I'm currently living in Portugal and I went to Albufeira last night,simply amazing. Anyone else been there?
Yes, very nice along the coast and in the old town once - away from the strip and the ubiquitous Linekers Bar etc.
Yeah I went there for a few days last year. More English people than Portuguese! Nice little strip. Decent beach too. I stayed in carvoeira for a couple of weeks just down the coast. Lovely little place with a cracking golf course.
It's a ok place, stayed there a few times, probably best time when I went to the 2004 Euros. Full of English. I must say the Portuguese are lovely people. I remember sitting in Lisbon the morning after we lost to France and the amount of Portuguese that came over to offer there sympathies and talk football were brilliant.
I often wonder how English people would react if suddenly their town was 70% populated by Spanish folk, and virtually every business was Spanish owned. I went to Ben al Madena once and I could not believe how many English people lived there. Along with the ubiquitous, Bert's fish and Chips, Dick's English bar, Ron's Pie and Mash and so on. And worst of all are those vile time share Johnnies. I don't think we'd tolerate it, with anything like the good humour that the Spanish do.
I was thinking more of the seaside resorts. One hears these "send them all back" types, talking and without pausing for breath, then regale everyone with tiresome stories about their villas in Fuengirola and the cost of maids these days.
I once did a piece of coursework about British ex-pat integration in the Spanish city of Nerja, Malaga. The answer = there's not much of it.
Watch the crime documentary that's set around Ben al Madena, the British population was close to 100 000 in that small town. Although I wouldn't be surprised if that's come down a lot lately. When I was there I just couldn't wait to leave to be honest. The way some British carry on abroad these days sickens me.
I Couldn't agree more pm, When we book a holiday for a large group of friends and children, we always check trip advisor and stay clear of rowdy English areas.
This can be so true. I think we Brits (majority, not all) don't really ingratiate ourselves in local cultures. We go for sun, sand and beer. I like to experience local culture when I go abroad (even with work, I venture out from the hotel to eat in a a local place) and not English Breakfast, MacDonalds, Steak and chips, etc, etc. Oh and by local culture, young men, I don't mean the local club and tottie!!
I was in Armacao de Pera a couple of months ago, which is ten minutes from Albufeira. It was wonderful. Full of English people though. I did my best to speak to the locals in my best broken Portuguese. Bon Diaz, Jose Fonte!
