Listening to Ivan takes me back 60 years to times in my immigrant abuela's kitchen. The loveliness of the Spanish accent speaking English fills my heart with joy and beautiful memories. Thank you Stuart and Ivan for bringing me moments of happiness during a very difficult time. ¡Abrazos!
I´ve heard it´s full of useful minerals for the garden, but it´s the first time I´ve had to wash my avocados. Probably a good idea to check the air filters on my vehicles, generator, anything that has sucked that stuff up its nose. I just noticed in time that the funnel I was using to fill the generator had a coating of sand ...
Same here in Ayamonte, Huelva, Andalucía Garden furniture, cars, buildings are all looking dusty and smeared so hoping for the rain thats predicted to help with the clean up. Lots of effort and money being spent preparing the area generally for the coming season
Stuart, it not just "new drivers" that must have the L in their car but expats that have recently gotten their license in Spain. I have been driving over 40 years in the US but had to pass the written exam and a driving exam here in Spain to get my driver's license here. Then we have to have the "Scarlet Letter" of the big "L" in the rear window of the car we are driving for the first year. Normally we are safe and experienced drivers so just because you see an "L" doesn't mean it is a completely new person to driving. It could be an expat that has been driving 40 or 50 years. 🙂.
Great to have Iván with you again. So interesting listening to you both and reminding me how exciting Sevilla is. Going to Jerez next month so will enjoy some Fino etc. The tapas and Málaga wine were most enjoyable last week too!
Here in the Alpujarra it´s thick clay mud all over everything. Not good to hear that more is due, but thanks for the warning. A new pressure washer is due to arrive on the 24th, the ordinary hose doesn't cut it. May have to repaint as well.
In Montreal we have a really great expression for those proverbial potholes. The language here is French and potholes are called NID DE POULE...... which means HENS NESTS......and I didn't help thinking of them when you mentioned the bad condition of some of Spain's roads......the potholes are everywhere here and we find that "curious " because right across the border in neighbouring Ontario the roads are pristine by comparison.....and very few toll roads there either!!!!
I’m off to Sevilla tomorrow to visit my daughter and her family. I love Seville and have visited a lot. The weather is going to be better in Oxford though I think…….
Hola Stuart, in Hampshire Southern England we also had the Sahara dust it's the first time I've seen it in England . But when I had a property in Benidorm we used to have it regularly most years
A country’s taxation policy also has a great impact of fuel prices. In the U.K., there is 40% fuel tax, 17% green tax and then 5% VAT on top of that. You don’t buy petrol in the U.K., you just buy tax. The U.K. government could ease the issue of rising pump prices simply by not taking the windfall tax value they have received over the last weeks. Something like 14pence per litre is additional tax revenue since the Russian invasion started and increased base oil prices. Knocking that 14 pence off would not impact tax revenue and would ease the pressure on the individual and just about every industry that transports goods - which of course increases those goods prices for the end customer (i.e., you and me).
It's so nice to have places to see and drive to within your own country. I can't even visit OTTAWA with a Canadian flag without the police shutting the whole city down. Scary times.
You need to consider the cost of traffic lights and the electronics involved. The roundabout, even though in some formats can get complicated, is a cheaper version and also allows for traffic to flow without having to come to a stop. Yes, there are incidents that result from hesitancy or misunderstanding, but I think, statistically, they are not that common. I think that bringing drivers who need to be tested to get their driver's license, in the road test, should go through several types of roundabouts to pass that part of the test; not to say that parallel parking , on the right and the left side also causes driver anxiety. All in all, the majority of drivers who face these obstacles are very skilled and are also defensive drivers to prevent collisions. I personally find roundabouts quite convenient and I approach them from a defensive driving perspective. I don't assume that other drivers will do the proper maneuver. Remember, in the long run, it saves infrastructure money.
Totally agree. It has been widely shown by statistics that despite what it may seem, roundabouts are much safer than intersections with traffic lights where when accidents occur they are usually very serious or even fatal. At roundabouts when there are accidents they are usually minor. They are also easier to maintain and don't need traffic lights etc... The latest is the so-called turbo roundabouts where you don't even have to worry about other cars but choose the appropriate lane for your destination. Little by little they will be imposed except in places where these are very small.
Very interesting conversation. Is the extent and severity of the last wave of brown Sahara dust a phenomenon related to global warming? Sunny and warm here in Derbyshire. Unusually warm once again.
Road pricing. Another way to track peoples movements and limit their freedom. For other products, for which you pay, there are usually alternatives. Not so when it comes to roads. With gas and electricity you can choose different providers, but the underlying supplyer is the same. Those providers also make sure it is close to impossible to know what rates apply when. Regarding flamenco being typically Spanish - that is absolutely rubbish. It's an expression of feelings in song, music and dance that few people comprehend as it seems so foreign to todays way of thinking. Thanks for the videos. Try doing a wave of videos about what's good about living in Spain and add some humor. Going out doing an interview or two once in a while (for example when visiting the provinces) won't hurt either - you will get more views and perspectives on things.
Listening to Ivan takes me back 60 years to times in my immigrant abuela's kitchen. The loveliness of the Spanish accent speaking English fills my heart with joy and beautiful memories. Thank you Stuart and Ivan for bringing me moments of happiness during a very difficult time. ¡Abrazos!
