What happens when you start renovating your dream home in Spain and discover that the roof might not be strong enough to support the next chapter?

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I take you behind the scenes of our latest building project on the Costa Tropical. We're adding a self-contained bedroom to our Mediterranean house by the sea, but first we've had to rip off almost the entire terracotta roof.

From discovering broken sewage pipes and a missing electricity supply when we first bought the house, to uncovering some rather questionable brickwork beneath the roof, our Spanish renovation journey has been anything but straightforward.

With torrential rain forecast, the house exposed to the elements and a new extension underway, I'm asking myself whether we've destroyed the very thing we fell in love with.

If you're thinking of buying a property in Spain, renovating a Spanish villa or building your dream home on the Costa Tropical, this episode is a reminder that the reality of Spanish property ownership can be very different from the dream.

But despite the dust, the rubble and the ever-growing building costs, we still love our house, our view and our life in Spain.

Spanish Practices — Real Life, Real Spain.

This weekend on Spanish Practices, I reflect on Spain's devastating train tragedy near Toledo and the lives lost. As speculation and accusations begin to circulate, I ask why we can't wait for the evidence before deciding what happened or who might be to blame.

With All Saints' Day tomorrow, when families across Spain remember those they have loved and lost, I believe our attention should be on the victims, their grieving families and the people whose lives have been changed forever.

There will be time for answers and accountability. For now, let's remember the people who never made it home.

Dreaming of buying a home in Spain? Perhaps you're an American looking to retire in the sunshine, escape the rat race, or finally make that move to the Mediterranean. But before you fall in love with a Spanish villa, a whitewashed village house or a beautiful coastal apartment, there are some things you really need to know.

In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I take you through the process of buying property in Spain, from the hidden costs and legal checks to choosing the right estate agent and finding the perfect place to call home.

Having lived in Spain since 2016, I know that buying a property here is about much more than finding a house with a swimming pool and a sea view. It's about finding the right community, understanding the local area, and making sure that your dream of living in Spain doesn't turn into an expensive mistake.

In this episode, I explore:

• The hidden costs of buying property in Spain – including purchase taxes, notary fees, lawyers and the expenses that can catch American buyers by surprise.

• How much you really need to budget on top of the purchase price.

• The Spanish contrato de arras – what it is, why the 10% deposit matters, and how to protect your money before signing.

• The essential legal checks every buyer should make, including the nota simple, outstanding debts, occupancy licences and property registration.

• Buying a property in Spain with a mortgage – and why non-resident buyers need to allow enough time.

• Why choosing the right estate agent can make all the difference.

• The importance of spending several weeks in the area before committing to a purchase.

• What to look for beyond the property itself: local amenities, schools, weather, the town hall, community life and the number of other expats living nearby.

• Why the best home in Spain isn't necessarily the one with the biggest swimming pool or the best views.

Whether you're buying a holiday home, planning your retirement in Spain, or making a permanent move from the USA, this episode will help you understand what to expect before you sign on the dotted line.

Because buying a home in Spain isn't just about bricks and mortar. It's about finding a place where you can build a life, become part of a community, and eventually stop feeling like you're on holiday.

ZENITH CONCIERGE

This episode is supported by Zenith Concierge, a buyer's agent for Americans and other foreigners buying homes in Spain.

Zenith Concierge works exclusively on behalf of the buyer, never the seller, helping international buyers navigate the Spanish property market from the initial property search through to collecting the keys.

Find out more: https://zenith-concierge.com

Please note: This episode provides general information and is not legal or tax advice for a specific property purchase. Property taxes and regulations vary by region and can change. Always seek independent legal and tax advice before signing a contract or paying a deposit.

EU AI disclosures, parts of this podcast use my cloned voice

If you're moving to Spain, retiring to the Costa del Sol, or already living here as an expat, understanding how the Spanish healthcare system works is essential. But how does Spain's public health system compare with the UK's National Health Service and the American healthcare system? And, more importantly, how do you actually get access to it?

