About 4 years ago we went to Madrid, Spain to visit our daughter who was studying there. We loved the city, but found the people to be somewhat unfriendly, sometimes rude.. Language was not a barrier, because my husband and daughter are fluent in Spanish. I attributed it to being in a big city. Outside of Madrid, this wasn't so noticeable.

However, my daughter said that after living there for 6 months, that really the people are not rude and unfriendly, you just have to get to know them first, because what we call aloof or rude, she calls stoic (just a cultural difference I guess). She may be right. We were used to the outgoing and friendly Mexican culture.

The most friendly and outgoing people we have ever met were the Salvadorans (El Salvador), they are truly the most wonderful open people. It is a very poor country, but very beautiful, and the people we have met, we will remember forever. It would be nice to see that country benefit from the tourist industry, because they sure could use the money. My daughter also lived there for 6 months and taught English and worked with the poor while studying at the University of Central America (after the war of course). We spent 10 days with her and were totally amazed.

Lynne Gig Harbor, Wa