Should I go or should I stay ?

Every month on the Costa Brava a free English language magazine (The Resident) is published. In this months edition I found a very interesting piece about plans for a new television programme for ITV 1 back in the UK. Here is the article as it appeared in the mag...

Dear Resident,
Every year more and more Brits are giving up their life in the sun to move back to the UK - last year almost 100,000 expats came home. Whether it's because they miss family and friends or are finding it hard to find a job or learn the local language, many Brits are deciding that there's no place like home. The decision to return is a tough one, and can be a huge decision,and you may feel you've lost touch with what kind of place Britain really is to live in these days. Is it as good as you remember?
Or are you better staying put where you are?
ITV1 is making a new day-time documentary series on this subject and we are keen to talk to British expats who live abroad and are considering moving back to the UK. Families who take part will be flown to Britain to test drive the reality of life there.Its an opportunity to make an informed choice - to remain an expat or realise its time to come back home.
If you are interested in taking part or you know someone who may be suitable, please email: oliver.strous@fevermedia.co.uk or call +44 207 428 4630.

After contacting Oliver to ask if I could include his letter on the my blog I received a very speedy reply granting his permission.

So thank-you once again Oliver!

A Day in Gibraltar

Not the Costa del Sol I know but if you are on holiday in this part of Spain a visit to Gibraltar is a must. Daily excursions run from just about every resort. You can choose several types of excursion. If its just a shopping trip you want then the cost is only about €10 or so on certain days of the week. In Main Street you will find British Home Stores, Body Shop, Marks & Spencers also shops which have all the well known toiletries etc from the UK. For a full rock tour which will take you up to see the Barbury apes and the caves you will pay approx €32.

If you choose to take the rock tour you will also have great views of the port below and also on a clear day see North Africa.
A cable car will take you even further up the rock!

Be sure to take a cardigan or a light jacket of some sort, because even in August it can be quite cold up there.

Costa del Sol - Estepona

The resort of Estepona is much quieter than the more well known places up the coast such as Torremolinos or Fuengirola. One reason could be its locality, which is 8o kms away from Malaga airport which serves the Costa del Sol resorts. The airport of Gibralter is only about 45 kms away but is only served by a few flights from the UK, mainly London.

Although Estepona has a coastline of more than 20 kms, it has still retained a lot the Spanish village charm which is often lost these days with the invasion of tourists ! The town still has the narrow streets and pretty white washed dwellings, along with small squares sheltered by trees in which the locals gather for their daily chat! Here also is the marina and port where the fishermen bring their catch to sell at the daily auction for the restraunts and Chiringuitos which line the sea front.

Marbella to Puerto Banus

A nice way to make the journey between Marbella and Puerto Banus is the small ferry boat. The trip is approximately 35 mins long, and on the way you see all the coast between the two resorts.
On arriving at the marina at Puerto Banus you are immediately surrounded by the rich and famous, along with a few of their possessions which you will see in the very exclusive marina!

Costa del Sol Beaches

The beach of Benalmadena looking down the coast towards Fuengirola as seen from the ferry boat. With endless rows of hotels and apartments, there's more than enough places to stay....maybe not one of the best views of this area !

El Chorro Gorge

This is the Caminto del Rey, a pathway along part of the Guadalhorce River.
Believe it or not this gorge is very easily accessible by train from Malaga, being only 50 kilometers inland. Excursion company's even do a day trip to this area!
The El Chorro Gorge is not very far from Alora, as seen in a previous post HERE
The pathway was closed in 2000 owing to the dangerous state its now in, but as you can see is still used by some very brave climbers and walkers. It was built in the1920s for workers installing the hydro electric system on the dam.
This areas claim to fame is that some of the scenes from the film Von Ryans Express were shot in this area along the train lines and tunnels. The train lines are still used daily bringing day trippers to see the spectacular sights of the Guadalhorce Valley.

Granada - the Alhambra

One of the best excursions on the Costa del Sol is to visit Granada and the Alhambra. This means a very early start from the coastal resorts for a full day out. Here you can see what is considered to be the finest example of Arab architecture in Spain, and for this reason is one of Spain's largest tourist attractions.

Above is the Palace of the Generalife and is said to date from the 13th century. The impressive circular courtyard of the Palacio Carlos V is pictured below. With the last photo being taken in the Patio of the Lions.