Wot's the Costa Got to Ofa?

First and foremost Sun, that wonderful golden globe in the sky that gives us life.

My wife and I moved here from Holland in October last year with the intention of buying a property and living here permanently. We have been in rented accommodation since then, but believe we have found our new home at last.

We are in the process of buying a beach-side penthouse with wonderful views of the waves breaking on the shore, and the vista of the beautiful blue Mediterranean. I am certainly looking forward to waking each morning to the sound of the surf instead of traffic.

But what does the Costa Del Sol really have to offer apart from sun? For a start, a totally different lifestyle to the one we are used to. In the first place, one has to get used to the idea of 'Siesta'; a Spanish tradition going back eons.

They don't start work here until ten in the morning, and at two o'clock everything closes while they have the all important siesta until five, when everything opens again.

You have to remember that you cannot just pop down to the shops during the afternoon, you need to do it all during the morning or evening. Being a 'Gentleman of Leisure', this can sometimes be irritating if I have to get out of bed 'early' in the morning to catch the shops.

But, having said that, there are small supermarkets called 'Open Cor' (should I charge them a fee for this advertising?) that are open 24/7/365. So if you do fancy a cup of coffee or a sandwich at three in the morning (Yawn) and find out you have run out of something, they are always open, and they are everywhere. Handy!

The shopping precincts are pretty much the same as everywhere else, except, you find in most the staff are very helpful. I have found the local people to be very polite and friendly, I guess it must be the weather. Such a difference from up north.

I lived in Holland for about thirty six years, and in the last ten or so you said goodbye to the sun in October, and if you were lucky it came back in April or May.

We lived in the south of the country, and from autumn to spring the sky is usually covered by heavy grey clouds. Once in a blue moon the sun peeked through just to let you know it hadn't gone supernova, but most of the time it was extremely depressing. Sigh! I have to admit, the only time I want to see Holland, frost or snow now, is on the TV.

It is easy to understand why the Andalusian people of the Costa are so cheerful all the time. They have something we northerners can only dream about, a great climate. It's a satisfying feeling to wake each morning, throw open all the windows and breath in that clean Mediterranean air.

I have always liked the idea of spending my days and evenings outside, and not cooped up in the house all the time as you are up north.

Deciding when to have a barbecue on the patio in Holland was always a real challenge, and a game of chance. Next Saturday? OK! Then it rained! Ever tried eating a barbecued steak in the rain; No? Thought not.

Here you can plan a barbie for August in January with a 99.99% chance that it will be a memorable occasion. Nice! Go on! Have another steak. By the looks of that young wife of yours you'll be needing your strength tonight!!

Living in Spain does mean a long period of adapting to some of the more strange ways they have here, I mean of course strange to us northerners.

For example, they have some very wierd roundabouts in the towns and cities, insofar as to turn left, you first have to turn off right into a slip-road before turning left to cross over the main road at traffic lights. Doing a U-turn can be quite a challenge until you get used to the system.

Passing through the area where we live is the four-lane A7 urban motorway which follows the coast from Malaga, most of the way to Gibraltar. It has no on-ramps as such, and entering traffic must wait for a gap before joining the motorway. Local newspapers say it is the most dangerous road in Spain, and I must admit, it can be hair-raising. That said, I must say that even in rush-hour the traffic moves along at a steady pace. I only ever had one hold up which was caused by an accident.

OK! Spanish drivers like to drive in the middle lane on motorways, and they can be aggressive at times which can be irritating, but when all is said and done I wouldn't move back up north if you paid me. Hopefully I have seen my last snow from close up and I can throw away all my thick winter coats and woolly jumpers.

Now I have made myself a nice cup of real English tea, I shall go outside on the terrace and sit in the sun. Enjoy your day. Toodleoo!

May your life always be what you want it to be.

Roy.