Postcard to Menorca
Postcard to Menorca
Menorca’s ‘Old Spice’ Returns Home
The world can be a very small place as contracted guide, Bryce Lyons, recently found out when he escorted a coach of Americans on a cultural tour of the island from the Holland America Line’s cruise ship, ‘Prinsedam’, which had docked at Mahón harbour for the day.
While relating the history of Menorca, he included the story of Father Pedro Camps and Franscisco Pellicer and the group who left Menorca to settle in Florida, their tragedies (British records show that a total of 704 men and women and 260 Menorcan children died during the first 10 years), and their stoicism.
In April 1768, Florida must have seemed such a long way away for the some 1,400 emigrants (mainly Menorcans) who set sail from Mahon harbour to join plantation owner Andrew Turnbull and form the colony of New Smyrna and then, 10 years later, of St Augustine in today’s Florida. This proved not to be the case 243 years later.
Interest Rate Hikes Are Key
It has been a very volatile start to 2011 for sterling exchange rates.
We have seen some excellent gains for the pound spiking at a 14 month high against the US (1.6397) & New Zealand Dollar (2.2509), but on the downside we hit lows against the Euro of 1.1270. Steve Eakins of Currencies.co.uk reports.
One of the main drivers for the pound since the turn of the year has been the much-publicised high inflation. We have all been feeling the pinch of rising oil prices, which has an effect on you and me in the UK through rising petrol costs to energy and food supplies. Add in the VAT rise and inflation is now well over twice the target of 2% set by the Chancellor.
How To Vote By Post In Menorca
With the Municipal Elections in Menorca soon upon us, some readers my be interested to know what they need to do if they do not want to, or cannot vote in person on 22 May. Voting by post is easy. All you have to do is to follow the simple steps below:
Between 29 March and 12 May, visit any Post Office and ask for a postal voting form (impreso para poder votar). Fill it in, and return it, again to any post office, and don’t forget to take your NIE paper and passport with you.
Between 2 May and 15 May, you will be sent by post the necessary papers to vote. As the papers will be delivered by certified post, you’ll need to show the postal worker your NIE and/or passport to receive them.
Peseta Reintroduced To Boost Economy
More than 60 shops in Mugardos, a small Galician fishing town on Spain's northern coast, are accepting the peseta again for all purchases, alongside the euro.
Spain's economic crisis has forced some to be inventive and this Galician town has decided to reintroduce the peseta to give the local economy a lift. Shopkeepers are asking anyone with forgotten hoards of the old currency to visit them and spend it in an attempt to get cash flowing and help lift the town out of a long and painful economic depression. Although skeptical at first, they now say the scheme is a great success and people are travelling into Mugardos just to spend the old currency they never got round to converting.
Expat Financial Planning Advice for Peace of Mind
The Spectrum IFA Group (Independent Financial Advisers) was established in January 2003, its mission being to create and provide bespoke solutions for expatriates and foreign residents through the broad range of products and services it offers. Throughout Europe its experienced and qualified advisers, which now number around 40, are English speaking and most also have a good knowledge of the local language as well as an invaluable understanding of expat life and the particular financial rules that apply in each country.
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