Costa Cálida Chronicle - Costa Calida Chronicle

Transcription

Costa
Cálida
Chronicle
The Longest Established
hed
FREE Magazine
in Murcia
www.costacalidachronicle.com
Date: July 2014
Issue: 8 Volume: XIII
In association with Costa Cálida International Radio and www.angloINFO.com
SPECIAL PAGES
Mar Menor
Mazarrón
Northwest Murcia
Sport
What’s On
70-76
50-56
30-33
92-97
83-89
ADVERTORIAL
ADS Sunbeds
David’s Coach Trips
Dragontours
18
8
89
CHARITIES
ACTIN
ADAPT
Age Concern
Andrea’s Charity
Cavalli Foundation
Cruz Azul
Dogs Looking 4 Homes
Equipo Bastet
FAST
GOmaD
HAH
HELP MMM
Helping Hands
JJ’s
Ladies in Pink
MABS Mar Menor
MABS Mazarrón
MABS Northwest
MAMAS
MARA
Noah’s ARC
PALS
Pets in Spain
Swap Tears for Smiles
7
70
51
22
90
76
42
16
50
40
74
76
16
40
53
74
56
33
28
30
78
80
36
60
CHILDREN
Chatterbox
80
EDUCATION
Jane Cronin
22
ENTERTAINMENT
Cloud Nine
Keep Smiling
Line Dancing
San Javier Jazz Festival
66
57
73
73
FOOD & DRINK
Food 4 Thought
Ma Millbank
Menu del Dia
Vegetable of the Month
Unusual Frozen Food
49
24
82
26
38
GROUPS
Camposol B Clean
Camposol Bridge Club
Camposol C Greenfingers
Camposol D Community
Humanists
Ladies Chatterbox
Los Palacios
MCC Social Club
Team Harmony
Welcome
50
52
55
53
28
53
51
55
58
20
HEALTH/BEAUTY
Fitness Month by Month
Forget Me Not
Natural Health
18
52
70
INFORMATION
Advertisers’ Directory
100/101
Animal Matters
60
A Trip Through Murcia City
12
British Consul
20
British Embassy
102
Business News
6
Charities, Groups etc
48
Classified Ads
98
Mazarrón News
54
Mar Menor Musings
71&72
Northwest Murcia
31
Spanish News
34
Subscriptions
Teresa’s Travels
33
44
LEISURE
Arts & Craft Fayre
Author Review
Gardening News
Hiking in Moratalla
NEST
Never a Dull Moment
Poem
Puzzle Page
Puzzle Solutions
TV News
WARM
26
44
14
32
68
10
102
64
98
62
30
PROPERTY
Housing Update
Property Matters
99
99
RELIGION
Beacon of Light
Mass in English
Olive Branch
Open Door
St Nicholas Church
Welcome House
Wellspring Victory Church
90
58
62
39
68
33
66
SPORT
Bob Fay Golf
Camposol Golf
Fuente Old Guard
Golf Fun Day
Local Sport
Los Amigos Mazarrón
SAMM
Sporting Camposol
Straight Down the Middle
92
97
94
95
93
96
94
92
95
Price List - All Prices are excluding IVA
A - Full Page
Size of advert
19cm wide
26,5 cm high
Full Colour
250,00€
B - Half Page
x 19cm wide
13,1cm high
135,00€
C - 1/4 Page
x 9,3cm wide
13,1cm high
85,00€
D
E
F Card
Business
x 12,6cm wide x 6,25cm wide x 9,3cm wide
8,7cm high or 8,7cm high
5cm high
6,25 wide x 17,5
cm high
75,00€
45,00€
35,00€
To advertise with us contact Teresa on 619 199 407 or email us on [email protected]
Costa Cálida Chronicle: Please tell our customers where you saw their advertisementt
Page 2
Sales Contact Teresa 619 199 407 or for the Editor Contact Patti 646 005 017
email: [email protected]
x
Costa Cálida Chronicle: Please tell our customers where you saw their advertisement
Page 3
Dear Readers
We would like to thank Mike Eskdale for his
brilliant photo of Cartagena which we have
put on the front cover this month. If you
have any photos that you would like us to
consider using either on the front cover or in
the magazine, please send them in to us at
[email protected]
Photos accompanying articles must be originals and sent in separately as jpg files with
the highest resolution possible but at least
300 dpi. Please include details at the end of
the article or name the file to relate to the
photo.
We have made several changes this month
to our popular “Menu del Dia Guide” (page
82) as many restaurants do not offer these
excellent value for money deals during the
height of the tourist season. We feel, however, that those restaurants still offering a
good value menu during the summer months
should be given some recognition for it, so
we hope that you will let them know that it is
appreciated when you visit them.
Welcome New Advertisers:
Clinica Camposol
Hospital Quiron
La Casa Familiar Bar & Restaurant
Welcome Palace Indian Restaurant
Welcome Back:
ADS Sunbeds
Crystal Designs
Eden Hair & Beauty
Le Carrousel
Mosaic Man
THANK YOU TO OUR
CONTRIBUTORS
Summer is well and truly here now and so
there are many more people around than
usual. Whilst this is good for business in the
area, be aware that there will be much more
traffic than usual on the roads and parking
will become much more difficult. It is sometimes better to park a short distance away
from your intended destination and walk to
either the beach or your favourite bar. If you
are taking your dog with you, please do not
leave it in the car even with the windows open
as a car can heat up to unbearable temperatures in a very short length of time. It is
kinder to leave your pet at home rather than
take it out in the heat of the day.
Enjoy the summer everyone, it is threatening
to be a scorcher!
From all of us at
The Costa Cálida Chronicle.
Alan Monk – TV News
Caroline Jaine – Mar Menor
Musings
Christine Lawford - Poem
Clive & Rosie Palmer – Exploring
Murcia
Dick Handscombe – Gardening
George Mitchell – Never a Dull
Moment
Ian Field – Fitness, Month by
Month
Ken Whettall – Housing Update
Jane Cronin – Learning Spanish
Liz Edmiston – Food 4 Thought
Liz Edmiston – Property Matters
Paco Vet – Animal Matters
Sandra Ramsay – Natural Health
Sara Millbank – Ma Millbank’s
Kitchen
Think Spain – Spanish News
DISCLAIMER
Whilst the CCC are happy to accept monthly reports from the various organizations in the area, the articles printed are not necessarily the
opinions of the editor or publisher and the contents should be viewed as a guideline only. Professional advice should be sought to cover any
information printed therein. Advertisements and reports are not formally endorsed by the CCC. We cannot accept responsibility for advertisers’ works, service or goods. The publishers endeavour to ensure the contents are correct, but cannot accept responsibility for the effects of
errors or omissions.
Page 4
Page 5
If you are an existing customers and you have some Business News that you would like to
share with our readers then why not email it to us to be included on our Business News page.
Please keep your news to about 50 words and send us an email by 15th of the month,
to [email protected] with Business News in the subject box.
Clinica Camposol (formerly Dental Care)
on Camposol B is now so much more than
a dentist. Their new range of services now
include an English speaking doctor, general health checks including cholesterol testing, blood pressure and thyroid problems.
They have also just added a chiropodist to
their portfolio and your first visit will only
cost 10€!
Welcome Palace Indian Restaurant is
now open on Sector B Camposol, just a
few doors away from Black Bull. This newly-opened restaurant offers a wide selection of both lunch time and evening menus
at amazingly cheap prices. There is also a
menu available from 6pm-8pm for those
that like to eat early at only 12.50€ including 1 drink.
Contact Maria on 968 199 111
Call 968 199 298
The family-owned Restaurant/Bar La
Llana in Puerto de San Pedro offers a really outstanding, good value for money
Menu del Dia in a lovely location. You can
just step out of the back of this location
onto a beautiful large terrace surrounded
by yachts moored in the marina. At just
10€ for 4 courses, this restaurant offers
excellent value for money as well as great
service.
Call John on 603 258 156
Restaurante Amapola in Bolnuevo is
delighted to announce that they have a
brand new transport service. For a group
of 8 people, this service is offered to customers free of charge. Why not be the first
to try it? Get a group of 8 together and
contact Kate for more information and
bookings!
Tel 660 328 092
Tel Roy and Pam on 968 543 103
Tel 968 103 300
La Casa Familiar in Los Urrutias is a hidden gem! This family-run restaurant and
bar has one of the only ‘short mat bowls’
rinks in the area and it is set in a beautiful
palm garden. There is also a large selection of home cooked food and the location
is fabulous; right near the beach! Try their
‘All You Can Eat BBQ’ with live music every
Sunday.
It’s fiesta and party time! Are you having a
party or charity event this month? Why not
book a Bouncy Castle to keep the youngsters amused? Mazarrón Bouncy Castle
Hire has the answers.
Do you live in Puerto de Mazarrón and
have problems with your post? Ibex Insurance at Av Dr Meca, opposite Lidl have
the answer, with your own private mail
box. (Special rates for Ibex customers)
Call in to see Kelly or Alan for more details.
Tel 968 595 945
Have you changed to a summer duvet on
your bed now the hot weather is here?
Now is the time to get that winter duvet
cleaned, so that it is packed away and
ready for the colder months. Call in to
Los Belones Laundrette for all your dry
cleaning, alterations and repairs. They will
even collect and deliver to local areas.
Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in
July sees The Camposol Triangle play
host to more fantastic acts from the UK
and Spain. For a full listing see the What’s
On section in this month’s Chronicle. Don’t
forget Alley Palais and Trevi Restaurant provide a full menu each night, so
why not dine and dance in The Triangle?
It’s not too late to get your spa delivered and installed for those hot summer
months. Eurospas have been working in
the business for over 35 years and have a
large selection of spas to suit your budget.
They cover the whole of the south of Spain.
Visit their website www.eurospas1.com
to find the spa for you.
Tel 650 722 905/650 769 103
Do you need to hire a car, scooter, bicycle
or a child’s car seat while your visitors are
here? Bolnuevo Cars SL are a family-run
business in Bolnuevo, Mazarrón and they
have a good selection of rental vehicles including 7 seaters, but do book in advance.
Visit Bar Alandalus on Urbanisation Valle
del Sol just outside Calasparra for some
fun nights out in July. Alfonso has organised entertainment for most Saturday
nights in July. Call into the bar for more
details.
Tel 968 150 979
Tel 968 955 942/602 459 311
Tel 968 569 091
Page 6
In December 2013, more than 20 dogs had
been adopted by the complainant Association and died of Parvovirus and injuries.
With their research, they were given written
statements of more than twenty witnesses,
(several individuals and four protectoras in
the area). All of them are witness complainants in criminal proceedings in the denunciation together with several veterinarians who
reportedly revealed a bleak picture.
The complaints against Esprineco include:
insufficient food, dirt, excrement, parasites
and an extreme lack of veterinary assistance
for injury or serious ailments. ACTIN also
denounced that terrified cats were introduced into the same cages as dogs. Esprineco receive public Treasury money to
cater for these vulnerable animals, but
they continued animal abuse, killing
several dogs and cats. Currently Esprineco SL has subscribed contracts for collection
and custody of animals abandoned in more
than 10 municipalities of Murcia.
health.
The 337 Fund representatives expect this
financial support to be used by ACTIN to
cover expenses related to the complaint and
support efforts to obtain an exemplary sentence. The Fondo warning to councils, such
as the one in Mazarrón, is that they cannot
escape responsibility to animal abuse cases.
This is a public service and they should accept their obligation.
Whilst numerous witnesses agree in their
statements before the judge that this pound
mistreats animals and that many of the dogs
and cats have visible injuries, Mazarrón City
Hall and Alhama de Murcia have not sanctioned or ceased the contract with the company Esprineco. The Ayuntamiento of
Totana, has renewed the contract of
collection of animals with the company
despite being denounced for cruelty to
animals.
tured. Happy Pets Vet tried to save his eyesight but in the end they had to remove his
uncomfortable eyes. Teddy is such a happy
dog and acts like any sighted dog. We are so
grateful to Blind Dog Rescue for finding him a
fantastic home in Scotland. Please follow his
story on Facebook. Funds were raised for his
travel, but we are still raising funds to cover
his operation and veterinary treatment. If
you would like to donate please contact us
or PayPal to [email protected]. We
also have a donation box in Happy Pets.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Teddy-the-blind-puppy-needshelp/236039356590729
Esprineco say “We are different from other
companies. We do not sacrifice healthy animals”.
The 337 Fund is administered jointly by animal rights Association releases, Foundation
Altarriba, Justice Animal, GEHVA and Zoological Society de Extremadura.
Charley and
Linda
are
still waiting
for their forever homes.
They
are
young dogs
with
lovely
gentle
natures. They
just want affection
and
play time.
Teddy the blind puppy was due to go to a
pound at 4 weeks old to be killed. He had
congenital glaucoma, but we felt he was
worth trying to save as he was so good na-
Thanks to this complaint, three members of
Esprineco have already been charged and
called to testify before the judge for an alleged crime of animal abuse. The company
has also been denounced for alleged misappropriation (for the Association Animales
Alhama), scam and fraud to finance and
Press Release from Fondo 337
Outraged by the animal abuse cases and
inactivity by some authorities in Spain, a
group of citizens launched a collection of
funds aiming to help these types of cases,
to ensure those responsible are punished.
The 337 Fund was created in 2011 following
the published images of a puppy tortured to
death. This was set up in order to provide
support for those that report these cases of
cruelty to animals. In this case, the 2,550€
fund will be given to the ACTIN Association, de Asociacion de Defensa Animal, for
its complaint of animal abuse against the
company Esprineco SL, Gestora, a privately owned kennel in Mazarrón. With legal
Counsel De Animales Office, the complainant accused this Kennel of causing
suffering and death to various animals.
www.actin-spain.com
www.adoptaspanishdog.com
Page 7
Benalmadena for Christmas and New
Year
What great fun this is going to be! On
24th December the coaches from David’s
Coachtrips will leave from your area, bound
for Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol. The
journey down takes us through some of the
most delightful scenery to be found in Spain
and by late afternoon we will arrive at a really
nice 3 star hotel which sits in its own well established grounds and just one row back from
the seafront. All rooms come with a balcony.
the doorstep you have a wide range of shops,
bars and restaurants.
Every second day there is an organised excursion included in the price of the package
and we visit the historic city of Granada on
Boxing Day. This day in Granada is rather
special; just about the whole population don
all their finery and go for a post Christmas
“paseo” around the town. Buskers and balloon sellers add to the colour of the occasion.
Even the children dress in their very best for
this day.
The next day, we go straight in to Christmas
Day with a special Gala Lunch. The perfectly
situated hotel is on the main bus route
to Torremolinos, Malaga, Puerto Banus,
Marbella, Fuengirola and other well
known towns on the Costa del Sol. On
lots of British shops and of course the world
famous “apes” of Gibraltar this is a lovely
day out.
Then there is Nerja; a sparkling whitehoused gem with cobbled streets, which juts
out into the blueness of the Mediterranean.
Here if you want to, you can also visit the
awe-inspiring, caves of Nerja, which have an
almost cathedral type atmosphere and which
were discovered by youngsters whilst chasing
bats as recently as 1959.
Finally you can spend a half day in the relaxing mountain town of Mijas, complete with its
nappy-wearing donkey taxis!
This 9 day package includes all the excursions, full board with wine and water, a buffet Christmas Gala and on New Year’s night a
Gala Dinner is served to the table, followed
by live music and a free bar until the early
hours. All this is available for only 485€ (if
booked before 31st August) or 496€ for bookings after that date. It hardly seems believable, but this excellent price is being offered
by David’s Coachtrips SL.
Another day sees us on that little bit of Britain
which sits alongside the Spanish coast; the
rock of Gibraltar. With a fabulous history,
Summer is Here!
With the arrival of Summer, we all want to
look our best and Eden Hair & Beauty on
Condado de Alhama offers a range of treatments to prepare you for the hot weather.
They have a creative team, who are highly
qualified, offering personal consultations
on your cutting and styling requirements,
alongside beauty and nail services.
To book, simply call (0034) 966 785 910 or
book online at
www.coachtripsonline.com.
Hair Styling
There are two stylists and a barber to provide all your Hair Styling Treatments,
who approach every client’s needs with
care and attention by listening and collaborating to provide the right look. Hair
products are also available for purchase to
protect your hair from the sun and con-
Eden Hair & Beauty’s aim is not just to
make clients feel great about their hair &
beauty treatments, but to make it a special
experience too.
tinue treatment at home.
Beauty Treatments
Hair Removal Services are available
for both men & women including waxing,
threading and sugaring on request.
Relaxing Massages & Facials are available to allow you to unwind, in the calming
beauty treatment rooms.
Manicures & Pedicures will complete
your rejuvenated look.
Eden Hair & Beauty has recently extended its services and now has a barber providing Gentlemen’s Haircuts.
Events
In April Eden Hair & Beauty hosted a
Fashion Show for an international designer and holds regular events throughout the year. A themed Ladies’ Night is
held monthly with limited discounted treatments. The July Ladies’ Night is ‘Flip
Flop Feet Friday’ on 18th July with a free
pair of Flip Flops for every customer who
has booked a Deluxe Pedicure on the
night (subject to availability).
For further details on these and future
events, or to book an appointment, please
contact Eden Hair & Beauty at Al Kasar,
Condado de Alhama
Tel (+34) 620 072 536
[email protected]
Facebook - Eden Hair and Beauty by
Leeanne NOW OPEN
Page 8
Page 9
Back in the USSR!
No, not the Beatles’ song, but a statement.....
for I’ve just been there...and yes I know it’s
2014.
Let me welcome you to Transnistria, population 700,000.
Never heard of it? Not surprising really. Not
recognised by the US, UK or by most of the
world, this country doesn’t officially exist......
but believe me, exist it does.
On the very edges of East Europe, sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine, this
little Soviet time warp was born in 1992 (following the breakup of the USSR.) Not wanting
to be part of the Romanian leaning Moldova,
Transnistria fought a short but brutal war
with its neighbour and somehow managed to
keep the old red flag flying here.
just thrown right across the main highway.
The official, unofficial border. If you can
imagine driving on a motorway in the UK and
suddenly looming ahead in the middle of the
road you see tanks, soldiers, barbed wire and
artillery strewn everywhere.......and on the
other side of that....another country (unofficially of course!).
Nervous? Slightly, but more excited, as I
remembered thinking that this would be
the closest I’d ever get to actually crossing
through Checkpoint Charlie and into the long
vanished old East Germany. A gigantic metal sign hung above the road displaying the
Transnistrian flag with Hammer and Sickle.
Had I just stepped through a portal?
Two armed soldiers entered our bus and on
spotting me as the only Westerner, I was taken off and directed towards a building. After
prodding questions by a border guard, I was
reluctantly granted a visa for the day and it
was made clear to me......under no circumstances should I outstay my welcome.
Thirty minutes later, we crossed the Tighina
Bridge, scene of much the 1990’s bloodshed.
Military road blocks and camouflaged
nets. I got off at Tiraspol’s (this unofficial
country’s official capital) main bus station and
quickly on the black market exchanged $10
for a fistful of the local worthless currency,
the Transnistrain Rouble. I bought a packet
of Marlboro cigarettes for 60p and wandered
Was I even allowed to even enter this unofficial country?
I was assured I was. “The border is open today,” my man in Moldova told me. I suddenly
recalled the advice of the British Foreign &
Commonwealth Office, “There are no foreign embassies in Transnistria, so if you
get into trouble there is very little we
can do to offer help. We advise caution
if considering travelling to Transnitria.”
I was already in neighbouring Moldova’s capital Chisinau, so early one morning, after a
couple of hours on a ramshackle bus, we approached a heavily fortified area, seemingly
down Lenin Avenue looking at old Soviet murals. Honestly, if the long dead 1970’s Soviet
leader Leonid Brezhnev himself had walked
round the corner, I wouldn’t have batted an
eyelid. I had stepped through a portal.
W a n t i n g
proof
that
I’d
actually
been
there,
that I hadn’t
dreamt it, I
photographed
(against
all
advice
of
course)
the
empowering House of
Soviets, the
eternal flame,
pro posters of
Putin and anti
Nato graffiti.
I then walked
the
barren
steps to the
parliament building to take a photo of the gigantic statue of Lenin that stood out front.
Within seconds I was quickly approached by
a Kalashnikov waving guard who appeared
from nowhere. He told me in no uncertain
terms to go away. I did and high-tailed it to
a café. I chewed on black bread and washed
it down with a 100g shot of vodka as I felt
watching eyes on me.
But in amongst all this weirdness stand the
brand spanking new Russian banks that look
worryingly out of place.......... Hmm, just
adds fuel to the notion that Transnistria is
fast becoming a black hole for not only money but weapons laundering. It’s no secret
that Transnsitria only exists with Moscow’s
blessing.
Back on the bus some six mind bending hours
later, as we approached the same check
point, the radio crackled into life blasting out
the 1986 hit “In The Army Now”. Spooky!
Want to experience the last bastion of Communism in Europe? Go to Transnistria. Just,
watch your back.....
Page 10
Page 11
For a snapshot of the fascinating history of
Murcia City, there is perhaps nowhere better
than the City Museum.
The Museum is to be found across the road
near the Convento de las Agustinas, on the
Plaza de las Agustinas. When we were last
there, it opened from mid-September to midJune Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am until
2pm and then from 5pm until 8pm. On Sundays and festivals it is just open for the morning session. From mid-June to mid-September, the afternoon session ran from 6pm until
9pm and the Museum was open weekdays
(including Monday), but closed on Saturdays,
Sundays and festivals. Entry was free and a
small guidebook is available in English as well
as Spanish (the displays tend only to be in
Spanish though this should not prevent you
from understanding the times through which
the City passed). At the back of the Museum
is a huerta (market garden), the Huerta Cadenas, dating back to Arab times, which is
irrigated by a canal from the same era, the
Caravija acequia.
The Museum covers three floors. The
first, immediately inside the entrance, deals
with the early history of Murcia City and the
surrounding area. There is a display about
the valley of the Rio Segura to the dawning
of historic times. From the Argaric period of
around 2000-1000BC, there is the reproduction of a tomb. Other displays include grinding stones and stone utensils from the Argaric
era, as well as votive figures (small religious
offerings) relating to the subsequent native
Iberian culture from the 4th and 3rd Centuries
BC.
The displays, however, then quickly move on
to the Islamic period. Foundation of Murcia
City can be traced to the Emir of Cordoba,
Abd al-Rahman II, who caused it to be established to act as a military and commercial centre. This event is precisely dated to
Sunday 25th June 825 AD. The Museum
displays give details about the City’s founding and there are ceramics from the time of
Abd al-Rahman III in the 10th Century which
were uncovered in the Calle San Nicolas area
of Murcia City. Many other remains from
the time of the Moors are also to be seen.
There are household goods and ceramics of
the Almoravide epoch in the first half of the
12th Century, including vases, containers and
a lamp. Remains from the 12th and 13th Centuries include a scythe, ceramics from the
Castillo de Monteagudo, a large fragment of
an arch (third quarter of the 12th Century)
also from the Castillo de Monteagudo, domestic items (knives, scissors, a comb) and
a large earthenware jar which came from the
Calle Plateria area of the City. Finally, relating to this era, note the interactive display in the middle of the room which has
buttons illuminating lights which show
where mosques, funeral grounds etc
were located in the Moorish period. In
addition, there is a representation of the Segura River basin around the City giving information about the irrigation canals (acequias)
and the routes in the surrounding huerta.
At the end of the tour of this room, you reach
the Christian takeover of Murcia City in 1243,
with some further items of ceramics from the
12th and 13th Centuries. However, before ascending to the next floor, do see what temporary exhibition (if the room remains dedicated
to this purpose) is displayed in the room to
the left of the entrance; when we last visited
(January 2014) it was an exhibition of painted
fans and tambourines.
The main one room on the next floor looks
at the City’s history during Christian times.
You will see information about Murcia’s
magnificent cathedral, the construction
of which began in the late 14th Century.
One of the displays is of a replica of part of
the stone chain which you can see high up on
the outside of the cathedral. Another display
deals with the importance of silk to Murcia
City. It is said that it was in the 15th Century that the industry and trade began to assume a major importance. There is information about the trade guilds of the time and
examples of ceramics with decorated plates
and glass from the 16th and 17th Centuries.
In addition, there is a display about esparto
and a lot of information about the development of the City in the Baroque era which
flowered in the 18th Century with considerable new construction taking place in the
City, including the magnificent facade of the
Cathedral. Important individuals from the
time are also dealt with such as the warrior
priest Cardinal Belluga (1662-1743); that
most famous of Murcian sculptors, Francisco
Salzillo (1707-1783); and José Moniño, the
Count of Floridablanca (1728-1808), who was
a Prime Minister of both King Charles III and
IV and highly influential in the development
of the city. Among many other interesting
items and displays in this room are the
stone carving from the Malecon dated
1776; old cemetery stones; examples of
domestic pottery and other wares from
the 19th Century and information about
the political vicissitudes of that time.
The displays end with 1897 and the construction of the new bridge over the Rio Segura.
Displays in three sub-rooms continued the
theme of Murcia City’s history in Christian
times. One room housed paintings and artefacts (especially basins, vases, and a very
large earthenware jar) relating to the history
of one part of the City, the Arco de la Aurora in the Arrixaca Nueva area. A second
sub-room housed a collection of paintings
and drawings, many relating to the Cathedral,
while the third had a small exhibition about
daily life at the time of Alfonso X in the 13th
Century, including some ancient texts relating
to the City.
The top floor of the museum is devoted
mainly to the 20th Century. Subsidiary displays included an impressive collection of nativity figures; details of 20th Century agricultural industries including information about
pepper and the preservative industry, together with numerous photographs of prominent
people of the time. The main room on this
top floor had a model of Murcia City centre with a board at the side giving details of
“modern” emblematic buildings whose locations could be lit up. As you continue round
this room, you will see details of other notable events affecting the City and its people in
modern times. Displays include an advertising poster for the inauguration of the Plaza
de Toros (bullring) in 1887, the cooking and
diet of the ordinary people, the celebrations
of Easter Week (Semana Santa), Murcian fiestas and even details about the local football
club, Real Murcia CF, founded in 1908. There
are various exhibits from this period. The displays end with some models of modern developments in the city.
Part taken from ‘Exploring Murcia – Murcia City’, by Clive and Rosie Palmer. Clive
and Rosie have written several guide books
on towns and regions in Murcia. Their book,
‘Exploring Murcia, Days Out’ is available to
buy from the CHM/Costa Cálida Chronicle office on Camposol B, Best Wishes (who also
stock other of their books, or phone Patti on
968 433 978. All their books can be viewed
at and obtained from www.lulu.com, or
contact [email protected].
Page 12
Page 13
Looks Like A Dry Summer, Which
Needs Unusual Action by Dick Handscombe, well known gardening author in his
almost 30th summer in Spain.
Today I went to collect bottles of spring
water for drinking and making paellas,
but ten had stopped running and the last
one, whose two to three centimetre diameter normally runs full bore throughout the
year, is down to only a quarter of its normal flow. Although it’s an economic disaster that 90% of agriculture in our valley
is now abandoned and there is no house
building, this is currently fortunate, as if
they were both active we would have a
major disaster on our hands.
At the time of writing in mid-June, we
have had no real rain for nine months
and the 14 day forecast again indicates that no rain can be expected. In
the mid 1980’s a similar thing happened,
but then by the end of the decade May had
many storms and there were eight continuous days of rain in June! Are we experiencing the natural effects of sun
cycles, or is the effect of genuine long
term global warming affecting Spain!
This is difficult to know, for although many
coastal areas and nearby valleys and high
plains are becoming desperate and there
daily photographs of potato, olive, grain
and squash fields drying out with little
survival of 2014 harvests, even if storms
come in July and August, it might be too
little, too late. While we suffer droughts,
parts of inland Spain have had record
heavy rainfalls, especially in the north and
I cancelled my annual carp fishing trip to
the River Ebro in Cataluña and Aragon as
the river bursts its banks almost every
week.
Many readers of our books and articles
have been asking how our garden is surviving to be both beautiful and productive
with a minimum of watering. The answers
are simple; the garden was designed to
collect and distribute water to where
most needed. The soil was improved
before planting anything and most of our
plants have a high degree of drought-resistance, most are mulched and most of
the garden is only in full sun for half the
day or less. Roots are coached to go deep
and the garden has no general irrigation
system.
A couple of
years
ago
the
papers
from a workshop
were
published
in a hurry
as my first
Kindle book
‘Making
Waterless
Gardens
a
Practical
Reality Worldwide’. This
was not an
idea
booklet, although
it helped a good number of expatriates.
I therefore set about correcting and expanding this into a 90 page book which
was published as a hard copy and internet
book entitled ‘How To Use Less Water
In Your Garden – A Practical Guide To
Waterwise Mediterranean Style Gardening’ early in May. The book can be
purchased via Amazon Books and will be,
shortly, with other internet bookshops. The
book includes some 300 practical ideas
and a listing of 250 of the most droughtresistant plants that we have experienced
in our garden and those of friends.
(photo of book)
By the way, a couple of months ago I emphasised the importance of strong boundary fences and walls to keep out marauding wild boars, goats and rabbits. With
less and less natural water, the problem
is becoming even greater, with goats even
drinking out of a swimming pool while the
family swam! If you persist with heavily
watering unfenced gardens, orchards or
vegetable plots, don’t be surprised if marauding wild boar and other wildlife turn it
over totally overnight.
Parallel with this, rabbits are taking to eating anything with fleshy leaves and roots.
