for the Latest Addition to the Mojacar Beachfront Mojacars beach bars have always been a big part of this unspoilt resorts attraction. With their beachfront position and unpretentious feel annually, over the summer months, visitors flood in to take advantage of their great food and hospitality. All have excellent sunbathing areas, serve drinks to your table and have live music over the weekends. Many will spend the whole day at a particular chiringuito, lounging on the beach until hunger sets in and they head undercover for a long leisurely lunch and ice cold beers. The siesta tradition continues even during the summer break so after lunch it´ll be back home for some much needed sleep and perhaps a blast of air conditioning. At around 10 in the evening, and suitably rested, many will head back down to the beach bar they left 6 hours earlier this time for dancing, more food and cocktails. Old favourites such as Maui, BBME and El Cid´s each with their own unique set up have, for many years, been established favourites and rightly so but over the last year some new kids on the block have achieved equal popularity. The newest addition on the Playa is Mooney beach club and don´t worry you don’t have to drop your shorts when you go in. It´s located just to the left of the Red Cross centre and it´s plain unobtrusive exterior gives no clue as to the luxury that awaits you on the inside. The owners have spared no expense on creating the most beautiful bar, restaurant, beach club on the Playa. Via the entrance doors you enter an impressive contemporary lobby-seating area of grand proportions. This leads through into an extraordinarily long bar which has an extensive stock of drinks from around the world. The friendly bar staff are well informed and can guide you easily through the great wines, spirits and cocktails that they offer. The whole bar area has been fitted with sliding floor to ceiling glass panels so the views over both beach and sea are stunning. We particularly like the blue mood lighting which transforms the bar during the night hours. Off of the bar and running along the whole frontage is a huge wood decking area for relaxing and eating. It has been furnished with very contemporary and extremely comfortable outside furniture, but get there early if you want one of the huge rubber couches as these are much www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
September 2011
21
in demand. Steps from this decked balcony take you straight on to the beach where the sun worshippers amongst you will find paradise. Enjoy the waves lapping against the shore whilst sipping a long Mojito from the comfort of a very chic sun lounger. When we walked in for a spot of lunch, I will be honest, my wife’s wow was audible and for me this usually sets alarm bells ringing. I could both see and smell the money which had been ploughed into creating such an amazing venue and of course jumped to the conclusion that lunch would require me selling at least one of the kids. Luckily however for my daughters sake, this is not the case. Firstly, on being given the menu, it was clear to see the chef had been busy. Many of the beach bars that have been here for years rely to heavily on their name and serve up the same food they have been doing for the last 4 seasons. The menu here is very different from all the other beach bars and extensive. I went for a starter of Gazpacho Andaluz and excellent chilled soup and my wife had season veg. lightly fried in tempura batter. They arrived at the table quickly and were both superb. For mains I had a beautifully tender fillet steak with caramelised onions whilst the wife opted for a timbale of cod with mushrooms. Again these dishes were delicious and wonderfully presented. A large variety of Paellas and fish dishes are available but as we have been here for many years and have Paella weekly we both fancied something a little different. With two very large Gin and tonics plus a delightful chilled bottle of white Rioja the bill came to a very reasonable 70 Euros. Some lovely desserts looked ever so tempting but we seriously couldn’t manage another mouthful. Instead we waddled to the nearest loungers under a gigantic sun canopy, kicked off the flip flops and dozed until evening. On drive home we both agreed that we could happily have stayed into the early hours. We have since revisited Mooney’s but this time for a night out. Mojacar’s finest filled the bar spilling out onto the decked area where a DJ treated us to some great dance tunes. I can’t recall but think we left at about 5am info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
22
September 2011
4 Beds, 2 Baths Townhouse in Fuente Piedra 130,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Bobadilla de Alcaudete 69,000€
4 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Priego de Cordoba 120,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Huerta Nueva 279,500€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Mojacar Playa 95,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Mojacar Playa 138,000€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
23
