Having written in yesterday's post about rural, traditional Spain, there is of course no point in denying that Spain has witnessed a change to its overall structure. Many British moved to Spain throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the economy was favourable and many Brit's wanted to opt out of the rat race. Southern Spain offered sunshine, a 20 degree average annual temperature, sandy beaches and a relaxed international lifestyle. The Spanish seemed to embrace the mass exodus of foreign people coming into their country, we may have changed the structure of their costal landscape with the mass building of urbanizations, but we greatly contributed to the Spanish economy.
Spain has almost become a country of two halves. Rural Spain is still steeped in tradition and culturally unaffected by 'foreigners'. Visit a 'British' urbanization and you will find yourself in 'little Britain' with British restaurants and shops and a thriving British community within which few Spanish people will venture.
It all seems to have worked out well enough! Brit's can mix amongst their own with the added bonus of sun, sea and siestas. The Spanish economy is richer from all the property they have sold and the businesses which have thrived due to our spending.
Personal choice brought Glenn and I to rural Spain, we wanted Spanish culture and have integrated into a Spanish community and village life. However, take the road out of our village and not many miles away we are thrust into the attractive Mediterranean village of Villamartin. This is a development very popular with tourists and expatriate communities, Villamartin boasts a plaza which is surrounded by chic, contemporary restaurants and bars, and is home to African ring neck parrots and palm trees. The central plaza is a vibrant and modern alternative to the more homely Spanish villages and in many of the restaurants you can enjoy a 'haute cuisine' experience for less than half the price you would pay in Britain!
'The Square' is one such restaurant, exquisite food, beautiful surroundings and excellent service made for a very pleasurable evening!
The Square restaurant offers fine dining, and whilst I am happy to eat menu del dia and tapas, I find the Spanish diet often lacks fresh vegetables and good homemade desserts and dare I say creativity. No matter how 'Spanish' I like to think I have become, I will always want a meal as good as this, with fresh vegetables, (as opposed to salad) potatoes (not chips!) and desserts not from the freezer but homemade!
'I would rather be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain'
-George Orwell
Love Donna xxxxxxx
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