Real Spain

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Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 1:24 pm

Oh dear Miro...you are certainly are on one today :wink: but if that's your opinion then you are entitled to it...I guess i fit into the category of owning a flyblown campo house ( which i wouldn't swap for anything) i know you lived in Torremolinos and for me that is great for a holiday of which I've had many in Torre but i couldn't live there.
I think it's a matter of what you want and yes perhaps some people may have bought inland when they would have ideally liked to have lived on the coast but as you say not every one has money to do so..Having said that, those people who are not in a position to even own a shack in Spain would consider anyone owning a property either on the coast or inland very fortunate indeed...
Getting back to real Spain..most people who return from their hols having had a fabulous time on the Costas see Spain as sun, sea, sand and sangria! It's only when they go down the route of buying and living in Spain when their vision changes and the realisation of living there isn't quite the same as holidaying there...

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gerryh
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Re: Real Spain

Postby gerryh » Sat Sep 02, 2017 2:08 pm

Miro wrote:......because they couldn't afford to buy on the coast.
We didn't buy on the coast for the simple reason we didn't want to live on the coast. :wave:
Nothing to do with affording it or not.
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Gerry
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costakid
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Re: Real Spain

Postby costakid » Sat Sep 02, 2017 2:37 pm

But in fairness Gerry you are only a few minutes to the coast. I think Miro was saying people who may live 45 minutes to an hour inland. We have friends who live inland but I wouldn’t call it fly infested. Its very nice but just not for me.

Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:27 pm

To be honest you don't have to go inland to be bothered by flies as the coast has their fair share. One October i was in Torre and we decided to have lunch in the Carihuela, big mistake! We were blitz by flies and didn't enjoy our food one bit. That night we heard many talking about the flies being such a problem..Funnily this year at our campo house we have seen few flies compared to other years..We always sit outside to eat and we were not bothered by them at all, I remember 2015 being pretty bad but every year seems different and i haven't the faintest idea why..

Miro
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Miro » Sat Sep 02, 2017 7:15 pm

The "fly-blown" comment was metaphorical and not intended to be taken so literally. And ironically, Torremolinos probably isn't the most popular holiday destination for foreigners these days because it's so full of Spanish holidaymakers who seem to find it pleasantly...errr.....Spanish :shh:

I can see I may have offended a few inland dwellers with my comment, although TBH it wasn't so different in sentiment to:
BENIDORM wrote:REAL SPAIN....often a term used by estate agents in an effort to sell an 'out of the way' property. :wink:
But somehow I don't think Gordon, Gerry, Pamela, or any other A.com members probably, whenever asked where in Spain you live, have you ever answered in a rather patronizing tone "oh, not in that concrete jungle on the coast, we live in the Real Spain", so my comments weren't directed at you anyway. I think the term often crops up on A Place in the Sun, just before this week's protagonists are whisked away into the Almeria desert & down a dirt track to see yet another half built "dream" finca - you know the ones: "Jack & Jill didn't buy anything this trip, and have returned to the UK to rethink their finances; but they still plan to return one day and buy their dream home in the Real Spain...."
Bla bla bla :yawn:
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Flexo
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Flexo » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:09 pm

There are helicopter taxis available here, it is expensive but it is not going to be that for long. There is a new type of electric drone vehicles coming out on the market this year with a 300km range. As soon as it is approved we will likely see flying ubers within a few years.

Lavanda
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Lavanda » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:35 pm

When ever anyone asks where I live I NEVER reply 'Real Spain' because that phrase is a bit silly. I just say 'I live West of Asia near the Portuguese border and it takes days just to go shopping'. That sorts out the next question which usually revolves around coming to stay. Ha! Ha!

Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 9:05 pm

No worries Miro, i wasn't offended.... I actually had a good chuckle when i read your post because i imagined that you had quickly pressed the send button before you changed your mind and i think from a conversation we had some time ago you will know what i mean! :)
As for A Place in The Sun? i think it's the same old, old, whether they are showcasing Spain, Italy, France etc, it's as you say when ever they go to view some ramshackle down a dirt track it's described as real Spain or real Italy etc by either the presenter or would be buyers..
I have heard the term concrete jungle used many times by different people when they have spoken about some resorts in Spain, the only resort that i think fit's that bill is Benidorm although others may disagree...As a tourist i have done most of them but my favorite will always be Torre because it's mostly Spanish bars and restaurants as opposed to Brit/Irish/German bars..

Lavender, where have you been? you've been missed. :wave:

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Re: Real Spain

Postby BENIDORM » Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:55 pm

I'm always loathe to criticise a place or a type of property, it could be a crumbling apartment block or a small shabby pueblo house in Spain or a small flat above a chip shop or a council house on a grotty estate in UK, but to someone it is or was their home.
And wherever someone lives it will have memories of happy and sad times and happiness and heartache, and will probably always have a special place in their hearts..

