The Day The Lights Went Out - The Shocking Truth about the National Spanish Power Cut
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
Release Date: 10/09/2025
Living in Spain - The Grapes of Wrath - ExPat life in Andalusia
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
In this episode of Living in Spain, I talk about the choking hazard that is a Spanish Tradition at New Year, drawing on real experiences of expat life in Andalusia after moving from the UK to Spain. We cover: How a Spanish New Year is celebrated, and why twelve grapes play an important part. The cultural differences between New Year in Spain and the UK What I miss about New Year in the UK and New Year in Spain There are stories, mistakes, moments of joy, and the occasional flashback to my former life as a London radio producer — including an exploding bottle of champagne and a...
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Three Ghosts for Christmas – a true story (mostly). Or what I said to J K Rowling and Jeff Bezos (probably)
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
In this episode at least two reasons among many why we left our leafy Essex town and beautiful four bedroomed bay-fronted Edwardian House and ran off to sunny Spain. So to the ghosts two arrive from my past. One is a, to be, famous children’s author to whom I was spectacularly rude, after which I threw away the first edition of her book about a boy who didn’t know he was a wizard. The other is a man who once started a little online bookshop with a ridiculous name, well I thought it was when they launched in the UK — Amazon — though confusingly, his name was, I think Jeff,...
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The Pooping Nativity Scene
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
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The Great V16 Beacon Controversy
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
Is the new and mandatory in Spain from the start of 2026, Beacon a Beacon of safety or a silly dim flashing light that tracks your car to the Government? Yes its the controversial V16 Beacon that we have all had to buy, or rather try to buy, amongst the Temu rip offs that aren’t a certified beacon. Is it a major step forward in road safety.. Let’s find out.
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Christmas Spain v Britain
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
In this episode I am talking about Christmas. I'm going to look at British Christmas versus Spanish Christmas, and then zoom out to see where Spain quietly shares traditions with the rest of the world… often in surprising ways. So pop the kettle on, pour a glass of Spanish sherry — depending on which country you emotionally identify with today — and let’s dive in.
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Where does the smart money get invested in Spain?
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
In this short episode a clear, realistic, non-salesy view of where the smart money is going in Spain in 2025–2030—and whether property is still the best bet. I am not a Financial Expert, do not take this episode as any kind of financial advice. I have collated together trends and data from financial institutions, banks and financial companies.
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Living in Spain - Should YOU Invest in Spain - the Fastest Growing Country in the EU, Expat Life in Andalusia
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
Spain's GDP grew by 3.5% in 2024 and is forecasted to grow by 2.9% in 2025. The growth is being driven by strong domestic demand, particularly household consumption and investment, which is outpacing the euro area. Is this the time to invest in Spain?
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Things that bite and sting and might kill you in Spain, from Snakes to Spiders and beyond
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
From Mosiquitos to spiders and snakes, there is something lurking or flying around here in Spain that has you on their lunch menu. How to cope with those tiny assassins and avoid being bitten or worse is what this episode is all about. This is our real life, in real Spain. Ten years of adventures since swapping our glorious Victorian House in leafy Essex for a tiny flat in a wild Andalusian village. I was once a Radio Producer in London, not a great one. Feel free to comment, like and of course follow - it really helps the show.
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Mind Your Language: The Story Behind Spanish Swear Words
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
If you’ve ever stubbed your toe in Spain, you’ll know that the locals don’t just swear — they stage a one-man opera of profanity. Spanish swearing is a glorious symphony of blasphemy, body parts, and creative bowel movements. There are a lot of rude words in the episode so please, if you are easily offended, scroll on to the next episode.
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Franco was a good guy! - The return of the dark days
Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain
Franco was responsible for the “Spanish Miracle,” in a recent survey 21 % of Spaniards said that the years of Francisco Franco’s rule - 1939 to 1975 were “good” or “very good.” Is Spain yearning to return to a time when one person possesses absolute power here in this country? Real Life - Real Spain
info_outlineIt was April the 28th and suddenly the lights went out, the fridge and freezer went silent and what followed was eight hours of chaos as a historic Blackout Cripples Spain and Portugal.
BUT What is the shocking truth behind a power cut, it was Europe’s Worst Blackout in 20 Years and plunged Barcelona, Lisbon, Madrid, Porto and Seville into darkness?
This is our real life, in real Spain. Ten years of adventures since swapping our glorious Victorian House in leafy Essex for a tiny flat in a wild Andalusian village. I was once a Radio Producer in London, not a great one.
Feel free to comment, like and of course follow - it really helps the show.