Of all the places in all the world.......
Apr 24th 2011, 12:29 pm
#106
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: On the edge
Posts: 20,460
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Yes, bleak.
Very much so, compared with my own area here, all of the Northern regions, Extremadura and much of Andalucia away from the coast.
Compared to those areas its very much lacking in natural vegetation and certainly not the pleasantest place to be during the Winter months,nor in mid-Summer I would imagine.
For that reason I have never been tempted to venture far of the beaten track as I normally do in those other places, where I have come across some hidden gems almost forgotten in time, at the end of tiny dirt tracks.
I agree there are some interesting villages and ancient buildings up there and I often wonder how they managed to construct them, let alone survive in such a God forsaken area.
I don't here of many expats saying how nice it is to live up there either, if there are any at all.
Would you fancy living up there ?
Very much so, compared with my own area here, all of the Northern regions, Extremadura and much of Andalucia away from the coast.
Compared to those areas its very much lacking in natural vegetation and certainly not the pleasantest place to be during the Winter months,nor in mid-Summer I would imagine.
For that reason I have never been tempted to venture far of the beaten track as I normally do in those other places, where I have come across some hidden gems almost forgotten in time, at the end of tiny dirt tracks.
I agree there are some interesting villages and ancient buildings up there and I often wonder how they managed to construct them, let alone survive in such a God forsaken area.
I don't here of many expats saying how nice it is to live up there either, if there are any at all.
Would you fancy living up there ?
I've been to Cuenca, Teruel and Albarracin a few times and I find it a lovely area. As for expats .. well, as I said I didnt hear an english / foreign speaking voice, and that suits me to be honest.
Would I live there? I don't know, but if I didnt it wouldnt be because of bleak landscape in a Godforsaken area
Apr 24th 2011, 3:07 pm
#107
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
The desolation is depressing!
Apr 24th 2011, 6:00 pm
#108
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Well desolation is your description not mine, however for once I tend to agree with you.
As I said interesting ancient buildings and other places and credit to Mitzy for bringing out the best in them, with some brilliant shots.
However as far as the vast majority of that area is concerned I stand by my original description and the fact that few if any expats choose to live their, or even visit probably speaks for itself.
On the other hand quite a few seem to prefer the other areas I mentioned, with their huge variety of flora and fauna plus absolutely stunning landscapes.
Maybe you fancy buying yourself a place up there Matt if you're so impressed, however I'd advise you to scout it out first.
Oh sorry forgot, you seem to know it well enough already.
George Orwell wasn't to impressed either.
As I said interesting ancient buildings and other places and credit to Mitzy for bringing out the best in them, with some brilliant shots.
However as far as the vast majority of that area is concerned I stand by my original description and the fact that few if any expats choose to live their, or even visit probably speaks for itself.
On the other hand quite a few seem to prefer the other areas I mentioned, with their huge variety of flora and fauna plus absolutely stunning landscapes.
Maybe you fancy buying yourself a place up there Matt if you're so impressed, however I'd advise you to scout it out first.
Oh sorry forgot, you seem to know it well enough already.
George Orwell wasn't to impressed either.
Apr 24th 2011, 6:17 pm
#109
Straw Man.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: That, there, that's not my post count... nothing to see here, move along.
Posts: 46,302
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Secondly... Who honestly gives a crap what george Orwell thinks? I have always hated his writing and he was hardly accurate with anything else he claimed was he?
Apr 24th 2011, 7:15 pm
#110
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Firstly... why be like that Dick, why do it? All it does is encourage the narkiness that seems to be so common on here? If you are going to reply that you are "only having a laugh"... two people have a laugh, when one person does it, its narkiness...
Secondly... Who honestly gives a crap what george Orwell thinks? I have always hated his writing and he was hardly accurate with anything else he claimed was he?
Secondly... Who honestly gives a crap what george Orwell thinks? I have always hated his writing and he was hardly accurate with anything else he claimed was he?
I agree with you regarding Orwell by the way.
Apr 24th 2011, 7:57 pm
#111
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
I've always admired George Orwell, not only because of his brilliant writing, but also because of his involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
I've always admired Shakespeare too, and Dickens, and Chaucer, and a myriad of other British writers, and I read a piece from Martin Amis this morning in the Guardian, writing about his friend, the Hitch.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011...hitchens-world
It takes all sorts. I suppose if a brave person nowadays wanted to fight for social justice, Syria might not be a bad place to start with, but it would take a lot of bottle, and if Orwell was alive I can see see him of the streets of Damascus now.
I've always admired Shakespeare too, and Dickens, and Chaucer, and a myriad of other British writers, and I read a piece from Martin Amis this morning in the Guardian, writing about his friend, the Hitch.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011...hitchens-world
It takes all sorts. I suppose if a brave person nowadays wanted to fight for social justice, Syria might not be a bad place to start with, but it would take a lot of bottle, and if Orwell was alive I can see see him of the streets of Damascus now.
