Advice on where to buy in Spain

seven-day-weekend

Only just spotted this thread.

Try Las Alpujarras - a string of white villages in the mountains of Almeria and Granada provinces.

Although they are still very Spanish, with most 'natives' speaking no English, they usually have a good smattering of expats who do. (I'm including German and Dutch in this as they usually speak English). Most of the villages are still very traditional.

The only possible drawbacks are, being in the mountains it can take an hour to get to large towns, and at night in the winter they are bl00dy freezing because of the altitude.

I don't like the coast, it is too commercialised and covered in plastic greenhouses.

Hope this helps.

bigjoe

Both Almeria and Murcia suffer water shortages - and this is set to get worse because of development and global warming. So be careful where you buy.

http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_5051.shtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/water/story/0,13790,1533897,00.html

seven-day-weekend

Almeria is the driest place in Europe, containing the only European desert, at Tabernas.

And they are using precious water for golf courses and growing tomatoes for Asda.:mad:

Some rivers in southern Spain (which don't have a lot of water in them to start with) no longer reach the sea due to over-development/plastic agriculture/golf courses.

So people, just think of that if you're tempted to buy out-of-season tomatoes or come here to play golf in the sun .

missile

I think Tesco owns quite a few of those plastic fields. Some nice spots in Andalucia, I am sure SDW will recognise this view? >

seven-day-weekend

Sorry missile, my muleband dial-up would not open the picture but I can imagine what it is!

Yes, Tesco, Asda and Waitrose are the main culprits and all so northern Europeans can have salad in the winter.

missile

Hi SDW,

You might like to try this link > http://images.kodakgallery.eu.com/photos409/2/0/4/88/16/28/2816880400233_0_ALB.jpg

or you could look out your front door :-)

seven-day-weekend

It says 'forbidden' on the link!

I live up in the mountains and there is not much plasticulture here.

However, I can see some from my roof terrace.

I know quite a lot about it, my husband has written articles about it for a local newspaper, and been on Radio 4s 'Farming Today' talking about it.

missile

Sorry, I do not understand why you cannot see the photo. It is a view from high in Sierra Nevada looking down on the valley

seven-day-weekend

I can imagine what it looks like, especially if it is looking down towards El Ejido or Berja.

pubbie8

hi having lived in spain and travelled around most of the country my favorite places are north costa blanca, javea and moraira top of the list.