© Dick Handscombe
www.gardenspain.com
Page 14
Page 15
Many will remember the
tragic story of our friend
and Treasurer Rita, who
was injured so very badly
last year whilst carrying
out a charitable act and
has remained in hospital
since. Sadly Rita lost the
use of her arms and legs
due to extensive nerve
damage.
The HELP for RITA fundraising campaign led
by Helping Hands in conjunction with the
Ayuntamiento de Pulpi has now begun in
earnest, culminating in a huge Beneficiary
Concert on 19th September 2014 in Pulpi.
Many Benidorm and locally based artistes
have wonderfully donated their time for this
concert which will be managed with assistance from Furniture Plus (Helping Hands
Sponsors), MilesBetterEntertainment, DJ Byron and Malcolm Rushton. It is hoped that
the campaign and concert will raise the much
needed funds to equip Rita with the medical
aids and assistance she needs to continue her
life at her home in San Juan de Los Terreros
as opposed to residing in a care home.
We would like to thank all those marvellous
folks who are helping us to help Rita and invite everyone to come along to the Concert
and have a wonderful time. Our bar will be
very very reasonably priced and coaches can
be arranged upon request for those not living
locally.
Every ticket sold is one step nearer to
completing Rita’s wish – to live at home
with Edwin and her beloved cats! Thank
you.
Figaro was
abandoned
with
her
mother and
brothers in a
park in February at just
one month.
He is very
tender and
sweet
and
likes playing
a lot. He is
looking for a
stable home. He is in Murcia, but he can
travel anywhere. He will be chipped, vaccinated and castrated.
Helping Hands/Manos que Ayudan
Supporting Animals and People Alike
Assoc.No: 10.913/1a CIF No: G73739989
Tel 968 482 948
Sofi is the
sister of Figaro.
She
is also very
tender and
sweet
and
likes playing.
We hope she
can find a
loving home.
She will be
chipped and
vaccinated
and has been
spayed.
Leona was picked up very skinny and alone
in a field zone. She is 6 months old and
weighs 12kg. She will be about 20kg when
fully grown. She is very funny and tender.
She gets along with other dogs very well.
Leona deserves a good home. She will be
chipped, vaccinated and spayed.
This
little
puppy
was
at a gas station in a box
of fruit with
her two sisters at just
3
weeks
old. She is 2
months and
she is ready
to live with
a nice family. She is in
Murcia
but
can
travel
to any province. She will be chipped, vaccinated and
neutered.
Contact [email protected]
Page 16
Page 17
Maura Dunne from ADS is delighted to announce that the sun beds and umbrellas are
on the main beach at Puerto de Mazarron
and La Isla again this year. Why not come
on down and say hello! Many of you will know
Maura from either from ADS Property, ADS
Locksmiths or ADS Insurance; all of which
have been trading successfully in the area
since 2003.
This summer there is no need to carry heavy
equipment for your day out at the beach!
Just bring your cool box, towel and swimming
gear for a great day out and don’t forget your
sun cream! We all know that children love
the beach and the sand and it’s a great way
of entertaining them for the day. The locations are fantastic on both beaches with front
line sun beds available. The prices are very
affordable, for example: 2 sun beds and 1
umbrella for 12€ for the day. It is ADS’s
policy to offer best service and affordable
prices.
the many bars and restaurants on the promenade. For those wanting a quieter location;
why not choose the beach at La Isla by the
Miramar Restaurant and across the road from
Residencial La Isla. This beach is very safe
and shallow and is ideal for children.
Maura is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with those customers that she
has not seen for a while and to catch up on
all the chat. You will find Maura either sitting
under an umbrella or wandering along the
promenade, wondering if anyone will join her
for a coffee or cold drink!
The beds are very good quality and very
comfortable. This year the umbrellas are
the fixed straw umbrellas, so offering a nice
shady spot close to the water’s edge! In Puerto de Mazarron they are situated right
on the main beach, just a short stroll from
Maura hopes that
you enjoy the summer sunshine and
looks forward to welcoming you to the
beach.
Hasta luego!!
Hiring a personal trainer is more affordable and more beneficial than you think!
Though personal training is becoming more
mainstream than ever, there are still plenty of
people hesitant to hire a trainer. They worry
about the cost. They worry about how hard
it’s going to be and they wonder things like:
Will I look silly?
I have not exercised for years will I be able
to do it?
I am not fit?
These fears are normal, but you shouldn’t let
them stop you from hiring a personal trainer.
person may not work for another. Everyone has different health concerns, personal
goals and fitness levels. A Personal Trainer will make sure that all your needs and
concerns are addressed and focused on.
Are You New To Exercise?
Save yourself wasted time and frustration by having a programme designed by
a Personal Trainer. Not only will you gain
strength and lose fat more quickly, you’ll
do so safely and with an understanding of
what you are doing each step of the way.
Success!!
The number one reason people hire Personal Trainers is because, well…IT WORKS!
Whether your goal is to lose weight, increase strength, increase endurance, or
perform better in your sport, we have the
tools to get you on track and help you realize that goal. We will guide you along each
step of your fitness journey. Remember,
if you don’t succeed, we don’t succeed!!!
Reasons why you should choose a qualified personal trainer:
Exercise Safely
A Personal Trainer watches your form, provides objective feedback about your limits and strengths and assists with specific
exercises that would be difficult on your
own. We watch every move you make and
will push or slow you down as needed.
Efficiency
Don’t waste your time with ineffective exercises at the gym. A Personal Trainer will help
you maximize your exercise time with workouts designed to meet YOUR goals quickly and
efficiently. Maximize results in minimal time!
Give CDA Fitness a call today on 634 304
087
CDA Fitness are fully qualified, insured and
REPS registered, delivering high standards of
fitness care and have achieved some great
life changing results.
Improve Technical Skills
Whether you are looking to improve your
golf swing, fitness levels, your running mileage, or just your ability to carry your shopping, a Personal Trainer will incorporate skills
Ian Field
CDA Fitness. Tel (0034) 634 304 087
www.cdafitness.co.uk
Personalised Programmes
An exercise programme that works for one
to improve not only strength, but balance,
endurance, flexibility, and mental focus.
Page 18
Page 19
Tour Operators Learn How Tourist Police
Office And Consulate Can Help Brits In
Trouble
Tour operators have been finding out more
about how the Tourist Police Office in Benidorm (SATE) and the British Consulate can
help British visitors in need, thanks to a
meeting organised by the consular staff.
The service at the SATE office is invaluable for
anyone who has fallen victim to crime and it is
great that Tour Operators are now fully aware
of this vital source of support in Benidorm.”
Mr Milen also said that it was important
to prevent guests from becoming victims
of crime in the first place, by encouraging them to keep their valuables locked
away somewhere safe and carrying a
photocopy of their passport rather than
the original.
The SATE office (Servicio de Atención al Turista Extranjero) is a place where tourists can
go to get English language help and support
if they have fallen victim of crime. They can
fill out police reports, make emergency calls
to cancel their credit cards, get money transferred and contact their insurance companies
or the Consulate.
Representatives from Thompson, Jet2Holidays, Cosmos and Thomas Cook have committed to encouraging their guests to make
use of the SATE service, which is designed to
ensure visitors to Benidorm get the support
they need.
Tour Representatives also had an early chance
to sign up to the British Embassy in Spain’s
@britsvisitspain Twitter account and the
‘Brits Visiting Spain’ Facebook page, both
designed to help British nationals make the
most of their holidays here.
British Vice Consul, Lloyd Milen, who organised the event, said “Tour operators are often
the first point of call for a tourist who needs
help, which is why it is so important they are
up to date with the assistance on offer.
Hi from Bob with the latest news from Welcome. Firstly, summer has arrived at last
and whatever you’re doing, I hope it’s a good
one. I know a lot of you have family over and
that some go to the UK to visit family there,
but do enjoy and let’s hope it brings many
happy moments.
It’s been a busy time for Welcome again. We
had our Ladies’ Day at The Club House.
Because it was “ladies only,” I wasn’t there,
(not even in drag), but my spies have told
me that it was another fabulous afternoon.
The ladies were treated to a fantastic fashion
show, with models Pam, Ros, Doreen, Jean,
Sandra, Lynne, Denise and Brenda strutting
their stuff on the catwalk like true professionals, all introduced by MC Brenda Gardiner.
There were the usual stalls and all the trad-
The SATE office can be found in Benidorm at
the Centro Municipal Torrejó, Plaza de Canalejas, 1. It is open from Monday to Friday
from 9am-9pm and at weekends from 10am2pm.
these edifices were built by the Tsars, with
no expense spared, that Russia really was
a two-tier country with the ordinary people
very much second class citizens. That began
to change with the 1917 revolution and the
rise of communism, but we’re getting political now, so enough of that. Our suitcase
didn’t arrive at Madrid on the return journey,
but did turn up 3 days later! Thanks to all
those who showed their concern, and apologies again for keeping you waiting on the
coach whilst I was at the Iberia desk.
ers reported a bumper afternoon. The buffet
was first class, and Woody, in his normal inimitable style, kept everyone up and dancing
until they were ready to drop. Well done all
concerned and bring on the next one.
The
Cruise
to the Baltic Capitals
was at the
end of May
and the first
week of June.
Well,
what
can I say!
The
same
fantastic ship
as last year’s
cruise;
all
you can eat
and drink and
opulence everywhere. We visited Warnemunde in Northern Germany, a lovely little seaside town with plenty to see and do,
took the train to Rostock 20 minutes away,
then on to Stockholm; saw the changing of
the guards at the Royal Palace on to Tallin,
capital of Estonia, with a medieval city centre
well worth a visit at any time and finally to St
Petersburg. The churches, museums and palaces have to be seen to be believed. You’ve
probably heard how fantastic they are, and
they really do live up to expectations. The
decoration and workmanship is second-tonone, but it does make you realise that when
I’ll let you know next month about our Summer Ball at La Cumbre, but in the meantime, tickets are available for our Outside
Dance at Mariano’s, Camposol A on July 23rd,
with Paul Christie singing Gene Pitney and
Roy Orbison and many more, supported by
the lovely Maria O’Hara. Tickets 8€.
Our 20th August Dance, again outside at
Mariano’s, features ‘Cliff Richard and The
Shadows’ and also ‘The Beatles’. Tickets 8€.
All proceeds from this night will go to Age
Concern, so do come along and support this
very worthwhile charity.
Our Trip to Galicia in September is fully
booked, but you can put your name on the
waiting list in case of cancellations.
In November, we have 4 Nights in Madrid,
from 27th November to 1st December, staying
B & B at 4* Hotel Tryp Cibeles on the Gran
Via for your Christmas shopping and close to
all attractions, with trips to Toledo, The Valley Of The Fallen and on Sunday, a day at the
races. 260€ including all travel.
Christmas in Benidorm, at Hotel Helios,
leaves on December 23rd for 4 night’s full
board, including Gala Christmas Day lunch.
Only 240€.
For more details ring Rosemary on 620 105
179
Email [email protected]
www.welcomegroupspain.com
Page 20
Page 21
As the weather hots up, so do things for all
the animal charities, with unwanted litters of
puppies and kittens, abandonments and cases of neglect. The three unwanted puppies
handed in to our shop last month by a Spanish family unfortunately contracted parvo virus and were taken to our vets where they
are still receiving treatment, but they seem
to be recovering slowly.
Our new edition to the donkeys, Honey, is
doing well. She is gaining weight and settling
in well with the others. She, along with some
of our longer serving members, are looking
for that special someone who has the space
and love in their heart to adopt them. If you
are unable to re-home one but would like to
help, why not consider sponsorship? For a
regular payment of a few Euros each month
Feminine words with “el”
No doubt you have rushed to this page this
month in your anxiety to find out the answer
to last month’s question – is the word ‘agua’
masculine or feminine?
First let’s look at the evidence. The word
ends in the letter ‘a’ which makes it look
feminine; also when we talk about cold water, for example we say ‘agua fría’ which obviously suggests it is a feminine word. However, for ‘the water’ we say ‘el agua’, using
the masculine form ‘el’ for ‘the’. This is very
strange and here are some other words that
do the same thing:
The word for ‘eagle’ is ‘águila’ which is the
same for a male or female of the species.
The word seems to be feminine, confirmed
by the fact that the plural is ‘las águilas’
and yet the singular, strangely is ‘el águila’.
‘El ama’, is another example of the same
thing. We have ‘el ama de casa’ - ‘the
you could help with the upkeep of one of our
donkeys - it would make a big difference.
Any information on any of the donkeys can
be found on the website or by contacting me.
at a cost of 2000€! A huge thank you to all
those people who helped make it happen you know who you are! Miel is recovering
well and is now at home getting some much
needed TLC after her ordeal.
We have the stunning Savanna, a 14.2h 6yr
old bay mare, with a lovely temperament, still
looking for her forever home. Could she be
the valuable new edition to your family if you
have the space and are equine minded? You
would not be disappointed with her.
Miel, a Mastin cross female dog of approx 18
mths, was found at the side of the road after
a hit and run accident; left for dead. She had
three fractures to her front leg, one to her
back and air in her lungs due to the impact! A
very poorly girl! We had to give her a chance,
so after an appeal for donations we were able
to go ahead with the operations she required
housewife’, or ‘el ama de llaves’ – ‘the
housekeeper’. Both of these jobs are associated with females, but this is not the point.
‘Ama’ is a feminine word, using the masculine ‘el’ for ‘the’.
A further example is the word ‘hacha’ meaning ‘axe’. ‘The sharp axe’ is ‘el hacha afilada’.
Another word that behaves in the same way
is ‘el hambre’ – ‘hunger’. Here we do not
have an ‘a’ ending to make us think it is
feminine, but if you are very hungry you say
‘tengo mucha hambre’.
Finally, ‘el alma’ – ‘the soul’. ‘El Alma Herida’ – ‘The Injured Soul’ is apparently the title
of a very bad Mexican soap opera. Google is
a wonderful thing!
Before I unravel this great mystery, I will just
mention that these particular feminine words
also take ‘un’ instead
of ‘una’ for ‘a’ or
‘one’, so ‘one housewife’ is ‘un ama de
casa’. A context for
this might be ‘There
was one housewife
and two nurses in the
class.’ ‘Había un ama
de casa y dos enfermeras en la clase.’
(Don’t forget though,
that when you describe someone’s job
using ‘ser’ you don’t
translate ‘a’ – ‘Soy
ama de casa’ – ‘I am
We are always looking for people who can
spare a few hours a week to volunteer in one
of our shops at Mazarrón or Fuente Alamo.
If you are interested, please call or email
me, pop into the Mazarrón shop or see me
at Camposol B car park Mondays 11.30am1.30pm.
Thanks for all your help and support as always
Enjoy the Summer!
Love and hugs
Andrea xxxxxx
a housewife’.
To understand the reason for this strange
phenomenon, our first guess would probably
be that it is because the words start with the
letter ‘a’ (agua, ama, alma, águila) or the
sound ‘a’ (hambre, hacha). However, this
explanation doesn’t work, as there are many
words starting with ‘a’ which do not behave
in this way – la actriz (the actress), la apertura (the opening), la hamaca (hammock).
Well, my friends, I will try your patience
no longer, here is the answer. It is all to
do with the ‘beat’ or emphasis of the voice
when speaking these words. In all of our key
words the beat falls on the initial ‘a’ sound
(Ama, as opposed to hamAca). The issue
of beat or stress and how words link together
in speech is complex, but in this particular
instance there is a fixed substitution of ‘la’
for ‘el’ in both spoken and written forms.
You may think that this is not the most important or practical thing you have ever learnt
about Spanish and in one sense you may be
right, but actually we have just looked at one
of the single most important things to understand about the Spanish language and that is
that where the ‘beat’ falls in a word is of
maximum importance in making yourselves understood.
Jane Cronin’s “Step by Step Spanish” articles are now available as e-books at
www.janecronin.eu where you can also
obtain Jane’s brand new “Step by Step Internet Spanish” course.
Page 22
Page 23
Onions - cebollas
This month we continue our look at Onion
recipes as there are so many good ones to
make your mouth water! My Nan used to
make this Onion Bread and sometimes added a sprinkle of cheese on top. When it came
out of the oven it smelt delicious and tasted
even better. The Toad in the Hole with Onion
Gravy is one of my regular meals I serve for
supper when friends are round and I often get
asked to include this in Ma Millbank. However,
its BBQ time again and what better way to
impress your friends than a quick easy relish and some Battered Onion Rings? They
make a great starter or complement any party
food or BBQ.
Buen Apetito
White Onion Bread
½ cup chopped onions
1 cup milk, room temperature
1½ tblsp active dry yeast
3 tblsp sugar
¾ cup warm water
6 cups bread flour
1½ tblsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
½ tblsp garlic powder (optional)
Make the Dough
Mix together the milk, water, sugar, yeast, oil
and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic
and chopped onions, then mix in one cup of
flour at a time until the dough is stiff. Place
the dough on a surface sprinkled with flour
and knead for 8 minutes. Place the dough in
a greased bowl and turn it over so that all
the dough is greased. Cover the bowl with
plastic wrap and leave it to stand for 45 minutes in a warm place until it doubles in size.
Punch the dough to remove the air and put
it on a floured surface and knead again for 5
minutes. Cut the dough in half and mould the
dough into 2 bread loaves.
Bake the Bread
Grease 2 bread pans and place the dough inside the pans. Cover the pans and leave them
in a warm place for 45 minutes until they
double in size. Place in the oven and bake for
1 hour at 350ºF. Remove from the oven and
leave them to cool on a wire rack.
Yields 2 loaves
Onion and Apple Chutney
1kg apples, peeled and chopped into small
cubes
250g red onions, finely chopped
250g white onions, finely chopped
100g preserving sugar
250ml balsamic vinegar
10g fresh ginger, ground
300g cane sugar
1 tblsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Cook the Chutney
Throw all the ingredients into a large pot and
cook it gently for 1 hour covered, the last hour
uncovered. Stir regularly to stop it sticking to
the bottom of the pot.
Fill the Jars
Pour the chutney into warm jars and put on
the lids. Turn the jars upside down and leave
for 10 minutes. Turn the right way round and
leave to rest for 4 weeks to mature.
Makes 2 x 500ml jars.
Toad in the Hole with Onion Gravy
Batter
2 eggs
100g plain flour
150ml semi-skimmed milk
Toad
1 tblsp vegetable oil
8 pork sausages
1 onion, finely sliced
Gravy
1 tblspn vegetable oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp flour
300ml vegetable stock
Batter
Place the flour and the eggs in a large bowl
and mix the milk in slowly to make a smooth
batter. Add 150ml water and beat in a mixer
until smooth.
Toad
Place the sausages in an ovenproof dish and
scatter the sliced onions over the top. Place
in a preheated oven at 220C and bake for 15
minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the
batter over. Return to the oven and bake for
another 35 minutes.
Gravy
Fry the onions in a little oil for 5 minutes until
golden. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until the gravy has thickened. Add the
mustard and Worcestershire sauce and the
stock, gradually stirring constantly until it is
smooth.
Red Onion Relish
4 medium onions, chopped
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 level tblsp butter
1 tsp finely chopped sage
1 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Place the chopped onions in a pan with boiling
water and simmer for 8-10 minutes until they
are tender.
Make the Relish
Stir in to the onions, the breadcrumbs, sage,
pepper and butter and stir the mixture until it
becomes smooth and stiff. Allow it to cool and
use the day of making.
Crispy Onion Rings
3 sweet onions, sliced into quarters and separated into rings
1 cup flour
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
2/3 cup water
1 egg
½ tblsp lemon juice
1 tblsp melted butter
Oil for frying
Prepare the Onions
Soak the onion rings for at least ½ hour in
ice water then pat the onions dry with paper
towels.
Make the Batter
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a
bowl. Mix together the egg, water and lemon
juice in a large mixing bowl and beat until it is
frothy. Stir in the dry ingredients and combine
well. Add the butter to the mixture and mix.
Cook the Onion Rings
Heat the oil to 375ºF. Dip the onion rings into
the batter a few at a time and fry them in
the oil for 2 minutes on each side. Remove
the rings from the batter with a slotted spoon
and let them drain on paper towels. Keep the
cooked onion rings in a slow oven until all the
onion rings are done.
Page 24
Page 25
A Date for Your Diary!
The Summer Artisan Co-operative Arts &
Crafts Fayre will take place on Saturday 12th
July from 11am-3pm at Mariano’s on Sector
A, Camposol.
Mazarrón and the surrounding area is home
to a number of talented artists and crafters
(perhaps you know one or two) and the Fayre
brings a selection of these fascinating people
and their wares together in one place. It’s not
just a great place to solve that unique gift
problem; you can also watch the artisans at
work and talk to them about their inspiration.
It’s a great trip out!
Last month we covered Onions, but the
most common varieties that are used every
day in cooking throughout the world. Common Onions range from the pungent varieties used for dried soups and Onion Powder, to the mild and hearty Sweet Onions
that can be sliced and eaten in a sandwich.
This month we thought that as there are
so many different varieties, we would give
some information on some of the other popular Onions.
Spring Onion
These Onions are also known as scallions or
Green Onions, but are in fact very young
Onions harvested before the bulb has had
a chance to swell. Both the long, slender
green tops and the small white bulb are
edible and are good either raw or cooked.
They have a similar flavour to Onions, but
are much milder. They are available all year
round and easy to grow in a vegetable patch
from seed.
Choose the best plants and when buying,
go for Spring Onions with firm, unblemished bulbs and bright green perky leaves.
Avoid those that are slimy or wilting. The
skin covering a Spring Onion bulb can be
either white or deep red fading to white at
Previous events organized by the Artisan
Co-operative have been very successful,
raising much needed funds for some great local charities. Proceeds from our fourth event
will go to support a local charity that does
much needed work in the Mazarrón area; Age
Concern, a voluntary organization, offering
help and advice to the over fifties.
Age Concern volunteers will be present on the
day with information on their organisation as
well as helping out on the door and selling
raffle tickets. All raffle prizes are donated by
our artisans, so buying tickets will not only
the roots. There is no significant difference
in taste. Similarly, the bulb can be quite
pronounced or more like a leek in shape,
with no noticeable swelling. Again, this has
no impact on flavour.
If you are using them in salads, wash the
Spring Onion bulb and trim off the root
as well as any ragged ends at the top. If
using in cooking, slice the bulb into rounds
and cut the green tops across (kitchen scissors are good for this) or lengthways with a
knife. The green tops are ideal for adding to
Chinese cooking. If you want to make the
tops into a garnish, cut into slim lengths, as
above, then stand them in ice cold water for
support Age Concern, but give you the chance
to win a unique, hand-crafted prize.
We’re always on the lookout for new members, especially if you do something a little bit
different. (We like to be able to offer a wide
variety of crafts at our fayres). If you are interested please get in touch!
We’re looking forward to seeing you there.
Keavy O’Shea and all at the Artisan Co-operative.
All enquiries to artisancoopbahia@gmail.
com
30 minutes.
Spring Onions don’t last as long as traditional Onions, so use them within four or
five days.
Shallots are referred to as Multiplier Onions and have bulbs that are smaller than
those of Common Onions and look more
like garlic. A single plant forms an aggregate
cluster of several bulbs and reproduction
from seed is possible. Inside, they do not
have concentric structures like Onions, but
are sectioned into cloves. The white flesh
can have either red or purple streaks similar to a red or purple Onion. Shallots are
strong, rich-tasting with a coppery brown,
pinkish or a greyish-brown skin. Shallots
are native to Israel and regions in the Mediterranean and were one of the foods that
the Crusaders brought from the Middle East
back to Europe.
Shallots are used in many of the same
dishes where garlic and onions could be
used, but they do not cause breath odours
like Onions and garlic. They tend to have a
faster cooking time than Onions, but they
usually do not have as long of a storage life.
Wine and Shallots are a popular cooking
combination. They can be sautéed or caramelized, but like garlic and Onions, they
can have too much of a strong taste if they
become over browned. Some people prefer
to roast them like garlic, leaving the skins
on and then peeling and mashing them before use. Shallots can be used in cream
or butter sauces as well as gravies and are
used in many different cuisines, especially
Asian.
Onions are one of the most popular vegetables as it is so versatile and it is estimated that around the World, over 9,000,000
acres are grown annually.
Page 26
Page 27
Humanists’ May Walk
The last walk of the season saw 21 people
meet at the Oasis Restaurant in Bolnuevo
for a pre-walk coffee and bathroom stop.
Twenty walkers set off led by Joan.
The walk went west along the coast following the wide track to the “Roman Quay” and
passed the nudists (it was a warm day),
around and back on an inland track. Much
to the walkers’ delight, Jon, who had not
The Local Charity That Cares For You
And Your Pet
At MAMAS we understand how important
your pet’s health is to you, so we make
every effort to assist in cases of need to
ensure that they receive any medical attention. Each month we help many people
with their vets’ bills and we also continue
our campaign of neutering in order to try
and keep the number of unwanted offspring under control. Unfortunately this is
a very expensive process and we desperately need your contributions and help to
achieve it.
walked due to an Achilles tendon problem,
but had nipped out to Lidl for cheap cava
and juice, met them at an area that had
been going to be developed in the past**
with mature palm trees, level ground and
a water reservoir.
After a welcome cup or two of bubbles,
the walk continued up the hill giving great
views of the Bahia de Mazarrón before fin-
Donations Needed
We will take any items you no longer need,
such as furniture, clothing, kitchenware,
electrical appliances, bric-a-brac, from a
single item to a house clearance. Cash
donations, including that bag of loose
change that you don’t know what to do
with is always welcome. You can donate at
the shop in Puerto de Mazarrón Mon to Sat
10am-2pm. Turn left immediately before
Consum Supermarket. We are 150mts on
the right.
Camposol Drop-Off Point
Every Tuesday we are on Camposol B car
park 10am-12pm opposite the petrol station. We can collect items from you there
or arrange collection if needed.
ishing. It was a short hop to Rincon de
Elias restaurant on the Bolnuevo Paseo for
lunch. The meal was the usual good food
and cost just 10€.
The next walk will be in September or October. There are “Summer Lunch” dates so
that people can keep in touch. The dates
are on the website at www.bolnuevo.
com. Click Humanists, or call Jon on
968 158 468 for more information about
Humanist activities and the Humanist Celebrant.
** This area had been developed by a successful bullfighter called Zacarias Valentina
Banderas Goroza. Born in Ronda in 1932,
he made his first public appearance as a
bullfighter in 1948 and in the glittering career, Zacarias met over 1000 bulls. Unfortunately Zavarias was killed in 1968 when
a No 21 bus knocked him down on the Puerta de Sol in Madrid and his ashes were
scattered on the land that he had hoped to
develop near Bolnuevo.
Abandoned Kittens
Amongst the many animals we have
helped in the last month was this litter
of kittens. They were abandoned in the
street, left in a cardboard box with two
tins of cat food, but no tin opener! Fortunately they were found by a caring person who had the good sense to take them
where they could be looked after properly.
Now with help from MAMAS they have
been weaned onto solid food and had all
they medical needs attended to. There
are now four beautiful healthy kittens who
just need homes and names
Our 50/50 Scheme
For larger items only, including furniture
and white goods - we can collect the items
free of charge, display them in our shop to
ensure that you receive the best possible
price and then forward your 50% share to
you (even if you have returned to the UK)
MAMAS Furniture Showroom
Our showroom for large items of furniture
is now established with a good selection
of items, so if you are looking to replace
or refurbish your villa ready for the summer, make sure you call in and see us first.
We have some excellent bargains and of
course the money received will be going
to a good cause. Please ask in the shop
if you wish to view. Check out our website
where there is a link to show furnishings
for sale.
mazarronanimalmedi-aid.co.uk
Tel 666 186 037 or call at the shop
Email
mazarronanimalmedi-aid@hotmail.
com
Helping You Helping Animals
Registered Charity No 9537/1a
Page 28
Page 29
The final walk of the WARM season took
place in Cieza. Starting at the Molino Teodoro, a restored mill adjacent to the iron
bridge, 14 of us walked along by the side
of the Rio Segura in the direction of Abaran
for about 1km, then turned through the
huerta towards the mountain tracks.
We carried on upwards towards the Sanctuary “Buen Suceso” and 14th century castle perched on top of the mountain. On
MARA is a small rescue association based
in Mula. The volunteers work to help as
many animals as it possible can and our
resources come from generous fund raisers and our Charity shop in Mula. If you
have any items that we could sell in our
shop please give us a call and arrange for
us to collect them.
If you are considering adopting a dog,
finished the morning with a well deserved
drink and tapas in a local bar.
After a very successful season of 23
walks, WARM will now be taking a break
during the summer months. We will begin
the new season of walking in mid-September.
reaching the Sanctuary, it was debated
whether we could reach the castle, but decided it was a little dangerous as there was
no clear pathway and it was very steep.
We did discover, however, nearby excavation works being carried out on an Islamic
medina, some of the artifacts from which
can be found on display at the Museum in
central Cieza. We returned to ground level
via a forest track which is part of the GR7
route and back to the Molino. We then
please give us a call. We have many dogs
of all sizes just waiting for a forever home.
Our dogs are inoculated and ready for their
new homes. If you want a dog, but worried about health issues and costs, have
you considered fostering? We urgently require foster homes for some of our dogs
and puppies who would benefit from learning basic skills such as toilet training and
walking on a lead. As a foster carer we at
If you are interested in joining us then
warm2005@gmail.
please
contact
com for full information.
MARA would cover all the costs involved.
If you would like to come and visit our kennels we will be please to show you around.
You can follow us on our Facebook page
Maramula where you will find information
about how to donate and see our auction
items.
