GRAFFITI GUARDAMAR - SPAIN

Graffiti Busters needed ...
Aiding and abetting the Graffiti Artist ?

The problem of graffiti in Guardamar (and Spain in general) is one which needs to be addressed (agreed it is a growing global problem) - but it seems in some ways that it is (unwittingly ?) encouraged in the way that Guardamar (and Spanish) buildings are structured. Typically six storey apartment blocks, with underground parking and the ground level of the building reserved for commercial units, most of which, are then bricked up - until someone decides to rent the unit. In most cases the bricking up of these units looks even worse than the graffiti which inevitably follows (give the kids a canvas which they think is not private property) ...
These bricked up units then provide shelter for the hoards of stray cats which occupy Spanish towns ... a whole different story in itself.

There's a saying ... "only in America" - but this kinda thing could only happen in Spain.
I don't want to sound patronising or holier than thou ... but just look at the evidence ... the Spanish allow parking right by the side of a zebra crossing ... and right by the side of road junctions ... I mean ... how stupid can you get ?
Its common sense really .. not rocket science.

Even the doorway entrances to some of the apartment blocks (by design) - provide the kids with a hidden opportunity to daub the walls - like dogs marking their territory, all of which .. simply encourages a type of ghetto mentality and these things will gradually get worse unless they are nipped in the bud.

The town of Guardamar is a holiday resort for the Spanish from Madrid, which it has historically been for many years now. The town is buzzing in Easter, July and August but the rest of the year (commercially speaking) pales in comparison - so why the need for so many of these empty (because that's the way they will stay - for quite some time coming) units - with ugly brickwork plastered in graffiti names and slogans - and housing more & more stray cats.

Guardamar may well change (in another 20 years) with regard to an influx of "live in" people who - all year round - can make Guardamar into a thriving commercial centre, after all the structure and environment is there - but that change will be a long time coming ... especially after the collapse of the Spanish building trade.

One business which springs to mind in Guardamar, a town with more than its fair share of shoe shops, estate agents, Chinese Bazaars and Chinese Restaurants and which incidentally took over one of these empty units ... is El Corte Chino. An outstanding stroke of genius (although there are other stores throughout Spain). The store is huge and sells almost everything you can think of - Chinese imported, but one also wonders - with the unrest among the Chinese workers regarding wages - how long these kind of stores will be able to import and still manage to sell goods at rock bottom prices. Meanwhile though, El Corte Chino must rule the roost in Guardamar's commercial sector (as regards to stock turnaround - who knows what the profit margin is) .... without doubt.

El Corte Chino could probably put a lot of the other Chinese Bazaars (and a few other stores) in Guardamar out of business and seems to be making a killing, the Spanish love a bargain - and they certainly got one here - the name of the of the store itself could have brought a law suit from the high profile Spanish chain of El Corte Ingles !!