Where I live in Spain...

[S&W Fan]

Thank you for the beautiful photographs.

In '09 my son had his 2 week r&r break from his deployment. He and his then girl friend (now wife) were trying to decide where to meet. They settled on Barcelona. They had a great time, absolutely loved the country and most of the people they met. The photos they brought back made me very jealous. When they married last May they wanted to take a cruise for the honeymoon.

They waited until this past Sept., flew to Barcelona again, then made their way to Miami. They are absolutely in love with Spain, hoping next year we can visit there together.

One of my co-workers is married to a woman from outside of Barcelona, they go every year to spend the holidays with her parents-they have 2 sons (now 16 & 14) that are truly bilingual, speaking Catalan with their grandparents & all the other family there.

 

[Texas Star]

I knew a girl from Barcelona on another (non gun) board. She was anti-American and more Catalonian than Spanish. I gather they have a regional dispute witth most of the rest of Spain. She was also a big "Greenie" who really didn't understand ecology well at all. The left definitely infiltrates young minds there, as well as in California.

She was built like a fireplug, though, so I don't miss knowing her now. Barcelona is probably full of prettier, more friendly girls.

 

[1911Girl]

The Catalans are very patriotic and speak Catalan, they think they are better than the rest of Spain and feel they should be an independent country, when they were never a country in the first place. I´ve been to Catalonia a few times and the people are quite "dry" and if you don´t speak Catalan they don´t wanna know you. I much prefer the south and Mallorca.

 

[Texas Star]

1911 Girl-

About that ham you showed earlier...

"Pata Negra" seems to me to mean Black Duck. Is my Spanish that bad, or is there some reason why they call a pork product that?

And is pork generally favored there over beef? Do they raise much beef at all? Or, is there fear of Mad Cow disease?

I noticed at a Zeiss press meeting here that the German factory rep ordered pork at dinner. I guess Germans like pork, too, but I wondered if he was also afraid to eat beef. (The rest of us ordered steaks.)

Do you get game in the markets? I was in Newfoundland and saw some arctic hares in the store. They hadn't even been cleaned right and looked like they might be roadkill. There was dung in the plastic tubs where they were sold. I passed. I think that in Europe, higher standards must be enforced where game is sold in stores.

I was also intrigued to see that the rabbit that you took with the bow was like our cottontail, not the big Euro hare. Do you use blunt arrows on small game? I don't know much about archery. I know that some modern broadhead arrows are pretty intricate.

What is the present state of the Spanish firearms industry? I hope that AyA is still there. I think they make a good copy of the Merkel over and under shotguns and H&H type side-by-side doubles. The last I read, Llama/ Gabillondo was still there. I realize that the gun companies are up in the Basque region, far from you.

 

[1911Girl]

1911 Girl-

About that ham you showed earlier...

"Pata Negra" seems to me to mean Black Duck. Is my Spanish that bad, or is there some reason why they call a pork product that?

Pato is duck, Pata negra is just another name for Jamon iberico which is the best cured ham in the world and expensive at that too.

And is pork generally favored there over beef? Do they raise much beef at all? Or, is there fear of Mad Cow disease?

Here there is good beef (from Scotland aberdeen angus) though seafood is very popular here too due to the close proximity to the coast, it is good too. Pork is very popular too. mad cow disease is not a problem here at all.

I noticed at a Zeiss press meeting here that the German factory rep ordered pork at dinner. I guess Germans like pork, too, but I wondered if he was also afraid to eat beef. (The rest of us ordered steaks.)

Do you get game in the markets? I was in Newfoundland and saw some arctic hares in the store. They hadn't even been cleaned right and looked like they might be roadkill. There was dung in the plastic tubs where they were sold. I passed. I think that in Europe, higher standards must be enforced where game is sold in stores.

There are game markets you can buy whole rabbit in the stores like mercadona, though i prefer to hunt. The standards here are high, but i think the UK is more strict.

I was also intrigued to see that the rabbit that you took with the bow was like our cottontail, not the big Euro hare. Do you use blunt arrows on small game? I don't know much about archery. I know that some modern broadhead arrows are pretty intricate.

It is a rabbit though i use field tips for small game and broadheads for bigger game.

What is the present state of the Spanish firearms industry? I hope that AyA is still there. I think they make a good copy of the Merkel over and under shotguns and H&H type side-by-side doubles. The last I read, Llama/ Gabillondo was still there. I realize that the gun companies are up in the Basque region, far from you.

Gun sales are normal, got a few gun stores in town. No panic buying here like in the US I know the prices have gone up in the US due to demand and with all the nonsense from Obama.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Very Beautiful pics. Is this anywhere close to Rota? I have a great nephew stationed there. Hope you don't mind me saving the pics. They are so beautiful.

 

[Bullet Bob]

In about 1971 or 72, another Air Force friend and I saved our leave, and flew "space available" out of Charleston Air Force Base to Spain for part of May and June. We spend almost 30 days bumming around, including a very brief stay in Malaga. Had a great time, I think I spent about $70.00 US dollars total, but we did stay with some friends in Madrid and Zaragoza to save money. Definitely travelled cheaply, we were poor airmen. Spent the last week in Sitges, I'm too old to live through that week again.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Is concealed carrying of firearms allowed there in Spain?

