Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Much as I've enjoyed the sunshine here in the UK this week, I think the weatherman's been a bit selective with the facts. Most nights here in the UK the temperature's gone down close to zero, and indeed frosts are going to be widespread at the weekend. Ibiza's minimum today is forecast to be 9C.
Having said all that, I'd sooner have the sunshine (even with cooler nights), rather than the grey wet stuff we will no doubt get later.:thumbup:

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

You are prone to a little exaggeration, Bil, not sure where you would have got hypothermia yesterday.:) Outer Hebrides maybe? It was showing 19 degrees here yesterday with wall to wall sunshine. Not sunbathing weather, but absolutely perfect for coast walking, which we did with our Portuguese ex neighbour, and then eat out outside a riverside pub. (anyone know Solva? Harbour Inn?) Haddock and chips, all the trimmings, £9.99 for two meals! Una ganga. Our ex neighbour, a sun worshipper like you, has put her house on the market, she said for her the final straw was the temps of plus 40 for several months in the summer.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

I'm longing for living in spain after reading your posts. But language is the biggest problem for me.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

That was to be a little humerous, but it was still sunbathing weather here. Watching the UK weather last week, your maximum temps were less than our minimum for the week. ;)

Menu del dia, 8 euros, effectively 4 courses.

Tell me, if she is a sun worshipper, how come she can't take it? Final straw? Hell, we work in the garden at 40+.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Effectively 4 courses...do you mean the 8 cents pot of yougurt for pudding, the lettuce leaf and two slices of tomato for starter.:rofl:

I think the weather is a major factor for people who move although you hear them quoting the culture, fiestas etc. If so they would move to the North where there are more concerts, exhibitions etc.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Hence the phrase 'effectively'. Personally I prefer the crema catalan, but there's no accounting for tastes, is there?

All I know is, I can't afford to eat like that every day or I will end up looking like Mr Blobby.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Don't sweat it. I'm assuming that you speak no Spanish at all? Look up an evening course, start reading some teach yourself books and make a project of it.

It's not the hardest language in the world, and if you look there are patterns in verb structure that mean you don't have to learn it all parrot fashion!

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

For Brits, it all comes down to the weather I am sure of it. Evidenced by the Brits who live near us who seem to spend most their time lying by the communal pool listening to the motorway :)

There is plenty of culture in Andalucia, but Brits rarely go to it. Always something going on in Malaga city, plus loads of museums and theatres. The new Thysen museum opened yesterday.

For example, I went to El Rocio and Parque Donana (lots of culture and interesting nature) and not a British voice to be heard, yet at Torremolinos and Fuengirola (almost no culture!) British voices are everywhere

As for menus del dia, for 9 or 10 euros if you know where you are going you can eat very well indeed around here. For 7 or 8 euros you will struggle on the CDS. In Barcelona you can get a good menu del dia for 12 euros, any less was disappointing

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Funnily enough it’s the exact opposite in the city of Torrevieja. The centre is entirely Spanish and has several cultural features, including three museums. Any cultural events are usually attended by the expats who live outside the city and I’ve yet to hear a Spanish voice in the museums, apart from the men at the door.

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Well 4 courses is pushing it a bit, I always think of it as a two and a half course meal. The dessert is rarely anything elaborate, I often skip it and just have coffe, or sometimes take the fruit option. Incidentally I wonder if the starter course varies according to location. In Madrid it was often the heaviest course eg paella or fabada, and even the choice of mixed salad was fairly substantial. Doesn't surprise me to hear that's insignificant in Marbella.

Of course to me (and many) the best thing to a menu is the bottle or jarafe that comes included with the meal. Ok, it's going to be local table wine, but still more palatable than the glass of wine you'll pay £3 extra for with your meal in the UK. It's annoying that you can get decent wine in the UK but you get charged extravagant markups if you dine out. Answer is to take your own, but then they rip you off with corkage...

As CM mentions you'll get a better menu if you pay more (between 10 or 12 in Madrid gets you a good choice). Personally I like the local cafe-restaurants where often you can see the cooks working so you know it isn't micro-waved Brake Bros rubbish, but occasionally I can see the point in upgrading, and if you choose wisely you get good bread, which isn't always the case in the cheaper establishment

I still think we all eat better at home if we know how to cook!

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

If ever I move down S.W. I'm going to look for a spot right next to bil, or better still camp out in his back garden, cos I'm convinced he has is own little personal micro ecosystem. ;)

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

It's a nice area. I know this was a mild winter, but in the whole winter I doubt that the night time temps reached -1 for more than two weeks worth. On the open terrace, it never went below 3C.

You can sunbathe in February if you have clear skies, and as Maccy D's say, 'I'm lovin' it!'

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Have been reading all the posts here with interest but thought I'd go back to the OP to add my comments. As others will know, I'm currently in the process of planning and researching my move back to London after 8.5 years in Barcelona. I've brought up many negatives of life here and this proves that one persons heaven is another's hell. However, I too came here with great anticipation and excitement, not least because we bought a run down flat and had the enjoyment of the project for a couple of years and in many ways lived outside reality for a time. I was 40 when we moved here so knew I'd have several years work ahead but had sufficient savings for a while. Much of my complaining has been towards the very bad working conditions here and the cash in hand lifestyle that many Spaniards live. Even though my dad is Spanish I hadn't realised about these aspects prior to living here. Many posters on here are retired or work from home and live in Expat enclaves or the rural areas. Living in a big city like Barcelona is no different to any other but due to my family connections this is where we chose. I also live in an area of high immigration (non-European) so for me it's pretty much like London, the Spanish community is dying out which is very sad. If we had moved to another part of Spain or to a village I am sure i would have had another view of things and despite all my negative comments I still love Spain but I am not in love with it as I was when I first moved. Living here has re-kindled my desire to get back with my old flame, London! I am worried that things may not work out but one thing I have learned is to keep my options open. I am sure that in a couple of years I'll be dreaming of the idyllic life in a Spanish village with a sunny terrace and lemon trees and to be honest, in this life we all need a dream to keep us going - bizarrely, at the moment my dream is to be in London!

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

Great post, so honest without slagging the place off which is difficult when you are feeling negative about a place.

Good luck.

Rosemary

Re: Are you living the life you moved for?
 

There used to be an expensive,(for the area), restaurant in St. Leonards GB and their menu was copied from the Brake Bros catalogue complete with description. He even multiplied the cost price of each item by four exactly.
We have nearby menu del dias that vary from rubbish to excellent and one thing we have discovered is that it is not possible to judge by price. One of the best is in Cullera at 7.50 all local food no menus and make sure that your Valenciano is up to scratch.

Graham