Hola

Hi All

New to this site - in the Blue Lagoon/Dream Hills/Las Filipinas area - confused - so was I - we came over for a mid term inspection trip few years back and asked for 'Las Filipinas' area (we wanted to make our own way without the agent) - no one knew of it - it is signpostd (we now know) but no one new of Las Filipinas - of course we now know its called many names!

We are Bosque De La Lomas v - there's a block of 12 apartments/12 villas and we are in one of the apartments.

Tornado

ooh I am so sorry, have I posted in the wrong spot?

I got a bit confused navigating around the site (great forum by the way).

Just to make it clearer - our property is finished (having waited 3 years - very long story) and we signed over last year.

Hope that makes it a bit clearer - I so know about the confused bit - I don't help matters!

Tornado

so just to add a bit more - just joined to have a chat to all you folks out there...........

Tornado

Welcome to the site and chat away to your hearts content.

thank you - I can certainly 'chat' - we are in Dream Hills or Blue Lagoon or Las Filipinas or Bosque de la Lomas v - so many names for one place - no wonder we couldnt find it the first time without the aid of the rep (wel we did but it took us four hours - when it should only have taken half an hour!)

Tornado

Well I have to be honest, i didnt think it was called Dream Hills, I thought it was called Blue lagoon (archway coming down the hill) - we are near The Priory pub or the Junction cafe or even the shop Home & Living.

It is definitely called Las Filipinas - its on the map but people dont know it as that at all.

Does that ring any bells?

We signed over last year but didnt move in as we took all the warnings to ensure we had security/grilles etc so we did all that before going for the very first time this Easter - we've been back 3 times since then and hoping to go back in october.

Whereabouts are you locate?

Tornado

I've been to the home and living shop before so I know roughly where you are.

Our place is in Los Balcones near to the new hospital.  In October it will be 4 years of ownership, bought a resale and it's ideal as non residents.  Might think of moving to something bigger if we ever sell up here mainly because I wouldn't know what to do with a lifetime of memories.  DH says we will get a skip but if it's anything that he's bought me then it's too good to throw away, can't win so hopefully we will have a few years to sort it all out.

What's your area like, many people moved in yet or are they like you non resident?

Confusing, aint it Tornado?  After being there for nearly 5 years, I think I've worked out that it was lots of little places which have all got joined up.  At the bottom of the hill (from Mercadona to the Priory) it is called El Galan.  At the top of the hill (past Blue Lagoon) it is called Las Filipinas.  Then along came the builders and put in Blue Lagoon (under the arches) but urbanisations have also been built and the Bosque de las Lomas ones have been called Blue Hills (from the Priory to the Blue Lagoon arches).  It is even more confusing when it is being referred to as part of Villamartin, a suburb of San Miguel de Salinas and you have to go to the Orihuela Costa town hall to get your NIE and pay your water bills.

If you're up by the Priory, I think you are in one of the Residencial  Bosque de las Lomas but urbanisation El Galan.

(Don't quote me on any of the above as even the locals get confused when I ask).  Good place, though, with some nice bars and restaurants being built. 

what a nice lot you are - I got to thinking I bet you thought I was being deliberately stupid - but I'm not - it all comes so naturally!!!!!!!!!

semijubilada therein lies our tale - Los Balcones - where we bought originally - but Iberian sold us property they knew was denounced - there's a great big write up in Coastrider at the moment about all the saga with Tecnologia Urbanistica - to cut a very long story short, we were shipped out again and we chose at Bosque de la Lomas - - its been a terrible time and I would never wish it upon my worst enemy.  Bosque is good in as much there's no place else to build immediately in front or behind us and the street lights are in and all the shops are settled and up and running. Very British in as much we love the local supermarket where we can nip for our bread and paper and just 10 mins walk away there's the bigger Mercadona. maybe in a few years time we will tire of being so close to expats, but for the time being, we like where we are. We love the fact that you can go into Torrevieja and people make you speak  Spanish (very pigeon but we get by) and that its not all  English.   Sadly though there arent many people actualy living where we are. We have some fantastic neighbours over the road but they are selling up and their next door neighbours who are equally as nice, go home for about a month at a time. Out of the 12 apartments built, only 3 are sold but Technologia are a law unto themselves but hopefully things will now get sorted as things are hotting up with them now.

Boboal - isnt it just so confusing - its no wonder the first time we were let loose on our own, it took us 4 hours to find the place. We can get around a bit now but still dont know the way other than off the N332 . We need to explore a bit more when we go out again - its just so busy each time we go out - we have made some very lovely friends and meet up each time and time just runs away with us - particularly if the kids come out with us - we end up feeling more exhausted than when we went!

Thanks for both writing back to me - I have been made to feel very welcome - I love the site - its very informative.

Tornado

I said exactly the same thing I didn't want to be surrounded by expats but when I was looking at houses I soon realised the importance of having someone nearby that you can converse with.  My neighbours moved into their house when it was first built so are a mine of information but like any mine you have to sift through the dross to get to the good stuff.

