EbroVoice

EbroRose December 20th, 2008

Yesterday, saw us driving up to Reus Airport with the Mediterranean sun burning the cheeks of hubby dear, while I fought to keep the car in the correct lane on the AP7 motorway and avoid high-sided juggernauts, swaying precariously as they were battered by these mountain winds. Boy oh boy, those crosswinds can be scary!

Plenty of time to spare we decided to wander around Bauhaus hyper store, recently opened next to Carrefour. We were keen to compare it to our old favourite LeRoy Merlin that was just down the drag. It was a bit of nightmare to weave through the highway cones but what a joy to walk through their doorway.

Immediately a huge map outlined in coloured blocks, for ‘recycled teenagers’ Expats like myself, the wherabouts of everything. Everything was spacious and so thoughtfully laid out. No piles of boxes blocking the corridors and everything was priced. Loads of attendants were visible and only too keen to help in Spanish or Catalan and a number of them were fluent in English too. Yet please try and ask first in their language.

Before your lifestyle revolved around Location, location and location. Today, it is has gone through a metamorphosis and it is also about Value for Price.

Baushaus has surpassed all others. My other half was so amazed at the reasonable prices and on such well-known brands like Bosch and Alpina. I am afraid Lee Roy Merlin DIY store is going to have to pull their socks up to compete or even to come anywhere near to chasing the tail of this thoroughbred of a store.

But for me,  the “treat” that followed, made it a worthwhile trip. Just as you come through the cash tills there is a lovely cafè, still inside their doors, on the right hand side. They serve the most delectable tortilla snacks about 4″ deep filled with tuna and a variety of salad. Scrumptious! There is more - chocolate drink extra ordinary. I have never had such a superb treat. The hot chocolate was so thick, it was like really good thick texture of custard. Accompanied with 3 small little croissants to dip in and scoop the chocolate out.

Absolutely heavenly!

While waiting for a delayed Ryanair flight to come in from London -Standstead airport, all I could think of was what excuse I could use for a revisit, for a second cup. It was such a good “pick me upper” and not pricey at all.

Directions and details of Bauhaus.

Monday to Saturday opening hours are 9.30am -9.30pm

Horario:de lunes a sábado - de 9.30 a 21.30 horas

Autovía Reus – Tarragona, N-420, km 4  (Next door to Carrefour Reus)

http://www.bauhaus.es/

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EbroRose November 22nd, 2008

Lovely clear sunny Saturday and the wind at a comfortable calm, but the beauty of the day is interrupted with the peppered sound of hunting guns ..”Run Rabbit run..”

This is a busy time for all who live on, or farm in the Lower Ebro Valley. Wherever you go you will see on a weekend whole families dragged home from Barcelona or Zarragozza to help bring in the olive crop. The offsprings are easily identifiable at the oil mill, as they endeavour to reverse in the old family trailer piled high to over-flowing (to avoid a second trip and a later return to quiet urban lives of their own) attached to their posh car -affordable by working in the cities.

One such gent, eager to share his command of the English language, started up a very informed conversation with me, as we patiently awaited our turn. He was shocked to hear that “us English” still picked by combing the trees and had not invested in high end power tool “shakers” that grip the tree and vibrates the olives into a huge pile on the floor.

As we parted company, he said as this was my “final pick” the tradition is now to go home and have a feast with the family over Cava. Oh yes! A bottle of Cava must be opened at the end of your olive harvest!  Sounds good to me.

All week we have watched a fleet of vehicles arrive at the mandarin plantation across the ‘Barranc’ from us and teams of multi-cultured people, flow between the rows after rows picking all day long. Their cheerful chatter floats across on the wind to us. Every now and again the air is spurted with angry shouts and arm waving. The foreman must have  a quota to get in. Then, fancy agricultural equipment arrives to lift all these crates and pile them high onto the back of the most enormous trailers.

We fervently watch our German Shepherds as they sniff the air, glancing back to see if we have gone inside and if they can escape to run amock the pickers. We know the patterns. We stay on guard.

But on some evenings we have noticed night lights on the tractors and they are still picking. I feel for the pickers. They must just collapse into bed, too tired to eat or think - just sleep, until the next dawn rising.

