Fútbol

Yesterday saw a disappointing draw between Real Madrid and Levante 0-0.

This has now left Real Madrid in third place in La Liga with 11 points and behind rivals Barcelona 12 and Valencia 13.

Watch out Jóse Mourinho - only 1st place will be tolerated .....

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Alicante

Alicante's crowded harbour.

This is the last of my current photographs of Spain before we return to the Costa Blanca and get the Panasonic out again.

Follow up photos will have to be dredged from the files - so we'll see what we can find.

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Alicante

Another view of the harbour with the cranes in the distance.

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Property Sales

Property sales in Spain are improving.

The number of dwellings registered as sold increased in the first half of 2010. In July sales of new property was up 16% and re-sales 16.8%.

This increase has been fuelled by the impending higher sales tax which is now in force. Another reason for the increase is the fact that some owners are taking advantage of the low mortgage interest rates and trading up.

However there are few new buyers on the market and we'll have to wait now and see what happens over the next 6 months of 2010.

As the UK sinks deeper into the mire and unemployment rises Spain can not expect many buyers from that direction..

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Alicante

Looking into the city of Alicante from the port area.

A few clouds about but I suppose that is to be expected as the photo was taken in the spring.

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Orihuela

From our flat in Guardamar the hills in the distance look like a small blue smudge on most days.

This is what they look like close up in Orihuela.

It must be some climb up to that cross !!

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Fútbol - UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League has started with very good results for the Spanish teams and it looks like they will be progressing quite far in the competition.

Real Madrid beat Ajax of the Netherlands by 2 goals to nil - both scored by Higuain

Our local regional team Valencia beat Bursaspor 4-0 and Barcelona managed to put 5 goals past Panathinaikos of Greece in a 5-1 win.

I suppose it is still early days and who knows what will happen in later games.

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Fútbol - Surprise result !!

A shock result today in La Liga was the 2-0 defeat of Barcelona on their home ground by the newly promoted Hércules from Alicante.

The two goals were scored by Nelson Valdez.

A most tremendous result !!

Spanish News 1

The following has come to my attention this week and may be of interest ..

Unemployment in Spain has risen by 61,083 at the end of August.

20,000 young people applied recently for just 116 jobs in the Guardia Civil.

Ryanair increased passenger numbers to Spain in the period January to July by 32% to 12.34m while Iberia saw a 5.7% drop to 11.85m passengers.

Spain is no longer the number one tourist destination in the world - they now lag in 4th place behind China, USA and France.

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Jaime Nunó

On this day in 1824 Jaime Nunó the Catalan composer was born at Sant Joan de les Abadesses in Girona province.

After the death of his parents he went to live with his uncle Bernard in Barcelona and it was he who helped finance his musical studies. Eventually he won a scholarship with Saverio Mercadante in Italy.

In 1851 he was named director of the Queen's Regimental Band and went with them to Cuba where he befriended Antonio López de Santa Anna the former Mexican president.

When Santa Anna returned to Mexico in 1853 he was invited to lead the Mexican military bands and in 1854 he composed the Mexican national anthem.

Jaime died in New York in 1908 but his remains were exhumed and he was laid to rest in the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres in Mexico City.

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Murcia

More photographs of Murcia - the last from this city for a while .

Hopefully I'll return during one of our winter visits and perhaps capture other parts of the city with the Panasonic.

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Spanish Proverb

La experiencia es la madre de la ciencia ..

Experience is the mother of science.

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Murcia - Cathedral

Murcia's cathedral dominating the skyline.

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Fútbol

Spain have got off to a good start in the European Championship qualifying round - they beat Liechtenstein easily by 4 goals to nil which was not exactly going to be a surprise.

Goals by Torres (2) Villa and Silva.

No major games this weekend in Spain - in the Spanish Liga Adelante local teams Elche and Cartagena played - result was a 1-0 win to Elche.

Tuesday will see a more difficult game for Spain when they meet Argentina in a friendly.

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Murcia - Rio Segura

The Rio Segura making it's way slowly through the centre of Murcia.

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Murcia

Odd looking statue - set among the white flowers ..

Murcia city centre.

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