December 2006 Archive

Christmas in Javea

Happy Christmas to everyone in Javea, Moraira and Denia. During this festive time of year, not too many people will be thinking of buying or selling their villa or apartment in Javea. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that we have worked with in 2006 and we look forward again, towards a good working relationship in 2007. My feeling is that the property market is picking up and we can all brace ourselves for a better year in 2007.

Javea and Moraira property has always been popular with people from Spain, Madrid and Valencia and obviously the northern European countries of Germany, Holland and the U.K. Again a big thank you for your co-operation, helpfulness and professional attitudes. So, here goes….Andres of Javea-Si, Brian of Dolphin Estates, Ian & Diane of Sunsell, Gary & Shay of Denia Developments, Emma, Rebecca and Nicole from Villas-Plots, Pepe and Vanessa of Giuliano Villas, Victoria of Promociones Javea, Manolo and staff at CFXMB, Ant & Sally at Spanish Property Sales, Matt of Infovisionsoftware, Stewart & David from Villa Shop, Monika & Danny from Villalux, David, Lisa and Javiar of VillaMia, Joan of Cam Bank, Lucy, Brian, Carmelo, Amanda, Daniela, Kevin of Vicens Ash, Miguel, Roca, Jaime from BankInter, Felix, Juan Carlos and staff at Sol Bank, Miguel from Inmoart.

All the members of the Sunsell Group, Lia, Tex and Mandy from Javea Homes, Paul, Chris, Laeti and staff at GoinSureit, Pablo and Rosa of BBVA, all the staff at Hamiltons of London, Bingley’s, Inmoexpert, Javea Invest, Premier Homes, House Detectives, Remax, Jay, Debbie and Ashley, Mark & Gemma and Jasmine, Thomas, Jo, Tony, Daniela, Hans, also everyone at Euphony and many, many more who have shown us that 2006 was a good year to work with you all, advise us all and assist each other.

If I have omitted anyone that, may feel that they needed a mention, sorry. It’s my age and there are three good things about getting old, 1st, You can sleep upright, 2nd, You can watch ‘Inspector Morse’ over and over again without knowing the end and I can’t remember the 3rd thing. Happy Christmas and a Safe and Prosperous New Year to you all.

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Poble Nou de Benitatxell, BBQ

It all started with a ‘Welcome’ letter we found in our post box from Jaume, a young man from Benitachell village. He stated in the letter that he would like to start a forum for people new to the area. Jaume and his business partner Miguel Angel would assist new residents with tax, NIE applications, public health care and educational issues, etc. From this introdution letter, we contacted Jaume and he invited us and some of his friends to a traditional Valencian style bbq.

We all met in the Mas y Mas car park at 12.00h on a sunny Sunday in Benitachell. We were introduced to Keith and Sheila, Rolf and Erika and also our party of six, Ian & Diane, Hilary & Nick, Dawn & Steve. The drive to Jaume’s casa de campo was only 2 minutes away and we were all soon sampling the home made sweet wine made by Jaume’s father and the raisins, made from their own grapes and dried in the summer sun.

It was a mixture of 70% sweet muscatell wine and 30% red wine. Jaume pointed out that everything we were going to eat was made with organic produce, chuletas de cordero (lamp chops) home baked bread and locally made chorizos, morcilla or botifarra in Valenciano, (liver and blood sausages). A wheel barrow was loaded in the front garden with wood from grape vines, orange trees and the protected carob tree. Normally there is a hole in the ground, where a wood fire is prepared and a large calderon (pot) is placed filled with lamb, chicken or pork. Left for many hours to cook slowly over the fire and to absorb the smokey flavours.

Another oven in the casa, was also filled with the same types of wood and then both of the fires were lit. We sat in the warm December sun as Miguel Angel arrived to assist Jaume in the preparation and cooking.

The lamb was rubbed with salt and the onions, artichokes and chorizos were cooked in home made olive oil. When the fires were glowing nicely, the food was cooked to perfection. The home made bread was broken into pieces and the feast began. Large slices of onion were filled with anchovies and olive oil, cooked over the fire, perfect dunking the chunks of bread into, a Benitachell specaility. The artichokes hearts were flavoured by the smoke and the taste and texture was wonderful.

As we enjoyed the food and wine with Jaume and Miguel Angel, we chatted about the various topics on the Valencian culture, diet and laungage. Many people living in Benitachell were forced to speak Castellano during Franco’s dictatorship and they are now unable to read or write in their mother tongue. Benitachell or Benitatxell, spelt the Valenciano way, used to be in the region of Javea, however some 300 years ago, the villagers decided to create their own region and town so they founded the ‘Poble Nou de Benitatxell.’ We retreated to the large family casa’s naya room, as the winter sun lost it’s warmth, to end our enjoyable day with melon, desserts and glasses of Baileys.

May we all say a big thank you to Jaume and Miguel Angel, for their hospitality and for giving us the opportunity to sample and taste the flavours of Valenciano life. If you would like more information on the services provided by these two enterprising men, you can contact them by telephone, email or go to their offices in Benitachell.

MG Economistes.

Miguel Angel Garcia Buigues,

Assesorament comptable, fiscal i laboral.

Avda Lepanto, 34 2.n-4

El Poble Nou de Benitatxell

03726

Alacant

Tel-fax: 96 649 3061

Miguel Angel’s mobile: 653 067 401

Email:miquel_gb@hotmail.com

Jaume’s mobile: 636 541 817

Jaume’s email: jpedros81@hotmail.com

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Javea Music

Another day in paradise. A visit to some friends house at the weekend, they were clients, but have now become good friends. We were celebrating two birthdays and a bbq and a jamming session was the order of the day.

Warm, sunny weather greeted us on the 3rd December in Javea. We started eating some great garlic chicken wings, pork fillets and a home made paella, accompanied by sweet sauce and salad to add that special extra. All prepared and cooked by our hosts.

The lads have all played guitar, on and off over the years, so we decided to have a bash altogether.

Ant warmed up the crowd with some great solo’s playing Bowie, Paul Weller and some Oasis. Ant is excellent on vocals and guitar, Steve on lead a bit rusty and Ian on bass, had to struggle with the keys we were playing in. He managed very well, considering it was his first time that he had played any of the songs before.

The girls wore wigs and danced and sang chorus, guest singer was Diane and a ballet dancing queen entered the room and performed the Dance of the Butterflies. .

Gerry really going for it!

Great food, fun and great company!

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