So farewell Spain, after about 8 months in your company.  The country has been good to us and we have many fond memories of places and people.  We won’t miss the dreadful over-development of great chunks of the mainland coast or the excessive smoking in all public haunts but otherwise here are some reasons why we like it:-

For its easy-going approach to most things – we never felt pressurised by authority or burdensome regulations.

For its refreshingly irresponsible attitude to health and safety so that people can still enjoy themselves mightily even if there are sometimes casualties.

For never making us feel insecure on the streets, day or night.

For a culture where alcohol is not the only drink of choice and where we never witnessed drunken behaviour from locals.

For the rich family life still visible outside the home with generations mixing for the evening “paseo” and children always included.

For the sight of so many fond and patient fathers with their little ones with whom they appear so delighted.

For the wonderful peaches, citrus fruits and the huge red peppers.

For some fabulous towns and cities that will stay in our memories forever.

For having the courage to re-use their old buildings imaginatively – no preserving in aspic, lots of great cloisters converted to markets or museums, castles to hotels.

And of course for the blue, blue skies and warm sunshine most of the time (apart from this particularly cool winter!).