It always seems to happen to me. Maybe I am just incompetent, but my electricity is apparently about to be cut off. As I write this, I am still in Scotland having attended my nephew's funeral. I've been here two weeks. The electricity bill came in just before I came over here. Now there is normally a gap of about - I dunno - 3 or 4 weeks? - before the red letter arrives, giving another 2 weeks or so in which to pay the bill.
I've been informed that the red letter came in the other day, giving me until Saturday the 9th October to get it paid.
What?
I can't pay it. I am in Scotland.
So now, it looks like I am going to return to a dark and silent house AND have the pleasure of paying a €20 re-connection charge.
Oh and if anyone is thinking of breaking into my house while I am away, forget it. Javier is still there with the three dogs and he is going to go ballistic with me for not posting him cash to pay the bill. I'm not sending cash through the post, simple as.
I have a Paypal account if anyone out there can help me out? I can send the money immediately through Paypal to the kind person who goes to my house, takes the bill and pays it. In return, I will be happy to bring back that little bit of UK food retail products that you just can't buy in Spain.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Alcalde (again)!
Anyone reading here knows I don't have a lot of time for corrupt politicians, but the man himself is in trouble it seems.
Spain's national newspapers have carried stories about how he is living in a house without planning permission, and not only him, but many of the villagers here too.
There is a law in Spain where you are not allowed to build more than one property for every 100square metres of rustic land. (or something like that - don't quote me).
Seems the mayor (alcalde) got together with several business including the mayor of Benidorm and Domingo the Muscaret builder and between them they decided to change the Urban Law and allow house-building on rustic land. They dreamed up plans to build enough new houses to attract 20,000 to the village.Now remember that even with all the incomers, Relleu only has a population of round 1,300 just now.
They then issued the planning permission which Valencia in due course knocked back,because it was illegal!
Meanwhile, they bought up tracts of land and applied to the council, here in the village, to build tractor sheds.
You won't be surprised to learn that their own applications went through in just 2 days!
Instead of building tractor sheds however, they built huge houses with swimming pools!
Individual houses, you understand. They couldn't built the properties they wanted to, but they wanted to live well. The mayor and other members of the council now live in nice big houses out on the campo.
All was well, until a neighbour complained because one of the houses blocked off a public right of way where sheep graze or were moved from one place to another.
This neighbour was also a member of the opposing political party.
He kicked up such a fuss that the town architect was forced to admit that the house in question should not have been built.
It is the law here in Spain, that if your house is declared illegal, your electricity and water must be cut off immediately.
This did not happen and there is no sign of it happening.
Meanwhile the mayor's own house is also illegal, and according to the newspapers, so are many many others on the campo.
Now I read somewhere that Spain has the highest land mass in Europe, but among the lowest population.
Shouldn't Spain relax its rules about building on rustic land? Let's be honest, without affordable irrigation, nothing much is going to grow apart from olives and almonds which in today's economic climate, are not worth much.
How much better is it to have housing? Housing, better transport, better roads, a public transport system, a telephone line or two, and we are almost in the 21st century.
Spain's national newspapers have carried stories about how he is living in a house without planning permission, and not only him, but many of the villagers here too.
There is a law in Spain where you are not allowed to build more than one property for every 100square metres of rustic land. (or something like that - don't quote me).
Seems the mayor (alcalde) got together with several business including the mayor of Benidorm and Domingo the Muscaret builder and between them they decided to change the Urban Law and allow house-building on rustic land. They dreamed up plans to build enough new houses to attract 20,000 to the village.Now remember that even with all the incomers, Relleu only has a population of round 1,300 just now.
They then issued the planning permission which Valencia in due course knocked back,because it was illegal!
Meanwhile, they bought up tracts of land and applied to the council, here in the village, to build tractor sheds.
You won't be surprised to learn that their own applications went through in just 2 days!
Instead of building tractor sheds however, they built huge houses with swimming pools!
Individual houses, you understand. They couldn't built the properties they wanted to, but they wanted to live well. The mayor and other members of the council now live in nice big houses out on the campo.
All was well, until a neighbour complained because one of the houses blocked off a public right of way where sheep graze or were moved from one place to another.
This neighbour was also a member of the opposing political party.
He kicked up such a fuss that the town architect was forced to admit that the house in question should not have been built.
It is the law here in Spain, that if your house is declared illegal, your electricity and water must be cut off immediately.
This did not happen and there is no sign of it happening.
Meanwhile the mayor's own house is also illegal, and according to the newspapers, so are many many others on the campo.
Now I read somewhere that Spain has the highest land mass in Europe, but among the lowest population.
Shouldn't Spain relax its rules about building on rustic land? Let's be honest, without affordable irrigation, nothing much is going to grow apart from olives and almonds which in today's economic climate, are not worth much.
How much better is it to have housing? Housing, better transport, better roads, a public transport system, a telephone line or two, and we are almost in the 21st century.
Relleu History
I've been trying to find out a bit about the history of the town. We know that there is evidence of a Roman settlement here at the end of the 1st century BC. Some artefacts were found but many were plundered and are lost forever. We know the Moors were expelled from Spain in 1609, leaving only 13 Christian families in the village. They must have been Catholic to re-populate the town!By 1900, there were a total of 3342 townspeople in Relleu. The village was thriving. There were several mills in the village, water from the Amadorio was plentiful. There was work.
By 1991 the populations had fallen drastically to 717, as the work had dried up and young people moved away to the coastal towns to find work.
River Amadorio
What happened to the River Amadorio?
I've asked old guys in the village and they just shrug and have no idea. They assumed there was maybe more rainfall 100 years ago to fill the river.
Does anyone reading here know what happened to the river? Does anyone know if this part of Spain got a lot more rain 100 years ago?
Sam told me that there were crypts under the church and under the village square. Well, I've asked Father Juan and if there is, he doesn't know about them!
It is true there are underground viaducts running down to the village from the castle, but the are there to catch rainwater nothing more. They are low and claustrophobic, designed for pipes not for humans.
The trouble with gathering factual information on Relleu is that under Franco the villagers were not allowed to speak Valenciano. This meant that absolutely NO records were kept for many years. You must remember that many people in the village never learned to speak Castellano, so they could not write in that language. If there are written records anywhere, they will no doubt be found in some old biddy's loft.
The best hope for any kind of written record of the village is through the nephews of the now deceased Dr Alejandro Sendra, who reside in Alicante, apparently. Dr Alejandro took a great deal of interest in the town's history. Indeed, he found the burial stone of 'Paccius' on his property.
If anyone has anything to add to this, please contact me. I would really like to know more about the town.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The New Pizzeria in Relleu
English couple Mark and Julie have opened 'Tossers', a pizzeria situated where the old 'Spanish Village' office was. Get along there for your kebabs, pizzas, chips and roast chickens, if you ever find them open.
Their opening hours are something like 7pm - 11pm Friday Saturday and Sunday evenings.
The Spanish have their main meal of the day somewhere around 2pm - 3pm. Post-bar drinkers with the nibbles appear around 12mn -1am.
We are missing something here, aren't we?
Their opening hours are something like 7pm - 11pm Friday Saturday and Sunday evenings.
The Spanish have their main meal of the day somewhere around 2pm - 3pm. Post-bar drinkers with the nibbles appear around 12mn -1am.
We are missing something here, aren't we?
John MacDonald
My nephew was murdered in the Philippines last week. This is a very sad post for the family. It was headline story in the UK because they said he went out there to meet a bride that he had previously met on the internet, and that she introduced her live-in boyfriend as her brother. That all three went for a night out - a meal then on to a bar, and at the end of the night they all went back to the flat of the girl and her boyfriend, where John apparently proposed to her, enraging the boyfriend so much that he took a knife and stabbed them both, before stealing John's wallet and fleeing.
Want to know what really happened?
He was an officer with the merchant navy. His ship was docked in Manila. He went there to meet it. His company had an office in Manila. Oh the papers missed that bit out, didn't they?
He also had a fiancee. He was due to marry Michelle next year when she finished college. The week before she was discussing wedding dresses with her friends on Facebook.
He'd previously announced on Bebo that Michelle was "the love of his life".
I think he had a day off, and met one or both of this pair. They were really friendly and they agreed to meet up later to go out for a meal. At the end of the night, they invited him back either to stay at their place overnight because it was a fair distance from his hotel, else just for a nightcap while they phoned a taxi.
