Any Navy guys been stationed in Rota Spain?
My Son-in-Law will be heading there after the first of the year and my Daughter will be going with him. No kids at this point. She is an educator and should be able to teach there, plus she has 4 years of Spanish under her belt.
What were your experiences there?
Any must sees/must avoids?
Good area/not so nice?
Inquiring minds want to know.
What were your experiences there?
Any must sees/must avoids?
Good area/not so nice?
Inquiring minds want to know.
0
-
I am an Army guy and I was there for a week. Not a bad place, good chow, nice Gym. 0 -
I lost a close friend there back in the early 70's from a motor cycle accident. About the only advise I can give is to be careful out on the roads around there. 0 -
Rota is a wonderful place. It's clean and the weather is gorgeous. Spain is a constitutional monarchy.
If they are adventurous, Morocco (and Casablanca) are just a boat ride across the Pillars of Hercules. Madrid is only a couple of hours away.
Toledo knives are still made and available.
It's a lot nicer than most of Europe.0 -
There is currently a serious constitutional crisis coming to a head in Spain - with one small prosperous region wanting independence from Spain at large - they fly a separate flag and have a distinct paramilitary force and recently came close to sparking a war (civil)
The region came close to seceding - it's good reading but barely made the news here
Much of Spain is in a serious economic depression of epic generational proportions
Their military - especially their navy has been declining in size and effectiveness for decades
People with no jobs and pension failures and eu currency bailouts and economic trade issues - a royal caste that is no longer relevant
ETA separatists are back in the news
Some regions don't speak "Spanish" as we understand it - but more of a castillion influence - other regions show linguistic drift with dialects containing much French or Latin or Portuguese patois
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Rota,_Spain
Mike0 -
quote:Originally posted by mrmike08075
There is currently a serious constitutional crisis coming to a head in Spain - with one small prosperous region wanting independence from Spain at large - they fly a separate flag and have a distinct paramilitary force and recently came close to sparking a war (civil)
The region came close to seceding - it's good reading but barely made the news here
Much of Spain is in a serious economic depression of epic generational proportions
Their military - especially their navy has been declining in size and effectiveness for decades
People with no jobs and pension failures and eu currency bailouts and economic trade issues - a royal caste that is no longer relevant
ETA separatists are back in the news
Some regions don't speak "Spanish" as we understand it - but more of a castillion influence - other regions show linguistic drift with dialects containing much French or Latin or Portuguese patois
Mike
The Basque separatists have never bothered foreigners or American military members or dependents that I have ever heard of. When were you in Espana?0 -
ETA performed their first car bomb assassination in Madrid in September 1985, resulting in one death (American citizen Eugene Kent Brown, Johnson ...
Mike0 -
ETA has killed more than 800 people since the late 1960s as part of its campaign to establish an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France. The United States and the European Union consider it a terrorist organization.
Mike0 -
Spain
A fight for independence and explosions in Madrid
Attacks with at least one death, 1970-2016
FRANCE
Basque
Country
Barcelona
POR.
Madrid
S P A I N
Seville
100 MILES
1,141 deaths in 655 lethal attacks
Notable groups: Basque Fatherland and Freedom (ETA), Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, First of October Anti-Fascist Resistance Group, Hezbollah, Argentine Anticommunist Alliance
Al Qaeda is also credited with multiple attacks including one on the rail system resulting in hundreds killed
Mike0 -
The Naval base is located in between the towns of Rota and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Rota is a tiny sea-side fishing village with two gorgeous beaches and a wide boardwalk paseo.. The streets are very narrow and houses are typically small. This is a good area for young couples, because of the small quarters (mostly apartments and townhouses, rather than stand-alone homes) and the good nightlife. You can walk from the base into Rota, so there are plenty of American bars and nightclubs. During summer, the tourists are up every night, but in winter it is a quiet little town where everyone knows everyone else. It is only a few minutes? drive to the base gate. Americans have been here for 60 years, and Rota survives on their business, so even though most shopkeepers and restaurant owners don?t speak much English, you will see Americans everywhere. The downtown square has a castle and cathedral from the 13th century, and hosts small celebrations throughout the year.
Mike0 -
Been there....not stationed out been there on TAD orders for a bit of time....nice place. 0 -
Spent a few days in Rota on a postal inspection. Traveled there from Bella Napoli with MCPO Johnny Burns back in '77, I believed it was. Had a great time. Traveled to a few outlying cities, one of which was the home of Christopher Columbus. I think they will truly enjoy their tour there!!! 0 -
I was home ported in Rota 1968-1969. I would be happy to tell you everything I know about Rota but most of it probably isn?t true anymore.
