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Living
Living in Asturias for a year was a real experience. It is still very different to that of the UK. The people, I would say, are friendlier as they socialise more. The social aspect of Asturias was wonderful. We met and became friends with Víctor and his family, the extended family of our generous landlord (which was big!).
The countryside is breathtaking, with a back drop of the Picos de Europa and lush farming land to the beautiful beaches of the Costa Verde (Green Coast). The cities of Gijón and Oviedo are sophisticated and traditional at the same time. You get the feeling that a lot of Asturias doesn’t need to imitate other countries - it just does what it does with style and honesty.
The beaches of Asturias are beautiful and the sea is clean and clear. The climate is a bit warmer than the south of England so you can enjoy a swim for a large part of the summer.
Spain is tarred with the epithet “Mañana Mañana” which I think is unjust. I think the Spanish get things done with an order and completeness that smacks of professionalism. During our stay we dealt with the administration and utility companies without significant problems. Of course sometimes things took longer than we wanted but certainly no worse than the UK. We had cause to use the services of the hospital and a veterinarian, a satellite engineer, flooring company, estate agent, water company, electric company, libraries, town council - and all our experiences were good.
Check out the further links which describe Going Out, Shopping, Driving and Television.
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