The changing face of Spain

by guest blogger Mac

In the 1980s, Spain became the major ex-pat destination in Europe, as thousands of people flocked to its Southern Coast to exploit the mild climate and low cost of living. I was one of these people, and I remember quite clearly being shocked by the fact that life in the part of Spain where I was living was actually more like England than England was. Fast forward 25 years, and things are very different now, many of the local businesses have been bought back by the Spanish, and things are much more Spanish in flavour.

So where have all these expats gone I wonder? A quick phone call to an old friend of mine who still lives in Spain revealed the answer. It seems many have now moved in-land. As prices began to rise on the coast, they moved inward and took up residence in some of the small towns and villages, or in old farm houses. My friend tells me that in some villages there are more foreigners than Spanish, and the entire scene which was once in evidence on the Costa del Sol is now being re-created on a micro level in certain Spanish villages. I think next year I will go and take a look, this sounds fascinating!