Well, Spain is fully in the 21st century: traffic jams, Internet, digital TV, and even more mobile phones than in the US. However, there's 18% unemployment right now. The economy here crashed at the same time as the US mostly due to real estate speculation but also pulled down by the economic problems in the rest of the world.
At the same time as it has modernized, Spain has been able to keep its history intact. There are several words for "old-fashioned" here, and some of them are compliments. In addition to a love of history, there's also a love of art. Tourism is a big business here, and foreign tourists are genuinely welcomed because they help pay for the historic sites and fun activities that Spaniards themselves enjoy. in fact, Spaniards are their own best tourists.
Families are close and important, and young people here seem less conflicted than US teens. Even here in Madrid, many people return for vacations to the small towns where their grandparents came from so that the whole extended family can spend time together, and they consider that little town their real home town.
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Date: 2010-01-31 06:09 pm (UTC)At the same time as it has modernized, Spain has been able to keep its history intact. There are several words for "old-fashioned" here, and some of them are compliments. In addition to a love of history, there's also a love of art. Tourism is a big business here, and foreign tourists are genuinely welcomed because they help pay for the historic sites and fun activities that Spaniards themselves enjoy. in fact, Spaniards are their own best tourists.
Families are close and important, and young people here seem less conflicted than US teens. Even here in Madrid, many people return for vacations to the small towns where their grandparents came from so that the whole extended family can spend time together, and they consider that little town their real home town.
Oh, and yes, that was my cart.