Imogen Calderwood
SPAIN’S holiday resorts have become the stage for a bitter rivalry between British and German tourists.
Tired of years of criticism for hogging sunloungers with strategic early morning towel placement, the Germans have launched an offensive.
Germany’s biggest selling tabloid, Bild, went on a mission to a Brit-packed hotel in the Spanish resort of Lloret de Mar in Catalunya.
Two clandestine snapshots taken by the team of the beachside loungers show them to be empty at 7.36am, but by 9.21am every one has been claimed, yet there are no tourists to be seen.
But when the early birds returned to their bagged loungers, breakfasted and ready for a day by the pool, the German reporter lay in wait.
And the worst offenders were the Brits, according to the article entitled: ‘Photo evidence in the war of the towels. The English are the worst lounger squatters!’
But the paper only focuses on three British families, and doesn’t provide any details for the other ‘squatters’.
Car mechanic Darren, 43, from Exmouth, Devon, on holiday with daughters Elouise, nine, seven-year-old Daisy, and his Union Jack towel, told Bild: “I was in a queue at 8.50am. Without a reservation you don’t stand a chance. There are simply not enough places for everyone.”
When asked whether he thought Germans or Britons were the worst offenders, he said: “I don’t know. We often have exchange students staying from Germany. I find them very polite and friendly.”
Classic British stiff upper-lip as the long-running turf war rages around him.
A previous Bild article listed a number of holiday resorts to avoid, because of the number of Brits.
The top six ‘black spots’ listed are: the Bay of Palma in Mallorca; San Antonio in Ibiza; Playa de las Americas in Tenerife; Ayia Napa in Cyprus; Faliraki on the Greek island of Rhodes and Malia in Crete.
The article went on to poke fun at British cuisine, binge-drinking habits, fashion and sport, adding ‘athletically they are not up to much, they can’t even take penalties’.
Can’t even take penalties? No wonder so many Brits hate Europe, they are shown up in so many spheres… but at least we tell the best jokes. allegedly.
if the Brits hate europ why they dont stay at home. The German have no respect for anyone because they think they are the best in the world. so let them stay in theyr own country.
Without any implied criticism of either German or British tourists, I have to ask why – surrounded by Spain’s spectacular scenery, historic architecture, cultural heritage, and the blue Mediterranean – are these folks fighting to occupy double-parked loungers between a smallish pool, and what appears to be a busy highway.
Don’t they have public pools and traffic at home?
TBH I think the Brits behave badly abroard, not all but most. Drinking, fighting, boobs & bums out, sex on the beach. That was why we bought our property in a Spanish village with very little Brits, although even there the Brits like to stick together & are cliquey. I prefer to keep my own council & mix with the Spanish.
Poke fun at the Brits at sport just switch on the tv and watch the European Championships in Zurich. Then look at the medals league table UK at the top deeds not words.
Nothing like the home grown to learn bad habits from! What would happen if, seeing there was no tangible presence from the so called claimant of the loungers, the earlier arrivals to the side of the pool removed the offending towel/s and put them on the floor in a heap? A gust of wind could be the culprit. Nobody was there, so who is to go and complain? Maybe that would curb the habit.
The only other “hijack” I have ever come across which, in the height of summer, is especially infuriating is when you see a parking being vacated and someone gets out of the car in front of the car which has left the parking and stands in the space claiming the spot as their own, even though their car has to go all the way around again. I hope Brits don’t learn that habit too.
Lol Gus ,
Do you want tourists or don’t you want tourists. Their hard earned cash doesn’t travel to a Spain on its own.