Once in the house, the 'boyfriend' demanded cash - they would have seen his wallet open during the course of the night as he paid for drinks etc and got greedy. In the Philippines the cost of living is much lower than ours, and so a little money to us is a lot to them.
John refused and so this other fellow went into the kitchen and brought out a knife. His girlfriend tried to stop him but got injured in the process. Neighbours heard the screams and called the emergency services. My nephew was dead on arrival at hospital.
The boyfriend has gone underground. The girl's injuries were superficial. The police did what filipino police always do and blamed a love triangle. (to protect tourism, but I've since learned that no white man is safe in the Philippines...they see Westerners as fair game for mugging...be warned.
John would have been just 28 years old on the 27th of this month. RIP John. Love you xx
Want to know what really happened?
He was an officer with the merchant navy. His ship was docked in Manila. He went there to meet it. His company had an office in Manila. Oh the papers missed that bit out, didn't they?
He also had a fiancee. He was due to marry Michelle next year when she finished college. The week before she was discussing wedding dresses with her friends on Facebook.
He'd previously announced on Bebo that Michelle was "the love of his life".
I think he had a day off, and met one or both of this pair. They were really friendly and they agreed to meet up later to go out for a meal. At the end of the night, they invited him back either to stay at their place overnight because it was a fair distance from his hotel, else just for a nightcap while they phoned a taxi.
Once in the house, the 'boyfriend' demanded cash - they would have seen his wallet open during the course of the night as he paid for drinks etc and got greedy. In the Philippines the cost of living is much lower than ours, and so a little money to us is a lot to them.
John refused and so this other fellow went into the kitchen and brought out a knife. His girlfriend tried to stop him but got injured in the process. Neighbours heard the screams and called the emergency services. My nephew was dead on arrival at hospital.
The boyfriend has gone underground. The girl's injuries were superficial. The police did what filipino police always do and blamed a love triangle. (to protect tourism, but I've since learned that no white man is safe in the Philippines...they see Westerners as fair game for mugging...be warned.
John would have been just 28 years old on the 27th of this month. RIP John. Love you xx
Thursday, August 5, 2010
3G Internet Access
Just reading down the first page of this blog and I note that I didn't come back with an update after the transmitter mast knocked out the 3G satellite connection.
Had no internet for 5 days....5...long...days!
And no, Orange didn't pay me compensation - even though they were quick to charge me €20 when I was late paying their factura one month.
Their loss - this contract runs out in December of this year, and I hear Carrefour have a great offer on a PAYG dongle, that you can also contract for 1 month at a time.
Wouldn't it be nice if that giant conglomerate that goes by the name of Telefonica would get their finger out and connect Muscaret to the rest of the world?
Whoever says that Spain is not a third world country is kidding themselves on.
They can send a man to the moon, they are in the process of sending men to Mars, yet they can't send a group of workmen 20 miles up the road to connect a few cables!
TELEFONICA IS A JOKE!
Had no internet for 5 days....5...long...days!
And no, Orange didn't pay me compensation - even though they were quick to charge me €20 when I was late paying their factura one month.
Their loss - this contract runs out in December of this year, and I hear Carrefour have a great offer on a PAYG dongle, that you can also contract for 1 month at a time.
Wouldn't it be nice if that giant conglomerate that goes by the name of Telefonica would get their finger out and connect Muscaret to the rest of the world?
Whoever says that Spain is not a third world country is kidding themselves on.
They can send a man to the moon, they are in the process of sending men to Mars, yet they can't send a group of workmen 20 miles up the road to connect a few cables!
TELEFONICA IS A JOKE!
Catnip
 |
| Catnip (nepeta cataria) |
There is a chemical in catnip that is not dissimilar to cannabis, apparently.
If you want to learn how to grow it, I've written an article which is currently #1 in google.co.uk and #9 on google.com.
I bought some nepeta cataria seed at the market, but now that it has grown, it looks like grass and nothing life the picture on the right here, so if anyone has a cutting of the proper plant to give me, I'd be eternally grateful.
Not that I like cats all that much, it's more to do with using it as an insecticide - rumour has it is better than DEET, and throwing some dried catnip on the floors near the skirting boards will ensure you never have cockroaches.
We don't have any cockroaches here on Muscaret, but the village is hoaching with them! Who here remembers watching them with fascination in Normandina's shop?
Shhhh! I didn't say that!
Please help me to get it to the number 1 spot in the US by visiting
Growing Catnip from Seed.
Relation Between Water Bills and the Fiestas
Heard some disturbing information today, and that is that EVERYONE who doesn't contribute to the Fiesta Fund gets a "punishment" of a huge water bill. Now if this is true it is frankly shocking and someone should be shot (where are all the cazadores when you need them!). This suggests a conspiracy because the water meter reader must somehow shift the water meter clock forward a few hundred points to give you no come back when that huge bill lands on your mat (or doesn't, as the case is - they don't believe in issuing bills like any normal company - you have to pay it through the bank, else physically go into the Town Hall to collect them, though they do strongly discourage this habit).
Well, guess what? I've just paid a normal bill of around €20. Guess the next one will be in the hundreds, seeing as I have not contributed to this coming fiesta? I mean, I would, if I was working or had an income - I'm not being miserable, but this writing for a living doesn't pay much!
Watch this space....
Well, guess what? I've just paid a normal bill of around €20. Guess the next one will be in the hundreds, seeing as I have not contributed to this coming fiesta? I mean, I would, if I was working or had an income - I'm not being miserable, but this writing for a living doesn't pay much!
Watch this space....
Sunday, June 6, 2010
No Internet
For those of you who live in or around Relleu, you will no doubt have noticed that your internet 3G dongle is no longer working as it should. On Thursday 3rd of June the transmitter mast was hit by lightening. This is not affecting phone lines but it is affecting dongles, those of Orange and Vodafone. This is Spain. Goodness knows when they will fix it....
Until then, I have to access the internet though hotspots.
Until then, I have to access the internet though hotspots.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Another New Blog!
Wo-hoo, I've set up yet another blog. it's called How to Make Money from the Internet and is still under construction. However, if anyone cares to subscribe to the rss feed they will be first to see when I post new content, and I intend you tell you ALL the secrets of how to make money online, including the links to sign up to if they will be beneficial to you.
Making money online the way I am doing it is not for those who want to be rich now. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Others may make claims that they know the secrets, but they are lying. There is no way to make money fast online unless you are already a millionaire and can afford to pay others to put up thousands of links for you. Of course, you'd then have to pay writers too for your content.
So many people have asked me to give them the details of what I do online, and it is much easier to put it all down on a website so they can refer to it.
At this point in time I am not making much money, but what I have made continues to grow daily. That is how it works online. The growth is slow. One day I hope to be earning enough to be a rich pensioner, and I will have to make a Will to pass on my online earnings to my children when I die.
I wrote the content. It belongs to me, and it does not die when I do, and so will continue to make money, increasing daily, for as long after my death as the internet continues and someone is there to look after my writings and see that it is properly monetised. Google is king at the moment, but if someone else gets bigger than Google, my work can be transferred to the new king.
I can tell anyone reading now that if you write GOOD CONTENT, you can expect to be making a decent living off your writings 2 - 3 years after publishing, sometimes less, sometimes more. If you are a pensioner, wouldn't this be a nice boost to your income?
If you are young, can you spell??
Why don't schools teach kids how to spell anymore? It is very important that you are able to spell if you wish to become a web authority on anything. Articles full of misspellings put people off looking any further, and they are just as likely to click out of your site and never go back.
I mke the occasional error, but always correct when I notice them.
Anyway, hope to see you over at How to Make Money from the Internet sometime.
Making money online the way I am doing it is not for those who want to be rich now. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Others may make claims that they know the secrets, but they are lying. There is no way to make money fast online unless you are already a millionaire and can afford to pay others to put up thousands of links for you. Of course, you'd then have to pay writers too for your content.
So many people have asked me to give them the details of what I do online, and it is much easier to put it all down on a website so they can refer to it.
At this point in time I am not making much money, but what I have made continues to grow daily. That is how it works online. The growth is slow. One day I hope to be earning enough to be a rich pensioner, and I will have to make a Will to pass on my online earnings to my children when I die.
I wrote the content. It belongs to me, and it does not die when I do, and so will continue to make money, increasing daily, for as long after my death as the internet continues and someone is there to look after my writings and see that it is properly monetised. Google is king at the moment, but if someone else gets bigger than Google, my work can be transferred to the new king.
