I laugh at some of these posts. Jurdy - you know both sides of the coin - spain is mostly good if you integrate, but there are downsides as well (just like many countries). I’m moving to spain this year, but I still love my country. Its just that circumstances are changing.
My reasons for coming to Spain:
1. Getting frikkin expensive to fly out there twice a year now - need to be more varied in my holiday choices.
2. Sunshine - good for my tan and good for my love of cycling in fantastic countryside. Don’t get me wrong, I love britain and its countryside, but I hate getting wet while cycling every other day - and traffic tolerance is getting worse!
3. Food - nuff said! However, not as much choice in spain as here in uk.
4. Wife - my wife is spanish and we are able to go and live in her dad’s village.
5. Mujeres - plenty of good looking ones at that! Just like UK I know, but its harder to find the nice women amongst the chavs in Reading Central!
6. I can go to a bar after 7pm and get a coffee. Not in UK - costa lot coffee and all those american chains close at 6pm - what frikkin use is that!!! I hate these multi national coffee chains using their weight to establish a so called ‘coffee culture’ on us that only lines their pockets. Why I ask myself is there no smaller operators - starting a coffee shop business should be one of the easier entreprenurial businesses to get into. Nope, our governments allow the big chains only as they are the ones who can afford the extortionate rates that our councils are charging. Rant over! And no, you cant get a coffee in a pub after 7pm - you’d be looked at like you’re some kind of freak.
7. Beach - love it!
8. Lots of open spaces
In spain there are many disadvantages that britain does well in. The list is endless, but we just need to think ourselves lucky that we not as poor as some countries, e.g. in asia and africa.
Thats my two penneth worth anyway!
Cheers, Steve