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Bigastro 125,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Hondon de las Nieves 145,950€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Los Montesinos 57,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Torre del Mar 130,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Javea 245,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in La Herradura 185,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
24
September 2011
View From the Web Helpful Tips on the Internet
In recent months, there has been an explosion in attacks on corporate websites. It’s not anything new, but the frequency and size of these attacks are growing. Just this week there was a seven pronged attack on UK corporate websites. The Telegraph, Vodafone, Betfair, Acer, UPS, National Geographic and The Register all suffered outages and customers were redirected to a website setup by the Turkish hacking group, Turkguvenligi. Attacks of this nature are known as MySQL Injection Attacks, whereby the hackers manage to access the database that stores the website information using a complex piece of code which fools the database into thinking the client has legal access to change information. Attacks of this nature are becoming less frequent due to the security in place on a lot of websites, more frequent is a DDoS Attack, or Dedicated Denial of Service as this requires the hacking of users computers which are generally less well protected and easier targets. A DDoS Attack is usually carried out by a Botnet. This is a collection of infected computers around the World where a virus actively reacts to commands from a central computer. The users of these computers usually have no idea at all that their computer is infected and being used in a Botnet. The controlling computer sends out a message to all of the computers in the Botnet to access a website at a certain time. At the designated time, all of the computers in the network will silently open a browser window and try to access the website, flooding the website server with information requests. This ultimately will crash the server and take the website offline. During the period of flooding, other users will experience slow browsing of the site, or see the dreaded Browser Warning “Cannot Connect to www.thiswebsite.com, please check you are connected to the Internet”. At this stage, thousands of people around the World will be checking their router/WIFI/USB Dongle to ensure they are connected, but in reality it is the website experiencing the problem. So who are the people carrying out these attacks? In the early days of the Internet, when security was a minor issue and computer viruses were transferred by floppy disks, it was computer nerds who tucked themselves away in a quiet room for days on end. Now it is big business and groups such as “Anonymous” and “Turkguvenligi” see hacking as a way to protest against Governments and Corporate Businesses. Hackers justify their actions by targetting Facebook with the subheading of wanting transparency from Facebook. They justify their attack on Sony and Googles GMail service with the subheading that they are trying to help these businesses improve their security for their massive client base. Are you helping these people bring down your favourite site? Quite possibly... Is there anything you can do to prevent it, or if you feel your computer have have already been compromised, is there anything you can do to stop it? Well, the usual, really. Make sure your Anti Virus is up to date and you scan your computer on a regular basis. Check the virus scan logs to make sure nothing is being left behind. If you‘re still unsure if you are infected, you can try one of the following: RUBotted from Trend Micro: http://free.antivirus.com/rubotted/ Microsoft Security Essentials from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pcsecurity/mse.aspx As always on the internet, try to be safe and keep everything up to date and if you have any questions about anything on the internet, feel free to mail me at webmaster@spainpropertyportal.com www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
25
September 2011
The Morning After
A View of Spain From a Resident Under 35(ish!) When I lived in the UK, Hazard Warning Lights were seen about as frequently as a mobile phone in the 80’s. You’d drive down the M25 for 35 miles and maybe, just maybe, you might see a car on the hard shoulder with their Hazard Warning Lights on. Now that I live in Spain, if I drive for 35 yards and DON’T see a car with its Hazard Warning Lights on I think there is something wrong, or my eyes have fallen out and are rolling around in the footwell. It’s a running joke in our car that the Spanish translation of Hazard Warning Lights are actually Parking Lights. You turn them on when you park the car somewhere you shouldn’t so other cars and Traffic Wardens can see that you’re parked. Whether you park on a white line (equivalent to double yellow lines in the UK) or on a zebra crossing, this magical invention makes you completely exempt from the standard rules of the road. I’ve even seen a car parked on a motorway exit sliproad (Parking Lights on of course) while the driver is in the hedge relieving himself. When you’ve got to go, I suppose... Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about the Spanish driving or parking. If I were to tell you the Spanish are bad drivers then that would be heady praise for them indeed. A visit to the local town in the early morning is a good enough cross-section. At 9.30am you will find hundreds of learners tightly packed into a brand new Seat Leon. A quick look at the car is enough to make a UK learner weak in the knees. In the back seat you will find at least 3 passengers, although sometimes I swear a London Tube Train looks empty compared to the back seat, in the passenger seat is the driving instructor who will most certainly have his window down, one arm swinging and the other waving directions to the white faced driver. If you follow one of the learner cars to a roundabout, this is where the fun will begin. In the UK, your instructor will teach you how to approach said roundabout correctly, check your mirrors and indicate at the appropriate times. In Spain, this doesn’t happen. The learner approaches the roundabout at speeds approaching 2 MPH, then proceeds to navigate said roundabout in the outside lane, no matter where they are going. Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre is a mantra in the UK you must always remember, in Spain it is a punchline to a bad joke. The Parking Lights are taught to Spanish Learners by their Instructors. When they see another instructor they wish to speak to they tell their student to stop the car, in the middle of the road if necessary, and put the Parking Lights on so they may conduct a conversation through the window. This in turn leads to everyone stopping wherever they want to pop into the shop, or bar, or bank. It’s only 10 minutes, it doesn’t matter... But, I wouldn’t change it. Yes it’s one of those things that make me want to eat glass while gargling salt water, but I’d rather have to drive round a couple of parked cars than negotiate the M25 Car Park/Motorway like I did the last time I was in England. info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
26
September 2011
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in La Siesta 125,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in El Chaparral 79,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Playa Flamenca 112,000€
4 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in El Puerto de Santa Maria 237,000€
3 Beds, 3 Baths Apartment in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 495,000€
5 Beds, 10 Baths Commercial Property in Benquerencia
www.spainpropertyportal.com
495,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
27
September 2011
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Algorfa 51,200€
4 Beds, 3 Baths Townhouse in Fuente Piedra 149,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in La Zenia 89,995€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Guardamar del Segura 112,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Apartment in Los Altos 68,250€
4 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in La Romana 140,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
28
September 2011
The Night Market Garrucha in AlmerĂa Offers Something a Little Out of the Ordinary, A Market in the Evening Town markets held all over Spain are very much the life blood of many communities. Many smaller towns have few shops and a large number of the older residents still do not drive so they are often the only way a towns inhabitants have easy access to food, clothes, tools etc. Stalls selling ripe olives, fresh meats, bread, sardines and fresh fruit and vegetables are to be found in even the smallest markets and the general rule of thumb is the larger the town the bigger the market. A visit to any town on market day will illustrate that shopping, though important, is only a part of the markets function. The community all come together, family and friends meet for a chat and perhaps a cold beer enjoyed with food. Bars and cafes which serve food will often prepare special dishes just for market days. Paella as a taps or spit roast chicken with peppers are particular favourites. In the summer months many of the larger coastal towns, as well as the usual weekly market, hold night markets. These will start at about 9pm and run right through until 1am every night of the week. A particular favourite is the one held in the historic coastal town of Garrucha, Almeria. Built up around a sizeable fishing harbour and marina Garrucha is home to some of Almeria’s finest fish restaurants and great beachfronts bars. The night market is set up all along the 2 kmtr. promenade which runs along the bottom of the town. Stalls selling lots of traditional craft items along with the usual food products mingle with the multitude of outside dining areas that all the restaurants have. Locals and holiday makers alike will head for the market each night to do a little shopping. A meet up with friends is assured and the evening usually culminates with a dinner overlooking the sea or perhaps a delicious ice cream creation at one of the many ice cream parlours. School holidays are in full swing and by midnight the parks and play areas all along the beachfront are teeming with young families enjoying the cool night air. There is simply nothing similar in the U.K. www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
