Carlos
5th October 2006, 01:57 AM
Hola Ben,
I’m a lurker – I read a lot of Madrid related web-sites, blogs, etc., but I don’t post too often. However, I found yours and I wanted to say hello.
I bought your book, Errant in Iberia. I bought the printed book, and enjoyed it very much. I recommend it to all and commend you for writing it, and more importantly, finishing it.
It had special meaning for me since I find we have a lot of experiences in common. A quick synopsis: I am an Americano circa 1962. I first went to Madrid as a student in 1982. I spent about 10 months in Madrid, lived with Spaniards on c/ Hortaleza. I went back to Madrid many, many times over the years. Quit my Los Angeles job once in 1987 to try to work in Madrid. I did not consider teaching English for some reason. I wanted to work in my profession, which was structural engineering. Needless to say, I did not have much luck. Times were very different then, there were very few Americanos looking for engineering jobs. I was an oddity. Also in 1987, I used to eat Menu del Dia at the cheapest place that I, and my 74 year old Pension buddy Don Luis, could find, on c/ Lavapies at Casa Juanito. Back then it was a very typical Spanish working man’s bar.
But ever since my first year in Madrid I wanted to buy a piso. I used to dream of an American style water heater in a Madrid apartment since I lived with six students in a two bedroom piso with an electric water heater that you had to plug in 30 minutes before your shower. After waiting for it to heat up, you had about five minutes worth of hot water. And oh yeah, no heating in the house of course. But it was great.
To speed this up. Over the years I worked, saved money, returned often to Madrid to look at pisos – and hang out. In 2000 - 2001 the Peseta was really, really low compared to the dollar when I found my piso on c/ Lavapies. Just like you, I recognized the changes taking place in the neighborhood. In Lavapies, I could get much more for the Peseta.
I too, had the scary meeting with the “judge” (and everyone else) formally transferring title to me in April 2001. I did not have the benefit of a Marina’s dad though. I also had the extra fun of looking for a loan from a Spanish bank WITHOUT a Spanish job – I did get one.
There are actually a lot more similarities between our stories. But the one thing that is not similar – I still have not made my permanent move to Madrid. That’s enough for now. Thanks for the site and the book.
Carlos
I’m a lurker – I read a lot of Madrid related web-sites, blogs, etc., but I don’t post too often. However, I found yours and I wanted to say hello.
I bought your book, Errant in Iberia. I bought the printed book, and enjoyed it very much. I recommend it to all and commend you for writing it, and more importantly, finishing it.
It had special meaning for me since I find we have a lot of experiences in common. A quick synopsis: I am an Americano circa 1962. I first went to Madrid as a student in 1982. I spent about 10 months in Madrid, lived with Spaniards on c/ Hortaleza. I went back to Madrid many, many times over the years. Quit my Los Angeles job once in 1987 to try to work in Madrid. I did not consider teaching English for some reason. I wanted to work in my profession, which was structural engineering. Needless to say, I did not have much luck. Times were very different then, there were very few Americanos looking for engineering jobs. I was an oddity. Also in 1987, I used to eat Menu del Dia at the cheapest place that I, and my 74 year old Pension buddy Don Luis, could find, on c/ Lavapies at Casa Juanito. Back then it was a very typical Spanish working man’s bar.
But ever since my first year in Madrid I wanted to buy a piso. I used to dream of an American style water heater in a Madrid apartment since I lived with six students in a two bedroom piso with an electric water heater that you had to plug in 30 minutes before your shower. After waiting for it to heat up, you had about five minutes worth of hot water. And oh yeah, no heating in the house of course. But it was great.
To speed this up. Over the years I worked, saved money, returned often to Madrid to look at pisos – and hang out. In 2000 - 2001 the Peseta was really, really low compared to the dollar when I found my piso on c/ Lavapies. Just like you, I recognized the changes taking place in the neighborhood. In Lavapies, I could get much more for the Peseta.
I too, had the scary meeting with the “judge” (and everyone else) formally transferring title to me in April 2001. I did not have the benefit of a Marina’s dad though. I also had the extra fun of looking for a loan from a Spanish bank WITHOUT a Spanish job – I did get one.
There are actually a lot more similarities between our stories. But the one thing that is not similar – I still have not made my permanent move to Madrid. That’s enough for now. Thanks for the site and the book.
Carlos