Tony,
I am sorry that you are no longer being a moderator on the site.
I have friends, who don't ever want to look at the site, because they say it's all doom and gloom.
Also they say people don't know what they are talking about, on here?
Maybe the rest of us should try and encourage new members and try and keep to the appropriate subjects when writing.
Also give as much useful information as possible, for everybody to read.

It's sad to hear of your disillusionment Tony. The forum reflects the attitudes I hear amongst the Brits generally here. Most of us came here to make a better life for ourselves and loved ones, some perhaps looking for a fresh start and others looking for an affordable retirement. Why those hopes have turned to bitterness is complex and individual. For our part, we wake each day and count our blessings. Although we have to live very economically and will never regain the economic level we had in the UK, we would never go back. Sunshine, freedom, space and fiestas beat rain, mortgage, city and UK news. If life isn't good here it's not going to be good anywhere.

Hi Tony,

sorry to hear of your decision but it is your choice.
Unfortunately bad news is always something people will talk about and have opinions on, good news rarely gets a look in.  When was the last time you watched the news on TV and they reported on positive things? I remember (was it BBC?) the, 'And finally' - an attempt at reporting some positive or funny news item.

As you know I work for many ex-pats over the whole area from Freginals up to L'Hospitalet and across as far as Gandesa and Bot and, in general, they are happy to be here.  Sure there are one or two that would love to sell and go and can't sell their houses. Many just can't find buyers and were trying to sell long before the Cedula problem appeared.

I've owned many houses over the years and one of the things I always ask myself before buying is 'If I want to sell this will it be easy and quick to sell?'  If the answer is no then don't buy it.  So, is a house with no electric, no water and 15 minutes drive up a dirt track going to be easy to sell if things don't work out? It may be a bargain but there is a reason why.

I have seen and worked in quite a few of the houses that have been built near Ginestar, where there are now big problems.  I was suprised at the time that the land was being so divided up.  Caravans were appearing on small patches of what was not more than scrubland and then houses were appearing.  I've not seen this happening anywhere else. I did hear that there was an estate agent very active in the area and it appears he was very successful.  Did the buyers of these plots obtain written confirmation that they could build from either the agent, mayor or town hall? If they have this then surely they coud mount a legal case against the agent(s) mayor or whoever?

Personally I love the area. I would never consider returning to the UK, the prices, mortgage, bad weather, congested roads need I go on?  I used to live on the South coast near Southampton and whenever the sun came out the roads were so jam packed it was impossible to go anywhere.  On top of that if you did manage to get to a beach and find parking then you had to pay a rediculous fee to park.  There were many events around the area but the entrance fee was so extortionate that it removed any pleasure in visiting.  Have you heard of the 'Goodwood festival of speed'? It's an annual event near Chichester.  This year the entrance was £50 a ticket.  If you wanted fish and chips then then you had to fork out £10 a portion... I lived near Chichester for a few years but never went.

I went to the Festival del Renaixement in Tortosa earlier this month, parked free, spent several hours enjoying the free entertainment and had a Kebab and beer that cost me 3 euros..

There are many more examples of why I prefer to be here than in the UK and I'm sure this is true for many people here as well.  Why not write about them?  This is YOUR forum.  I only provide the platform for you to share your experiences, not the content.

Nigel

Tony
Sorry you're leaving the forum.  Of late there has been a lot of negativity but I suppose this reflects the legitimate worries of some members.  I agree that just because of cedula problems for some members, it's not a reason to "put down" the entire area, climate, economy, people, language. 

I for one love the Tortosa area.  I've made great friends among the Catalans, Spanish and ex-pats.  I'd love to be in a position to be able to afford to move there permanently but quite simply can't afford to maintain myself and my family indefinately without a guarenteed source of income. 

Let me tell you that sitting in Eire now looking out at the damp grey sky, paying ever increasing taxes to bale out the banks with nothing only doom and gloom to look forward to......makes spain look like a positive option.

Count yer blessings and remember why you all left the UK and Ireland in the first place.  Things have only gotten worse since ye all left.

Hi

Agree - too hot !   

Quick point - when is the home page of the forum ever going to be updated ? I am sure that the xmas stuff from last year is still needed ?

Dear Tony, and implicitly Nigel and all readers,

I read your post here with mixed feelings, mixed because I don't remember what your link was on the site and so I can't judge as to whether the feelings you have expressed here are related to that link (so your business) or not, but mostly, emphatically because I totally and whole heartedly agree with you.

If you, as I have, came here because you loved the idea of living in a place in the mediterranean, if you have come to love it here as I have and if you still think that it is a hundred times better than the UK then it is totally abhorrent that people run it down so long.

I have to admit to suffering from parcial blindness at the start of my time here, the tendency to automatically compare everything to the UK and to passionately defend everything British for the lamest of reasons.  Luckily though, I grew out of it.

I understand that many people who have come down here thinking that they could sell a two up two down pre-war terraced house and but a couple of acres with a 250 square metre mansion plus pool and then live off the olives and carobs... may just feel a little bit disappointed.  But let's face it, you only have yourselves to blame for being so short sighted.  If you have come here under no false pretences and love it as I do you take the rough with the smooth and recognise that, on the whole, we are FAR better off here than back in blighty.

So Tony, whilst I sympathise, I don't agree with you.  I agree with others that seeing as we have this wonderful forum, now rediscovered for me, and seeing as it is a reference for many people from the UK as to what living here is like, we need to reclaim it for the lovers of Catalunya, the sun, the countryside, the people, the customs, the beaches etc etc,

Visca Catalunya!

Hi, yeah I noticed but still his post raises a valid point of why on earth do people come just to run things down.

Where have I been all year?  Working.