New in the scrapyard

[Tdm]

To Mario, 38Rover, and Staggard,

Mario - Wasn't there a famous Film starring Gregory Peck and a very large Cannon that was about Avila and breaching it's walls?,
also we get a lot of Spaniards from the mainland (the "Peninsula") coming over to the Canaries for their holidays, quite a few of
them owning Property over here. My wife and I fly to Sevilla every now and again as we have Welsh friends who own property on
the Algarve, and flying to Sevilla and then hiring a car at the Airport is the best way to get to them (they live at Cabanas, near the Border).

38Rover - I don't think I've ever had J&B scotch, must give it a try, but when it comes to single Malts I am partial to "Isle of Jura". More recently though I've taken to drinking Brandy as it is the only Spirit that is a "pick me up - anti-depresent", and sometimes I need a pick me up "medecine" to keep me semi-sane.

Graham - I didn't realised you had visited New Zealand as well as Australia, what parts did you get to. On our recent trip we had 3 days in Sydney before sailing to first Tauranga, and then Auckland, and it is in these 2 places where Maureen and I were entertained by a number of Stag owners who took us out each day we were there. I really would have liked to have seen much more of New Zealand.

[Staggard]

Ups. To be honest I did think that not so many Stags in Spain. I see that I was wrong!

For "foreigners" information, Avila is the highest capital city in Spain, around 1130 m above the sea level. There are some villages located higher, but not capitals of province. At the same time Avila is the best walled city in the entire world, so those of you who like medieval, well preserved historic cities for sure will enjoy a visit here. And our cuisine is second to none!!

And as I always say to my English friends: Spain is not only beach and sun!

The Canary Islands are part of Spain. In fact the political status is exactly the same as my province is, so it is not even similar to Isle of Man in relation to Great Britain.
Usually and in order to avoid misunderstandings, when the inhabitants of the Canary Islands (also called the Fortunate Islands) make a trip to Mainland Spain, they say that are going to the Peninsula.

My nick means nothing and I do not know what "Mork and Mindy" is (a sitcom, I guess). The nickname comes from very long ago. When I first registered at IRC I received a welcome message which said "your nick is Shazzbat". I have never understood the meaning of such word or where it comes from, but it's easy to remember and sounds fine. Of course in just a few days everyone will be calling me "Shazz", which is also OK.

. Marco Polo, gracias por tu respuesta en español. Siempre se agradece leer en tu idioma cuando escribes en un foro extranjero

Furthermore I love Australia. I spent my honeymoon in Sydney and looooove the city, the people and your fabulous beer!

Well, I will update this forum with news of my Stag when I have her back, hopefully by Wed or Thu next week.


Regz

I know I should not get into this one Mario but there are quite a few differences between mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. some off the top of my head are, We have an autonomous government, we are not full members of the EU. We do not pay the same rate of tax as the mainland, also there is a huge south american influence due to it's history which has also alterd the way Spanish is spoken here, some words also differ. and the people I know here are very clear about their identity which is Canarian (their words not mine) and get very put out if they are refered to as being Spanish. salud Graham

[Shazzbat]

Terry, I think that you refer to "Orgullo y Pasión" (Pride and Passion) which Orson Welles shot here in 1956, but the main actor was not Gregory Peck, but Cary Grant. Sofia Loren and Frank Sinatra also played in the film, along with my father, who was an extra of the crowd.

You can find some pictures of the film here:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=orgullo+y+pasion+avila&m=text

Graham, Spain is (unfortunately) made out of 17 autonomous regions (+ two autonomous cities), each one with its own government, president, secretaries, advisors, counsellors... all of them squeezing the money out of our pockets. I prefer not to extend myself in excess. You know what I mean.

The Canary Islands is just one of them. Its Spanish is as different to mine as Northampton English could be compared to Newcastle English. Maybe less.

Yes, Tax scheme is different, but in fact it's almost the same rates with different names. You do not have VAT but you pay the IGIC. Not a lot of a difference.