I can remember reading about your situation on another site so have some idea of what you have been through.

I was talking to someone about driving, she said that when she first came out she drove around very early in the morning and on Sundays when the roads were quiet.  I find Torrevieja town difficult as it's a maze of one way streets but I can now navigate myself around it and find a parking space for the Friday market!  I bought the book about driving in Spain and I found it very useful.

I've been into that Mercadonna a few times as I'm often up that way when my husbands playing at Campomoar. 

As a frequent visitor to spain I am learning Spanish but don't have the confidence to speak it.  I can understand quite a bit and when I'm there I listen to Spanish radio in the house. 

Do you know I thought I recognised your username. Well its nice to be 'chatting' to you again. To be honest, I've never been one to think i want to be surrounded by all spanish (not that I have anything against them or anyone else of course) - even on the usual family package holidays you find the same situation. I do find it comforting that I can (hopefully) get help if needed. There's another couple who live down our road permanently (we dont know them as well)but they live there and I am sure if we needed help, they would give it us.

One thing is nice out of all of this is that you can pass on (what little I have) knowledge to others. There's an elderly gent below us who is renting - he is buying a villa but he was getting swept away with Atlas - poor man didnt even know or understand what monies they were taking off him - he has had a bit of a tragic life and we just took him under our wing. I managed to introduce him to Ana our Solicitor and we are now in the process of trying to find his long lost son who he fell out with many years back. He's a lovely guy and its so nice to be able to help where we can.

It was laughable when we first went out - hubby is pretty good now - he does know his way round the back streets - only because we got lost so often! Our only problem is so far we only ever use the N332 as our starting and ending point and we need to now find the back ways to navigate round ,but it will all come.

Good on you for learning Spanish - I did 15 weeks of evening courses  it got really intensive towards the end tho and that wasnt what I wanted (found it hard at the end) but I do manage to pick up little words and that does manage to get me around it - however, my son took GCSE Spanish - he doesnt use it much but for the odd word I dont know he will chip in occasionally.

I love the supermarkets in Spain  and the chemists too - they are so much more up and coming than what they are here - I find them cleaner and brighter and the chemists are just great if you arent feeling too good and of course they dont close at the usual 6 pm! (forgetting siesta time of course!).

Do you get out often to Spain?

Tornado

I mainly go out in the winter, October, Nov/December, New Year and Easter.  I go out for around 2 weeks and husband comes out on the final weekend and we travel home together.  This year I was out in May with my sister, first time for that time of year and I really enjoyed it so will probably book that again.  H gets 4 weeks holiday a year so he takes 2 weeks in June and that's when he plays golf.  The other two weeks we go to Florida where he also plays golf.  Because of his stingy leave situation if he didn't travel out for the weekend he would only be out for Easter (expensive) and June.  If you book up as soon as the flights are released the a weekend in winter is £51,48 for December, nearly double that for October.

Last year his restaurant closed down from xmas eve until new years day, we had already arranged to have a week out for the Spanish new year so we had to change flight, wasn't best pleased as it was very expensive but this closure costs him 4 days leave.

I don't go out in the summer later than June as it's too hot for me then.  In June this year I found it too hot so I stayed inside in the shade.  See I'm embracing the Spanish lifestyle all ready.  We went out and bought new parasols to provide shade for the lounge windows, that way I could have the windows open and luckily there was a breeze.

I wouldn't like to live in a predominantly (any nationality) area as that's when the problems occur.

There is a back way out of your area but I'm afraid I'm hopeless with road names.  The road outside the home and living shop, head towards San Miquel, there is a baricade across the road by the school so you have to turn right.  Then turn right again and follow all the signs and eventually you will land up on the road which goes to Orihuella and Torrevieja (CV905?)  When I say signs I mean No entry and right turn only.  To the right there's a Ford Garage, turn towards Torrevieja and eventually you will come to a roundabout going under the Motorway.

You can also turn left towards Montesinos before the roundabout, this way will take you round the back way to bring you out by Carrefour.

Whoops must go as I volunteer in a Charity shop today so mustn't be late.

Z

I so love the heat - we went out in August - there were 2 days that were really hot but other than that I love it so - if I get too hot I just go into the shade. I miss the sun when I come home. When we went out for the first time at Easter this year, it was cold (I believe totally out of sync for that time of year) - we were lucky as it didnt rain much until about 4pm but it was funny as when we got there we had no bedding other than some throws I had taken with me - we ended up putting towels over us on the bed to keep warm. We now have so much bedding!

How do you feel going out there on your 'own' - quite rightly there are many people who tell you about robberies etc., and it makes me very very cautious etc = maybe too much so - but it makes me nervous and strangely I feel very comforted when I have the children with me (tho they are 16 and 19) - they drive me mad tho!

I think you are right tho, I wouldnt like to live anywhere other than 'home' permanently - our neighbours over the road moved to Spain 4 years ago and the wife is now missing home immensely - they sold up completely - I would much prefer to have a base here (however small) with a base abroad (again, however small) to have the best of both world., particularly if you have family too.

