BACK in 1998, when our daughter was a toddler of 18 months, we decided we needed a break from the long drawn out winter of Denmark to rejuvenate our souls with some southern winter sunshine.

Ryanair wasn't quite so prolific then, but we managed a flight from Billund to Madrid and, using public transport and backpacks, leisurely made our way south to the Costa del Sol for a holiday.

JUST a gentle reminder that in the Ronda area pretty much everywhere will be shut next Thursday (September 2, 2010) and the following Monday (September 6).

Yes, the European country with the most “bank holidays” - Spain - has two more on 2nd and 6th September. Banks and offices will be shut, shops and supermarkets too. The only places that will be open for business are tourist shops, some bakeries and maybe a few corner shops – and bars and restaurants, of course! You have been warned...

IN the light of all the controversy that is currently raging about electricity, eg overcharging, bank accounts being ransacked by several direct debits coming all at once, no paper bills sent through the post, charging the increased VAT rate on electricity consumed before the VAT increase, it might be useful to take a look at your bill and what some of the headings or sections mean, and then complain.

LA REFORMA de la Ley de Tráfico (new Traffic regulations) came into force on 25 May 2010. Promoted as being +Sencilla, + Fácil, + Justa (simpler, easier and fairer) the changes are designed to tidy up the previous arrangements, to promote better standards of driving and to simplify the payment of fines.

AS an independent estate agent who has lived and worked in this area for over 30 years the most common question I am asked is, "How much is my house worth"? - especially at the moment when prices are dropping drastically. I personally think that they have hit bottom, and so what does it mean?

IF you are from another EU member state and are officially resident in Spain, did you know that, even if you have a Spanish Health Card (Tarjeta Sanitaria) you are not covered if you travel temporarily outside Spain to another EU/EEA member state, and that includes the UK!

ALL over Andalucía you may see streets and urbanisations called 28 Febrero. This is the “Dia de Andalucía” and is a holiday throughout the region.

So what happens on the Dia de Andalucia? The children at primary school spend several days preparing flags and learning the anthem, perhaps even preparing a play. The last day of school before the holiday they may well have a national breakfast of hot chocolate and a tostado (well as close to Andaluz as there is) and spend the morning playing friendly games and singing the anthem. A fun day!

WHAT’S all this talk about the culture of mañana in Spain? Who said bureaucracy was slow? In the last few months I’ve found the exact opposite to be true.