So I wonder if I've ever lived in Real England.?
Probably I would say that place for me would be Whitby in North Yorkshire, we lived there for about 5 years, our house was an old Georgian property with views over the sea, and just a few doors away was the house in which Bram Stoker wrote Dracula.
We could walk down twisting narrow streets , steeped in history and arrive at the harbour which had changed very little since Captain Cook set sail on his epic journey to discover Australia....
Just before we left there I found that my grandmother had also lived there for a couple of seasons and she wrote some articles for an Almanac while there...
Funny because even the first time that I visited Whitby I felt that I'd been there previously....... :shock:
Regards,
Gordon

Miro
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Miro » Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:09 pm

Know exactly what you mean, Pamela! :oops:

We went for a stroll on the oldest iron pier in the country today, wasted a few quid in an amusement arcade, had some (rather greasy) fish & chips and then went home and washed the car on the driveway while chatting with the neighbours.
Qintessentially English. Maybe even The Real England? :lol:
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Miro
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Miro » Sun Sep 03, 2017 12:15 am

After watching Spain's impressive demolition of Italy this evening, I re-read this earlier post with interest:
BENIDORM wrote: From my observations and lifelong studies I have come to the conclusion that most of the human race are very tribal and will usually defend their birthplace fiercely.....
.....I've just been listening to two locals arguing about which is the best football club, Madrid or Barcelona, really passionate argument and turns out that one comes from a Madrid family and the other Barcelona, so there you go....tribal.
My own observations have led me to believe that there are basically only two tribes in Spain: Real Madrid fans & Barcelona fans. Apparently there are some other teams, but I'm yet to meet anyone who supports them, regardless of their birthplace or where they now live. (I know a resident of Torremolinos who is fiercely proud to be from Extremadura - and equally fiercely supports Real Madrid!)

Since nobody from outside Cataluña supports Barca, one has to conclude that the rest of Spain is Real. QED :lol:
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

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Re: Real Spain

Postby Lavanda » Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:10 am

Hi Pamela, We have had back-to-back visitors interspaced with trips to the UK since early April. Hence my crack about people asking to stay! It's been a fabulous Summer — very sociable and lots of great swimming but it's nice to have my life back again. The house is a tip!!!

Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 9:19 am

Miro wrote:
Since nobody from outside Cataluña supports Barca, one has to conclude that the rest of Spain is Real. QED :lol:
Loved this... :clap: :clap: :clap:

Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 9:32 am

Hi Lavanda, Sounds like you have had a great summer!! and it's good to see you are back! I'm sure you will get your house back in order , that's exactly how i describe my house after i've had my 2 grandsons to stay... :lol:

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Re: Real Spain

Postby BENIDORM » Sun Sep 03, 2017 9:58 am

Miro....Great :wave: and like I said Real Spain is everywhere.!

In our ' Village', it really seems to be 50-50 Madrid-Barca, this and many of the villages in our area have strong connections with Barcelona because of the need to find work many families left in the 50-60's and now have strong ties in both areas, we have 2 'Barcelona families' as near neighbours...
Regards,
Gordon

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costakid
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Re: Real Spain

Postby costakid » Sun Sep 03, 2017 10:30 am

My neighbour is originally from Barcelona but supports Real Madrid. I asked how this can be and he said he hates everything Barcelona stands for. He does not agree with the politics so chooses to support Real.

Pamela1
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Pamela1 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 10:59 am

Gordon, i think you are right about the 50/50 split, MOH is a staunch RM fan, so is one of our sons whereas our other son is a Barca fan and my sis in law in Alomartes is also a Barca fan, although nothing to do with having family or connections with Barcelona, maybe it has something to do with the different style of football that separate both teams which appeals to them, who knows!.. :?

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Re: Real Spain

Postby Miro » Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:18 am

Heard a rumour that Granada has a football team.... :think:
Anyway, I rest my case. Expats occasionally make the mistake of overlooking this simple fact, and fail to hitch their wagon to one tribe or the other. These expats usually don't last very long in Spain. Cases in point: Gary Neville & David Moyes :lol:
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Re: Real Spain

Postby Manchesteral » Mon Sep 04, 2017 2:57 am

costakid wrote:My neighbour is originally from Barcelona but supports Real Madrid. I asked how this can be and he said he hates everything Barcelona stands for. He does not agree with the politics so chooses to support Real.

Same goes for me costakid, born and bred in Manchester but I'm a huge fan of Bayern Munich, why ? checked out Wayne Rooneys behavior lately or some (many of the knobheads) who frequent Ibiza, Magaluf, sometimes I'm ashamed to admit my heritage !!

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Re: Real Spain

Postby Nantwich » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:52 pm

What do we mean by real Spain? If by real Spain we mean an old fashioned traditional view of Spain, well that can be difficult to find, just as cobbled streets will be in the UK. Places and people will always change.
In recent weeks I've spent time in both Torrrox (Malaga province) and then Martos (Jaen) where I now have a house. Two very different places but both displaying traces of a Spain that in many places is disappearing.


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