You dog is having a great time in the background. Love it 😂
We had that brown Saharan dust in the rain here in southern England on Wednesday. It also affected many parts of Central and western Europe.
I´ve heard it´s full of useful minerals for the garden, but it´s the first time I´ve had to wash my avocados. Probably a good idea to check the air filters on my vehicles, generator, anything that has sucked that stuff up its nose. I just noticed in time that the funnel I was using to fill the generator had a coating of sand ...
As always, great to hear the two of you chatting!
Hey Stu, thanks for the video
Same here in Ayamonte, Huelva, Andalucía Garden furniture, cars, buildings are all looking dusty and smeared so hoping for the rain thats predicted to help with the clean up. Lots of effort and money being spent preparing the area generally for the coming season
Hi Stuart, As the saying goes Marmite you either love it or hate it. I love it good to see Ivan enjoys it too.
Stuart, it not just "new drivers" that must have the L in their car but expats that have recently gotten their license in Spain. I have been driving over 40 years in the US but had to pass the written exam and a driving exam here in Spain to get my driver's license here. Then we have to have the "Scarlet Letter" of the big "L" in the rear window of the car we are driving for the first year. Normally we are safe and experienced drivers so just because you see an "L" doesn't mean it is a completely new person to driving. It could be an expat that has been driving 40 or 50 years. 🙂.
Great to have Iván with you again. So interesting listening to you both and reminding me how exciting Sevilla is.
Going to Jerez next month so will enjoy some Fino etc. The tapas and Málaga wine were most enjoyable last week too!
Hola Stuart, Basingstoke in Hampshire is nicknamed Doughnut City because of all the roundabouts
Here in the Alpujarra it´s thick clay mud all over everything. Not good to hear that more is due, but thanks for the warning. A new pressure washer is due to arrive on the 24th, the ordinary hose doesn't cut it. May have to repaint as well.
In Montreal we have a really great expression for those proverbial potholes. The language here is French and potholes are called NID DE POULE...... which means HENS NESTS......and I didn't help thinking of them when you mentioned the bad condition of some of Spain's roads......the potholes are everywhere here and we find that "curious " because right across the border in neighbouring Ontario the roads are pristine by comparison.....and very few toll roads there either!!!!
The residents of Milton Keynes have to replace left hand tyres more often due to the number of roundabouts.
Thanx for the news ❤️
I’m off to Sevilla tomorrow to visit my daughter and her family. I love Seville and have visited a lot. The weather is going to be better in Oxford though I think…….
Interesting as always thank you
Hola Stuart, in Hampshire Southern England we also had the Sahara dust it's the first time I've seen it in England . But when I had a property in Benidorm we used to have it regularly most years
A country’s taxation policy also has a great impact of fuel prices. In the U.K., there is 40% fuel tax, 17% green tax and then 5% VAT on top of that. You don’t buy petrol in the U.K., you just buy tax. The U.K. government could ease the issue of rising pump prices simply by not taking the windfall tax value they have received over the last weeks.
Something like 14pence per litre is additional tax revenue since the Russian invasion started and increased base oil prices. Knocking that 14 pence off would not impact tax revenue and would ease the pressure on the individual and just about every industry that transports goods - which of course increases those goods prices for the end customer (i.e., you and me).
It's so nice to have places to see and drive to within your own country.
I can't even visit OTTAWA with a Canadian flag without the police shutting the whole city down. Scary times.
You need to consider the cost of traffic lights and the electronics involved. The roundabout, even though in some formats can get complicated, is a cheaper version and also allows for traffic to flow without having to come to a stop. Yes, there are incidents that result from hesitancy or misunderstanding, but I think, statistically, they are not that common.
I think that bringing drivers who need to be tested to get their driver's license, in the road test, should go through several types of roundabouts to pass that part of the test; not to say that parallel parking , on the right and the left side also causes driver anxiety.
All in all, the majority of drivers who face these obstacles are very skilled and are also defensive drivers to prevent collisions.
I personally find roundabouts quite convenient and I approach them from a defensive driving perspective. I don't assume that other drivers will do the proper maneuver.
Remember, in the long run, it saves infrastructure money.
Totally agree. It has been widely shown by statistics that despite what it may seem, roundabouts are much safer than intersections with traffic lights where when accidents occur they are usually very serious or even fatal. At roundabouts when there are accidents they are usually minor. They are also easier to maintain and don't need traffic lights etc... The latest is the so-called turbo roundabouts where you don't even have to worry about other cars but choose the appropriate lane for your destination. Little by little they will be imposed except in places where these are very small.
Sevilla is excellent.
Very interesting conversation. Is the extent and severity of the last wave of brown Sahara dust a phenomenon related to global warming? Sunny and warm here in Derbyshire. Unusually warm once again.
No, it isn't.
Road pricing. Another way to track peoples movements and limit their freedom. For other products, for which you pay, there are usually alternatives. Not so when it comes to roads. With gas and electricity you can choose different providers, but the underlying supplyer is the same. Those providers also make sure it is close to impossible to know what rates apply when.
Regarding flamenco being typically Spanish - that is absolutely rubbish.
It's an expression of feelings in song, music and dance that few people comprehend as it seems so foreign to todays way of thinking.
Thanks for the videos. Try doing a wave of videos about what's good about living in Spain and add some humor. Going out doing an interview or two once in a while (for example when visiting the provinces) won't hurt either - you will get more views and perspectives on things.