# Myth busting



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Spaniards sleep siestas - Most don't have time to. They are in the office, working. But if they could, I'd say most would take a siesta given the opportunity - as would many a Brit! In the summer, above all in the south, but also in Madrid for example the temperatures are brutal and yes, you'll see builders, roadworkers taking a nap at after lunch. Working in that heat is unproductive and may be illegal.

Spaniards like bullfights - My MIL is the only Spaniard I know who likes bullfighting, and she doesn't go. Bullfighting has actually been banned in some parts like Catalonia.

It's hot in Spain - In the summer, from Madrid down I'd say heat is guaranteed. Apart from that... you may be surprised. Temperatures are often milder in the south for example, but the houses can be very cold in winter - colder inside than outside. Often the temperature depends on the height so look at that carefully. It can, and does, snow in Spain regularly again it depends where you are and the height. I often scrape ice off the windscreen of the car in the morning and temps have been below freezing all over Spain this week, except the Canaries.

The cost of living is cheaper - It's difficult to make comparisons, particularly if you are coming from say Manchester to a small village in Andalucia. It also depends on what your needs are. Kids clothes can be pretty expensive for example. Fresh fruit and veggies are not... In general I say food and public transport is cheaper.

Schools are free - State schools are free in as much as you don't pay for tuition, and most don't have a uniform, but you do pay for books, materials and trips and all that adds up to a LOT of money


More myths anyone???


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Spaniards sleep siestas - Most don't have time to. They are in the office, working. But if they could, I'd say most would take a siesta given the opportunity - as would many a Brit! In the summer, above all in the south, but also in Madrid for example the temperatures are brutal and yes, you'll see builders, roadworkers taking a nap at after lunch. Working in that heat is unproductive and may be illegal.


 The siesta is dying out... i see much more of a 9-5 (or 11-8 jaja) approach now and although small businesses close siesta the bigger ones are always open through!



> Bullfighting has actually been banned in some parts like Catalonia.


 Good, so it should be, culture or no culture I have very strong views on this and have caused some mighty rifts amongst spanish friends over this subject 



> It's hot in Spain - In the summer, from Madrid down I'd say heat is guaranteed. Apart from that... you may be surprised. Temperatures are often milder in the south for example, but the houses can be very cold in winter - colder inside than outside. Often the temperature depends on the height so look at that carefully. It can, and does, snow in Spain regularly again it depends where you are and the height. I often scrape ice off the windscreen of the car in the morning and temps have been below freezing all over Spain this week, except the Canaries.


 Agree... it was lovely to make a snowman in the mountains the other week!



> The cost of living is cheaper - It's difficult to make comparisons, particularly if you are coming from say Manchester to a small village in Andalucia. It also depends on what your needs are. Kids clothes can be pretty expensive for example. Fresh fruit and veggies are not... In general I say food and public transport is cheaper.


 Yes... but you are not going to save money trying to live in Spain... a myth well busted!



> More myths anyone???


Only one..... life is better in Spain if you have no job in the UK.. So many still seem to think that with a couple of grand in their pockets they will jet off to the costas and make a wonderful new life!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Bull fighting was banned in the Canary Islands a long time ago. We didn't make as much noise as the Catalanas though!!


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Spaniards sleep siestas - Most don't have time to. They are in the office, working. But if they could, I'd say most would take a siesta given the opportunity - as would many a Brit! In the summer, above all in the south, but also in Madrid for example the temperatures are brutal and yes, you'll see builders, roadworkers taking a nap at after lunch. Working in that heat is unproductive and may be illegal.


Where we live (Granada province) and in Granada city itself, the Siesta is still very much part of working life for shop staff and manual workers. But offices usually stay open, with limited staff.
But I don't think many of the people sleep. The bars and cafes in the city are full at this time, and village housewives get together to have a good gossip. 




Pesky Wesky said:


> Spaniards like bullfights - My MIL is the only Spaniard I know who likes bullfighting, and she doesn't go. Bullfighting has actually been banned in some parts like Catalonia.


Bullfighting is still going in many parts of Andalucia, but more in towns and villages on the outskirts of cities.
I hate bullfighting, but forced myself to watch it on TV a couple of times, so I could have an opinion.
My husband watches it now and again (through his fingers!) and he says that the old traditional bullfighting is almost dead. Nowadays there is no respect for the bull, or for 'the art of bullfighting'. You are more likely to see young, badly trained bullfighters exercising extreme cruelty to get their 'win'.