I think the way you explained on the back roads is the way some friends of ours took to get to us - they manage to get out more than us so have experimented more - we always seem to be so busy when we have been out so far but there have been  bits we needed to do on the apartment and we've managed to do a few so hopefully that will settle down some.

I hope you werent late for your work appointment - this computer lark is a bit addictive isnt it?

Tornado

Must have been there at the same time, Tornado.  1st week during August was incredibly hot (almost a 100 in old money every day) but 2nd week cooled by a good 10 degrees.  Loved it all. 

To avoid the N332, go up to the Mercadona and turn left at the roundabout past the Mercadona entrance.  Carry on through the very narrow archway (breathe in when driving through) and go to the bottom of the road and turn right.  This brings you to Los Dolces avoiding the golfers at Villamartin.  At the motorway, turn left at the roundabout and head up the new road to Playa Flamenca.  Carry on past the roundabout that dare not speak its name (nobody knows who has right of way there) and keep going (don't turn at all) until you see the sign saying Orihuela Costa and then turn right (Don't go straight on there because it becomes one way coming towards you).  Turn right at the very end of the road to take you past Consum supermarket and take the 2nd road on the left at the roundabout past the new estate being built.  Turn left after the new estate and this brings you to the new hospital.  Turn right at the hospital and bingo, you're in Torrevieja.  No nasty N332.

The joys of owning a second home, when you first arrive it's cleaning and making the beds.  Then shopping not just food but what you need because the weather's changed since you were last over.

I'm not looking forward to the end of this month because of the "yellow" rain.  One trip I'd spent hours mopping the tiles before I left and when I opened the gate on my return I could have cried.  Nothing that a good hose down didn't solve but I learnt my lesson.

I've always found that Easter can be cold but nothing like February then it can be two duvets on the bed.  Over the years I've built up a store of seasonal clothes from fleezy track suits to shorts and tops.  January is normally warm but one year I arrived and the wind chill made it -2 degrees.  One of the stalls at Torreveija market was selling hats and scarfs so I've now got those as well.  I also bought Xlarge t shirts to use as a vest, I must have looked great with all lumps and bumps in the track suits but at least I was warm.

As to being by myself I read the stories and I learn by them.  I don't carry a handbag, I have a body belt,with my credit cards  passport in and a purse with a strap which I carry in my hand.  When I get in car I put this in the pocket in the door after I have locked the doors.

In the house I always lock the gates and the grills unless we are nearby.  The first night I'm normally sensitive to the noises around me but after that it doesn't bother me.

I have had a couple of mishaps when I let my guard down, started to use a small bag and had my puse taken out of it when I was in Torrevieja market.  Travelled over with husband and left my mp3 player and other things I use on plane in a bag on the luggage trolley whilst I went down to get the hire car.  It wasn't until I was packing for our return that I realised I couldn't find it.  He says that no one was near him so don't know when it was taken.

The same thing can and does happen in Uk, they are opportunist thieves. 

A couple of years ago our plans were to eventually move out to Spain, we didn't have ties no parents or children.  Then my Brother in law was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he died this year and now our plans are on hold again.  Luckily we're flexible and H is still not sure he wants to give up working (mad or what) 

Think of us Poor Souls on the Costa del Sol, we have had the Yellow Rain all this week.

John

Bobaol - many thanks that is absolutely great - we'll give that a go when we are next over. We went over 18th august for two weeks - first week brill - then sun arrived and the weather changed for 2 days! Son wasnt happy but then when the sun came out his girlfriend couldnt stand the heat! There's no pleasing some people!!!!

Red/yellow rain - semijubilada - we did exactly the same - got there, wiped all the grilles down/washed the floors and it looked sparkly and then it darn well rained red rain - we were mortified as we had to do the whole process again. But I couldnt have left it either way.

Son's girlfriend had her purse pinched in Torrevieja - she left her bag for one split second to give me her camera and as she turned saw him with her purse in her hand - she said to him in a loud voice 'that's my purse' and he meekly gave it back to her!!!!!! I ALWAYS keep my bag over my shoulder even when i go to the loo or eat! It never leaves the front of me and I always have it shut. But I couldnt emphasise enough to the young uns that they are opportunists and are very clever at it too - but even after that event I saw her walking in front of us with her bag behind her! Needless to say I told her only to take out the necessities.  Yes, you are right, it does happen all over and the only difference to her story is that here in England she probably would have been knifed or shot!!!!!!!!

I think circumstances change so quickly - 3/4 years ago when we decided to buy, kids were younger and you cant see that many years ahead. We decided to keep our 3 bed semi (mortgage paid) and 'treat' ourselves to a Spanish retreat - not realising that said youngest son would literally outgrow his small bedroom so now we are having to plan a loft extension which didnt come into part of the money equation so we're back to slogging our guts out trying to earn every penny to do that! Does it ever end????

Tornado