# Spain and Portugal. Why?



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Hello all,

Having read a recent post regarding Santander Parking, I am Intrigued why so many of you seem obsessed with Spain and Portugal. Okay I may have only seen parts of the two countries but have visited many of the Airport Tourists destinations in addition to a few non tourist areas, but I just cannot see the draw.

So come on folks, appart from the waether (far from guaranteed) what attracts you?

Trev.


----------



## seanoo (Mar 31, 2007)

hi teemyob, for me its the winter weather and thats it. if there was somewhere else in europe that offered the same "chance" of decent warmth and sunshine i go there. i find the coastal spanish quite rude in general and with their litter throwing and spitting that just about finishes it off for me. i have met some really nice ones of course(mainly inland away from the coast in the small villages) but not very often. this is of course my opinion only based on my own personal experience. early morning rant over!! portugal i found loads better and the people really friendly but it can be very wet in the winter might be venturing over to morocco this winter, looked at sicily, and also greece but nowhere seems to have less rain than spain, all the best sean


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I have only found Catalunya attractive which is lush with pretty bays in places and huge. It has a micro climate and the best air qualtiy according to the WHO. But even so, I love France. I love their way of life, their attitude, their space, their politics, their food and their house prices. It would be foolhardy to buy property in Spain at the moment but cheap to rent out sfuff and spoilt for choice. Many a ex patrick will be in deep do do's shortly if not now. Can's sell their house and can't afford to come back to UK and prices rising dramatically over there.

But there are, which I have not seen yet, some really beautiful towns and cities and anyone interested in history it is a must place to visit.

Incidently our friends whom we went to see in their new villa in Cathagena or something we thrilled with their moorish style villa and pool and brown as berries.

We met up with them last year in France and they were white as sheets and said that you can always tell people who have been out there a long time because they are white as it is just too hot to sunbathe. So they sit inside all day with air con on.

Not for me that is for sure baby.


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

The Santander parking thing is strange isn't it. Whilst its been reported here its not actually officially been reported as far as searching google can confirm.

We have only been to Northern Spain in the MH but to Southern Spain a number fo times and always enjoyed it but I guess it is getting crowded now. I hear if you want a campsite pitch for the winter months you need to book it early on etc etc. Weather in winter though is nice


stew


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

From the number of E mails I've received (as a MMM Travel Consultant) it would appear many motorhomers are seeking to winter elsewhere.

I've been asked for info on Sicily, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. I think the Canary Islands would be very popular but the very high cost of the ferry £1600 return.

I spent a month (Jan/Feb) last year at Camping Rosaleda at Conil de la Frontera, a very nice site for a winter break. Some people I spoke to had been wintering there for the last 4/5 years and were booking their pitch 3/4 years in advance. Not for us I'm afraid.

Don


----------



## PAT4NEIL (Jul 21, 2007)

We have only been to mainland Spain twice, once touring on a motorcycle, and this year we went to Spain, Portugal and France in the Motorhome towing the motorcycle.

We have found the Picos de Europe to be really beautiful,green, with some excellent beaches, weather can be a little temperamental. We found some great national parks in Spain, and if you get of the beaten track its a real gem. We stayed on a site in Conil, which I suppose was the first week in June, and although the site was only a quarter full, it was very noisy. Firstly you had the families who have set up for the year, with their cooking tents outside, settees and tv. They would start watching tv very loudly at about 10pm to 2-3am each morning, if they had children they would be playing out this time of night too. There were some cabins on site and these were taken up by a school party, was they were running wild till 3-4am in the morning. The site was expensive and we were informed yes the Spanish can be a little loud but that is how we are, the school party are leaving tomorrow, so it should be quieter then. Conil itself was a lovely place, fantastic beach and great restaurants, I would recommend that area. We did notice that the Spanish would turn up on site put there stereo in there car etc very loud and start unloading there car. They didnt seem as courteous and not respectful of their beautiful surroundings. We did met some nice Spanish, but I really noticed the difference from two years previously, but that tour was in bed and breakfast/hotels and it really struck us how much friendlier they were than the french.

