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Living in inland Spain.

Living in inland Spain.

Old Sep 20th 2009, 7:28 am
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Default Living in inland Spain.

We attended an English wedding yesterday at Hondon de Las Frailes, a beautiful, laid back Spanish town, in a valley surrounded by mountains, a perfect setting in all respects. The Spanish justice of the peace and other officials conducted the ceremony with dignity and we all applauded their sincere efforts, mostly English but some Spanish guests too.

We then had another civil ceremony at the newlyweds home, a small finca nearby in an idyllic setting, with breathtaking mountain views and the sort of neighbors you could die for. As confirmed townies, my wife and I looked at our surroundings and wondered whether we should once again consider a move to inland Spain, we felt totally at peace with the place and the people.

Near to the end of the civil ceremony, an elderly Englishman fainted and severely banged his head on concrete on falling. Several qualified people tended to him and an ambulance was called.

We left two hours later and the ambulance had not yet arrived. Apparently the local hospital was some 30 miles away and there just weren't any ambulances available on a Saturday afternoon.

The injured man made a sufficient recovery to make his way home, he lived two houses away, but blood was still pouring from his head wound.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 7:42 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by HBG
We attended an English wedding yesterday at Hondon de Las Frailes, a beautiful, laid back Spanish town, in a valley surrounded by mountains, a perfect setting in all respects. The Spanish justice of the peace and other officials conducted the ceremony with dignity and we all applauded their sincere efforts, mostly English but some Spanish guests too.

We then had another civil ceremony at the newlyweds home, a small finca nearby in an idyllic setting, with breathtaking mountain views and the sort of neighbors you could die for. As confirmed townies, my wife and I looked at our surroundings and wondered whether we should once again consider a move to inland Spain, we felt totally at peace with the place and the people.

Near to the end of the civil ceremony, an elderly Englishman fainted and severely banged his head on concrete on falling. Several qualified people tended to him and an ambulance was called.

We left two hours later and the ambulance had not yet arrived. Apparently the local hospital was some 30 miles away and there just weren't any ambulances available on a Saturday afternoon.

The injured man made a sufficient recovery to make his way home, he lived two houses away, but blood was still pouring from his head wound.
I hope the old guy is OK?


so I guess you're staying in town then?



it's horses for courses, isn't it?, and each place has it's pros & cons

we complain about the noise here sometimes, but I'm sure being in the middle of nowhere would get me down on a long term basis


of course the ideal would be to live in town & have a country bolt hole


I suppose a girl can dream........
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:35 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Climate is another factor to consider if you move inland, particularly if you're after those magnificent mountain views. Many places in inland Spain have surprisingly cold temperatures in winter. Perhaps a compromise would be the coastal strip of northern Spain - the towns and villages bordering Santander have good facilities and communications, yet the scenery is great (Picos de Europa in the background), things are still done in a traditional way and the winters are mild up to a short distance inland. However you have to accept higher rainfall there (and cooler summers), and you don't go far inland before snow and cold weather is a common annoyance in winter. I suppose what I'm saying is there are always pros and cons to wherever you live. I'm more of a city person myself, but I can see the appeal of a country place as I get older.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:45 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

You know you can still be a townie AND live inland. "Inland" Spain isn't just tiny little villages and goats you know!

BTW - Why do people use the word "inland". Never in my life have I talked about inland UK and I wouldn't use it here either. So why do some people say "inland"? Surely they are referring to the campo?
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:52 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by lynnxa
I hope the old guy is OK?


so I guess you're staying in town then?



it's horses for courses, isn't it?, and each place has it's pros & cons

we complain about the noise here sometimes, but I'm sure being in the middle of nowhere would get me down on a long term basis


of course the ideal would be to live in town & have a country bolt hole


I suppose a girl can dream........
Yes, we phoned this morning, the old guy is fine, he wasn't even that old, he's 64.

And yes, we'll be staying in town, although we had another long discussion this morning. A nearbyinca in Las Frailes is for sale, one of many. Without saying too much, it's got six bedrooms on 14,000 metres, with a good swimming pool, for the price of a two-bedroomed flat at Javea Port, or a townhouse in Torrevieja.

An hour before his fall, I was talking to the man, asking him about inland Spanish life. He explained that he came from a village in Sussex and was used to country life, and was blissfully happy in Spain.

I know his village in Sussex and also know that his nearest hospital there was a good 20 miles away, and I wondered what would happen if an ambulance was called there? But what's the point of such an argument? I don't even know the answer, I've lived in London for most for my life.

We don't need six bedrooms, I'm struggling with a 900 metre garden, and even with binoculars I can't see any significant mountains, but, if pushed I could walk to two hospitals from where I live.

But, I'm still thinking of the 14,000 metres with mountains all around. We're not going to get ill, are we? Are we? Not with our Mediterranean diet and I walk the dog every morning. A few beers at times? A few beers? Why have I got a headache today and a churning stomach? What a lovely wedding though and what lovely people.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:53 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by Veleta
You know you can still be a townie AND live inland. "Inland" Spain isn't just tiny little villages and goats you know!

