I have just returned from a week in Lanzarote having not been for 8 years. The Island is still very nice and has some great spots although Puerto del Carmen is looking more like BENIDORM than ever before. I work in the legal and trading standards arena and have written to the Canarian tourist board about the dodgy electrical so called "duty free" shops. do not touch them with a bargepole the items they sell are not authentic and if you check Kelkoo or Argos you will find that a lot of the cameras and camcorders are simply not made by Nikon or Sony at all but are cheap fakes. Also worth a reminder that most fake goods fund organised criminality in some shape or form. If it seems to good to be true then it is. A nikon that they were advertising simply is not made by Nikon. Despite the gripe about benidorm Puerto del carmen is not a bad resort its just not very authentic if you want a more upmarket location try Playa Blanca or Teguise.

I think the problem with fake electrical goods needs airing from time to time. I'd never buy anything from one of those shops. Living here, I'd see if I could buy it from Amazon first, because they ship here free for items over £25, and you can claim the VAT back. Failing that, i'd buy it from one of the Spanish chains such as Milar, or Buzz or PCBox.

Errrr, who in their right minds buys electrical goods abroad these days? You'll find anything you want in the UK through the internet and using all the price comparison, code and voucher sites ensures you get a bargain. Unless it's for some sentimental 80's nostalgia trip, why would you even go into these shops? Every couple of months a post like this appears and I'm dumbfounded that some people are still taken in by these shops and some really dopey folk who go in even say they are bullied into buying something. For goodness sake, assert yourself, just ignore them and walk out! Yeah fair enough Walker, due to the amount of gullible people still on the go, I suppose the topic does need airing regularly.

A couple of years back before we had the internet here, I was in a place with a few computers using one to check e mail, and a man came in and asked me to help him get on the internet. He'd just spent 700 Euros on a video camera and AFTERWARD ! wanted to check if it was an OK price. He had, of course been royally ripped off in comparison with what he could have paid even at Dixons.

I think it's not a case of not being in their right mind, it's just that a lot of people are gullible, and easily parted from their money, despite the widespread publicity on TV and in the papers. The chap above told me he was a school governor!

There's a sticky about this under "share your experiences" on this very forum.......

Enjoy !!!

What utter tosh It's as far removed from Benidorm as anyone can imagine. Wish people would come up with a realistic comparison resort rather than using the B word all the time yawn, yawn.

Aside from all the huge myriad of differences between the resorts........I must have missed all those 60/70s high rise 40 floor hotels all over PDC 3 weeks ago when I was there

I agree with sapphire, PDC is a nice resort with a great beach.The promenade is now fantastic with the new cycle track and sidewalk. The new one way system for traffic makes it much safer ( although I know the locals don't like it ! but people need time to get used to change ) As for PB or CT being better, it is a matter of taste and each resort has it's strong and weak points and we all prefer something different. Yes,the shops and bars probably need a bit of TLC but I am sure that will happen with time.

A matter of lack of taste surely

You've got to admit the football shirtometer is pretty high there...

you are right foodie, if you want to live in a hinterland that reminds you of Milton Keynes then PB is superb.

A potentially good analagy, slightly marred by the fact that PDC is on the coast and Milton Keynes is almost as far in land as you can get.

I am a constant reader of this forum and whilst I seldom respond to a posting, on this occasion I just have to. I have only been to Benidorm once for a day visit (which was enough) to liken PDC to it is beyond belief. Tell me where in Benidorm unless you are right on the front, can you see anything but high rise buildings in front of you. You cannot even see daylight from most of the streets because the buildings are so close together. I can sit on my one story balcony 10 miniutes walk back from the beach in PDC and look straight out to sea. Yes the strip may appear brash in places and may need a little attention to some of the establishments but I like the buzz even if I am the wrong side of 60.
I agree about the electrical shops and I think the authorities should clamp down on them, but people also should take responsibilty for their own actions. You do not need to go in these places and I know that at the welcome meetings at my complex people are always warned about them.
No where on Lanzarote can be compared to Benedorm thanks to the foresight of Cesar Manrique.

LindaK

PDC is like benidorm and 'duty free shops' sell nikon cameras

and the flying pigs must approach the airport from the south because they need the ILS


there must be some Spanish legislation available to stop those shops if the authorities really had a mind to?

PDC like Benidorm? LMFAO, Oh yeah, and Sticky Vicky operates out of the Dubliner too. Mrs Sparkle take some Mr Sheen to your Gregory Pecks and have another look. Anyone niaive enough to go in those shops and stay longer than a minute deserves all they get. As soon as I go into any shop be it at home or abroad, and am pestered if I need any help, well I'm straight out that door. Any good staff member in retail knows to give the potential customer browsing time and can easily pick up on when that customer needs help. If you insist on going in to these shops and get badgered for a sale, then make sure you have a wad of monopoly money and insist that such currency is as legit as their goods.

I think that should read wind in your gregory peck and take some Mr sheen to your mince pies.

BTW, there's a bloke at teguise market selling rolex's for 10 euros. JUst checked on google and that's 0.000001% of the RRP! Limited time offer though, so grab a bargain while you can they'll be €8 next week

finally figured out what LMFAO means. Then I checked on google and found out I was wrong, did get the F right though!

philloyd, you did your PB Milton Keynes thing a couple of weeks ago and looked a little silly, now you've dragged it into a discussion on rip offs in PDC. Give it a rest