# Hello there everyone



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Still Here !

Settling in well. Have been busy looking around the area and looking at houses.

Our rented place is basic but good. Cats have become very laid back and relaxed, but we are all looking forward to moving to our long term home be it rented or bought.

We have seen 2 houses that we really like both offering different pros and cons, so we are now looking around each location again and have made appointments to go back and have another look. Then its all about the "offers" one is over our budget , not by much but still is, the other needs more works etc, so that needs to be thought about, but we are both of the opinion the budget is the budget and if offers not accepted there are a lot of houses out there.

As for Extremadura, even though there is a persistent drizzle and mist at the moment we do love it here, and are enjoying walking, albeit damp walks into Portugal.

We are trying to locate people to offer advise on Solar and Satellite, plus buying a car, so get ready for those questions to start flowing

Take Care

T:yo:
x


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Welcome to España! It must time to change your location from Sussex.  

You've done so much research that I'm sure you'll be happy when you find your ideal spot. I look forward to hearing more.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hi Cambio, I was just thinking about you this morning after looking at some photos I took in Cáceres a couple of years ago. Have you found the sculpture park yet?


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

Anticipating your question on solar, it seems that the cartel of energy companies makes it almost impossible to have solar (unless you don't want mains electricity).


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

So pleased you're settling in and are happy. You will soon make loads of Spanish friends.
One of my good Spanish friends I met in the village Consultorio.
This morning I was walking with Azor when a Spanish couple passed and said something. I was listening to Paco on my IPod so took off my earphones and replied - they were admiring Our Little Azor. They apologised for 'disturbing my music' and asked what I was listening to and I told them Paco de Lucia ...turned out husband Carlos was a great flamenco fan...some fifteen minutes later I resumed my walk, having exchanged phone numbers and arranged to meet up at the next juerga at the Pena Flamenca, if not before..
Make the effort to speak Spanish and smiles will appear and doors open - literally! I rattle on in my ungrammatical Spanish and apologise for any mistakes...but as I learnt at school, docemos errandibus or something like that...I think it means we learn by our mistakes..


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Calas felices said:


> Anticipating your question on solar, it seems that the cartel of energy companies makes it almost impossible to have solar (unless you don't want mains electricity).


That applies to the full electricity supply via photovoltaic panels, but solar-heated water is fine.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

cambio said:


> Still Here !
> 
> Settling in well. Have been busy looking around the area and looking at houses.
> 
> ...


Nice to hear from you. Keep the updates coming.
The weather in Madrid has been unusually foggy and rainy this year so far, but we've been out for a tramp by the Silla de Felipe II this morning and the woods around and the sun even came out. It was lovely and Kala went mad running around as she does









Solar power is getting more and more difficult in Spain unfortunately, not easier and easier. The installation may not be problematic, but the tariffs and the procedures around the idea do not encourage people to use renewable energies. Strange government we have. Spain could be the European leader in renewable energy use easily, but they make it increasingly difficult for people to use it.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Solar power is getting more and more difficult in Spain unfortunately, not easier and easier. The installation may not be problematic, but the tariffs and the procedures around the idea do not encourage people to use renewable energies. Strange government we have. Spain could be the European leader in renewable energy use easily, but they make it increasingly difficult for people to use it.


Big Business (Orwell got it wrong BB doesn't stand for Big Brother) base their huge profits on people buying electricity from them and when people go their own way it hurts BB to see all that profit going somewhere other than in their pockets. They as in many countries have the ear (if not more) of those politicians in charge and have persuaded the crooks who run the PP to put a tax on the use of solar panels for electricity - Bar stewards. We have a panel for hot water and even during the winter we get a fair amount of hot water from it.

