# los montesinos



## gaz967

Hello again everyone, 
im back to ask a load of new questions!!
Tania and I are viewing a property in los montesinos next month and wondered if anyone lives there or know the area at all? 
Thanks again all
Garry


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## Suenneil

gaz967 said:


> Hello again everyone,
> im back to ask a load of new questions!!
> Tania and I are viewing a property in los montesinos next month and wondered if anyone lives there or know the area at all?
> Thanks again all
> Garry


Hello again Garry, Tania

Not my area Im afraid ... but no doubt someone else will be along later to give you their view who knows the area better than me 

Good luck!

Sue lane:


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## jojo

gaz967 said:


> Hello again everyone,
> im back to ask a load of new questions!!
> Tania and I are viewing a property in los montesinos next month and wondered if anyone lives there or know the area at all?
> Thanks again all
> Garry



I just looked it up on google earth and its somewhere between Murica and Alicante. It seems to have a great big lake thing close by!! There, thats all I know about it But its in a "known" area to alot of folk on here so someone will tell you more I'm sure!

Jo xxxx


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## SteveHall

Yes, I have lived 5 miles away for 8 years - the "great big lake thing" is Europe's largest commercial salina - salt lake. (There are two in fact) 

It was a cute enough Spanish town 10 years ago - there is now a huge expat urbanisation 

What do you want to know?


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## gaz967

Thanks for the reply steve.
First of all.....do you know if you can fish the lake? And what fish are in there?

At the moment there isnt anything in particular i want to know. 
Just to know it was a friendly and clean area would be nice, although ill find out when i go out next month im sure.

What about the local bars nightlife restaurants etc ? 
Can you think of any reasons why someone wouldnt want to live there?
Cheers steve


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## SteveHall

No, they are commerical salt lakes! 

Plenty of fishing at nearby Torremendo. 

I would not live there - too expat for me but if you are new to Spain you should be fine. Nightlife?!?!? Karaoke, bingo, quiz-evenings. This is god's waiting room. You are 15 minutes away from Orihuela Costa, Torrevieja etc if that appeals more. 

In 1991 there were 35 non-Spanish on padrón. Now more than 4,000! Another town with 50% expat! 

You would NEED a car - bus-service is hopeless. (Argument between Costa Azul buses and Torrevieja City Council about access rights) 

Usual expat issue of no employment if that is a concern for you. If you are looking to live on 
La Herradura (sprawling expat estate) there are few facilities and it very quiet out of season. 

Pleasant enough little town was a dot on the map until they sold the groves off for the estate - huge new growth through to San Miguel shelved por la crisis. A little Friday market and an attempt at a Holy Week parade. José Manuel Butrón Sánchez the mayor is a nice enough guy (school teacher in Torrevieja) but usual allegations/counter-allegations of corruption etc. Seriously upset about all the prostitutes on the roundabouts and about how futile it is to move them on. Some famous election/council meeting speeches. He seems clean enough to me in all my dealings with him - only wants what is best for town. Lot of municipal infrastructure new town hall, pensioners association, astro-turf football pitch, police station, always free concerts/flamenco etc on in main square etc Great restaurant Doña Pepa 2 - don't take credit cards and don't try to attract expats. Menu only in Spanish and food to die for! 

Alicante/Murcia airports 30 minutes away - championship football Elche, Murcia, Cartagena, Alicante (Hércules) shopping in Torrevieja, Elche, Murcia, Alicante. 10 mins from two HUGE Sunday markets - yes, two on same day a couple of miles from each other. Planning!! New budget hotel with stunning receptionist and scruffiest petrol station on the planet with great coffee/cakes.

Macro disco but mayor has is under control now. If somebody as spills a beer, he's looking to close it down and the owner knows it!


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## jojo

SteveHall said:


> No, they are commerical salt lakes!
> 
> Plenty of fishing at nearby Torremendo.
> 
> I would not live there - too expat for me but if you are new to Spain you should be fine. Nightlife?!?!? Karaoke, bingo, quiz-evenings. This is god's waiting room. You are 15 minutes away from Orihuela Costa, Torrevieja etc if that appeals more.



TOO EX-PAT FOR YOU????? Stevie, you lived in Fuengirola?????? It doesnt get much more "ex pat" than that!!!!!!!!! 

Jo xxx


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## SteveHall

You have clearly no idea what an expat urbanisation is, Jojo. These like Entre Naranjos, Doña Pepa, La Herradura, Orihuela Costa, Gran Alacant are just square miles of identical homes all sold/marketed to expats. The newsagents often do not even stock Spanish papers! They are usually not TOWNS like Fuengirola with bus-stations, train-stations, health centres etc. They are just "dormitory towns" and often as these are second homes the dormitory is deserted 9/10 ths of the year.

