A couple of friends of mine went to my wedding to Spain and hated my country so bad that it hurt my feelings... they ate at McDonnals EVERY SINGLE DAY , they hated Spaniards kissing them, they hated the coffee, the people, the language, they didn't understand why the hell ALL Spaniards don't speak English ... it was embarrasing for everybody else! :o I think that kind of people should stay where they feel comfortable, otherwise they are miserable and make everybody miserable.
Nuria

Nuria, pay no attention to them. It seems they fill the "Ugly American" stereotype and don't know what they should be appreciating.

There are hundreds of "NON UGLY AMERICANS" in this forum and millions out there... who cares if 2 Americans are "ugly"?
And let's face it, when we went out we got to eat their share of jamon and tortilla

That is something I have come to apreciate...

It is not that I thought all americans filled the stereotype yourselves hate, it is that really they are the exception...

Fernando

The american people who ive met in Spain and on the messageboard have,(with 1 or 2 exceptions) been fun,intelligent and well travelled people.

One particular couple, (ron from Colarado) have become really good friends with us.

Iam sure the positive side of well travelled americans that i have seen is typical of most USA citizens which is why i have offered my friends in US to stay many times.

Spain iam sure has had the benefit of US visitors and i feel sure that the rest of the UK would benefit from your warm friendly,positive attitude to life.

Nuria, I (and iam sure everyone else in uk) love the custom of (kissing) the Spanish.
People are so friendly in spain its a real delight to meet such lovely people i love spain and all its traditions
Spike

I do think it takes only a few unpleasant people to make someone have negative thoughts about a group...which is why I always try to be as kind and friendly as possible while traveling (not that I am not kind and friendly all the time ). I think it takes MANY, MANY good experiences to override one bad one with people of any culture.

Aren't we lucky to have a place to make friends from many countries, without leaving our cozy chair in front of the computer? What an opportunity!

Nuria, I know how you feel. One of my friends who came to my wedding couldn't stop talking trash about Madrid. I felt so betrayed. It's one thing to dislike something and another to mention it to the person's face (about their home)! She spent 7 weeks in Madrid with me and constantly criticized every detail. It's unfortunate that she couldn't find positive things to say about the city. We're still friends but I won't invite her back anytime soon.

I'm pleased to say I had the opposite experience to Nuria and Nevado when I got married at Easter in Malaga four years ago. My friends from the UK, few of whom had previously visited the area, came with the usual stereotypes about Malaga and the Costa del Sol being a vast touristic nightmare. They were amazed at how completely "Spanish" Malaga is (the Semana Santa processions were in full swing!), and how even places like Torremolinos, for all the English bars, were still mainly full of Spanish families. Everyone got a warm welcome, had a great time, and lost some unfounded prejudices!

I have to add my story to the board also. I remeber the first time that I got to Madrid. I hated it and I was going to be there for one year. I didn't want to go to begin with, for all of my study in Latin America (Guatemala, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Mexico) spolied me.

Then I woke up to reality and learned about all of the good things Marid had to offer. I wasn't the only one in my group. Those who also studied in Latin America first also didn't care for Madrid too much.

Madrid takes time to warm up to and I am going back to live soon. I am glad that I had the experience and will cherish it always.

It doesn't get any better than this.

Shawn

I keep reading that Madrid "takes time to warm up to", etc.. What do people mean by that? The popular travel guides tend to state that also. I will only be there briefly to start with and certainly hope that I "get it" ASAP. Friends of mine who were there a couple of years ago didn't seem to "get it" and wanted to leave. What do I need to know to enjoy this city? I'm going just to experience a vibe, a liveliness that doesn't exist in my rather drab part of the world. Is this part of the trick?

Just wondering.

Dargus