Northern Europeans are usually disciplined drivers, they understand that it is a serious business and if you do not pay due care and attention, both people and vehicles can get seriously hurt. Unfortunately, some Spanish drivers still need to grasp this and whilst all the laws are in place, many local drivers constantly ignore them. Do not assume a one way street is just that, always look ahead of you and as for indicators, they are just a novelty to some and still have not caught on.
Although in the UK laws have been put into place regarding the use of mobile phones whilst driving, they have yet to filter through to many countries in mainland Europe including Spain. The Spanish love talking, and at first, I always thought how wonderful to have such lengthy and obviously interesting conversations. However, the talking carries on into the car and if they are not talking to each other whilst driving, then they have the obligatory mobile phone strapped to their head. Whilst this is going on they are totally unaware of what is going on around them. If it is a casual conversation then they will drive at a reasonable speed, but if it is a more serious conversation then the car will travel at walking pace. It is not uncommon should drivers who know each other and meet whilst travelling in opposite directions to stop their cars and start a conversation. Everybody just patiently waits in the traffic queue until their conversation is concluded. My advice would be, like the Spanish, be patient until the conversation ends.
Parking can also be a problem, pretty much the same as in the UK. Everybody seems to own a car and spaces are at a premium. This can be quite difficult when you live in an apartment block as many of these car owners seem to do. Most apartment blocks have a resident superintendent, a kind of caretaker, who is supposed to look after the property and its residents.
Our particular superintendent liked to park his car immediately outside the entrance to the apartments and he pointed this out to everybody who attempted to park in the vicinity. One Sunday afternoon I watched as the Superintendent tried to park his car in his favourite spot as usual but it was a bit tight. Nevertheless, with a metal tow bar on his car, he reversed his car into the space and used the tow bar to push the other parked car backwards. The other car was mine and I promptly told him he was paying to have the car repaired.
You will notice when travelling in Spain that the bodywork on most cars is damaged with various dents and scratched paintwork, this is because the Spanish have great difficulty parking a car in a confined space. In fact, it is not uncommon to find that most parked cars do not have the handbrake engaged and when you come to park or move your car, you simply get out of your car and roll the offending car away. It comes to rest against the car in front or behind and you have more space to get in or out,marvellous. Should you visit a car park where the parking bays are marked out, for example supermarkets, you will find most cars ignore the lines and park at crazy angles anything but straight. This practice alone would cause chaos in Asda or Tesco, but here it is the norm.
Finally, a quick mention about scooters. In Spain the minimum age to ride one is 14 years and although wearing a helmet is compulsory, it is obviously not cool for a fashion conscious teenager. If you are driving it is best to be vigilant and watch out for these motorcyclists. Even though they do not wear the helmet, they carry them instead whilst riding. Should they see a policeman or ride past a police station then the hat is plonked on the head only to be removed immediately when the police officer is out of sight.
Overall, the whole experience of driving in Spain has taught us to be extra careful and adhere to the rules even though the Spaniards might not. Keep an eye out for rogue drivers and be careful where you park your car. There are various rules in place for both foreign and Spanish drivers which we have put together for your information.
Follow these rules
The most obvious being always drive on the left. This means the Spanish left turn is like the UK right turn, watch out for oncoming traffic.
Generally, traffic on the right has priority. Normally where a minor road intersects a major road there's a sign reading Stop or Ceda el Paso (give way); if such a sign is not in place, the traffic on the major road still has priority.
Documentation required to drive in Spain is as follows: always carry your driving licence, vehicle registration document (V5), and certificate of motor insurance. If your licence does not incorporate a photograph ensure you carry your passport to validate the licence. If the vehicle is not registered in your name, carry a letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive.
Do not drink and drive, anything over 0.05 per cent and you could face anything from a severe fine, withdrawal of your licence, up to imprisonment.:
And speaking of fines: Foreigners must pay fines on the spot unless they can present an address of a Spanish friend or company who will guarantee payment of the fine. If the fine cannot be paid or guaranteed, the vehicle will be impounded and the driver detained until the fine is paid. There's usually a discount of 20 percent for immediate settlement. The police will issue a Boletin de Denuncia which specifies the offence and the amount of the fine. Check carefully that the fine amount noted on the document matches the amount you paid. Follow the English instructions on the back of the document if you want to dispute the charge; you have 15 days to file a written dispute, and you can write your argument in English.