Cambio:
For the car I would recommend that you consider what the main dealers have to offer. They may (or may not) be a little more expensive (our latest was bought this way and was cheaper) but they have a reputation to keep and their franchise to hang onto so won't welcome complaints. They are also more likely to make sure that the vehicle you get is *properly* serviced before you get it and if you have a problem are more likely to sort it out to your and their satisfaction. As for what vehicle you buy - take a good look around the area in which you are going to live and see what is/are the commonest vehicles - that should tell you which is the most suitable for that area. Look also at their ages - it gives a clue as to reliability (registrations changed in September 2000 from provincial to national - if it has four digits followed by three letters then it is post the change).

A good example of going to main dealers: A Brit nearby declined our advice and took his car for repair to a small back-street "repairer" who took it all apart. Eight weeks later, the Brit starts chasing up "Where's my car?" it was still all in bits many of which were missing and had been use to repair other vehicles.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> Big Business (Orwell got it wrong BB doesn't stand for Big Brother) base their huge profits on people buying electricity from them and when people go their own way it hurts BB to see all that profit going somewhere other than in their pockets. They as in many countries have the ear (if not more) of those politicians in charge and have persuaded the crooks who run the PP to put a tax on the use of solar panels for electricity - Bar stewards. We have a panel for hot water and even during the winter we get a fair amount of hot water from it.
> 
> Cambio:
> For the car I would recommend that you consider what the main dealers have to offer. They may (or may not) be a little more expensive (our latest was bought this way and was cheaper) but they have a reputation to keep and their franchise to hang onto so won't welcome complaints. They are also more likely to make sure that the vehicle you get is *properly* serviced before you get it and if you have a problem are more likely to sort it out to your and their satisfaction. As for what vehicle you buy - take a good look around the area in which you are going to live and see what is/are the commonest vehicles - that should tell you which is the most suitable for that area. Look also at their ages - it gives a clue as to reliability (registrations changed in September 2000 from provincial to national - if it has four digits followed by three letters then it is post the change).
> ...


Sound advice as usual, Baldy.
One small point about main dealers, though...back in the UK, a truck driver brought his truck to us for its regular service. He was taken aback to see his car parked outside our workshops as he had taken it to the main dealer earlier that day.
Fact is, or was, that many main dealers pass on 'big' jobs to specialist repairers like wot we were...these main dealers have fancy showrooms but they mostly employ fitters rather than mechanics or vehicle technicians as they now like to be known.
We would charge the main dealer trade prices for work done and of course the main dealer would plonk a hefty sum on top of that. Don't know if that happens here too.
Your point about backstreet cowboys is very sound. How often did our guys have to put right bodged jobs carried out by people with no 'papers', just unskilled amateurs who ' knew a bit about motors, like.' 
I suspect there are quite a few similar Brit 'mechanics' operating here.
Best to use a local repairing garage with a reputation to keep, not some amateur fly-by- night.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Many thanks

re the solar

One house we like has mains the other we would have no option but to use Solar

Early days yet

Speaking Spanish every opportunity I can, have just left other half in bar to watch Spanish football with the bar man, he speaks no English, mine speaks no Spanish, Football like love the language is universal!!!!!!!!!!!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Sound advice as usual, Baldy.
> One small point about main dealers, though...back in the UK, a truck driver brought his truck for its regular service. He was taken aback to see his car parked outside our workshops as he had taken it to the main dealer earlier that day.
> Fact is, or was, that many main dealers pass on 'big' jobs to specialist repairers like wot we were...these main dealers have fancy showrooms but they mostly employ fitters rather than mechanics or vehicle technicians as they now like to be known.
> We would charge the main dealer trade prices for work done and of course the main dealer would plonk a hefty sum on top of that.
> That happened a lot in the UK, don't know if it happens here.


We always use the Citroen Peugeot main dealer in Alcala La Real (this was after finding that independents didn't do a very good job) and Yes, one is allowed to see the work being done and we are highly satisfied with the service we (and our car) get. We are now well known at the dealers and if we turn up unexpectedly with a minor problem (such as having a bulb gone - replacing one requires contortions and can be quite painful) and it gets done straight away. The left hand headlight bulb had gone and we went there last week, all the fitters were busy (fitters are mere skilled than mere mechanics) and Rafa (the owner) came out and did it - cost: €2


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