A well presented programme. If you missed it, I would recomend you watch on iPlayer if you can.

Yes I watched it too, and I also thought it well presented and truthful.

I was particularly insightful for me as I recognised many of the locations where they filmed. They featured San Miguel Salinas which I know well.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=780771

We really 'enjoyed' the programme, despite the depressing mood.
One thing that occurred to me as it has in the past few years, is why, when all the vast amounts of money were being spent on 'vanity' projects such as the ones in Valencia, no one, whether politicians or the public, seemed to have questioned where the money was coming from and/or if it should be spent on such things.
There seems to have been a total conspiracy of silence.

It struck me that those making decisions are never held accountable. Very few lining their pockets are prosecuted.

These politicians, unelected government officials and corrupt businessmen are responsible for ruining many peoples lives.

We have many similar questionable vanity projects in several locations throughout the UK.

The case of Valencia is very interesting - not that there weren't big unused projects built elsewhere, but a majority seemed to have been in Valencia. Amazingly the PP party that presided over it all got re-elected...
I was in Valencia a few weeks ago, and (I'm lucky again) the people I met were busy either in work or on new business projects, but it was noticeable going out to the new harbour/marina development how few people there were on a nice afternoon.

I've not seen the programme, I'll watch it when I have time later

The vanity projects are based on how Bilbao and Barcelona renevated their cities and turned them into important destinations, especially the Guggenheim in Bilbao

Bilbao is actually a pretty ugly city, there are probably 20-30 nicer cities in Spain, so all the mayors thought, well if Bilbao can do it with just 1 building then so can we

However, the wate of money in these projects are just a small footnote to the crash in Spain. It is important to know how and why the system let them happen, but if they didnt happen, we'd still be in the same situation

I've said it time and again, but if you want to understand the situation in Spain, then watch Salvados every Sunday night on La Sexta. It is the best informative political programme I have ever seen, in any country

I understand few live in that area now? The residents were displaced to make way for that development.

I was just surprised how few people there were on a nice sunny afternoon, especially as rain was forecast for the following day. It seemed a great place to relax.

I was offered a job in Valencia 2 years ago. We spent the weekend looking around but hated it. All the new areas are soulless. The old town is nice enough

Not sure I'd use the word ugly especially now a lot of the heavy industry has gone. It's an industrial city next to the sea and with character. Quite a strange feeling to walk around central urban areas and then look up at rural uplands around the city. There are some impressive buildings dotted around too. But yes, the Guggenheim was key to attracting tourists.

Maybe you would have been better to save your comments until you had?

I have no doubt Guggenheim is wonderfully uplifting as are the new buildings in Valencia. One point the programme made was Valencian (and no doubt Bilbain?) residents would rather see their money spent replacing temporary school buildings, hospitals and crumbling social services which would directly benefit their daily lives.

Too much wine, I read this as the great spinach crash.

I do not disagree with you that was a very pertinent observation.
Have you visited the dome / olympic village recently? I feel sure you will see the same there?