Driving licence

First thing this morning I went to the local DVLP to exchange my British driving licence for a local one. I checked their web page to make sure to bring with me all the papers they need, and just to be extra sure I took a few extras with me, just in case plus on my way there I photocopied everything. Finally it seems that I'm getting into the spirits of the Spanish bureaucracy and i just needed to go back home once for a paper that i did manage to miss.

(Here there are scarier words than "Spanish inquisition", the local version of the Monty Phytons could scare the ghost out of people here by jumping and saying that you'd never expected the Spanish bureaucracy)

So, after just 4 hours of queuing and getting to know the security guard, I did manage to deliver all my paperwork and they said that it can take up to 2 months for me to be able to exchange licences.

The security guard is an ubiquitous figure in any public building, they're fully armed, probably to be able shot at the queues when people go into bureaucracy rage and they rule the place. Treat them nice and they'll guide you around the mazes and tell you what you need and where to go. Rub them the wrong way at your own peril. I even saw one send somebody to the very back of the queue for an unknown reason.

(how do you pronounce "ubiquitous"? this is one of those words that I read but never really heard or even try to say out loud)

So it just happened that after I chated politelly with the security guard while I was in the queue, and when he learnt what I wanted to do, he sent me straigh to the second floor and when I had to go home and once I was back, he kindly scorted me to the apropiate floor. That was really nice and probably save me a few visits there.

I don't really know how all those Britons who retire here manage to do all this papers, quees and what-have-you without even speaking the language. I've spend lot of time since I arrive here doing just that and geting all our documents in order.

Whatever. Now I can drive with my British licence plus a piece of paper saying that my local one will arrive one of this days.
Now I need a car. And a map.