I can tell anyone reading now that if you write GOOD CONTENT, you can expect to be making a decent living off your writings 2 - 3 years after publishing, sometimes less, sometimes more. If you are a pensioner, wouldn't this be a nice boost to your income?
If you are young, can you spell??
Why don't schools teach kids how to spell anymore? It is very important that you are able to spell if you wish to become a web authority on anything. Articles full of misspellings put people off looking any further, and they are just as likely to click out of your site and never go back.
I mke the occasional error, but always correct when I notice them.
Anyway, hope to see you over at How to Make Money from the Internet sometime.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Wikipedia - Relleu Entry
Talking of Bill and Sally, [see below], they are responsible for the entries into the brand new Wiki-Relleu-in-English page. Excellent job, guys!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relleu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relleu
Telefonica (again!)
Can it get any better? Will someone please tell those faceless useless beaurocrats at Telefonica that they are not a law unto themselves, and that there is such a thing as common decency!
I'm talking about what happened to Sally and Bill, that nice couple who run the mobile library - a pick-up loaded with books in crates that you can help yourself to every Thursday morning outside the Lemon Tree.
They asked Telefonica for a landline - just like the rest of us. We might be better off asking them to arrange us a trip to the moon for all the attention they pay!
Well, they said YES! Wow! A first or what?
The only thing they pointed out was that they were not prepared to pay 500 metres of cabling to run from their house on the campo to the nearest pole. BUT, if Sally and Bill were prepared to pay for and install their own cabling, then yes of course they would allow them to be connected.
Well, they were all excited - who wouldn't be? The chance to not only phone home at a reasonable rate, but to get DSL internet access and to be connected to the rest of the world, instead of being dependent on mobile phones which have a tendency to lose signal as well as battery power.
They agreed in advance with Telefonica that they yes they would take for and pay for the complete package offered. Phone line, ADSL, television, even. Whatever.
So they went and bought the cabling, and the protective covering it needed, and laid it all in a straight line leading to the pole. This cost well in excess of €300 which is a bit bite in anyone's budget. Luckily they didn't go the effort of digging ditching to lay the cable underground. They thought it better to wait and see if Telefonica wanted it underground, or if a pole would suffice for overground.
This is when Telefonica turned round and said NO.
What?
They said yes and laid down conditions that were adhered to, then said no. No reasons given.
It is the law here in Spain that you must be offered a phone service of some kind. If you apply to Telefonica - who are the ONLY ones who can lay a line and connect you - and they have not responded within six months, you can denounce them.
This means going along to the police station and making a report. This report is duly submitted to the court, and the defendant is summonsed to appear and explain his actions.
I myself applied for a phone line 7 years ago. Two years ago I received a recorded delivery letter from Telefonica in Madrid requesting I send them some legal documents pertaining to the legality of the house. Those I obtained from the Town Hall and sent them off. Some months later, two new telegraph poles were erected outside my house. They have never been connected.
Getting back to Sally and Bill, I can't at this point remember the outcome of the denuncia, but they still don't have a phone line, although they are in possession of 500 metres of expensive cabling.
Telefonica can argue their case by saying that they offer radio phones to those not connected to the network, but radio phones, according to those who took up their offer, are worse than mobiles - their signal drops more often and they can't even be used for dial-up internet.
The moral of the story, if there is one, is to always gets agreements in WRITING from these companies.
Oh, and apparently, the Telefonica department that dealt with house phones has now moved over to Movistar - their mobile wing - so all bills come now from Movistar. Looking forward to the day when I am in a position to receive one!
I'm talking about what happened to Sally and Bill, that nice couple who run the mobile library - a pick-up loaded with books in crates that you can help yourself to every Thursday morning outside the Lemon Tree.
They asked Telefonica for a landline - just like the rest of us. We might be better off asking them to arrange us a trip to the moon for all the attention they pay!
Well, they said YES! Wow! A first or what?
The only thing they pointed out was that they were not prepared to pay 500 metres of cabling to run from their house on the campo to the nearest pole. BUT, if Sally and Bill were prepared to pay for and install their own cabling, then yes of course they would allow them to be connected.Well, they were all excited - who wouldn't be? The chance to not only phone home at a reasonable rate, but to get DSL internet access and to be connected to the rest of the world, instead of being dependent on mobile phones which have a tendency to lose signal as well as battery power.
They agreed in advance with Telefonica that they yes they would take for and pay for the complete package offered. Phone line, ADSL, television, even. Whatever.
So they went and bought the cabling, and the protective covering it needed, and laid it all in a straight line leading to the pole. This cost well in excess of €300 which is a bit bite in anyone's budget. Luckily they didn't go the effort of digging ditching to lay the cable underground. They thought it better to wait and see if Telefonica wanted it underground, or if a pole would suffice for overground.
This is when Telefonica turned round and said NO.
What?
They said yes and laid down conditions that were adhered to, then said no. No reasons given.
It is the law here in Spain that you must be offered a phone service of some kind. If you apply to Telefonica - who are the ONLY ones who can lay a line and connect you - and they have not responded within six months, you can denounce them.
This means going along to the police station and making a report. This report is duly submitted to the court, and the defendant is summonsed to appear and explain his actions.
I myself applied for a phone line 7 years ago. Two years ago I received a recorded delivery letter from Telefonica in Madrid requesting I send them some legal documents pertaining to the legality of the house. Those I obtained from the Town Hall and sent them off. Some months later, two new telegraph poles were erected outside my house. They have never been connected.
Getting back to Sally and Bill, I can't at this point remember the outcome of the denuncia, but they still don't have a phone line, although they are in possession of 500 metres of expensive cabling.
Telefonica can argue their case by saying that they offer radio phones to those not connected to the network, but radio phones, according to those who took up their offer, are worse than mobiles - their signal drops more often and they can't even be used for dial-up internet.
The moral of the story, if there is one, is to always gets agreements in WRITING from these companies.
Oh, and apparently, the Telefonica department that dealt with house phones has now moved over to Movistar - their mobile wing - so all bills come now from Movistar. Looking forward to the day when I am in a position to receive one!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Telephones and Storms
It has come to my attention that a really weird thing happened in the village last week.
We've been having a lot of electrical storms recently, in fact the weather in the whole has been atrocious this year. We are still waiting for the normal sunny weather we usually have at this time of year. It might start of sunny, or end sunny, but in between is another matter entirely!
There was a bad storm with thunder, lightning and rain. I actually saw a fork of lightning landing pretty near or on top of Campo Rosso from my window. I'm a storm watcher, can you guess?
Anyway, it seems that the lightning hit the mast, and knocked the telephones out! Not something I'd know about seeing as I am still waiting for a line. Look at the photo here. I was actually trying to capture a magnificent rainbow that appeared during a recent storm, but I've accidentally captured the proximity of the telephone poles and how close they are to the house. That is my chimney in the picture to the far left, and the nearest pole (not connected to the distant pole) is to the right of the foot of the rainbow. There is actually another pole right outside the garden of the house two doors along, also unconnected.
Now, getting back to the telephone lines in the village, they were knocked out, so Telefonica sent engineers out to re-connect them. All was well until Eileen got a call for Andrea. The caller, English, asked if she had dialled 348. "No, this is 652". Or words to that effect anyway.
Turns out the caller was looking for her mum, who runs the Sonrisa bar. A day or so later, with no-one in her family having phoned her (unusually) Eileen used her mobile to call her home phone, and it didn't ring inside her house. Instead, Andrea from the Sonrisa bar answered. That was when it was realised that the phone numbers had been switched round. Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Conversations with others in the village revealed that this had happened to quite a few people, at least those that realised something was amiss.
Telefonica were duly summoned out again, and the phone numbers returned to their rightful owners. But who is to say that someone will not end up paying for an international call they didn't make?
Meanwhile, Eileen found her internet access no longer worked. She called Telefonica who sent an engineer to her home. He fiddled around with her connection box, then announced the problem had been caused by someone changing the wires around and demanded a €50 call-out charge!
She hadn't touched her box,and anyway, explain to me how a DSL user can mess around with wires - doesn't DSL use the same line as the phone line - you can make calls and go online at the same time, unlike dial-up?
We've been having a lot of electrical storms recently, in fact the weather in the whole has been atrocious this year. We are still waiting for the normal sunny weather we usually have at this time of year. It might start of sunny, or end sunny, but in between is another matter entirely!There was a bad storm with thunder, lightning and rain. I actually saw a fork of lightning landing pretty near or on top of Campo Rosso from my window. I'm a storm watcher, can you guess?
