The Equalizer - Tumbit.com Blog Feed

Lorca Earthquakes 2 Year Anniversary

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:50:56 GMT

Saturday, 11th May 2013 marks the 2nd anniversary of the devastating double earthquakes which struck Lorca in relatively quick succession in 2011. What started like any other day back in 2011, the city and its residents had no idea that their lives... more

15-M : 2 Years on

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 04 May 2013 07:10:22 GMT

This time 2 years ago nobody had heard of “Los Indignados”. The words “Puerto del Sol” would probably mean nothing more than being the name of a station on the Madrid Metro. That all changed on the morning of the 15th of May 2011 when thousands of... more

Alicante Airport : Two Fingers up to Corvera ?

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:26:51 GMT

Last week – the 24th of March – marked the 2nd anniversary of the opening of the new terminal building at Alicante’s El Altet airport. The date coincided with the launch of the 2011 Summer season and both AENA and the management of the airport could... more

On (or abouts) this day in history

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:50:26 GMT

Some time around the 15th of March 1493 Christopher Columbus / Cristobal Colon returned to Spain after his first voyage to discover "the Indies". He arrived at the same Port he departed from on the 3rd of August 1492 - Palos, Huelva - and... more

" Immigrants in Glass Houses...."

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:24:47 GMT

Sometimes there is nothing more amusing, or ironic than the juxtaposition of two pieces of news. One minute some witty journalist type is taking themselves very seriously and making some high-brow social commentary, and the next minute some... more

El Gordo Christmas Lottery : Facts and Superstitions

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 09:58:52 GMT

Stoical, Practical, Pragmatic, level-headed... just a few words that could be applied to describe the stereotypical Spaniard. Not superstitious. However, once a year on the run up to Christmas, it seems that all of this goes out of the window, and... more

Loving the Irony Of Banking Woes

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:40:39 GMT

With all the doom and apparent impending gloom surrounding the global financial sector, it seems many have missed an opportunity to gloat over the woes of banks and the sheer brilliance of credit downgrades they are being hit with. Let’s face, how... more

Spain Joins The European Bailout Club, But Why?

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:41:22 GMT

It has taken approximately 48 hours for me to calm down and be peeled from the ceiling after hearing the news that Spain has officially asked for a bailout from the b-euro-cratic zone (Eurozone) However, my fury is not with the situation (so much)... more

Taking a Dog from Spain to the UK : A personal experience

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 05 May 2012 09:21:49 GMT

Maybe I am just a hardened cynic and distrust all these ‘helpful guides’ too much, or maybe I have lived in Spain too long , and realise that things rarely pan out as the theory dictates, and as such many are worthless anyway... So, planning a trip... more

An Idiots Guide to Airports in Spain

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:58:58 GMT

The subject of Spanish airports has been written about in the form of news stories, blogs and editorial opinion ad nauseum lately, and it seems that everybody has an opinion on the matter. There is also so much information out there, that it is... more

Spain versus the Catholic Church

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:31:54 GMT

As a devout Agnostic, educated in a C of E school, it obviously means that I have absolutely no interest in religion whatsoever, and have a healthy disrespect of anyone who tries to force their bigoted or uneducated views down the throats of anyone... more

The Spanish ITV Test : A First-Hand Experience

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:17:12 GMT

I know about the Spanish ITV : What it is and why I need one etc... However, my Spanish is not what you may call fantastic, and neither am I particularly familiar with the mechanical working of a motor vehicle. I have read a number of guides on... more

El Caganer - Lookout for the Pooper

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:17 GMT

Anyone who has looked at a nativity scene in a church, school or shopping centre around the east of Spain - notably Catalonia - will probably have noticed a small figure crouched at the back of the manger, behind the baby Jesus, crouching with his... more

Spanish Constitution Day & Day of Immaculate Conception

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:09:05 GMT

December the 6th in Spain is celebrated as Constitution Day. It is a `Red'day, when offices and medium to large businesses are obliged to close for the fiesta. With the day of immaculate conception also being celebrated as an official fiesta... more

November 1st : 'Dia de Todos los Santos'

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:17:30 GMT

The Dia de Todos los Santos, or 'All Saints Day', is not the morbid event it may at first appear to be: to the contrary, it is an uplifting fiesta, celebrated to remember and pay tribute to friends and relatives who have died - especially during the... more

Dia de Hispanidad : October 12th

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:50:12 GMT

Dia de Hispanidad - or 'Spanish Day' - is celebrated throughout Spain and the Spanish speaking world to celebrate the anniversary of the date when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the new world : October 12th 1492. Today the anniversary is... more

Balconing

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:49:38 GMT

If it hasn't done so already, I wouldn't be at all surprised if a new word enters the Oxford English Dictionary next year : Balconing. I would imagine that the description would be something like this : " Balconing : A Sport enjoyed by British... more

Problems Paying Iberdrola

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:28:36 GMT

One thing that really winds me up about Spanish bureaucracy is it's total lack of flexibility when it comes to working around any problem that may occur. This was proved to me only yesterday with breathtaking efficiency. The problem started on... more

Spanish Immigration : A Two-Tier System ?

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:25:37 GMT

As a regular contributor on a number of forums it always frustrates me when I see the number of questions or comments that unfairly brand Spain and the Spanish as being overly racist – or Xenophobic at best. Of course, like almost every other... more

Problems opening a Spanish bank account

info@tumbit.com (The Equalizer) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:44:09 GMT

I have just spent the last two months trying to open another Spanish Bank account. I say 'trying' because I have given in and reaslised that fate never meant me to have another account. It all began back in April when I cashed in my QROPS Pension... more