Where is real Spain?
#16
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Posts: 7,653
Re: Where is real Spain?
Real Spain is where they measure how long the piece of string is.
#17
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 251
Re: Where is real Spain?
Ha-ha -I was just in the process of composing my reply when you posted that - read on!
I suppose that where I am is pretty 'real' ie not touristy - just life being lived as it always has been.
Our 75 yr old neighbour has worked on the land since he was 10 and can't read, write or tell the time. When he wants to buy something that needs measuring he takes a length of knotted string to the fereterria. The old timers take their wives to the village on market day with the wives perched on a wooden chair tied down in the trailer at the back of the tractor!
We have frequent power & water cuts and find ourselves sitting by candlelight in front of the open fire and fetching our water from the local spring - that takes me back to my childhood staying with my grandparents in rural Ireland!
Very few Spanish in the local area speak any English and the menus are all in Spanish. No-one in the brand new health centre speaks English - if you don't speak Spanish you must be accompanied by an interpreter.
To add to the authenticity - the mayor of a nearby town was arrested last year on charges of bribery, corruption & money laundering.
All this, & we're only 40 mins drive from the coast!
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I suppose that where I am is pretty 'real' ie not touristy - just life being lived as it always has been.
Our 75 yr old neighbour has worked on the land since he was 10 and can't read, write or tell the time. When he wants to buy something that needs measuring he takes a length of knotted string to the fereterria. The old timers take their wives to the village on market day with the wives perched on a wooden chair tied down in the trailer at the back of the tractor!
We have frequent power & water cuts and find ourselves sitting by candlelight in front of the open fire and fetching our water from the local spring - that takes me back to my childhood staying with my grandparents in rural Ireland!
Very few Spanish in the local area speak any English and the menus are all in Spanish. No-one in the brand new health centre speaks English - if you don't speak Spanish you must be accompanied by an interpreter.
To add to the authenticity - the mayor of a nearby town was arrested last year on charges of bribery, corruption & money laundering.
All this, & we're only 40 mins drive from the coast!
.
#18
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Living in a good place
Posts: 8,824
Re: Where is real Spain?
Don't know which part of Axarquia you are but in some parts there are plenty of Brit bars and shops, Brit farmers markets too. Just because it's the campo and the people are illiterate doesn't make it any more "real". Matter of opinion, the real Spain could be a rich enclave of Madrid.
#19
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 251
Re: Where is real Spain?
Don't know which part of Axarquia you are but in some parts there are plenty of Brit bars and shops, Brit farmers markets too. Just because it's the campo and the people are illiterate doesn't make it any more "real". Matter of opinion, the real Spain could be a rich enclave of Madrid.
I'm also not saying that being illiterate makes it any more 'real' - I was just describing the local area & people and how far removed it is from a lot of people's idea of what Spain is like!
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#20
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Where is real Spain?
The question is impossible to answer.
Reverse the question to the UK and you see how futile it is to even try.
Is Blackpool "real England"
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.
Is central London "real England?
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.......and on......and on......and on.........like this thread and similar ones in the past.
Reverse the question to the UK and you see how futile it is to even try.
Is Blackpool "real England"
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.
Is central London "real England?
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.......and on......and on......and on.........like this thread and similar ones in the past.
#21
Re: Where is real Spain?
The question is impossible to answer.
Reverse the question to the UK and you see how futile it is to even try.
Is Blackpool "real England"
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.
Is central London "real England?
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.......and on......and on......and on.........like this thread and similar ones in the past.
Reverse the question to the UK and you see how futile it is to even try.
Is Blackpool "real England"
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.
Is central London "real England?
Yes, of course it is folks are supporting their families, kids go to school, some have good jobs and others not so good ones. Some are happy, divorced, depressed, skint, rolling in money, fat, thin, old and young, drivers, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, theives, nuns. and so on.......and on......and on......and on.........like this thread and similar ones in the past.
#22
fed up with england
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: leicester
Posts: 228
Re: Where is real Spain?
real spain is my village of la mela near sorbas in the mountains old customs donkeys still worked local dont speak amy english lovely wonderfull place going back in time to th 70s brill.
#23
Banned
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga Province
Posts: 704
Re: Where is real Spain?