 

[357-RevolverGuy]

Please give us some details about the gun laws in Spain. I have never been to Europe and from what I understand it seems like that Spanish have a very liberal and progressive government... so I am surprised to hear hunting is popular there.

 

[1911Girl]

Very Beautiful pics. Is this anywhere close to Rota? I have a great nephew stationed there. Hope you don't mind me saving the pics. They are so beautiful.

Hi there, Rota is a beautiful port town on the Atlantic coast of Andalucía (We´re on the mediterranean side) in the province of Cádiz around 3.5 hours by car from where we live.

In about 1971 or 72, another Air Force friend and I saved our leave, and flew "space available" out of Charleston Air Force Base to Spain for part of May and June. We spend almost 30 days bumming around, including a very brief stay in Malaga. Had a great time, I think I spent about $70.00 US dollars total, but we did stay with some friends in Madrid and Zaragoza to save money. Definitely travelled cheaply, we were poor airmen. Spent the last week in Sitges, I'm too old to live through that week again.

Wow sounds like you had a blast. Not been to Madrid or Zaragoza but I hear it´s nice. I have a friend from Scotland who lives in Sitges.

Is concealed carrying of firearms allowed there in Spain?

No, but you wouldn´t need to, the violent crime here is very low especially where we are. It is very different to any other place i´d lived. Generally people have handguns/automatic rifles for recreational use.

Please give us some details about the gun laws in Spain. I have never been to Europe and from what I understand it seems like that Spanish have a very liberal and progressive government... so I am surprised to hear hunting is popular there.

You can have just about any firearm you want just like the US, thats what I love about living here. Only problem is getting a suppressor is very difficult, back home in Scotland it is legal and everyone uses them for the obvious reasons (hearing) plus they look cool too. Firearms are very popular, it´s traditions and many people also hunt, lots of American hunters here too.

I don´t really like the government here though it is far from liberal, though Spain is very conservative especially with PP in power, gun friendly too.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Up the road from you..Benidorm, spend few days on the beach there..Got bad sun burn there from the white sand/salt and the blue, blue water....German get away there in the summer months.

Spent many a week end to the North West of you...Arenas de San Juan. Real small village.... Made friends with many folks there...Might even find my old car I had to leave behind..1956 Dodge Plymouth...Those were the export models....Dodge Front ends...Plymouth from the windshield back...Made friends with the Guady's....Funny to see them riding their bicycle out in the middle of no where, with their machine gun over their back..The major got a car to get around in.

Bodegas....Ah Yes...The LaMancha country side....

Gun Ownership back then was prohibited...Franco was still the ruler, and things were still pretty strict.

Before your time..When El Cordoba was the top matador in the Madrid bull ring..


You said you haven't been to Madrid or Zaragoza yet...You HAVE to go to Madrid to the swap meet. Go to the caves of Old town Madrid, and drink Sangrea (sp).

Drink some Sweet wine of Malega for me.

WuzzFuzz

 

[1911Girl]

Up the road from you..Benidorm, spend few days on the beach there..Got bad sun burn there from the white sand/salt and the blue, blue water....German get away there in the summer months.

Thats where we (my parents and my fiance) always went for vacations, love it up there. Now it is a 6 hour drive from where I currently live. Very popular destination (second to Mallorca and here) for vacations. Love Benidorm and the surrounding area, have lots of good memories

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Hi, I am from Scotland (E.U) so all we need to do is apply for a residency card, there are millions of Scots and English living here. You would need to be a resident to own a firearm here.

Lots of American tourists here for hunting, and general "vacation".

e


How far from Galashiels did you live? I've two coats I had made there at Aero Leather works. Bought some other stuff from around the country, mostly caps and sweaters.

Ancestors from Scotland, but don't know exact city...(yet)

WuzzFuzz

 

[1911Girl]

Very Beautiful pics. Is this anywhere close to Rota? I have a great nephew stationed there. Hope you don't mind me saving the pics. They are so beautiful.

Hi there I had covered that question here, lots of people asking

Rota is a beautiful port town on the Atlantic coast of Andalucía (We´re on the mediterranean side) in the province of Cádiz around 3.5 hours by car from where we live.

How far from Galashiels did you live? I've two coats I had made there at Aero Leather works. Bought some other stuff from around the country, mostly caps and sweaters.

Ancestors from Scotland, but don't know exact city...(yet)

WuzzFuzz

Galashiels is in the borders region of Scotland around 3 hours from my home town

 

[sipowicz]

Thats where we (my parents and my fiance) always went for vacations, love it up there.

fiance???

Good thing you told us. But if it doesn't work out, there are plenty of eligible older men here on the board. I just hope beards, overalls, flannel shirts and tractor hats are not out of style in Spain.

 

[1911Girl]

fiance???

Good thing you told us. But if it doesn't work out, there are plenty of eligible older men here on the board. I just hope beards, overalls, flannel shirts and tractor hats are not out of style in Spain.

I´ll keep that in mind

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Gambas al Hielo I do miss a lot of the different foods from over there...Plus the wine of course.....



Have you been over to Lisbon yet? Good sea food over there too..


WuzzFuzz

 

[1911Girl]

No but I've been to Porto

 

[1911Girl]

Some photos from today, was a very pleasant 70ºF, we decided to go a nice 17 mile walk through the hills and rivers and take some photos. The Sierra Tejeda (La Morena) has some more snow today too.