Anyway, it seems that the lightning hit the mast, and knocked the telephones out! Not something I'd know about seeing as I am still waiting for a line. Look at the photo here. I was actually trying to capture a magnificent rainbow that appeared during a recent storm, but I've accidentally captured the proximity of the telephone poles and how close they are to the house. That is my chimney in the picture to the far left, and the nearest pole (not connected to the distant pole) is to the right of the foot of the rainbow. There is actually another pole right outside the garden of the house two doors along, also unconnected.
Now, getting back to the telephone lines in the village, they were knocked out, so Telefonica sent engineers out to re-connect them. All was well until Eileen got a call for Andrea. The caller, English, asked if she had dialled 348. "No, this is 652". Or words to that effect anyway.
Turns out the caller was looking for her mum, who runs the Sonrisa bar. A day or so later, with no-one in her family having phoned her (unusually) Eileen used her mobile to call her home phone, and it didn't ring inside her house. Instead, Andrea from the Sonrisa bar answered. That was when it was realised that the phone numbers had been switched round. Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Conversations with others in the village revealed that this had happened to quite a few people, at least those that realised something was amiss.
Telefonica were duly summoned out again, and the phone numbers returned to their rightful owners. But who is to say that someone will not end up paying for an international call they didn't make?
Meanwhile, Eileen found her internet access no longer worked. She called Telefonica who sent an engineer to her home. He fiddled around with her connection box, then announced the problem had been caused by someone changing the wires around and demanded a €50 call-out charge!
She hadn't touched her box,and anyway, explain to me how a DSL user can mess around with wires - doesn't DSL use the same line as the phone line - you can make calls and go online at the same time, unlike dial-up?
The Estanco is Open!!!
Wow!
This is a great day for Relleu! The new estanco opened at 7pm this evening and laid on a spread for the villagers. I'm sure there were more non-smokers than smokers there!
Anyway, I missed the speeches if there was any, not arriving until nearly 7.30pm.
To let everyone understand the excitement, the tobacconist in the village shut last summer. The couple who ran it retired childless, and so had no-one to pass the business on to. In those circumstances, it is permitted to sell the business, but the tobacconist licence has to be approved by some faceless body in Madrid.
This being Spain, they are so way behind in everything, it took months for the licence to be sorted out, and until then the new tobacconist couldn't open.
That left the village with nowhere to buy cigarettes or tobacco! The Law in Spain does not permit anyone but tobacconists to sell tobbacco, except through machines in bars. The prices are firmly fixed by the government. Whatever price the tobacconists sells at, is universal throughout Spain, and all machines have to sell at 15 centimos per packet higher. So, with the closure of the local tobacconist, everyone who wanted to smoke had either to pay the extra 15c per packet (which soon mounts up), or make a point of buying when out of the village. The nearest villages - Orcheta, Finestrat, Aiguas, Sella and Torremanzanas all have Estancos, but the nearest village is at least 8 miles away! Petrol is not exactly cheap here, so no matter what way you looked at it, it is an expensive time for all being without a tobacconist in the village.
However, we finally have a new one, and at this point I do not know his name, but he is planning on selling newspapers, doubtless of the Spanish variety but nevertheless newspapers, some alcohol and stationary as well as tobacco and all related products including cigarette rolling machines. I did hear a rumour that he would sell lottery tickets too, and I forgot to ask him when I was being served, but this is something that the village would like, so I'll keep you updated.
This is a great day for Relleu! The new estanco opened at 7pm this evening and laid on a spread for the villagers. I'm sure there were more non-smokers than smokers there!
To let everyone understand the excitement, the tobacconist in the village shut last summer. The couple who ran it retired childless, and so had no-one to pass the business on to. In those circumstances, it is permitted to sell the business, but the tobacconist licence has to be approved by some faceless body in Madrid.
This being Spain, they are so way behind in everything, it took months for the licence to be sorted out, and until then the new tobacconist couldn't open.
That left the village with nowhere to buy cigarettes or tobacco! The Law in Spain does not permit anyone but tobacconists to sell tobbacco, except through machines in bars. The prices are firmly fixed by the government. Whatever price the tobacconists sells at, is universal throughout Spain, and all machines have to sell at 15 centimos per packet higher. So, with the closure of the local tobacconist, everyone who wanted to smoke had either to pay the extra 15c per packet (which soon mounts up), or make a point of buying when out of the village. The nearest villages - Orcheta, Finestrat, Aiguas, Sella and Torremanzanas all have Estancos, but the nearest village is at least 8 miles away! Petrol is not exactly cheap here, so no matter what way you looked at it, it is an expensive time for all being without a tobacconist in the village.However, we finally have a new one, and at this point I do not know his name, but he is planning on selling newspapers, doubtless of the Spanish variety but nevertheless newspapers, some alcohol and stationary as well as tobacco and all related products including cigarette rolling machines. I did hear a rumour that he would sell lottery tickets too, and I forgot to ask him when I was being served, but this is something that the village would like, so I'll keep you updated.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Insect Bite
I took a bad reaction to an insect bite a couple of weeks ago. I wrote a hub about it, if anyone's interested.
Sandflies, Gnats & the B that Bit Me.
At the foot of the page, just above the comments section, are links to other hubs I wrote about mosquitoes and how to avoid them. Might be worth a look to those who don't know that much about mosquitoes and when they bite. I've also written some advice about how to avoid them, and how to take the itch out of the bites.
Sandflies, Gnats & the B that Bit Me.
At the foot of the page, just above the comments section, are links to other hubs I wrote about mosquitoes and how to avoid them. Might be worth a look to those who don't know that much about mosquitoes and when they bite. I've also written some advice about how to avoid them, and how to take the itch out of the bites.
Dorothy and Peter Theft
Was sorry to hear that Peter got all his tools stolen from his pick-up. At this point I do not know where the pick-up was parked at the time, or even what time of day it happened.
However, this is good time to remind everyone that crime exists. You might get away with leaving your car unlocked, or even your house unlocked, for short periods of time. But there are some bad people out there, and they are amongst us, sadly.
We should all keep our ears and eyes opened to be on the look-out for anyone acting suspiciously.
However, this is good time to remind everyone that crime exists. You might get away with leaving your car unlocked, or even your house unlocked, for short periods of time. But there are some bad people out there, and they are amongst us, sadly.
We should all keep our ears and eyes opened to be on the look-out for anyone acting suspiciously.
Residencial Muscaret Television
To those of you living on Muscaret
You maybe didn't know if you are connected to Sky and all you watch is British television, but there is now a way to get Spanish digital television even if you don't have an arial.
All the houses are interlinked by underground cables, as we all initially paid for cable TV that we didn't get in the end up, but the cabling is there.
Did you ever wonder what that box is just on the inside of your front door, the one low down on the wall that flashes with a green light every now and again?
No it's not spy cameras, or a 'big brother is watching you' scenario, that's your cable box, and it connects to every other house on the estate.
So you don't have an ariel, but someone else does.
Get a TV engineer to change some wires around (or whatever it is they do) and hey presto! You now have perfect picture TV (well nearly perfect picture - it comes and goes a bit).
If you have a digital TV, just switch it on, and use the 'audio' button on the remote control to change the language to English when they are showing English speaking films or TV programs like 'Lost' or 'Merlin'.
If you don't have a digital TV, you will find that your analogue TV picks up 2 Spanish channels. I've no idea what they are - we never got them before - but they must be getting transmitted on an analogue signal because the digi TV doesn't pick them up.
If you want to have the ability to change the language on them, you will need to buy a TDT box as mentioned at the start of the last article.
You maybe didn't know if you are connected to Sky and all you watch is British television, but there is now a way to get Spanish digital television even if you don't have an arial.
All the houses are interlinked by underground cables, as we all initially paid for cable TV that we didn't get in the end up, but the cabling is there.
Did you ever wonder what that box is just on the inside of your front door, the one low down on the wall that flashes with a green light every now and again?
No it's not spy cameras, or a 'big brother is watching you' scenario, that's your cable box, and it connects to every other house on the estate.
So you don't have an ariel, but someone else does.
Get a TV engineer to change some wires around (or whatever it is they do) and hey presto! You now have perfect picture TV (well nearly perfect picture - it comes and goes a bit).
