http://www.realitysense.com Reality Sense Real Estate Market and Luxury news blog Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:41:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://www.realitysense.com/visit-valencia-tourism-travel-top-10-places/ http://www.realitysense.com/visit-valencia-tourism-travel-top-10-places/#comments Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:48:32 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=4297 According to British journalist, Stuart White, there are numerous reasons to visit Valencia (we could have told him that long ago) but he eventually managed to restrict himself to a Top 10. Describing Valencia as “Spain’s third largest, most exciting and wonderfully diverse city”, White starts out by singing the praises of paella, a local dish that most now realise originated in the city, the world famous Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias and the imagination of Santiago Calatrava and the Turia Gardens. This 10km stretch of former riverbed, created when the Rio Turia was diverted out of the city, sports a network of wonderful nature paths, popular with walkers, joggers, dog owners and skateboarders. ]]> http://www.realitysense.com/visit-valencia-tourism-travel-top-10-places/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/spains-sporting-reign-continues/ http://www.realitysense.com/spains-sporting-reign-continues/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:23:22 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=4180 Just when it didn’t seem possible that Spains run of sporting success could improve (for what could be better than winning the World Cup?) along comes yet more good news. The German Grand Prix belonged to Ferrari as teammates Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso jockeyed for position. With the help of some poorly disguised instructions from a Ferrari engineer, Alonso overtook Massa and sped to victory. The team has already received a hefty fine and it will be some weeks before Alonso’s win is secure, but there is no doubt that the Spaniard dominated the race.]]> http://www.realitysense.com/spains-sporting-reign-continues/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/spain-overtakes-usa-as-worlds-largest-solar-power-generator/ http://www.realitysense.com/spain-overtakes-usa-as-worlds-largest-solar-power-generator/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:59:48 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=4136 Hot on the heels of the nation’s famous World Cup victory comes the news that Spain is now outstripping the USA in solar energy production. An article in Britain’s The Guardian newspaper claimed that Spain is now a world leader in renewable energies, adding that only China and America have built more dams to make use of hydro-electricity.]]> http://www.realitysense.com/spain-overtakes-usa-as-worlds-largest-solar-power-generator/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/palacete-thebussem-classical-elegance-and-modern-comfort/ http://www.realitysense.com/palacete-thebussem-classical-elegance-and-modern-comfort/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:59:04 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=3083 Often purchasing a property involves making a choice between an old apartment in an established complex or falling for the charms of a super-new home in a high-tech building. Would you prefer the tried-and-tested solidity of a decades-old structure or are you tempted by the sleek, glossy surfaces of brand new construction? Yet, as Palacete Thebussem proves, there is another way. Situated in the historic town of Medina-Sidonia on the Costa de la Luz, this beautiful 19th century manor house has been lovingly converted and now houses five brand new apartments ]]> http://www.realitysense.com/palacete-thebussem-classical-elegance-and-modern-comfort/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/fallas-valencia-biggest-bonfire-in-the-world/ http://www.realitysense.com/fallas-valencia-biggest-bonfire-in-the-world/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:15:35 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=2987 Every year in March, the Spanish city of Valencia is taken over by a huge festival that stretches back centuries and involves hundreds of thousands of revellers, giant papier-mâché effigies and Europe’s biggest bonfire display. Even in a country known for its distinctively colourful and riotous celebrations, the Fallas of Valencia is a festival that evokes a particularly magical ambience accompanied by a visual experience that has no equal in Europe.]]> http://www.realitysense.com/fallas-valencia-biggest-bonfire-in-the-world/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/spanish-property-prospects-for-2010-first-part/ http://www.realitysense.com/spanish-property-prospects-for-2010-first-part/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:55:00 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=2911 When the first signs of the international financial crisis emerged in the second half of 2007 the Spanish property market had already been in a steady decline for a while. Not surprising, if you consider that almost a decade of feverish growth had led to a textbook case of an overheated market in which builders, buyers, sellers, investors and banks alike became accustomed to the kind of volumes that had never been seen before – and which would prove to be wholly unsustainable. What followed the financial crisis and accompanying worldwide recession was, predictably, a sharp drop in property sales and prices in Spain as elsewhere. With a particularly overheated market and an oversupply of properties Spain, however, suffered more than most. The golden boy of the past ten years felt the chill winds of recession most acutely, and 2009 was an icy year indeed. ]]> http://www.realitysense.com/spanish-property-prospects-for-2010-first-part/feed/ 0 http://www.realitysense.com/america-cup-programme-announced/ http://www.realitysense.com/america-cup-programme-announced/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:50:55 +0000 Michel Cruz http://www.realitysense.com/?p=1906 The America’s Cup will commence next week and Valencia is already in a state of high excitement. After the courtroom dramas of the past year, only the most pessimistic sailing fan would anticipate anything less than a good old-fashioned ding-dong battle when Switzerland’s Team Alinghi finally faces off against America’s BMW Oracle. The programme starts on Sunday 7th February with an opening event guaranteed to attract huge crowds to Valencia’s gorgeous, state-of-the-art marina. The festive spirit will be replaced by something far more businesslike on Monday when the teams gather for the first day of racing. The second day is scheduled for Wednesday and, should a deciding bout be necessary, the final contest will take place on Friday 12th. All the competitions are scheduled to take place from 10 a.m., although the weather and sea conditions are bound to dictate the course of the contest.]]> http://www.realitysense.com/america-cup-programme-announced/feed/ 0