In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I'm taking a look at three very different approaches to healthcare.

The UK has the NHS, a service many of us have grown up relying on. The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world, where having health insurance can make the difference between receiving treatment and facing a potentially eye-watering medical bill. And Spain? Well, Spain has a Sistema Nacional de Salud — a National Health System — which is largely funded through taxation and delivered by the country's autonomous regions.

Here in Andalucía, healthcare is managed by the Servicio Andaluz de Salud. But what does that mean for British and American expats living in Spain?

I explain how the Spanish healthcare system works, why it's a system rather than a single national service, and why speaking Spanish can make a real difference when you're trying to navigate your local health centre or hospital.

I also look at the different ways you can qualify for public healthcare in Spain, including:

• Moving to Spain from the UK or USA: What you need to know about healthcare entitlement.

• Working in Spain: How becoming employed or registering as an autónomo can provide access to the public healthcare system.

• The five-year residency rule: What it actually means, and why you may not need to wait five years to qualify.

• The Convenio Especial: How this voluntary public healthcare agreement works, who can apply, and the monthly fees in Andalucía.

• The UK S1 form: How eligible British pensioners can access Spanish healthcare through their UK pension entitlement.

• Healthcare for Latin American nationals: How bilateral agreements with certain countries can affect access to Spanish public healthcare.

And, of course, there's the language question. Spain's healthcare system is there to look after you, but it isn't an English-language service. If your Spanish isn't quite up to explaining your symptoms, understanding a diagnosis or discussing your medication, you may need an interpreter.

Healthcare is one of the most important considerations when moving abroad, particularly if you're approaching retirement. Understanding your rights, getting the paperwork in order and knowing how to access the system can make all the difference.

So, three countries, three very different approaches to healthcare. And one rather important question: If you're living in Spain, are you properly covered?

Thinking of bringing your British car to Spain? Before you start dreaming about saving thousands of pounds, I think there's one important question you need to ask yourself: will importing your car actually save you money?

In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I look at the costs, complications and occasional absurdities of bringing a UK-registered car to Spain after Brexit. From customs paperwork, import taxes and Spanish registration to ITV inspections, insurance, spare parts and the dreaded Certificate of Conformity, there's rather more to consider than simply putting your car on a ferry.

And then there's the everyday reality of driving a right-hand-drive car on Spanish roads. Ever tried reaching a Mercadona parking ticket machine from the wrong side of the car? Or judging a gap at a Spanish roundabout when you're sitting on the opposite side to the one you're used to? I have a few thoughts on that, too!

I also look at the particular challenges of importing a British motorhome, the potential difficulties of finding replacement parts, and what happens when you eventually want to sell your car in Spain.

So, should you import your beloved British motor, or sell it in the UK and buy a Spanish car instead? I weigh up the pros and cons and explain why a bargain on paper can turn into an expensive headache.

In this episode, I explore:

• The costs and paperwork involved in importing a car after Brexit.

• Spanish registration, customs duties, taxes and ITV inspections.

• The practical frustrations of driving a right-hand-drive car in Spain.

• Insurance, spare parts and future resale value.

• Special considerations when importing a UK motorhome.

• Why buying a car locally might be the simpler and cheaper option.

Spanish Practices is my take on real life in Spain, beyond the holiday brochures. Join me, John Metson, for another helping of expat life, practical advice and a healthy dose of British common sense under the Spanish sun.

Is Spain's socialist government delivering a better quality of life, or is America's capitalist approach offering a better route to financial security? In Episode 215 of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I compare the economies, lifestyles and competing ideas shaping life in Spain and the United States.

Spain's economy is performing strongly, but behind the impressive GDP figures lies a growing housing crisis, rising rents and wages that often struggle to keep pace with the cost of living. For many young Spaniards, getting a job is no longer enough to guarantee a home of their own. So, if Spain is getting richer, why are so many people finding it harder to get ahead?

