Why Spain
 

Apart from a milder climate what has Spain really got to offer that the UK can't?. Both countries can boast.

Re: Why Spain
 

I think the perception is that as well as the climate it offers a cheaper way of having a reasonable lifestyle.
However I think the cheaper no longer exists.

Re: Why Spain
 

The climate I suspect is probably the main reason for most moving out anyway, it was certainly a factor for us though probably more for health reasons than for lounging by a pool(which is also nice:thumbup:)
My wife is Spanish but other than to be closer to her mother it wasn't really a factor, I suspect she actually misses Newcastle more than me.
I certainly don't find it cheaper over here in general and I'm not one of those who feels the need to buy British goods or anything like that either, but I love my house, views and yes the sun and can't imagine myself ever leaving. Spain for me has many bad points but they don't outweigh the good, maybe they will in the future but for now it's a :thumbsup: from me.

Re: Why Spain
 

Hola
yep the weather you must realy love the rain to stay in The Uk
has OH has health issues, he is so much better over here.:thumbsup:
As for cost 1 asthma inhaller pres. charge 7.85 in Uk
here it cost 3 euro sumat at a chemist no pres. needed.
We will only go bak when we realy need to hopefully never

Re: Why Spain
 

Despite many quoting things like the culture etc. I think it is mainly the weather. Don't see many moving to cold parts of Spain:D

Re: Why Spain
 

For me it was the weather (health reasons) firstly, but then the family values and culture generally which came a close second.

However, had I then known about the 'crisis' and the dreadful state of Spain's economy, I think they would have paled into insignificance for us.

Re: Why Spain
 

Just a side note on the asthma pumps, I bought a load of the 3 euro ones in Spain for my daughter in the UK, when they ran out she showed one to her GP, although they look bigger they have half the volume in them, so no difference.

Decided instead of acting as a drug smuggler to get her a UK med season ticket for about £120 per annum.

Re: Why Spain
 

Do you really need an answer??

1. The weather
2. The incredible lifestyle that living outside offers
3. The cost of living..still much cheaper than the UK
4. The people..generous, kind, community spirited, family orienatated, funny, involved in music, dance and culture.
5. The music of Flamenco
6. Culture, art, cinema and drama.
7. The environment, wild in places, mountainous, desert like, beaches
8. The wildlife, birds, animals and plants
9. The proximity to France, Morocco and Portugal.
10. No Channel to cross
11. No island mentality
12. No rat race, keeping up with the Jones´s, mowing lawns in straight lines and personalised number plates.

The list is fairly endless but will stop now before I decide to spend even less than the two weeks we have to in the UK.

Re: Why Spain
 

I think for the vast majority, the culture bit is a myth! :D Few get really involved in Spanish life, the language etc, witness the number of posts generated by the thought of losing some Brit TV. They could probably tell you what's happening in Corrie, Eastenders, but struggle to name any Spanish politician apart from Rajoy. ;) I like the person bragging about inhalers being cheaper, if they aren't retired they'll be paying private medical insurance, and in UK 88% of prescriptions are free, very few actually pay, and where I live, it's all free anyway!:D Expats like to knock health tourists in UK, but I see they aren't that good at paying their bills either, they feature above Bangladesh, and Pakistan when it comes to unpaid bills.

Re: Why Spain
 

Culture and expats :rofl::rofl:all busy staring a UK TV, (huge panic if talk of a satellite moving a millimetre ) and expat forums on the laptop.

Nearly everyone that asks about going to Spain can't speak Spanish but 'hopes to learn' really quickly :rofl:

Your right Jacky it's all about the weather and little else.

Re: Why Spain
 

..and mix with "real" Spanish people, enjoy the Spanish way of life. :rofl: Friends of ours have done just that in fact, but I suspect they are the exception that proves the rule.

Re: Why Spain
 

Thank you I wasent bragging,:thumbdown: we cant afford to live in the Uk as the dole office told us we to old to get a job now(have a small army pension) so no dole money neither, have a house so no rent paid ) we in our 50 but thanks for your concern
and no we cant afford private health insurance neither at present but dont worry listen to you we would be oh so well of back home.
But you know what we staying here because we wake up every morning saying thank you the sun is shining and we alive:frown:

Re: Why Spain
 

Spain hasn't got a milder climate that the UK. Spain has much more extreme temperatures, well away from the coast it does anyway

Re: Why Spain
 

It sounds like somebody definitely hasnt integrated :rofl:

Re: Why Spain
 

We left the UK in 1995 having taken early retirement.