September 2011
29
The marina is to one end of town and the walk way which runs past continues on into a further promenade that runs along the beach for 4kmtrs between Garrucha and Vera. No vehicles are permitted along this stretch of prom so it’s a great place to walk off the excess of that big meal. The prom here s divided by a large park area where you have cycling and running lanes, a large area used by roller bladers and skateboarders plus walk ways that lead you out on to the beach and a number of fantastic beach bars. A stroll on any evening will leave you drooling at the fantastic fish dishes being served, sardines or steaks being cooked on open fires and the excellent wines being glugged. It would be difficult to pick the best places to eat and drink, as there are so very many, but a few which are a must visit on any trip would be Chiringuito Espigon very traditional beach restaurant which has a simple but affordable menu that changes daily depending on what fish can be sourced that day. For something a little more upmarket a visit to Escanez (www. restauranteescanez.com) won’t disappoint. They have an extensive a la carte menu but also serve excellent sea food tapas both during the day and in the evening. The wine list here is top notch but if great Vino’s your thing then why not visit the hotel Tikka. Here you’ll find a huge variety of local wines and regular wine tasting events. It’s working town status means that there isn’t a great abundance of holiday style properties to be found in Garrucha. Apartments are the main type of property available but these will be town apartments so very few of the communal gardens or pools associated with the usual beach town living areas. You don’t have to live here though to take advantage of all this wonderful town has to offer. The beach towns of Mojacar and Vera are both just a few kilometres away and in each of these you’ll find a good number of affordable property options suitable for both full time living or holidays. Regular buses run between each of the towns late into the night so getting from one to the other couldn’t be simpler.
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
30
September 2011
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Riviera del Sol 110,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Apartment in Riviera del Sol 117,500€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Townhouse in Ronda 120,000€
2 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Campoamor 115,000€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Villamartin 119,999€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Entre Naranjos-Flores 109,750€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
31
September 2011
2 Beds, 2 Baths Duplex in Ciudad Quesada 89,500€
3 Beds, 2 Baths Country House in Pinoso 119,995€
4 Beds, 2 Baths Villa in Sax 192,000€
5 Beds, 3 Baths CountryHouse in Pinar de Campoverde 300,000€
2 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Pinar de Campoverde 89,900€
5 Beds, 4 Baths CountryHouse in Pinar de Campoverde 395,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
32
September 2011
A Snapshot of Life... Alcalá la Real Style Alcalá la Real is a True Taste of Spain, a Little Hidden Treasure Set in the Andalucian Province of Jaén Traditional Spanish Lifestyle is what you get in a town like Alcalá la Real and this is why people want to live there. Where is it? Well, head north out of Granada on the N432 and after about 30 minutes the 1st thing you see is the amazing Arabic castle - La Castillo de la Mota - on top of the hill over looking the town. This is Alcalá la Real - in the province of Jaén but also on the borders of Granada and Cordoba provinces so central to just about anywhere. So what is so special about this town and the surrounding villages? Lifestyle, beautiful countryside, facilities, and the local people, are just some of the things that make this town one of the best places to live. Take the town itself. Here you have everything you need, from an abundance of local shops selling anything from food, clothes, furniture, cars, everything domestic…to a brand new hospital, leisure centre, schools, and many bars and restaurants. There are 3 major supermarkets plus plenty of small butchers and fishmongers, and a weekly market held every Tuesday offering food, clothes and artefacts for the home! The location couldn’t be better either. Alcalá la Real is just 30 minutes from the city of Granada and the airport. The ski resorts of the Sierra Nevada are just over an hour as are the beaches of the Costa Tropical - very Spanish, no high rise developments and not crowded like the Costa del Sol etc…Lovely beaches like those at Salobrena are ideal for a day trip! But if you prefer to fish and sail, you have access to several stunning lakes where you can also swim and not a burger van in sight! There are three lakes within half an hour of Alcalá la Real - two just north of the town one near Noguerones and one at Las Casillas de Martos - and the 3rd one is east of the town at Colomera. Malaga airport is about a 90 minute drive by car. Alcalá also has a full bus service to all the local villages and into Granada itself. www.spainpropertyportal.com