If you have a digital TV, just switch it on, and use the 'audio' button on the remote control to change the language to English when they are showing English speaking films or TV programs like 'Lost' or 'Merlin'.
If you don't have a digital TV, you will find that your analogue TV picks up 2 Spanish channels. I've no idea what they are - we never got them before - but they must be getting transmitted on an analogue signal because the digi TV doesn't pick them up.
If you want to have the ability to change the language on them, you will need to buy a TDT box as mentioned at the start of the last article.
Television in Spain
As I'm sure we are all aware, Spain changed from analogue to digital television transmission recently. In the week before the changeover, the shops were full of TDT boxes for sale, knowing full well that most people didn't have a digital TV to accept the transmissions.
And no, they weren't all that cheap either, being in the €40 price range each on average.
The problem is that large parts of Spain are mountainous, with limited television reception. Huge pockets never received a good analogue signal, and these same pockets now receive no television at all. Digital, while on a tighter waveband, also needs crystal clear reception to give a watchable picture.
I was listening to a Spanish radio station talking about the problem, and went away with the impression that something like 60% of the country has lost their TV transmissions, but I may be mistaken and the actual figure is a lot lower.
Another case of moving too quickly without the necessary infrastructure in place.
And no, they weren't all that cheap either, being in the €40 price range each on average.
The problem is that large parts of Spain are mountainous, with limited television reception. Huge pockets never received a good analogue signal, and these same pockets now receive no television at all. Digital, while on a tighter waveband, also needs crystal clear reception to give a watchable picture.
I was listening to a Spanish radio station talking about the problem, and went away with the impression that something like 60% of the country has lost their TV transmissions, but I may be mistaken and the actual figure is a lot lower.
Another case of moving too quickly without the necessary infrastructure in place.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Another Robbery
I've not been talking much to people, not hearing what is happening in this big bad village, because when out I am using my time catching up on all my internet stuff, but it seems Claire and her man's (can't remember his name - sorry) was broken into on Monday. Stolen was Claire's laptop and dongle, as well as credit cards. No idea what else. That was all I heard.
I really feel for her. I would want to curl up and die if someone stole my laptop - it's my whole life! (How sad is that!!!)
Hopefully they are insured by someone other than the CamBank!
Anyway, folks, be on the lookout for strange men who have been spotted round and about. Believe a white van may be involved.
I really feel for her. I would want to curl up and die if someone stole my laptop - it's my whole life! (How sad is that!!!)
Hopefully they are insured by someone other than the CamBank!
Anyway, folks, be on the lookout for strange men who have been spotted round and about. Believe a white van may be involved.
Orange Internet Everywhere
Well I wanted something to happen, and it did!! My internet access got cut off. It's been off for over a week, all through a bank mix-up that meant the payment due at the end of March didn't go through. I've been in touch with the bank concerned. I've phoned Orange at God-knows-how-much-but-EXPENSIVE-per-minute-rates and been kept on hold to make sure it was even more expensive....4 times!! The last time they assured me my internet would get switched back on within 24 hours but I am still waiting a week later. Thanks to Bar Galeo - where they are sick of seeing me - Bar L'Era and the car parking space outside Mark and Julie's home in Campo Rosso, I have been able to stay online using Wi-Fi, but not as much as before (obviously).
Today, I got another freelance job. I have to write 15 articles, each 400 words long, and submit them all by Monday.
I can write in the house, but I need the internet for research.
Today, I got another freelance job. I have to write 15 articles, each 400 words long, and submit them all by Monday.
I can write in the house, but I need the internet for research.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Bus Trip to Crevillent
On Friday 2nd April, about 50 of us piled into a lovely 54 seater coach and left from the bunker in Relleu to Crevillent, which is south of Alicante but none of really knew exactly where or how big a town it is.
It seemed to be a fair size town, and after disembarking the bus we walked through a few streets, then uphill to Constitucion square where all the heavily decorated floats were on display. We then wandered back down to a converted internet cafe where there was food and drink galore laid on for us.
It was typical fiesta food of round bread things that would crack your teeth if you tried to bite a bit off, a little bit of cold fish with whole cooked garlic as a side dish, fresh green broad beans still in the pod, cocas (no nothing terribly exciting as the same might suggest - cocas are like baby pizzas) and slices of cheese.
More importantly, there were bottles of beer, wine and soft drinks all there for the taking. All I really wanted was a coffee - honest!
Seats had been reserved for our party and the other busload from Finestrat, which I thought was a really nice gesture, and we were handed free baseball caps in a plastic bag full of pamphlets about the town and the procession(s).
Was it 11am the procession started? Round about then anyway, and we watched as different parts of the procession passed us by. Everyone wore the most beautiful costumes, though the suggestion of the Klu Klux Klan was a little disconcerting.
Some groups were all in red, others in green, others in blue, or purple and I have no idea whatsoever at this point in time what each group represented.
The children, even the babies, mostly wore costumes in their team's colours.
Many of the marchers - no they weren't marchers - amblers maybe, as they walked at such a slow pace - threw sweeties to the children in the crowds.
The heavy floats were something else. Their lifters had the burden of carrying a heavy weight across their shoulders up and down the steep streets. Some floats have 20 people to the front and a further 20 to the rear, but even more had 26 front and rear making a total of 52.
There must have been hundreds of not thousands of participants. There were loads of bands who joined them, brass bands, drummer bands - all playing typical Valenciano music.
Anyway, after a while a few of us needed the loo and went off in search of one. Well the Spanish aren't big on public toilets, so of course we ended up in a bar! That was - me, Kerry, Sam, Julie and Mark.
We had to have a beer because it would have been considered rude to use their facilities without buying anything.
While we were in this bar, a poor woman collapsed in a diabetic coma. She wasn't quite in a coma and asked several times for azucar which she didn't get for a good 5 minutes, despite her being surrounded by what I assume to be family and friends, and a local bobby who seemed to do nothing but watch proceddings.
Then some bampot opened a sugar sachet and gave it to her directly! I'm surprised she didn't choke! Anyway would it have been too much for any of them to have given her coca-cola. We are always reading about how much sugar is in it, so it would have been excellent.
Anyway, paramedics arrived promptly, checked her blood/sugar level and administered some glucose before lifting and sitting her on a chair outside.
By the time we left, she had recovered but was weepy and upset. The ambulance was long gone.
That wasn't our excitement over for the day.
We then returned to see the end of the procession in time to watch this big group of people walk on by, without robes or uniforms on. I just thought they were family and friends of the processionees, until they burst into song.
They were a full choir, and they sang as they walked with their conductor walking backwards in front of them. Luckily there were no small dogs for him to fall over.
This choir was amazing. I am so glad I didn't miss them.
Then it back to the bus and off to a surpise location for lunch. The place they chose for us was beautiful. It was in a big room that might have doubled up as a conservatory with full length glass frontage overlooking a wonderful swimming pool area, with loads of palm trees and other greenery to amble through and outside seating for the smokers amongst us.
Lunch was disappointing because it was the same food we'd received earlier with the addition of a paella. I like paella normally but this one wasn't too good. More wine and beer and finsished off with the coffee I had craved all day long. The coffee was great, but we were being ushered to the bus by this time so I had to drink it really quickly.
Then it was off home with loads of people half-cut by this time and completely clueless as to where the bus was during its journey!
General consensus is that it was a great day, so many thanks go the Town Hall and Teresa for organising it for us.
It seemed to be a fair size town, and after disembarking the bus we walked through a few streets, then uphill to Constitucion square where all the heavily decorated floats were on display. We then wandered back down to a converted internet cafe where there was food and drink galore laid on for us.
It was typical fiesta food of round bread things that would crack your teeth if you tried to bite a bit off, a little bit of cold fish with whole cooked garlic as a side dish, fresh green broad beans still in the pod, cocas (no nothing terribly exciting as the same might suggest - cocas are like baby pizzas) and slices of cheese.
More importantly, there were bottles of beer, wine and soft drinks all there for the taking. All I really wanted was a coffee - honest!
Seats had been reserved for our party and the other busload from Finestrat, which I thought was a really nice gesture, and we were handed free baseball caps in a plastic bag full of pamphlets about the town and the procession(s).
Was it 11am the procession started? Round about then anyway, and we watched as different parts of the procession passed us by. Everyone wore the most beautiful costumes, though the suggestion of the Klu Klux Klan was a little disconcerting.Some groups were all in red, others in green, others in blue, or purple and I have no idea whatsoever at this point in time what each group represented.
