dougal03

Just a bit of nonsense during this hot August here.I myself may be guilty because despite living in europe for 30 odd years I often watch TV in English.My excuse is,that when I first arrived there was no Sat.TV(in fact you were posh if you had a landline telephone)& I became quite jaded at watching endless quiz games & bullfights.But it surprises me that today I can see Brits.like me who emigrated years ago,purchasing their daily fix of The Mail,Sun,Express etc.newspapers.Also,I can't imagine why tourists come to Spain,excusable to enjoy the climate,but start the day with "the full English breakfast",snacks of bacon butties & in the evening the visit to an English style pub where you can down copious litres of John Smith.Sunday must be for the traditional roast & apple crumble,don't forget the custard either.No doubt they go home to exclaim that they have enjoyed a super time in a foreign part--having soaked each day in a lovely full bath.When I have taken my hols.to other places I try out the local diet,although I must admit I wasn't keen on eating wheat in Hungary,their substitute for spuds.So what do you think?

EMR

UK tv has just started a series based in a mega Spanish all inclusive resort populated every year by thousands of the Brits you describe..

amideislas

It's what you grew up with. And that's perfectly OK.

The "Brits abroad" stereotype comes from those who *refuse* to embrace other cultures, and exhibit ignorant arrogance about all things British... (often unwittingly) exhibiting an "attitude" that consistently suggests all things "not British" are somehow inferior, and all things British are superior. And worse, accusing all others of precisely the same flaws they themselves openly exhibit, and then claim to be above it all. ("We're English, my dear. Arrogance is beneath us").

You claim to read the daily mail and express. Well, those tabloids epitomise that stereotype. So, if you don't want to be a stereotypical Brit abroad, be careful not to take either of them too seriously.

It's refreshing to hear you open the discussion and ask those questions. Especially now, many Brits need some serious soul searching.

jonboy

I see lots of holiday makers who come to the UK. They come to learn the language and experience the culture. They come from Europe, South America, Asia Etc.
The majority wilt unless they can spend large amounts of time Whatsapping by text and video calling all their family and friends back home. They have withdrawal symptoms due to not getting sufficient boiled rice, noodles, Spaghetti, their favourite coffee etc. They crave news from their usual outlet.

Why should we be any different?

jonboy

Some will try pie and mash once but never again

scrubbedexpat142

What are you suggesting we should be like Johnny Foreigner?

PS I love Hungarian food!

billgates

What's wrong with going on holiday just to relax and maybe get a suntan? Is it so bad that some people just want a bit of warmth for a week or two before returning to a damp northern climate?

Why is it always necessary to indulge in the local cuisine if you know it's only going to give you a dodgy tummy?

European languages are not generally taught beyond basic conversation level at UK schools unless students have an interest in those areas. If you are only going to Europe for a couple of weeks a year then why put yourself through the effort of learning a foreign language?

To be able to fly to southern Spain, or another Med country for the price of a pair of trainers means people that don't have time for an interest in European life or foreign cultures can still enjoy the climate and relax in the sun for a couple of weeks.

And contrary to what many Europeans think, most Brits don't tend to have a full-English every morning and consume a dozen pints of lager every night. However ordinary working-class people like to go on holiday and have a good time and do things they know they will like doing, eating food they know they will enjoy, and partying until late, safe in the knowledge that they don't have to get up for work the next morning. They're on holiday, possibly the only couple of weeks off work that they get in any one year.

It's easy for us that live in Spain to tut-tut and feel embarrassed by our fellow countrymen who arrive here not knowing how to order a simple gin and tonic, beer of course being universal, but give me a tight budget and a short timetable and that all-inclusive seems very tempting, especially as the sun comes free.

amideislas

No need to be any different, but by tourism standards, Brits are most definitely unique. That's a gross generalisation, and perhaps even unfair, because many Brits aren't any different than any other nationality.

But if you want to offer accommodation to Brits and be successful at it, it's pretty well known that you need to uniquely offer "British stuff". Full English breakfasts, Sky TV, and the area really needs British pubs and restaurants offering British brands, fish & chips, roast beef & pud, curries, etc... Otherwise, Brits are (generally) averse to "foreign stuff" on their hols abroad. Look on TripAdvisor for examples of this. Also, you need to charge a cleaning fee, because Brits generally won't bother tidying things up when they leave. They paid. No reason to clean up too.