With regard to fuel, all grades of unleaded petrol (benzin), diesel (gasoleo 'A') and LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive.
When parking your car be careful. In some cities a blue line on the street indicates resident-only parking; in other cities, check for signs. Don't leave anything of value in a parked vehicle. Parking garages are a safer alternative to the street, but check the price first. Do not park within 5 metres of intersections or entrances to public buildings.
--Mark Twain
The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of an insight, is an act of intuition. Such intuitions give the appearance of miraculous flashes, or short-circuits of reasoning.
--Arthur Koestler
Many people look into learning to meditate so they can enjoy more peace. Others hope for greater clarity of thinking. Still others are hoping for spiritual gains.
Having been active in meditating for 13 years, I think it's fair to say that meditation will take you to unexpected results. If you are ready for that kind of exploration, you should learn to meditate. If not, perhaps you should just stay as you are.
Here's my experience:
At the start of 1995, I began studying and practicing Transcendental Meditation. Pleased with the results I felt in terms of increased calmness and mental clarity, I encouraged my wife to do the same. She, too, was pleased with her experience.
We decided we wanted to go even deeper into this discipline and devoted much of our spare time over the spring and summer to taking an advanced program to learn, among other things, levitation. I had visions of floating around in the air 30 feet off the ground; it was exciting to contemplate.
The reality was quite different from my daydreams. We actually learned to hop in the lotus position. A typical hop was a few inches off the ground. Fortunately, all this hopping provided other mental benefits.
Our instructors kept emphasizing that this discipline was independent of our religious beliefs. I began to realize why they repeated this point so often: With more meditation, my thoughts were increasingly focused on spiritual matters. My prayer life was enriched as well as my Bible study.
At the end of this training, I immediately flew off (by plane) for salmon fishing in Labrador with one of my CEO clients. I spent many hours pleasantly casting my line in the virtual solitude of the wilderness on a sparkling river. I didn't care if I caught any fish. The experience was like a week-long meditation.
When I returned from the fishing trip, I kept waking up at about 3 a.m. and wasn't able to get back to sleep. I could feel an idea trying to come to life inside me, but I couldn't identify it. After a few such nights, I began to spend these sleepless hours in prayer.
Weeks passed, and I was getting pretty foggy and tired even though meditation is supposed to help with concentration and alertness. I wondered if I had somehow overdone the meditation.
Then, one morning at around 3:45 a.m., I felt a warm presence fill the room. In response, my body temperature seemed to rise and I felt deliriously happy.
A voice that I didn't recognize filled my mind and told me in tones that were more resonant and powerful than James Earl Jones on his best day that I should hold a meeting for all of my clients to celebrate and share their greatest accomplishments on the autumnal equinox. At the end of the meeting, I should announce that I would be starting a 20 year project to find ways for the whole world to make 400 years of normal progress in only 20 years, beginning in 2015 and finishing in 2035. For the next few weeks, I could think of little else.
What had happened? I prayed over the experience quite a bit and concluded that God had sent me a message. Why me? I have no idea. Maybe He couldn't find anyone else crazy enough to take on such an impossible task. I certainly felt that only God would know how to do it.
Why that timeframe? I don't know, but it later occurred to me as I wrote this book that the 2000th anniversary of Jesus' resurrection would occur during 2015-2035. Perhaps that was an important connection. But who knows except God?
How would I pursue this project? I had no idea, not even a clue. All I knew was that I was supposed to make this announcement at the autumnal equinox . . . and I did. The rest of just amazing history.
I suspect that you, too, should expect the unexpected from mediating. I hope my experience will inspire and encourage you to explore new territory through this inner-directed experience.
Both Tony Roberts & Donald Mitchell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tony Roberts has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Computers and The Internet and Recreation and Sports. Tony Roberts has lived in Spain since 2001. He frequently writes about his experiences living in Spain and is a regular contributor to both Spanish magazine and A Place in the Sun. He is now an established estate agent in south east Spain and has written. Tony Roberts's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.
Donald Mitchell has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Donald Mitchell is an author of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist (describing the 400 Year Project), The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution (about business model innovation), The 2,000 Percent Solution, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and Th. Donald Mitchell's top article . to your Favourites.