Pesky Wesky said:


> It's hot in Spain - In the summer, from Madrid down I'd say heat is guaranteed. Apart from that... you may be surprised. Temperatures are often milder in the south for example, but the houses can be very cold in winter - colder inside than outside. Often the temperature depends on the height so look at that carefully. It can, and does, snow in Spain regularly again it depends where you are the height. I often scrape ice off the windscreen of the car in the morning and temps have been below freezing all over Spain this week, except the Canaries.


I tell people again and again that the temperature in the Granada region is not for the faint hearted. It is one of the hottest places in summer and one of the coldest places in winter. And agreed, the houses are not built for the cold. Even here.

Adding to thoughts on the weather...
*The Rain In Spain *
When it rains here is really rains! And most of Spain isn't built for this. Streets flood very quickly because drainage is limited. Rivers which were non-existant in summer overflow their banks and flood towns and villages. And, as many house roofs do not have sufficient drainage, they leak too, under the sheer weight of the water.



Pesky Wesky said:


> The cost of living is cheaper - It's difficult to make comparisons, particularly if you are coming from say Manchester to a small village in Andalucia. It also depends on what your needs are. Kids clothes can be pretty expensive for example. Fresh fruit and veggies are not... In general I say food and public transport is cheaper.


I agree on public transport. And have to agree that its difficult to make comparisons on food. I know that my personal food costs in the Uk are lower than in Spain, but thats because I tend to eat more freezer food in the UK (and that is definitely cheaper in the UK) and fresh food in Spain.
Clothes... unless you have a Primark near you, chidrens and adults clothes I find cheaper in the UK. Even shoes nowadays are cheaper in the UK (as long as you dont mind buying cheap).



Pesky Wesky said:


> Schools are free - State schools are free in as much as you don't pay for tuition, and most don't have a uniform, but you do pay for books, materials and trips and all that adds up to a LOT of money


From my experience, UK parents have to pay for trips and all extra curricular activies, and although school books are provided, the purchase of new ones is often funded by bring and buy sales, Christmas, Easter and Summer markets, and by anything else the teachers can think of to supply badly needed money.
However... from my experience of researching schools for one of my daughters, when she thought about moving here, and from talking to expat parents, it appears that educational standards here (particularly at primary school level) are not up the the standards expected in the UK (but of course, that depends what type of education you are looking for).



Pesky Wesky said:


> More myths anyone???


A myth that I see on this and other forums.
*'I will be ok working in Spain, because I have online work'.*
To an extent, this is true, but working online here is not as easy as it is in some countries.
For example, if you want to be legal, so that you can get healthcare for yourself and your family, you have to be an autonomo. And that is not cheap.
Then there are the companies you wish to work for. Some of the larger employers of online workers will not work with anyone who has a Spanish IP address. Reasons for this vary, but 'high risk of fraud' is often quoted. And US companies who require affiliates to submit tax forms find Spanish (and European in general) tax regulations too difficult to deal with. So they simply refuse your application.

And then there is internet coverage....
It may appear simple to earn a couple of thousand euros a month online, if you have drive, ambition, and suitable skills, but when you have a dodgy internet connection, the amount of work you can produce suffers severely. 
Believe me. I know.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

This just shows how different the cities and more developed areas are from some parts of rural Spain.

Siestas and love of bullfighting are still strong in my neck of the woods, as is cock-fighting (when I first arrived I naively thought all those cockadoodledoos were there to keep the hens happy!). Men still use mules to bring the cork down from the hills, and donkeys to bring in firewood. You're more likely to hear _flamenco puro _on a building site radio than pop music. Ten-year-old kids go out hunting with their dads and learn to use shotguns. Cowboys still round up their animals on horseback.

Myths?
Spaniards all eat a healthy Mediterranean diet - round here they eat their own weight in sugar every week.

There's no crime, you can go out and leave your door unlocked ... Hmm. I doubt if this was ever true and it certainly isn't now.

Spanish TV is rubbish - it isn't! It's great!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

> Spanish TV is rubbish - it isn't! It's great!


