As Ana Patricia Botín, head of Banesto, a retail bank in the Santander group, says: “It is all very well being the Florida of Europe, but it would be nice to be the California as well.”

正如Banesto（西班牙Santander组织下的一家零售银行）的总裁Ana Patricia Botín所说，“把西班牙建设成为欧洲的弗罗里达固然美好，但是我们同时还希望西班牙能成为欧洲的加利福利亚。”

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Firms like Santander, a huge banking group, and Ferrovial, a construction giant, have spent billions buying foreign businesses.

像庞大的银行组织—Santander[2]，建筑业的巨头—Ferrovial[3]都花巨资购买了外国的公司。

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Operating profit across the whole of Santander Group rose 1.6% to 23.6bn euros, thanks to a strong showing at its Latin American businesses in Brazil, Mexico and Chile, which now contribute half of the group's profits, and 50% growth at its small Polish subsidiary.

BBC: Santander profits hit by Spain bad loans

Spanish banking group Santander has seen profits fall 59% after setting aside money to cover losses from the collapse of Spain's property market.

BBC: Santander profits hit by Spain bad loans

Other lenders to offer similar deals were the RBS group (including NatWest), Santander and the Nationwide.

BBC: HSBC pulls ultra-low 2.99%, five-year, mortgage deal