The children, even the babies, mostly wore costumes in their team's colours.
Many of the marchers - no they weren't marchers - amblers maybe, as they walked at such a slow pace - threw sweeties to the children in the crowds.
The heavy floats were something else. Their lifters had the burden of carrying a heavy weight across their shoulders up and down the steep streets. Some floats have 20 people to the front and a further 20 to the rear, but even more had 26 front and rear making a total of 52.There must have been hundreds of not thousands of participants. There were loads of bands who joined them, brass bands, drummer bands - all playing typical Valenciano music.
Anyway, after a while a few of us needed the loo and went off in search of one. Well the Spanish aren't big on public toilets, so of course we ended up in a bar! That was - me, Kerry, Sam, Julie and Mark.
We had to have a beer because it would have been considered rude to use their facilities without buying anything.
While we were in this bar, a poor woman collapsed in a diabetic coma. She wasn't quite in a coma and asked several times for azucar which she didn't get for a good 5 minutes, despite her being surrounded by what I assume to be family and friends, and a local bobby who seemed to do nothing but watch proceddings.
Then some bampot opened a sugar sachet and gave it to her directly! I'm surprised she didn't choke! Anyway would it have been too much for any of them to have given her coca-cola. We are always reading about how much sugar is in it, so it would have been excellent.
Anyway, paramedics arrived promptly, checked her blood/sugar level and administered some glucose before lifting and sitting her on a chair outside.By the time we left, she had recovered but was weepy and upset. The ambulance was long gone.
That wasn't our excitement over for the day.
We then returned to see the end of the procession in time to watch this big group of people walk on by, without robes or uniforms on. I just thought they were family and friends of the processionees, until they burst into song.
They were a full choir, and they sang as they walked with their conductor walking backwards in front of them. Luckily there were no small dogs for him to fall over.
This choir was amazing. I am so glad I didn't miss them.
Then it back to the bus and off to a surpise location for lunch. The place they chose for us was beautiful. It was in a big room that might have doubled up as a conservatory with full length glass frontage overlooking a wonderful swimming pool area, with loads of palm trees and other greenery to amble through and outside seating for the smokers amongst us.Lunch was disappointing because it was the same food we'd received earlier with the addition of a paella. I like paella normally but this one wasn't too good. More wine and beer and finsished off with the coffee I had craved all day long. The coffee was great, but we were being ushered to the bus by this time so I had to drink it really quickly.
Then it was off home with loads of people half-cut by this time and completely clueless as to where the bus was during its journey!
General consensus is that it was a great day, so many thanks go the Town Hall and Teresa for organising it for us.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Same Old
This blog is only 5 viewers short of 1000 views!! Woo-hoo! Does that mean some of you have looked for updates like 100 times each?
There is not much news to report just now. Weather has been terrible. It got a bit warmer then it got colder again.
Same old...same old.
I learnt sone new gossip today but this blog is not about passing on gossip. So my lips are sealed (unless you email me LOL)
Recently, I've had no problems from anyone, but you know what's gonna happen, don't you? I'm going to get about six major problems at once.
I'll be busy blogging then!
There is not much news to report just now. Weather has been terrible. It got a bit warmer then it got colder again.
Same old...same old.
I learnt sone new gossip today but this blog is not about passing on gossip. So my lips are sealed (unless you email me LOL)
Recently, I've had no problems from anyone, but you know what's gonna happen, don't you? I'm going to get about six major problems at once.
I'll be busy blogging then!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Relleu Online
This is it! You've waited for it, I told you about it, then you couldn't find it.
Relleu Online, the latest English-language online newspaper especially for the good people of Relleu and surrounding districts.
Relleu Online
Don't forget to email the editor of upcoming events, news stories, anything that might be of interest to the general populace.
Relleu Online, the latest English-language online newspaper especially for the good people of Relleu and surrounding districts.
Relleu Online
Don't forget to email the editor of upcoming events, news stories, anything that might be of interest to the general populace.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Fire Fixed!
Woo-hoo! Finally got my fire fixed today. Turned out to be the nicest day this year so very soon won't be needing a fire. Well done, Ergos Seguros, only took you 3 months to fix it under your policy, you useless gits! I have never spent a winter feeling so cold in my life. If I die of a cold-related disease, rest assured I will hold you responsible and come back and haunt you!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Red Palm Weevil
I've been interested in the news items about the red palm weevil which could mean the end of all palm trees worldwide and wrote about them too. Attack of the Red Palm Weevil.
You should read it because this menace could well be here in the village. There have been several reported cases in Villajoyosa. It's something we will all have to look out for and forewarned is forearmed, so they say.
Be interesting to see what our local Town Hall will do if such an attack happened here.
My guess is probably nothing because they don't have any poor soul doing Community Service to go cut down the palm trees for them!
You should read it because this menace could well be here in the village. There have been several reported cases in Villajoyosa. It's something we will all have to look out for and forewarned is forearmed, so they say.
Be interesting to see what our local Town Hall will do if such an attack happened here.
My guess is probably nothing because they don't have any poor soul doing Community Service to go cut down the palm trees for them!
Almond Blossom
Don't ya just love the almond blossom of early spring here? I wrote a hub about it, called...emmm...Almond Blossom. Bet that surprised you. You thought I might have called it something else! I'm not going to use this space to say what information I learned about almonds, you will have to click on the link and go see for yourself!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wooo-Hoooo!
Before I finish....
If anyone here has the expensive insurance they had to take with their Cam Bank mortgage, read on...
I'm told my insurance cost somewhere in the region of €340 a year, even though some years the Cam Bank has taken well 0ver €700 from me for 'seguro'.
Even though I've had problems in my house, like accidentally burning the cheap crappy kitchen worktop with a hot pan, or the window hinges snapping on me for no apparent reason, I'd never made a claim before now.
My wood burner door broke just before Christmas, as did my admittedly cheap and just out of warranty satellite receiver, and so I contacted this insurance people for my first ever claim.
They came out and inspected the damage the first week of January, and said they'd be in touch.
Well, weeks went by. I didn't phone them because I had no credit in my phone, and anyway, anytime I do phone them they insist I speak to their English speaker, even though I speak Spanish. It's always a case of 'Call back later'.
Yesterday I went into the CamBank to ask them who had put €50 in my account, and THEY DIDN'T KNOW!!!
I asked them, surely they must know, was it their insurance company?
No don't know was their reply.
A letter in the mail from the insurance company said yes it was them, they have paid me €50 for a sheet of fireproof glass which I already know costs €200!!
Jane where are you??
I am leaving this company, they are comnpletely useless, and I am advising all your readers to dump this company for the reasons forementioned above.
Their name is ERGOS Seguros.
Before I finish....
If anyone here has the expensive insurance they had to take with their Cam Bank mortgage, read on...
I'm told my insurance cost somewhere in the region of €340 a year, even though some years the Cam Bank has taken well 0ver €700 from me for 'seguro'.
Even though I've had problems in my house, like accidentally burning the cheap crappy kitchen worktop with a hot pan, or the window hinges snapping on me for no apparent reason, I'd never made a claim before now.
My wood burner door broke just before Christmas, as did my admittedly cheap and just out of warranty satellite receiver, and so I contacted this insurance people for my first ever claim.
They came out and inspected the damage the first week of January, and said they'd be in touch.
Well, weeks went by. I didn't phone them because I had no credit in my phone, and anyway, anytime I do phone them they insist I speak to their English speaker, even though I speak Spanish. It's always a case of 'Call back later'.
Yesterday I went into the CamBank to ask them who had put €50 in my account, and THEY DIDN'T KNOW!!!
I asked them, surely they must know, was it their insurance company?
No don't know was their reply.
A letter in the mail from the insurance company said yes it was them, they have paid me €50 for a sheet of fireproof glass which I already know costs €200!!
Jane where are you??
I am leaving this company, they are comnpletely useless, and I am advising all your readers to dump this company for the reasons forementioned above.
Their name is ERGOS Seguros.
Electricity bills
Finally today I want to talk about electricity bills.
Now, how hard is it for these people to come out, open the meter which is in the street, and read it?
Obviously too hard.
Back home, they send men out to apartments, closes, whatever, wherever, you'll get your meter read.
Here there is absolutely no excuse. No-one has a meter inside their house.
They are all in the street, and only these people have keys to open them.
Now I think quite soon I will be taking a sledge-hammer to mine. Not to break it, just to break the glass that contains the readings, because I fail to see why we all have a bill for roundabout €120.
