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Re: Ex Expats
Perhaps if the claim had been made that too much of the Med coast had been covered in concrete blocks, it would have been more believable. But Spain is a huge country, and away from the bigger cities it's still incredibly beautiful. I can understand why people avoid the north and central Spain, if they don't speak the language, or they want the Med climate. And yes, you can search out a nasty quarry or mine, just like most countries. But much of the place is a joy to see.
http://www.lariguera.com/images/portada_web.jpg |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by HBG
(Post 10042769)
'God loves a trier' (tryer?) is one of my favourite sayings, although I can't even spell it.
Well, I've tried. We've got visitors at the moment, two ladies from Surrey. They went out last night and made their way to a KFC outlet for a meal, passing a dozen Spanish and international restaurants on the way. Hard as I tried, I couldn't make any sense of it, yet they came back happy and we spent the midnight hours sitting on the terrace, with suitable ammunition, to discuss the finer points of life. It was mainly about Poles in Crawley, and I was educated. Never mind the stunning scenery in beautiful places around the world, when it comes down to it it's only about fried chicken and those diabolical Poles nicking work from the industrious English. I've travelled a bit, but I've never been to Poland. I'm going to make amends if I can. |
Re: Ex Expats
... and I have a Polish friend.
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Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by missile
(Post 10042898)
... and I have a Polish friend.
Warsaw is a fairly typical eastern European capital - some really nice bits but much of it not so good. Jelenia Gora is a country town and very nice apart from one enormous hotel catering mostly for Germans who seem to think they own that part of Poland. The Russian prostitutes were spectacularly beautiful. That was in the mid '90's over a period of two years and it was changing rapidly - I often wonder what it's like there 15 years on. It is one of my favourite countries in the world because of the people. |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by missile
(Post 10042898)
... and I have a Polish friend.
Quite a tasty young thing, ...... unlike the country and most of it's people who I find a little drab. The place does have a few redeeming features however and the Poles are generally good grafters. :thumbup: Maybe I should also mention the drivers who provided me with my most memorable, if not endearing recollections. Forget the Spanish,French Germans and Italians, they are all ultra-cautious by comparison with the Poles who at times seem positively suicidal. Having had the dubious experience of sampling life and near death on Polish roads, it surprises me not to hear that they were considered by far the most courageous and fearless pilots of WW2. |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by scampicat
(Post 10042133)
Having become an ex-expat myself in December 2011, I know some others on this forum are also in this position.
It would be interesting to know, who is an expat, who is an ex-expat, and who is a pre-pat (someone who hasn't got to Spain yet)? Bit of fun, I thought.:) Expat -living abroad ex expat - living home again pre expat- not abroad yet pre ex expat - hoping to move back home again armchair expat - dreaming with no real hope of moving whinging expat - living abroad and moaning non stop whinging ex expat - living back home and moaning non stop. prepared pre expat - making good plans for the move nonprepared pre expat - hoping to move and wing it I am an ex expat myself.:) |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by scampicat
(Post 10042133)
Having become an ex-expat myself in December 2011, I know some others on this forum are also in this position.
It would be interesting to know, who is an expat, who is an ex-expat, and who is a pre-pat (someone who hasn't got to Spain yet)? Bit of fun, I thought.:) |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by scampicat
(Post 10042133)
Having become an ex-expat myself in December 2011, I know some others on this forum are also in this position.
It would be interesting to know, who is an expat, who is an ex-expat, and who is a pre-pat (someone who hasn't got to Spain yet)? Bit of fun, I thought.:) |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by HBG
(Post 10042769)
'God loves a trier' (tryer?) is one of my favourite sayings, although I can't even spell it.
Well, I've tried. We've got visitors at the moment, two ladies from Surrey. They went out last night and made their way to a KFC outlet for a meal, passing a dozen Spanish and international restaurants on the way. Hard as I tried, I couldn't make any sense of it, yet they came back happy and we spent the midnight hours sitting on the terrace, with suitable ammunition, to discuss the finer points of life. It was mainly about Poles in Crawley, and I was educated. Never mind the stunning scenery in beautiful places around the world, when it comes down to it it's only about fried chicken and those diabolical Poles nicking work from the industrious English. I've travelled a bit, but I've never been to Poland. I'm going to make amends if I can. quite honestly nowhere else for a meal other than a couple of good fish and chip takeaways, everywhere else is Indian, Pakistani, Romanian, Lithuanian and I just wanted a quiet meal with no outrageous spices flying around. |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by jimenato
(Post 10042974)
I've been to Poland three times - to Szczecin up near the Baltic (not recommended in December), once to Warsaw and once to Jelenia Gora in the South near the Czech Republic.
Warsaw is a fairly typical eastern European capital - some really nice bits but much of it not so good. Jelenia Gora is a country town and very nice apart from one enormous hotel catering mostly for Germans who seem to think they own that part of Poland. The Russian prostitutes were spectacularly beautiful. That was in the mid '90's over a period of two years and it was changing rapidly - I often wonder what it's like there 15 years on. It is one of my favourite countries in the world because of the people. you will find they arent there anymore - all seemed to have moved to my ex home town, with their own shops, their own vodka (couple of guys blew themselves up making the stuff last year), and when visiting one of the rare laundromats was accosted by a prostitute in the middle of the day as I was getting in my car. She was almost as old as me but looked older. . |
Re: Ex Expats
1. An expat used to be a pat (specially if he's Irish).
2. It always sounds like an expat won't be participating or joining in with the local people. Understandable perhaps if you are living in a converted pigsty outside some moribund pueblo, but most of Spain is educated, modern, European. Join in - don't be a British expat, be a Spanish expert. |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by Dick Dasterdly
(Post 10042978)
...and I have a Polish housekeeper..
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Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by missile
(Post 10051216)
Is her name Magda :rofl:
Err no, ??? Must admit you have me flummoxed with that one.:confused: |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by Lenox
(Post 10051083)
1. An expat used to be a pat (specially if he's Irish).
2. It always sounds like an expat won't be participating or joining in with the local people. Understandable perhaps if you are living in a converted pigsty outside some moribund pueblo, but most of Spain is educated, modern, European. Join in - don't be a British expat, be a Spanish expert. But the bingo players vote in local elections and we now have fish and chips eaters as councillors in Spanish town halls. I find it a strange divide and absolutely normal for those brave foreigners who come to live in the sun. Good luck to both groups. |
Re: Ex Expats
Originally Posted by HBG
(Post 10051927)
Funnily enough, we've had quite a few discussions on this forum between expats living in converted cattle sheds on the outskirts of some moribund pueblo and others in saturated expat areas. The former always claim to be living in 'real' Spain, while the latter eat fish and chips in the sun and play bingo.
But the bingo players vote in local elections and we now have fish and chips eaters as councillors in Spanish town halls. I find it a strange divide and absolutely normal for those brave foreigners who come to live in the sun. Good luck to both groups. ....and all points in between the cattle sheds and fish and chip shops. Likewise the Spanish,... some in very peaceful rural areas, ..others in concrete blocks in big cities with their own bingo halls and takeaways close by. Little doubt they all consider it to be the "real" Spain, so why not the expats ? Each to his/her own,... live and let live.:thumbup: Anyway who wants those rowdy townies running around the campo disturbing the peace ? Fortunately we only see them here at weekends during good weather in this area of mainly Valencian weekend homes, then by late Sunday evening its back to peace and tranquility again. To be honest, I don't really object to them venturing onto my patch, they're a lovely friendly bunch really and it's nice to see just a little bit of life once in a while out here in the sticks,... as long as they don't overstay their welcome of course. ;) |
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