And if some of your acquintances consider themselves that they are "only Canarian"... well, it's up to them, but DNI cards and passports state very clearly who they are and where they come from. I also know people in Scotland who say that they are only Scottish, but that doesn't change the main point and the coat of arms which appears on the passports.

So the Canary Islands are as Spanish as Sevilla or Madrid. Or my beloved Avila.

Even more, the Canary Islands are "officially" Spanish since 1479 (Alcazovas Treaty). By that time Granada (1492) and Malaga (1487) were still under Muslim control.

But honestly I prefer to speak about cars instead of Politics. History is welcome, but not Politics. Anything else but Politics.


Regz

[38rover]

The film was "The Pride amd the Passion" Cary Grant Sophia Lorren and Frank Sinatra taking a massive gun across Spain to breach the walls of Avila to kick out the French

[cliff wilkins]

Hi.
Recently bought a Stag and have learned it spent around 8 years out in spain coming back in 2011 sometime
from what I can make out from the paper work it started out in Mazarron Murcia then changed hands to Almeria.

Looks like plenty of work was done at Auto Kriens Mazarron Murcia and then more work in Alicante
Its reg out there was 0490 DLH now back on its original number plate issued from new.
So it has a spanish past.
Cliff.

[Tdm]

Hi.
Recently bought a Stag and have learned it spent around 8 years out in spain coming back in 2011 sometime
from what I can make out from the paper work it started out in Mazarron Murcia then changed hands to Almeria.
Looks like plenty of work was done at Auto Kriens Mazarron Murcia and then more work in Alicante
Its reg out there was 0490 DLH now back on its original number plate issued from new.
So it has a spanish past.
Cliff.

Much better than a "Murkey" past then!

[cliff wilkins]

At least the weather kept some rust at bay

[Staggard]

Terry, I think that you refer to "Orgullo y Pasión" (Pride and Passion) which Orson Welles shot here in 1956, but the main actor was not Gregory Peck, but Cary Grant. Sofia Loren and Frank Sinatra also played in the film, along with my father, who was an extra of the crowd.

You can find some pictures of the film here:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=orgullo+y+pasion+avila&m=text

Graham, Spain is (unfortunately) made out of 17 autonomous regions (+ two autonomous cities), each one with its own government, president, secretaries, advisors, counsellors... all of them squeezing the money out of our pockets. I prefer not to extend myself in excess. You know what I mean.

The Canary Islands is just one of them. Its Spanish is as different to mine as Northampton English could be compared to Newcastle English. Maybe less.

Yes, Tax scheme is different, but in fact it's almost the same rates with different names. You do not have VAT but you pay the IGIC. Not a lot of a difference.

And if some of your acquintances consider themselves that they are "only Canarian"... well, it's up to them, but DNI cards and passports state very clearly who they are and where they come from. I also know people in Scotland who say that they are only Scottish, but that doesn't change the main point and the coat of arms which appears on the passports.

So the Canary Islands are as Spanish as Sevilla or Madrid. Or my beloved Avila.

Even more, the Canary Islands are "officially" Spanish since 1479 (Alcazovas Treaty). By that time Granada (1492) and Malaga (1487) were still under Muslim control.

But honestly I prefer to speak about cars instead of Politics. History is welcome, but not Politics. Anything else but Politics.


Regz

Mario I agree with you but Iam not talking politics, with respect I think you have got the wrong end of the stick. I never said that the Canary Islands were not Spanish. I said Tenerife was not in Spain, as for the tax we pay 7% where as I belive you pay 21% three times the amount I consider that to be a big difference. as for the reason they call theirselves Canarian as I understand it, first the conquistadors landed and interbred with the guanches ( hence the blond canarian's) the the men left the islands and went to work in Venezuela, Cuba, ect interbred with their verious population's and returned to the islands with their families. So their recent family history stems from south america perhaps that is why they prefer to be called Canarian rather than spanish after all history dictates who we are and not what it says on your passport. After all that I am loosing the will to live, so I will now s the f up Cheers Graham