In Los Boliches I can happily survive a week without speaking English. In many of these urbs it is English/Irish bars, English supermarkets, hair-dressers, newsagaent, a/c shop etc with not a Spanish business on site. If that's what people like, fine. They would love Gran Alacant. In my apartment block in Los Boliches it it is less than 20% expat (mainly Scandis) on some of these urbs it is 99% expat. 

Just opinions, just what floats each person's boat!


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## jojo

SteveHall said:


> You have clearly no idea what an expat urbanisation is, Jojo.


Er, of course I have! You just change the definition to suit yourself!!! Anyway :focus::focus:


Jo xxx


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## Suenneil

Thats why I like Estepona !  I should work for the local town hall! lol ...

seriously ... in our apartments (86 in total in two blocks) ... we are the only English couple living there, 2 Italian families, 1 Moroccan and the remainder are all Spanish ... only 12 units not sold / empty.

As you say Steve each to their own ... it wouldnt be for me to live in a predominantly expat urbanisation or area ... but for some people it works for them and therefore its ok

Sue lane:


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## Suenneil

sorry for my last post!! :focus::focus::focus::focus::focus:


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## SteveHall

jojo said:


> Er, of course I have! You just change the definition to suit yourself!!! Anyway :focus::focus:
> 
> Jo xxx


I am ON topic. I am the only one who has given the OP facts about Los Montesinos LOL 

Sue, why are you sorry about the last post. Seemed totally 100% OK to me??


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## Suenneil

SteveHall said:


> I am ON topic. I am the only one who has given the OP facts about Los Montesinos LOL
> 
> Sue, why are you sorry about the last post. Seemed totally 100% OK to me??


because I digressed from the OP asking about Los Montesinos! I was back on Estepona again! lol


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## SteveHall

Yes, Sue I was quite surprised about s.o. writing Estepona off as an expat town the other day. Not the Estepona I know!


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## SteveHall

Anyway, Jojo wherever you want to take me for un cortado (calm down, Xtreme!) next week is fine. Just make sure they speak Spanish, have 3 different TV stations on and 2 different radios. If they don't know what boquerones are and have "Hoy" on the bar, I'll take you somewhere different! 

Looking forward to a cut one!


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## jojo

SteveHall said:


> Anyway, Jojo wherever you want to take me for un cortado (calm down, Xtreme!) next week is fine. Just make sure they speak Spanish, have 3 different TV stations on and 2 different radios. If they don't know what boquerones are and have "Hoy" on the bar, I'll take you somewhere different!
> 
> Looking forward to a cut one!


Thats nice, does this mean you're returning to Spain??? (eventho its on its knees and there is no work????) Are you going back to Fuengirola???

Jo xx


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## SteveHall

Indeed I am - it is my HOME! I hear there is a nice place to rent in El Romeral ...wow how scary would that be?


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## jojo

SteveHall said:


> Indeed I am - it is my HOME! I hear there is a nice place to rent in El Romeral ...wow how scary would that be?


Is it my old house????? It has a cockroach infestation you know!!!!

Jo xxx


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## SteveHall

That would be the least of my worries LOL


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## Suenneil

jojo said:


> Is it my old house????? It has a cockroach infestation you know!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


...and dirty grouting dont forget!


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## SteveHall

I could get Jojo round on her hands and knees to clean it? 

In her usual French Maid outfit with the fish-net tights? Must find those photos!!


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## Hombre

If we had wanted to live amongst Brits we would have stayed in UK. For me emigration means integration. language, food, culture, etc,etc. We are in a block of 12, all Spanish except us. Fabulous neighbours..they have made us so welcome. Opposite are some Moroccans, again, great people..we all live alongside each other in complete harmony.
Recently , I enrolled for Catalan lessons and in a class of 26 there were 14 different nationalities.


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## Suenneil

Hombre said:


> If we had wanted to live amongst Brits we would have stayed in UK. For me emigration means integration. language, food, culture, etc,etc. We are in a block of 12, all Spanish except us. Fabulous neighbours..they have made us so welcome. Opposite are some Moroccans, again, great people..we all live alongside each other in complete harmony.
> Recently , I enrolled for Catalan lessons and in a class of 26 there were 14 different nationalities.


Its great to hear you seem so settled Mr H ...... I wish I didnt have to work such long bloomin hours ... I could get some proper Spanish lessons sorted then 

Have a good weekend and be kind to Mrs H ..... let her have a few minutes off !!!

