# Was it all you imagined?



## mariabc (Feb 14, 2015)

Reading through all the posts and replies on here from all of those that now live in Spain, I wondered if now that you're there.....is it all that you imagined it would be? What have been the pros and cons? Many people go somewhere on holiday and think they'd like to live there, end up doing so, yet when the 'honeymoon' period is over, regret it. When we came to Canada from the UK, it happened so quickly, it wasn't something we'd been planning. Now we are planning a move to Spain, we are fully aware we have only been there ourselves as tourists. Spain has always been our dream retirement and if we don't try it, we'll always have regrets. Was that your philosophy on making the move?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mariabc said:


> Reading through all the posts and replies on here from all of those that now live in Spain, I wondered if now that you're there.....is it all that you imagined it would be? What have been the pros and cons? Many people go somewhere on holiday and think they'd like to live there, end up doing so, yet when the 'honeymoon' period is over, regret it. When we came to Canada from the UK, it happened so quickly, it wasn't something we'd been planning. Now we are planning a move to Spain, we are fully aware we have only been there ourselves as tourists. Spain has always been our dream retirement and if we don't try it, we'll always have regrets. Was that your philosophy on making the move?


Many years ago I used to harbour romantic notions of going to live on a Greek island as I'd spent lots of wonderful holidays exploring dozens of them, but I came to realise that living there wouldn't be the same thing at all, especially in the winter. I've been to many places further afield and thought for about 5 minutes "oh, wouldn't it be nice to live here" but reality has dawned and those ideas were dismissed too.

We did debate seriously between Portugal and Spain and came down in favour of Spain, bought a house here (not too far from Nerja where we'd holidayed many times including in the winter) and used it for holidays until we were able to move over full time almost 4 years later. That was over 8 years ago now and, yes, it has been everything we hoped. I wouldn't change anything about it except that I wish many more people had jobs.

Sorry, you asked for pros and cons:-

Pros
Climate - we're only 5km from the coast so don't find the summers oppressively hot or the winters too cold (although this last one has been the coldest so far for us, but it's warming up nicely now and we're not even at the end of February)
The Spanish people, generally speaking
Cost of living - we find our money goes much further here
Infrastructure - especially public transport which we rely on
Lots of opportunities to get out and about to explore places, Spain is such a huge country
Good connections to get back to the UK to visit family (although my husband will only go for weddings and funerals, and then with a bad grace!)

Cons
Bureaucracy, and especially the way rules and requirements are different from place to place and even interpreted differently by people working in the same office
Litter and dog mess - not all areas are bad, but generally speaking the streets could be a lot cleaner


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Regrets*



mariabc said:


> Reading through all the posts and replies on here from all of those that now live in Spain, I wondered if now that you're there.....is it all that you imagined it would be? What have been the pros and cons? Many people go somewhere on holiday and think they'd like to live there, end up doing so, yet when the 'honeymoon' period is over, regret it. When we came to Canada from the UK, it happened so quickly, it wasn't something we'd been planning. Now we are planning a move to Spain, we are fully aware we have only been there ourselves as tourists. Spain has always been our dream retirement and if we don't try it, we'll always have regrets. Was that your philosophy on making the move?


Regrets after 39 years in Mexico? None whatsoever. Wondering if I chose the most idyllic province? Still wondering about that, but only cos I read of other people's experience on this forum. Are the people friendly? Very. Is it noisy? Not half, but then depends where you wish to live. I like noise, my husband doesn't.
Spain wasn't the first stop on my dream retirement which was France, but realised that Spain was better value and so glad we did.
Good luck.


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## mariabc (Feb 14, 2015)

Lynn, thank you for the great reply. It sounds like Spain has been good for you and the pros far out way the cons. One thing we're really looking forward to is being closer to our family in the UK and being able to explore more of Europe. Travel in Canada is very expensive due to the vast distances, so the thought of cheap flights is really appealing. Also a cheaper cost of living is appealing, as we'll be retired when we get there. The weather is also a big factor and although from reading on here it can be really cold in Spain in the winters, nothing can compare to here! Nerja comes up often on these forums so it must be a beautiful place to live? We'll put it on our itinerary for our recce trip.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mariabc said:


> Lynn, thank you for the great reply. It sounds like Spain has been good for you and the pros far out way the cons. One thing we're really looking forward to is being closer to our family in the UK and being able to explore more of Europe. Travel in Canada is very expensive due to the vast distances, so the thought of cheap flights is really appealing. Also a cheaper cost of living is appealing, as we'll be retired when we get there. The weather is also a big factor and although from reading on here it can be really cold in Spain in the winters, nothing can compare to here! Nerja comes up often on these forums so it must be a beautiful place to live? We'll put it on our itinerary for our recce trip.