Kelver is a 10 month old girl who was
found in a school yard by a friend of our
association and a Nun at the school. When
we found her she was so weak and sick
that she had to stay in hospital for a few
days. She is now a healthy bouncy bundle
of fun with no side effects from her illness.
She is a small to medium size and won’t
grow any more.
For more information, call Marion on 628
811 187 or Keith on 628 811 188
Page 30
torical facts of the local land of wine growing
from the Roman times, as well as the technical
process of wine making with its traditional and
modern methods. Visitors can experience the
wine process from the vintage to the storage
and aging in the cellars and finish with explanations on the grape varieties and also about
wine tasting.
Tours Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am-2pm and
5pm-8pm (November to March 4pm-7pm)
Sundays/Fiestas 10.30am-2pm only
House-Museum of Pepe Marsilla
Visits are always arranged through the Wine
Museum from Tuesday to Saturday for organised groups and from Thursday to Saturday for
individual visitors. The timetable is the same of
the Wine Museum.
Check out the website www.rutadelvino.
bullas.es for details of charges, reservations
and other information.
Tel 968 657 211
The area lives and breathes its ancient winemaking traditions, from the maze of streets in
Bullas old town to the picturesque vineyards
that line the Rio Mula valley and many of the
local fiestas revolve round wine production.
There are many old cellars and even some ancient remains, such as the Roman sculpture of
Bacchus found in the Villa de los Cantos. The
town’s 19th Century Wine Cellar, is now a Wine
Museum. The building has been preserved with
brick vaults and earthenware jars which are
half buried in the ground.
Although the winters here can be cold, red,
white and rosé wines are produced. The famous sturdy dark grapes which can endure the
frost and snow, as well as the blistering summer sun, are used for the full-bodied red wine
which goes so well with many of the hearty
local dishes. The Bullas wine region consists
of 14 vineyards called Bodegas, cover an area
of around 2,260 hectares and produce 2 million
litres of wine annually.
Lynda Day
Northwest Murcia Properties
Tel 634 340 131
www.northwestmurciaproperties.com
[email protected]
Bullas Wine Museum
The Wine Museum project is a fundamental
contribution to the survival of the wine industry
which may disappear without the knowledge of
a really fascinating world. The Museum is located in one of the few traditional cellars with
brick vaults and earthen jars that are all very
well preserved. Visitors can discovery the his-
Moratalla Fiestas
These traditional fiestas include all the usual
activities and entertainment, including Bull
Running through the streets of the old town of
Moratalla. The celebrations started at the end
of June with the Procession of Stmo Crista del
Ray on 15th and more fiestas over the weekend
of 21st/22nd June.
Saturday 5th July – from 9pm – various plays
at the theatre.
7th /8th/9th July – various farmers in the area
showing off their young steers.
Thursday 10th July – rockets will be set off to
start the celebrations during the day, including
music in the evening from 10pm.
Fiesta en Honor del Stmo Cristo del Rayo
11th-17th July
Thursday 11th July - This is start of the main
fiesta in Moratalla and a series of rockets will
be set off before the Band of Music of Moratalla
plays in the town at 6am. The first of the Bull
Running will be at 10am, followed by more
celebrations throughout the day.
mence at 10pm and will cost 2€ pp. Reservations and more information about other tours
taking place during the summer months are
available at the tourist information office.
Begastri
The Archaeological Site of Begastri is opened
for visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from
10am-2 pm. You will be able to see a video
presentation followed by a guided tour to
see the remains of the Iberian culture before
the IV century BC.
Free Nature Walks
On 26th of July we will visit the River Quipar
and the archaeological Site of Begastri on the
hill Cabecico Roenas. Meet at the Tourist Office
at 9am.
Distance: 7.5km
Time approx 4hrs
Level: Easy
Any further enquiries please contact the Cehegin Tourist Office located in front of the Town
Hall at 968 723 550 or visit our tourist website www.turismocehegin.es
Santiago Leo
Cehegin Tourist Office
Swimming at Caravaca Municipal Pool
Registration should have taken place during
June, but you might still be able to take part if
there are still places available.
Over 5 years old 23.35€
30th June-18th July & 21st July-8th August
10.45am-11.35am & 11.40am-12.30pm
Adults & over 15 years old 29.25€
7th -31st July
8pm-9pm
Tel 968 703 563 or call at the Municipal Pool
9am-2.30pm
Check the Moratalla Tourist Office for a full programme.
[email protected]
Guided Tour of Caravaca – Sunday 20th
July
Caravaca de la Cruz is one of the five holy
cities of the world, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo
Toribio de Liebana. We will visit the Basilica
Shrine of the Holy and Vera Cruz and continue
through the streets of the Medieval Quarter
to the Plaza del Arco, to the Church of El Salvador, Main Street and Church of the Jesuits.
We then ascend to the old town of Caravaca
to reach the Plaza del Hoyo and go down to
Temple Square where we will end the visit.
Cehegín Highlights In July
The first week of July we celebrate Fiestas in
honour of Saint John the Baptist with fair, concerts and live music.
We depart at 7pm
of the True Cross.
shoes and sensible
take about 1½hrs.
On the 19th of July there will be an evening
guided tour at the Ermita de San Sebastian
and the surrounding area. The tour will com-
Tourist Office 968 702 424
[email protected]
www.turismocaravaca.org
There will be a full programme of events
throughout the week, including more Bull
Running, children’s shows, competitions
and of course plenty of very load music. The
main firework display will be on Sunday 13th
at 11pm.
from the Basilica Shrine
Please wear comfortable
clothing. The tour should
Reservation is essential.
Page 31
Bullas
Bullas is a Spanish Municipality with just over
12,000 inhabitants and is most famous for its
vineyards and wine production. There is evidence that vines have existed here since Roman times and from that moment up until the
late 19th century, when the vines were devastated by phylloxera, wine-making has always
played a fundamental role in the local community and in the various cultures that have
passed through this area. More recently the
willingness to share these secrets and the innovatory spirit of local cooperatives and wineries have provided the key to the superb quality
of the wines that bear the Bullas D.O (Designation of Origen) label.
Hiking Big News Sources
A new Sunday morning and the sun surprised
us as the walk started “Discovering Moratalla”, the penultimate of the season and the
passing of the seasons was inexorable. The
area chosen was one of our favourites and
although we have already visited here several
times, we still had much to discover here.
In the Sierra de Villafuerte in Calar de la
Santa, there is a biodiversity of the forces of
nature. In the Calar the sights awaited us and
we started our journey walking the streets of
this small town, seeing some interesting examples of architecture of the area. Interestingly, in the Plaza del Olmo, is a specimen of
white poplar, which was in flower.
booted eagle added to our observations. We
saw several flowers, but especially the striking indigo flower cupid (catananche caerulea).
Through the area of reforestation, we reached
the remains of the Manta House, where we
felt watched by the overwhelming presence
of the Dolomitic wheel Villafuerte. We enjoyed
the spectacular scenery as we had our lunch.
The rain that meteorologists promised began
to threaten high-shaped clusters of cloud that
rose on the horizon like giant cotton candy
and which beautified the landscape. Maybe
we would get a little wet! Some had left their
raincoats behind!
We left the village to go down to the Barranco del Tornajico, seeing low-flying swallows and other birds. It was only by looking
at their nests that Gustavo Adolfo Becquer
was able to distinguish them. We then passed
a barberry with yellow berries. In the last
8 months it has only rained a few times
in our region, so we were almost glad to
muddy our boots with clay moistened by
the water that fell the night before. Before leaving the area, we looked at an emerging and fresh woodpecker nest with a halfcarved entrance.
Step by step we came to one of the most
beautiful and amazing places of Moratalla Las Fuentes Grandes - well worth the walk
up here, especially because of its botanical
importance and geological interest. The track
fits into a narrow canyon of limestone and
We kept going in the direction of the Casa
Mata, hearing several trigueros chirping, a
nightingale and a couple of common melodious warblers hidden among the branches in
the wet ravine. It was going to be a particularly good day for birds and a specimen of
vertical dolomites forming the front thrust,
where also can be observed fault planes and
cavities formed by the underground water
flow, which is elevated by the joining of the
current stream bed. The sound of the stream,
guided us through the narrow path that led
to the pit of rock, but first we stopped on the
remains of an ancient kiln plaster serves. The
path meandered diagonally up the steep hillside, allowing us to see very closely mistletoes in the Corsican pines. There were faeces
of polecats and oaks clinging to the hillside,
cutting us off with their branches. The mighty
song of a male warbler orphean, greeted us
along with the shrill chirping of sparrows and
ibex. We saw many plants that we took photos of to keep for their ephemeral beauty including algae covering almost entirely a juniper tree.
Some water droplets began to fall from the
dark and threatening clouds, and we continued our way in search of the remains of
the Mill Manta. We continued our journey
and noted the erosion in the valley while
we walked very quickly, seeing various river
terraces situated at a high altitude over the
current channel and numerous examples of
erosion “piping”. The sun came out while we
walked towards the last stop of the day - a
Schematic rock art style. As we ascended the
steep slope, we discovered rock paintings of
curious plaster which revealed two elements
of our ethnography not reflected in the history of Moratalla. As usual, the rock paintings left us in awe because we seek an
interpretation of these signs of uncertain significance, perhaps awakening a
dormant and deep knowledge within in
us of our ancestral instincts. One way or
another, there is no better stimulus to our excited imaginations.
We walked to Bar Louis, where one of our
companions Paquita, along with his family of
butchers ‘Mariano’ in Calasparra, rewarded
us with an example of the sausages made
by hand. They are a real delicacy and with
zucchini rolls, donuts, homemade pickled
sardines, pork with almonds and manchego
cheese, paella of chicken and rabbit, we ended the day, saying farewell until September to
Neil and Susan.
Page 32
were donated by those attending.
One of the attendees (Bill) really entered
into the spirit of things and, having previously offered to have a sponsored haircut
during the event, which turned out to be
more of a ‘head shave’, raised an additional sum of approximately 225€, although the final figure is not yet available
as some of the ‘pledges’ are still to be collected.
A BBQ in aid of MABS NW was hosted by
Bill and Sandra Bridge in their garden on
Tierra de Sol, Calasparra on Friday 9th May.
Over 50 friends and neighbours supported
the event and a total of 462€ was raised
for the charity from entrance fees, a raffle,
crafts and the sale of cakes, all of which
Many thanks go to all those who helped to
organise the event and also to those who
continue to support MABS by attending
the events.
Many thanks
Sandra Bridge
Tel 608 999 233
The quality was so amazing! I would have
happily sat listening all evening. Pity he
wanted them back! Then, doing some research I thought, actually God uses sound
in so many different ways.
The trumpet for instance is mentioned
numerous times and plays an important part in scripture. The first time was
at Mount Sinai when the Lord gave the
Ten Commandments to Moses. (Exodus
19:19). As used in Israel it was called a
‘shofar’ and made from a ram’s horn and
was used for many important occasions.
These were human trumpets of course,
but they were sounded with the authority
of God who gives victory, as when ‘the
walls of Jericho came tumbling down’. God
told the Israelites to march around the city
for six days, but on the seventh, blowing
trumpets and shouting and the walls came
tumbling down. (Joshua 6:3-5) - a very
different sort of technology.
Sounds and technology - its effects on
our emotions.
Looking for songs to sing recently for one
of our gatherings, Derek suggested I listen to one through his headphones. Well
what a difference! The song was ‘Shout to
the Lord all the Earth let us Sing’ and as I
sat there listening, that was exactly what
it made me want to do.
Revelation talks a great deal of a ‘voice
sounding like a trumpet’, God’s voice and
on the last day we too as Christians will
hear that trumpet call as we are raised
up to meet our Lord. The emotion will be
overwhelming and as for the sound quality
and technology, well we will never know
any greater. Absolutely awesome!
We’d love to share some of this with you.
Would you like to know more? We meet
every Tuesday morning and the 1st and 3rd
Sunday. Check out the website for more
details.
https://sites.google.com/site/casawelcome2013
Tel 633 447 937
[email protected]
[email protected]
Page 33
King Felipe VI’s Coronation
Tourists filled the streets of Madrid for the
proclamation of King Felipe VI with visitors
from the UK, China, Hong Kong, the USA
and several Latin American countries. Spanish teachers in the city brought their multinational groups of students to watch the
post-coronation parade, whilst Americans
chanted, “Spain! Spain!” and Chinese exchange students carried a huge banner reading, “Viva el Rey.”
The coronation – dubbed a ‘proclamation’ to
detract from the pomp and circumstance, in
keeping with Spain’s current economic crisis affecting millions of residents – has been
front-page or page three news in the national
press the world over, including Le Figaro and
Le Monde in France, and La Repubblica and Il
Corriere della Sera in Italy.
Diplomatic Immunity For Ex-King
Moves under way to provide diplomatic immunity to former King Juan Carlos could
thwart two ongoing cases against him by a
man and woman who believe he is their father. Under recently-passed Spanish laws, a
reigning Monarch is unable to be prosecuted,
but this legal privilege automatically disappeared as HRH Juan Carlos signed the abdication form to hand over the reins to his son,
King Felipe VI, the night before the coronation.
As a result, Belgian-born Ingrid Jeanne Satiau and Spaniard Alberto Sola Jiménez, from
Catalunya, who have been fighting through
the courts to get the ex-Monarch to provide DNA samples, are technically no longer
blocked from doing so. Although DNA evidence showing Mme Satiau and Sr Sola Jiménez were indeed the ex-King’s children would
cause an international sensation and rock the
already scandal-ridden Monarchy again, unless Sr Sola Jiménez was older than Felipe
VI, he would not displace the new head of
State.
It was not until King Felipe and Queen Letizia’s elder daughter, the Princess Leonor
was born that the Spanish Constitution was
changed to allow the first-born child of a
reigning Monarch to take the title of heir to
the throne, irrespective of gender. The Constitution change was pushed through by
the socialist government led by José Luis
Rodríguez Zapatero at the end of 2005 to
protect baby Leonor from being upstaged by
any future little brother.
Consumer Protection Law Changes
New legislation aimed at protecting consumers has come into force meaning members
of the public can opt out of telephone ‘spam’
and will receive all their bills through the post
in paper format unless they specifically request them to be sent via email. No charges
can be made for switching to paper bills, nor
for those who currently receive them in this
way.
Telesales departments are forbidden from
making cold calls before 9am and after 9pm,
or on weekends and bank holidays.
The caller must give the name of the company, call from a recognisable number, not a
withheld or private one and must inform the
consumer of his or her right to request they
do not continue to receive sales calls.
Automated cold calls without human intervention, or telefaxes, may not be made without the consumer’s express permission.
In the last couple of years, members of the
public have been reporting a series of calls
made to their numbers from a 981 number,
which is the prefix for the province of Vigo, in
north-western Galicia. This transpired to be
from a well-known telecommunications company making automated calls so that they
could ascertain when the consumer would be
at home or available to answer. Those who
did, say the call ended when they picked it
up, but that they would be rung by a telesales rep at the same time the following day.
All contracts must be supplied in larger text
if the consumer wishes and the ‘small print’
must be in a font of no less than a millimetre
and a half in height.
No contract may be entered into without the
express consent of the consumer and, if it
is deemed that no conscious permission has
been given by the consumer, he or she will
not be obliged to pay for the product or service in question or, where this relates to utility supplies, may switch back to his or her
previous provider immediately and without
penalty.
Where contracts are entered into voluntarily,
the consumer now has 14, rather than seven
days as a ‘cooling-off period’, whereby he or
she may cancel the deal with immediate effect and without penalty.
The consumer’s right to retract within 14
days must be stated along with the information supplied before signing the contract.
These new rules are in keeping with a European directive which all member States were
given a certain period to incorporate into national law.
Spain’s Top Ten Best New Groceries
Products
This year’s Top Ten Most Innovative Products
list for Spain has been released by Kantar
World Panel and shows the most popular
supermarket in the
country to be Lidl, followed in joint second
by Mercadona and
Día%. It shows that
new product design
in Spain is extremely
limited compared to
the rest of Europe,
with only two Spanish
brands having more
than one item in the
Top Ten.
Conclusions say innovation in Spain is
very scarce, poorly
distributed and has lit-
tle success, mainly because of lack of funds
to invest in new products and ideas and the
fact that most of those which are launched
are not available in stores frequently used by
the average consumer. The most ‘innovative’
product was by the troubled bread-making
firm Bimbo, which has suffered strikes and
protests in Catalunya and wins this year’s
honour for its thinly-sliced low-calorie bread
with eight different types of grain. Second
was Lay’s Xtra Salt crisps, by the company
Matutano, whilst Danone’s Actimel Actiguerreros came third. Gallina Blanca and Hacendado, Mercadona’s own brand, were the only
names with more than one product and took
fourth through to seventh with the latter’s
free-range chicken and chopped noodle packet soup mix and oriental-style packet noodles
from its Yaketomo range, and the latter’s
‘carrot rooibos cold infusion’ and Pasta Mix
Snack, crisps made from pasta ingredients.
Panrico’s chocolate-covered and filled doughnuts, or Donuts Mix Cacao, was the eighthbest new product of the year and the French
dairy firm Danone came ninth with its Yolado
frozen yoghurt. Last in the Top Ten was Magnum’s 5 Kisses chocolate-covered ice-cream
lollies, a brand owned by the British-Dutch
firm Unilever.
Ancient Egyptian Statesman’s Tomb
A team of Spanish archaeologists have discovered a tomb belonging to the enigmatic
11th Dynasty in Luxor, Egypt. Dating back to
between 2150 and 1990 BC, the necropolis
was discovered in the Dra Abu al-Naga area
just outside the ancient city in the south of
the country whilst historians from Spain were
digging in three known common graves, near
that of the high dignatory Djehuty, who led
the Egyptian Court over 3,500 years ago.
Head of the mission, José Manuel Galán,
said the period between the 11th and 17th
Dynasties is a crucial era in the history of
what used to be known as Thebes and is
now Luxor: the time when the city became
the capital of the recently-united kingdom of
High Egypt (in the south) and Lower Egypt
(in the north).
Whilst exploring the common graves, investigations led to the discovery of a tunnel
of some 20 metres in length which led to a
tomb that had never been found in thousands of years. It had first been used over
4,100 years ago, but was occupied again
nearly 3,500 years previously, as shown by
the artefacts stored inside.
Ancient Egyptians were buried with their
most valuable possessions and hieroglyphics
on the walls depicted the life they led and the
type of person they were. Their main organs
were stored in four jars to preserve them for
the afterlife. Human remains were found in
the tomb, which has lain hidden since around
2000 BC.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where the
famous young Pharaoh Tutankhamon’s gold,
jewels and mask are displayed, says the
bones in the sarcophagus probably belonged
to a ‘man of State’, given its size and traces
of its splendour, including annexes leading off
it. He was probably a member of the Royal
family or a great country leader, say Egyptologists, but remains of several humans were
found in various crypts of the tomb, leading
Egyptian Museum manager Ali al-Asfar to believe the underground ‘den’ may have been
used as a hide-out from enemy forces.
Page 34
Page 35
Marina
was
found on La
Marina beach
covered
in
ticks and fleas
and her paws
burnt
from
walking on hot
tiles.
She’s
been to the
vets and now
her paws are
healing, she is
in good health
and is around 4 years old. Marina is a Papillion cross, weighs about 5kg and has a lovely,
gentle nature.
Call 645 469 253
Bella is a lovely 10 month
old
medium
sized girl. She
is currently in
a foster home
where she is
very well behaved, house
trained
and
loves to go out
for walks and
meet all the
other
dogs.
She is vaccinated and will
make a lovely
companion.
Call 645 469
253
Sasha is a
stunning
3
month
old
Mastine cross.
She
weighs
around
10kg
already
so
will be a big
girl when fully
grown.
She
is in a foster
home
with
children, cats,
dogs and a
parrot
and
is great with
them all.
If you would
like to meet
Sasha
call
645 469 253
Harry
was
born
around
the 18th March.
He was found
in a bin as a
tiny baby and
bottle
fed.
Harry
has
been in a foster home with
other
dogs
and cats and
we think will
weigh between
6-8kg
when
fully grown so will be smallish.
Call 645 469 253
To view more animals for adoption go to
www.petsinspain.com
To advertise an animal for adoption email
[email protected]
Page 36
Page 37
In these difficult times, we are always
looking for ways to save money. We do
not get some of the bargains that the supermarkets offer in the UK, but they are
slowly getting the idea of BOGOFs and
reducing food once it gets near its ‘sellby date’. How many times have you overbought food thinking you’re getting a great
deal, only to throw it out a week or two
later when it’s gone off and you didn’t even
manage to cook half of it?
Not only is it a tragic waste of food when
so many are starving, it’s a huge waste of
money too.
Garlic
If your garlic is always getting yellow and
shrivelled between cooking sessions, try
freezing it to keep it fresh. It keeps the
garlic flavoursome and stops it stinking up
your kitchen. Chop the garlic up first and
freeze it in small cubes in an ice cube tray
and use the garlic for cooking direct from
frozen.
Rice
Half-cooked rice can be frozen and finished off at a later date. This is particularly good for slower-cooking varieties and
brown rice, which takes forever. It is always handy to have some part-cooked rice
in the freezer for that quick meal that you
need after a hard day at work.
There are actually a lot of foods that can
be frozen that you might never thing of. As
long as you freeze the food the right way,
you might find that you make full use of
your freezer, rather than just filling it up
with ready meals and ice cream.
Eggs
It has probably never even crossed our
minds that you might be able to freeze
eggs. No more using two and leaving the
rest to languish for months in the box,
slowly growing their salmonella. You can’t
just stick them into the freezer as they
are though. You need to crack them into
a plastic bag or ice cube tray first and put
them in the freezer. Then defrost in the
fridge and use as normal.
You can also whisk the eggs up and use
them once defrosted for baking cakes,
omelettes, quiches or scrambled eggs.
Buy eggs when they are on offer and make
the most of your freezer.
Bananas
How often have you bought a massive
bunch of bananas and didn’t know what
to do with them? Panic not. They can be
frozen, in their skins or peeled and used in
everything from cakes to smoothies. Mash
them up from frozen for an ice-cream alternative or in smoothies, or blitz them in
the microwave for a few seconds to get a
squidgy texture for cakes, muffins etc. This
means that you can buy bananas from the
market when they are cheap and use them
in various ways at a later date.
Crisps
Not quite finished that giant bag of crisps
you bought for a party/BBQ/night in? Put
the whole bag straight in the freezer. When
you want to eat them, take them out and
eat from the freezer. No defrosting necessary.
Cheese
Not all cheeses should be frozen. Delicate
flavours and blue cheeses are best left in
the fridge as they have a long shelf-life
anyway, but blocks of milder cheeses like
some Cheddars, Red Leicester, Edam and
Emmenthal are fine. Buy in bulk when the
cheese is on offer and just freeze in a plastic bag or wrap. Defrost outside the fridge
completely to avoid it going crumbly.
Wine
Waste no more wine! It might not happen often, but if you can’t quite finish the
bottle, this may be the answer whether to
chug or chuck! Freeze the wine in a freezer bag or ice cube tray and use later for
cooking. This also avoids having a bottle of
fast-vinegaring ‘cooking’ wine sitting in the
fridge for months.
Although you can technically freeze anything, not all things should be frozen. Watery fruit and veg is a no-no, as they will
go limp when you defrost. Many fruit is
better cooked before freezing and makes
busy lives easier when preparing meals, as
a fruit crumble is easily prepared by taking
out the already cooked fruit and just adding the topping. Beware though as mayonnaise separates, so don’t even bother to
try and freeze it and fried foods lose their
crispness and taste a bit stale when defrosted.
Buy extra food when it is in season or on
special offer and you will save money by
using your freezer.
Happy freezing!
Page 38
I know a man who has a boat; not just
any boat, but a big boat which sleeps
six and has two powerful inboard engines and plenty of equipment - air-con,
fridge, cooker, microwave, generator;
the list goes on. There is however, one
item missing from this boat and I think
it is far more important than anything
on the list of mod-cons.
Our 35 year old fishing boat sleeps two
and has an average outboard motor. It
has none of the gear our friend’s has. It
does however have two anchors.
My friend’s boat doesn’t have an anchor. In my opinion an anchor is essential. Not only does it secure your boat in
storms and choppy conditions, stopping
you from being swept along by the sea
and weather. An anchor also allows you
to rest in still waters, knowing that you
and your boat will still be there when
you want to move on.
The Bible also talks about the anchor of
the soul. This anchor is our hope in God
and this same anchor is checked to ensure it hasn’t moved by ‘two unchangeable things’. These unchangeable things
we are told are the ‘unchangeable character of God’s purpose and ….His promise’ Hebrews 6:17-19.
let us know at opendoorgettogether@
gmail.com
Los Almagros, Fuente Alamo, 30320,
Murcia. GPS: 37”45’ 57.77’ North 1”
15’ 56.95’ West
Ken 646 705 403
Carol 655 141 721
How reassuring to have this kind of
anchor in our lives, securing us by our
hope in our unchanging God who honours his promises. Don’t be a soul without an anchor!
You can find us most Sunday evenings
on Camposol B in the Cultural Centre at
5.30pm. Contact Ken on 646 705 403
or check the website to see what we will
be doing each week. Come and join us.
We offer something a bit different. Sit
around and chat over a cup of tea or
coffee and learn about God and what He
can do for YOU.
We also hold monthly social events in
Los Almagros.
Further details and other planned get
togethers please go to
http://open-door.wix.com/opendoor
To be added to our mailing list please
All seafarers will know that when you
secure an anchor you also take two fixed
unchanging points of reference so you
can check you are not slipping your anchor and have remained where you began. These points of reference are usually a couple of buildings or geographical
features approximately 90º apart on the
shore. Don’t use a bus or a politician’s
promise (sorry).
Page 39
Christian Humanitarian Aid Charity in
Mazarrón & the surrounding area
Helping those in need irrespective of
race, creed or status.
Matthew 25 v 35 – 36
“When I was hungry you fed me, when I was
thirsty you gave me a drink, when I needed
clothes you clothed me, when I was a stranger you invited me in …”
GOmaD charity - Have been Making a Difference for more than three years in the
Mazarrón area and it is as much needed now
as it was in the beginning. Last month we
distributed 150 aid bags over the Aid Days
and we are currently helping some 676 people who include 52 babies below 2 years old
and 104 children under the age of 9. There
are so many families whose lives without our
help would be considerably more difficult. We
have three Aid Days per month; in Puerto
de Mazarrón, Mazarrón Town and Cañada de
Gallego. We are continuously amazed at the
donations so gratefully received from local
Registered Charity Nº 8.714/1ª
As a Registered Charity we rescue puppies abandoned in the Mazarrón area and
care for them in foster homes where they
can be trained and socialised whilst we are
finding them a loving forever home locally
or abroad.
June was a
busy month
for us working
with
‘Helping
The Perrera Dogs’, a
small group
of local animal
lovers
and experienced
rescuers
concerned about
the plight of
unwanted, abused and abandoned puppies
and dogs, working closely with Natural
Planet Residencia Canina at Mazarrón
to find new homes for some of the dogs. As
a Registered Charity we have been able to
help by rescuing 38 puppies and dogs from
people to enable us to
help
those
people
who
are less fortunate in our
area. We are
making an
appeal this
month
for
basic products
such
as
shower
gel, shampoo,
sanitary towels
and
baby
wipes,
together with
children’s clothes, shoes and toys. Jenny
our Outreach coordinator on a recent Aid Day
gave a little girl a plastic phone and she was
so thrilled to receive this simple toy, so expensive toys are not necessary. If your children have any toys they no longer play with,
please think of us and they can be taken to
one of our Drop-off Points:
Camposol A - Tony Halford (President) at C/
Alicante 6
GOmaD Van – Camposol A car park, Tuesdays
11am-1pm
Camposol A – English Butchers
Camposol B – TJ Electricals/Quick Save.
Camposol C – Denise Green, Rosa 2583, C/
Castillo Mayorazgo Ascoy
Tel 666 305 780
Mazarrón Shop – C/Carmen, 8
Tel 634 321 161
Puerto de Mazarrón Shop – C/ Sierra Espuña
31, Bahía
Tel 868 047 245
Ibex Insurance (opposite Lidl), Puerto de
Mazarrón
The Teapot Café, Puerto de Mazarrón
Costa Cálida FM Radio, Puerto de Mazarrón
the Perrera; 8 have been adopted locally,
1 is going to the UK for adoption, 7 have
travelled to Germany for adoption and 18
are being cared for in foster homes and
boarding kennels awaiting travel to Germany for adoption by new owners.
give some free time to work in our Charity
Shop, come in and have a chat with the
staff. We also have a Table Top Stall selling
cakes and pastries to raise funds at Sara
Lara’s Bar, Puerto de Mazarrón on Saturday 19 July from 11am-2pm.
We would also like to take this opportunity
to thank Furniture Plus and @ Home for
their generous donations to enable GOmaD
to change so many people’s lives.
Tel 634 357 137
The inspiration and satisfaction of our
work does not come from telling the World
‘What We Have Done’ it comes from
‘Actually Doing What We Do’ rescuing
abandoned, abused and unwanted puppies
and dogs and being able to share in the
knowledge of the unconditional love that
they give to their new caring owners in
their new homes.
