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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Hello Al.
There was another thread called stamina which I posted something about an Eskimo moving to a different place. It was quite comical and probably irrelevant but I like to think it was right. If you want to move here then do so and you are doing the right thing by finding things out. I am sooo glad I am here and not in the uk (not slagging it off people, just glad 'I'M' not there). I think looking back I would have learned a bit more Spanish before I came. It would have been handy, then again when I came over I was single, young and a party hard, play it hard, live life and throw caution to the wind kind of guy. Now I am not. Now I'm a 'FAMILY MAN'.. If you move here then you will find all kinds of fantastic things that are so different from English life it is not even comparable. It will depend where you move to obviously but on the whole, if life was that good in the uk would we be over here? Some people are miserable and hate spain, always slagging it off and that. Don't know why they are here to be honest.:rofl::rofl: That's a joke too, because everyone in Spain is happy. I hope you choose the correct destination, good luck and if you don't move then let me know how the weather is in mid June.:thumbup: This thread is about good things in Spain. SPAIN = GOOD..:D |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by angiescarr
(Post 8402129)
some reasons to move to Spain
Courgettes at 69p a Kilo. Sharon fruit (in season) for not much more. (endless list of cheap seasonal fresh fruit and veg. Those were just the first two I thought of) A meal in our local bar for 4 people including drinks £20 euros (There will be members of this group who will disbelieve this) Council tax (here) of around 100 euros a year, the best coffee I've ever tasted. The best neighbours I've ever known Beautiful weather (usually) No I'm not saying where. But not usual expat territory. Reasons not to move to Spain High proportion of 'whinge-ers' amongst other expats Sorry guys... but there are a lot;-) Tradesmen will rob you with a smile You HAVE to learn Spanish to avoid the above, and becoming one of the above-above;-) And yes. Spanish utility companies are difficult to deal with and employ 'English speakers' who can't. I love the place. But if you're a something-for-nothing type. Don't bother. You get what you put in in Spain. You *can* live for next to nothing. But you have to be prepared to live like a poor Spaniard. If you want all the luxuries, you'll end up paying one way or another. Good luck with your research, and you sound like a positive thinker/do-er...so you should love it here:-) "You get what you put in in Spain." About the best we can do here is the menu de dia, which can range from 6 - 10 euros per person, so that would still be waaayyy ahead of the 20 euros for 4 that you quote. We had one bar here that was what I would describe as authentically sordid, and then they went and did it up. Never been the same, and the food is now much worse..... |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
There's one thing that surprised me with Spain, Manana.
Bought a house on the Costa Blanca 6 years ago and have always been impressed by all sorts of tradesmen with their delivery times. Never yet been let down, furniture shops, builders merchants and the local wood yard have all arrived when they say they will. Ordered a petrol strimmer from the local ferreteria shop once at 2pm, he delivered it at 6pm same day and insisted on giving me instructions on how to use it! One major plus for Spain has to be the vegetables, they are so fresh and tasty. A world away from supermarket produce in the UK. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Macman
(Post 8403899)
There's one thing that surprised me with Spain, Manana.
Bought a house on the Costa Blanca 6 years ago and have always been impressed by all sorts of tradesmen with their delivery times. Never yet been let down, furniture shops, builders merchants and the local wood yard have all arrived when they say they will. Ordered a petrol strimmer from the local ferreteria shop once at 2pm, he delivered it at 6pm same day and insisted on giving me instructions on how to use it! One major plus for Spain has to be the vegetables, they are so fresh and tasty. A world away from supermarket produce in the UK. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Rotor
(Post 8404167)
You think so? Its a known fact that the best stuff produced in Spain goes to northern europes super markets , the likes of Mercadona and Lidl end up with the crap , you must be buying from a small family shop selling their own produce which is the best way :thumbsup:
The low-end supermarkets like Mercadona have low quality fresh produce, from meat to vegatables. The high-end supermarkets are much better, but you have to pay for it. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8404181)
Yes the best way is to go to the local markets where the produce is cheap and good quality.