Portugal was our first visit, and I would highly recommend it, it has great countryside and some unspoilt beaches, the people seemed a little quieter than in Spain, the Spanish know how to party. I also thought the food was better too.

When we enter back to France we always feel that we come home. The food is superb, the countryside is great, and it seems more tranquil in low season anyhow.

That saying I think that Spain and certainly Portugal as a lot more to offer and we will certainly go back again. I think the answer is everyone until their own.

But hopefully next year we are going to try out Greece, never been and cant wait to explore new places

Happy travelling
Pat


----------



## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

Although we have only been to Spain the once our view was similar to that of Seanoo. I agree with Pusser about France being, on the whole, more pleasant. 

We found it quite amusing to observe the toll booth staff on the motorways and we started to give them a 'happiness' rating because we were used to much more cheerful service in France (generally but not exclusively).

EDIT: have just read Patsy4's post and it contains a good description of what we saw of the Spanish on camp sites.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Pusser's slightly off topic (   ) point about ex-pat house buyers finding themselves up to the neck in the Thetford is actually quite relevant to Trev's initial question. :wink:

The main reason we got a motorhome rather than a "_little place in wherever_" was to keep total control of where we go. Like Trev, we don't have a love affair with Spain, and with the truck we can go there now and again if we feel like it, plus anywhere else we fancy in the meantime. 

At a recent party when some of our (mutually inebriated, and wealthier) friends were showing off about their foreign holiday homes, I delighted in saying, "_We've got a little place in France, and one in Spain, and Brittany, and a small one in Belgium as well_". 8) 8) 8)

Should have seen their faces . . . until I said, "_Yep. there's a wheel at each corner and it's sitting on our drive_."

I know which I prefer, but Spain is low on the list of priorities to visit. We've only been to France about 40 times, so plenty more to see there!!


----------



## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> We've only been to France about 40 times, so plenty more to see there!!


Yep. But we also follow the advice " Go east young man". Northern Italy has been approved by us as have Croatia and Austria and others may be added to the list but they are not as near as France.

I was surprised when I could not put Switzerland in the approved group. I always had the feeling that we were being overlooked -something to do with the mountainside housing.

Sorry, straying off-topic but the question does sort of invite comparisons

(Fixed your quote for you. Zeb.)


----------



## chalky9 (Oct 27, 2006)

An interesting thread!

We bought our apartment between Marbella and Gibraltar 6 years ago as a holiday home/holiday let/investment, thinking that when we retired we would trade up to something with a bit of land, away from the coast. Unfortunately the property crash put paid to that idea, so we retired to the apartment last September.

Up until Christmas the weather was fabulous - we were eating outside in the evenings until early November - and we found some lovely deserted countryside to walk in just a couple of miles inland from the coastal developments. Over the years we have explored the Andalucian White Villages, which are beautiful, and delighted in the changing mountain-scapes which appear round every bend in the road. We have visited the lovely and historic cities of Malaga, Cadiz, Seville, Cordoba and Jerez, none of which are more than about 2 hours away. We've been to the golden deserted beaches of the Costa de la Luz. In springtime, and after some torrential rain during early February, everything in the countryside turned green and from the end of February until early June we had an ever-changing display of wild flowers and bushes the like of which you haven't seen in the UK for many years, if ever.

In April we took the motorhome along the coast into Portugal. We stopped for a couple of nights at Camping Roche, just outside Conil and, yes, there were lots of Spanish with their cooking tents and their children, but they weren't noisy during the night. On the way back we stopped at a municipal campsite near Aracena, and there they _were_ a bit boisterous, but they stopped at 12:30am, which was the time the campsite rules said they should.

We thought the Portuguese Algarve coastal towns were very disappointing and shabby, but inland the landscape was very pleasant and we found some excellent campsites.

At the end of June we left for a 5 week trip to the UK and back and passed through some lovely scenery in both Spain (brown) and France (green). I'm too mean to use toll roads in the m/h so I can't comment on the comparative demeanour of the attendants!