Apr 24th 2011, 9:34 pm
#112
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
I've always admired George Orwell, not only because of his brilliant writing, but also because of his involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
I've always admired Shakespeare too, and Dickens, and Chaucer, and a myriad of other British writers, and I read a piece from Martin Amis this morning in the Guardian, writing about his friend, the Hitch.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011...hitchens-world
It takes all sorts. I suppose if a brave person nowadays wanted to fight for social justice, Syria might not be a bad place to start with, but it would take a lot of bottle, and if Orwell was alive I can see see him of the streets of Damascus now.
I've always admired Shakespeare too, and Dickens, and Chaucer, and a myriad of other British writers, and I read a piece from Martin Amis this morning in the Guardian, writing about his friend, the Hitch.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011...hitchens-world
It takes all sorts. I suppose if a brave person nowadays wanted to fight for social justice, Syria might not be a bad place to start with, but it would take a lot of bottle, and if Orwell was alive I can see see him of the streets of Damascus now.
I would have imagined he would have given the pros and cons much more careful consideration if there was to be a next time.
Apr 24th 2011, 10:15 pm
#113
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Posts: 7,653
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
I think he came back disillusioned because the far left had subverted the Catalunyan revolution with the politics of the far left, which involved the jailing and disappearance of those combatants on the left that did not agree to march to the new tune.
Apr 25th 2011, 9:29 am
#114
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
I presume you mean those who weren't happy with the Soviet backed commies, who appeared to have the upper hand in the party at one time.
Fortunately they became disillusioned also when things went pear shaped and got out of it, otherwise it could have been out of the frying pan into the fire with a big dose of Stalinism, possibly even worse than Franco.
Apr 25th 2011, 9:45 am
#115
Banned
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Location: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Posts: 7,653
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Par for the course.
I presume you mean those who weren't happy with the Soviet backed commies, who appeared to have the upper hand in the party at one time.
Fortunately they became disillusioned also when things went pear shaped and got out of it, otherwise it could have been out of the frying pan into the fire with a big dose of Stalinism, possibly even worse than Franco.
I presume you mean those who weren't happy with the Soviet backed commies, who appeared to have the upper hand in the party at one time.
Fortunately they became disillusioned also when things went pear shaped and got out of it, otherwise it could have been out of the frying pan into the fire with a big dose of Stalinism, possibly even worse than Franco.
Basically he wrote how the 'revolution' there was a very civilised affair, simply that those at the bottom turned around and said that they were fed up, and woun't put up with it any more. It was a revolution quite unlike anything from the Soviet era. Trouble was, the far left soviet backed supporters decided to take it over and become the new power to face off Franco. They were nasty bastards, and you could see why the right wing hated them. Like you say, IMO had the soviet backed left won, they would have been far nastier than Franco ever was.
Had the Catalunyan revolution succeeded, and the far laft had never taken root, history would have been very different, and possibly far nicer.
Apr 25th 2011, 10:05 am
#116
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Did you read 'Homage to Catalunya'?
Basically he wrote how the 'revolution' there was a very civilised affair, simply that those at the bottom turned around and said that they were fed up, and woun't put up with it any more. It was a revolution quite unlike anything from the Soviet era. Trouble was, the far left soviet backed supporters decided to take it over and become the new power to face off Franco. They were nasty bastards, and you could see why the right wing hated them. Like you say, IMO had the soviet backed left won, they would have been far nastier than Franco ever was.
Had the Catalunyan revolution succeeded, and the far laft had never taken root, history would have been very different, and possibly far nicer.
Basically he wrote how the 'revolution' there was a very civilised affair, simply that those at the bottom turned around and said that they were fed up, and woun't put up with it any more. It was a revolution quite unlike anything from the Soviet era. Trouble was, the far left soviet backed supporters decided to take it over and become the new power to face off Franco. They were nasty bastards, and you could see why the right wing hated them. Like you say, IMO had the soviet backed left won, they would have been far nastier than Franco ever was.
Had the Catalunyan revolution succeeded, and the far laft had never taken root, history would have been very different, and possibly far nicer.
Unfortunately lefty revolutions rarely work out as intended and it's usually the extremists and hard cases that come to the fore in a quest for overall power, as a result of which the very thing most ppl. thought they were fighting for, freedom and democracy, is often the first thing to go out the window.
Apr 25th 2011, 11:03 am
#117
Banned
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Location: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Posts: 7,653
Re: Of all the places in all the world.......
Yes,read it.
Unfortunately lefty revolutions rarely work out as intended and it's usually the extremists and hard cases that come to the fore in a quest for overall power, as a result of which the very thing most ppl. thought they were fighting for, freedom and democracy, is often the first thing to go out the window.
Unfortunately lefty revolutions rarely work out as intended and it's usually the extremists and hard cases that come to the fore in a quest for overall power, as a result of which the very thing most ppl. thought they were fighting for, freedom and democracy, is often the first thing to go out the window.
Hopefully tho this was because there wasn't free access to data like there is now. Now it's possible to have internet acces thru a mobile phone, which is so easily concealed, it's a lot more difficult to conceal the truth. Hopefully this will prevent the arab spring from going the way of all previous revolutions.
One point. Most of the revolutions have been against rightwing/state/church opression, so by definition they would have been left wing.