The low-end supermarkets like Mercadona have low quality fresh produce, from meat to vegatables. The high-end supermarkets are much better, but you have to pay for it. Dearer than the UK on a like for like. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Rotor
(Post 8404200)
Dearer than the UK on a like for like.
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Mitzyboy
(Post 8404231)
It cant be compared "like for like" because the local veg here is much better quality and more taste than veg I get back in the UK :D
Rotor. Just compare tomatos. Buy the average salad tomatos in the UK and Spain. I've always found that the UK ones have a plastic texture and taste of water, nothing else. The Spanish ones actually taste of tomato and are juicy. I could say the same about eggs and chicken, although UK milk is much better :thumbup: However, you can buy fresh organic Spanish milk from Hypercor, Eroski or Carrefour and it is very nice if not a little expensive. Anyway, we've been here before. Food is an emotive subject. It all depends on what you are used to, what you choose to eat (and cook) and where you buy your food from. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
I cant really get excited about the difference in a Spanish cauliflower, tomato, egg etc or a British one.
the difference between the 2 is not going to be mind blowing, and reach almost orgasmic proportions, after all, we are talking about a chunk of veg, not the difference between going to bed with Beyonce or Maggie Thatcher. I have my own theory, a bad cook can balls up the best ingredients, and a good cook make a great concoction out of lesser quaility ones. I would rather eat a cheap supermarket bought chicken cooked by our neighbour, than an organic deluxe, 4x4, turbo charged , top of the range one prepared by my wife. ;);) |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8404315)
I cant really get excited about the difference in a Spanish cauliflower, tomato, egg etc or a British one.
the difference between the 2 is not going to be mind blowing, and reach almost orgasmic proportions, after all, we are talking about a chunk of veg, not the difference between going to bed with Beyonce or Maggie Thatcher. I have my own theory, a bad cook can balls up the best ingredients, and a good cook make a great concoction out of lesser quaility ones. I would rather eat a cheap supermarket bought chicken cooked by our neighbour, than an organic deluxe, 4x4, turbo charged , top of the range one prepared by my wife. ;);) |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by Macman
(Post 8404356)
Now thats where we differ! A spanish carrot is a delight to eat, full of flavour. Ones bought in the UK to me have zero taste. Must admit we do buy from the local market in Spain. Mercadona veg are a ridiculous price.
A steak is different because the variation, from a cheap, gristly, tough piece to a really juicy tender one, can vary a great deal. But as I have said before, a carrot is a carrot is a carrot, I cant imagine myself going in raptures with the whole experience of chomping on one. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
My meat is tender.
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8404262)
Thank you, I didnt want to have to say that for the millionth time :)
Rotor. Just compare tomatos. Buy the average salad tomatos in the UK :thumbup: The Spanish ones actually taste of tomato and are juicy. I could say the same about eggs and chicken, although UK milk is much better :thumbup: However, you can buy fresh organic Spanish milk from Hypercor, Eroski or Carrefour and it is very nice if not a little expensive. Anyway, we've been here before. Food is an emotive subject. It all depends on what you are used to, what you choose to eat (and cook) and where you buy your food from. I never thought anything of watermelons. Until I bought them from the guy in the lorry passing through the pueblo. WOW! Sacks of garlic straight from the farmer 4 kilos for 5 euros! I need never have that familial heart attack! If you don't enjoy the fresh food here, you're either buying foreign food or you're missing out on a really important part of life here. Even in Spain there's intensive farming if you want food out of season. I prefer to go with the seasons. But admit I bought my husband a greenhouse so we can cheat a bit. We have some weird yellow tomatoes at the moment. Yum! (Our local bar has started giving us their coffee grounds to help build up our feeble soil.) There will be less choice I suppose in the big urbanisations. That's why for the more adventurous expat looking for more than just sun..... buy pueblo! |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Spanish fruit and veg used to be better but since they have been into the EU all the good stuff goes for export. As someone said everything is pumped full of illegal phosphates in Huelva and Almeria. The massive strawberry crop is genetically modified (you can tell when you see them!).
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
[QUOTE=angiescarr;8404452] (Our local bar has started giving us their coffee grounds to help build up our feeble soil.) QUOTE]
Have you set up a compost yet? Every damn thing that rots down goes into ours. |
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