One Big Step?

Didn't know whether to laugh or cry at an item in the Spanish news this week. What do you think? its seems a 25 year old spanish man took his parents to court to demand they pay him 400 euros a month and let him continue to live at home. Now I know its very very difficult for young people in Spain at the moment, due to unemployment, but I ask you what next. This young man is neither working or studying, apparently he is what is know as the youngest ni-ni, Youngest child I guess. Anyway there he was happily living in the family home, Madre y Padre forking out the payments on his car, but i guess he felt he needed some pocket money too.
The judge, in his wisdom?, has decreed that the poor little lad should leave his cozy nest in one month, however he had also decreed that the long suffering parents will give there little darling 200 euros a month for the next two years. It seem the judge thought the son was capable of finding a job, he has some knowledge of the stock market, but he also needed help making the transition to "emancipation." He didn't need I help taking his parents to court though did he!

Else where in Spain this week young people have been standing up to be counted. In the Spanish capital of Madrid they protested about the lack of future they face in Spain today because of high unemployment, job insecurity and government spending cuts. The number of unemployed in Spain, which has the highest jobless rate among developed countries, could reach a record of more than five million, the labour minister has warned.

In contrast there was also a story of British students flocking to Salou to drink themselves stupid, which leads me to the conclusion they will not have far to travel down that road.

Another Airline goes bust

Last week Scottish based airline Fly Globespan ceased operations leaving many people stranded or with a holiday flight, this week the Spanish airline Air Comet with 13 aircraft has has stopped flying with not enough money to pay fuel and fees, apparently they have not payed salaries for several months, Air Comet flights were mainly between Madrid to Latin America and around 7000 people were affected by the stoppage of the company, several hundred being Equadorians.
The Spanish ministry of development chartered four planes to move stranded passengers with urgent need to travel.

There's A Cold Wind from The North

blowing bitter to the south, just to cheer up those of you who have emailed to express envy re the November weather here. Our weather, as is common this time of year, is effected by the heavy snow in the north of Spain. Madrid and surrounding areas are having a very chilly time of it. Madrid is said by the Spanish to have 9 months of winter and one of hell (as hot as). It’s not surprising so many people like to come down to Guardamar from the capital.
Today snow with its accompanying high winds which were battering the north of the country begins to move away.

Many roads in the Madrid Sierra are still dangerous because of the ice and snow which has formed earlier this week.
Motorists are advised that chains are needed on many mountain passes and the snow ploughs have been in operation in the Sierra Nevada.
As for us the forecast temperature is 18 degrees but is colder as the wind is quite icy. The sun is out though so find a sheltered sunny spot and it’s not bad at all. What a good excuse for Churros and cups of hot thick chocolate, you know what they say “it’s an ill wind....."

I do not have a complex!!!

The holiday season is in full swing here though that makes it sound better than it is. Most businesses are very quiet and we look at some and wonder if they will ride the storm. Of course there are quite a few factors that effect the number of people who come to our particular corner of paradise. We are after all not truly a "holiday" destination, not in terms of what many of the Brits want anyway. The Madrilènes still flock here,Guardamar is traditionally a favourite with the folks from Madrid.
Although a number of owners and agents try to market this area, most especially Los Palacios as a destination in truth its a residential area at its heart. Yes many apartments here have been bought for holiday homes but those who bought are normally looking for something a little less commercialized. Coming back every year they can become very much part of the community. Local businesses have geared themselves to this type of repeat business to some extent. This year many of this group have either been out less or not at all, a number have lost there holiday homes since the recession. Then we have the holidaymaker who rents a property for a couple of weeks. We have a number of professional holiday lets near us. We have often heard the cry of "there's nothing here, its all spanish" for people arriving at a let. I cannot help but feel sorry for those who are sold the idea that this is a an area geared to the Brits vacation needs. Looking through a few websites yesterday I saw more than one ad that said, and I quote "Apartment is on the Los Palacios Complex and there is a community pool" naughty naughty! As anyone will know who spends time or lives here Los Palacios is most definitely not a holiday complex, it is an area where new properties have been built over the last 6 or 7 years. The pool, thank goodness, is run by the local council and is municipal not community owned. There are a number of community of Owners in the area but they could not legally collectedly own the pool as they are separate entities. The Lifeguards at the pool have the right to prevent anyone without a pass from using the pool. Passes are only given to those on the padron (residents)or those who have prove of ownership of a property in Formentera del Segura. Both can get passes for the whole family. This pass is for all the sports facilities in the town. We are fortunate in that we do not pay an entry fee,many towns do charge, costs for pool come out of the rates.
What I am trying to say, and forgive the ramble, is this, WE ARE NOT A HOLIDAY COMPLEX. The reason I think its worth making this point is this: Raise the expectations on a destination which it cannot live up to and your on a loser all the way. We have lived in many places that where popular with holidaymakers, over sell is a killer. This area has such a lot going for it there is no need for inaccurate advertising. It does nobody any good at all.
The picture with this Blog shows Rojales Centre yesterday at 10.00 in the evening
NB. A Complex: A set or group of interconnecting Buildings

Flaming July

Its official July was the hottest for 40 years. It is still very very hot so lets see if August breaks any records. Fires are still raging in the tinder dry country. After a quiet start holiday makers are starting to arrive as they try to escape the UK rain. Guardamar of course is always busy as it is a favorite destination for holidaymakers of the home grown variety from Madrid. Beaches are looking pretty crowed most especially right down at the waters age where it is coolest. Go after 4 o'clock and you can catch some shade from the beach houses as the sun goes over the top. Its great to sit in the park too where there is always some shade from the trees. perfect for a little siesta after a nice lunch in one of the many great restaurants in the town.

Rights of Way, La Cañadas

In Spain there are 120,000 kilometres of rights if way known as Cañadas, these were granted by the King for the movement of animals and cattle between pastures, farms and markets, and for movement around the country, they are actually ancient footpaths which are between 20 and 75 metres wide, allowing room for grazing. It was not until around 1970 that the rise in the interest to protect the environment resulted in a movement to re-instate the traditional cañadas. The cause was about reasserting the Public Legality of the Right of Way, just as has happened in the UK with many of the old footpaths and bridleways. In 2003 there was a big demonstration in Madrid when a large flock of sheep and goats was driven along the exact route of a lost cañada, exercising legal rights, crossing a Golf Course before arriving in the very heart of the Spanish Capital.

There are 5 of these legal footpaths - Las Vias Pecuarias - in The San Miquel de Salinas area, they would probably the original tracks androads when San Miquel was just a small village. To see a map of these routes go to http://www.san-miguel-de-salinas.com/uk/map_v.asp there are signs to help you find the routes.