BTW - Why do people use the word "inland". Never in my life have I talked about inland UK and I wouldn't use it here either. So why do some people say "inland"? Surely they are referring to the campo?
I think there's such a difference in climates between the Mediterranean strip and say Aragon or Castilla-Leon (even Castilla-La Mancha can have cold winters). Plus, the hotel/resort developments are different. Even the language itself changes (yes I know Wiltshire English differs from say Hull English, but that's different - talking about Catalan or Gallego or Valenciano or even Andaluz compared to Castillian Spanish). Just my opinion mind, but I do understand why people talk about "inland Spain", even if it's just 45 kms inland. It's less likely to have been taken over by Germans or Brits or other holidaymakers. And yes, if you're in Toledo or Granada or Madrid or Zaragoza or Salamanca, you're inland - but definitely NOT in the campo.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:54 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by steviedeluxe
... the towns and villages bordering Santander have good facilities and communications,
Yes, having used the ferry from Santander, I was surprised to see that even in late April, there was snow at the side of the roads. And that was while driving around the mountains on the A67, rather than going "over the top"
So far as hospitals and ambulances goes - yes, be aware. My place is inland. I can't get a landline phone installed (too far from the nearest telegraph poles) and mobile coverage is lousy. Plus the house is up a track, off the "main" road. I'm under no illusions that under those circumstances, getting emergency aid is pretty dam' near impossible: from the lack of signal (even if you could reach a phone after a fall while on your own, say) to the lack of language - trying to describe how to get here, merely giving an address is no help whatsoever, to the time it would take to get here as the nearest hospital/town is a 30 minute drive (so 60 minute round trip) away and the twisty roads just don't support high-speed driving.
The only solution I can think of is to not have any accidents and don't get ill.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 8:59 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by pete_l
Yes, having used the ferry from Santander, I was surprised to see that even in late April, there was snow at the side of the roads. And that was while driving around the mountains on the A67, rather than going "over the top"
So far as hospitals and ambulances goes - yes, be aware. My place is inland. I can't get a landline phone installed (too far from the nearest telegraph poles) and mobile coverage is lousy. Plus the house is up a track, off the "main" road. I'm under no illusions that under those circumstances, getting emergency aid is pretty dam' near impossible: from the lack of signal (even if you could reach a phone after a fall while on your own, say) to the lack of language - trying to describe how to get here, merely giving an address is no help whatsoever, to the time it would take to get here as the nearest hospital/town is a 30 minute drive (so 60 minute round trip) away and the twisty roads just don't support high-speed driving.
The only solution I can think of is to not have any accidents and don't get ill.
Whereabouts are you Pete? Wouldn't it be possible to set up some kind of walkie-talkie with a neighbour who does have telephone access? Or even keep some flares (and tell your neighbour that if he/she ever sees those, you're in difficulty). It sounds a bit alarming - I hope someone here can suggest a workaround. Best of luck.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 9:00 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by Veleta
You know you can still be a townie AND live inland. "Inland" Spain isn't just tiny little villages and goats you know!

BTW - Why do people use the word "inland". Never in my life have I talked about inland UK and I wouldn't use it here either. So why do some people say "inland"? Surely they are referring to the campo?
Funny you should say that. Only yesterday my friend on his finca explained that he wasn't on the campo because he was connected to the town services, while the next finca along wasn't and was therefore on the campo.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 9:07 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by HBG
Funny you should say that. Only yesterday my friend on his finca explained that he wasn't on the campo because he was connected to the town services, while the next finca along wasn't and was therefore on the campo.
Haha! Did you sit him down and have a little chat with him?

(I'm guessing he's not Spanish?)
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 9:59 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

I live in the campo, 1.5km from the nearest tarmac, and would strongly advocate anyone living anywhere, campo or otherwise, to be able to describe where they live. I would hate to be in an emergency situation & have to hope the operator (if, as someone already pointed out, I could get signal) spoke English. Do UK 999 operators speak other languages as standard? That's not to say I wouldn't get the odd tense wrong, or splutter & stutter a bit, but I would definitely be able to do it.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 10:29 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by Veleta
BTW - Why do people use the word "inland".
Maybe just the nearest translation to interior, which is how the spanish describe it.

However I suspect that sometimes people use it just to demonstrate that they're not one of those Brits who live on the Costa.
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 10:47 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by rachelk
Maybe just the nearest translation to interior, which is how the spanish describe it.

However I suspect that sometimes people use it just to demonstrate that they're not one of those Brits who live on the Costa.

True So many brits living "Inland" from the coast now they need a new word. Can't think of one though, only "Inland-Inland"
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 10:50 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by rachelk
Maybe just the nearest translation to interior, which is how the spanish describe it.

However I suspect that sometimes people use it just to demonstrate that they're not one of those Brits who live on the Costa.
Where does this "one of those brits that live on the Costa" come from then, bit of a sweeping statement. ;-(
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Old Sep 20th 2009, 10:54 am
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Default Re: Living in inland Spain.

Originally Posted by jackytoo
True So many brits living "Inland" from the coast now they need a new word. Can't think of one though, only "Inland-Inland"
Saying it for what it is could be a bit risqué. If you live in the "campo", does that make you a "campesino"???????

I guess inland instead of campo is similar to calling ourselves expats instead of immigrants.
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