Hot Property News Letter – August 2010

Welcome to this issue of the Hot Property news letter which we hope you find informative and helpful. If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, which we can address in future issues, you can contact us at info@hotpropertyspain.net 

1: CALPE FOOTPATHS
 
Recently, a number of colour coded footpath signs have seemingly sprung up overnight in various points in the countryside surrounding Calpe, particularly in the Gardisindi, Garduix, Cometa & Oltamar areas.

The colours are indicative of various routes through the countryside which have not been in use for over thirty years and it seems that Calpe town hall has decided to refurbish these paths, the first step in this process is the placing of the signs.

Unfortunately, requests for further information have not been, at the time of writing, successful.  However, a general plan was found at the site of Casa Coco entomology musuem in Gardisindi, with routes indicated as follows.

Route 1 - Red Path

From   Camí del Cocó to Olta
Distance 3.640km 
Total rise 240m

Route 2 - Dark Blue Path

From   Camí del Cocó to Concentari i Cometa
Distance 5.260km 
Total rise 210m

Route 3 - Light Blue Path

From   Camí del Cocó to Garduix 1 Cometa
Distance 3.930km 
Total rise 120m

Route 4 - Yellow Path

From   Camí del Cocó to Casanova i Cometa
Distance 4.130km 
Total rise 120m

Route 5 - Orange Path

From   Camí de L'ermita de S.Joan a la Rosina
Distance 4.864km 
Total rise 156m

Route 6 - Dark Green Path

From   Camí de l'ermita de S.Joan a la Creu
Distance 1.974km 
Total rise 75m

Route 7 – Light Green Path

From   Camí del Cocó al Coll de Faixue. Cepellar
Distance 8.390km 
Total rise 480m

Route 8 - Purple Path

From  Camí de la Mola al Castellet
Distance 1.350km
Rise  130m

Route 9 Pale - Blue Path

From  Camí del Borumbot
Distance 400m
Rise  30m

The routes, when on the ground, are not always obvious, however that does add to the fun.  Try not to take the direction signs at face value, as some seem to have been incorrectly positioned, so if in any doubt retrace your steps to be certain, and use a fair amount of logic in following the route.

It has also been noted that coloured paint, matching the route colour, has been sprayed onto stone walls, posts etc. where there seems to be some doubt as to the route, so watch out for these as well.

Enquires made at Calpe Tourist office have drawn a blank, as maps will not be available until next year, presumably when the works are completed.  However the paths are there to be used and, whichever which route is being followed, here are some general points to aid enjoyment.

Although the routes are never far from Calpe and, therefore, civilisation, the ground under foot is not the best, so wear good quality boots or shoes.

Some routes join up with, or cross, local roads, so watch for traffic at these points.

At various points, routes cross drainage ditches, "Barrancas" so be careful not to divert into the "Barranca" as these will be strewn with loose boulders and other debris washed down in storms as well as the possibility of flash flooding in wet periods.

Take ample water to ensure adequate hydration and a mobile phone for emergencies.

You may also want to consider taking a camera and binoculars, particularly on Route 1, to take advantage of the spectacular scenery. 

There are no benches or picnic areas, so be prepared for sitting on the ground or on outcrops of rock.

Along these routes is an abundance of flora and fauna, so a book on Spanish wild flowers, birds and animals may be of interest.

There are some snakes in Spain, which are in the main non-poisonous, but the European adder can be found, so be aware of this. Generally snakes will quickly move away to avoid confrontation, unless taken by surprise.

2: EURO HEALTH CARE AGREEMENT
 
As with all things European, where the goal for harmonisation across the 27 separate states takes precedence over good old common sense, the bureaucrats take a seemingly endless amount of time to reach an acceptable consensus that will satisfy all egos.  Occasionally, there is actually an agreement.

This is one of those moments of success. For the past two to three years, the bureaucrats have been trying to come to a consensus on the health care entitlement of any European, when they no longer live in their country of birth.
An agreement has how been reached where healthcare can be obtained in another country for those now residing there.

It is now up to each country to put the agreement into law, and although this will also take some time, it appears that any non-resident of Spain will be able to have treatment as required.

The Spanish Health Minister has stated that the patient will have to pay first and then claim the cost back from their own country.  However, certain criteria will need to be met, such as;The right to have treatment and to fulfil the requirements of the countries they are both living in and resident of.

These changes and agreements have only now been made, due to the continuing civil liberties cases brought by EU residents over charges made in other member states.

Spanish laws will probably not be changed until the middle of 2011 at the earliest, and even though this agreement has been reached, the likely hood that an easy passing of laws in the 27 states is unlikely.In the agreement, the cost of "uncomplicated" treatment will be met by the person’s country of birth and will not require prior authorization. However, the bill in Spain will have to be paid for by the patient, who will then need to claim the cost back on their return home.

For major treatment, the cost will still be met by Spain, with prior agreement from the patient's own health authority, who will then reimburse Spain.

To complicate matters, any expat pensioner, who then moves to a third country, i.e. from Spain to France, would have to pay-up first and then ask Spain for reimbursement.

How much this agreement will save Spain in respect of health tourism is unclear.
Expats who pay into the Spanish health system and have a health card will be unaffected by the agreement.

3: PRICE OF PETROL ACROSS EUROPE
 
Although fuel prices have risen steeply across Europe, it is noted in a recent British Post Office report, that Spain is still the cheapest country to buy both petrol and diesel in the whole of Europe, excluding Luxembourg.

The cost of Unleaded 95 petrol (at the time of print) to travel 1,000 miles, or 1,609kilometres, is 197.21€ in Spain, compared to 222.37€ in the UK. 233.30€ in France, 238.14€ in Germany, and 248.11€ in Belgium.

The cost of diesel to travel 1,000 miles is 183.83€ in Spain, compared to 204.75€ in Belgium and Germany, 216.40€ in France, and 224.93€ in the UK.

Norway is the most expensive for both unleaded petrol and diesel and diesel costs less than unleaded in all countries, except for the UK and Switzerland.

(All costs are based on a consumption of 30miles per gallon)

4: BLUE FLAG BEACHES 2010

Once again, many of the beaches within our area have been awarded the European Blue Flag and, of the 42 municipality beaches within the Valencian Region, amongst the winners were Teulada-Moraira, Benissa Costa and Calpe.

The awards are the best recognition of the daily maintenance carried out to ensure the quality of the beach and coastal cleanliness.

This year, the Valencian Region is the first in Spain to receive so many blue flags, with 42 of the 60 Coastal zones being honored.

5: BEST SPORTSMAN IN THE WORLD
 
Spain has recently been headline news in all the newspapers in Europe and this time it's not due to unwarranted negative reports about the economy, which has been the tendency of the media during the last few months, but because of the wonderful celebrations as Spain has THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAM, BEST TENNIS PLAYER, WORLD MOTORCYCLING CHAMPIONS, not forgetting  basketball players and cyclists.

So, in addition to the gorgeous beaches, the wonderful climate, the healthy lifestyle habits (the Mediterranean diet and the famous "siesta") and stunning sea views, Spain is a nation of top class sportsmen! Apart from Cricket and Rugby.

This newsletter is intended as a guide and to be informative and helpful in the process of searching for and purchasing a property in Spain. Total accuracy cannot be guaranteed and in all legal, fiscal and other matters a fully qualified professional should be consulted. Reproduction of any part of this newsletter is not permitted without written permission.