... if you like "Tu si que vales" and those awful chat programmes with the same blooming people on every single day ranting over each other louder and louder!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> ... if you like "Tu si que vales" and those awful chat programmes with the same blooming people on every single day ranting over each other louder and louder!


ah, but the presenter of _Allá tú_ is much better looking than Noel Edmonds on Deal or No Deal


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> ... if you like "Tu si que vales" and those awful chat programmes with the same blooming people on every single day ranting over each other louder and louder!


Never seen it, but surely it can't be worse than The One Show?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Oh dear dear dear!
Siestas - Of course it hasn't died out, but not all Spaniards have one, and I would say those that do are in the minority. As some people have pointed out shops closing at midday does not indicate that everybody's behind the shutters snoozing!! It depends on region, season and age.
Bullfighting - I hope I wasn't misunderstood. I did say that the myth is that Spaniards like bullfighting full stop. I didn't say it didn't exist. The top bullfighter in Spain is from my town for goodness sakes, but it IS banned in parts of Span and NOT all Spaniards like it.

Another myth - Spain is not the same size as the uk and it's impossible to say that in Spain xxx, 'cos it d e p e n d s ! ! !

Here's another one
They speak Spanish in Spain - Ha!


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Siestas and love of bullfighting are still strong in my neck of the woods, as is cock-fighting (when I first arrived I naively thought all those cockadoodledoos were there to keep the hens happy!). Men still use mules to bring the cork down from the hills, and donkeys to bring in firewood. You're more likely to hear _flamenco puro _on a building site radio than pop music. Ten-year-old kids go out hunting with their dads and learn to use shotguns. Cowboys still round up their animals on horseback.


Agreed...except for the music on the building sites.
Here they are all playing Pitbull at the moment.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> ah, but the presenter of _Allá tú_ is much better looking than Noel Edmonds on Deal or No Deal


yes  and the presenter of tu si que vales!

and for the normal men amongst us... most of the weather girls are much more appealing would imagine than michael fish!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

> It's hot in Spain - In the summer, from Madrid down I'd say heat is guaranteed. Apart from that... you may be surprised. Temperatures are often milder in the south for example, but the houses can be very cold in winter - colder inside than outside.


It's that time of year again. Inside I need a fleece, outside I need a bikini!

It was 3º when I went out this morning at 7:40, but it's supposed to get up to 20º today in this region.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> It's that time of year again. Inside I need a fleece, outside I need a bikini!
> 
> It was 3º when I went out this morning at 7:40, but it's supposed to get up to 20º today in this region.


I've got this little gizmo on my desk which tells you the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Yesterday afternoon it was 17ºC inside the house and 25ºC on the roof terrace. Guess where I'm spending the rest of the day!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> It's that time of year again. Inside I need a fleece, outside I need a bikini!
> 
> It was 3º when I went out this morning at 7:40, but it's supposed to get up to 20º today in this region.


We started wearing summer clothes at the weekend as it has been so much warmer since then (a bit earlier than we did last year, I seem to remember it was into May last year). Haven't needed any heating for about a month now, and am just putting on a fleece or a cardigan about 9 or 10pm when it starts to feel chilly. The weather is just right now, mid 20s during the day.

The inside temperature in my kitchen/dining room (which doesn't get sun) is 21 minimum even in the early hours of the morning now.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Another myth (hadn't seen this thread before) - Spanish workers are lazy and have a "mañana" attitude.

I mentioned elsewhere the guy who has just painted the inside of my house. Arrived promptly at 9.00 am on the day he said he would, took a 20 minute lunch break and left around 5.45 pm, never stopped working in between. The first day, all he would accept by way of refreshment was a glass of water, and the second day, he wouldn't have anything at all - no endless mugs of tea with 4 sugars here! 

This is pretty typical of all the Spanish tradesmen we've ever had do work on the house, I have never seen people work so hard.


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

We live on the outskirts of a small village and siesta is still here , whether people sleep or not I dont know but everything is closed from 130-2 until 5pm. I kinda like it !

Bull running has just been re-introduced in our village by the new Mayor , there was a public vote and it was very close but the yes's won. It hasnt been here for a number of years so not sure why it felt right to start again. The positive news is though there is a really good Animal Rescue set up by the some Spanish ladies in the village and they are doing really well to protect the local animals and educate people on their care , they were not happy regarding the return of bull running.

