Well, speaking as one who is very badly affected by cigarette smoke, I'm damn glad to see places where I can have a tapas without getting poisoned.

I don't know what it is they put in tailor mades, but they bring on a savage headache if I breathe in a comparatively small amount of smoke. Rollies aren't nearly as bad.

Chances are those little old men could have been responsible for the mass grave outside the town.

You should never judge a book by its cover, many men in Spain had blood on there hands.

I'm not judging anyone, blood on their hands or not, it was a horrendous time to be living thru, so I'm simply saying that I dont think these old chaps or their local bars will take any notice of "Europe" telling em what they can and cant do when its something so trivial and they've been doing it forever!! And I dont blame em!

Jo xxx

"Blood on their hands"

It's always a good idea to think before you speak. The mass graves come from the Spanish civil war which was in the 1930s, so anyone involved in the fighting would now be in their 90s.

And anyway, it was kill or be killed during those times. Noone goes around saying that little old British men have blood on their hands from their fighting in the second world war

Why do you believe it was an horrendous time.

Most of the old chaps tend to spend most of there time outdoors, not in bars.

I love the way expats seem to glamourise everything about Spain, everyone loves a rogue eh? So if someone jumps a semáforo, as many do, and crashes into and kills someone, that's OK. If someone breaks into your property and ransacks it, that's OK, just kid's having fun! If someone knocks you down at a level crossing, cos they never stop, that's OK! Time to take those famous glasses off.

I believe it was an horrendous time because if it wasnt then they'd remember that period of Spains glorious history with joy, laughter and celebration. They'd be monuments to the great and wonderful Franco everywhere dont you think!!

They spend their time wherever the want to, sometimes outside on benches chatting and sometimes in bars - so what???? All I'm saying is Europe should leave them alone to live out the rest of their days as they want!

Jo xxx

And you're taking everything out of proportion

The UK has the highest rate of burglary, low level crime and agressive crime in Europe, DESPITE all the UK's fantastic laws.

Maybe to a point, but where that view comes from IMO, is that Britain in particular has gone too far the other way!! Concequenses for peoples own actions have turned into a society always wanting someone else to blame!

The PC nanny state et al!! Altho its slowly coming to Spain

Jo xxx

I wrote "Had blood on their hands" no time was mentioned and its possible some of the old men in there 90`s still live.

What about the forced labour camps in the 1950`s, they were not designed to accommodate human rights.

Also If a group of people in a town in the 1960`s decided to rally against Franco, what do you think happened to them.

There are people who still attend Franco`s monument on the date of his death.

Also these old guys lived under Franco, being told what to do is a large part of there lives, I`m sure there wives help as well.

Agree entirely, when you are suddenly on the receiving end, it's completely different. People driving around with no insurance, it's a big laugh until one writes your car off and you can't claim a penny. Builders etc working on your property, no insurance, great, it's a cheap job, money in the hand job. Again, great until something seriously goes wrong, then you are very much on your own, don't expect any help. These forums seem full of expats that love a Spanish rogue, they must be laughing all the way to the bank.

I have reminded people that during the blitz many women where raped and murdered.

I don`t go into the romance of death and destruction.

Many men gave their lives to fight, there wasn`t much option, but also there was a lot of crime.

And a lot of Bas8888 children too, whilst the cats away the wives turned into rabbits.

They seem to be full of romance as well.

What bizzare, bigotted and judgemental arguments you have.

So what you are saying is that Spanish old men shouldnt be able to smoke because they were killers under Franco and supported him?!