Spain’s Christmas Lottery has locals (and tourists) reaching for their wallets

The lottery is a tax on those who don’t understand mathematics. Or at least so they say. And there is no greater demonstration of this quote than the

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Tax inspection! Hacienda’s “strategic plan” to take your money

Ready to hear what it’s really like getting a Spanish tax inspection? You’re in the right place. I’ve recently been inspected by the Spanish tax people myself, and

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Camino de Santiago – Spain’s most modern ancient pilgrimage

When I was in my 20s, I wanted to do the Camino de Santiago. Not only did I want to do the Camino, but I’d also heard that

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Getting legal in Spain – another bureaucratic ordeal in sunny Barcelona

Back in the day, I moved to Spain on a tourist visa. I don’t recommend anyone do this – but I was 21 years old, mostly broke, talentless, and

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Puicerdà, Llívia and Catalonia on both sides of the French Border

I’m walking down a dusty path in the Catalan Pyrenees. Dark clouds are building overhead, whipped up by the heat. A breeze whispers past, bringing the smells of

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Spanish Bureaucracy – how to deal with red tape in Spain

People love to complain about Spanish bureaucracy. But does it have the reputation it deserves? Is it really that bad? Well, to be honest, I haven’t really dealt

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Okupas in Spain – protests for and against squatters in Barcelona

A few months ago, I noticed some people had moved into a commercial space on my street. No big deal. They were a family, apparently from Eastern Europe,

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Is the Spanish timetable getting you down? Blame Hitler!

I wrote this article 10 years ago, in 2013. Those were different times. The Partido Popular was in charge, and we were in year five of the Great

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Women’s Day in Spain, and Spanish feminism’s great divide

Hola a todas, todos y todes! (That’s how the kids are saying it these days.) Interesting times for people of all genders here in Spain. Women’s Day is

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Prostitution in Spain – Will the government abolish “the oldest profession”?

Several months ago I was down in Madrid with Morena. We were walking down calle Leganitos, just off Plaza España. Maybe you know it: it’s one of the

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