The cost of living for us seems to be cheaper here for some things, our water is cheap , elec probably the same. Food I think is cheaper is you are cooking from scratch and not trying to buy British goods at bumped up prices.

Clothes are more expensive in my experience if you want decent quality but I was always a sales queen so wait for the right time to buy nice things. Latest bargain soem lovely crop trousers from Cortefeil , 60 euros reduced to 20 ! I love a bargain.

The exchange rate hits as it fluctuates but you have to factor that in when you move and we try to move money at the right time but sometimes you just have to take the hit.

I think overall the quality of life here versus the cost is worth far more. We wouldn't have had this kind of life in the UK for the same sort of spend.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

maureen47 said:


> We live on the outskirts of a small village and siesta is still here , whether people sleep or not I dont know but everything is closed from 130-2 until 5pm. I kinda like it !


Yes, once I got used to it it was just a matter of remembering. I also like the shops opening later than they often do in the UK, although that's changed a lot too since I came here.
However, as I said before (or maybe it was on another thread) presuming that Spaniards, or at least the people who work in shops are asleep for 2 or 3 hours at this time is a mistake!


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Well you can't have a 3 hour lunch break with crunchy rice and vino tinto if you are asleep I guess, this may or may not be a myth also.

I'm still sitting outside in a jacket and beanie, it's about 15 degrees and I can't wait for summer. This winter has been long, mild at first but still cold enough for me.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pazcat said:


> Well you can't have a 3 hour lunch break with crunchy rice and vino tinto if you are asleep I guess, this may or may not be a myth also.
> 
> I'm still sitting outside in a jacket and beanie, it's about 15 degrees and I can't wait for summer. This winter has been long, mild at first but still cold enough for me.


I was sitting next to some tourists from Valencia coming home on the bus yesterday, and the lady was saying she couldn't believe how much warmer it was here. She'd arrived the day before in a long sleeved jumper, trousers, socks, etc. and was now wearing her summer dress and sandals.


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

For us, this winter has been milder than last, but has gone on longer - even the plants are a month behind.
Siesta still exists. All bars and restaurants in the town, except one, close, as do the offices but the supermarkets remain open. There is very little traffic on the road at this time and the whole area around our house goes quiet - even the dogs !!
The Spanish tradesmen I've had here work like Trojans! 08.00 or 08.30 on the dot, 10.00 for breakfast and back by 10.30 and straight through until 18.00 only ever accepting water.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pazcat said:


> Well you can't have a 3 hour lunch break with crunchy rice and vino tinto if you are asleep I guess, this may or may not be a myth also.
> 
> I'm still sitting outside in a jacket and beanie, it's about 15 degrees and I can't wait for summer. This winter has been long, mild at first but still cold enough for me.


I'm sure there are people who do, but I have noticed more and more restaurants offering the option of one dish from the menu for example, or a starter and a dessert instead of only offering a 3 course meal which more and more people just don't want at lunch time, especially when they only have a shorter lunch break. In offices the lunch break is often only 45 mins, at least in the offices in the Madrid area.
The reduced menu became more popular in the crisis years and has stayed, probably because the salaries from the crisis have also stayed


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

IME siesta usually = break, not long sleep.
My BIL always has a 20 min siesta, but he has always worked very close to his home and now works _from_ home. I think the majority of people don't


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xicoalc said:


> Yes... but you are not going to save money trying to live in Spain... a myth well busted!


Unbusted - with no mortgage, and council tax a fraction of what it was in UK for a place five times the size; car tax also a fraction of UK; cheaper fuel; cheaper better quality food; cheaper phone, etc. we have never been so well of and even have a healthy bank-balance.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Continued...

Public Transport. Where we lived in UK there were 6 trains an hour to London (station five minutes walk away) and most bus services ran every twenty minutes or so and if some routes overlapped they would be another along in five minutes. Here, there are three trains in each direction, one in the morning and two in the afternoon (to/from Madrid) and the nearest station is a hour's drive away. Buses: a couple in the morning each way going to work/school and the same back later, plus a couple of shoppers buses per week, but the fares are cheap. 