info@spainpropertyportal.com
33
September 2011
Alcalá la Real also has many festivals throughout the year where you can meet people from all over the area and join in the fun! One of the most popular is Etnosur, which takes place in July and attracts people from all over Europe! Great music, dancing, and just everyone having a good time! Every village also has its own festivals throughout the year so there is always something going on wherever you are where you can meet the locals and have fun. This area is also one of the prime olive growing areas in Europe, so it is always green and lush with not just olive trees as far as the eyes can see, but also almonds, cherries and almost every other fruit you can think of. But one of the most appealing things about this area is the cost of living. Not only is food and drink so much cheaper than on the coast, it is the price of properties and what you get for your money that attracts people to Alcalá la Real and surrounding towns and villages. Alcalá la Real is also becoming a desirable area for rural tourism. Many people buy a property here which not only do they use for their own vacations and short breaks, they also rent out to others who want to experience rural Spain. It is becoming increasingly popular with walkers, cyclists and artists etc because of the stunning scenery and countryside and the fact that the roads and country lanes are easy to drive around with very little traffic. Local estate agent, Grupo Inmobiliario Une, in partnership with Undiscovered Spain, can find you that perfect home – whether it’s a cute village house or a rambling country property with land; they have just about every property for sale. They also offer a complete purchase service from getting local independent builders to make your home just that bit special, to a full support service before and after the purchase Having worked together for many years, they have an excellent reputation for the service they offer. Check their website –
www.undiscoveredspain.net Contact them direct to see what they can do to help you find your perfect home.
So what to do next? Get in the car, get on a plane and head to Alcalá la Real to see for yourself what this lovely town has to offer – you won’t be disappointed! Regards from Alcalá la Real, Jaén
info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com
34
September 2011
2 Beds, 1 Bath Villa in Mazarron 71,950€
www.spainpropertyportal.com
3 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Campillo de Abajo 98,000€
3 Beds, 1 Bath Country House in Campillo de Arriba 120,000€
info@spainpropertyportal.com
35
September 2011
Snakes and Slides Whether Your Child Likes Animals or Swimming, You Can’t go Wrong at Terra Natura My daughter loves three things in life above all others. Animals, Swimming and her cuddly toy Tigger. Last week we managed to find something to mix all three in one magical day. Set in the centre of Murcia City is Terra Natura. The advertising media suggest this is a lovely place to experience both a zoo and a water park. My daughter is three years old and loves both so naturally we decided that a visit to Terra Natura had to be in the offing during the summer holidays before my daughter went to school. We decided that a Saturday would be best for all so as not to interfere with work commitments. In the UK this would be entertainment suicide and honestly, I feared the worst. More out of luck than judgement I was proved wrong. We arrived at 10.30am, hoping to see the majority of the animals before the hottest part of the afternoon when we could escape for lunch and I expected there to be queues just to park. There wasn’t any and the car park had plenty of spaces free. Parking was quite cheap too at 3€ per day. As we approached the entrance I got that tingling sensation around the wallet region and prepared myself for the worst. 4 adults plus a child was going to be messy. Again I was pleasantly surprised when it came to 52€, 23€ each normally but that day we got a 10€ discount each and the child was free. Then to add chocolate sauce to it all, the special deal that day was buy one get one free, we could go back the next day for nothing!! Well, that for me made my day, but then we saw the animal park and in all honesty, it’s brilliant. The park doesn’t boast the most animals, but there is a good selection and the zoo is built around a trail so you follow the trail and get to see everything. We went from the Hippo and the Giraffes to the Zebras, round to the birds and on to the Deer and Bears. It was wonderful and my daughter had a lovely time seeing all of the animals up close. She even got to hand feed a Giraffe! After lunch we spent the afternoon in the Water Park. There are slides and fun for all ages, not just adults or children and we all had a great time splashing, sliding and getting wet. We left at 6pm but the park stays open til 8pm. My daughter needed her Tigger to complete the day and have a sleep on the way home. I would recommend Terra Natura to anyone of any age, it’s magical. info@spainpropertyportal.com
www.spainpropertyportal.com