Yet, this is a wonderful time to be out walking and exercising the dogs or just strolling with the family. Take your camera though, because you can often snap some delightful scenes of the events unfolding in the countryside.

It doesn’t cost a penny if you walk or cycle and everyone enjoys it.

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EbroRose October 8th, 2008

Swallows View

You won’t find better prices anywhere else along the Ebro River. These introductory prices won’t last for ever. The Catfish season starts ‘hotting’ up around the 15th March and the River guides book up early in “catfish on the table ‘ season (if anyone of you recall the song).

Besides, now is the time to still find low cost flights for next year.

2008 has been a year of doom and gloom, when every evening you come home from work, switch on the telly and hopefully plan a relaxing evening away from work stress. When all you here on the news is: “Credit Crunch; Government to bail out the collapse of another giant financial demise; 2 million people soon to be on the Unemployment register”.

Woah! Get me out of here.

Well, at “RiuVista” you have the choice of short breaks from as little as 3, 4 or 5 nights. Yet, the option is still there for one or two weeks. Furthermore, if you decide you prefer 10 days due to travel arrangements or commitments, subject to availability, they will willingly oblige. The choice is yours! Dan and Lisa are waiting to greet you!

RiuVista has the choice of 2 well contained apartments.

Apartment 1:

• 1 large twin bedroom( beds can be joined for double size)
• large roof terrace with seating overlooking the pool
• kitchen area with cooking facilities and fridge
• lounge and dining area with TV and Dvd for relaxation
• bathroom with shower
• shared use of the pool with apartment 2
• BBQ equipment available - a holiday in Catalonia would not be complete without a BBQ accompanied with good local wine, Cava or “Cerveza” ( beer, to the untravelled mind)

Apartment 2:

• 2 twin bedrooms (likewise, beds can be joined to made into doubles)
• balcony with seating to overlook the peaceful garden and tranquil river views!
• Shared use of nice size pool with Apartment 1
• bathroom with shower
• kitchen area with cooking facilities and fridge
• and the enviable use of BBQ equipment to round off a perfect day on the river!
• lounge and dining area with DVD and TV

Enjoy a Tiveyns “new” fishing adventures at “RiuVista”, where the locals say they live on the “better side” of the River Ebro, just below the Wier  (L’Assut).

Interested? Want to know more about these fabulous prices?

Drop me a line : roseann@BrighterSpain.com

You will be amazed. You will be totally blown away!

• Fishing and more fishing , Vacation Rentals , Where to go
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EbroRose September 27th, 2008

Please support the Fresia group´s carboot Autumn sale.

The venue: outside Proxim store in the village of el Perello ( just off the N340).

Sellers entrance fees: Cars = 5 euros; Cars and trailers = 7 euros; and Vans = 7 euros 

Set up time for stalls: 08:30

Open for the crowd rush : 09:30 - 2.00pm

 They are a Cancer Charity Group in our region of Southern Catalonia. Please support this worthy cause, as reported on Tortosa Forum. Besides, for most of us it is only a short run out and you are guaranteed to meet other Expats, tourists and locals. Above all you will have an enjoyable walk around and make new friends too.

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EbroRose September 23rd, 2008

Last night the heavens opened its storm drains across the Lower Ebro Valley. Boy did we receive some rain! Lovely for the olives and the mandarin groves, but not for pelting down on our finca´s old flat roof.

Our roofer, could not have been called back to the UK at a worse time, but it couldn’t be helped. He did make a valiant start on repairing it with the aid of our one son home on leave, on one of the few sunny days we have had over the last few weeks. But it is so darn hard lifting concrete via the bucket full up and down the ladder and no electrical hoist. Besides I was struggling to assist on the old concrete mixer while nursing a gout ridden right elbow. I know - I am only a woman!

In the the afternoon we had to abandon it as we could not get the concrete up fast enough before it was drying. We needed more labourers. These we have recruited for when the roofer returns in a fortnight.

The issue is the old roof is flat and meets an extension that is sloping away and has been flat tiled. The join had Spanish tiles across them in brick line formation. So what we were trying to do, was to put a slope on the old flat roof, remove the Spanish tiles and overlap the sloping roof . So a third of the Spanish tiles had been removed so we could start work. However, we only covered half the distance we planned to and so the water has been pouring in the uncovered bit where the buildings meet.