Around Burgos, on the way back, we marvelled at the many pilgrims wending their various ways to Santiago. We also stopped for a day in Salamanca, which is a must-see if you like historic cities.

So many British people seem to think that Spain is the Costas and that you've got to spend the whole winter parked in a coastal site in Marbella or Fuengirola, cheek by jowl with loads of other Brits, eating at your favourite English restaurant and downing pints of Guinness. Fine, if that's what you want, and I grant you that the coast is a bit warmer than inland in the winter, but there are many campsites inland which are open all year and there are places to walk and enjoy the countryside and good Spanish fare, and if you come in the Springtime it is GREEN!

Don't even think about coming to the Costa in the Summer. The roads are packed and, as Pusser's friends observed, it is too hot to go outside for most of the day!


----------



## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

I expected that the weather would top the list of reasons to come to Spain. I have just looked on Sky news to see rain in UK and France but here its 36deg right now 11am in UK. When the weather is good I think you can live cheaper as outside activities are the norm,You can plan a BBQ and expect it to be dry,There are some other noticable differences here such as the Spanish youth do not go around trying to pick a fight everywhere, I have yet to see young Spanish girls legless and falling about everywhere, There are young brits here at the moment and its noticable as they seem unable to contol themselves. The downside is the Spanish attitute to getting things done. Manana is far more frustrating than I ever thought it was before I came here. It applies to Spanish people as well. Just when it was getting difficult for Spanish MH dealers with fuel going up, exchange rate going the wrong way, recession starting everywhere the Spanish goverment slap an extra tax of almost 15% on motorhome so killing the business for all the dealers here. Santander is another example of them shooting themselves in the foot. Those that have used Rincon De Luna campsite cannot now because its been closed and declared a flood plain. Pigs will fly before this floods. Restaurants in Torrevieja fronting the ocean have been told not to have awnings out in front so no longer can customers get any shade rom the sun. Those of you who have been to Guardamar and walked the beach will have seen the small block and render beach houses (all Spanish owned) they have been told they must be demolised for no apparent reason. One of the big problems here in my opinion is poor education, poor wages, only short term work contracts and corruption in town halls. They will never change so we will just live with it enjoying the weather, the lower cost of living, the good restaurants, safer streets and we are not coming back for the rain, the knife crime, the rip off prices, the crazy political correctness, etc.


----------



## chalky9 (Oct 27, 2006)

C7KEN said:


> Those of you who have been to Guardamar and walked the beach will have seen the small block and render beach houses (all Spanish owned) they have been told they must be demolised for no apparent reason.


It's being threatened along the Costa del Sol too - no properties allowed within 100 metres of the shoreline.


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Replies*

Hello,

Thanks for the replies and very interesting and educated they are.

I guess If I had asked for the top three at the bottom, weather would have been top of the list.

Trev.


----------



## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Chalky9 and C7ken posts just about covers it…for me anyway…. Most/many of us who made a considered and calculated move down here are in truth little effected by the media horror stories… and in reality they are few and far between, but of course they are all you hear about.

Yes Teemyob, I expect weather for most hits the top rung......then when you are here it's soon followed by cheaper living, safer, relaxed, more fun etc etc etc......

A lifetime of work and investment in the UK……would I go back…….No, not even my ashes!

Laugh of the day…………..

Just came back to the office after a whiz around the "Campo" on the MBike [dog gets a longer walk/run that way] and there was a note on my desk to call Rocio on 123456789. The phone conversation went:

"Hello, Rocio please" 
"Rocio?" 
"Yes" 
"Rocio who" 
"I don't know ….. I don't have her surname" 
"Without a surname, I cannot put you through" 
"Oh, OK" 
"How many Rocio's do you have working there?" 
"One" 
"Can I have her surname please?" 
"Moreno" 
"Can I speak to Rocio Moreno please?" 
"I'll just put you through..........."

