Answer Guy

Spain is a country where the rain falls mainly on the plain.

Myer

Going 9/26!!

Jose

Dear Mr.Joao: <BR> <BR>I better will not tell what I think about your question. I am a polite man. <BR> <BR>You must remember the the History of Portugal and Spanish one is the same in many periods. Only one sample: Phillipe II was the king of both countries because of his marriage. And water in your river in Lisbon was fallen in Spain, and in the Duero (Doro if I remember in portugesse, correct me if I am wrong). <BR>But I must admit that Portugal has wonderfull places too see, not only Lisbon (I love Porto). And cannot forget soccer players as Figo <BR>Next time you better be more polite with your neighbors. Will you? <BR>

joao

To the polite Spanish gentleman: <BR> <BR>The question tried to be ironic, but I guess I missed the point. <BR>Some time ago I saw a post in this Forum claiming that "Portuguese are in total denial that Spain even exists" <BR> <BR>I found this statement very funny, and tried to post in the same line of though. If you wish I can search for the post I am quoting, but I find it worthless. <BR> <BR>Portuguese have been always aware about where Spain is and since many years ago it has been the selected choice for Holydays and long weekends. <BR> <BR>In my opinion, during the most recent years, also Spanish citizens have been more and more interested in Portugal (Figo, Saramago and others have been good ambassadors of Portugal). <BR> <BR>There is a saying in Portugal saying that "from Spain neither a good wind nor a good marriage" (De Espanha nem bom vento, nem bom casamento). In spite of what years of prejudice may led to believe, I think that when the occasion comes, people from both sides of the border are able to interact and socialize in a very positive way. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Jose

That's Ok then Joao. <BR> <BR>If fact I knew that 'De Espanha nem bom vento, nem bom casamento': the brother of my best friend is marriaged with a girl from Porto (and she is a supporter of Benfica..., it was very funny see all the friends of her laughing about this point. <BR> <BR>You right in what you say on historically feelings: we were neighbors but we lived looking to anything that wasn't Portugal or Spain, perhaps because Portugal was a British friend, and Spain, with the 'Borbones' was near to France, and more far away in the History you can remenber Tordesillas, when Portugal and Spain divided the 'indias' between them. <BR>In fact I think that it is very similar the feelings of Spaniards a Frenchs. <BR> <BR>But, as you say, we both are starting to live together again, and that's a great news. Not only Saramago or Figo (it was a joke)... <BR> <BR>Sure we will keep on learning about each other.

crimeinspain

Do not kid yourselves and pretend crime in Spain is not bad or it is the same as in the US. I am a young woman, and my girlfriends and I have backpacked throughout the US and nothing happened to us! We have slept in Penn Station NY waiting for a train to go to Vermont, backpacked in Arizona and Colorado, slept in the desert, nothing happened to us. <BR>You say NY is dangerous, that is because you have never been there, and just repeat what others said, or I have noticed that most people in this board come from rural areas and small towns in the center of the US, that is why you think NY is dangerous. It is not dangerous compared to Spain. <BR> <BR>Only in Spain my girlfriends and I were gassed in an AVE train going from Madrid to Barcelona one year ago. All of our stuff was stolen, everything gone, they did not leave us with anything. They have to have gassed us because I do not remember anything, when we woke up everything was gone, all the backpacks, passports, money, debit, credit cards, and also my pants and undergarments were down to my ankles when I woke up. Disgusting! I was crying, we went to the police in Barcelona, but it was too late, people were off the train before that. I talked to the police I reported the crime, not only the robbery, but also the sexual assault. Nothing could be done, I went to the US embassy, to no avail. I had to call my parents I could not cope, and I had to wait to get my passport. The same with my girlfriends. My parents picked me up and I left! I was only 19 last year, and a college student eager to know the world. <BR> <BR>All of you who claim that Spain is not unsafe, should read all the posts from all the people who had a bad experience with crime in Spain. New travelers should know that crime in Spain is on the rise. <BR>

Tiff & Friends

I have just returned from a spectacular 3 week vacation of Spain. My girlfriends and I had a blast. We saw less crime in Spain than we did in Italy, London and Los Angeles. Some of you people are just off the wall worrywarts. Others are just bigots. The 5 of us (girls) had no problems at all. We all loved Spain. Just be alert and use common sense.

Manuel

This is a message to the woman who said: "Only in Spain my girlfriends and I were gassed in an AVE train going from Madrid to Barcelona one year ago... ". Dear Madam, why are you telling us lies. Tell them to your boyfriend, please, but not to us. I tell you why. AVE train means "Spanish High Speed Train", and the only route available right now in Spain is Madrid-Seville, that was built for the EXPO'92. The Madrid-Barcelona line will be open in year 2004 and it is still in construction. So madam please, before telling stupid things about Spain, COME and VISIT us, and bring your boyfriend

Jose

Manuel, esa chica/chico, es la misma que ha escrito la misma estupidez en 'Beware In Barcelona'. <BR>To everybody, the fool girl (or boy) who wrote that about AVE from Madrid to Barcelona is the same paranoic that post the same article in 'Beware In Barcelona'. <BR> <BR>So please, leave the Moon. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Graziella5b

Hi worried, are you worried with terrorists in Spain.
Well how about New York, London, Madrid, Mumbay,
Indonesia, Sudan,Cachemira,Lebanon, ETc etc. etc.
why would you pick up only Spain beats me.
Life goes on. Worried yes, we should be worried but I am afraid in a broader sense. For us Americans
something of the horrible magnitud of 9-11 was needed to wake us up, because we cannot say we did not had enough warnings. But life goes on.

altajoe

Graciella, why would you dredge up a post from July, 2001????

Dukey

Perhaps it was an oversight.

Graziella5b

Sorry it was a total oversight, it is that recently there was a bomb from charming Basques....sorry, at any rate it is a subject to leave it in peace...

altajoe

Well, I probably overreacted a bit.