Shops open in Centro Plaza Nueva Andalucia
I have just rung up the hairdressers there and the lady said that everything is running normally in Centro Plaza in Nueva Andalucia. The shops and even the banks are all open and most importantly there are no pickets.
General Strike in Spain
Well it is happening. The most militant action seems to be occuring in Barcelona and Madrid, with pickets setting fire to tyres in an attempt to block roads, and police being called in to protect buses trying to leave depots to deliver to shops etc. Yesterday I prepared by filling up the car with petrol, getting some supermarket shopping out of the way, but I’ve realised I’ve booked a hair cut for my children, so need to check that I can get in to Centro Plaza and that I won’t get my tyres slashed for daring to enter a shopping parade. The things about strikes are the high emotions. I still remember the coal mining strike of 1985…not pleasant.
Brussels had its airports virtually closed yesterday by strike action so this is not just Spain that is being affected. Wait for the spending review on October 20th in the UK and expect more disruption.
I’ve decided to join in….I’m not picking up socks, hairbands, or roaming silverfish that freak out the children from the floor. Instead I’m going to read an OK magazine that I was given and drink tea very slowly.
Then again my mother in law is visiting tomorrow with her partner……so….my General Strike may only last 5 minutes.
I’m not that militant in the face of my mother in law…….
( Knees knock….)
Synagogues in Marbella
If you are Jewish and looking for contact information for a synagogue in Marbella, you can email cimarbella@yahoo.es There is an orthodox synagogue in El Real. Address:
Calle Jazmines, 21, Urbanización El Real
29600 Marbella
For English, Spanish and French speaking call (34) 95 282 4983. For Hebrew call 610 91 61 70
Today is the last day of the festival the Day of Tabernacles. Sukkahs or huts will have been built in gardens, temporary shelters to remind families of how the Israelites had lived in such huts whilst they left Egypt for the Promised Land. It reminds Jewish families of how they are all dependant on God and how God will provide for them, just as he did for the Israelites in the wilderness. For those not sure of their Bible ….it is Exodus. God parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape and then when they became hungry he provided manna and quails. Scholars believed that manna was the resin that came from trees in the area but in Exodus it says that the Israelites made the manna into cakes and so this is unclear. Resin from trees would not be hard enough to make cakes from.
The other thought is that manna comes from the Arabic word man which means plant lice. There are some insects in the dessert that produce honeydew and this can dry out to provide a sticky substance that is a delicacy in some Middle Eastern countries. This would have provided good carbohydrate.
Either way, to all Jewish readers today….Shalom.
Paper recycling
Why do the paper recycling bins have to have such a powerful spring loaded flap?
As well as recycling the paper, there is the danger that you will end up recycling parts of your human anatomy. Mainly hands, nose and if you are bit nosy, your eyeballs too.
Spain’s economic mess
Spain is an economic mess, its mess earned Spain the letter S, in the famous PIGS acroynm. The Spanish economic minister earlier in the year said that Spain was not like Greece. “Our debt is clean, we will not have to ask for help,” she said.
She hasn’t had a look at the banks books though with their heaving numbers of repossessed properties that are considered assets due to their inflated valuations. The reality is that the banks cannot release most of these properties because the mortgages on them are higher than they are now actually worth. These properties are not assets they are liabilities and it has to unravel soon.
My friend had her property taken back by the bank nearly two years ago in La Quinta. When I say taken back, she had some paperwork, but her furniture is still there, the locks haven’t been changed and there is no for sale sign anywhere. She comes over a couple of times each year and has a holiday there. She goes to the local park with a kettle to boil water and uses the showers at the pool to wash.
Unemployment in Spain is reportedly at 20%. I don’t believe it for a minute. There must be thousands of Spanish people who claim unemployment but are still working, cash in hand. To get your unemployment benefit in Spain, you just need to post a form off, not appear in person at any office as you do in the UK. I know someone in Mallorca who went travelling and asked their brother to post off the form. They received hundreds of euros a month during their time away. Nice.
Tomorrow the unions come out on strike as they don’t want to have to pay for the Spanish debts with pension freezes, pay cuts. It’s all a bit unintelligent to me, as obviously it will be the public sector that will pay for the debts. The debt is huge, it will take more than the Prime Minister’s wife shopping at Zara rather than Gucci to pay for it.
If you don’t lilke your pay conditions then being the year 2010 and not 1810, there is another option. Get another job….retrain, relocate, but no longer expect a job for life.
Everything is just one euro
In El Campo the supermarket inside the shopping mal La Canada ( Marbella ) they have aisle upon aisle of reduced items for sale and they all are just one euro.
There are tools, food items ( good quality biscuit brands and jars) toiletries, toys, gardening equipment, socks,halloween decorations, you name it they probably have it. Lots of mini, ideal for travelling toiletries too.
I’ve just bought quite a few bits and pieces to help Santa out when it comes to filling those stockings. This section usually is only there for a short time and then the Christmas toys will take over so if you are heading to La Canada do go and take a look.
Take your trolley….
Tom Jones illegitimate child
For years it has been known in the press that Tom Jones had an illegitimate child, but whereas he lavished praise on his son my his marriage he never acknowledged his other son, named Jonathan Berkery. Even a DNA test that proved it in 1989 changed nothing. He had the sanctimonious attitude that he was seduced and that he was tricked. He was married. He only publicly mentioned and accepted that he had another child at the end of 2008, twenty years after the event.
I cannot imagine how a man much loved by the public can simply just turn his back completely on a son he fathered. If you have a child how can you just ignore another one? To me that smacks of a selfish, egotiscitcal man and a questionable father. His son Jonathan had to grow up seeing his father on television and would have had to work out why his father wanted nothing to do with him. No telephone calls, no birthday cards, nothing. I’m sure Tom Jones gave help financially, he would have had to following the proof of the DNA test but that in my books is not enough.
Tom Jones when he dies will be remembered for his amazing voice and his incredible stage presence but he won’t be remembered for being a wonderful kind hearted father, not by one of his sons……
Matt Cardle to win the X factor
OH MY GOD…just watched Matt Cardle and he just has to win the X factor. He had the most gorgeous, unique voice ( bit of the old James Blunt about him) and he gave me tingles just listening to him. All five of us in the house this evening were speechless after hearing him sing. My daughter thought he was “hot” too….
X factor? He has it by the bucket load…..good luck Matt Cardle!
Summary of Spanish 2011 budget
Spain’s budget for 2011 that was announced on Friday has been tougher than was expected. In summary,
Spain will reduce public spending by 7.9%
The spending of the ministry will be reduced on average by 16%. No more Crystal Champagne of 1997 for elevenses.
Those that earn over 120,000 euros will have a tax hike of 1 percent. Those earning over 175,000 euros will have a tax hike of 2 percent.
Babies born from January 1st, 2011 will no longer be entitled to the 2,500 euros payment. Expect a rise in Indian curries and raspberry leaf tea sales on December 31st…..
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General Strike Spain 2010
Latest information on the General Strike in Spain for Wednesday the 29th September is that an agreement has been made between the Unions and the Government and between 20-40% of International flights will go on. Easyjet has now contacted clients due to fly on Wednesday letting them know that some disruption is likely but they are offering free of charge for customers to change their flights to eg Friday to Friday. I expect this is on a first come first served basis.
The airports are heavily unionised in Spain so it is expected that there will be support from employees and that flights will therefore be heavily disrupted. Buses and trains will also be affected.