I can't read my own meter. The glass or more probably 'plastic' shield it sits behind is unreadable.
So without paying the privilege of €30+ for calling them out, I am not the master of my meter.
In my house back home I was. I could look at it, anytime of the day, I could work out exactly how much it cost to run an electrical appliance. That is how it should be.
Here? No. They tell you you what you owe, and maybe the Spanish people after all those years of Franco accept what they are told, but I don't.
So? Deport me.
Now, how hard is it for these people to come out, open the meter which is in the street, and read it?
Obviously too hard.
Back home, they send men out to apartments, closes, whatever, wherever, you'll get your meter read.
Here there is absolutely no excuse. No-one has a meter inside their house.
They are all in the street, and only these people have keys to open them.
Now I think quite soon I will be taking a sledge-hammer to mine. Not to break it, just to break the glass that contains the readings, because I fail to see why we all have a bill for roundabout €120.
I can't read my own meter. The glass or more probably 'plastic' shield it sits behind is unreadable.
So without paying the privilege of €30+ for calling them out, I am not the master of my meter.
In my house back home I was. I could look at it, anytime of the day, I could work out exactly how much it cost to run an electrical appliance. That is how it should be.
Here? No. They tell you you what you owe, and maybe the Spanish people after all those years of Franco accept what they are told, but I don't.
So? Deport me.
Water Supplies
Anyone care to comment about the water?
No really, it is now beyond a joke. The public water supplies have chlorine added. No arguments there. I get used to the house smelling like the public baths once a month.
This month however it did not smell like chlorine, it smelled like antiseptic - the stuff they use in hospitals!
So what is being put in the water supplies?
And anyway aren't you grown up enough to know that you do not put a month's supply in at once. Drinking water should be checked every day preferrably, but if that is not possible, every two to three days.
You check the levels, you add chemicals so that the result is safe drinking water.
I do not think it is a good thing to look once a month and bung a month's supply into the water!
Of whatever it is.
You do know that fluoride contains the population. It controls people - makes them docile! Hmmm...take a bit more than fluroride to shut me up LOL
No really, it is now beyond a joke. The public water supplies have chlorine added. No arguments there. I get used to the house smelling like the public baths once a month.
This month however it did not smell like chlorine, it smelled like antiseptic - the stuff they use in hospitals!
So what is being put in the water supplies?
And anyway aren't you grown up enough to know that you do not put a month's supply in at once. Drinking water should be checked every day preferrably, but if that is not possible, every two to three days.
You check the levels, you add chemicals so that the result is safe drinking water.
I do not think it is a good thing to look once a month and bung a month's supply into the water!
Of whatever it is.
You do know that fluoride contains the population. It controls people - makes them docile! Hmmm...take a bit more than fluroride to shut me up LOL
Rob
Right now this next subject is difficult.
Anyone know a gay lad called Rob?
Rob got into trouble with the guardia in the summer. He drove 'over the limit' the morning after, apparently.
Rob is gentle soul. I wish I'd been there when they roughed him up and terrorised him! This man did not speak Spanish.
He not only got fined and lost his licence, they made him do community service.
I spoke to him. They had him climbing trees in the graveyard to cut them down.
I asked him, what kind of protection did they offer you, in case you fell? Ropes, hard hats? "Nothing", he replied.
I'm so sorry I didn't say anything here beforehand. At the time I was 'biling' as they say in Scots.
Rob died last week.
He couldn't have been more than 45, though I haven't spoken to his partner.
Can I now send my heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends and close partners of Rob, who I only knew briefly.
Once again may the ayuntamiento of Relleu lay down and die.
Anyone know a gay lad called Rob?
Rob got into trouble with the guardia in the summer. He drove 'over the limit' the morning after, apparently.
Rob is gentle soul. I wish I'd been there when they roughed him up and terrorised him! This man did not speak Spanish.
He not only got fined and lost his licence, they made him do community service.
I spoke to him. They had him climbing trees in the graveyard to cut them down.
I asked him, what kind of protection did they offer you, in case you fell? Ropes, hard hats? "Nothing", he replied.
I'm so sorry I didn't say anything here beforehand. At the time I was 'biling' as they say in Scots.
Rob died last week.
He couldn't have been more than 45, though I haven't spoken to his partner.
Can I now send my heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends and close partners of Rob, who I only knew briefly.
Once again may the ayuntamiento of Relleu lay down and die.
Hello!
Spoke to Teresa from the Town Hall today.
She was a bit worried that they might be cutting my water off.
Paid 21 euros which covered my last bill. Bt I still owe for the massive 340 + 75 for the next bill.
Ok taking this nice and slow. It's my meter, not theirs, so when my meter throws a hissy fit, it's my problem.
WTF!!!
OK deep breathing going on here.
My meter threw a hissy fit and no-one cares. My meter is not the only meter to throw a hissy fit, but none of us joined together to aproach th Town Hall.
Next time, someone email me. I KNOW I am not the only person this has happened to.
She was a bit worried that they might be cutting my water off.
Paid 21 euros which covered my last bill. Bt I still owe for the massive 340 + 75 for the next bill.
Ok taking this nice and slow. It's my meter, not theirs, so when my meter throws a hissy fit, it's my problem.
WTF!!!
OK deep breathing going on here.
My meter threw a hissy fit and no-one cares. My meter is not the only meter to throw a hissy fit, but none of us joined together to aproach th Town Hall.
Next time, someone email me. I KNOW I am not the only person this has happened to.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Cold
Heading is the two meanings of the word. It's cold and yes I have a cold. That's what I get for visiting Benidorm which is a hotbed of all the germs on the go due to visitor influx, not that there were much signs of an influx LOL. The place was DEAD!!
Can't wait for winter to be over. It's freezing here!
Still haven't got the fire fixed so no heating, and still haven't had my sat box repaired so no TV since before Christmas - the storm that outed the electricity, and it came back with a surge.
Did I mention before that the guy in Bar Laera told me that if you have electrical equipment damaged by a power surge, you can claim the cost of repair directly from the Electricity Company?
I'll do that if my insurance company turn down the claim. They sent inspectors out must have been three weeks ago easily, and said they'd phone or email their decision, but they haven't bothered doing either.
Why am I not surprised???
I'd phone them if I had any credit in my phone.
Can't wait for winter to be over. It's freezing here!
Still haven't got the fire fixed so no heating, and still haven't had my sat box repaired so no TV since before Christmas - the storm that outed the electricity, and it came back with a surge.
Did I mention before that the guy in Bar Laera told me that if you have electrical equipment damaged by a power surge, you can claim the cost of repair directly from the Electricity Company?
I'll do that if my insurance company turn down the claim. They sent inspectors out must have been three weeks ago easily, and said they'd phone or email their decision, but they haven't bothered doing either.
Why am I not surprised???
I'd phone them if I had any credit in my phone.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Greenhouse
Oh and while I'm here, I gotta tell you, I sold a greenhouse!! Wow am I ever so pleased.
It sold from here : Buy Greenhouses Online
It sold from here : Buy Greenhouses Online
Benidorm
I've not been updating much recently because I've been on my holidays. Guess where I went?
You got it......Benidorm!!!
This place is dead. I have never seen the streets so empty...and it's cold, but nowhere near as cold as Relleu.
Heard last night that the Triangle Bar is closing down at the end of this month (don't know if that's forever or not) and also that Vincent's in the old town has already closed down for good.
You got it......Benidorm!!!
This place is dead. I have never seen the streets so empty...and it's cold, but nowhere near as cold as Relleu.
Heard last night that the Triangle Bar is closing down at the end of this month (don't know if that's forever or not) and also that Vincent's in the old town has already closed down for good.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Mobile Broadband
My Orange mobile broadband service has been dreadful since before Christmas - before that I had nothing but praise for them. However, I do think the culprit is the weather, nothing more.
Orange.es offer 5Gbs of traffic unlimited usage for 39.95 + IVA, which is the same price as Movistar and Vodafone, but with Orange you really do get 3G coverage. In the good weather that is, which let's all remind ourselves is most of the year. (hard to remember just now when we are all freezing!)
Also, Movistar and Vodafone only give you 3Gbs of traffic for the same money.
If you don't download .torrent files, 5Gbs should be enough to do you all month. 5Gbs is equivalent to about 7 full length feature films, or 30 episodes of Coronation Street.
Roll on the installation of a telephone line from Telefonica!
