Which language is easier for the typical English speaker to learn?

[Citizen James]

Both are romance (that is, Latin - aka 'roman' - based) languages, so they are pretty similar in a lot of ways.  They are closer to each other than they are to English, and both are closer to English that various eastern languages such as Japanese or Chinese.

I'd say that they are pretty much the same, though around here it is a lot easier to find fluent Spanish speakers to practice with (a situation perhaps reversed in or near Quebec).

[Citizen James]

Both are classified as Category I languages (relatively easy for native English speakers to learn).

I found Spanish easier, though I have trouble with most linguistics.  (which is a little strange since my father speaks several - including a category 4 (Chinese), a category 3 (Russian), and several Category I's (Spanish, French, German, smatterings of others).