Not very pleasant

Last week as we drove down to the town we noticed some graffiti on the board which holds a map of the Pedrera. The message said “Giri go home” (giri means “stupid foreigners”).  Further down the road the same message was repeated on the wall of the large finca and then again just before the turning to Bigastro. On the builder’s board where the office used to be it said “No + urbanizaciones” which we assume meant no more urbanisations. Neither of these are considered viewpoints since all we do is add to the town by spending our money there. We don’t steal jobs, we don’t claim benefits and we provide work for the local builders and tradespeople.

I have to say that Pamela and I have been made to feel more than welcome by all of the Spaniards we have met. They even greet us in the streets as we pass by. Clearly though, as a group, we have upset somebody. Anyway a quick phone call to the Acalde (Mayor) at the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) and a van was dispatched to clean it all up.

I know that there are some residents who complain bitterly about the young lads who ride their motorbikes up the main roads at the weekend. Most are underpowered mopeds running flat out to get up the hill so they can be noisy. To us it is a minor disturbance – a few seconds and they are gone but to some it is obviously a challenge. I suspect that one of the residents last weekend went out and shouted at them – probably in English and they retaliated by leaving us a message.

At least the Mayor doesn’t want to upset us. Mind you he is up for re-election this year and by all accounts only just got in last time. I dare say our votes would be useful to him. With this kind of support he has got ours!