# Swings & roundabouts



## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

First a bit of scene setting. The local bar we go to is a wonderful place. It's in a tiny village, run by a Spanish family who've probably been there for umpteen generations, frequented by the locals who are mostly farmers ('cos we are out in the sticks a bit here) and everyone is so friendly. It seems that the locals round here will welcome as a friend straight away and unless you prove otherwise you're in for keeps.

There's kids running about, falling out of trees, off chairs & generally getting clarted up (as kids do .....or used to in the UK), dogs barking & dashing about with the kids. It's chaos and Health & Safety in the UK would have a sh!t fit but here it's just "life"......... and long may it continue.

There's quite a few expats round here & that's where the bar makes most of it's money I reckon. Most of the brits we've met so far have been canny ....... until last night! 

First, the 4x4 crowd turned up. Three big shiny, very expensive looking 4x4's, out of which got paunchy, balding, blokes complete with obligatory beige shorts accompanied by their partners who were dressed to the nines in summer frocks and huge sunglasses.

Then a couple with kids turned up. This family can only be described as a grotesque parody of the "Beckhams" and Posh's sunglasses were so huge they nearly covered her whole face .......... it's just a shame they didn't cover her mouth as well.

Both groups settled themselves either side of us & began to talk such complete, utter bollox I nearly wept into my ale. It was aural rape, no really! I have never heard such banal conversation in all my life................ and it was in stereo! Does this make me a snob? If it does then so be it, I'm a snob but thankfully they left before I got to the stage where I started banging my head on the table. So there you go, all is not as it seems in paradise, There's always swings & roundabouts.

That was definitely a minus but on the plus side, this morning I was out on the front porch complete with hangover, drinking wonderful coffee, watching the sunrise over the hills whilst listening to Pink Floyd ......... for a washed up, sad old rocker it doesn't get any better than that ........... marvellous!


Doggy


----------



## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

Now you're seeing it doggy!

People wonder why I'm so anti-Brit but you've just summed it up in a nutshell.

We're both old bikers so I don't think we could be classed as pretentious snobs who grew up on the playing fields of Eton (there are a few of those here).......so when we give an opinion it's not based on class snobbery or old money values.

The wife can get away with being thought of as Spanish.....providing she wears sunglasses to cover her blue eyes. I can't though.....so I just gotta keep ducking and diving to avoid these humanoids.


----------



## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

Rock On Owdoggy,
Great to hear you've found a nice spot and got your feet under the table.


----------



## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

XTreme said:


> Now you're seeing it doggy!
> 
> People wonder why I'm so anti-Brit but you've just summed it up in a nutshell.
> 
> ...


Nice to see you settling in so well and enjoying yourselves, Doggy.

As for you XT, I'm surprised by your assumption of some of the posters on this forum as being "*pretentious snobs who grew up on the playing fields of Eton (there are a few of those here*)". I've not seen any posts really that have struck me as this. But then, I suppose I haven't been around as long as you have. Which brings to mind as someone who is "*so anti-Brit*", spends a lot of time on a forum where the majority of its members are British. Hmmmm......


----------



## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

Tallulah said:


> Nice to see you settling in so well and enjoying yourselves, Doggy.
> 
> As for you XT, I'm surprised by your assumption of some of the posters on this forum as being "*pretentious snobs who grew up on the playing fields of Eton (there are a few of those here*)". I've not seen any posts really that have struck me as this. But then, I suppose I haven't been around as long as you have. Which brings to mind as someone who is "*so anti-Brit*", spends a lot of time on a forum where the majority of its members are British. Hmmmm......


The subject was Brit behaviour in real life in Spain.....at no point were people on this forum ever mentioned. Not in the original post or by myself.

Why am I on forums? Business.....pure and simple....with a bit of entertaining thrown in for good measure.


----------



## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

XTreme said:


> The subject was Brit behaviour in real life in Spain.....at no point were people on this forum ever mentioned. Not in the original post or by myself.
> 
> Why am I on forums? Business.....pure and simple....with a bit of entertaining thrown in for good measure.


When you said "....here" I took it as here on this forum. I got the wrong end of the stick, so I apologise. But after so many posts of yours slagging off Brits (and I'm one) I rather jumped the gun and took exception. Playing the psychoanalyst a little bit ... it might have been a follow up reaction having read Strav's post on being ripped off by Brits here and his reference to not tar everyone with the same brush.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tallulah said:


> When you said "....here" I took it as here on this forum. I got the wrong end of the stick, so I apologise. But after so many posts of yours slagging off Brits (and I'm one) I rather jumped the gun and took exception. Playing the psychoanalyst a little bit ... it might have been a follow up reaction having read Strav's post on being ripped off by Brits here and his reference to not tar everyone with the same brush.



I think when we talk about "brits", we're generalising, we mean "those" typical "expat brits" as described by doggie in his post!! We shouldnt really generalise like this, but we do... who knows, some of us here maybe be bald, with tattoos, earrings and football shirts and out to make a "fast buck" off the "new expats" or some of us may have played rugger or croquet on the lawns of Eton???, whatever and who cares, we're a nice bush of people on here???¿??, but we all know what we mean, whether its right, wrong or politically incorrect. 

So no offence should be taken by any of us..... !! not even Xtreme, eventho he's welsh!! LOL

Jo xx


----------



## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

I'm offended! Deeply! 

But I won't hold it against her.....unless she specifically requests me to.

She does sound a bit edgy today.....I better add her to XTreme's SpankFest Tour for this year then.

Not many vacant spots left on it now.....though I have to say I'm getting fed up with Steve Hall trying to add his name to the list.

And on the subject of Stravinsky......well I have warned you lovely ladies about him.

Now it appears most of Spain knows as well........


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I dont think many people know on here that Stravinksi is in fact a "small balding man with a pony tail and an embarrassing car!!!!" Steve Hall is an interpreter, so maybe he's there chanting demands in Spanish... maybe thats why he and Strav have been very quiet recently....

....... OMG, I've just re read it!!!!!! you know that really is very rude Xtreme, I'm not sure this forum will cope with it!!???? I may have to nuke it!!!?


Jo xxxx


----------



## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

After opening up a brand new can of worms and letting the cat among the pigeons, Doggy quietly retreats to a nice remote cave in the peace and solitude of the Almeria outback. 

Hope you had a good day Doggy,well away from those pesky tourists.


----------



## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

littleredrooster said:


> After opening up a brand new can of worms and letting the cat among the pigeons, Doggy quietly retreats to a nice remote cave in the peace and solitude of the Almeria outback.
> 
> Hope you had a good day Doggy,well away from those pesky tourists.


Thankyou:yo:

Aye, it was just an observation, no can opening intended

Hey ho



Doggy


----------



## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

owdoggy said:


> There's quite a few expats round here & that's where the bar makes most of it's money I reckon. Most of the brits we've met so far have been canny ....... until last night!
> 
> First, the 4x4 crowd turned up. Three big shiny, very expensive looking 4x4's, out of which got paunchy, balding, blokes complete with obligatory beige shorts accompanied by their partners who were dressed to the nines in summer frocks and huge sunglasses.
> 
> ...



That was a good read Doggy and it goes to show there are many types of expats, some are as you describe above, some are more or less the opposite and then there are the one's that get totally drunk and start verbally attacking others and if you happen to be unlucky enough to start a conversation with any of the latter then you MUST have your wits about you or its problem time.

Personally speaking I would consider myself to be very sociable, but there are certainly times when I wish I had kept quiet and thats certainly a learning curve for someone so outgoing as I have a tendency to be.

Dave


----------