In terms of actual temperatures, you couldn't really say Southern Spain is cold in winter, but the trouble is that once you have acclimatised to the summer temperatures, once the temperature drops below 20 degrees it FEELS cold. Plus, as everyone says, properties here, especially older ones, aren't really built for cold weather, tiled floors and tiled walls just seem to radiate cold in the winter.

I do still really like Nerja, although no doubt you'll find property there to be much more expensive than in other areas nearby, it's very popular. The centre of town can get pretty crowded at the height of tourist season, and parking especially is very hard to find. Not a problem for me as I go there by bus!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Spain is what we planned for. Unlike many we hadn't made this our holiday destination other than a quick five day trip back in 2005 to lift the m-i-l's spirits following the death of the f-i-l.

We listed what we wanted and decided on the sort of area we wanted. A couple of visits to areas that qualified and we'd found and bought a house. We've been here now for almost 6½ years and are 100% happy with our choice.

The people here (99+% Spanish) are great, everybody helps each other and if they have surpluses from their huertas, they share it with others. We often have too much so pass some on to the woman round the corner.

Lynn says it is not cold in the winter but she lives almost at the seaside, go inland and it can be a different story. Winter 2008/9 I got frostbite - first time since the winter of 1963.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> In terms of actual temperatures, you couldn't really say Southern Spain is cold in winter, but the trouble is that once you have acclimatised to the summer temperatures, once the temperature drops below 20 degrees it FEELS cold. Plus, as everyone says, properties here, especially older ones, aren't really built for cold weather, tiled floors and tiled walls just seem to radiate cold in the winter.
> 
> I do still really like Nerja, although no doubt you'll find property there to be much more expensive than in other areas nearby, it's very popular. The centre of town can get pretty crowded at the height of tourist season, and parking especially is very hard to find. Not a problem for me as I go there by bus!


In Murcia where we live, in the south, it does get very cold indeed.
We've had several frosts this year.
It seems to have been windier this year, a cold wind which makes it worse.
It's often warmer outside than in.
Although often sunny during the day, when dull, and in late afternoon, it ifeels bitterly cold. 13 degrees c in my lounge recently.
Heating is needed November to March, sometimes April.
Most here have central heating.
Many have wood burners, portable gas fires etc
The bathroom could double as a fridge.
It seems as if some think that people exaggerate about winter being cold in Spain
It was a relief to spend Christmas in the the UK, in my daughters insulated, centrally heated house!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

extranjero said:


> In Murcia where we live, in the south, it does get very cold indeed.
> We've had several frosts this year.
> It seems to have been windier this year, a cold wind which makes it worse.
> It's often warmer outside than in.
> ...


Why do you think we go away for Christmas and rent a centrally heated apartment in a Natural Park where we can enjoy guided off-road trips in the snow into restricted areas and see the wildlife, then come back to a nice warm apartment.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

At first it was all we imagined we lived on a remote Atlantic island where European scorching summers and freezing winters are unknown We knew a cheaper cost of living, and a population that do not steal from each other, an idyllic tranquility of scenic splendour was ours.

The October 2011 arrived, our tranquil island awoke from its long slumbers, earth tremors became the normal, buildings shook, stones rattled on the roof, landslides blocked roads and tunnel entrances, cracks appeared in our buildings.

Off the southern coast of the island the ocean began to bubble, the water was stained green and brown, we became inundated with scientists and emergency services personnel, T.V. crews were in abundance, our passage to the supermarket was often interrupted by persons wishing to interview us. Suddenly the southern ocean became angry, the small fishing village of La Restinga, was evacuated, because of our previous professions, and the fact that we were two of the few that are native English speakers, we were requested by the local cabildo and the British consulate to assist.

The Ocean became really angry and started heaving pyroclasts into the air, at the same time stained the ocean a bright green, we watched on a daily basis, with great interest from the cliffs above, and wondered if we too would have to be evacuated to another island. Many people left, some for good, just in case I bought a lap top and transfered all importan details to it, we packed cases ready to leave at a moments notice, then there was one huge shake, the house really rattled…………………..

Suddenly the volcano went back to its slumbers, the tremors subsided, the scientists left, everywhere became so quiet, just like it was before.

Was this what we expected, hardly, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Temperature. The minimum in Murcia across December and January was -1. The average daily minimum was 6. So as Hepa rightly often reminds us, the Canaries is a better place for those truly seeking winter sun. The idea that Spain is a warm country all year isn't correct.