Siesta? - from October to April builders, etc.: they will start at 8 take an hour's lunch break and work though till 7. In the summer they start at 6.30 and work through till 2 and finish for the day. Shops: some take a long lunch, others are 'horario continuo' 

Fixed line telephones cheaper but ADSL is sometimes a bit flaky giving a lot of buffering but calls are free/included on both fijo and movil.


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## ccm472 (Jan 6, 2016)

Public transport. In the UK, trains: 2 per hour to London, 2 going the other way too. Buses 1 per hour in each direction, none after 17.40. 1 coach to London and back per day.
Did we live somewhere remote? No, on the South Coast on the way down to Bournemouth.

Spanish trains at 2 or 3 a day are acceptable as nobody uses them for a major commute and the half hourly bus service to the urbanisation seems positively civilised.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Public transport - from where I lived in East Lancashire I could catch one of 3 buses each morning (Mon-Fri only) at peak hours to take me to work in Manchester city centre, and the same coming back in the evening. If I missed the last one it was a case of catching 2 buses and having to wait for a connection, the journey could take over 2 hours. We were equidistant from 4 towns, buses ran half hourly between two of them (very much reduced Sunday service). Buses to the other two towns ran only every 2 hours and none after 6pm (none on Sundays). No buses at all, to anywhere, on Bank Holidays. Services were very much reduced for the whole period between Xmas Eve and New Year's Day, which made things very difficult for people who had to go to work during that period.

From the town where I live in La Axarquia there are over 30 buses each day, in each direction, between here and the city of Málaga and the last one doesn't leave Málaga until 11pm. There are Alsa buses (but less frequent) which go to Torrox and Nerja, and one bus per day direct to Granada. We have a local bus service which connects us to the coast at Torre del Mar which runs every 15 minutes during the day and half hourly after 8.30pm until 11.00pm. In all cases the weekend services are a bit less frequent, but on all Bank Holidays including Xmas Day and New Year's Day there is the same Sunday service.

The buses are very cheap and always clean.

As far as trains are concerned, the services I used in the UK, either commuter services on the Manchester-Leeds line, or Virgin trains from Manchester-London were always horribly overcrowded and it was often impossible to get a seat despite the high fares paid. They were also subject to very frequent delays and cancellations.

The rail service here is superb by comparison. When you buy a ticket on the media distancia or larga distancia services you are allocated a seat at no extra charge, and people do respect the seat reservations. I have never seen passengers having to stand, and the trains are always spotless. They always seem to run to timetable. The fares are very much cheaper, even if you turn up and buy a ticket without booking in advance.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Where we lived (southern CDS and inland) the bus service is frankly appalling - virtually nothing useful in Jimena (pop. 10,000) at all and the services up and down the coast between La Linea and Malaga are very patchy - but they are cheap.

There were two trains a day which are good and cheap but often crowded with standing room only.

In the UK the bus services are largely unused by those who have to pay (too expensive) and heavily used by those with concessions - older people and children under 5 go free and 5 - 15 1/2 price. A town similar to Jimena would get a bus every 1/2 hour.

Road tax for our car in the UK is £30, in Jimena (similar car) it was 70+ Euros.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

On the other hand some pueblos lost their trains as sacrifice to the Ave. West of Fuengirola doesn't even have a train track and if travelling to Malaga or Algeciras at peak periods you are lucky to get on even standing.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

It's only useful to compare public transport with like situations, so if you move from a large town to the sticks in Spain the comparison will not be very meaningful. In the UK I can travel by bus or train a distance of about 28km to Bristol. From the town I live in here to Madrid the distance is about 37km. I have more buses, better buses and cheaper buses here in Spain, and the trains? Cleaner, more reliable and cheaper and not full of people eating and drinking. Talking non stop on mobiles yes, but not leaving smelly food and drink cans behind, not usually anyway.
Not everything in Spain is better, but for me, public transport wins hands down here.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

ccm472 said:


> Public transport. In the UK, trains: 2 per hour to London, 2 going the other way too. Buses 1 per hour in each direction, none after 17.40. 1 coach to London and back per day.
> Did we live somewhere remote? No, on the South Coast on the way down to Bournemouth.
> 
> Spanish trains at 2 or 3 a day are acceptable as nobody uses them for a major commute and the half hourly bus service to the urbanisation seems positively civilised.