Orange.es offer 5Gbs of traffic unlimited usage for 39.95 + IVA, which is the same price as Movistar and Vodafone, but with Orange you really do get 3G coverage. In the good weather that is, which let's all remind ourselves is most of the year. (hard to remember just now when we are all freezing!)
Also, Movistar and Vodafone only give you 3Gbs of traffic for the same money.
If you don't download .torrent files, 5Gbs should be enough to do you all month. 5Gbs is equivalent to about 7 full length feature films, or 30 episodes of Coronation Street.
Roll on the installation of a telephone line from Telefonica!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Freezing Weather!
This has got to be the coldest day since I moved here 7 years ago. There was ice on the swimming pool all day. The swimming pool is empty by the way, has been for 5 years, but there is about a foot of rainwater at the bottom.
Inside my living room is at 5 degrees C - the fire is broken just now.
Guess I'll have lost a few plants in the garden. They are just not used to getting it this cold. Brrrrr!
Inside my living room is at 5 degrees C - the fire is broken just now.
Guess I'll have lost a few plants in the garden. They are just not used to getting it this cold. Brrrrr!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Lemon Seedling
Not great photos because I took them with my camera phone in low light conditions but if you want to see more, look at my new hub Growing Citrus Trees from Seed.
That is the first time in my life I have seen a seedling sprout INSIDE a lemon.
Weather
The freezing weather has returned with a vengeance. Oh I know it's nothing like the weather they are having in the UK, but at least UK houses are heated!
I was sitting in my living room this morning and the INDOOR temp was just 5C.
Has everyone seen this piccie? It's taken by NASA and is absolutely fantastic IMO.
To those from outer space who didn't know, Britain is having its worst winter weather for 50 years.
Snow again today and yesterday on the lower hills around Relleu. I did email NASA for a photograph but am still awaiting a reply.
I was sitting in my living room this morning and the INDOOR temp was just 5C.
To those from outer space who didn't know, Britain is having its worst winter weather for 50 years.
Snow again today and yesterday on the lower hills around Relleu. I did email NASA for a photograph but am still awaiting a reply.
Calendar
Did everybody go into the Town Hall to get their New 2010 Calendar? If you haven't been, go soon before they run out - they haven't much money to spend on anything much this year remember.
Apparently there were no grapes and champagne given out on the Placa this year (en el noche viejo) because there was no money.
They did have a few fireworks, however. Nothing spectacular, but something!
Had to laugh when Kerry told me they had heightened the effect by shutting the lights off. Should have seen her face when she realised that was yet another power cut LOL.
Apparently there were no grapes and champagne given out on the Placa this year (en el noche viejo) because there was no money.
They did have a few fireworks, however. Nothing spectacular, but something!
Had to laugh when Kerry told me they had heightened the effect by shutting the lights off. Should have seen her face when she realised that was yet another power cut LOL.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Mandy from the Lemon Tree
Mandy from the Lemon Tree wanted me to know that she is sorry I couldn't get in on Hogmanay; that she had to limit the numbers because of fire regulations; that next year she may limit the number further downward because it was overcrowded even with the legal limit of people there; and that she'd thought I'd understand being a former bar-owner. Oh and reminded me that on my first visit to the Lemon Tree this year, we were given a free drink of choice.
Thanks Mandy, of course I understand and thanks very much for the drinks - they were appreciated :)
Maybe by next year you will have your basement converted into a function room for just this sort of occasion where there will be room for all.
And to all my readers here, I couldn't afford to go out on Hogmanay anyway, after paying part of that bloody water bill!
Thanks Mandy, of course I understand and thanks very much for the drinks - they were appreciated :)
Maybe by next year you will have your basement converted into a function room for just this sort of occasion where there will be room for all.
And to all my readers here, I couldn't afford to go out on Hogmanay anyway, after paying part of that bloody water bill!
Commenting on this blog
I was told today that it is almost impossible to comment on this blog, without being a registered member of blogspot.com or similar, and that when trying to register, pages come up in Spanish.
Hmmm... that's a problem if you don't speak Spanish.
I would suggest going directly to blogspot.com and registering - it is a google site. Else try opening a google email account (gmail). Else copy/paste the Spanish words into the google translater so you can fill the forms out correctly.
Google 'language tools' is found on the front page of Google, to the right hand side of the search box. Open a new google page to see it; it disappears if you've been using google for something else then return to the search page.
I suppose because this is written in Spain, everything will be sent out through Spanish servers, and so they will think that those inside Spain want to read in Spanish.
Bit like quite often when I go to google.com, google.es insists on opening, though google.co.uk works fine.
Hmmm... that's a problem if you don't speak Spanish.
I would suggest going directly to blogspot.com and registering - it is a google site. Else try opening a google email account (gmail). Else copy/paste the Spanish words into the google translater so you can fill the forms out correctly.
Google 'language tools' is found on the front page of Google, to the right hand side of the search box. Open a new google page to see it; it disappears if you've been using google for something else then return to the search page.
I suppose because this is written in Spain, everything will be sent out through Spanish servers, and so they will think that those inside Spain want to read in Spanish.
Bit like quite often when I go to google.com, google.es insists on opening, though google.co.uk works fine.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Me on Hubpages.com
I've taken up their 30 hubs in 30 days challenge! Well it's not as if I have anything better to do. Anyone know of any work going? I need a job!
Anyhow, I've published 4 new hubs this year already
1. The King of Scotland - a true taxi tale.
This is a true taxi story but with a fictional cab driver called Maggie.
2. Buying Herb Seeds Online
This is aimed at the American market because we all use Amazon.co.uk not .com, but worth a read IMO because of the excellent writing skills (mine!) lol
3. The Brother - a true taxi tale
Poor Maggie getting into bother again!
Hey watch the videos on here too!
4. The Endangered Hammerhead Shark
You've got to read this one, and my other shark series ones, they are so sad! But do watch the video on this link - get the hankies out!
Anyhow, I've published 4 new hubs this year already
1. The King of Scotland - a true taxi tale.
This is a true taxi story but with a fictional cab driver called Maggie.
2. Buying Herb Seeds Online
This is aimed at the American market because we all use Amazon.co.uk not .com, but worth a read IMO because of the excellent writing skills (mine!) lol
3. The Brother - a true taxi tale
Poor Maggie getting into bother again!
Hey watch the videos on here too!
4. The Endangered Hammerhead Shark
You've got to read this one, and my other shark series ones, they are so sad! But do watch the video on this link - get the hankies out!
The New Year Celebrations
Happy New Year everyone!
I didn't go out on Hogmanay because I never managed to secure a ticket for the Lemon Tree and I really don't drink in any of the other bars. I don't really think it was a good idea to make it a private night - not on that night of all nights! Anyway, that's by the by as they say - or should that be 'bye the bye'?
I had planned to go up the square at midnight to get the grapes and champagne but it was cold,windy and wet so I decided on a quiet night in.
I'm told there was nothing free handed out this year because THE COUNCIL HAVE NO MONEY!!
Yeah well, that maybe explains why they are cheating some people on their water supplies - the money-grabbing bastards! That'll be more money for the alcalde to line his pockets with!
What's the matter? The collapse of the building industry here in Spain means they have less backhanders?
You know I was speaking to the priest the other day, and for the first time he is finding families in need of food handouts. Spanish families I presume, but there really is a recession on and it is affecting everybody - well not those that work for the council of course.
What's the betting the family in dire straits had to pay a big water bill first? eh? That's a thought!
I didn't go out on Hogmanay because I never managed to secure a ticket for the Lemon Tree and I really don't drink in any of the other bars. I don't really think it was a good idea to make it a private night - not on that night of all nights! Anyway, that's by the by as they say - or should that be 'bye the bye'?
I had planned to go up the square at midnight to get the grapes and champagne but it was cold,windy and wet so I decided on a quiet night in.
I'm told there was nothing free handed out this year because THE COUNCIL HAVE NO MONEY!!
Yeah well, that maybe explains why they are cheating some people on their water supplies - the money-grabbing bastards! That'll be more money for the alcalde to line his pockets with!
What's the matter? The collapse of the building industry here in Spain means they have less backhanders?
You know I was speaking to the priest the other day, and for the first time he is finding families in need of food handouts. Spanish families I presume, but there really is a recession on and it is affecting everybody - well not those that work for the council of course.
What's the betting the family in dire straits had to pay a big water bill first? eh? That's a thought!
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