To help us raise the funds needed for our
work we are dependent on public support
and generosity. We have a Charity Shop
in Puerto de Mazarrón staffed entirely by
volunteers and we really need all the public
help we can get. Any unwanted saleable
items will be gratefully received. If you
would like to be a volunteer helper and can
For More Information or Collection Of
Donated Items Give One Of Our Committee Members A Call
Tony 618 034 921
Christine 603 127 984
Sue 603 217 532
W e D o I t A l l 4T h e P u p pies
Page 40
Page 41
Misca is a very friendly dog, although she
is not too keen on cats. She loves her walks
and loves to play. She is about 3 years old
and has been spayed, chipped and is up to
date with all her vaccinations. Please open
your heart for her; it will be well rewarded.
She is a medium sized dog and is used to
being kennelled outside, so would make a
brilliant guard dog.
Tel 626 583 186
Cally
A beautiful Podenco cross boy found in
Moratalla. He is about 18 months old and
has started his vaccinations. Cally has a
wonderful temperament and is good with
dogs and cats. He is looking for someone
to give him a loving home.
Call 620 582 654
Tiny Tim
This very small boy was found in Calasparra and apparently had been abandonded at the football ground. He is about 18
months old and will be starting his vaccinations shortly. He is a very loving little boy
and would be ideal for someone in a small
house or apartment as he is already fully
grown and is only about 30cm high. He is
getting used to walking on a lead and is a
very clean little boy.
Call 646 005 017
Page 42
Page 43
After taking his bachelor’s degree and then
a PhD, David Jackson became a full-time
academic. He is married, with two daughters
and a menagerie of animals. David Jackson
is the acclaimed author of the crime thriller
series featuring New York detective Callum
Doyle. Pariah, his first novel, was Highly
Commended in the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Awards. More information
about David and his novels can be found on
his website at www.davidjacksonbooks.
com, where he can also be contacted. He
goes under the name @Author_Dave on Twitter.
Pariah – Feb
2012
It’s a bad
enough day
for NYPD detective
Callum
Doyle
when his cop
partner
is
murdered.
It’s about to
get a hell of
a lot worse .
. . When the
dead
man’s
replacement
is also brutally
killed,
suspicion falls
on Doyle himself. Then he
receives
an
anonymous message. This is just the begin-
Well, we finally made the trip to Tabarca
Island with Dragontours and what a
wonderful day out it was. We left Camposol A around 8.45am and arrived at Santa
Pola with enough time to spare to grab a
coffee before jumping on the 11 o’clock
ferry to the island. The journey only takes
ning, it says. Anyone he gets close to will die
– and that includes Doyle’s own family. The
only way to keep them alive is to stay away
- for good.
Doyle is desperate to find out who is responsible, but when his every move puts others
in danger he is forced to back off. With the
investigation getting nowhere and his isolation deepening, Doyle has to ask himself an
uncomfortable question ‘Just how low is he
prepared to sink in order to get his life back?’
Marked
–
Jan 2013
In New York’s
East
Village
a young girl
is
brutally
raped,
tortured
and
murdered.
Detective
Callum Doyle
has seen the
victim’s
remains.
He
has
visited
the distraught
family.
Now
he wants justice. Doyle is
convinced he
knows
who
the killer is. The problem is he can’t prove it
and the more he pushes his prime suspect,
the more he learns that the man is capable
of pushing back in ways more devious and
about 30 minutes and the water was very
calm. The ferry stops just short of the island to show off some wonderful marine
life. On arriving at the island you are free
to do whatever you wish until the returning ferry around 6pm. We chose to walk
around the whole island which only takes
about 1.5 hours, (and is well worth doing),
followed by a long, leisurely lunch and a
swim in crystal clear waters. We arrived
back in Camposol shortly before 9pm so
it was a very full day. Eileen at Dragontours may be persuaded to do another
trip in September if there is enough interest, so do give her a call. This trip is definitely recommended and the coach trip
made it a lovely day with no driving!
What started off as a ‘Girls’ Night Out’ for
three of us, somehow became a night out
for 17!
We needed a venue that could
accommodate us all and without ‘breaking
the bank’. We selected The Quality Indian Restaurant on Camposol B. It was
a superb night out and nothing was too
much trouble for the staff at this restaurant. For a large group they really worked
hard and the restaurant was very busy
with other customers. If you are planning
a large group it is always worth asking for
a few ‘extras’; e.g. a glass of cava on arrival was free of charge for a group our
size. We are already all looking forward to
the next night out. Don’t forget you can
twisted than Doyle could ever have imagined.
Add to that the appearance of an old adversary who has a mission for Doyle and won’t
take no for an answer and soon Doyle finds
himself at risk of losing everything he holds
dear - including his life.
Cry Baby –
April 2014
It’s
every
mother’s
nightmare
– the abduction of her
baby. That’s
how it starts
for Erin Vogel
when she is
attacked and
left
unconscious in her
apartment.
When
she
awakes, it is
to find that
Georgia, her
six-monthold daughter,
has been taken, but Erin is given a chance to
get Georgia back - at an unthinkable price.
Like most mothers, she has always said she
would do anything for her child. Now the
strength of that bond is about to be put to the
ultimate test and when her actions arouse the
interest of a certain Detective Callum Doyle,
one thing is inevitable - a confrontation that
will be as explosive as it is unforgettable.
get 10% discount at The Quality Indian
Restaurant by showing your CRA membership card!
We went twice to the Amapola Restaurant in Bolnuevo in the last month; the
first time was to attend the FAST Spring
Ball which was an excellent night and the
second time was for the Wednesday Night
Special Dinner with friends. This location
is really beautiful and the food, service
and general ambience is difficult to beat.
We really enjoyed a nice long drink on the
terrace before dinner overlooking the gardens and the lovely pool. For that slightly
‘special occasion’, look no further. Free
transport is also now available for group
bookings.
As the warm weather descended upon
us it was time yet again to get our dog
clipped and groomed for the summer. This
time Georgie went to Four Legs Dog
Grooming based on Camposol A. She always looks a bit like a ‘bald alien’ for a few
days, mainly due to her huge ears, but
she always comes out happy and waggy
and jumps about like crazy as she feels
so much lighter. Judging by the amount of
fur on the floor I can see why. Thank you
Sean and Hazel.
More next month
Teresa
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
ANIMAL ORGANISATIONS:
ACTIN
968 163 529
Andrea’s Animal Rescue
Fuente Alamo 690 906 565
Cavalli Foundation
Alhama de Murcia 605 77 86 21
[email protected]
Cruz Azul
Los Alcazares 693 017 616
Easy Horse Care
Rojales 652 021 980
Equipo Bastet
Alcantarilla
[email protected]
Galgos del Sol
Murcia
[email protected]
JJ’s Puppy Rescue
Mazarrón 618 034 921
John Kemp’s Puppies
La Pinilla, Fuente Alamo 646 737 230
MAMAS
MARA
Mula 685 311 599
Noah’s ARC
Pto de Mazarrón shop 634 364 553
Camposol shop 634 332 335
PAPS
San Javier 968 370 800
Pets in Spain
San Fulgencio/La Marina
[email protected]
CHARITIES:
Age Concern
Alcoholics Anonymous
Cabo De Palos 968 545 181
Costa Cálida Samaritans
www.costablancasamaritans.com
FAST
Camposol 968 970 626
[email protected]
Forget Me Not
GO maD
HAH Help at Home
San Javier 968 134 978/633 673 034
Help Murcia Mar Menor
Los Alcázares 968 570 059
Helping Hands
[email protected]
Lions Club Mazarrón Bahía
MABS Mar Menor 693 275 779
MABS Mazarrón 620 422 410
MABS NW Murcia
[email protected]
PALS (Protection & Life Saving)
Samaritans Spain
902 883 535
Swap Tears for Smiles
CHURCHES:
Beacon of Light
Cañadas del Romero 620 877 326
Mass in English
Pastrana, Mazarrón 628 824 555
Olive Branch Christian Fellowship
Camposol 618 720 181/968 199 622
Open Door
Los Almagros 646 705 403/655 141 721
Puerto Lumbreras Church
619 945 283
St Nicholas Church
Camposol 968 970 637/636 099 679
Welcome House
Cehegin 633 447 937
Wellspring Victory Church
GROUPS:
ADAPT
San Pedro 966 189 402
Arts & Cultural Association of Murcia
655 421 120
968 130 583
Camposol B Clean
968 199 506
Camposol C Greenfingers
634 325 427
Camposol D Community
606 874 193
Camposol & District Model Club
647 259 914
Caring for Carers
San Javier 968 185 008/667 587 187
Classic Car Club
634 135 214
Cloud Nine Drama
644 400 123
Country Music
Camposol Residents Association
[email protected]
Culture Vultures
Darwinian Gardeners
[email protected]
Ex-Servicemen’s Association
Forget Me Not
[email protected]
Friends & Buddies
Humanists
www.bolnuevo.com/social/Evolutionists
Ladies’ Chatterbox
Camposol 968 199 418/619 575 463
Los Palacios
Camposol A Post Box A512
www.lospalacios-gardeners.com
Magenta Ladies Harmony Choir
636 417 454
Mazarrón Country Club Social Club
609 900 476
Mazarrón Leos
654 874 563
Model Club
647 269 914
Spangles Harmony Chorus
Los Alcazares 968 334 527/968 423 525
Stamp Collecting
[email protected]
Team Harmony
968 959 257/650 077 882
Teatro Canovero
Las Canovas 968 151 149
Welcome Group
Camposol, Mazarrón 620 105 179
If you would like details of your club or organization included on this page, please
send an email to costacalidachronicle@
gmail.com
Page 48
I know that it doesn’t rain very often here,
but after arranging a well deserved Sunday
lunch with my friend Bev, we were disappointed to wake up that day to torrential
summer rain! The wet weather ruled out
sitting outside at any of our usual haunts,
so we decided to go somewhere completely different and eat out at a place we had
never tried before. After driving round Puerto de Mazarrón for a while, we ended up
down a side street at the Restaurante La
Barraca, which looked busy enough to be
a good choice.
Main courses on offer included lamb, roast
chicken and a variety of seafood dishes,
but something about the rainy weather
made us both choose “fish and chips”. Bev
chose Merluza a la Romana (Hake), and I
had a mixed Fried Fish Platter, which came
with Calamari, Sardines, Whitebait and
several delicious wriggly looking things I
couldn’t identify but ate anyway!
us” so it was excellent value for money.
You’ll find Restaurante La Barraca tucked
away in Calle La Torre, in the street that
runs down to the fishing harbour and the
Guardia Civil.
Booking recommended for summer and
Sunday dining, on 968 594 402.
Rating: (out of 5)
Quality
:
Service
:
Value for Money :
Location / setting :
day who cares!!
but on a rainy
Despite not having a set menu of offer,
when the bill came we had been charged
14€ per head including drinks for “2 men-
Although we had not booked and were
originally told we would have to wait, within 5 minutes a waiter appeared and took us
to the table. First impressions as you enter
are of a basic tapas bar, but through the
wooden doors is a really nice dining room.
Although there was no Menu del Día, the
A la Carte menu had a good selection. I
started with a simple salad, whilst Bev fancied a goat’s cheese salad. This wasn’t on
the menu, but the waiter said he would see
what they could do and 10 minutes later
when our starters appeared, she had a
delicious plate of salad and goat’s cheese
with caramelised onion, which went down
well with the generous bread basket.
Page 49
Mid Summer Newsletter
Now the hot weather is with us we will be
taking a summer break until the autumn.
All the heavier work planned has now been
completed. Thanks to all those who turned
up to help spread the gravel along the strip
of land at the side of the Rambla road leading from the bottom of the dual carriageway
to the bridge. We are looking forward to
planting some shrubs and trees when the
cooler months return.
Watering of the shrubs will continue to be
necessary and we are arranging for an additional water tank to be sited on the Cultural
Centre to B15 road, so if anyone can spare
the occasional hour to give the plants a
drink during the summer, please feel free to
do so - and thank you.
On Sunday 8th June, some of our group were
FAST May Fayre
Congratulations to Carol Harvey who won 1st
Prize of a 42¨ LED TV Blue Ray DVD Player
with Sound Bar in the Big Raffle at the Fayre
on Saturday 17th May. Our thanks to everyone
who gave so much of their time and effort to
make this day an even bigger success than all
previous FAST Fayres! Unfortunately, there
are too many names to mention but we at
FAST know who you are and these people
know who they are! Thanks also to Mariano’s
and staff and thank you Chippy for dealing
with the microphone problem! Glen, thank
goodness you were available, quickly saving
the day by setting up replacement equipment
able to join with others in the Community
Litter Clean Up event organized by the
Council. Thanks to all who gave assistance.
Litter clearing is becoming ever more unpleasant due to people failing to clear up
their dog’s mess. It is not the dog who
leaves it there; it is the owner. It is unpleasant, anti social, dangerously unhealthy
and illegal. To those who choose to ignore this message, we ask you to remember that it is not only your dog
that uses the uncultivated areas as a
play ground and the flies that settle
on your sandwich or wine glass are
not taking their first meal of the day!
kindly stop to donate as they drive past our
working volunteers. We hope that many
more residents will join the scheme for just
5€ a month to help us keep Camposol looking great. Please contact Sandy or Helen for
details (see below.) The more subscribers
we have - the better Camposol will look.
Planning of future projects takes place at
our monthly meetings on the last Tuesday
of each month at Bar Trevi 4-5pm starting again at the end of September. Please
come and tell us what improvements you
would
like
to
see
happen.
Have a wonderful summer.
‘B Clean’ Community Group Scheme
continues to attract more subscribing members and we are grateful to all those who
have already joined and also to those who
Sandy (Treasurer) 968 986 030
Helen (Secretary) 968 199 506
- you were stars! Thanks to all the Traders,
as always for providing a wonderful wide variety of items. Bookings have already been
taken for the next FAST Fayre! Very many
thanks for all the prizes and gifts so generously donated to the Fayre from local businesses and public who continue supporting
FAST. Total Raised - 3018.93€! Absolutely
brilliant for FAST and Camposol!
standards are met by all FAST Responders.
‘The ‘Newbies’
Congratulations to all ‘Newbies’ who are
all now fully fledged and trained FAST Responders. Gerry Bradshaw, Head Trainer of
FAST, took them through all the training necessary to comply with the stringent requirements of the Murcia Health Authority.
This particular qualification is required by
Responders in order to be able to use the
Defibrillator (AED) when responding to an
emergency call on Camposol. In addition, the
group was also trained to administer oxygen
as and when required.
‘Well done’ to all of you!
The remaining ‘Newbies’ will be trained and
accredited soon to ensure the same exacting
On 1st June the FAST Members gathered together to enjoy a Hog Roast. The volunteers
have carried out this unique service of FAST,
covering emergency calls and duties on Camposol, every hour of every single day for the
past 3 years! How lucky are we to live on, or
visit Camposol!
The FAST May Ball was held at the Amapola
Restaurant on Friday 16th May - a thoroughly
enjoyable evening, beautiful venue, peaceful
and relaxing surroundings all helped to create
a successful event accompanied by an excellent meal and great entertainment.
A very special ‘Thank You’ to Nigel for stepping in at the last minute with his ‘Elvis &
Friends Show’. 625€ was raised for FAST!
Well done and sincere thanks to everyone
who helped make this happen.
Birthday Party Dare!
Barry Embury recently celebrated his 65th
birthday party on Camposol at Bar Salud.
During the evening, one rather shy gentleman called Andy was dared by some, to sing,
using the microphone, to the rest of the many
invited guests! To everyone’s amazement he
actually and rather bravely, took up this challenge! Adam, the Manager of Bar Salud gave
him 50€ for his brave efforts and this was
quickly matched by Derek Wilkinson throwing in another 50€. ‘Well done’ Andy, who
then generously donated the 100€ to FAST!
We wish to thank all three for being good and
kind sports! If the recent rumour going round
Camposol is true, ‘that Andy is taking bookings now’, FAST would like to be informed!
www.fastcamposol.com
In A Medical Emergency Call 112
Then Tel FAST 968 970 626
For General Enquiries Call 634 327 730
Page 50
On Saturday 31st May, Forget Me Not
resurrected the ancient tradition of “Well
Dressing”. This was truly a joint community event, but nobody was sure exactly
what form this would take. We didn’t have
to worry; the end result was spectacular!
The food was gifted by volunteers and we
received an estimated 61€ worth of plants,
all of which, with the exception of one large
Our May Menu del Dia was at Bar Peyma
in Puerto de Mazarrón. 45 of us enjoyed
an excellent meal on the plaza next to the
tourist office and fortunately the rain which
was forecast did not arrive so the umbrellas were used to keep the sun, and not the
rain, off us!
The June Menu del Dia was at Gula Gula,
an excellent location on the marina in Puerto de Mazarrón. On Wednesday 30th July
we will be meeting at Copi Coy Sports Club
for Menu del Dia of 4 courses including
BBQ meats or cod & chips for only 10€.
Saturday 12th July the Artisan Cooperative Group are holding an Arts and Craft
tree, have now been placed in more suitable growing areas; some in the Memorial
Garden and the rest in the well area. David Senior-Peake acted as liaison between
the Groups and must also be congratulated
on the end result.
Not to be missed is the Los Palacios’ Gardening & Community Group’s Summer
Carnival at Mariano’s outside bar on 11th
July, hosted by Barrington.
Fair at Mariano’s, Camposol A. Open to the
public from 11am to 1pm, the fair has become a popular event and always attracts
a big crowd. Age Concern volunteers help
by manning the door and running a raffle,
with the prizes being donated by the stallholders. Only1€ entry.
Wednesday 20th August, The Welcome
Group are organising a Summer Dance at
Mariano’s, Camposol A in aid of Age Concern, with musical tributes to The Beatles
and Cliff & The Shadows. Tickets from the
Welcome Meeting at Mariano’s, Camposol
A (2pm on 5th July). Tickets 8€
Those of our members who can brave
the increasing heat are still maintaining
the communal areas. One of the ‘walkthroughs’, Calle Avila, has benefitted from
a clean-up and you can see pictures on our
website
www.lospalacios-gardeners.com.
Bucket collections are continuing on a
Thursday morning and Pauline’s Friday
morning Bookstall is still contributing
greatly to our fund raising efforts.
Besides the purchase of stone chips
and membrane, the next large project
will be the improvement of another
area in Parque Los Palacios. Watch this
space for further details.
Joce Grant
Group Secretary
Friday 12th September Annual Black
& White Ball at Bar La Sal, Puerto de
Mazarrón. Music by Karen Noble and Terry
Jay. Cava and a buffet for only 15€. Transport will be available from Camposol and
Mazarrón Country Club.
We are always on the lookout for volunteers, so come along and talk to us if you
feel you can offer some of your spare time
to help other people. We will be outside
Bar Salud, Camposol B on Friday 25th July
for the Table Top Sale.
The well on Parque Los Palacios was
dressed with paintings and works of art,
all submitted by local people. Annette and
her Art Group produced some amazing pictures as can be seen in the photo below.
Many infirm guests attended from Forget
Me Not and MABS, aided by professional
carers from Helping Hands Homecare and
Costa Cálida Care Services, all of whom
provided their time free of charge. FAST
were also in attendance, although fortunately not needed. The Reverend Maureen
Kent, from St Nicholas Church kindly said a
few words. The musicians, Cliff, Brian and
Antonio performed for free.
[email protected]
Contact
for details. The event is sponsored by Liberty Seguros and our thanks go to them
for their generosity.
Page 51
This year the Camposol Bridge Club is
celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Bridgemate II, the ultimate scoring system for bridge. This has made Camposol
Bridge Club the most up-to-date club in
the region of Murcia.
In May we had a weekend away to Mojacar
and everyone had a wonderful time. However, we were surprised to arrive at our
hotel only to be met by another party from
Camposol - the Trevi Golf Club! {You can’t
go anywhere these days without bumping
into someone you know.} The hotel was
the El Puntazo, which provided us with
excellent meals and also a lovely room to
play bridge in. Entertainment was provided
by Gerhard and a good sing-song ensued.
The photos show all enjoying themselves.
If you are interested in playing bridge,
please contact Bernie at berniegwood@
gmail.com or by phoning 657 103 771
You can visit our website at
www.bridgewebs.com/camposol
Since its inception it has gone from
strength to strength with the purchase of
Every Monday sees a further increase in
numbers attending the respite care at the
Cultural Centre, Camposol B. With activities as varied as collage picture making
to dominoes and magic, our friends enjoy
the time in our care whilst the carer also
enjoys time to themselves. Some of the
pictures produced were used to dress and
bless the well on Las Palacios on May 31st
in a short service conducted by Rev Kent,
the first of its kind in the area.
We invite any person to come along to the
Cultural Centre and see what is on offer
to those with long term illnesses. We can
look after your friend while you, the carer,
go off to do whatever you please for a few
hours, safe in the knowledge that your
friend is in good hands.
The Forget Me Not centre is open Mondays 10.30am-1.30pm at the Cultural
Centre, Camposol B.
By the time you read this publication the
Summer Solstice Concert will have
come and gone and indications are that
it will be a very successful occasion raising much needed funds. Future events will
include a Fun Quiz in early October and
others will be advertised as soon as they
are confirmed.
If you have any articles that could be used
by us for a Table Top Sale or Car Boot Sale,
then please contact us at 660 442 845
and we will arrange to collect them so that
we may again raise much-needed funds.
At present we are in the process of preparing our own website which will be on line
soon - watch out for more information.
If you need any information on Forget Me
Not, please call Dawn on 647 142 071,
email us at forgetmenot@bolnuevo.
com or view us on Facebook.
Page 52
Thursday 12th June was one of the hottest
days of the year so far, but it didn’t stop
members of Ladies’ Chatterbox from
enjoying a trip to Murcia. Antonio took us
first to the Casino - entering via the striking stained glass door which is characteristic of Arabic architecture of the period.
We were able to visit the opulent rooms
where grand balls would have taken place
and the elite of Murcia would have met to
socialise. The building was inspired by the
royal salons of the Alhambra in Granada
and the Alcázar in Seville. Next we visited
the buildings of the University of Murcia,
formerly a convent. By that time we were
The Group held its monthly meeting on 2nd
June at The Club House. The minutes of
this meeting have been published on Sector
D Group website. This was our last meeting before our summer break and the next
one will be on September 1st at 4pm at The
Club House. Our thanks go to them for the
use of their meeting room.
ready to stroll around the city and find
somewhere cool for a long lunch! Many
thanks to Antonio, our guide, for making
the trip so interesting and to Kathy Johnson for organising the day so well.
Ladies’ Chatterbox Group normally
meets at the Cultural Centre, Camposol B
on the 2nd Thursday of each month. If you
would like further information, please contact Chris Leiper on 968 199 441.
The next meeting will be on Thursday September 11th at 2 pm in the Cultural Centre,
Camposol B. Further details will be in the
August Chronicle. The programme for the
next six months will be available at this
meeting. New members are always welcome.
Chatterbox “Sew and Sew” is a group
for anyone who would like to meet with
other sewing or craft work enthusiasts (not
necessarily very experienced!) to work together, chat and enjoy a cuppa! We meet
every Monday 2.30-4.30pm in the Cultural
Centre, Camposol B. For more information
phone Sue on 605 737 107.
on Monday 9th June. Monday is now our day
for working, but many individuals work on
other days as it suits them.
Since the early days of our Group we have
had a great set of volunteers who help keep
the pot holes under control by doing regular repairs. They also undertake such things
as drain cover repair and generally help
prevent damage to our cars. A big vote of
thanks must go to them for their hard work.
Group volunteer work now stops for our
Summer Break and we will resume in September although our pot hole group have
said they will work through the summer.
These reports will also resume in September, so until then we wish you a great summer to enjoy, but please continue to be vigilant in keeping yourselves and your homes
safe.
Work has continued around the sector concentrating on a garden area on D25 and
work near the D Sector “Welcome” sign.
Thanks to the volunteers who turned out
At this time of year mosquitoes are
very busy, so it is important not to provide breeding areas for them which can
be as small as a puddle or excess water in a
plant pot. If anyone suspects an abandoned
pool has mosquitoes breeding, they can
report it to Tatiana at the Cultural Centre
on Sector B and the Council will come and
spray the area.
Page 53
New Mayor of Mazarrón
Francisco Garcia has been elected the new
Mayor of Mazarrón. Ginés Campillo now becomes Deputy Mayor for Planning.
Following his election, Francisco Garcia promised a meeting with the President of the
Autonomous Community of Murcia, Alberto
Garre to raise the plight Mazarrón and all
the residents are suffering due to intolerable
discrimination and public investment. He will
demand justice and fairness in the allocation
of public funds. He wants to target the most
disadvantaged and low-income families and
pensioners etc. This includes establishing a
Basic Social Income to help families with no
income or those earning less than 800€ per
month. Francisco also announced measures
aimed at families with school-age children by
providing a budget of 50,000€ for the purchase of books and materials, school meals
and extracurricular activities and sports.
Francisco also announced that he will fight
to improve public services in Camposol, such
as street lighting and the water system.
A First-Aid Post and Life Guards For
Percheles and Three Beaches Until 14
September
There will now be 46 lifeguards, three coordinators, one exclusive 112 operator for beaches, two operational ambulances and four rescue boats (3 motorbikes, 1 zodiac) available.
There will be a first-aid post on the beach of
Percheles from 1st July to 31st August, extended to 14th September at El Puerto-Rihuete, La
Reya and El Castellar. The itinerant vehicle
will remain in Bolnuevo.
of the Gastrobar Fizz in Puerto de Mazarrón.
Cerezuela made some simple dishes with
tuna, very typical of a Mazarrón kitchen. David Muñoz from Restaurant Alborada was the
second to perform with ‘Our understanding of
tuna’ and Ricardo Sanz closed the show with
‘The Japanese Tuna’. Firo Vázquez and David
Seijas the famous restaurant ‘El Bulli’ were
also demonstrating their special recipes.
The children had free workshops showing
them how to make mini pizzas and easy soups
and there was a special theme ‘Why buy tomatoes?’ when adults had the opportunity
to show their recipes using just tomatoes.
Ruta De Los Fenicios En España
The Mayor of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo,
explained that the ‘Charter of Jaén’ is a
roadmap which aims to develop the knowledge and encourage the conservation and
enhancement of the geographical and historical sites related to the history of PhoenicianPunic culture. He said at the signing “It is our
duty to encourage the creation of this route in
Spain by the Phoenician heritage we treasure
and in the case of Murcia, it is especially important because of the presence of the Phoenician boat in Mazarrón and by the ARQUA in
Cartagena. We have been given this opportunity not as mere spectators, but as premier
promoters of this initiative.”
tended the opening which was given by the
Mayor of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo, Director
of the People’s University (UP), Mª José Ballesta Lopez and the artist himself. The exhibition will remain open until July 11th, Monday
to Friday from 8pm-10pm.
A set of 25 photographs are on show and
Luis Marino explained that the exhibition is
the result of a project conducted at the University Miguel Hernández of Elche, after he
completed a degree in Visual Arts Expertise.
The Mazarrón artist said, “What can be more
personal than the first memories of my childhood attributed to a mythical Susaña, a territory fraught with legends and archaeological landmarks in which my grandfather had
a piece of land where tomatoes were grown.
I tried to get those places and smells in my
work and I tried to recreate the erosions of
Bolnuevo with the smell of wet sand, salt land
and moons.”
Mazarrón Dia a Dia
30 awards and 200 diplomas were awarded to both school children and adult participants for the XIV edition of Contests
and Awards Contest ‘Mazarrón Dia a Dia’.
There was a wide participation of schools in
the municipality and the main award this year
went to CEIP Ginés García Martínez. During the event, the exhibition hall appeared
crowded with children, youth and adults, as
the award is aimed at all ages, neighbours
and all those related to the town.
Murcia Misteriosa
This event took place on Saturday, June 7th at
the Cultural Centre in Mazarrón. It featured
Enrique Delgado, director and presenter of
Refugio Macabre from Radio Gaceta FM, who
talked about Cartagena and its 3000 years of
mysteries and legends. José Alonso, Radiologist from Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca spoke
on Surrounding Death Experiences (NDE).
Jose Antonio Martinez, director and host of
Nemesis TV programme, supplemented lectures with Project Nemesis: surpassing reality. Javier Belmar, director and host of Other
Worlds Radio Company, spoke on the Mysteries and Trivia in Other Worlds, followed by
Jorge Sanchez, a field researcher specializing in UFOs and whose presentation focused
on this phenomenon. Finally the researchers
composed of Antonio Pérez, Paco Hernandez
Fight and Eugenia talked about the ghosts of
the pubs Arizona and Route 66.
Art Exhibition
Mazarrón artist Luis Marino amazed the audience at the opening of his exhibition Susaña,
Paisaje Detenido which opened on 30th May
in the auditorium of the CIME, on Avda Constitucion. Dozens of relatives and friends at-
Cooking Show
The Ronqueo Blue Fin Tuna and the cooking
show attracted dozens of people when 130 kilos
of tuna were auctioned in Puerto de Mazarrón.
The opening of the conference was made by
the owner of Restaurante El Olivar in Moratalla, Ginés Campillo, accompanied by expert
chefs Firo Vázquez, Ricardo Sanz, chef from
Kabuki, the only Japanese restaurant in Spain
with a Michelin Star and 3 ‘suns’ in the Repsol
Guide and Eduardo Cerezuela, restaurant chef
Page 54
By the time you’re reading this, I hope to
have a Facebook page up and running for our
club, though I haven’t got the vaguest idea
how to do so!
though I wonder if other diners in the restaurant where we had our Menu del Día with
fast flowing booze appreciated our boisterous
group!