It's difficult to compare services between countries as within each country they are so dependent upon locality.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> It's only useful to compare public transport with like situations, so if you move from a large town to the sticks in Spain the comparison will not be very meaningful. In the UK I can travel by bus or train a distance of about 28km to Bristol. From the town I live in here to Madrid the distance is about 37km. I have more buses, better buses and cheaper buses here in Spain, and the trains? Cleaner, more reliable and cheaper and not full of people eating and drinking. Talking non stop on mobiles yes, but not leaving smelly food and drink cans behind, not usually anyway.
> Not everything in Spain is better, but for me, public transport wins hands down here.


Yes I agree, generally better in Spain (certainly cheaper for those who have to pay) but not everywhere. As Isobella pointed out the trains on the southern CDS stop at Fuengirola which means that some big places (Marbella, Estepona and La Linea) have no service at all and the buses aren't good either.

Incidentally Marbella is the biggest town in Spain without a rail service and here in the South West of England, Portishead is the biggest town in the UK with no rail. That will be put right within the next few years.

Can't help thinking that too much emphasis has been put on fast trains in both countries (AVE and HS2) at the expense of local services.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I have no idea what people round here do between the hours of 2 to 5 pm but I do know that they are doing it indoors.
Our village has an ambience of extreme laid- back doziness at most hours of the day but mid- afternoon it just shuts down.
As for Estepona.....around 2 pm it's like some invisible giant vacuum cleaner has suddenly sucked people off the streets. This busy town is deserted until 5pm when people emerge and scuttle around like rabbits out of a burrow.
I like seeing shops lit up and open until 8pm or later. Seeing people stopping off for a coffee or copa with full shopping bags in the evening gladdens my heart. 
There is life after 5 pm , in Spain at least.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Yes I agree, generally better in Spain (certainly cheaper for those who have to pay) but not everywhere. As Isobella pointed out the trains on the southern CDS stop at Fuengirola which means that some big places (Marbella, Estepona and La Linea) have no service at all and the buses aren't good either.
> 
> Incidentally Marbella is the biggest town in Spain without a rail service and here in the South West of England, Portishead is the biggest town in the UK with no rail. That will be put right within the next few years.
> 
> Can't help thinking that too much emphasis has been put on fast trains in both countries (AVE and HS2) at the expense of local services.


Yes, crazy that Marbella, Estepona and above all La Linea are not served by rail. The AVE and the willingness to open something flashy and European that will appear on industry propaganda in far off lands, rather than a tootling local train, has a lot to ask for.
The reason we have such a good transport system is obviously because we are commuter fodder for Madrid. When we first came there was a bus an hour, but as soon as we arrived the population grew exponentially (coincidence?) and more buses and trains we added almost monthly. At around 7:00am there is just a line of buses . One fills up and it leaves! Compare that to the price and quality of service from Weston to Bristol and well, it just doesn't compare.
But this is to the capital. To get to other nearby towns it's much more difficult, it's true.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Slightly off tangent but is there a good transport hub to Parque Warner from Madrid?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pazcat said:


> Slightly off tangent but is there a good transport hub to Parque Warner from Madrid?


It used to have its own train station but it closed down. Here's the info
How to get here | Parque Warner Madrid

I've never been as I never got really good reports about it.
The Parque de Attracciones though is great, especially in the summer. Loads of shade and loads of water attractions (but take a change of clothes because it's amazing how cold you can get in damp clothes at night) We used to go with my daughter and spend from about 12:00 - 24:00. Lots of fun
Downside - you may have to go through the prostitute area to get there if you go by car or taxi. Unfortunate, but true


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Downside - you may have to go through the prostitute area to get there if you go by car or taxi. Unfortunate, but true


and that's a downside because ....


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I think if we do go it looks like they have some partner hotels with a bus service, that might be the best option. Shame there is nothing real close though.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> and that's a downside because ....


Uff, not nice I can assure you, not attractive and inticing, just very sad people, and when you've got a car full of kids, difficult to explain


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, crazy that Marbella, Estepona and above all La Linea are not served by rail. The AVE and the willingness to open something flashy and European that will appear on industry propaganda in far off lands, rather than a tootling local train, has a lot to ask for.


