living in Spain
Discussion
Just thought I would start a thread where we could put tips for anyone wanting to come and live in Spain. I´ll start with:
Learn a bit of the language
Don´t expect people to turn up on time
You´re going to eat very late... restaurants don´t open til 9pm... at the earliest
People shop nearly every day... for bread at least
Drinking is not done in rounds... and is done at the slowest person´s pace, not the quickest
feel free to add
Roads.
Hmm.
Some are very good, mainly the larger more frequently used ones.
Motorways mostly excellent, but surprisingly in the cities streets can be really bad, potholes, broken drain covers, ridiculously high/situated speed bumps.
Sign posting poor,
(More like smaller versions of the Pyrenees!!)
A lot if not most of the smaller country roads are very, very poor.
Do not expect the same driving techniques to apply here - very different attitude, not a problem provided you are aware.
Low slung performance cars will take a hammering very quickly, pick your roads carefully...
Hmm.
Some are very good, mainly the larger more frequently used ones.
Motorways mostly excellent, but surprisingly in the cities streets can be really bad, potholes, broken drain covers, ridiculously high/situated speed bumps.
Sign posting poor,
(More like smaller versions of the Pyrenees!!)
A lot if not most of the smaller country roads are very, very poor.
Do not expect the same driving techniques to apply here - very different attitude, not a problem provided you are aware.
Low slung performance cars will take a hammering very quickly, pick your roads carefully...
Overseas said:
Roads.
Hmm.
Some are very good, mainly the larger more frequently used ones.
Motorways mostly excellent, but surprisingly in the cities streets can be really bad, potholes, broken drain covers, ridiculously high/situated speed bumps.
There is a fairly simple explanation for that! When the EU was pumping billions into Spain's infrastructure, it was to improve the national infrastructure. Roads in towns were considered part of local, not national infrastructure.Hmm.
Some are very good, mainly the larger more frequently used ones.
Motorways mostly excellent, but surprisingly in the cities streets can be really bad, potholes, broken drain covers, ridiculously high/situated speed bumps.
This gave rise to ludicrous situations where you'd get some of the world's best tarmac for mile after mile, then you'd come to some tinpot little village with 5 buildings where the town hall couldn't hope to pay for the same level of surfacing, so they picked up all the machinery, moved it a hundred yards down the road over the knackered old cobbles and started again!
Definitely do learn as much of the language as you can! It gets progressively easier the more you learn, and it will massively increase the quality of life you have there in just about every way.
Think you'll find that national roads are excellent - worst big road I've come across in 20,000 miles or so is the Autopista from Madrid to Granada - good thing the back road is empty and smooth.
Spanish road humps are huge - but cheaper than the radar controlled traffic lights which I think are a great idea.
There are thousands of miles of excellent roads so enjoy them. It's far more fun in Spain!!
Spanish road humps are huge - but cheaper than the radar controlled traffic lights which I think are a great idea.
There are thousands of miles of excellent roads so enjoy them. It's far more fun in Spain!!
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