Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Normally I would agree with you but notice that on this occasion those people who know Banus/Marbella are agreeing with c'man's article

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Maybe I was a bit hasty. Puerto Banus is full of Ferraris and super yachts, it's full of Russians and Arabs, with only a smattering of bling Brits living on the outside looking in.

If a Brit sold his council house to move to Spain, he couldn't buy in Puerto Banus, he would have to move inland, to real Spain, to buy a place.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

I have to agree with you there. I've only been there once, it must be at least 25 years ago, and never wanted to go back. I thought it was a ridiculous place full of people with more money than sense or taste.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Yes, it is always said the celebs go there when they want to be photographed but head for the hills to eat etc. One indicator of how many visitors are rich is the queue outside picassos pizza place, probably the cheapest eatery there:lol: All the old celebs gradually moved out. Sean Connery, Rod Stewart, Bruce fortsyth. Cilla Black. The house which Bruce owned now has a very busy roundabout outside. We had a house about 5 mins inland from the Port at las Brisas golf. in the 90's. There was no cinema or El Corte Inglés. We used to go down Sunday morning for cafe and croissants and sit and read the newspapers and it was pleasant. not busy, not too quiet. No bling.

One thing the article didn't mention is that the Spanish have a fascination for the port. Most of those expensive apartment blocks around Banus are owned by madrileños.

It may come back up. Saw it happen before although there were only 2 streets then. In 1996 a friend bought an apartment there for holidays 150,000€ he sold in about 2004 for 495,000. Probably back down now.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

What? another thing we agree upon? Can't be.

We see this stuff all the time. Brits seem to be horribly common these days. Most will jump over themselves to spend a fortune to take their holiday in a jam-packed, exclusively British all-in resort, whilst entirely dismissing the place down the road offering outstanding atmosphere, food, wine and amenities, for about the same price or just a little more (and half the occupancy).

But I reckon since most of the more sophisticated places are full of Scandinavians, Germans, and French - god forbid any Englishman would be subjected to all that despicable foreign stuff.

And we wonder how places like Benidorm come to be.

Pass the HP sauce, love?

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Where I live is nothing like that. You really ought to find somewhere better.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Agree, it's not like anywhere I ever visit in Spain either. I love the likes of Benidorm, Magaluf, Torrevieja, Torremolinos etc though, they fill a need and keep like minded people together in one place.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

I was more interested to read what the article was saying about the Russians. A few years ago they started buying up property in this area (Costa Brava) and there are a lot of very large empty houses with fleets of expensive cars in their garages that hardly every get used. We just assumed it was money laundering.
Perhaps what Spain needs is the Chinese to start investing. They'll enjoy their tastes in matching food and wine. They like to drink very expensive reds (french for preference) with just about anything.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Well, I don't need to. I quite enjoy the Germans and the Scandinavians. They don't seem to expect that the entire world speaks German or Swedish or has any obligation to supply Wienerschnitzel and Veltins.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

The Russians are of a growing contingent here as well. Yes, many are involved in some sort of illegal activity (and many end up jailed for it), but the majority are tourists, or made some money and just dream of a place in the sun like everybody else.

Of the handful of Russians I've met recently, I can't say I've found any of them objectionable in any way. All have been very polite, reasonably humble, good-humoured, but borderlining on over-enthusiastic and perhaps a bit naive (similar to the Americans in that respect).

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

That's true, the majority of people go on holiday to have fun, but there are always some weirdos who creep around away from the tourist places to photograph crumbling Churches and take delight in observing how a country's poor people live.

They don't bother with the Taj Mahal, they're a couple of miles away watching people pissing in open drains.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

......or enjoy living and travelling in lovely unspoilt rural areas enjoying beautiful countryside and nature at its best as well as the friendliness and honesty of small local communities.

In this respect the few non Spanish I have come across over the years were in the main British.

We may be a nation of boozers but as history proves beyond doubt we're also a nation of explorers and discoverers.


By the way,its news to me that they've moved the Taj Mahal to Spain, but there again there's no telling what lengths they'll go to to keep the tasteless masses happy in their grotty tourist zones.

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

I don't think being "common" is exclusive to the British. Every country has it's low life. Norwegian, Dutch and Germans can be rowdy boozers. Ever looked around the beaches on a Sunday when all the Spanish locals are down:ohmy: Beer bellied men, fat kids. Grandmother with whiskers...and they can be as rowdy as anyone. The Madrid contingent are the smartest. I think their men have the smartest tailored shorts I have seen anywhere outside of posh marinas in the USA.

A Spanish friend came to stay with us when we lived in kingston. Took her around london and on the second day she said she didn't really like sightseeing and old buildings...Oxford st was her favourite:lol: An Indian woman who worked for us went to India (she was born in the UK and hadn't visited India before). She was unimpressed by everything. I asked her what the Taj Mahal was like. She said she thought it was boring and there was nothing inside it:rofl:

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Without a doubt. The difference is that the British "common class" actually leave the country to have holidays. So they are more visible

Actually Oviedo gives Madrid a good battle in the fight for the smartest dressed. Especially the women, young and old. The problem being is that if you go out and are not dressed smartly then you get a few funny looks (apparently)

Re: Laughing at Brits in Marbella
 

Clothes maketh not the man.

Never judge a book by its cover.

I live in a rural area where folk connected with agriculture predominate.

It is a lovely friendly,helpful, trustworthy community where farmers and their families have far better and more interesting things to do than spend half their lives obssessed with their appearance and the other half trying to keep up with the Joneses.

A true breath of fresh air compared to most of the grubby, trashy touristy ghettos..... apart from muck spreading time of course.