Yes, doing business here I get frustrated at times. But mostly it brightens up my day and I laugh for months.

.


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

artona said:


> The Santander parking thing is strange isn't it. Whilst its been reported here its not actually officially been reported as far as searching google can confirm.


Quite. Interesting (I thought) that two new sign-ups posted the same thing within minutes of each other on their first posts.

Dougie.


----------



## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Yes Dougie

Probably two of the owners of the Mhomes being towed away.........In a rage after parking illegal [probably for more that a few hours!] and getting nicked then thinking bad-mouthing Santander helps.

..


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Posts*



asprn said:


> artona said:
> 
> 
> > The Santander parking thing is strange isn't it. Whilst its been reported here its not actually officially been reported as far as searching google can confirm.
> ...


Can the IP Address of the PC's used to make these posts be indentified by Nuke? Are they identical?

Trev.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Trev

Unfortunately IP addresses are often dynamic or via a proxy and therefore cannot be relied upon to identify individual posters.

It does seem likely that they are working together - which is understandable I guess as they are trying to get us to help them fight their battle. (Maybe Detourer's point is close to the truth???)

Fair enough, as it may benefit us as well as them.    

Cheers


----------



## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Detourer, C7KEN, chalky9


Spot on


----------



## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

> Yes Dougie
> 
> Probably two of the owners of the Mhomes being towed away.........In a rage after parking illegal [probably for more that a few hours!] and getting nicked then thinking bad-mouthing Santander helps.


I agree Ray, but why are the m/hs getting of the ferry being escorted out of town, or is that bull poo as well.

Bob


----------



## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

whistlinggypsy said:


> > Yes Dougie
> >
> > Probably two of the owners of the Mhomes being towed away.........In a rage after parking illegal [probably for more that a few hours!] and getting nicked then thinking bad-mouthing Santander helps.
> 
> ...


Bob

They have been giving priority to the traffic from the ferry for a number of years now. I was told that it was to ensure that us who drive on the left can be clear of the town and safely away until we get used to being on the other side of the road. Must admit that I thought it worked to my advantage.


----------



## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Hi Bob

As you know, there are two sides too most stories.........

My info is [because we are in the "Business" we get info from all sorts]. And this is perhaps just one of many reasons re the dock area.....

A couple of times so many Mhomes were parked in the dock area, sometimes a day BEFORE ferry was due, that they blocked in transport lorries that also use that area. There was a "situation" one time when a lorry badly damaged a Mhome while it [the lorry] was trying to get out.

Anyway.........what do I know :roll:

..


----------



## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

The thread seems to have strayed a bit but this article in the Euro Weekly News http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/10023.html makes interesting reading.

The area is very popular for the snowbirds.

Don


----------



## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

Detourer said:


> Hi Bob
> 
> As you know, there are two sides too most stories.........
> 
> ...


Which would completely justify a parking ban around the dock - but Santander is an enormous area so why the whole city? If it's not a citywide ban, presumably the local authority/chamber of commerce will respond to say this to those of us who've emailed them? So far, I've just had a standard acknowledgement.


----------



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

We found that driving from North to South through Spain was a really good adventure. We stayed at some good sites and met some interesting people. Sure, many Spaniards have their families round and they can sure party, but so what? Chill people, it's a HOLIDAY!

The scenery if great and the cities are a pleasure to explore, wide streets and many different interesting shops. We did Salamancar, Seville, Granada and Barcalona on that trip and had no trouble finding decent sites, although Barca. was expensive, 30 Euros a night! But the public transport was a delight.

The Costas are just what we expected. Shops full of holiday tat, people who never look in the mirror before they go out in public!, noisey, brash with far too many building sites and the ability to speak Cockney rhyming slang was a better idea than bothering to learn a smattering of Spanish! But all in all a great time was had. We are going back for another go in September and are planning to include Portugal too.

France of course is a very beautiful, civilised country and should be praised by all motorhomers for the aire system, height barrierless supermarkets, cakes and ice cream.

Hasta Luego Amigos


----------