Our most recent event, Lunch and Wine
Tasting at Jumilla was a roaring success,
Building on the success of our trip to Jumilla,
we’ve arranged a day trip for Wednesday 10th
September to ‘Experiencia 43’ the production plant for Licor 43/Cuarenta y Tres,
followed by a visit to Los Alcazares, with a
shopping stop at Iceland supermarket on the
way home. Everyone is welcome to join us
on this trip, so call me on 968 956 026 for
tickets which cost 12€ for our members and
15€ for everyone else. More information with
times etc and a poster for this day out are on
our website www.mccsocialclub.com. Licor 43 is the 62º proof liqueur made from 43
ingredients that goes into your Asiatico coffee
and it’s advertised as the world’s number 1
Spanish liqueur. More importantly, we get a
drink at the start of the tour and another at
the end!
The maintenance team will still be clearing,
weeding and spraying all streets on ‘C’ as
usual throughout the hotter months, even
though the volunteer working parties have
now finished for the summer. Thanks to all
who have given us their time and effort.
It really makes a difference! All the palms
have now been pruned along the dual carriageway and 40 more trees and shrubs
have been planted in both of the garden
areas at the bottom near the rambla.
They have been well watered in, but this
needs to continue as they are not established yet due to the driest conditions we
can remember. If you would like to give
any plants near your home or holiday
home a drink or leave any full water
bottles behind the Welcome Wall, it
would be very much appreciated. Both
areas are looking lovely, but it will take a
huge commitment to keep everything alive
until the cooler months arrive. Unfortunately, there have been more thefts; two
ornamental figures have disappeared from
the new garden area. Please be vigilant
and report these thieves.
Finally, we’re now planning a Summer Pool
Party at Mazarrón Country Club on Wednesday 27th August. This will be open to everyone. We’ve booked Barrington to entertain
us, but didn’t have the meal and cost organized in time to be included in this article, so
watch our website for details.
More next month
Hazel Davison
ing every month.
Please note that John, our Chairman,
has arranged discount home and car
insurance through Liberty Seguros for
Green Fingers members. Please see the
website for details.
Save the date for our Christmas Meal
and Dance on Wednesday 3rd December
at The Club House, with Lenny Mitchell. Further details can be found on our
chalkboards or contact us on 634 325
427. More information about our group
can be found on Facebook and our website
http://www.greenfingersgardenandsocialgroup.com/
Thanks now to everyone for donations to
our bucket - this month we had a record
amount! It all helps further improvements
made to ‘C’ Sector North, which is improv-
Our Annual Barbeque was a real success;
dancing to Paul Allen and enjoying the food
ably provided by The Club House this
year! Special mention must go to all those
who donated their time and hard work.
Also, a huge thank-you to local restaurants
who kindly provided prize meal packages
for our raffle: Oscar’s, Liz’s Café, La Vida
Bar/Restaurant and Costa Café - much appreciated!
At the time of writing, we still have 4 seats remaining on our 3 night trip to Madrid, from
7 to 10 October. We’ve now opened this trip
to non-members, so if you’d like to join us,
you can find full details on our website. The
price for non-members is 140€ per person
sharing a twin room.
Page 55
It’s Getting Hot, Hot, Hot For MABS
Mazarron!!!!!!!
It has been an exceptionally busy time for
the team at MABS Mazarrón with a variety of fundraising events taking place:
Wednesday 4th June saw a Country Walk
organised by Bob Shoesmith, taking more
than 40 people on a leisurely walk along
the ramblas and dry river beds behind El
Salidillo. By his own admission Bob was
surprised but delighted at the number of
people who came along to his walk and
the feedback from the walkers has been
fantastic – “When’s the next one please?”
Tour to The Club House, Camposol. The
audience was delighted with a spectacular show, complimented by great food and
service from The Club House staff. Due to
a heavy schedule in the UK, this was their
only visit this year, but they will be back
in 2015. The night raised 230€ for MABS
Mazarron. Thanks for your continued support guys see you next year!
Saturday 7th June a Music Marathon at
Oscar’s, Camposol again saw our volunteers working hard to raise funds selling
their now renowned homemade cakes and
pastries, tombola and other fundraising
ideas. The team of Jenny, Pauline, Mark,
June and Di raised 150€, with a further
170€+ pledged from Oscar’s from the
overall proceeds on the day. Another great
day!
On Sunday 8th another Typical English
Garden Party was held at the home of
Val Cooper in Totana. More than 40 people
attended the afternoon and they received
cava and canapés on arrival, freshly cut
sandwiches, cream scones, freshly baked
cakes and English Tea (in china cups and
saucers!). The event raised in excess of
300€. Thank you to Val.
The walk raised 275€ on the day with more
pledged. Fantastic! Special thanks to Bob
and everyone who joined him on the walk.
On Friday 6th June, Juke Box Promotions
brought their sell out Cliff/Elvis Tribute
MABS Shield Open Golf Competition
What a day! The sun came out to greet
the 70+ golfers who played in the competition on Saturday 14th June, hosted by The
Camposol Club de Golf. Main competition
sponsor Citroën Auto Al-Mazarrón brought
along an array of cars for viewing, including the brand new Citroën Cactus.
Other sponsors included: Tallers Norberto;
Motos Raul; Dario Pinturas; T J Electricals; Ibex Insurance; Expat Pensions;
Avalon; Luz del Sol and Llamas Chimeneas.
The competition was keenly fought with
the eventual winners being: Baz Elmore;
Ray Cole; Andy Money and Mark Taylor.
They received the MABS Shield and individual medals to mark the event from Bar-
tollo, owner of Citroën Autos Al-Mazarrón.
Other winners were:
Longest Drive on Hole 3 – Ian Frost; Hole
5 – Eugene T; Hole 11 – Nigel Chadderton;
Hole 13 – M Lee.
The raffle raised a fantastic 265€ bringing the total for the day to 2990€. This
was made up to 3000€ by a local couple
who missed out on buying tickets because
they were sampling the wonderful range
of tapas created by the staff at The Club
House Bistro! – Thank you.
With the presentations in full swing there
was one more surprise in store for the
MABS Mazarrón team – a donation of
500€ from the retiring captains of the
Camposol Golf Association, Trevor Andrew
and Marilyn Jones. What a way to end the
day!!!
MABS Mazarron would like to thank everyone involved in the day, especially Camposol Club de Golf for hosting the event;
the stewards and marshals for organising
the match and competition; the staff at
The Club House for their efficient service
throughout the day; the sponsors for their
support before, during and after the event;
all of the players for their support and humour during the day and finally the MABS
volunteers for their continued help on a
day to day basis – THANK YOU!!!
MABS Mazarrón is a registered charity
that provides help and practical support to
local people who have been diagnosed with
cancer. If you would like to learn more
about what we do and how you could get
involved call in at our Information Centre,
email us on
[email protected] or call
620 582 418.
Just a few hours a week would make all the
difference to someone with cancer.
Tickets to all our events are available from
the MABS Information Centre Mon-Fri
10am-2pm.
Page 56
Page 57
Mass
according
to
the Extraordinary form
(in
Latin)
is
celebrated every 1st
Saturday
of
the month at
the
Catholic Chapel at
Pastrana, app r ox i m a t e l y
10km
from
Mazarrón
Schedule of
Masses:
1st Saturday
of the month
(in
Latin,
with readings
and
homily in English)
4:30pm
All other Saturdays Mass 4.30pm in English
San Animal did an amazing job of organising the Kon-Tiki Raft Race on Sunday
15th June on the beach at San Juan de Los
Tererros. Hundreds of spectators turned out
Schedule of Confession:
Saturday from 3:15-4:20pm. Also on request
Fr. Carlos Prats 628 824 555
Fr. Octavio Carpena 676 219 445
www.pastranaonline.com
THE OLD PRIEST
“..When I was weak and defeated, Christ and
His Holy Mother were there for me and they
showed me Mercy…Never lose trust, my children, true faith can move mountains…”
At the end of his homily, The Old Priest always encouraged us with these words: “Never lose trust.” He prayed a beautiful prayer,
saying that the story of his life, crosses and
joys, was all there in this prayer:
Forgive me, Lord for everything that I could
have seen and I chose not to see.
Forgive me, Lord, for everything that I could
have listened to and I chose not to listen.
have understood and I chose not to understand.
have forgiven and I chose not to forgive.
to see 14 rafts race. The rafts were fantastic and included entrants from local schools
and organisations; even the Town Hall took
part! The atmosphere was electric and there
was a real party atmosphere helped enormously by the Team Harmony Angels
who entertained the crowds with their superb cheerleading, singing and chanting their
own theme song. The Angels also organised a bucket collection from the crowd and
raised almost a €100€. Well done Angels!
Elaine, Secretary of San Animal said that
they were thrilled not only with the amount of
entrants, but the rafts that were superb. Everyone really got into the spirit of the day. Elaine
said that although the total amount has yet
to be finalised, they were expecting to have
raised near to 1000€ which for this charity is
Forgive me, Lord, for the light that I could
have received and I chose to close my eyes.
Forgive me, Lord, for the lives that I could
have protected and I chose to ignore.
Forgive me, Lord, for the love that I could
have shown to others and instead, I chose to
keep inside.
“…and I was lost and desperate; I asked Jesus
for help and I prayed to His Holy Mother. I
carried so many burdens and my heart was
heavy, I was given the grace to let Him take
over as I prayed: not my will, but Your Will,
Jesus…and in His great Mercy, He saved me…”
I thank you, Lord, for Your life-given grace.
I thank you, Lord for Your gentle light that
dispelled my darkness.
I thank you, Lord, for Your Forgiveness, for it
brought me everlasting peace.
I thank you, Lord, for Your unconditional
Love.
Enter under my roof, stay in my life and take
away all my worries and sorrows, all hurts
and pains.
Jesus, I trust in You!
Amen
an amazing amount of money much needed
for the rescue and re-homing of dogs and cats.
Photographs of the race can be found on the
San Animal and Team Harmony Spain Facebook pages and also on
www.teamharmonyspain.com.
The whole team from San Animal would
like to thank everyone who took part on
the day and also the spectators that made
the day even more magical. San Animal have worked in collaboration with
the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Pulpi
and hope to make this an annual event.
If you can help San Animal with fundraising,
re-homing of dogs or cats, fostering or even
walking the dogs, please contact Elaine at
sanamimal.org or see their Facebook page.
Page 58
Page 59
Firstly, we would like to apologise for the
incorrect telephone number given in last
months’ Chronicle. This was due to poor proof
reading by me. This has now been rectified.
Now to business!
a case and were able to supply a basic bag.
They had hardly any clothing or bedding, so
the next week we turned up with bags of everything they needed. Praise the Lord, who
never fails in His mercy and Grace and meets
all our needs every day.
thinking of disposal.
Despite the fact that we do not speak fluent Spanish, we find that love, blessings
and a smiling face ensure that everyone
we meet welcomes us into their homes
and call us “family”. We always bless
each person we meet in the precious
name of Jesus.
Thanks to the wonderful efforts of our ladies
who hold the table top sales at Camposol and
the continuing donations which never cease
to amaze us, we are able to supply the majority of the needs of our lovely families. However, donations are always required and are
gratefully accepted.
It is lovely to see one of our families have
found work this month and have moved to
Alicante Province. Their number has not reduced needs though, as we were approached
by a young man asking for food. When he
took us to his home, we found out that there
were 7 young men living in very poor conditions. We always carry spare food for such
Summer
Diseases and Heat
Problems
When the good
weather comes
there is an increase of certain
processes in our
pets because of
the rise of temperatures. One
of the most important
things
to remember if
you are taking
your dog or cat
in the car is to
make sure the
windows are left open. If you are going to
be away from the car for any length of time
DO NOT leave an animal in there. It does not
take long for heat to build up in a car during
the summer months and animals can die of
heat stroke very quickly.
Skin Disorders
There is often an increase of the skin disorders, mainly produced by ectoparasites as
ticks and fleas, as well as dermatitis with al-
You may remember that we mentioned in
last months’ article that we have a lady due
to give birth very soon. This family have no
running water or toilet, but most importantly,
they need a fridge. If anyone has a fridge
they are not using, or one they are planning to replace, please bear us in mind when
lergic component and bacterial infections as
piodermas during the summer months. There
can also be an increase of external otitis, so
we recommend the regular use of quality external antiparasitic medication as well as the
preventive use of certain shampoos and in
extreme cases the cleaning of the ear duct,
especially in breeds prone to suffer from external otitis.
Sun and Heat
Obese and older animals and those which
suffer from chronic cardiopulmonary diseases
can experience a worsening of their clinical
conditions during the heat. Walking in the
hours of maximum sun and intense exercise
should be avoided. These animals should be
kept in well aired areas without too much
heat. Heat stroke is a major problem. It is a
serious and extreme situation that may cause
the death of the animal if you do not act
quickly. To avoid this, intense exercise should
not be done at hours of maximum heat and
never leave animals inside the cars under the
sun. Races such as bulldogs are very prone
to suffer from these processes so special care
should be taken. Make sure that there is always plenty of fresh water available.
We always like to mention our kind donators:
Marian and Lesley at the Dog Bowl, Fuente
Alamo; Nadine and Ray at Club 25 Serena
Golf and the helpers at the table top at Camposol where food donations can be left.
If you can help in any way, please contact
Marge and Arthur Laws on 659 270 885 or
email [email protected]
Please also check our website http://swaptearsforsmiles.wix.com/swap-tears-4smiles
Food
Gastroenteritis from infections and alimentary toxinfections may also increase due to
the consumption of raw food exposed to environmental temperatures. We recommend using dry food during the summer and avoid to
letting the animal free when walking to avoid
eating food that might be in a bad state.
Emergencies
There is an increase of the number of emergencies during the busy months due to an increase in the number of people around and
certain activities. There are a great number
of traumas for traffic accidents and fights with
other animals during the summer months and
it is common to see dogs with things such as
fishing hooks in parts of their bodies, reactions or hypersensitivity to insect bites and
burrs or grass seeds in their ears or between
their toes. These may all need veterinary
treatment to avoid your pet having problems
later on.
Clinica Veterinaria
Puerto de Mazarrón.
Tel 968 153 931
Camposol Sector A
Tel 968 199 263
Page 60
Page 61
Jesus can heal today. Do you believe
that?
Jesus saw her and said “Dear woman, you,
you are healed of your sickness” (Luke 13:12)
Can anyone relate to these miracles?
Are you trying to medicate your pain through
tireless work, wrong relationships, or mood
altering substances?
The Bible tells us about a woman who had
been bent double for eighteen years and was
unable to stand up straight. Jesus called her
over and said, “Dear woman you are healed”
and then He touched her. Instantly she was
healed and could stand up straight.
How she praised God.
You know if you turn your life to Jesus, He
can set you free. You see you need a special
touch from Jesus. I can personally relate to
this as in 1996 I was healed by Jesus when
being prayed for, as I had osteoarthritis.
July is here and we are over half way through
the year. Where does it go, especially as you
get older!!! Life continues as ever in Casa
Rainbow Satellites - mums are fine. Regular
readers will know we have a green oasis garden in the middle of the Spanish desert up to
now (some 10 years here) kept green by two
water wells on the land - well the wells are
nearly dry; we have had so little rain this winter. A decision will have to be made whether
to keep the garden green with tap (expensive metered) water or let the garden ‘go’ - a
heart breaking decision. Perhaps we can compromise and keep parts?
to do much about except fit you with a bigger
dish or waiting until Autumn! By selecting the
region you watch, you can in general get BBC
and ITV back. I am finding Scotland signals
are mostly acceptable (BBC 1 Scotland (SD or
HD) and STV/Scottish ITV). Use a postcode
of G1 1AB in a FREESAT Box, or if you have a
SKY Box you will find BBC, but we will have to
programme in STV - ask us. You may not get
your ‘local’ news that you want, but you will
see Eastenders or Corrie!
For information, please contact Pastor Ralph
and Margaret Locke on 968 199 622 or 618
720 181.
Why not come and join us and hear of people
Hope I do not sound defensive, but all of the
installers in the region often get berated by
clients for ‘not knowing what we are doing’.
Most consumers appreciate that all the reputable installers do the best they can for their
clients, but our ability to look into the future
is often controlled by one of the most secretive companies in the world – Astra Satellites.
They are contracted to provide Satellite TV
Services to various operators in the UK, but
they just fulfil those contracts without ever
telling how they will do it. That leaves us installers who try our best to provide you, the
consumer, with the best UK TV we can down
here in southern Spain often working in ‘the
dark’ and having at best a guessing game for
our clients. You, the client, must accept that
we, the installer, often just do not know what
tomorrow will bring, despite being as professional as we can.
Just pick a reputable long established company for your TV installs. They really will do
the best job they can with all the information
available; it is not all about price, as important as that is!
Some of you with our SKY packs will have
noted that many of the HD channels are not
now available - SKY are getting clever! We
are working on the issue, but it is likely we
will only be supplying an SD service in the
future - still at good value, but not in glorious HD!
Article sponsored by Rainbow Satellites, the
company for all your TV needs in the Murcia
region of Southern Spain. Contact Alan (preferably by email as it saves him answering the
phone when perched on a roof top trying to
adjust a dish!) at [email protected]
or by phone (he will call you back if you leave
a message) (0034) 686 358 475.
www.rainbowsats.org has some good basic information, but it does need updating after the recent signal changes!
TV NEWS
We are getting lots of calls about signals
again changing/weakening. There seems to
be nothing in the satellite system that has
changed. I suspect it is about the atmosphere
warming up for the summer. It is well known
that signals do reduce in the summer, but up
to now they were so strong it did not matter
that we lost a few percent. Now with the new
signals from the new satellite being so low,
many of the smaller dishes are ‘on the edge’
of reception and with this further small loss
of signal, many of you are experiencing problems that I suspect we are not going to be able
who have been healed in the Olive Branch
Christian Fellowship, free of their sickness,
touched by Jesus Christ? We meet every Sunday at the Cultural Centre on Camposol Sector B at 10.30am. You are assured of a good
welcome. We also take communion each
Sunday.
Page 62
Page 63
Q: How do you make a blonde’s eyes light up?
A: Shine a flashlight in their ear.
Q: Why should blondes not be given coffee
breaks?
A: It takes too long to retrain them.
Q: How can you steal the window seat of a
blonde on a plane going to London?
A: Tell her the seats that are going to London
are all in the middle row.
Q: Why did the blonde keep a coat hanger in
her back seat?
A: In case she locks the keys in her car.
Q: Why couldn’t the blonde write the number
ELEVEN?
A: Because she didn’t know which one came
first!
Q: How can you confuse a blonde?
A: Put her in a round room and tell her to sit
in the corner.
Q: What do you call a smart blonde?
A: A Golden retriever!
Q: Why did the Blonde get fired at the M &
M factory?
A: She threw out all the W’s
Q: How
A: Alone.
do
blonde
brain
cells
1
5
9
13
14
15
16
Q: Why do blondes wear their hair up?
A: To catch everything that goes over their
heads.
17
18
19
21
23
25
26
29
31
34
35
37
39
41
42
43
44
46
47
50
Dull
Nativity scene piece
Cat’s nemesises
Capital of Western
Samoa
Israel’s former
name
Band instrument
Green seedless
plant
Orphan __
Scoff
Symbol
Makes angry
Droops
Offer
Pop (plr.)
Excess flesh
Eagle’s nest
Fire remains
Brute
Cheese
Gall
Dined
Hand wear
Lotion brand
Eastern religion
MGM’s Lion
Schism
Chinese gooseberry
51
52
54
56
59
63
64
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
Compass point
Soil
Large African river
Japanese warrior
City
Pale sherry
Wise Man’s gift
Solitary
Scent
Out and __
Fair
Heredity component
Coin
Pedestal part
DOWN
1
2
3
4
5
6
Appoint
On top
Overlook
Rationale
Human
Inflammatory disease
7 Leaving
8 European peninsula
Spain’s peninsula
9 Trivial
10 Off-Broadway
award
11 Tons
12 Behold
14
20
22
24
26
27
28
30
32
33
36
38
40
42
45
48
49
53
55
56
57
58
60
61
62
63
65
Make noise
Slip
Average (abbr.)
Biblical woman
Mob
Fire residue
Like a knife
Type of art form
Gods
Roof overhang
Former Russian
ruler
Cat’s cry
Millard ___, U.S.
president
Lodge
Pres. Eisenhower
Note of debt
Macadam
Perhaps
Went gently
Not front or back
After awhile
Smooth
Science channel
Sledge
Beano
Haze
Trail
Page 64
die?
Q: Why did eighteen blondes go to the movies together?
A: They heard that under seventeen weren’t
ACROSS
Answers on page 94
admitted!
Page 65
As usual we could not continue and perform without the support of all you. Thank
you all very much. It is so lovely to see
familiar faces and welcome to all the new
faces at our productions.
Please feel free to contact our Chairman
for any info about forthcoming activities or
check out our website
www.cloudninedramagroupmurcia.
com and Facebook page Cloud Nine Drama.
We are always on the lookout for new
members both front of house and backstage. Get your creative juices flowing.
Come and join Cloud Nine.
We donate a portion of our profits from
each performance to a local charity.
How often have you heard someone say
“Well it’s hardly surprising they had problems and got into trouble – just look at their
upbringing?”
It seems so often when a person falls foul
of the law they resort to blaming a difficult childhood or an abusive relationship.
They rush to list the problems they had as
a child. It’s never their fault – it’s usually
the system or their parents or the lack of
money or….. The excuses are endless.
I have just been enthralled by the brief biography of Maya Angelou the famous black
author who died last month. Maya was one
of two children, born in 1928 to black parents. At the age of three her parents divorced and she was shipped off to grandparents for four years when she returned to
her mother. Her mother’s boyfriend raped
her a year later and he was murdered just
four days after being released from jail.
Maya blamed herself for this as she had
named him for the rape. She didn’t speak
a word for 5 years! She moved back to her
grandparents and her troubled childhood
continued when she gave birth to her son
at the age of 16.
Are you getting the picture of someone
who had a lot of reasons to blame life
for any problems she might face?
Maya’s life continued to take her to a variety of situations and she worked in all manner of jobs ranging from streetcar conductor to sex worker. There were at least two
marriages and numerous friendships and
relationships in various countries including Egypt and Ghana. She met and worked
with Martin Luther King and Malcolm X on
Civil Rights matters and she met a number
of writers who encouraged her to put her
creative talents to good use.
Her first biography “I Know Why The Caged
Bird Sings” is well known and she went on
to write much more, including screen plays,
TV scripts, songs (for Roberta Flack etc.)
Indeed she was the first black woman to
write a successful screenplay. Perhaps her
most well known poem, “On The Pulse Of
The Morning” was the one she read in person at the inauguration of Bill Clinton in
1993.
From a horrendous childhood, rape, failed
marriages, disastrous times in the sex industry, you might wonder how Maya Angelou survived and lived to the age of 86 and
made a success of her life. In an interview
with the newspaper “The Times-Picayune”
of New Orleans she said, “I found that I
knew not only that there was God, but
that I was a child of God. When I understood that; when I comprehended
that more than that; when I internalized that, ingested that; I became courageous.”
It is easy to blame someone else, but Maya’s story shows that with the right values,
it is eminently possible to live a worthwhile
life and be a valued and esteemed member
of society.
If you want to know about this God that
changes lives for the better why not join us
any Sunday morning at 11am.
Page 66
Page 67
Calle Sobrija 2248
Sector D20 Camposol
Rev Maureen Kent
This article is more a huge Thank You this
month, than anything else.
Firstly, I was delighted to be asked to bless
the well on Los Palacios, at the “Well Dressing”, which was a lovely event. I am already
looking forward to attending next year!
St Nicholas now has a new tradition which
was initiated over the weekend of 6th/7th/8th
of June. It was our Open Garden and Traditional Flower Festival, culminating in our
Joint Holy Communion Service. Thanks must
go to Gill & Mike, Mike & June, Judy, Jenny
& Ron, Len & Rosemary, Eberhard & Monica
and Peter & Shirley for opening their gardens
for viewing. The flowers for the displays were
supplied and sponsored by Florista Pareton
and the plants were supplied and sponsored
by José Serrano Garcia at the Garden Bou-
NEST walks are friendly, particularly easy,
social outings to amazing places; definitely
NOT for sporty walkers wanting a challenge!
Come and make new friends with NEST!
tique Camposol. Our other sponsors were:
The Health Centre; The Business Centre; Los
Palacios Gardening Group; Branded; Compusurf; Yvonne Beautician; Inside Out; Chimney Sweep; The Vista Bar and Just Fabulous. We really appreciate your generosity
which made the occasion such a success, but
the wonderful displays would not have been
possible without the skill and time given by
Karen Best from Just Fabulous and all the advice she was so willing to share. Sheila, Viv
and Denise worked tirelessly alongside Karen
to make our church a truly beautiful place
that weekend.
Other donations were given by Len & Rosemary Eaton; Julie; Mary & Dennis; Carol &
Geoff; not forgetting the German Branch of St
Nicholas Ecumenical Church.
There just is not enough space here to thank
all of you who gave your time and efforts so
selflessly, but you know who you are and
our gratitude goes to everyone involved that
areas in Sierra Espuña. In the early evening it
will be cooler and breezier here.
Eagles’ Nesting Areas - Thursday 31st
July
Meet 6pm in El Berro public car park opposite Camping Sierra Espuña for a relaxed,
slow, short, early evening stroll in parts of the
mountains where there are eagles’ nesting
Places are strictly limited for this very special
walk of particular interest to anyone who likes
eagles. We do often see an eagle in flight on
this walk, but obviously it can’t be guaranteed. Wear sturdy non-slip footwear and bring
sun protection and don’t forget some water to
weekend. Just to let you know that the Guess
The Number of Sweets, was won by Mrs Eddie Herring.
Services for July
Sunday 6th Songs of Praise
Sunday 13th Holy Communion
Sunday 20th Morning Prayer
Sunday 27th Holy Communion
As well as these services, we offer Wedding
Blessings, Holy Baptisms, Confirmation and
Funerals. We have a Pastoral Care Group
throughout the year , with people willing to
listen, talk and help anyone who is sick or in
need. This Pastoral Care is absolutely confidential.
For further information please contact:
Rev Maureen Kent 968 970 637/636 099
679
Rev Deacon Bill Coyle 634 143 260
Rev Eberhard Klute (German Branch) 968
138 764
sip. There is often no mobile signal for emergencies, so you do need to be relatively fit
and healthy and come at your own risk. Bring
binoculars and cameras to make the most of
eagle-spotting opportunities! We will go to a
local restaurant afterwards for refreshments.
The walk is 5€ and you pay for your own refreshments.
Please be sure to book your place supplying
your contact Spanish phone number without
which your booking will not be confirmed.
Book your places by ringing or texting 679
002 147 or email natureespunatrails@
gmail.com, with your names and Spanish
contact tel nos. Please wait for confirmation
you’re booked in. Looking forward to meeting you!
Check the website www.nestwalks.info for
driving directions and last-minute info and to
subscribe to the mailing list so you can be
invited to future walks etc.
Page 68
Page 69
ADAPT Beachcombers
If you’re looking for an interesting new outdoor hobby, you might like to try Metal Detecting with a wonderful friendly group of
people from the ADAPT Association.
Pat, who is an avid fan of the club, said that
the group always meets for breakfast before
an outing and what a friendly, supportive
lot they are! They are an integrated bunch
of British, Spanish, Scandinavian etc. There
are over 50 members, of both men and
women, who are divided into South Group
and North Group. The groups are organised
by Roderick Toms and Robin Bonathan. There
have been a few success stories of late when
the groups have reunited grateful members
of the public with lost possessions.
The annual Associations of San Pedro Fair was
held at Lo Pagan and the ‘Stick Wavers’ were
there to demonstrate this fascinating leisure
activity which can be on land, beach or in the
sea. Members of the public were invited to
participate in ‘finding buried treasure’ on the
beach. There seemed to be quite an abundance of small coins which fired the imagination of some of the young boys who joined
in. I’m sure we have future enthusiasts there!
With today’s hectic and busy lifestyles
we often ignore our bodies and what
they are trying to tell us. We put up with
aches, pains, niggles and feeling ‘down’ and
we begin to accept them as ‘normal’.
But should this be the case?
*
*
*
*
*
*
Do you want to feel irritable for the rest of
your life?
Should you accept waking up with back
pain every morning?
Is it ‘normal’ to suffer digestively after
every meal?
Should you accept disturbed sleep night
after night?
How different would life be if you didn’t
keep pulling that muscle?
When will you stop coming down with the
If you would like more information about
this and other groups you can visit the
ADAPT website www.adaptsanpedro.eu
same infection, time after time?
These are just a few issues that Kinesiology
can provide help with.
Kinesiology enables us to gain better health
and restore well-being.
Kinesiology involves gently testing the client’s muscles and interpreting the body’s response.
Kinesiology is totally non-invasive and a
very powerful tool.
Each muscle is linked to a particular organ
or body system by energy channels known
as Meridians. Therefore, when a muscle is
spongy or weak and cannot resist the gentle
applied pressure, we explore why this might
be. It can be a purely muscular issue as a
result of overstrain or weakness, or it may be
linked to the corresponding organ or system,
which is indicating it would benefit from ‘support’ or strengthening. This support could be
structural, nutritional, emotional or energetical and can take the form of deep lymphatic
massage, stimulation of the neurovascular points, balancing of the body’s energies,
emotional support, and identification of appropriate nutritional support.
Kinesiology is a wonderfully holistic tool
which addresses the client’s issues from a variety of angles. Unlike modern-day medicine
which can so often simply dull the symptoms,
Kinesiology gets to the root cause.