Across the Atlantic, America's entrepreneurial culture and emphasis on personal wealth offer a different perspective. John explores the controversial economic realities facing American households, the American Dream, and the Trump Accounts initiative designed to give eligible children a financial head start through government-backed investment contributions. Could this approach help the next generation build wealth, and what might Spain learn from it?

In this thought-provoking episode, I look at the differences between capitalism and socialism, public services and personal responsibility, and the challenges of raising children and building a secure future on both sides of the Atlantic.

In this episode:

• 🇪🇸 Spain's economic growth under Pedro Sánchez's socialist-led government.

• 🏠 The Spanish housing crisis, soaring rents and the struggle to buy a first home.

• 💶 Wage stagnation, purchasing power and the real cost of living in Spain.

• 🇺🇸 The American economy, the entrepreneurial spirit and the changing American Dream.

• 👶 Trump Accounts and the idea of giving American children a financial head start.

• 🌍 Spain versus America: social protection, personal wealth and the search for a better quality of life.

Is a stronger economy enough, or should we judge a country by how well ordinary people live?

EU AI Disclosure - parts of this podcast uses my AI clone voice.

There's a cemetery just outside Salobreña that I drive past all the time. It looks peaceful enough. Whitewashed walls, flowers, rows of graves and you can see the castle and the Mediterranean down in front of you.

But beneath that ground may be the remains of people who have been waiting nearly ninety years to be found.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I explore the forgotten history of the Spanish Civil War in Salobreña, and the archaeological search now taking place for Civil War and post-Civil War graves in the town.

I tell the story of two Salobreña brothers, José and Juan Esparrell Alaminos, who were taken from their home in February 1937 and murdered during the terrible aftermath of the fall of Málaga.

Their story takes us back to La Desbandá — the desperate flight of tens of thousands of civilians from Málaga towards Almería. Families fleeing along the coast were attacked from the sea and air, including by German and Italian aircraft supporting Franco's forces. Many died along the way, including people who tried to cross the swollen Guadalfeo here in Salobreña.

Some of those who died may have eventually been buried in the cemetery.

Nearly ninety years later, archaeologists are returning to the ground in an attempt to locate the graves, recover remains and, where possible, give names back to people who have been forgotten for generations. The grave has now been exhumed and what the archaeologists have found is even sader.

As Spain approaches Todos los Santos, when families traditionally visit cemeteries and remember those they have lost, I look at what happens when someone has no grave to visit.

Because eventually, the history of the Spanish Civil War stops being about generals, politics and armies.

It becomes about someone's father, brother. grandfather.

Spanish Practices — Real Life, Real Spain.

Why does Spain celebrate Christopher Columbus — and why is his legacy still so controversial?

Today the 12 October, Spain celebrates Hispanic Day (Día de la Hispanidad), its national day, with a spectacular military parade in Madrid. But behind the flags, fighter jets and public holiday lies a much more complicated story.

In this short episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I explore what Hispanic Day actually commemorates, how Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain in 1492 in search of a route to Asia, and why his arrival in the Caribbean changed the world forever.

But did Columbus really discover America? What about the millions of Indigenous people already living there? And how do we reconcile Spain's extraordinary cultural legacy in the Americas with the conquest, exploitation and suffering that accompanied its empire?

From Spanish national pride to the darker consequences of European colonisation, I look at the history behind one of Spain's most important public holidays — and why the same date means very different things on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Hispanic Day, Christopher Columbus, Spanish history and a controversial past — all in about three minutes.

Welcome to Spanish Practices: Real Life, Real Spain, the podcast exploring the people, places, traditions and stories that make living in Spain endlessly fascinating.

EU AI Disclosure: Some parts of this Podcast use my AI cloned voice.

Driving in Spain can sometimes feel like an exercise in expecting the unexpected.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I take a humorous look at what it's really like behind the wheel in Spain — from the mysterious art of navigating Spanish roundabouts and the sometimes flexible relationship with lane markings, arrows and indicators, to the motorbikes that seem to appear from nowhere and the ever-watchful Guardia Civil de Tráfico.

