We are getting ready to go away for the winter again this year. This will be our 3rd winter in beautiful and sunny Spain and we are getting quite good at getting organized and packing for us and our dog Amy Lou. First of all, if you go to your destination like us, by plane,…
Author: Two retired Canadians in Spain
Newly retired Canadian in Spain for the winter months!
Blog 10 things to do in Spain besides going tapas or visiting la Sagrada familia
I recently watch a You Tube video, Spain Revealed with James Blick. This man is married to a Spanish woman and has regular videos about customs and culture in Spain. Here are his top 10 things to do in Spain beside tapas, paella and la Segrada Familia. I added my own commentary to his tips….
Estate Taxes in Spain
If you acquire a property in Spain as we did, you need to know about inheritance tax. Unlike Canada, there are taxes to pay in Spain on inheritances and they can be quite hefty. The level of tax varies depending on the relationship to the deceased and the region in Spain and it is the…
What’s with the Jamon?
Spaniards like their Ham and for good reasons. Whether it is Serrano or the finer and more expensive Iberico, Spanish hams are delicious. Ham is ubiquitous in Spain. Featured on every menu in bars and restaurants, you will see them hanging from ceilings everywhere as in this small tapas bar in Nerja. It is a…
We got married and it is all because of Spain! Find out why here.
Terry and I have been together for exactly 30 years this year. I have always said that we were “more married than many married people”. We owned and managed a business together for over 25 years, shared all bank accounts and investments and owned two properties jointly. We do not have children and in Canada,…
Do we feel like we would have stayed in Spain instead of returning home to Canada for the summer?
Coming back home to Vancouver from a glorious 6 months in Spain for the second time feels even stranger than the first time. We bought a house on the costa del sol last January and very much enjoyed our incredible new winter home for 3 months before returning to Canada. We did not feel like coming back…
Transferring money from Canada to Europe
I did a lot of research when it was time to transfer a lot of money to buy our dream house in Spain. It can be overwhelming to find the best way to move large sums of money in a timely manner at the best possible currency exchange rate. The first step will be to…
We bought a house in Spain!
You may have been wondering why I have not been writing much lately. I have been very busy. On January 31, 2019, we moved in our new house in Spain. Yes! We bought a beautiful house on the Costa Del Sol. After much research and soul searching, we just could not resist buying our own…
The single most question I am asked is: What to wear in winter on the costa del sol?
We have been in the south of Spain since October 28 and the weather has just been fantastic. We only had a handful of overcast days and hardly any rain. Temperature ranged from 18 to 24C on average. Quite pleasant for walking, hiking, biking and sitting on a terrace, sipping wine and watching the world…
Life in Spain: why the Spaniards live longer
A new study came out this week from the Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle USA which forecasts that people in Spain are predicted to have the longest life expectancy in the world by 2040 beating Japan into second place. The comprehensive study finds that much of the reason is to do with the way…