At 4.00am this morning I gave up trying to sleep. Walked blindly into our bathroom and thought I was being attacked by two fire hoses. The rain was gushing in through the bathroom ceiling. Luckily I had, had the foresight not to switch on the light as we have hidden ceiling lights and gauged most of the water was finding an exit through the ceiling sockets. We have beautiful white panel slotted ceiling - well for another day, anyway. I fumbled about in the linen cupboard and laid out on the floor what big bath towels I could find.

Now to check on the rest of the house. Our bedroom and second bedroom had two very large wet patches and we have a new crack in our traditional ceiling board and very close to the bed. Nothing I can do about that at that time of the night. Shuffled barefoot into the utility room and nearly skidded out the back door. To say it was leaking like a sieve was an understatement, but all I could find were 2 mop buckets in the dark - well water and electric don’t mix. Well, it would have to do until morning.

I collapsed on the couch, thankful that the lounge was dry and the kitchen. I could only assume Mom’s room was dry. My head was splitting. Stress, lack of sleep and struggling to think how on earth I am going to cope for another fortnight until “he” would be back.

I must have drifted off but woke with the  the resolution, there “must be another way”.  Okay all our taupaulin covers were ripped last winter with the gale force winds off Mont Caro. But I hadn’t given up yet! So I was up and rummaging about under pool room and terrace-cum-garage to see what waterproof coverings I could find.

I found a huge old deflated dingy, and 3 very good quality, heavy plastic lilo beds. Got you! You can laugh, but if it slows the rain down, I am happy.

Up goes the extension ladder and I drag these up onto the roof and nearly fall off in the process, being one of the ladies that suffer with vertigo. I kept saying to myself, “Come on girl.You can do it! Focus on the problem not the height!”

I laid them on top of each other across the gaping joint and then , fortunately found two big grey roofing blocks left up there. Weighed them, down at each end and then piled all the rubble (that was still up there) on top of it. That is not going anywhere in the wind and rain -well, hopefully not his week anyway, but should “make do” for the bathroom problem.

Now next room - found some flat floor tiles and laid these on top of the others but not so the joints line up and have weighed them down with bricks and the remaining rubble.

I have lived in Africa! I have seen how the “kraal” houses hold their roofs on …

Being born in Africa has made me more resourceful. Yet, living in Spain teaches you to be frugal and possibly a problem solver through necessity, especially when a finca reformation over runs budget.

This lady “homesteader” may be down in spirit, but not out! The lady “Bodge-it” lives on for another day.

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EbroRose September 22nd, 2008

If you knew me in back in UK or South Africa would you would just not believe what I have been doing today! In fact I am still “gob smacked” myself. I still don´t believe it!

…picking up garden snails…..

No, not because of any concern for my plants or the eco-balance in my overgrown, wild garden have I been foraging around rain soaked undergrowth beneath olive trees, like a pig looking for truffels.

Our little Catalan neighbour stopped me this morning with his little blue bucket and asked if he could go on the area of our unfenced land to search for these delectable delights.

Ugh!!!

Anyway I drove off down into town still thinking how revolting those creatures must taste. On return I felt sorry for him and gathered up courage to go hunting for them in the fenced in, dog enclosed area for these little monsters. I cringed every time I pulled one off its attachment of grass, leaf or bark. Oh my gosh, they are awful - slimey and sticky. I just can´t imagine how anyone can get one of them down their gullet.

But, the look of glee on Juan and Josefina’s face made it worthwhile! They were thrilled. Juan then enlightened me, that those big brown one’s are in high demand on Barcelona’s tables this week and are very expensive. So tonight his family and himself can eat with the best of them, because they have lots of big big brown snails.

Enjoy, I say! You are very welcomed to them - you have saved me a fortune in slug pellets…

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EbroRose September 20th, 2008

What a week of gloom and doom?

Everytime you turn on the telly , the news is either depressing or frightening. As the world reels from one financial shock, to numerous aftershocks, since the  collapse of leading financial institutions in USA and the UK, we must not sit back and be complacent.

We can all fight back. And as the old Latin emblem of “Ex Unitate Vires” -United we stand is implied by Unity in Strength. Please read this email sent to me and follow the link and please, please sign the petition. We can then all work towards a Brighter Catalonia and a Retirement and relocation in a Brighter Spain.