There have been plans kicking around for years for a coastal rail route from Algeciras to Nerja (and eventually on up the east coast) . Last I heard it had approval from the EU, but I doubt it will be completed in my lifetime. They can't even finish the tram from Chiclana to Cádiz, which was supposed to be completed by 2012 for the bicentenary of the constitution, and that's only a few miles!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, crazy that Marbella, Estepona and above all La Linea are not served by rail. The AVE and the willingness to open something flashy and European that will appear on industry propaganda in far off lands, rather than a tootling local train, has a lot to ask for.
> The reason we have such a good transport system is obviously because we are commuter fodder for Madrid. When we first came there was a bus an hour, but as soon as we arrived the population grew exponentially (coincidence?) and more buses and trains we added almost monthly. At around 7:00am there is just a line of buses . One fills up and it leaves! Compare that to the price and quality of service from Weston to Bristol and well, it just doesn't compare.
> But this is to the capital. To get to other nearby towns it's much more difficult, it's true.


Yes the buses between Weston and Bristol leave a lot to be desired and are expensive as well, but the trains are much better.

A note on the trains though; our station here on the outskirts of Weston has parking for 500 cars. It's very busy, 73 trains per day stop there. There are maybe three other similar stations between here and Bristol which is the main destination. Yet it, and every other station, is unmanned apart from an hour in the morning. You buy your ticket from a machine on the platform (or online I suppose - I've never done it). 

Contrast that with Jimena station which has 7 trains per day yet is manned - you buy your ticket from an actual person. I'm pretty sure all the other stations between Algeciras and Ronda are manned as well. Could this be a clue as to why they are considering stopping the service?


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> There have been plans kicking around for years for a coastal rail route from Algeciras to Nerja (and eventually on up the east coast) . Last I heard it had approval from the EU, but I doubt it will be completed in my lifetime. They can't even finish the tram from Chiclana to Cádiz, which was supposed to be completed by 2012 for the bicentenary of the constitution, and that's only a few miles!


Yes - can't see that happening in a hurry.

Incidentally there was a branch line into La Linea from the Algeciras/Ronda line at one time - I don't know when or what kind of service it ran. I'm sure La Linea suffers badly from its proximity to Gibraltar - the Spanish government being reluctant to improve the place in case Gibraltar benefits in some way - such a shame for the people there.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Yes the buses between Weston and Bristol leave a lot to be desired and are expensive as well, but the trains are much better.
> 
> A note on the trains though; our station here on the outskirts of Weston has parking for 500 cars. It's very busy, 73 trains per day stop there. There are maybe three other similar stations between here and Bristol which is the main destination. Yet it, and every other station, is unmanned apart from an hour in the morning. You buy your ticket from a machine on the platform (or online I suppose - I've never done it).
> 
> Contrast that with Jimena station which has 7 trains per day yet is manned - you buy your ticket from an actual person. I'm pretty sure all the other stations between Algeciras and Ronda are manned as well. Could this be a clue as to why they are considering stopping the service?


One of our busy commuter stations is completely unmanned and the other is attended a few hours a day - 4 max. The trains do have a lot of inspectors though... I'm talking about Spain.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> On of our busy commuter stations is completely unmanned and the other is attended a few hours a day - 4 max. The trains due have a lot of inspectors though... I'm talking about Spain.


Odd then that our (Jimena) line is so manned up.:noidea:


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jimenato said:


> Yes - can't see that happening in a hurry.
> 
> Incidentally there was a branch line into La Linea from the Algeciras/Ronda line at one time - I don't know when or what kind of service it ran. I'm sure La Linea suffers badly from its proximity to Gibraltar - the Spanish government being reluctant to improve the place in case Gibraltar benefits in some way - such a shame for the people there.


I thought La Linea was served by Estación San Roque? It's only a spit away.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I thought La Linea was served by Estación San Roque? It's only a spit away.


20 minute drive, 45 minute bike ride or 2 1/2 hour walk. Not the end of the world I suppose but not exactly convenient either. A rail link would be well used - mainly by commuters to Gibraltar I suppose so of no interest to the Spanish government.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Odd then that our (Jimena) line is so manned up.:noidea:


Spain moves in mysterious ways, her wonders to perform...


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