SpainLife (2025)

26/09/2025

🚰 Tap Water in Spain: What You Need to Know About Nickel Allergy 🇪🇸
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Many tourists and even locals often ask: is it safe to drink tap water in Spain? 🤔
The answer is yes! According to OCU, 99.55% of Spain’s tap water is considered safe. In most regions, its quality is comparable to bottled water, and strict controls guarantee reliability.
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✨ But here’s an important detail: people with a nickel allergy should follow one simple rule — do not drink the first flow of water from the tap.
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🔎 Why is this important?
According to EFSA and AESAN, in the first few seconds, tap water may contain higher levels of metals — nickel, copper, and lead. This depends on the pipes, faucet materials, and how long the water has been standing.
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👩‍⚕️ For most people this is harmless, but for those with nickel sensitivity, even a sip can cause:
✔️ itching and redness;
✔️ rashes and irritation lasting 2–4 weeks;
✔️ discomfort on eyelids, fingers, or palms.
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🥗 Besides water, nickel is also found in foods. If you are sensitive, it’s better to avoid:
❌ chocolate and cocoa,
❌ nuts and seeds,
❌ seafood and fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel),
❌ oats, corn, and soy.
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And here’s what you can safely include in your diet:
✅ apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, tangerines;
✅ potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, onions;
✅ rice, meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs;
✅ olive oil and mushrooms.
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🌍 Overall, the quality of tap water in Spain is among the best in Europe. So drink with confidence — just remember this simple tip: let the first flow of water run before drinking. This way, you’ll stay healthy and enjoy fresh, safe water straight from the tap. 💧
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23/09/2025

More Than Books: Libraries as Cultural Centers of Spain
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Many people, living in Spain, think only about beaches, seafood, and strolling along the seafront. But if you look a little deeper into the everyday life of a town, you can discover real treasures. One of these places in Blanes is the municipal library, designed in a very beautiful modern style.
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The building immediately attracts attention: huge panoramic windows, a bright spacious facade, and stunning graffiti on the side walls. Bright marine scenes with octopuses, fish, and flowers create the feeling that the library literally breathes the sea atmosphere of the Costa Brava.
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Inside, there is a special atmosphere of comfort and silence. In summer, the library is a real salvation: air conditioning works here, you can escape from the heat, bring your laptop, and work in peace. Many locals do just that: some prepare for exams, others work remotely, and some simply relax by reading books and magazines.
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But the library is not only shelves with books. Exhibitions are regularly held here. Recently, for example, there was a large exhibition dedicated to the heroes of world children’s literature: from Heidi and Pippi Longstocking to Mary Poppins and Tintin. Each stand told about characters that inspired generations of children. But the themes of the exhibitions are constantly changing — there are exhibitions about sea turtles and whales, about the culture of Catalonia, and even modern projects with illustrations and comics.
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For children, the library organizes special activities: readings, workshops, interactive games. So the library becomes a place where people come not only to study and work, but also to spend time with the whole family.
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If you live in Blanes or plan to stay longer — get yourself a library card. This will give you access to borrowing books at home and to all the possibilities of the library. And for tourists, it’s a great place to feel the real life of the city and discover another side of Spain — not only beaches and restaurants, but also cultural spaces.
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03/09/2025

🚗🇪🇸 New road signs have appeared in Spain, directly related to driver safety. On highways, a new minimum distance sign of 70 m is now in force. It requires cars, motorcycles, and trucks to keep at least 70 meters from the vehicle ahead.
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Why exactly 70 m? This number is not random. That’s the distance needed to fully stop when driving at 90 km/h. At 100 km/h, the safe distance increases to 84 m, and on wet roads it should be about 70% greater.
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❗️Failure to maintain distance is one of the main causes of accidents. In 2023, Spanish highways recorded 78 deaths and more than 270 serious injuries caused by “driving too close.” To address this, a new warning sign S-991f was also introduced: it informs drivers that automatic distance control is active on that road section. Cameras measure the gap and fine violators just like for speeding.
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💶 The penalties are serious: a €200 fine and 4 penalty points. If an accident occurs due to tailgating, the punishment rises to €500 and 6 points.
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🛣 The new signs and cameras are being installed only on highways and expressways where speeds of up to 120 km/h are allowed. The first systems began operating in August 2025, and the network will continue to expand.
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👉 The goal of the reform is to improve safety and reduce accidents. Keeping a safe distance not only prevents collisions but also helps avoid the “accordion effect” that causes traffic jams.
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🇪🇸 Spain is following European practices. In Germany, France, and Switzerland, distance control has long been enforced with automatic systems, and fines are even higher. Now in Spain, tailgating will no longer be just a dangerous habit but a punishable violation.
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💡 Tip: use the “two-second rule.” When the car in front passes a pole or road sign, you should count “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand” before you pass the same point. This simple habit can help you avoid fines — and save lives.
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03/09/2025

🇪🇸 Spain plans to launch a “reversible pension”: retirees may return to the labor market

The Spanish government is preparing a new mechanism called the “reversible pension” (jubilación reversible). Its purpose is to give retirees the opportunity to voluntarily return to work while continuing to receive part of their pension.

📌 Key conditions:
— The program is strictly voluntary.
— Returning is possible no earlier than six months after retirement.
— Work must be part-time — between 40% and 80% of a full-time position.
— In addition to wages, part of the pension is preserved with a bonus: +10% for 40–60% employment and +20% for 60–80%.
— Work can be done either as an employee or as a self-employed person (autónomo), but with restrictions.
— Pension rights will not increase: once work ends, the retiree returns to their previous pension.

🎯 Why is this needed?
The main goal is to strengthen the pension system amid population aging and the retirement of the baby boomer generation. The government expects that this measure will slightly ease the burden on the budget: participants do not receive the full pension, while their contributions and taxes from employment feed back into the system.

👥 Who benefits?
— Those who want to remain active and continue their professional life.
— Those whose pension is insufficient and need additional income.
— The economy, which faces a shortage of skilled workers.

⚖️ What do critics say?
Experts warn that the program may only affect a small group of retirees (less than 1%). There is also a risk that “voluntariness” will be only formal: low pensions might force people to return to work out of necessity rather than desire. Young people also fear increased competition in the labor market.

💬 Conclusion: The “reversible pension” is a step towards a more flexible and gradual retirement. It can become a useful tool for active aging, but by itself it will not solve the structural problems of the pension system.

24/08/2025

📌 Verdi Street (Carrer de Verdi) — “Verdi Maya Jungle” (Selva Verdi Maya) — jungle setting and Mayan culture. Festa major de Gracia 2025

24/08/2025

📌 Travescia de Sant Antoni Street (Travessia de Sant Antoni)— “Travessària 51” — a place of mysteries, UFOs, and conspiracy theories. Festa major de Gracia 2025

24/08/2025

📌 Tordera Street (Carrer de Tordera) — “The Hive” (Rusc) — a light installation about the life of bees. Festa major de Gracia 2025

24/08/2025

📌 Puigmartí Street (Carrer de Puigmartí) — “Inside the Artist’s Mind” (Dins la ment de l’artista) — a visual dive into creativity. Festa major de Gracia 2025

24/08/2025

📌 Providència Street (Carrer de Providència) — “The Providència Circus” (El circ de Providència) — a classic circus atmosphere. Festa major de Gracia 2025

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