I also look at the wonderfully relaxed Spanish driving culture, why you sometimes need to anticipate what another driver is going to do rather than simply watch what they are doing, and the things you definitely shouldn't be doing while driving — from wearing flip-flops and using earphones to texting, FaceTiming or attempting to eat your lunch at the wheel.

I'll also talk about drink driving, Spanish traffic fines and that remarkable little card machine carried by traffic officers.

But for all the differences, driving in Spain has a huge upside. Get away from the towns and cities and you can find yourself almost alone on beautiful roads, surrounded by mountains, olive groves, spectacular countryside and some genuinely breathtaking views.

So buckle up, watch the roundabout, check your mirrors and remember the golden rule of driving in Spain:

Expect the unexpected.

What does it really take to build your dream home in Spain?

When we bought our Spanish house in 2016, we thought we'd found paradise. A wreck of a house, yes… but with spectacular views across the Mediterranean to Morocco. What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turned out.

There was no electricity, no proper drainage and the house had actually moved more than two centimetres after the Spanish authorities cut into the mountainside for a new road. We had no idea about Spanish building licences, the difference between obra menor and obra mayor, planning permission, architects, structural engineers or just how complicated building a house in Spain could become.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I take you through our very real experience of renovating and extending a property on the Costa Tropical — from the €10,000-plus electricity saga and a 75-metre trench, to new drainage, extra bedrooms, an infinity pool, terraces, a hot tub, outdoor kitchen and the latest project: adding two more bedrooms to the house.

We'll look at the true costs of building in Spain, Spanish planning permission, building licences, architects, taxes, waste fees, urbanisation rules and why you absolutely need to check whether the land you're buying can legally be built on.

I'll also explain why finding good builders, electricians, plumbers and other skilled tradespeople can be such a challenge in Spain, and how traditional Spanish construction differs from building methods commonly used in Britain and the United States.

Building your dream home in Spain can be complicated, expensive and painfully slow — but when the work is finally finished, the Mediterranean is outside your window and the sun is shining, it can also be absolutely worth it.

If you're thinking about buying, renovating, extending or building a home in Spain, this is the reality check you probably need before you start.

Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain.

EU AI disclosures parts of the Podcast use my cloned AI Voice

Look Up! The Naughty Architecture of Spain

Think Spanish architecture is all cathedrals, castles and grand Gothic buildings? Think again. Look closely — or, more accurately, look up — and Spain's historic buildings reveal a much cheekier side.

In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I go hunting for the rude, ridiculous and downright outrageous details hidden in Spanish architecture. We start at La Lonja de la Seda in Valencia, where medieval gargoyles include dragons, monsters, grotesques… and one particularly memorable gentleman who is rather enthusiastically holding his own dinky doo!

And he's not alone.

We head north to Cantabria and the remarkable Romanesque church of San Pedro de Cervatos, where centuries-old carvings include naked figures, exposed genitals and some spectacularly bawdy medieval sculpture.

Then there's Salamanca, where a modern stonemason continued the tradition of slipping unexpected jokes into historic buildings — including an astronaut on a cathedral and a devil eating an ice cream.

But why did medieval craftsmen carve such rude and bizarre images onto churches and civic buildings? Were they warnings about lust and sin? Symbolic representations of temptation and fertility? Political messages? Or were some medieval stonemasons simply having a bloody good laugh?

The truth is that nobody knows for certain — which makes the stories even better.

This is a slightly naughtier side of Spain, Spanish history, medieval architecture and Spanish culture, and a reminder that some of the best stories aren't found in the grand tourist guidebooks. They're hidden in the tiny details you almost miss.

So next time you're visiting Spain, remember:

Don't just admire the building. Look up.

You might discover that Spain has been making filthy jokes in stone for more than 500 years.

Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain.

EU AI disclosure - my cloned AI voice was used in parts of this episode.