Apart from affecting the several thousand Spanmish workers going in and out the Spanish should also consider the cruise ships. There are just under 200 going into Gib this year with 300,000 passengers. They stream off the ships and often take trips. Often they are in port for the whole day. I suspec...

The plus valia varies from area to area and, I suppose, country to town. There were letters quite recently in the press of extortionate amounts being paid but I guess in some areas it is very low. My friend is in Estepona and has a house with about 1000 square metres land and has had the place some ...

Don't forget to check out the plus valia if you are selling and have had the property a long lime. A fried of mine found out that hers was 20,000 Euro. This tax must make lots of older people stay put.

Thank you all. Off to Mercadona post haste.

It is for making cake type things. Brownies I am told.

The Gibraltar queue is on the headlines on Radio 5 Live. Good to see mainstream media picking it up.

Help. Does anyone know where you can buy cocoa powder? Does one of the main shops sell it, ie Mercadona? I couldn't find it in local Aldo or Supersol.

Any ideas?

White gazpacho is really refreshing. Very old Spanish, before tomatoes arrived here. I had some at a communion recently and it was delicious. Check out High Fearnley Whittenstall's (?) recipe in the Guardian.

Just a thought. If you are over a certain age I think Age Concern may be of some help. They are here on the coast.

Thanks. Well, I suppose it is some comfort that it is not just me.

Outlook is rubbish compared to Hotmail but it is hard to change an address when you have had it for ages.

Any idea if/when they will sort it out?

Has anyone else had times when Hotmail seems to freeze and then a while later works normally? At those times I am unable to open messages.

Sorry, she did not know anyone. I think that probably every sods off to the coast in August as I think it is well over 40 degrees there. Certainly all her family are arriving 1st August.

And, thinking about it, she is a student so may know someone who can translate for you.

My next door neighbour comes from Cordoba and by chance I am giving her (adult) niece an English class tomorrow so I can ask her if you like. She lives there so should have good info.

Another great way to learn Spanish are the Michel Thomas cd's. They get you speaking and I think better than any others. Available from Amazon. You just play them while relaxing and they really work.

I also would strongly advise you to buy the book 'You and the Law in Spain' by David Searle. Make sure it is up to date as laws change all the time. It covers almost everything you need and well worth 20 Euros! I have no financial interest in promoting this book but have always found it more than us...

Hi My strong advice is to each, individually, take an intensive Spanish course for a couple of weeks, studying every day and living with a Spanish family. They are not very expensive. You will be at a vast disadvantage if you do not speak Spanish in Cordoba and will miss out on so much. A couple of ...

I had not realised this had happened until I walked by what was the bus station a couple of days ago and they were knocking it down. It seems that the town hall have made an offer of a piece of land by the Palacio de Congresos but they are going into a legal wrangle with Portillo (bus company, not M...

I had an incident some years ago when a guy with a clipboard dressed in orange came to the door for all the world from Repsol. He just came through the door and asked to look at the gas bottle. Big mistake as we have piped gas so told him to get out and he did. Obviously a scammer and more fool me l...

Has anyone tried out Premium Clinic. If I had a not too major op in there would I come out alive and in one piece?