This explains a lot about why in Mallorca, for example, most properties (aside from definitively British resorts), actively market to German, Dutch and Scandinavian tourists rather than Brits. Because they're culturally more inclined to leave the property in clean and tidy state, and tend to be generally less problematic guests (less drunkenness, etc), and are less likely to complain about petty things.

Having said that, until recently, British guests have been much bigger spenders, and will eagerly pay more for lesser accommodations than the average European. But with the Pound's devaluation, that era is probably over.

And lately, it's the all-in food poisoning scam that's uniquely British. Yet another rolleyes to Continentals.

So, you may think you're "just like everybody else", but (in general), Brits require "unique attention" compared to other nationalities. It's just the unique British culture. And those selling stuff to you know that very well.

dougal03

Sorry Amideislas I have written my post rather badly.When I said"People who emigrated like me purchase English papers,I meant"they emigrated as I did" not that I purchase the newspapers.Heavens,my Spanish son-in-law would buy me a ticket back to Blighty incase I was homesick.

bobd22

I am with Billgates it's their holiday how they spend it and what they eat is their choice so long as it doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of others. I walk along Torrox sea front and see plenty of restaurants catering for the Germans. As for how Brits leave the apartment is an simply down to personal standards all countries all people are different when it comes to those. Live and let live is my view so long as not harming anyone else.

EMR

In almost every other country I know of learning another language is part of their education systems.
It is compulsory.
But not in the UK where the numbers taking even the basic secondary exams in a different language are falling.
It's not just the ability to communicate that is being lost but also the access to different cultures that it brings.
My godsons speak, Swedish, English and some Dutch.
To my shame I am restricted to schoolboy French with a smattering of Portuguese.
Back in those prehistoric times we were not taught to speak French but rather the focus was on the grammar , spelling etc. Not pronunciation, not being able to carry out a conversation, That was a different exam ,
Among an increasing number of Brits there is the belief that the rest of the world must speak English and if they do not then that is a negative.

missile

I remember being in the unisex hairdresser where the one English hairdresser is always fully booked by the blue rinse brigade.
When sitting getting my hair cut it was hard to ignore the chatter:
"How long you been here now darling"
"14 years next week love"
"and how are your free Spanish lessons coming along"
"we being practicing our numbers this week"
"That's great dear"
"uno, dos, tres, quantro, cinco ......."

It was hard not to laugh :-)

Retired in Euskadi

We have to live and let live in the end if we all want to get on, even though we might disagree with certain aspects, which for me is seeing tourists walking along the "prom" with no shirt. Magaluf still seems to attract hoards of young people determined to get drunk and act shamelessly in the streets; so avoid it. And write to their town hall suggesting changes.
It's natural to gravitate to an area where one's culture is more promoted. Muslims do it, Jews did it in the past, so Brits are no different.
If English wasn't the world language it is, then doubtless our children would all be learning at least one foreign language.
Luckily here up north we're better insulated from those who couldn't care where they are as long as there's sun, sand, booze and a 'full English' available.

So, in the end, vive la difference.

bobd22

Totally agree only thing though is when I walk along the seafront (shirt on) I see plenty without and not just British but Spanish Germans etc. But then we do get holidaymakers from further north in Spain so maybe it is simply an I'm on holiday thing. Or for us Northern European holidaymakers shere excitement at sun and no rain. By the way I had a full English myself for breakfast today mind first in a lot 6 months � ����

olivefarmer

I would say it is fair to say the Brits have a fairly unique ID forged through a combination of many obvious factors unique to Britain. They work hard, save for two weeks away from the dreadful weather and enjoy themselves. Resorts capitalise on that.- happy hours, ridiculous drinks offers. When a formula is jaded they invent a new one e.g. All inclusive. Spain has been a world leader in this area.

We smile at our Spanish friends that nearly starve when they go on holiday to the Uk. Apparently there is no food available in the Uk. They are just as set in their ways. A nurse is in Scotland at the moment escaping the heat. It will be interesting to see how thin he is on return.

The food poisoning scam is another example of the litigation marketing led culture sadly now so prevalent in the US and the UK. Give it a few more years and it will be throughout Europe as well. In the seventies my manager at a Blue Chip company openly admitted to claiming on his holiday insurance to get his premium back every year. He used a different insurance company every year.