British Expats - Go or 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!

Fireworks In Lloret de Mar

Last night we went over to Lloret to see the fireworks display, which is held on the beach every year as part of the Santa Cristina Festival. The show lasted 20 mins and was bigger and better than ever!! Last night we were surprised that the display was accompanied by music, to which the fireworks seemed to dance about in the sky to!
We were watching from the cliff tops just above the beach and had a very good view. From there we could see what must have been thousands and thousands of people on the beach, roads and all around us. The road between Fenals and Lloret were completely blocked by cars and mopeds.
Here are the photos from last night put to a slide show with our own choice of music...hope you enjoy it !

Fireworks in Blanes.

This week in Blanes is the annual Fireworks Competition, with a different team taking part each night. These teams come from all over the world to compete.

Thousands of people gather to watch from all the best viewing points all over Blanes, so many in fact that the roads in and out are completely blocked.

The show starts at 10.30pm and last for about 30 mins. The local boat company's who run the daily resort trips, do special excursions to see the displays from out at sea.

Even in Lloret people can watch the display, even though it is a few kilometers down the road to Blanes. We went down to our local beach in Fenals from where we can see the coast at Blanes, and had quite a good view!

This slide show is the result of what we saw

Lloret de Mar Nightlife

Lloret de mar has got to be the nightlife capital of the Costa Brava, and with the height of the summer season here now after dark the streets are full of party goers looking for the best club. 

Queues are formed outside just about every music bar and club in town. Workers belonging to the best known clubs are on the streets giving out their free entry tickets and leaflets, but only if you fit their age group and dress code !

More photos of Lloret de Mar nightlife along with links to some of the best clubs can be found here - Lloret de mar Nightlife

Who Gave permission for this eye sore ?

Here we have another eyesore taking shape in Fenals ! Every-one I have spoken to about this building that is now well on the way to completion in Fenals say it is far too big for this area and can not understand how and why permission was granted for something so ugly !

Also its position is just across the road from the very popular Santa Clotilde gardens visited by tourists and locals alike!

It also spoils the view of residents who have paid hundreds of thousands of Euros for their apartments across the road. They used to look onto the woods which are just on the edge of the beach, but now have to look at this monstrosity

Lloret Clon Festival

Last Friday 11th July, the first of this years Lloret Clon Festival was again an excellent nights entertainment, this time from Dire Straits tribute band Sultans of Swing. They played none stop from 10.30pm until 12.30 am, and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone! This is now the 5th year and is a very popular event with all the locals and also the people here on holiday.

 

Lloret de Mar - Beach

With the Lloret de Mar weather being more settled these days holiday makers are out 'in force' on the beaches. The boats are doing a good trade ferrying people from one resort to another. Temperatures are now hitting the 30s, so after a very slow start to the summer season the sea temperatures are also as they should be for this time of year.

On Lloret beach there are plenty of activities to keep people of every age amused while here on holiday. Alongside the more energetic watersports such as the jet skis for hire and the water sking, para-sailing, banana boat and fly-fish there is the slower paced pedallos.
Sun-beds and para-sols are also available for hire if you just prefer to relax on the beach after a well earned rest!

Lloret de Mar - Clon Festival Dates

The dates & bands for the Lloret Clon Festival are as follows...

As said on the previous post Sultans of Swing will play the Clon Festival on 11th July. The next two dates are 25th July the Bob Marley tribute band 'Legend' will play. The band is from Birmingham, you can see their website HERE

The third band to play the Clon Festival this year is the Pink Floyd tribute band from Barcelona 'Crazy Diamond' which I think will be the most popular one judging by what people are saying in town at the moment!

They are playing 8th August, but to see the band in action before go to their page on MY SPACE