Sandra Ramsay
968 134 953/634 312 081
SNHS (Dip) Kinesiology
Applied Systematic Kinesiology
Hair Analysis
Page 70
A Curious Case of lost Kidney Stones
If I am honest, one of the reasons I decided
to move to Spain was my health. It was not
Spain’s fantastic level of healthcare – more
its pace of life that attracted me. With a busy
home life in the UK and several businesses, all
operating in the arts sector during a recession,
cracks in my usual calm were beginning to appear, along with a range of illnesses - from depression, dehydrated intervertebral discs, to
kidney stones. With the knowledge that most
ailments are in one way or another induced
by stress, it seemed crucial that I make some
life-style changes.
As a serial nomad with 40 house-moves behind me, ‘A change is as good as a rest’ some
have said would be a fitting epitaph for me. I
have lived in far-flung and dangerous places,
hot places and cold places, but usually driven
by a sense of adventure and lust for exploration. Spain feels different. It’s primarily
about slowing down and my deliberately basic
home near the Mar Menor is delivering what’s
needed.
But the big change for me is sleep. For
years I have told myself that I am some kind
of Thatcher-like super being, who only needs
a mere handful of hours sleep a night (note:
similarity with Mrs T ends there!). I would
think sleep just a waste of time – I had far
too much to do and better things to fill my
time. I would look down my nose in pity at
those that squandered more than eight hours
on the stuff. The glow of my iPad could be
seen from as early as three in the morning and
I felt superior that I had a head-start on my
email inbox before everyone else. Sometimes
I would play backgammon online with folks
in other time zones, or write whole magazine
or blog articles. By 5am I was usually bored
and more than ready to be up and dressed to
start the day. My husband joked that he never
saw me asleep. Perhaps I was a robot - or
an alien.
During one of those early morning sessions I
read a news article about the importance of
sleep. Scientists from the best universities in
the world were warning that the increasing
habit of cutting sleep is leading to “serious
health problems”. Aware that my health
was failing on many fronts, I took action. It
has taken a real effort not to reach for the
internet if I wake and not to go for a justin-case wee that I don’t really need and not
to write lists of things I need to do when I
get up, but slowly I have managed to achieve
seven or eight hours of unbroken sleep most
nights. The difference to my mental and
physical health is notable – and I now have
another hope to shed what I laughingly still
call my ‘baby-pounds’ (my youngest child is
12). Weight loss is said to be ultimately
easier with a good sleep pattern.
I wouldn’t have been able to benefit from
these positive health benefits as easily if I
hadn’t moved here and made a drastic lifestyle change. I am reminded of Spike Milligan’s grave which reads: “I told you I was
ill”. I’m not quite ready to write my own epitaph just yet, but maybe “Peacefully in her
sleep” when the time does come. It won’t be
the kidney stones that get me though - who
knows what has happened to them? I had
them with me when I left Cambridge in April,
but now the hospital can’t locate them!
¡Viva España!
It might not sound like much, but I have
been taking a gentle constitutional stroll each
day. After dropping my son off at school I
continue on foot, winding through residential
streets onto the Avenida Generalísimo (is that
a Franco remnant?) and onto the main esplanade by the beach. Sitting on my favourite
bench, I either sketch, or sometimes just look
out over the glass-like Mar Menor, with the occasional dog-walker or retired couple nodding
a ¡Buenos días! as they pass. More than once,
I have been later in the day to the Salinas next
to the Mar Menor, which have yielded buckets
of mineral filled mud and I have joined tourists
and Spanish pensioners in coating myself with
the healing slop. I’m not sure how it cures ills,
but the ritual is relaxing and fun! I am also
eating better - the vegetables seem fresher
and tastier and I drink more water and less
wine (I surprise myself here at 1.50€ a bottle).
Page 71
Is It Really Healthier Here Than The UK?
Mar Menor was invaded by the deadly Portuguese-Man-O-Wars. However, I couldn’t find
any statistics on jelly-fish sting deaths from
the World Health Organisation and generally
the beaches and the sunshine to be found
there is a giver of good health.
Last month I championed cycling as a great
way to stay healthy. This month in Mar
Menor Musings I reflect on my own health
and reasons for moving to Spain (i.e. to relax!), but I wanted to look more generally at
whether this region is really better for you
than the UK.
If you read golf resort and real estate brochures, they will all tell you that Spain and
specifically this region is among the healthiest
places to live in the world. I set about finding
more scientific and neutral evidence.
The good news is that medical journal, The
Lancet, has recently published an in-depth
piece of medical research using data spanning twenty years, which shows Spain at the
top of the pile for European countries. Life
expectancy in Spain is over 82 years (2011
figures). Italy comes a close second, despite
both countries suffering economic woes. Nevertheless Britain isn’t far behind with a life
expectancy of 80. The biggest killer, causing more than half of all deaths across the
European region, is Cardiovascular disease.
Overall, Cardiovascular disease causes over
4 million deaths in Europe and is estimated
to cost the EU economy €195 billion a year.
Britain ranks as one of the worst places in
Europe for heart-disease, with Spain certainly
fairing better (curiously France is better than
both, despite being among the worst on the
risk factors of diet and smoking).
The French certainly prove that some illnesses cannot always be attributed to life-style
and as the UK has nearly twice the number
of cases of measles than Spain, but a third of
mumps, trying to weigh up whether Spain is
better than the UK becomes a complex calculation and difficult to measure.
The Spanish Tourist board refers to the lagoon
as an ‘Outdoor Spa’ and for centuries people
have been coming to get healing properties
from the mud, which provides calcium, magnesium and potassium. Bathing in the lagoon
is supposed to act as an anti-inflammatory,
good for easing rheumatism, arthritis, gout
and as a treatment for acne and other skin
problems. If you fancy an indoor Spa, look
one up - just in my small town of San Pedro
del Pinatar there are several listed online. As
part of the ‘new relaxed me’, I am looking forward to trying one of them out next month!
Scientifically, it is difficult to prove whether
living here is better for you than the UK –
but it scores highly on many fronts – heartdisease, sunshine, life expectancy and it certainly gets the thumbs up from me!
Perhaps it’s down to booze? World Health
Organization figures show Spaniards drink
less alcohol than Brits (10 litres a year versus 11.5 litres). Aside from cheap alcohol,
there are undoubtedly other health risks from
living in Spain – sunburn, infected mosquito
bites and jelly fish stings. You might think I
exaggerate on the dangers of the latter, but a
week before the jelly-fish nets were put up on
the Mar Menor I spotted a Rhizostoma Pulmo
variety in waters (crudely identified on the internet) and let us not forget that in 2009 the
Spain is famous for its excellent healthcare
system and the country does have more dentists and far more physicians per capita than
in the UK (there are 26,000 registered dentists!) However, I was surprised to learn that
per capita, the Spanish government spend on
healthcare is less than in the UK (2011 figures) and accessing the Spanish healthcare
system isn’t as easy as it once was. Visitors
with European Health Insurance Cards
can access state-provided health system and
if you are employed in Spain or a self-employed tax resident you can access the state
system as a Spaniard would. However, for
many Brits like myself, self-employed/retired,
overseas incomes are not always straight forward and the Spanish authorities are asking
many foreigners, even EU citizens, to provide
evidence of a private health scheme before
allowing people to be registered as a resident.
Murcia now has a “convenio especial” where
you pay a monthly fee to access state-run
healthcare. The Foreign Office has a useful
webpage dedicated to Healthcare For Brits
Living In Spain
Recent research has shown that women who
sunbathe live longer than women who don’t!
Exposure to the sun is attributed to helping
against blood clots and lowering the incidence
of type 2 Diabetes caused by a lack of vitamin D. How delightful that simply sitting next
to the Mar Menor in the sunshine can be a
healthy activity in itself!
Page 72
The Arches Bar Line Dancers Donate to
the Butterfly Children Charity
Its severity ranges from mild to lethal.
It is caused by a mutation in the keratin
or collagen gene. As a result, the skin is
extremely fragile. Minor mechanical friction
or trauma will separate the layers of the skin
and form blisters. People with this condition
have an increased risk of cancers of the skin
and many will eventually be diagnosed with it
as a complication of the chronic damage done
to the skin.
happy group of ladies. Lin thanked all her
Line Dancing Ladies for their support over the
years and Ali and Derreck for allowing them
to use the room at The Arches free of charge
during that time.
The afternoon began with some line dancing,
then line dancing teacher, Lin announced that
she was retiring from teaching after 14 years
of raising money for various charities. She
will be handing over to Di Daniels, who will
start the classes again at The Arches, every
Wednesday, from 8th October.
Epidermolysisbullosa (EB) is an inherited connective tissue disease causing
blisters in the skin and mucosal membranes, with an incidence of 1/50,000.
Anne and Pat from DEBRA Spain attended
and Anne spoke about the problems that Butterfly Children faced and how grateful they
are for such a generous donation from this
If you would like to know more about DEBRA
Spain, call 952 816 434, or email [email protected] or visit their website
www.debra.es
Photographer: Alfonso Fernandez
On Wednesday 28th May, Lin Chitty’s Line
Dancing Group gathered at The Arches
Bar in Los Alcázares to present a cheque for
1060€ to the charity, DEBRA Spain, which
is dedicated to helping people living with
Epidermolysisbullosa (EB), known as Butterfly Children. DEBRA Spain is a non-profit
organisation formed by people living with
Epidermolysisbullosa (EB) as well as socialhealth professionals and friends, all working
together to improve the quality of life of people, mostly children and families affected by
EB. Founded in 1993, it has been designated
by the Ministry of Internal Affairs as an entity
of “public need and importance”.
Page 73
Wednesday 2nd July Volunteers meeting normally 1st Wednesday of each month
@ Centro Civico, Roda Bar, Roda. 11am for
11.15am. If you are interested in helping
MABS and would like to know more, come
along to the meeting or ring Sylvia, Volunteer
Coordinator on 634 353 575.
th
Friday 4 July Share & Care Group @ MABS
Cancer Centre, San Javier. 11am-1pm. Informal get together for anyone affected by cancer or bereavement. Call in for a coffee and
a chat, and meet others in the same situation. Further details from Anne 693 795 247,
or MABS Centre on 634 328 401 (10am2pm).
Sunday 6th July Cool Sax @ The Arches
Bar, Los Alcazares 1.30pm-3.30pm. Enjoy a
drink or lunch whilst listening to the sounds
of saxophone. Donations to MABS. Tel 653
HAH (Mar Menor) Support The Basil
Skyers Myeloma Foundation
On July 10th HAH will be presenting 1,000€
to the Basil Skyers Myeloma Foundation,
whose patron is Viv Anderson MBE ex-England Footballer. Basil, with sister Sophia,
her husband Clyde, a popular guitarist with
Clyde and the Blue Grooves and his proud
mother Iona lived part of the time in Roda
until he was struck down with Myeloma and
sadly died in 2010. The Basil Skyers Myeloma Foundation was set up in UK in 2011
and now they are bringing awareness to
Spain through an Annual Golf Tournament
held at Mar Menor Golf and Campbell’s Restaurant in Roda. There will be a Hog Roast
at Campbells on July 10th, where Susan,
Care Co-ordinator from HAH, will present
the cheque. This event starts at 7pm and
music at 9pm, with Mr Soul and Motown,
Richie Alexander. Tickets 8€ available from
Campbell’s Restaurant.
081 341.
on 650 718 172 or email [email protected]
Tuesday 16th July Ladies’ Ebony & Ivory
Lunch @ Diamantes Restaurant, El Mojon
1.30pm for 2pm. Three course lunch with a
glass of wine 10.50€. Raffle in aid of MABS.
Come along and meet and make new friends
whilst supporting a good cause. Please book
your place with Diamantes on 965 352 947.
Every Saturday Book Stall @ The Arches
Bar, Los Alcazares, from 10am-1pm. Weather permitting.
Monday 28th July Costa Cálida Golf Charity Day @ Mar Menor Golf Resort. Meet 9am.
Tee off 9.30am. Stableford Team Event (full
details to be advised). Cost 47€ walking/52€
with buggy. Includes prizes for overall winners, longest drive men, longest drive lady
and 3 x nearest to pin. Golfers of all standards are welcome for this fun but competitive
day of golf. Costa Cálida Golf will donate to
MABS, 2€ for every person who plays and the
proceeds from the raffle. To book call Andy
ment kept the music playing whilst all 300+
guests sat down to enjoy the freshly prepared food.
Event organiser, Celia Ryan thanked all concerned, Reuben and his staff at Roda, all the
artistes, Mike Campbell (Campbell’s Restaurant) and of course the HAH volunteers and
all their supporters. The raffle raised an
amazing 2,200€.
It was unanimously agreed that it was as
always a fantastic event, excellent food, excellent bar and excellent entertainment.
Sunday June 8th, Mr Soul and Motown, the
wonderful Richie Alexander, started the
concert and as usual, soon had the ladies
dancing, the men staying seated and sober!! Kenny was next with his fantastic
guitar playing and vocals, followed by the
big voice of Mara ‘Hara who held the crowd
spellbound – a brilliant first half.
Steve, who provided a lot of the equip-
Cancer Centre, Urbanisation Foque, Avenida
Mar Menor. Open Mon-Fri 10am-2pm. Drop
in for information or help for anything to do
with Cancer. A volunteer is always available
to make you a coffee and have time to talk.
Centre Tel 693 824 511 or Jill Chorley, Centre Manager 638 387 839.
Best Foot Forward For HAH Mar Menor
In April this year, HAH founder, Lesley
Eburne, went to see Kinesiologist Sandra
Ramsay at her rooms in Los Urrutias feeling
very tired and run down. On making a further appointment, Sandra told her that they
were walking 240kms from Porto in Portugal
to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, on May
21st, which would take 10 days. Sandra
and her husband Steve said that they would
love to raise funds for HAH, as they and
their friends shouldn’t be the only people to
benefit from this amazing challenge!! They
set themselves a target of 500€.
The evening continued with the amazing
tribute act, Jackie ‘Wildcat’ accompanied by
Jim on guitar. Finally Suzy G with one of her
girls finished the day.
HAH And Friends Rocked At Roda
For the 4th year running, the sun shone for
the annual Rocking in Roda concert held
at Centro Civico Roda village, with a barbecue, bread and salad and garlic potatoes
cooked in an enormous paella pan.
Charity Shop, Avenida de la Union, San
Javier. Open Mon-Fri 10am-2pm. Good quality second hand clothes, furniture and brica-brac. Donations gratefully received. Ring
968 950 917 or Sue Savage, Shop Manager
615 016 035.
HAH Auction A Great Success
The auction held at La Zona in Los Narejos
on May 20th on behalf of HAH raised just under 600€. Lots of people turned up to grab
a bargain and Joanne Scott from La Zona
was the auctioneer. She soon had people
laughing with some of her interpretations of
goods on offer, in English and Spanish. Well
done Jo, a brilliant event! Lots of HAH volunteers were on hand, even delivering larger items for some people. Carole Duff, HAH
volunteer/organiser, said “ It was such a fun
event and as all the items for sale were donated to us, all the money will go back in
the community helping us to continue our
FREE services to the local community.
W a l k i n g
through
rain,
sun,
campo
and
towns,
carrying
only
back
packs,
they had special passports
stamped along
the
way
as
proof of their
journey. Quite
an
arduous
task in such
a short time
but,
thankfully, Sandra’s
knowledge of Kinesiology enabled her to
work through any problems they encountered physically. Lesley said “Meeting Sandra not only helped me personally, but now
HAH clients will also benefit from the amazing 1000€ which has been raised to date.”
Arriving home on Saturday, 25th May, totally
invigorated and planning their next walk,
Sandra said “We are delighted to have
completed the 240km in the 10 days. We
feel really well and are so proud of the fact
that others will benefit from our efforts.”
Lesley thanked Sandra and Steve for this
amazing support for HAH.
www.helpathome.es
To become one of our team of volunteers,
Tel Lesley 968 134 978
Page 74
Page 75
CRUZ AZUL Helps Spanish Dog Pirata
Cruz Azul attended the recent ‘Encuentro
de Asociaciones’ fair in Santiago de la Ribera
and, as a result, were approached by a young
Spanish couple who have recently become
unemployed, receiving just 400€ a month
from the Government. They have 3 dogs and
a cat and are obviously finding it a struggle to
live and care for their pets.
One of their dogs, Pirata, was found by the
couple two and a half years ago, when he was
just six months old. He was injured and had
had both ears cruelly amputated. Pirata’s new
owners took care of him, nursing him back to
health and he has been a faithful companion
ever since.
After meeting Cruz Azul Volunteers at the
fair, they wanted to do the responsible thing
and get Pirata’s vaccinations up to date, as
operation, with his new microchip and up-todate vaccinations. “Pirata’s owners are the
first Spanish people that we have helped.”
said Cruz Azul President, Lyn Baines, “and
I hope that they are the first of many that
we can help from the Spanish community, in
addition to those that we are already helping
from the foreign community.”
well as castrating and microchipping him.
They don’t even have a car, so Cruz Azul volunteer, Alfonso Fernandez, transported Pirata
and his owners to one of the Cruz Azul approved vets, Jessica, at the CV Fauna Clinic
in San Javier.
g from his
Pirata is now at home recovering
Cruz Azul Murcia is a registered charity (No.
11.720/1a) and exists to provide veterinary
care for the sick and injured pets of people in
need and to promote responsible pet ownership.
If you or someone you know needs help, or
you would like to volunteer or donate, please
call 693 017 616 or visit their website www.
cruzazulmurcia.es
Photographer: Alfonso Fernandez
Presentation to AIDEMAR
At their monthly general meeting on 29th May
a presentation of a cheque for 2,000€ was
made by HELP MMM’s Honorary Patron, Lady
Elisabeth Hebdige, to Miguel Andreu, a Director of AIDEMAR, which was started in 1982 to
help the parents of children with incapacities,
by providing the children with rehabilitation
and the parents with respite. AIDEMAR currently look after 500 children and adults on a
daily basis. Miguel thanked HELP MMM and
all the people who donated money on behalf
of all the parents and AIDEMAR.
ing to pay a mortgage, rent, or electricity and
water bills. They raise funds by occasional
special collections in the church and other
local charitable events. They could benefit
from more donations and contributions of
food, clothes and money.
AIDEMAR have a day centre in San Javier
starting soon for the care of very small children. They are renovating a small house and
extending it to suit their needs and they need
to buy beds, mattresses and bedding.
If you can donate any of the items they need
visit their website www.aidemar.com or
visit one of their homes at Calle Fernandez
Cavallera in San Javier.
HELP MMM Donates to Caritas, Sucina
Lady Elisabeth, Honorary Patron of HELP
MMM, presented a cheque for 1,000€ to the
local priest, Fr Jose Joaquin Izurzu, Presidente (Sacerdote) on Monday 26th May at
Vino’s Victors Café/Bar in Sucina. The Mayor,
Pepe Mercader and others also attended.
Caritas in Sucina started in October 2013 in
response to needs in the local community
covering Sucina, Avileses and Casas Blancas.
They currently help 28 families and 130 people including children. They don’t only help
Spanish people; their assistance is based on
family or individual needs, regardless of ethnic origin. Sometimes they assist by help-
HELP MMM Donates 2,000€ to PROMETEO
On Friday 23rd May, Bernard Ash, President of
HELP MMM, accompanied by Janneke Chambers, Head of Caring Services, presented a
cheque to PROMETEO in Torre Pacheco. They
run a day centre for mentally and physically
handicapped children and adults. They can
attend to 30 adults between 16 and 65 years
of age with different levels of incapacity and
offer help to those clients and their families.
Their services cover physiotherapy, aquatic
and occupational therapy, family assessment
and training in social communication skills in
order to promote a more independent life.
There is also a leisure group to provide parents with respite, for which transport is made
available to and from home - Caring for the
Carers!
PROMETEO also has the use of another building where they can attend to children up to
6 years of age with mental disorders. They
intend to extend part of the building with 2
extra class rooms for special projects. With
the aid of their art teacher, patients had made
a special sculpture, which they donated to
HELP MMM.
The morning was then closed by a demonstration from the Balsicas Dogs Group, who
train their dogs especially for the aid of mentally and physically handicapped people.
Money for Daily Food
On Monday 16th June, Bernard Ash and Janneke Chambers from HELP MMM, presented
a cheque for 2,000€ to the Vice President of
AFEMAR in San Pedro, Snr Jose Luis Martinez.
This money will be spent largely on essentials
such as daily food. This small unit cares for
adults with mental illnesses. Clients are via
direct contact and Social Services. Because
of the very limited funding they can only cater for 10 full time adults and 18 outpatients.
However they have still managed to create
a caring and happy atmosphere for those in
the centre with psychotherapy, workshops,
music, art, IT training etc. They also help
families get a more informed understanding
of the illness and how to better cope with the
situation. One client gained 3rd prize in a national art competition held in Madrid - a great
success story.
Some funding is provided by central office in
Murcia, but this does not cover building maintenance or materials for the workshops. They
desperately need a large van/minibus to pick
up patients.
Their Facebook is AFEMARMENOR
[email protected]
Tel 968 181 910/636 206 108
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Hello again, Nathan here again and I am here
to talk to you about some friends of ours who
came over from Scotland for a holiday the
other week.
freeze! Dad took him out in the inflatable boat
we have while Anne, Mum and I sat in the
shade and talked about all we had done since
moving here. We also went shopping for a hat
for Gavin because he had left his at home in
Scotland.
Anne and Gavin came to stay with us for 5
days. They have not been here before so they
were very excited. We have known Anne and
her son Gavin for years through the church
we went to in Scotland. When they arrived
they wanted to settle in and get to know the
place, so we gave them a guided tour of the
house, garden and cattery. After lunch we
chatted and just caught up on what had been
happening over the six years since we last
saw them, which was quite a lot really!
went to Cartagena and the castle there, going up the glass lift. Gavin loved that bit! We
went back to the beach and Gavin just stood
in the water most of the time. Maybe it was
because the North Sea is so cold he found
it a novelty to just be in the water and not
Having a cancellation listing for our events
means that we can quickly replace those
who through certain circumstances have to
cancel their trips or holidays with us. This is
always useful and when we have a sell-out
as we have with our All-Inclusive Cruise
(166 people) to Palma, Corsica, Sardinia
and Italy and our City Break to Valencia,
means that we can immediately keep the
numbers and thus maintain great value for
money. Our Trip To Benidorm next March
is almost full and it is likely that the good
old cancellation list will come into play
again. In order to be kept aware of all that
we do in our fundraising activities, why not
register with us at our weekly appearances
or contact us through www.pals.sm4.biz
or call 626 460 465?
The second day, however, was different because we went to the beach in Mazarrón
which was nice. The sea was warm and the
sand was hot. We took a picnic and spent
most of the day there. For the next couple of
days we did all the tourist type of stuff; we
The Trip To Benidorm 16th-20th March
2015, is 4 days full board at the Hotel Helios, coach there and back for 160€. Specially
chosen to cover St Patrick’s Day and San
Jose Fiestas, it’s a great way to spend time
in Europe’s entertainment capital.
Due to public demand, we have arranged a
very special one-off performance by ‘Wildcat’ at the Bahia Hotel on Saturday 4th October. This will be a Rock and Roll Special and we are delighted that our friends
from the Coffin Dodgers are assisting. 5€
entrance with special room rates and 8pm
start. This was the day reserved for the
Café Concert which
will be revived next
year with a new target, but we didn’t
want the day to go
by, so this is definitely
time to put on those
drainpipes, slip into
those ‘brothel creepers’, comb what is left
of your hair into a DA
and dance, dance,
dance!
This year our Christmas Dinner Dance
once again features
When the last night came round we all went
to the Hacienda del Alamo Golf Club for a
meal. That was great; it was warm enough
for us to sit outside and Mum showed Gavin
how to use face time on his ipad, so we can
keep in touch when they are back home in
Scotland. We played pool and swam in our
pool as well. I am pretty sure they had a
great time and I think they may even come
back next year for a bit longer so they can
join us on a Sunday evening at our Open Door
meetings on Camposol.
That’s it for now; bye and enjoy the warmer
weather now!
the popular Martin Ross and with the 8
course meal and drinks, promises at 29.50€
to be a great evening. We are again using
the Hotel Costa in Mazarrón as the service is
fantastic and the food is hot! Coaches from
Camposol and Mazarrón Country Club 7€
return.
New Year’s Day Swim - already we have
one of our swimmers with pledges of over
200€. Get a sponsorship form and start collecting now!
All funds received by PALS, who are probably the oldest registered expat charity in
the area, are reserved for the purchase of
life saving equipment and for use in a local or regional disaster. The accounts are
maintained on a week by week basis and
are available for inspection at anytime.
PALS have donated over 250,000€ worth
of Health and Emergency equipment in and
around Mazarrón and the chances are that
the ambulance that is called to your personal tragedy has equipment supplied by
PALS.
You can meet us each Saturday morning at
Bar Trevi on Sector B Camposol from 11am1.30pm or at Bistro Ratatouille in Puerto
de Mazarrón on a Wednesdays 1pm-3pm for
tickets and information about all our activities.