That said, it's still my chosen place because although there are 12 or so weeks of coldish weather, it's one of the warmest places in Europe in winter. My need to get on the road and explore rules out smaller islands for me.

My UK house is double glazed and insulated, allegedly. It's a heck of a lot colder than my apartment in Spain ever gets or feels, and that's with or without the heating on.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

So if people want to avoid really cold temperatures, and large heating bills, obviously from people's experiences it's really important to choose the area you want to live in carefully.

At the moment, in late February, when I get up in the morning, with no heating having been on all night, the temperature in my house is 18C (and I don't live in a modern, well insulated house). A couple of weeks ago it was only 15C, and that felt really cold, so I really sympathise with those of you who experience temperatures much lower than that. 15C is the lowest I've ever had the inside temperature go since we bought the house 12 years ago. We have only a portable gas fire for heating, but this winter we have bought a new one with increased potencia as the old one didn't seem to be coping with the unusually cold weather.

This week, just before the end of February, we are finding we don't need to put the heater on before 8.30 pm. The windows stay open all day to let the warm air from outside circulate around the house.

One thing we do have, which those of you with very cold bathrooms might like to look into, is a heat/light fitting in the bathroom (basically a circular infra-red heating element within a light fittiing). It was easy to fit in place of the normal light fitting and has the advantage of not needing to spoil tiling in a new bathroom. We bought it in the UK (plus a couple of spare heating elements which we've not needed although we've had it for nearly 12 years), it cost about 50 pounds and it's some of the best money I ever spent, taking a shower in a freezing cold bathroom is purgatory. They are very old-fashioned things really, I think houses in the UK often used to have them in the days before central heating was almost universal, but still a practical and cost effective solution to avoid shivering in Spain, IMO.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

I have something similar to one of those in the bathroom Lynn, and it's very convenient although I do keep expecting a museum curator to come along and demand it for an exhibition.

When I redo a bathroom underfloor heating is going in.

Today, Feb 25th, I got out of bed in my unheated apartment and opened a couple of doors to let some air in. I can't do that in the UK.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Well, as I've said before, I wasn't keen on coming to Spain. That never figured in our (at least my) plans when we left the UK. We came because my partner wanted to leave Prague for various reasons -health, climate, diet - and it happened that my family has property in Spain.
So we came over six years ago and I wasn't that happy for the first five or six months. 
That was due to us having chosen the wrong place to live - flat in an urb after living for decades in a fairly isolated thick-walled detached cottage - and as soon as we found the house we have lived in since then I've been pleasantly surprised at how Spain has grown on me. 
We're integrated in the sense that we speak Spanish, are active in Spanish political and social organisations and have many Spanish friends, although our tv is British by choice . We have Spanish tv but imo it's dire.
So we had no conception of fulfilling a Spanish dream, no great expectations of any kind, really, other than those of leaving behind snow and sub-zero temperatures and being able to eat good quality fresh fish, meat and vegetables etc.
As we had no great expectations, nothing we came across disappointed us, on the contrary, we are happily settled here and have abandoned our previous plans to move around Europe.
Spain, with its plus and minus points, like any other country, is now home.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Hi Maria,

I'd been to Spain a few times on holiday and then visited Madrid for business reasons every couple of months for a year or so. Having also worked in France, Germany, Norway, Italy and probably a couple of other places I can't even recall, my preference was always Spain. I like the people and I like the attitude to life.

I spent several years living abroad full-time but within 6 months of being back in the UK, I couldn't stand it. It's a cold, wet, windy rock full of people trying to convince themselves that they like drizzle. If you listen to the language used there it's very revealing. If you ask a person if he likes something he's more likely to say "it's not too bad" than "yes", even when he means yes. The glass is generally half empty rather than half full. Escaping that and the weather was my primary reason for spending time abroad, and my enjoyment of Spain more than any other place I have visited was why I chose this destination.

If it were not for family and a couple of financial matters, I would be here full time - I currently spend a little under 6 months of the year here. It's my preferred place to be. Yes, it's all I imagined it to be. 



mariabc said:


> Reading through all the posts and replies on here from all of those that now live in Spain, I wondered if now that you're there.....is it all that you imagined it would be? What have been the pros and cons? Many people go somewhere on holiday and think they'd like to live there, end up doing so, yet when the 'honeymoon' period is over, regret it. When we came to Canada from the UK, it happened so quickly, it wasn't something we'd been planning. Now we are planning a move to Spain, we are fully aware we have only been there ourselves as tourists. Spain has always been our dream retirement and if we don't try it, we'll always have regrets. Was that your philosophy on making the move?


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