We happened to have a fairly comfortable sailing yacht so we decided to sail away and explore the Med. We lived on the boat in various places for 6 years and then decided that it was time to sell the boat and move ashore.

As we, by then, had no property in the UK we had a clean slate.

We had spent a couple of winters in Spain and enjoyed it so after much thought, (Cyprus, Greece, Italy and France had appealed to us) we decided on Spain.

The appeal was the weather (but that was pretty much the same in all the other options), the cost of living and the beautiful country and the ease of getting back to the UK to visit friends and relatives either by car or by air.

We have never regretted that decision although the cost of living has increased- (not so much because of the limited inflation but because of the exchange rate). To be fair, the UK state pension has now kicked in which offsets the drop in the exchange rate so nothing has really changed for us from an income point of view.

After three years of renting we bought a large plot of land in the Campo and built our dream home on it with views of the mountains and the sea. It doesn't get a lot better than that.

I cannot think of any reason why we would ever decide to move back to the UK. It's pretty good here!

Re: Why Spain
 

As you are in your fifties, and have no private health insurance, what do you do about healthcare?

Re: Why Spain
 

Well that list above sounds more like a script from Place in the Sun. Music, art, drama...maybe in Northern Spain but andalucia:rofl:

Re: Why Spain
 

Probably pop back to the placethey keep slagging off:p

Re: Why Spain
 

iQuite, or are they are taking a huge risk by not having any cover, or perhaps using the UK EHIC card?(not allowed) There is no way you can live in Spain without care-how could you sleep at night? Some were entitled to free care if resident before April24th 2012, is that the case?

Re: Why Spain
 

Unless the house was declared illegal and bulldozed? :eek:

Re: Why Spain
 

[QUOTE=chrisjolly;10778772]Do you really need an answer??

1. The weather
2. The incredible lifestyle that living outside offers
3. The cost of living..still much cheaper than the UK
4. The people..generous, kind, community spirited, family orienatated, funny, involved in music, dance and culture.
5. The music of Flamenco
6. Culture, art, cinema and drama.
7. The environment, wild in places, mountainous, desert like, beaches
8. The wildlife, birds, animals and plants
9. The proximity to France, Morocco and Portugal.
10. No Channel to cross
11. No island mentality
12. No rat race, keeping up with the Jones´s, mowing lawns in straight lines
and personalised number plates.


1. Not always, cold winter if villa uninsulated, sahara rain, unbearable August for some who then go back to UK.
3. Many are finding this is not now the case
6. How many ex pats does this apply to?
7. Applies just as much in GT Britain
8. Ditto
9. Not necessarily a good thing!
10. Why would that bother anyone?
12. I disagree-live on an urbanisation ( though not as much in villages)and you will often see many examples of keeping up with the Joneses eg. latest cars, adding extensions like a lego house, fancy walls,changing every thing in sight as if they've got more money than sense!

Re: Why Spain
 

Never regretted moving to Spain, haven't regretted moving back either!

I have always had links with Spain as grandfather was Spanish and we always had a house there. My last job in the uk included travelling north a couple of days per week. One October it seemed everytime I was driving on the M1 it seemed to be raining, work was a bit stressful and I though F*** it. We moved out for good at the end of November...not that I moved out for the weather:rofl: It was for all the art galleries and first nights at the theatre:starsmile:

Re: Why Spain
 

It's the obvious question really, isn't it?:confused: In their fifties, "OH has health issues", can't afford health insurance, not sure it's the move I would have made. Even if it means waking up to the sun every morning! Mind you, I'm a bit puzzled about being told they are too old to work in their fifties, am I the only one that knows loads of people working in their 50's and 60's? Most of my friends are in that age group and they are all working, except those that have retired early.

Re: Why Spain
 

It was built with a proper building licence for a vivienda and has a licence of first occupation, approval from the Junta de Andalucia and is registered and has a proper escritura.

There are many legal properties in the campo.


Why would you think it was illegal?

Re: Why Spain
 

Honest post. People rabbit on about culture etc. yet how many could name 3 Spanish Poets or Authors without googling. The diet is another often quoted reason,fact: you can eat exactly the same in the UK. As for integration the odd 'Buenos dias' from someone who you may pass regularly does not mean integration. And let's not forget the 'outdoor lifestyle' platitude. As Cricketman pointed out temperatures in Spain can be extreme, too hot, too cold or too wet to enjoy the outdoor life.
I have long dreamed of moving to Spain but (at least for now) the dream is over.