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RED – Entertainment
GREEN – Charity & non-profit making events
ORANGE – Special menus
BLACK – Fiestas & important events
PURPLE –Market, exhibitions, leisure & meetings
Please refer to the relevant advert or editorial for more details of events
Every Day
Tierra surcada, Mar revivido Exhibition by Javier Lorente @ Mazarrón Town Hall until 5/7
Breakfasts @ The Vista Bar, Camposol A from 2.50€ (exc Sun)
Ana’s No Nonsense Breakfasts @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A from 3€ (9am-1pm)
All Day Breakfasts @ Bora Bora, Pto de Mazarrón from 3.50€
Full English/American Style Breakfasts @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón
Fish & Chips @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 7€ (exc Sun)
Menu del Noche @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 10€ (exc Sun)
3 Course Menu del Noche @ Elliot’s, Bolnuevo 12€ (exc Sun)
3 Course Menu del Noche @ Chez Zoe, Pto de Mazarrón 12€ (not Sun-Tues)
Earlybird Menu @ Spice Villa, Camposol A 12.50€ inc btl wine per cpl (6-8pm)
Earlybird Menu @ Welcome Palace, Camposol B 12.50€ inc btl wine per cpl (6-8pm)
4 Course Menu Especial @ La Chara, Pto de Mazarrón 21.50€ plus IVA
Every Mon
Chiropody with Phillip Dawe @ Sensol Golf Villa Sales Building, Camposol C
Spanish Conversation Classes @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Mazarrón Bay Bridge Club @ Hotel Playa Grande, Pto de Mazarrón 9.30am
Legs, Bums & Tums/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 10am
Aqua Aerobics/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 11.30am
Dancercize with Zizi @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 12pm
Ladies’ Chatterbox Sew & Sew @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 2.30pm
Kettlebells/CDA Fitness @ Condado de Alhama 4pm/Camposol 6.30pm
Pilates/CDA Fitness @ Condado de Alhama 12.45pm
Quiz Night @ The Club House, Camposol C 8pm
Bowling League @ Alley Palais, Camposol B
2 Course Early Summer Evening Menu @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A 6.50€
Forget Me Not Respite Care @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 10.30am-1.30pm
Andrea’s Animal Rescue Collection @ Car Park, Camposol B 11.30am-1.30pm
HELP MMM Bingo @ La Zona Bar, Los Alcázares 1€/game 2pm
MABS MMM Fun Quiz @ La Rosa Bar, San Cayetano 9pm
Camposol B Clean Working Party @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 9am
Tai Chi Fit/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 9.15am
Circuits/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 10am
Pilates/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 11am
Kettlebell + Vipr Circuits/CDA Fitness @ Condado de Alhama 4pm
Aqua Aerobics/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 6.30pm
Physiotherapist & Chiropractor @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Computer Clinic @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A 1-3pm
Fit 4 Life Weight Loss Support Group @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo 4-5pm
Zumba @ The Arches, Los Alcázares, 4.30pm
Football Training Session (ages 4-17) @ El Pareton 6-7pm
Learn to Ballroom Dance with Jacqui @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 7pm
Harlequin Rock Choir Meeting @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 7.30-9pm
Poker Night @ Black Bull, Camposol B 8pm
Every Tue
Special Evening Menu @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 18€ inc btl wine for 2
Page 83
Menu de Noche @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A
Curry & Quiz Night with Eddie B @ Bora Bora, Pto de Mazarrón 8pm
Karaoke with Lynden B @ The Arches, Los Alcázares
MABS Mazarrón Coffee Morning @ MABS Centre, Camposol B 10am-1pm
MAMAS Collection/Book Stall @ Camposol B Car Park 10am-1pm
MABS Mazarrón Craft Workshop @ MABS Centre, Camposol B 2.30-4.30pm
Every Wed
Fitness Yoga/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 9am
Aqua Aerobics/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 10.30am & 11.30am
Tai Chi Fit/CDA Fitness @ Condado de Alhama 12.45pm
C Gardening Group Clean Up @ Camposol C 9am
Camposol Bridge Club, Duplicate Bridge @ Trevi Bar, Camposol B 9.30am
Dancercize with Zizi @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 11am
Magenta Harmony Group. 11.30am (Telephone for venue)
Ladies Coffee Afternoon @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 2.30-4.30pm
Line Dancing with Lyn @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 3pm
Mar Menor Golf Society Competition
Chiropodist @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Mazarrón AA Group @ Meeting Room adjacent to Cañada de Gallego Church 5.30pm
Bingo @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias 8pm
2 Course Early Summer Evening Menu @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A 6.50€
Happy Wednesday, 2 x 1 @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 35€ per cpl inc btl wine
3 Course Route 66 Big Bite American Night @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 15€
Age Concern booking events etc @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 10am-1pm
MABS MMM Art Workshop @ Café Golf, San Javier, 2€ 10am-12pm
PALS for booking events etc @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 1-3pm
HAH Book & DVD Club @ La Zona Bar, Los Narejos 2.30-4.30pm
Every Thu
Camposol Market @ Camposol A
Kettlebells/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 10am
Pilates Ball/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 11am
Circuit Training/CDA Fitness @ Camposol 6.30pm
Bingo @ The Club House, Camposol C 1-3pm
Mazarrón Ladies Circle @ Hotel Playa Grande, Pto de Mazarrón 1.30pm
Skin Analysis Machine/Facial @ Jane’s Salon, Condado de Alhama 4pm
Los Amigos de Mazarrón FC Meeting @ The Club House, Camposol C 4pm
Fun Quiz @ The Vista Bar, Camposol A from 6pm (opt curry/rice/naan 3€)
Quiz Night with Eddie B @ Black Bull, Camposol B 8pm (food avail from 3€)
Bingo @ Alandalus, Calasparra from 8pm
German Menu del Dia @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón
Special Evening Menu @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 18€ inc btl wine for 2
Jam Night @ The Club House, Camposol C
Age Concern booking events etc @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 10am-1pm
Andrea’s Animal Rescue Collection @ Mazarrón Country Club 11.30am-1pm
HAH Book Stall @ La Zona Bar, Los Narejos 2.30-4pm
Every Fri
Camposol Bridge Club/Duplicate Bridge @ Trevi Bar, Camposol B 9.30am
Friday Art Group @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 9.45am-12.30pm
Pilates/CDA Fitness @ Cañadas del Romero 10am & Condado de Alhama 4pm
Circuit Training/CDA Fitness @ Condado de Alhama 12.45pm
Legs, Bums & Tums/CDA Fitness @ Cañadas del Romero 11am
Semi Permanent Make Up Artist @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Book Stall/Camposol A Gardening @ Car Park Camposol A 10.30am-12.30pm
10 Pin Bowling/Camposol C Greenfingers Garden Group @ Totana 4pm
Find the Joker @ Black Bull, Camposol B 7pm
Page 84
Poker @ Alandalus, Calasparra from 8pm
Fish & Chips @ Black Bull, Camposol B 6.50€ (11am-4pm)
Fish & Chips @ The Vista Bar, Camposol A 6.50€ (2-7.30pm)
Fish & Chips @ Viggos, Pto de Mazarrón
German Menu del Dia @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón
Fish & Chip Night @ New Royal, Pto de Mazarrón 6€
2 Course Surf or Turf Night @ New Royal, Pto de Mazarrón 10€ inc btl wine for 2
Mixed Grill Night @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A 10€
5 Course Spanish Meal inc wine/coffee/Flamenco Show Castillo del Pilar, Perin
15€ from 4pm
Romantic 4 Course Dinner @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 25€ inc btl wine for 2
Steak Special @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias, 2 steaks & btl wine from 27€
Lisa B @ Black Bull, Camposol B
Live Music @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Noah’s ARC Book Sale/Bric-a-Brac @ Camposol B 9.30am-2pm
Lions Mazarrón booking events etc outside Compusurf, Camposol B 11am
GOmaD Donations @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B/Costa Calida Radio 12.30-2pm
Age Concern booking events etc @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 11am-1pm
Every Sat
Harlequin Rock Choir Meeting @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 2-4pm
Gourmet Dinner @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 25€ inc btl wine for 2
Steak Special @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias, 2 steaks & btl wine from 27€
Live Entertainment @ Bar Alandalus, Valle de Sol, Calasparra
MABS MMM Book Sale @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 10am-1pm
HELP MMM Sale of up-market clothes @ The Arches, Los Alcázares 10am-1pm
PALS for booking events @ Bar Trevi, Camposol B 11am-1.30pm
Car Boot Sale @ Cañadas del Romero Social Centre 8.30am
Car Boot Sale @ Venta Romero, Cuevas de Reyllo. 9am-2pm
Every Sun
Sunday Lunch @ The Vista Bar, Camposol A from 6.50€
Sunday Roast @ Bora Bora, Pto de Mazarrón 6.95€ inc free dessert
Sunday Roast @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias from 7.95€
Sunday Roast @ New Royal, Pto de Mazarrón 8.50€ inc a drink
Sunday Carvery @ The Club House Bistro, Camposol C from 9€
2 Course Sunday Lunch @ Le Carrousel, Pto de Mazarrón 10€ incl a drink
3 Course Sunday Lunch @ Elliot’s, Bolnuevo 10€
Salad Bar Sunday @ Liz’s Cafe, Camposol B 10€ inc a drink
3 Course Sunday Roast @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 10€ (lunch & evening)
Meat Carvery/Vegetable Buffet @ La Mariposa, Gebas from 10.50€ inc glass wine/beer
5 Course Spanish Meal with 5 accompanying wines/coffee @ Castillo del Pilar, Perin 16€
Sunday Special @ Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo 18€
(1 child free for every 2 adults) inc btl wine for 2
All U Can Eat BBQ/Live Entertainment @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias 9.95€, 8pm
HELP MMM Car Boot @ Autocine, Los Narejos 8.30am-12.30
Open Day @ Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre, Rojales 1-4pm
JULY
Tuesday 1
Stamp Collectors Meeting @ Biblioteca, Pto de Mazarrón 6pm
Wednesday 2
Trip to Benidorm Market with Viajes Dragontours 19€
Welcome Fun Petanca @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 4pm
Mazarrón Classic & Sports Car Group Meeting @ La Vida Bar, El Pareton 4pm
Page 85
Steak Night @ The Club House Bistro, Camposol C, 3 courses 15€
MABS MMM Volunteer Meeting @ Centro Civico, Roda Bar, Roda 11.15am
Age Concern Talking Shop Social @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 1.30-3.30pm
Thursday 3
Camposol Triangle/The Voice Andy Jones, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi,
Camposol B, from 7.30pm
HAH Volunteer Meeting @ Centro Civico, Roda 11.15am
Friday 4
Country Music Night @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 7.45pm
The CAS Band @ The Vista Bar, Camposol A
Camposol Triangle/Suzy G Show, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi,
Camposol B
MABS Murcia NW Outdoor Market Stall @ Calle Segura, Calasparra 9am-1pm
MABS MMM Share & Care Group @ MABS Cancer Centre, San Javier 11am-1pm
MABS Mazarrón Jigsaw Bereavement Group @ Cat’s Bar, Camposol A 12pm
Cruz Azul Murcia Anniversary USA Style @ Cruz Azul Shop, San Javier 11am-3pm
Saturday 5
ADAPT Meeting @ Pensionista de Hogar, San Pedro 10.30am
Theatre Productions in Moratalla 9pm
Wartime Menu Theme Night – Wartime Stew @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A
San Javier Jazz Festival until 19th
Woody @ The Club House, Camposol C
The CAS Band @ La Mariposa, Gebas
Camposol Triangle/Eddie B Disco & Karaoke, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi,
Camposol B
Sunday 6
Artisan Market @ Bullas
Disco with Rocking Roy @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Open Door/Noel & Tricia @ Los Almagros 7pm Free entry (food available)
MABS MMM Social feat Cool Sax @ The Arches, Los Alcazares 1.30-3.30pm
Monday 7
Adult Swimming Course in Caravaca de la Cruz (Mon-Thurs to 31/7)
29.95€ for course
PALS Monthly Meeting @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 11.15am
Tuesday 8
Canal Bike Ride/4 Course Lunch with La Mariposa, Gebas. 35€
inc bike/transfer to canal/guide
HAH Table Top Sale @ La Zona Bar, Los Alcácares 10am-2pm
Wednesday 9
General Meeting of SAMM @ CAR Infanta Cristina, Los Narejos 11am
Celebration of Spanish Meat Tasting Menu @ The Club House Bistro, Camposol C 15€
MABS Murcia NW Volunteer Meeting @ 5pm
Thursday 10
Trip to Vera & Mojacar with Viajes Dragontours 18€
Short Mat Mixed Pairs Bowling Competition @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Camposol Triangle/JJ Jones as Neil Diamond, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/
Bar Trevi, Camposol B
Friday 11
Indoor Market with fashion/bling/DVD’s etc @ Alley
B
y Palais,, Camposol
p
Page 86
Camposol Golf Association Competition – Lorca
Cristo del Rayo, Moratalla – Bull Running (until 17th)
Los Palacios Gardening Group Summer Carnival/Barrington @ Mariano’s, Camposol A
2 Course Lobster Night @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 25€
Elvis Tribute @ La Mariposa, Gebas
The Beatles Tribute @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Camposol B
MABS Mazarrón Book Sale @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 9am-1pm
GOmAD Table Top Sale @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 10am–2pm
FAST Book Stall @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B
Saturday 12
Artisan Market @ Paseo de las Comunidades Autónomos , Pto de Mazarrón from 10am
Wartime Menu Theme Night/Lord Woolton Pie @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A
Camposol Triangle/Eddie B Disco & Karaoke, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/
Martin Ross @ The Club House, Camposol C
Artisan Craft Fayre (Age Concern) @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 1€ 11am-3pm
Sunday 13
Artisan Market @ Mula
World Cup Final/BBQ @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Tuesday 15
St Swithun’s Day
3 Course Steak Special/Woody & The Peckers @ The Club House Bistro,
Camposol C 15€ (show only 7€)
HELP MMM General Meeting @ Las Claras, Los Narejos 11.30am
Wednesday 16 Virgen del Carmen, Mazarrón
Camposol Camera Club @ The Club House, Camposol C 4pm
MABS MMM Ebony/Ivory Ladies’ Lunch Club @ Diamante’s, El Mojon 1.30pm 10.50€
Thursday 17
Cosmetic Clinic Presentation/Treatment @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Special Offer of Radiesse Filler @ Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
Medium Grade River Rafting/Lunch @ La Mariposa, Gebas 65€ inc transport/
safety equipment/guide
Friday 18
Camposol Triangle/The Streeters, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi,
Camposol B
Ladies’ Flip Flop Feet Friday @ Eden Hair Salon, Condado de Alhama
4 Course French Menu @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 29.50€
Johnny Sax @ Black Bull, Camposol B
Camposol B, from 7.30pm
Barrington @ La Mariposa, Gebas
MABS Mazarrón Book Sale @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 9am-1pm
Page 87
Saturday 19
Guided Tour in Cehegin to Ermita de San Sebastian 2€ 10pm
Wartime Menu Theme Night/Corned Beef Hash @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A
Pitu @ The Club House, Camposol C
Ladies in Pink Charity Evening/Graham & DJ Darron @ Black Bull, Camposol B
10€ inc buffet 7.30pm
JJ’s Table Top Sale @ SaraLara’s, Pto de Mazarrón 11am-2pm
Sunday 20
Artisan Market @ Sanctuary de la Esperanza, Calasparra 10am-6pm
Artisan Market @ Caravaca
Ruta del Ferrocarril (Railway Route) with Aguilas Tourist Information Centre
Guided Tour in Caravaca 7pm
The Classic Rock Band @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Tuesday 22
Downhill Cycling Day/Lunch @La Mariposa, Gebas. 35€ inc bike/transport/guide/
safety equip
Wednesday 23 Welcome Dance/Paul Christie & Maria O’Hara @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 8€
San Javier Jazz Festival until 5th Aug
3 Course Steak Special @ The Club House Bistro, Camposol C 15€
Thursday 24
Trip to Vera & Mojacar with Viajes Dragontours 18€
Camposol Triangle/Gary Jay as Elvis, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi,
Camposol B
Friday 25
Fiestas de Santiago, Totana
Santiago Apóstol, Lorquí
Indoor Market with fashion/bling/DVD’s etc @ Alley Palais, Camposol B
Camposol Triangle/Chloe Leigh Stageshow, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/
GOmAD Table Top Sale @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B 10am–2pm
HELP MMM Charity Market @ La Zona Bar, Los Alcazáres 11am-1pm
FAST Book Stall @ Commercial Centre, Camposol B
Age Concern Table Top Sale @ Commercial Centre Camposol B
Saturday 26
Nature Walk, Cehegín 9am
Wartime Menu Theme Night/Rabbit Stew or Spam & Chips @ Tropic Ana’s,
Camposol A
Adele Tribute/3 Course Meal @ Bistro Ratatouille, Pto de Mazarrón 15€ 8pm
Mr Bojangles @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Elvis Tribute @ Black Bull, Camposol B
Oh Brother @ The Club House, Camposol C
MABS Mazarrón BBQ/Live Entertainment @ MABS Centre, Camposol B
10€ inc a drink 7.30pm
Monday 28
MABS MMM Golf Charity Day @ Mar Menor Golf Resort 9am
HAH Orbi Playa 12 Piece Big Band @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias 5€
Tuesday 29
MABS Mazarrón Volunteer Meeting @ Bar Trevi, Camposol B 11.30am
HAH Orbi Playa 12 Piece Big Band @ The Irish Tavern, Los Alcázares 5€
Wednesday 30 San Abdón y San Senén, Calasparra
Welcome Petanca @ Mariano’s, Camposol A
3 Course Fish & Chip Special @ The Club House Bistro, Camposol C 12.50€
Age Concern Menu del Dia @ Copi Coy, Pto de Mazarrón 1.30pm, 10€
Page 88
Thursday 31
Encierros de San Zenón, Cehegín
Medium Grade River Rafting/Lunch @La Mariposa, Gebas. 65€ inc transport/
NEST Walk - Eagles’ Nesting Areas 6pm El Berro Car Park 5€
Scott James @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Camposol Triangle/Pitu, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/Bar Trevi, Camposol B
AUGUST
Friday 1
Country Music Night @ Mariano’s, Camposol A 7.45pm
Camposol Triangle/Paul Michael & Suzy G, Outside Alley Palais/Bar Salud/
Pitu @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
MABS Mazarrón Jigsaw Bereavement Group @ Cat’s Bar, Camposol A 12pm
FAST Rock n Roll BBQ/The ‘B’ Boppers @ The Club House, Camposol C
7€ (opt BBQ 5€) 7.30pm
Saturday 2
ADAPT Meeting @ Pensionista de Hogar, San Pedro 10.30am
Paella Night @ Tropic Ana’s, Camposol A
The Classic Rock Band @ La Mariposa, Gebas
Sunday 3
Artisan Market @ Bullas
Disco with Rocking Roy @ La Casa Familiar, Los Urrutias
Monday 4
Semana de la Juventud, Blanca
PALS Monthly Meeting @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 11.15am
Tuesday 5
Medium Grade River Rafting/Lunch @La Mariposa, Gebas 65€ inc transport/
Stamp Collectors Meeting @ Biblioteca, Pto de Mazarrón 6pm
Wednesday 6
Summer is here again! It seems like just the
other day we were complaining about the
cold weather and now the sun and heat are
again with us. Have you got visitors? Maybe
the grand-kids will be with you for a while?
Let Dragontours organize some fun outings
for you during these long summer days. On
Wednesdays throughout the summer, we will
be alternating visits to the Benidorm Market and Beach, with day trips to Mojacar
and Vera.
There is probably not much to say about Benidorm that you don’t already know. The
market offers just about anything you might
fancy, from clothes to trinkets, from handbags to Spanish-made leather shoes. A visit
to the old town is always pleasant, as is a
walk along the balcony overlooking the two
white clean beaches.
Mojacar is fairly close
in the province of
Almeria.
Its symbol
is the Indalo, a manlike figure holding an
arch; perhaps a rainbow? There are many
diverse opinions, but
the figure was originally discovered in cavepaintings dating back
to the Neolithic era. It
has, especially since
the 60’s, come to represent Almeria and specifically Mojacar. The
town has lovely beaches, but is noted above
all for the ‘high town’ of white houses clinging
to the hilltop overlooking the Med. A magnet
for hippies and artists of many nationalities,
it has wonderful shops and small restaurants
to be discovered in the winding hilly streets of
the old town.
On our trips to Benidorm and Mojacar,
Dragontours can also offer you tickets and
stops at the different theme parks (for example, Terra Mítica, or Oasys – otherwise known
as “Mini-Hollywood”, the Wild-West fantasy
cum pool and zoo), or water parks Aqualandia in Benidorm and Vera, close to Mojacar.
Come along with Dragontours and enjoy a
hassle-free day out, with all the guarantees
of a well-planned and insured trip.
Tel 968 199 021
[email protected]
Photos: Dragontours,
www.spain.info
wikipedia,
and
Page 89
MABS MMM Volunteers’ Meeting @ Centro Civico, Roda Bar, Roda 11.15am
Age Concern Talking Shop Social @ Cultural Centre, Camposol B 1.30-3.30pm
The
Beacon of Light
meetings
are
every
We d n e s d ay
from
7pm
with weekly
guest
mediums. The
meetings
usually finish at approximately
8.30pm. As always the evenings ends
with a friendly chat and a cup of tea and
biscuits. All our meetings are funded by
donations given during the evening. Our
early healing sessions start at 6pm.
Wednesday 2nd July Anna-Marie
Wednesday 9th July Marilyn Webb
Wednesday 16th July Anna-Marie and
guest Olive
Wednesday 23th July Jimmy McArthur
(Please bring a flower)
The Beacon of Light will be closed during
August and will reopen on
Wednesday 3rd September with Sammy
Fitzsimmons
For further information please phone 620
877 326
Email
beacon.of.light.murcia@gmail.
com
http://beaconoflightmurcia.webs.
com
Facebook Beacon of Light Murcia
Exciting news for Cavalli followers! On
17th June Veronica made her official presentation of the Cavalli Project before the
Mayor and the Council of Alhama. All were
very impressed and there was a general
feeling of expectation and anticipation.
Everyone wants to see Cavalli horses in
Gebas!
The application for building permission has
been accepted which means that construction work on Phase 1, fencing and water
connection is imminent.
The Mayor especially expressed his feeling
of pride and satisfaction having given this
great project all his backing from the start
in 2012.
For more information follow us on Facebook.
Email
[email protected]
Tel 636 172 198
In the meantime Cavalli Foundation continues their work helping to rescue horses
and other animals in distress from their
base at META Riding Centre. Cavalli team
members took part in a huge rescue operation in Bullas where a case of animal
abuse has been on-going for 7 years and
has concluded in arrest and probably prison sentences for the perpetrators.
Page 90
Page 91
Valle del Este
Golf Resort,
near Mojacar, was the
venue for this
year’s
golf
competition
played
on
16th May. The
course
was
in
fantastic
condition and
was enjoyed
by
all
22
players who
entered. Valle
del Este is a
very
tough
course at the
best of times, but with strong winds, always
seemingly into your face, the golf was extremely difficult which reflected in the scores.
Julie Fay was welcomed and she presented all
prizes and trophies which were donated by
the following individuals and businesses from
Camposol:
Ron and Doris, Ocean Fish Bar; Sue and Paul-
ine, Bar Trevi; Leigh Street, Fred Mordue, Del
King, Keith Jenkins, Window Cleaning; Boysie
and Jo, Paul Waugh; Steve Dixon, Gripping
Service; John and Carol, Black Bull; Colin
and Stuart, Camposol Club de Golf, The
Club House and Alley Palais. Thanks very
much to all of you.
Sporting Camposol/Mazarrón Best
Team 2013/14
At the Sports Gala on 23rd May, Sporting
Camposol won two prizes. They were presented as the Best Team of 2013/14 and
also thanks were given to the many different backgrounds in the team. The team
consists entirely of players from the region
of Mazarrón, which is unique in this area.
Edu also won the Best Goalkeeper of season 2013/14.
Fred Mordue
welcomed
everyone and
thanked all 22
players
and
guests for attending. Fred
also thanked,
in his special
way, all those
who
never
turned up!
Results:
Nearest The
Pins:
Hole 2 - Del
King
Hole 6 - Del
King
Hole 12 - Eric Jones
Hole 14 - John Strain
Longest drive:
Mark Henwood
Nearest The Pin 2nd shot Hole 5 was won by
Colin Dorset. Colin plays off 28 and if you are
familiar with the 5th hole at Valle del Este,
you will know that the fairway is lined with
water on the right and your 2nd shot is over
the water which completely protects the
green. With wind in your face, we congratulate Colin on a heroic performance. Old JC up
there must have been looking down on him!!
4th place - Steve Dixon 26 points
3rd place - John Fenwick 27 points
2nd place - Pete Coulstock 29 points
1st place - Mike Tyler 29 points won on countback
Hidden Pairs was won by John Fenwick and
Mark Henwood
Bob you would have loved it. We will never
forget you.
sible and you don’t have to pick mediocre
players from another town.”
“There are still two games to be played,
which are very important. The strange
thing is that there are seven teams in the
Segunda League and they don’t want to go
in to the Primero League. That means that
in the last two matches, Sporting Camposol has to win those 2 games and still
can be promoted.”
“Is that not weird?” I ask the coach.
“Welcome to Spain” is the short answer
from Jelco.
Sporting Camposol were the only team
fully present at the presentation, while the
other two ‘bigger’ teams were completely
absent . It’s obviously very sad when a
player wins a prize and there is no-one to
support him. Jelco Oosterhof (coach) said
“I am very
proud of my
players. We
are
playing the best
football
in
the
region
and we do
it with players
from
Mazarrón.
This
once
again proves
that it is pos-
Results:
Sporting Camposol v Lorqui 2-0 (Rober
& Abdel) Man of the Match – Ahmed.
Ad Algar v Sporting Camposol 0-3 (Moha
x 2, Rober 1) Man of the Match - Oseda
Sporting Camposol v Atletico Pulpileno Man of the match – Alberto
Page 92
After the welcome and checks on Thursday
4th September, the competitions will start on
Friday morning with 5 junior time trials, both
male and female, with a distance of 11.8km
and 16km respectively and the reviewer
test category will be held at a distance of
115.9kms. Friday afternoon will be devoted
to the category of Master 30.
In Female Cadet Category, IES Antonio Costa
Menárguez came 1st, Miguel de Cervantes of
Murcia 2nd and IES San Isidro, Cartagena 3rd,
with the institute King Carlos III, Aguilas in
4th place.
Cadet Male category champions were IES
Mediterranean, Cartagena, followed by the
institute King Carlos III, Aguilas. 3rd was IES
Antonio Costa Menárguez and 4th IES, Pliego.
Junior Women’s category champion was
Sagrada Familia, Cartagena, followed by IES
Sangonera de Murcia and King Carlos III,
Aguilas 3rd.
Men’s Junior was IES Antonio Costa Menárguez with Europe, Aguilas runner-up. IES
Isaac Peral, Cartagena and IES, Pliego were
3rd and 4th respectively.
8 Teams And More Than A Hundred Of
Players Involved In 9 Countries VII Intercultural Encounter ‘United For Football’
This event was held at the sports complex of
the Media Legua el VII Encuentro Intercultural, Villa de Mazarrón on Sunday 1st June.
th
Saturday September 6 will be the Masters
40 categories - 99.8kms, Masters 50-60 69.5kms and in the afternoon the Junior
Women’s category - 80kms.
Sunday September 7th will be devoted to the
showpiece with the Junior Men with a distance of 129.7kms.
The Mayor of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo, highlighted the major effort, not just in Mazarrón,
but also the cycling federation. He thanked
Joseph L. Tortosa, FCRM president, and added
that the championships will be a new attraction Mazarrón making it a prime destination
for sports.
School Beach Volleyball
The beach of La Reya, welcomed the regional
final the Beach Volleyball programme in the
municipalities of Murcia. 27 teams from different schools gathered to play a thrilling final
that ended with the presentation of trophies
and medals by the Councillor for Sports, Andrés Valera and the CEO of Youth and Sports,
Antonio Peñalver.
Juan Francisco
Lopez excelled
as
regional
champion
at
the Benjamin
category after
winning the final against Alejandro
Lopez
from Totana by
3 sets to 1.
Madre de Dios, Lorca, runner-up IES Isaac
Peral, Cartagena, 3rd IES Pliego and 4th IES
Antonio Costa Menárguez, Los Alcazares.
Under the slogan ‘NO HATE’ SPEECH MOVEMENT (European campaign against intolerance on the Internet), the day revealed images of the good work that the Youth Council of
Mazarrón is doing in terms of integration, as
each team involved had a minimum of 3 nationalities from Holland, UK, Morocco, Algeria,
Mali, Senegal, Ecuador, Colombia and Spain.
Sunday’s rain passed without preventing all
8 teams playing their matches in the group
stage, breaking at noon to enjoy a paella for
all participants and partners. The afternoon
session saw the final between Los Pirris and
Asociación Río Amazonas. The top scorer in
the intercultural encounter was Habib Team
Los Pirris and the best goalkeeper was YoYo
from Los Leones.
New Medals For Table Tennis and Athletics
Mazarrón achieved excellent results in the
Regional Championships held in Totana.
In the Children’s
category, Miguel
Ortiz and Manuel González
reached
the
semifinals,
achieving the
bronze medal.
24th and 25th
May 25 Combined Regional Championship in Cartagena.
In juveniles, Jaime Plazas got a well deserved
3rd place in the Decathlon with 4,896 points.
Murcia Regional Table Tennis Championship
Marta Navarro Caballero was runner-up in
2,000 ML in Category Benjamin and also
managed a creditable 4th place in 1000 ML
Ana Isabel Navarro won silver in the Benjamin test 50 ML. In this same category, Natalia Aznar was 4th in 500 ML, 6th 50 ML and
9th in Long Jump. In Alevines, Miriam Sáez
was 4th in Ball Throwing and 8th in Long Jump
and High Jump, Carlos Navarro was 5th in the
Javelin and Irene Lorente 8th in Ball Throwing.
Sports Results May 31st & June 1st
Football
Youth B Mazarrón FS 9 - Albudeite 2
Senior FS Pto Mazarrón 6 - 4 Covereño
Cadet B Mazarrón FS 9 - Alberca 3
Infants Pasticos Romero 3 - B. Mazarrón 7
Benjamin B Mazarron FS 7 - Alcantarilla 2
1st Autonomica Soho Cartagena 2 Mazarrón FC 0
2nd Autonomica Blanca 0 - SP Mazarrón 2
Alevín Mixed champions were CEIP Cierva
Peñafiel of Murcia, while the runner-up team
was Antonio Ulloa, Cartagena. 3rd place went
to CEIP Infanta Leonor de Mazarrón and Our
Lady of Loreto, San Javier.
Child Female category champions were IES
Antonio Costa Menárguez, Los Alcazares and
2nd San Jose de Murcia. Alfonso Escámez,
Águilas and Mediterranean of Cartagena,
came 3rd and 4th respectively.
Child Male category winner was the college
Page 93
Championships for Road Cycling Spain
From 4th-7th September, Mazarrón will celebrate the Championships for Road Cycling
Spain organized by the Royal Spanish Cycling
Federation (RFEC), the Cycling Federation of
the Region of Murcia (FCRM) and Mazarrón.
May 29th saw Fuente Old Guard make a return trip to Corvera Golf and Country Club.
The course is showing signs of the dry conditions of the recent mild winter and lack of rain
and could do with a large amount of watering.
This did not affect our players’ ability to play
the course well and come in with some high
scores on their cards.
close second with 33 points. Ron’s score was
enough to give him First Place in Division
One, while Gerry McRobert was Second in
that division with 31 points.
The Nearest The Pin 8th Hole was won by
our new member Anne Kershaw, while the
award for Nearest On The 10th Hole was
taken by Steve Channon.
The Two’s Money Prize was not won this
time and was rolled over to our next outing at
Hacienda del Alamo in June.
Division Two was won by Dave Barrett with
32 points and in Second Place with 29 points
was Phil Carter.
The Overall Winner and Winner of Division Three was Dave Gautier with 36 points
with the Overall Runner-Up, Ron Smart, a
Great Fun at SAMM Race Day
A flat, glassy Mar Menor and no wind, greeted
the competitors at the CAR Centre at 10am
for the 6th Race Day of the SAMM Spring Series, but by 11.30am, a gentle 6 to 8 knot
easterly wind had come up and 7 boats made
a ragged start.
Tug Wilson/Peter Cadwell in their Laser
2000 and Don Clark in his Hartley 12.2 battled hard, with the lead changing constantly
throughout the race. Don finally crossed the
line just 18 seconds ahead after the four laps
in a time of 1hr 2mins. The Sailfish 18’s of
Julian Perring/Janice Penning did well in the
light winds to cross the line fourth.
Back in Division Three, Les Day took Second Place to Dave with 31 points, proving
that the veteran players still have what it
takes!
Should anyone wish to join FOGGS or just
play as a guest, please contact Dave on 868
082 013.
By the time
of the second
race at 2.30pm
the winds had
veered to the
south and increased to 12
to 14 knots. Six
of the seven
boats crossed
together with
much shouting
for ‘water’. This
time Tug and
Peter were really on form and flew around the course gradually increasing their lead each lap to cross
the line after four laps in just 43mins 45secs.
pleased about that.
As these are ‘handicap’ races the final results
on corrected time were:
Race 1
1st Hartley 12.2 – Don Clark
2nd Sailfish 18 Sirocco – Julian Pering/Janice
Penning
3rd Laser 2000 Shoestring Tres – Tug Wilson/
Peter Cadwell
Race 2
1st Laser 2000 Shoestring Tres Tug/Peter
2nd Sailfish 18 Sirocco – Julian/Janice
3rd Faversham 14 – David Belcher/Bob Blinkhorn.