They will definitely need a car. I would take a decent one, but not a high dollar car because when they come back it will be beat to hell. The roads had potholes you could hide a car in.
Speaking Spanish is a big plus but not a requirement. Most of the locals are patient and will tolerate your attempts to communicate with them. If you know a few words of Spanish they will treat you like family. I was advised not to eat anything from the street venders but I never had a problem with it.
Rota was a nice little town. I expect it has grown some. There are lots of interesting places close enough for weekend day trips. They might want to go to a bullfight. I?d do it once just to have done it, but not my favorite sport. I?m not interested in seeing a bull tormented for an hour then killed.
When I was there wine was cheap. If you supplied your own one liter bottle they would fill it from a barrel for five pesetas? (7?).
The weather is great. They will need a small space heater for the worst of winter. They should be able to get a good one cheap from somebody who?s leaving.
I hope they enjoy their tour as much as my wife and I did.0 -
I forgot to mention the U. S. Navy Shore Patrol enforces speed limits on and off the station at Rota. If the posted speed limit is 35 KPH they will give you a ticket for 36 in a 35. It doesn?t cost you any cash money but you have to go to a kangaroo court where they will pull your driving license for a month or so. Their authority to do that is questionable, but at that time nobody questioned it.
In the middle of downtown Rota they had a barber pole in the middle of the street. You had to get in the left lane to go around the pole. If you ignored the pole and just went straight as common sense would tell you to do they had a local policeman there to issue a ticket and collect a fine. When I was there the fine was fifty pesetas? (70?).0 -
Thanks to all for your memories and advice.
Mike,
I will share your information with them so they go in prepared.
James,
Everything we have heard so far pretty much matches what you have mentioned. They will probably buy a car when they get there and just leave it when the tour is over.
P3,
Yes they are adventurous and are already planning the places that they want to visit. I am almost envious of their upcoming adventure.0 -
Never me But a Friend a Corpsman was stationed there. He loved it but this was in the early 80's. He did tell me if I ever was there it was a great Jumping off place to see other places. 0 -
In the late 1960s Gibraltar, Morocco and Portugal were don?t miss places to visit. He would need a few days leave and an airplane ride for Portugal but Gibraltar and Morocco can be done on a weekend. Not both on the same weekend. I assume no responsibility if things are different fifty years later, but I don?t think they would suck now.
The two popular beers in Spain were Cruzcampo and San Miguel. Most of the internet reviews say both are hog swill, but I thought they were passable, and there is always the Commissary/Exchange and local wines are plentiful and cheap.0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
In the late 1960s Gibraltar, Morocco and Portugal were don?t miss places to visit. He would need a few days leave and an airplane ride for Portugal but Gibraltar and Morocco can be done on a weekend. Not both on the same weekend. I assume no responsibility if things are different fifty years later, but I don?t think they would suck now.
The two popular beers in Spain were Cruzcampo and San Miguel. Most of the internet reviews say both are hog swill, but I thought they were passable, and there is always the Commissary/Exchange and local wines are plentiful and cheap.
Save the beer drinking for Germany, Sangria and Lambrusco are the vins for everyday. San Miguel is in the PI too.
Forgot to mention. If they travel East up the Med coast a bit, they will get to Malaga and Torremolinos Costa Del Sol. Malaga is a beautiful and ancient city. I spent three weeks there and the city was beautiful. Torremolinos has some absolutely world class beaches.
Farther North in the island of Palma. It's a jetsetter place with 90 foot yachts anchored all around it. I've got an old friend who owns a B&B on the island. I was only there for a couple of days.
Tell the kids to take lots of photos. Spain is a beautiful counttry0 -
I don't post my thoughts on political intrigue or internecine squabbles to slam Spain or put anyone off from going there
I just figure most Americans are completely clueless about what goes on there based on our education system and the mainstream medias non coverage of events
Forewarned is forearmed
P3skyking is right that ETA goes out of there way to not harm Americans but shift happens when bombs go off and grenades get thrown
There is the option to send kids to school off-base - an international style school - and I am certain that teaching opportunities would be available both on and off base
My mother's mother (my grandmother) spent time teaching in Spain before getting married and returning to the US
She thought Franco was a great man - she would curse in Spanish when angry with my grandfather
Mike0 -
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/861739/catalonia-map-where-is-catalan-referendum-independence-spain
Not a bad article - good maps and pictures...