Jo xxx
Last edited by jojojojojojojojojojojojo; Feb 3rd 2010 at 5:05 pm.
#24
Re: Where is real Spain?
We’re about to get a real Spanish taxi to go into a real Spanish town, then into a real Spanish bank to pay some real Spanish bills.
Then we’re going to treat ourselves to a real Spanish meal in a bar overlooking the sea. I’m going to have a Russian salad along with my patatas brava and a French omelette, and I might have a small Heineken instead of the San Miguel which is a bit fizzy.
Then we’re going to treat ourselves to a real Spanish meal in a bar overlooking the sea. I’m going to have a Russian salad along with my patatas brava and a French omelette, and I might have a small Heineken instead of the San Miguel which is a bit fizzy.
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,749
Re: Where is real Spain?
The French omelette is not French, it is Spanish. Has its origin in the napoleonic wars, when in the blockades, became scarce the foods, for example the potato. When removing the potato, the omelette stayed in a poorer omelette, and the Spaniards of that time they called to this omelette " French omelette " ironically
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Where is real Spain?
The French omelette is not French, it is Spanish. Has its origin in the napoleonic wars, when in the blockades, became scarce the foods, for example the potato. When removing the potato, the omelette stayed in a poorer omelette, and the Spaniards of that time they called to this omelette " French omelette " ironically
What’s on for the day in real Spain today? Mercadona beckons, the Spanish dog’s been walked, my wife’s out interpreting at a Spanish hospital, and I’m waiting for a Spanish sun bed to be delivered, the dog chewed up the other one.
Oh, and I’ve been watching the Spanish news, apart from a quick glance at Sky to make sure we’re not at war again.
#27
Re: Where is real Spain?
Nice one. Now if you could make the Russian salad Spanish too, and maybe Heinekens is now brewed in Madrid (I think it might be), then I will have truly spent a day in real Spain yesterday.
What’s on for the day in real Spain today? Mercadona beckons, the Spanish dog’s been walked, my wife’s out interpreting at a Spanish hospital, and I’m waiting for a Spanish sun bed to be delivered, the dog chewed up the other one.
Oh, and I’ve been watching the Spanish news, apart from a quick glance at Sky to make sure we’re not at war again.
What’s on for the day in real Spain today? Mercadona beckons, the Spanish dog’s been walked, my wife’s out interpreting at a Spanish hospital, and I’m waiting for a Spanish sun bed to be delivered, the dog chewed up the other one.
Oh, and I’ve been watching the Spanish news, apart from a quick glance at Sky to make sure we’re not at war again.
#28
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Where is real Spain?
Lots of things have been "invented" by mistake or as a result of trying to do something different.
There is the story about builders who were building a house and they ran out of bricks for the second floor.
The site forman said "well, just bung a low roof on it, then.
Hence the bungalow was invented.......
#29
Re: Where is real Spain?
Where is real Spain?
well it's in the same place the Real Britain is - in your mind !!!
but I think we tend to mean the traditional unspoilt 'days-gone-by' way of life, probably before mobile phones, TV and the internet... village life !?!?!?!
... maybe !
well it's in the same place the Real Britain is - in your mind !!!
but I think we tend to mean the traditional unspoilt 'days-gone-by' way of life, probably before mobile phones, TV and the internet... village life !?!?!?!
... maybe !
#30
In Estepona
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Estepona, Spain
Posts: 633
Re: Where is real Spain?
I think most of Spain is Real Spain. Except for totally Brit dominated areas and of course other areas totally dominated by other cultures.
However Spain is a diverse country. Which is what I love about it. 20 minutes down the road and youre in a totally different type of area. Some of the pueblos in the mountains are quaint and I guess could be defined as real Spain. Getting off the beaten track is always good. But Spain has always been such a great holiday area too. Most people (including spanish) have enjoyed what the coast has had to offer. The beaches, lines of restaurants and bars etc. So that is also real spain also!
Its all good!
However Spain is a diverse country. Which is what I love about it. 20 minutes down the road and youre in a totally different type of area. Some of the pueblos in the mountains are quaint and I guess could be defined as real Spain. Getting off the beaten track is always good. But Spain has always been such a great holiday area too. Most people (including spanish) have enjoyed what the coast has had to offer. The beaches, lines of restaurants and bars etc. So that is also real spain also!
Its all good!