Monday 4-9-2006

We went Turre to do the blog, on the way we had a phone call from the solicitor, who we were meeting at eleven with the intention to go with us to the notary’s office to have our wills authenticated. She rang to say that the notary’s office is on holiday today and could we come tomorrow. The appointment was made last week, but what can one do.
We did the blog and then went down to our Spanish Bank in Mojacar to draw loads of cash out to pay Javier the builder at Taberno for the ground work he is doing and for building the hebe and the potto up at the site, he has also dug out the caravan bases for us.
It’s a weird thing over here but if you insist on paying by cheque or card for services or second hand goods you will have also to pay on top of the price the government tax of 16.5%. So to avoid this everyone pays by cash. It worried us (pure at heart Brits that we were) at first but every one does it all the time. We have even spoken to the solicitors and the bank about it and they all know about it and do it as part and parcel of their every day dealings. You still get a receipt for the payment (but I hate to think what might happen afterwards if you had a disagreement). We have told everyone so far that we will haunt them really badly if they cross us. In fact if you do insist on paying by cheque or card they look at you in real sympathy and shrug their shoulders at you as if you are a complete simpleton for wanting to give the government the extra money. I’m not sure how Spain survives financially with this system in place. The problem for us is that at times we have been walking the streets from the bank to elsewhere with nearly upwards of fifteen grand in Elayne’s handbag, clutched tightly to her chest of course. It’s a relief when we have handed it over to someone else, even though it is ours. On the black side of this story, just last week a couple were actually stabbed and robbed in Mojacar as they were going into the notary’s office with this sort of money, to pay for a house, and although this is not a regular thing and one of the bank employees was later hauled of to the police station under suspicion of passing information to the attackers, it is of great concern. Hey ho, so far so good and we didn’t see Javier when we got to site anyway so it’s back to the safe at El Pinar for this little dollop of readies for a few days.
Any way on the way up to site we went for the third time to the caravan man, Juan, at Puerto Lumbreras. At last he is back from holiday and we are now the proud owners of one static caravan (big lounge, two bedrooms, kitchen, shower unit, central heating and double glazed) and a ‘mobile shower unit‘. The shower unit is exactly that with about eight shower stalls and washing facilities in it. Juan will take all of these out to leave just an empty shell for us. It will then be like a large porta-cabin and will be ideal for putting our boxed chattels from East Keswick in. See pictures. Juan said that if after nine months we want to re-sell the vans, he will give us eighty percent of the purchase price, not a bad offer. He is going to meet us in Taberno on Wednesday and come up to site with us to ensure that it is dug out properly to receive the vans and that his vehicle can get in and out OK. So that’s another visit to the bank for loads of cash, but please don’t tell anybody, we don‘t want to be bumped off just yet.
It is not unreasonable then to start to think that by this time in two weeks , we will probably be living at last in Taberno. We are trying to find out what the address will be, but as yet we do not know. The poor cats will be so pleased to get out once more and we will be pleased to be then looking forward to the next stage of our adventure. It’s unbelievable just how much we have both already learnt about here and the local way of life, and all in just nearly six weeks.
BTW. Today we met the guy from Bishop Auckland, David Keers, from whom we actually bought the land in Taberno. He gave his friend John , power of attorney to deal with the sale. He is here to declare the tax (5%) on the land that we bought from him so that he can reclaim it by filling out a Spanish Tax declaration about the profit he has gained from the sale. He and his wife are a nice couple who visit here, and stay with John regularly, so we will see them around from time to time. It was him that had said to Tomas that he could pick the almonds if he also tended the land around the trees, and Tomas has done this for the last three or four years. Case solved and closed.
PS: Sorry it’s so long I must have verbal diarrhoea today (unusual for me, don‘t you think?).
PPS: Happy Birthday Christine XXX