We may be living out in Spain and yes, where they have approached a more conservative attitude to lending and creating debt, what happens out there in the big wide world, does have a knock on effect, especially if you are surviving only on  a Pension or your investment savings.

“Hi everyone

As you know, I don’t usually send forwards, but I think this is really important. If we act together and make our voices heard, which we can do in an unprecedented way thanks to the Internet,  we do have the power to change things. Please check out the link below. Thanks.

Valerie

–

The failures of global finance are really getting bad now - from collapses and bailouts to pensions, jobs and the threat of recession. I just signed an urgent petition to fix the basic causes of this crisis at the link below. It’s about to be delivered to European leaders, but to make an impact we need a massive global outcry to fix these flaws and loopholes and make sure the public interest is protected in future - please take a look and consider signing too:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_finance_action/98.php
——————

Valerie Collins
In The Garlic.
Your Informative, Fun Guide to Spain
The must-read book for all expats in Spain
www.inthegarlic.com

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EbroRose September 9th, 2008

The local newspaper, Ebro Valley News is still alive and well!

It has survived all the teething problems that one expects when a new, news print hits the racks.

The next issue will be out and on the streets on the 20th September. It will have a wider distribution area from Barcelona, stretching down towards Valencia. Of course, it will cover southern Catalonia and be very prominent across the Ebro Valley.

If you are not sure where your local “pick-up point” is, just drop Gerry or Kelly an email on :-editor@ebrovalleynews.com. Alternatively, you can call Gerry in English (Irish…) on 670 449 480 or speak to the “grace”-ful Kelly in Castellano on 697 565 778.

In Ferreries, Tortosa, one of the drop off points is at “Tony´s Tabacs” .

The headlines for September print will deal in depth on the “Leaks in the Nuclear Power plants” in our areas. This does make informed reading. This does affect our environment.

We offer Gerry and Kelly our support in their revamped issues and look forward, in anticipation, to a good read.

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EbroRose June 17th, 2008

If this week has not been hard enough on folk who live on the outskirts of town with petrol shortage! Now, someone has gone and “helped themselves” to someone’s old, little valued but treasured vehicle.
Vehicle - 1991 Suzuki SJ413 LWB White J510OND

Mike and Denise would like their old reliable, faithful friend back please. If anyone has seen it or knows where it is dumped please send me an email to:-roseann@BrighterSpain.com

Please Expats and locals push aside the attitude of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). Be aware of who your neighbours and visitors in your community are. If you are suspicious of any vehicle or persons please give Guardia Civil a call. They do know which vehicles are “local” and will willingly check it out.

Working together for a Brighter Spain and Brighter Catalonia.

The above details can also be viewed on www.TortosaForum.com

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EbroRose June 12th, 2008

Yesterday meat, fish and fresh vegetables shelves were bare in most Supermarkets. Milk was unavailable. Diesel was unavailable and long queues for Sin Plumo 95 petrol

But the local indoor market in Jesus at the top of the town, still had shelves laden with fresh vegetables. Two ladies, each run their own stalls in there and they will make you feel very welcome. All locally grown goods and they are fresh and last longer in your fridge than off the supermarket shops. They also have some fish “goodies” in their freezers.

But shop sensibly as other people need to eat. Remember, the Catalans as a rule do not do big weekly or monthly shops like the expats.

Late afternoon today I went down to the Gas Man-with-a-truck, by the Ebro River in El Templa and he had no “Propano” left. In fact, he only had six “Butano” left. Sorry guys I needed two. One to attach for our water system and one to cook on.

But I did notice this afternoon that the Corona Hotel Petrol station had re-opened one diesel pump. So I am not sure how long that will last.

There are various local produce outlets here about and co-operatives, where you can get seasonal vegetables and fruit. Tomorrow is market day in Roquetes and they have an indoor market as well selling fresh wares.

Our Prime Minister is meeting again next week with business sectors and truck unions. What has so far been put on the table has been rejected by the strikers . Lets hope this is peacefully resolved with no further injuries and deaths.

Otherwise, the fiesta of San Jordi will be the quietest one ever held if this continues onto the 24th June. But, surely, the Catalans will not let their patron saint´s feast day go by unnoticed?

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