Scrolling down brings you to links that tell more of the story
Mike0 -
I like the idea of buying a car in Spain and selling it on the way out. Shipping a car is a huge pain in the butt and sometimes a heart breaker. You can add a month to the ETA and then it will arrive minus battery, windshield wipers and anything easily removed and then the Navy Exchange will have the parts to fix it ?next week for sure?. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
I like the idea of buying a car in Spain and selling it on the way out. Shipping a car is a huge pain in the butt and sometimes a heart breaker. You can add a month to the ETA and then it will arrive minus battery, windshield wipers and anything easily removed and then the Navy Exchange will have the parts to fix it ?next week for sure?.
+++ bigtime, and maybe buying a new car to have shipped home at the end of the tour.0 -
My Dad finished first in his Flight School class and had his choice of assignments...my mom wanted Spain. He picked Rhode Island...LOL...to be closer to his Mom...my mother has NEVER let him forget that...they are in the 80s and she's still pissed. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by shilowar
My Dad finished first in his Flight School class and had his choice of assignments...my mom wanted Spain. He picked Rhode Island...LOL...to be closer to his Mom...my mother has NEVER let him forget that...they are in the 80s and she's still pissed.
I can?t say I blame her. [:D]
The thing that stands out in my mind about Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is the first day I arrived in their lovely state for the first time. I was broke, tired, cold and hungry. I had one thin dime in my pocket. Coincidently a cup of coffee cost one thin dime.
I went into one of those diners that look like a stunted aluminum railroad car. I was the only somebody in the place except the guy behind the counter. I ordered a cup of coffee. The guy behind the counter asked ?regular?? I said ?yeah, just a regular cup of coffee.?
To me a ?regular? cup of coffee was just a regular cup of coffee. Unfortunately, to him ?regular? meant a cup of coffee polluted with milk and sugar. It came out of the urn pre-polluted so I didn?t suspect anything was amiss. I took a sip and managed not to spit it across the counter. I even managed to swallow it and keep it down.
I told the guy I just wanted a cup of coffee, a regular cup of coffee. He said that?s what you got, a regular cup of coffee. I told him English language aside, all I wanted was a cup of coffee with nothing in it but coffee.
Anyhow, to shorten the story a little, the rotten son-of-a-butch wouldn?t replace the coffee unless I came up with another dime. Now I was broke, tired, cold and hungry without one thin dime in my pocket.
Things went downhill from there. After my wife got there I found out you couldn?t buy grits in Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Not even at the Navy commissary. We had to mail order grits from my mother-in-law.
On second thought I still agree with your mother. I?ll pick Rota over Newport any day of the week.
I knew a Master Chief Engineman that always put ?anywhere on Earth? on his Duty Preference Sheet because he always wanted to be the first Engineman on the Moon.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
In the late 1960s Gibraltar, Morocco and Portugal were don?t miss places to visit. He would need a few days leave and an airplane ride for Portugal but Gibraltar and Morocco can be done on a weekend. Not both on the same weekend. I assume no responsibility if things are different fifty years later, but I don?t think they would suck now.
The two popular beers in Spain were Cruzcampo and San Miguel. Most of the internet reviews say both are hog swill, but I thought they were passable, and there is always the Commissary/Exchange and local wines are plentiful and cheap.
Save the beer drinking for Germany, Sangria and Lambrusco are the vins for everyday. San Miguel is in the PI too.
Forgot to mention. If they travel East up the Med coast a bit, they will get to Malaga and Torremolinos Costa Del Sol. Malaga is a beautiful and ancient city. I spent three weeks there and the city was beautiful. Torremolinos has some absolutely world class beaches.
Farther North in the island of Palma. It's a jetsetter place with 90 foot yachts anchored all around it. I've got an old friend who owns a B&B on the island. I was only there for a couple of days.
Tell the kids to take lots of photos. Spain is a beautiful counttry
Best Sangria I have ever had was in Palma. I remember we went to some rustic property outside of Palma. They had Sangria in giant barrels with all kinds of citrus in it.
They roasted chicken and potatoes over real wood fires. We would sit at long wooden tables to eat family style. You could have your picture taken with them squirting wine from a goat skin into your mouth.
I think I still have a picture of them doing that to a freind I was with. Will have to see if I can dig it out, scan it and post it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Sam06
I am an Army guy and I was there for a week. Not a bad place, good chow, nice Gym.
Same here. Found some good Irish pubs in Rota!0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
25 comments