Sue lane:


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## jojo

Hombre said:


> If we had wanted to live amongst Brits we would have stayed in UK. For me emigration means integration. language, food, culture, etc,etc. We are in a block of 12, all Spanish except us. Fabulous neighbours..they have made us so welcome. Opposite are some Moroccans, again, great people..we all live alongside each other in complete harmony.
> Recently , I enrolled for Catalan lessons and in a class of 26 there were 14 different nationalities.



While agree with you, there are a lot of folk who want to come to Spain and settle in an expat community, they are simply sick of the UK weather and the UK misery. For whatever reasons they dont feel able to learn the language and fully intergrate. While that wouldnt be my way, rightly or wrongly its how some like it!?

Jo xx


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## Suenneil

jojo said:


> While agree with you, there are a lot of folk who want to come to Spain and settle in an expat community, they are simply sick of the UK weather and the UK misery. For whatever reasons they dont feel able to learn the language and fully intergrate. While that wouldnt be my way, rightly or wrongly its how some like it!?
> 
> Jo xx


Which is what I alluded to in my earlier post Jo ... horses for courses ... doesnt make it wrong or right on choosing an all spanish / mixed / or predominantly expat area ... its whats on your own wish list that counts and not for anyone else to critisise you for it.

Im happy where I am .... and dont doubt that there are lots of expats living in so called expatshire land that are happy too .... maybe even happier than me!


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## SteveHall

Now, it's my day for agreeing with Sue. I described Los Montesinos as deepest, darkest expatshire - perhaps that's what the OP wants?


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## Suenneil

SteveHall said:


> Now, it's my day for agreeing with Sue. I described Los Montesinos as deepest, darkest expatshire - perhaps that's what the OP wants?


What are you agreeing with me for ... I dont have any money you know !!!


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## SteveHall

...if it were that I'd be agreeing with Xtreme all the time. 

Mmmm, guess I usually do apart from donkeys and he prefers the daughters whilst I prefer the real women (AKA The ones Xtreme can't handle)


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## jkchawner

jojo said:


> Er, of course I have! You just change the definition to suit yourself!!! Anyway :focus::focus:
> 
> 
> Jo xxx


captain doom and gloom get's his backside smacked by jo :fencing::smash:arty: :focus::focus::focus:


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## Hombre

Suenneil said:


> Its great to hear you seem so settled Mr H ...... I wish I didnt have to work such long bloomin hours ... I could get some proper Spanish lessons sorted then
> 
> Have a good weekend and be kind to Mrs H ..... let her have a few minutes off !!!
> 
> Sue lane:


Thank you Sue...and the same to you and your loved ones.......By the way...Me and Mrs H have made it up. She wanted to make love last night, and, in our enthusiasm we started to undress each other without closing the bedroom curtains A peeping tom across the road handed himself in to the police.


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## Rosemary

We looked that way when we came to buy. Hated it, too British, but each to their own. Now live near Pinoso, small expat community, loads of facilities though, bars and restaurants for those that want it but def still spanish. 
Supposedly 2nd or 3 rd richest town in Spain due to marble and salt deposits. Check the Pinoso.org website for more info


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## SteveHall

..........not forgetting the viticulture there.


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## Rosemary

sorry?? the what?


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## SteveHall

wine - quality wines from the area.


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## Rosemary

sorry, yes of course! Get so used to it that I forget its a plus. 
Yep, first rate wines and so cheap too. It really is almost as cheap as water to drink


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## warburton

*car hire in montesinos*

Hello, 

forgive me for dropping in. I am coming over to have a look at the area with my daughter in a couple of months, we will be staying in Montesinos and were thinking of buying there, but I take on board the very useful comments in this thread.

I have spent three years trying to become fluent Spanish so would hate to live somewhere I shouldn't even need to use it.

I have a practical question I am hoping you might be able to help with. I am looking for some cheap car hire for three weeks.

Can anyone please recommend anywhere?

thanks for your time

Warmest regards
JW


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## Taurian

warburton said:


> Hello,
> 
> forgive me for dropping in. I am coming over to have a look at the area with my daughter in a couple of months, we will be staying in Montesinos and were thinking of buying there, but I take on board the very useful comments in this thread.
> 
> I have spent three years trying to become fluent Spanish so would hate to live somewhere I shouldn't even need to use it.
> 
> I have a practical question I am hoping you might be able to help with. I am looking for some cheap car hire for three weeks.
> 
> Can anyone please recommend anywhere?
> 
> thanks for your time (QUOTE
> 
> 
> You will probably be better off starting a new thread as you have tacked your question onto a thread that was last active 9 months ago.
> 
> Regards


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## xabiaxica

Taurian said:


> You will probably be better off starting a new thread as you have tacked your question onto a thread that was last active 9 months ago.
> 
> Regards


yes, a thread with the heading *car hire in montesinos*


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