Re: Why Spain
 

As regards cost of living, it's always interesting how many people always find it cheaper, yet others differ.
This may help in comparing costs. Most things are cheaper, but items such as published materials or internet service can be more expensive

http://www.spanish-property-sales.ne...pain-vs-uk.png

http://www.spanish-property-sales.ne...c#.UdCc3W2bClL

Re: Why Spain
 

...and their off as RugbyMatt would say:rofl:

What would you expect a property sales website to show, it's better in the UK:lol:

Re: Why Spain
 

Me, me me! ;) I could name 3 Spanish poets, authors etc, but then I don't live in Spain. I've also read many of them, watched lots of Spanish TV etc, you don't have to be in Spain to do that either. The much lauded med diet, Spain has the third highest child obesity levels in the world, they've forsaken it for Yankee fast food.
http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...my-number-one/
Agree with the integration, if you want to see what the Spanish really think of Brits, read their forums, it's not good reading, it's not very flattering.
The outdoor life for many during the hottest months involves staying out of the sun, travelling from an air conditioned house in an air conditioned car, to an airconditioned shopping mall/restaurant/bar etc. We've have spent months there in April/May, October time and really enjoyed it (although April/May has been dire at times abril, aguas mil, Hasta el cuarenta de mayo no te quites el sayo!!!) the height of the summer you can keep for me.

Re: Why Spain
 

I found the winters seemed to be getting longer, scarcely any spring with suave temperatures, then one day straight into scorching weather. My neighbours kids had to play in the basement during the summer for coolness. Saw a post on here last week almost boasting that it was 35C and I thought is that supposed to be good:eek: A nice temperature of 24C year round would be fine for me.

June and September were my favourite months.

Re: Why Spain
 

You just wrote my list for me! :thumbsup:

Re: Why Spain
 

That's rubbish!

I don't like the summer here (along with many Brits that feel the same) and I watch so little UK TV that I wouldn't miss it if it were gone.

Re: Why Spain
 

Then you have clearly misunderstood the original question as has the poster that you are agreeing with.

Re: Why Spain
 

I've given the culture and integration a good go over many years in Spain, but then reverted back to an expat area and lifestyle, telling myself it was for commercial reasons which may not have been the whole truth, and is no longer the truth now.

Recently, over the last year or so, I've been getting a bit fidgety for some reason, or reasons. My wife, who is less fidgety than me, has caught me out looking at English property websites, something I've never done before.

I find myself in a weird situation, I'm happy enough living in Spain but seem to be waiting for a sign or a shove to change my life.

It could come from Hacienda. Or a referendum.

Re: Why Spain
 

April, May, June, mid to late September and October for me. Although the last time we stayed a month in April I took a sweater, just in case, and hardly ever took it off. We certainly didn't wake up to the sun every morning! ;) October can be quite changeable, last time we had rain like I've never seen before for several days, then three perfect weeks. We had a couple of weeks end of this May/June and weather was good, but locals told us it had only just changed, it had been pretty miserable up until then. Not sure why some try to convince us it's wall to wall sunshine every day!

Re: Why Spain
 

If people who didn't know Spain read the list they would be under the impression that everyone gets up to pleasant sunshine and the faint sound of flamenco music or a guitar strumming. They swim in the sea in January and then pop in the local bar for intelligent conversations. Evenings are spent at cultural fiestas:rofl:

Re: Why Spain
 

Thats us in the Canaries your talking about. :thumbsup:

Re: Why Spain
 

For me it's the weather.
Originally it was a combination of things - leave the rat race, better children's education, improved lifestyle, children's exposure to new culture, cheaper housing
Years later the glasses have been removed.
The rat race still goes on, school (or at least primary) education in Spain is not as good as we expected, housing is still ridiculously priced.

Now, if I were to be really honest, it would always come down to the weather. Lose the weather and we would probably move back to the UK.

Re: Why Spain
 

Originally we were following my husbands dream with the proviso that if I hated it we would return to the UK. I settled here completely, love our chosen area, the people are wonderful and the weather is pleasant more often than it is unpleasant. For me the biggest factor that made me settle into what I call an ordinary but content life is how friendly and inclusive the people in my town are.

Rosemary

Re: Why Spain
 

Thats the reason i came to live in Gran Canaria.. the all year sunshine..if i got in UK Ireland i would still be there..

Re: Why Spain
 

Still waiting to hear what health cover Heikeund Alan have in Spain, bearing in mind they are in their fifties, and have health problems, and can't afford private medical insurance! Sounds as if they would be much better off in UK!