SAMM Racing Penultimate Day
With some members on holiday or having
other commitments, only 7 boats turned out
for the penultimate race day of the SAMM
Spring Series. It really was a game of two
halves, with the Faversham (David and
Louise Belcher) having a gear failure in the
first race and having to retire, then coming
1st in the second race. Louise lacks some
confidence in her ability, but coming 1st has
boosted her somewhat. Tug Wilson raced the
Hartley, in Don Clark’s absence and put in a
good showing with a 1st and 2nd. Tug was very
At the start of the second race a Laser 2000,
whose crew had a combined age of 148 years,
managed to capsize, but also managed to
right the boat and continue to complete the
race. We think that deserves some sort of
trophy!
Three new members raced; Martin Hayman
and Mike Hall crewed for Julian Pering in the
Sailfish ‘Mistral’, with their inexperience in
the boat shown by their last place in the first
race, but they did improve to 3rd in the second
race and Frits Baer joined Norman Vener in
the Laser 13 ‘Shoestring Quatro’, finishing
4th and 6th.
Nancy Jones did her first duty as Assistant
Race Officer backed up by Rosie Wilson who
had helped out the previous week, only for
some wag to comment that Tug always gets a
good result when Rosie is on duty.
With a couple of places in close contention,
everybody was looking forward to the last
race day of the season on June 22nd.
Page 94
Mick and Marjorie
Drummond
organised
the
above event
on Sunday 8th
June.
It was coincidental that the Captain of the
Salud Society, Barry Elmore and his wife Anna
came out as our winners! Mark and Sarah
Taylor came a close second.
A brilliant days golfing was followed by a BBQ
and Music Evening with Bernie Mac. Mick
and Marjorie decided to also hold a small raf-
One
member, who was
in the lead
at the time,
had the wind
taken
from
his sails when
George Bicknell in the last
group arrived
with a score
of 39 points
to take the
trophy.
Where are the May flowers?
Due to the lack of rain, many golf courses
are suffering and are unable to display themselves at their best. There are very few of the
natural flowers around that we should be seeing at this time of the year. Peraleja, where
we held our monthly Stapleford Competition,
is one of the few still maintaining fairways
and green in good condition, although it was
sad to see dying fish in one of the lakes.
Over 30 members arrived on time and with a
split start on 1 & 10 we were able to get away
smartly at 10am. It was anticipated that with
this start we would be hoping for a reasonably
quick round, but for reasons which we haven’t
got to the bottom of yet, the last four, which
included the Club Secretary, seemed to get
lost on the course and arrived at the 19th hole
sometime after everyone else!
close tie for 3rd
on 34.
Dave Bennett
was 2nd with
35
points,
followed in a
by Paul Allsop and Jim Booth
Thanks go to
Stuart, Colin,
Chef and all
the staff of
The Club House.
Photos show the FAST and MABS representatives receiving their donations and some of
the players involved in the day’s Fun Entertainment.
Nearest the Pin Winners were Dave Bennett
and Joe Chalk.
We have received notes from the Handicap
Secretary that his pencil is sharpened and the
top four can all expect a change in handicap
and the Press Secretary has commented on
the lack of society shirt by the winner. “I forgot” is not an acceptable excuse!!!!!!!!!!
We hoped to have had a great BBQ evening at
the end of June.
July fixtures will be posted on the website as
soon as they are available
Geoff Sharp
[email protected]
30 Couples/
Pairings took
part in the
competition
that required
the
Golfer
to reach the
green in the
least number
of shots and
the Non-Golfer to then putt out the ball. Most Pairings
were husband and wife and the players all
came from the Salud Golf Society or the Los
Amigos Golf Society.
fle with the
proceeds being
equally
divided
and
donated
to
FAST
and
MABS. Each
charity
received a sum
of 90€ raised
by the very
generous
players
and
partners.
Page 95
Three successive defeats meant that
Mazarrón FC finished the season in its lowest
position since the Los Amigos de Mazarrón
FC Supporters Club was formed back in
2006. However, there were still a number of
high points during the season which give hope
for a new push for promotion in the 2014-15
season. In Jose Ruben and Tolo, Mazarrón
FC had two of the leading goal scorers in the
league and, if these players can be retained
along with other experienced players like Cecilio, Alfonso, Tico and Moha, and the emerging talents of younger players like Randry and
Dani, there is no reason why this cannot be
achieved.
Next season is crucial for Mazarrón FC. Support from Los Amigos will always be there,
but the local Spanish fans are fast disappearing. Mazarrón must make a determined
effort to achieve promotion next year
as to be struggling in the division it is in
now is not acceptable.
Mazarrón FC President Jose Rodriguez does
a fabulous job in running the club almost single handed and his efforts are much appreciated, but he cannot do it alone. He needs
help and backing from the Spanish community to supplement the excellent support he
receives from the ex-pat community and this
is now needed more than ever.
Of the teams which Mazarrón FC runs at
junior levels in five age groups, the Juveniles
(17/18s) and Cadetes (15/16s) teams gained
promotion from their respective divisions.
The Alevins (11/12s) finished 3rd in their division, just missing out on promotion.
Cecilio
was
the choice of
Los Amigos
Player of the
Year and he
received his
trophy at the
annual end of
season function
which
was held this
year at The
Club House,
Camposol
C on Tuesday 3rd June.
Jose
Ruben
received
the coveted
Players’
Player of the
Year award.
Mazarrón FC players joined members and
friends and enjoyed a great night with an excellent BBQ and entertainment from Woody.
The hugely successful Luncheon Club enjoyed another great afternoon at Los Balcones, Cañadas del Romero in May and on
24th June, visited the Restaurante Castillo del
Pinar in Perin. On this occasion it was decided to forsake the standard Menu del Dia and
choose the famous five course option with
five different accompanying wines at 15€ per
head. There will be another Luncheon Club
outing in July and if you would like to join
us please email Barbara on pamada.1130@
yahoo.co.uk for full details including coach
travel for the many who will wish to overindulge!!
Tuesday
7th
O c t o b e r.
This year we
have a Legends
Past
and Present
Evening with
two great individual tribute acts, one
to the past
legend John
Lennon and
the other to
the
present
legend Gary
Barlow. Alan Swoffer is flying in from the UK
to bring the music of Lennon in a stunning
musical tribute. As well as being an exceptional singer, Alan is a Lennon lookalike and
has appeared in a number of films as John
Lennon including The Truth starring Damien
Lewis and the blockbuster movie The Bank
Job starring Jason Statham. Kriz-K will be performing the
Gary Barlow
Tribute. Kriz
is a talented
musician
who has appeared alongside
Phillip
Schofield
in
Joseph
and
His Amazing
Technicolor
Dreamcoat
at
London’s
Hammersmith Apollo
Theatre.
In
2009 he appeared
on
tour with JLS
as
support
act and in the
same
year
developed his Michael Buble Tribute Act which
went from strength to strength, making him
the World’s Number One Buble Tribute Act.
The Gary Barlow Tribute will take you on an
emotional roller coaster and includes some of
the early and the latest Take That songs as
well as all the best Gary Barlow tracks.
Tickets are now on sale at just 10€ each without supper or 15€ with supper - chicken &
chips/burger & chips.
Barbara 627 012 646
Dave 634 369 639
Gerard 624 320 567
Email [email protected] or [email protected]
A number of other exiting events are being
considered for the coming months including
a visit to Golf Delux Adventure Golf in Los Alcazares and another Go-Karting Grand Prix at
the excellent circuit in Puerto de Mazarrón.
The next Los Amigos meeting will be at The
Club House, Camposol C on Thursday 7th August, but some members will be popping over
to the Golf Club on Thursday afternoons during July for a drink and a chat, so why not
join them?
Tickets are now on sale for the annual Los
Amigos President’s Bash which this year
will be held at Mariano’s, Camposol A on
Membership of Los Amigos de Mazarrón FC
runs from 1st August each year and costs 10€.
Our Secretary Barbara Marchant is accepting
membership renewals by email during July on
[email protected] or in person
(by prior arrangement only) at the Golf Club
on a Thursday afternoons.
Page 96
Golfing Away Day
On 11th July we are having an away day to
Lorca. Anyone with a genuine handicap is
welcome. You can play in your own teams
as it is an individual Stableford Competition
played off the Blue Tees for men. As some of
the carries over the Ramblas are quite long
and it is supposed to be a fun day out, if we
can get over 32 people to play, the price will
be 30€ with a buggy and if you are a CGA
member there will be an extra discount. After the game we will be going for an optional
Menu del Dia at the Miras Restaurant in Lebor
on the way back to Camposol. We are sure to
have a super day out, so get your name down
on the list in the Men’s changing room in The
Club House if you have not already done so.
MABS Shield Golf Day
This was a huge success the Competition was
a Texas Scramble in which 72 people took
part it was a shot gun start, and was a fun
day because it was such a good place to be
for such a worthy cause. A grand total for the
day was 3,500€. MABS were thrilled with the
result and could not thank everyone enough
for all their efforts. Full details can be found
in the MABS Mazarrón report.
The Camposol Golf Association have a further
donation to make of 500€ to FAST and 500€
the Spanish Red Cross from proceeds from
Social Events held during the last year.
Summer Ball
The Summer Ball on Friday the 22nd August
will be held at the Hotel Playasol in Bolnuevo.
The entertainment will be Suzy G with excellent food. The windows will be open in the
function room which gives access onto the
swimming pool and we will be dancing outside
round the pool. Everyone is welcome at 25€
a ticket, or with coach from various pick-up
points on Camposol, 30€
son friendly competition on 2nd June which
was hosted by this year’s winners Peraleja.
We all had a lovely time in great company.
We had a super meal after the game during which the Ladies’ League Trophy was
handed over to Peraleja for the second year
running. We are all looking forward to the
new season starting in September as we have
a new team joining us from Rhoda. We are
desperate for one more team to join us
to balance the teams out. We all enjoy our
Ladies’ League encounters in a competitive but friendly spirit, so if you are group of
Lady Golfers who would like to be part of
our group, you are very welcome to join us.
We play at reciprocal golf courses at reduced
green fees. You only need a group of 6 ladies.
The Policemen v Firemen
On Wednesday 10th September there will be
a Policemen v Firemen Golf Competition.
There are several Policemen and Firemen
amongst the CGA Members and the other
players are nominated into which team they
will play for. There are even Policemen and
Firemen coming over from the UK especially
for this event. This is always a fun game held
every year with a lot of banter and friendly
rivalry.
If you are interested or would like more information please contact Betty Roberts on
[email protected].
Costa Cálida Ladies’ League
The Ladies’ League held their end of sea-
Page 97
FOR SALE
Over 50 books (thrillers, mysteries) 18€
3
seater
sofa
bed/matching
armchair,
blue/yellow
pattern/removable
covers/pine
frame
125€
Tel 620 216 180
Folding Wheel Chair gd cond. Folds flat to
fit car boots. 150€
Tel 968 594 159
Yamaha
electric
guitar(CEN89)check
it out on the net. Mint cond 150€
Earthquake multiple combo amplifier for
bass, keyboard, guitar, mics, cd/mp3 150€
Tel Patrick 634 335 626 Camposol
3 Salmar 100N-CE Lifekackets 3x60Kg Unused 12€ each
Nemrod Wetsuit 3mm. L. Unused 35€
Intex Easy Piscina. Unused 457cmx91cm
60€
Tel 968 437 864
Ikea Fredrik office desk exc cond light
beech effect top with grey metal legs. 140L
x 73W x 73H with desk mat (black) & manual 25€. Buyer collects
Tel 634 337 359 Totana
2 second hand air conditioning units gd
cond. Fully installed by Gerard at Cool Solutions 300€ each
Tel 608 499 422
Morphy Richards Bread Maker/Instruction
Manual 30€
Tel 679 311 209 Camposol
2 Rugs
Free
Dog
Tel 676
GROUPS
2m x 2m 20€ each/35€ for both
standing
aircon/heater
10€
kennel
medium/small
20€
109 378
Ladies bike/3 gears gd cond
Gents bike/3 gears gd cond 35€
35€
Gents bike/7 speed/suspension/padded
seat exc cond. Cost 300€/used only a few
times 150€
Tel 680 861 373 Caravaca
Horse Manure by Cavalli Foundation 1€ per
sack
Tel 636 172 198 La Costera de Alhama
Ladies
Graphite
Golf
Clubs/
Woods/Putter,
large/short/travel bags, folding trolley, as new 150€
Mosquito
killer/professional
type/not
plastic/like
new
15€
Tel 646 444 942/968 199 913
WANTED
Wardrobe in good condition in Terrezas de
La Torre area
Tel 0790 0899 728
Used artificial lawn or new at a good price.
Tel 636 172 198
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIED ADS ARE AVAILABLE FREE
FOR ITEMS UNDER 500€ OR FOR WANTED/LOST ITEMS. (FOR NON-COMMERCIAL
ENTERPRISES ONLY AND EXCLUDING
PROPERTIES, VEHICLES AND BOATS)
Maximum 20 words and 3 classified
ads per customer.
To Place a Classified Advert:
Please go to our Contact Us page at
and
put Classified advert in the Subject line,
or call 968 970 680 10-2pm Mon-Fri
Page 98
Mixed news from the National Statistics Institute on Spanish Property
Sales!
Trying to make sense of the latest figures
supplied by the NSI is tricky indeed. For
example, they report sales in April 2014 up
(in Spain as a whole) by 5.6% compared
to last year. However, Easter fell in March
in 2013, so the data could be skewed. If
we were to compare April 2014 with March
2013 (a more equal comparison), then
sales would show a decline of 7.7%!!! –
Then we need to extract the foreign buyers’ figures because this is the market we
largely deal in and not the local/internal
housing market. If you have the will to
go on (!), we need to isolate the Murcia/
Costa Cálida regional stats whilst separating resales from new-build property sales!!
The only conclusion to draw is that
statistics are like bikinis - they reveal
what is interesting, but hide what is
vital!
From our own experience, April, May &
June (2nd quarter) figures are well up in
both sales and enquiries. Further strengthening of the pound - now trading at around
1.25€ - has made property-buying in Spain
more appealing than any time in the past
6 years.
Changes in the Property Registration
Process!
At last some positive government reforms
to help clarify/simplify buying and selling
property here in Spain.
In the past, there have been many discrepancies regarding valuations and registration of property, mainly due to the Land
Registry and Cadastre Register operating
as though the other never existed. New
draft laws going before parliament will require the bringing together and calibration
of all property details onto one database,
no longer creating confusion over land and
property build sizes. Banks will be more
confident in lending on inland country
property, whilst buyers and their legal representatives will be able to access dependable, non-conflicting records.
More on this and other changes as it proceeds through parliament.
Kenneth Whettall
Commercial Director
Fuente Alamo Real Estate/Murcia
Coast & Country
[email protected]
Tel 0034 968 598 173
Late Deals
Bookings levels are strong for the 2014 season and we are getting a very high number
of repeat clients coming back on holiday
with us this summer, plus many new clients
via our expanded internet marketing package, implemented earlier this year.
It’s not too late to still boost your booking
levels for 2014, so whether you advertise
with an agent or manage your own bookings, here are a few tips to get those last
minute clients coming in:
Offer a 5% or 10% Late Discount on your
advertised prices
A free Basic Welcome Pack for all bookings
within 4 weeks of departure
A Free Ticket to a local attraction
Discount on the price of the Second Week
booked
A Discount Voucher for 10% off bookings for
2015 to encourage folk to return
Discounts for stays over 2 Weeks Duration
A Drinks Pack Voucher
Make sure that you do make a note of what
you have agreed with clients on your booking forms. Many of the small offers will cost
you around the 10€ to 15€ mark to implement, but the perceived value to your holiday clients will be much more - well we all
like to think we are getting something for
nothing, don’t we??
Liz Edmiston
OwnersAway Property Rentals & Management
Tel 691 977 107
[email protected]
www.ownersaway.com
Page 99
Accommodation
La Mariposa
968 631 008
Accountants:
Corral & Alcaraz
Silvente
968 078 754
968 332 058
968
968
660
968
968
634
968
968
968
676
968
968
968
968
968
968
968
968
968
696
968
648
968
653
968
968
649
699
968
968
978
955
328
103
155
374
153
705
163
691
594
158
154
543
152
631
153
152
155
724
199
193
199
081
978
595
219
060
154
199
869
942
092
300
887
381
111
406
138
324
352
499
102
103
016
008
138
530
910
123
198
408
226
341
855
864
270
472
554
298
Carpentry:
Philip Peacock/Joiner
680 443 219
Bolnuevo Cars
F&C Rent a Car
968 150 979
968 199 156
Cars & Transport:
Specialist Vehicles SL
968 146 158
Chiropodists:
Clinica Camposol
Phillip Dawe
968 199 111
968 150 244
Cleaning Services:
KJ Total Care
Limpieza Rosa
688 697 629
619 199 407
Computer Repairs & Sales:
Camposol Computers
Loco Murcia
968 199 191
968 971 893
Clinica Camposol
Olivier Houdusse
968 199 111
968 153 645
Electricians & Electricals:
ECO Tech
Louis Harris
Rodi Services
T J Electricals
665
619
639
868
350
712
489
181
056
821
202
121
Entertainment:
Graham Cooper
C M Constructions
Fuente Building Services
Tony’s Building Services
659 159 948
696 744 982
647 119 952
ASSSA
Ibex Insurance
The Funeral Director
657 596 638
968 153 396
958 595 945
650 631 719
Furniture:
Building Services:
A1 Garden & Ground Serv 628 505
Brian Jones & Co
646 705
JD Roofing & Building
630 269
JML Building Services
669 054
Kano Architectural Design 636 297
Martinez Del La Casa (Architects)
665 810
733
021
994
652
872
A Time 4 A Change
D & G Garden Furniture
DFS
Furniture Plus
411
A1 Garden & Ground Serv
Hairdressers & Barbers:
Eden Hair & Beauty
Jane’s Salon
Jane’s Salon CDA
The Beauty Palace
The Salon
The Salon 2
620
968
666
968
691
686
072
158
144
971
916
354
536
433
287
828
717
232
Clinical Complimentary Therapies
634 327
Eden Hair & Beauty
620 072
Freedom Health & Beauty 638 893
Healthy H20
968 437
Helping Hands
965 323
Hospital Quirón
966 921
Jane’s Salon
968 158
Jane’s Salon CDA
666 144
Natural Health Centre
634 312
241
536
357
270
667
313
533
287
081
Health & Beauty:
The
The
The
The
The
Beauty Palace
Care Agency
0044
Fuschia Beauty Clinic
Salon
Salon 2
968 971 828
1455 559988
630 439 480
691 916 717
686 354 232
Heating and Aircon:
Dentists:
Funeral Plans:
Builders:
617 142 987
639 489 202
649 540 016
Car Hire:
Bars, Cafés & Restaurants:
Alley Palais
Alandalus
Amapola
Bar/Restaurante La Llana
Bistro Ratatouille
Black Bull
Bora Bora
Cafeteria Plaza
Castillo Del Pinar
Chez Zoe
El Faro
Elliot’s Bolnuevo
Gula Gula
La Casa Familiar
La Chara
La Mariposa
La Proa
La Taberna Juan Chara
Le Carrousel
Liz’s Cafe
Quality Indian
Restaurante Mariquita II
Spice Villa
The Arches
The Clubhouse Bistro
The New Royal
The Vista Bar
Tropic Ana’s
Viggos
Welcome Palace
Miles Guttering
Rodi Services
Woodworks Direct
968
968
968
968
136
334
334
153
501
773
194
907
Camposol Heating & Maintenance (CHM)
968 199 184
Comercial Haya
968 448 143
Cool Solutions
608 499 422
Crystal Design
680 386 142
ECO Tech
665 350 056
Llamas Chimeneas
968 591 030
Louis Harris
619 712 821
Rodi Services
639 489 202
T J Electricals
868 181 121
Home Furnishings:
Curtain Call
616 240 171
Yorkshire Linen, Pto Maz
968 595 946
Yorkshire Linen, San Javier 968 193 912
Insurance:
ASSSA
H R Insurance
Ibex
Liberty Seguros
Nash Warren
968
669
968
902
968
153
046
595
255
156
396
167
945
258
583
Internet Cafés & Technical Services:
Garden Services:
628 505 733
Alley Palais
Camposol Computers
968 978 869
968 199 191
Page 100
968 971 828
650 078 846
Kennels, Catteries and Pet Care:
Casa Abril
Delmonte Catotel
Four Legs Dog Grooming
Pampered Paws
617
968
608
634
417
168
712
302
189
711
599
388
Property Maintenance/Management:
Sport & Leisure:
Brian Jones Property Maint 646 705 021
KJ Total Care
688 697 629
Mar Menor Services
644 300 125
ADS Sunbeds
Alley Palais
Camposol Golf Course
CDA Fitness
Costa Cálida Radio
Espuña Adventure
Horse Riding by Cavalli
La Casa Familiar
Mosaic Man
Property Rentals:
Kitchen Fitters/Suppliers:
La Manga 4 U
0044 7921 351298
Owners Away
691 977 107
Paramount Resort Villa Rentals
968 970 614
German Kitchen Studio
Kitchens Plus 1
Property Sales:
636 306 711
968 184 235
Laundrettes:
Los Belones
968 569 096
Legal Services:
Corral & Alcaraz
968
Costa Cálida Property Serv 968
Professional & Legal Solutions
968
Silvente Accountant/Lawyer 968
078 754
199 251
600 255 250
Mechanics:
Colair
Decklid Auto Services
Euro Tyre Totana
Ken Sherwood Mechanic
Kwik Fix English Mechanic
Mobile Car Mechanic Peter
Neumáticos El Ceña
626
626
968
679
968
666
968
796
678
424
646
972
161
422
149
840
605
859
006
129
015
Mobility Products:
Freedom Mobility
Mazarron Mobility
638 893 357
603 258 156
Outdoor Living:
D & G Garden Furniture
DFS
Furniture Plus
Woodworks Direct
968
968
968
649
334
334
482
540
773
194
456
016
Painting and Decorating:
RJB Décor Painting
699 044 742
Advance Moves
968
Costa Cálida Transport
660
Daintons Removals & Storage
696
Lord’s Removals & Storage 608
Mar Menor Removals
968
360
598
199
340
159
692
208
173
290
130
264
471
968
968
636
968
868
136
448
306
184
181
501
143
711
235
121
600
636
667
618
255
050
196
963
250
008
366
958
Compusurf
968 970
Healthy H20
968 437
Martinez Del La Casa (Architects)
665 810
Mas Movil
1473*
Repair It Don’t Bin It
646 705
666
270
Security:
ADS Locksmiths
Eriks Metal Works
Protech Surveillance
The Forge
Services:
Solar Power:
Solicitors:
968 654 007
638 893 357
180 634
061 872
564 298
969
978
978
304
595
631
172
543
163
455
869
886
087
862
008
198
103
529
Swimming Pool Construction, Cleaning &
Maintenance:
Alpha Pools
Camposol Properties
Jorge Pools
Köhn Pool Service
Piscinas Piscimar
Watermaid
968
968
674
968
965
646
971
592
168
138
320
705
824
679
000
638
379
088
Translation:
Costa Cálida Property Serv 968 199 251
Jane
667 059 266
Mar Menor Services
644 300 125
Travel Agents:
A Time 4 A Change
Comercial Haya
German Kitchen Studio
Kitchens Plus 1
T J Electricals
Apache 24/7 Plumbing
674 788 693
Brian Jones
646 705 021
Camposol Heating & Maintenance (CHM)
968 199 184
Crystal Design
680 386 142
Rodi Services
639 489 202
Printing & Design:
654 667
359 956
Retail Outlets:
Plumbers:
Entorno Grafico
Mister Print
634
968
968
634
968
646
Removals & Storage:
595 826
332 058
Locksmiths:
ADS Locksmiths
Best of Spanish
Fuente Alamo Real Estate
Holmes & Pegg
N W Murcia Properties
Old Farmhouses
Prime Property Murcia
646
968
968
634
968
968
636
968
968
Coachtrips S.L.
Dragon Tours
966 785 910
968 199 021
TV & Satellite:
CTV Aerial & Satellite Systems
600
Compusurf
968
ISS
655
Loco Murcia
968
Rainbow Satellites
686
T J Electricals
868
YPM Satellites
628
218
971
480
971
358
181
234
046
828
543
893
475
121
045
153
466
352
597
378
931
553
438
929
473
Veterinary Clinics:
Freesol
Solar Directa
411
Clinica Veterinaria Pto Maz
Emerg
Clinica Veterinaria Sur Este
Veterinary Clinic Maskota
Emerg
968
608
965
968
619
403
659 232 507
659 315 130
Corral & Alcaraz
968 078 754
Professional & Legal Solutions
968 595 826
Silvente Accountant/Lawyer
968 332 058
Compusurf
VNBenny.com
Spas & Hot Tubs:
Eurospas
650 722 905
Page 101
IV’E JUST ARRIVED DEAR MOTHER.
I’M KEEPING WARM AND WELL
APART FROM MISSING YOU ALL AT HOME
THERE’S NOTHING MUCH TO TELL.
THE WEATHER KEEPS ON CHANGING;
WE’VE HAD SOME HEAVY RAIN
AND THE SILENCE BEFORE A BATTLE
CAN DRIVE A MAN INSANE.
ORDERS HAVE COME FOR US TO CHARGE.
THIS WAR’S SO VERY WRONG.
WE’RE ALL JUST CANNON FODDER
AND THE STENCH OF DEATH IS STRONG.
THREE WEEKS HAVE PASSED DEAR MOTHER.
I’VE HAD NO TIME TO WRITE;
THE GERRY’S TRIED TO PIN US DOWN.
WE WERE FIGHTING DAY AND NIGHT.
I WEAR THE SCARF YOU MADE ME.
IT MAKES ME THINK OF HOME.
IT CARRIES THE SMELL OF FATHER’S PIPE
AND I DON’T FEEL SO ALONE.
THE PEPPERED SOUND OF FIRING GUNS,
THE WHISTLING BULLETS FLY.
WE ARE LAMBS LED TO THE SLAUGHTER
BY A POINTLESS BATTLE CRY.
IT’S SIX WEEKS SINCE I’VE BEEN HERE
AND THINGS ARE GETING TOUGH,
BUT DO NOT WORRY MOTHER
I’M KEEPING WELL ENOUGH.
THE TRENCH IS NOW A GRAVEYARD,
WHERE FELLOW SOLDIERS LAY.
I SUPPOSE I SHOULD BE THANKFUL
THAT IT WASN’T ME TODAY.
DEAR MOTHER I WAS SHOT TODAY.
IN A WEAKENED STATE I WRITE;
IN GLORY WE WILL MEET AGAIN.
DON’T CRY DEAR MOTHER.....GOODNIGHT!
IN REMBERENCE OF ONE HUNDRED YEARS SINCE THE BEGINING OF WORLD WAR ONR 1914-1918 AND TO OUR HEROES EVERYWHERE.
Changes To Birth and Death Registrations Overseas
British nationals living in Spain should note
that, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
(FCO) has changed the way that it registers
the births and deaths of British citizens overseas. The process will gradually be withdrawn
from British Consulates in Spain during the
rest of 2014. Thereafter this option for British expatriates will be carried out by a central
registration unit in the UK.
Consular Birth Registration is an optional
service and is only available to those born
overseas who have an automatic entitlement
to British Nationality at birth. There is no legal requirement for a Consular Birth Registration and a local birth certificate with a
certified translation if necessary should be
sufficient for all purposes in the UK including
applying for a passport.
Similarly there is no requirement for a Consular Death Certificate – a local certificate
should be sufficient for winding up the affairs
and obtaining probate in the UK.
The processing time for registrations will remain the same, but applicants will need to
allow extra time for documents to be sent to
and from the UK.
British nationals can find information here on
how to apply for a consular birth or death
registration.
Centralisation of birth and death registration
into a single-purpose unit in the UK will allow
the FCO to provide a common online application procedure with a credit card payment
facility, which will be more efficient and convenient for customers. Centralisation will also
enable FCO consular staff to better focus on
their primary function of assisting British nationals in distress.
across the globe in March. As part of the transition, the British Embassy in Madrid ceased
to handle applications last year. Overseas
applications are now subject to further security checks, to align with the processes for
domestic passport applications. These checks
can take significantly longer than those made
in the UK and a passport will not be issued
until all checks have been satisfactorily completed.
Processing times have therefore increased for
UK Passport Applications submitted from
overseas. The Passport Office has acknowledged the frustration that customers may
be experiencing and will continue to review
its guidance on estimated processing times.
It has recommended that customers do not
book travel until they have received their
passport.
UK Passport Applications must be made
online and the webpage to start an overseas
application can be found at https://www.
gov.uk/overseas-passports/y
The six week minimum for the issue of a
new passport starts when the application is
received by The Passport Office, so if you
need a new British passport soon, don’t leave
it until the last minute. You can make your
application up to nine months before the expiry of your current passport and the remaining validity time will be carried over to the
new passport.
Highway Robbers In Spain
The British Embassy in Spain is warning holidaymakers to watch out for ruthless gangs of
modern-day highway robbers who are preying on people driving foreign-registered vehicles and hire cars.
Police in the Catalonia region of Spain have
dealt with 126 British victims of robbery on
the AP7 motorway between the French border and the Valencia region over the past two
years.
Avoid Leaving The Renewal Of Your British Passport Until The Last Minute
You currently need to allow at least six weeks
for a passport renewal and eight weeks for
a first time application, according to Her
Majesty’s Passport Office. It is also important to get your application right first time,
to avoid the paperwork being returned and
causing further delay.
British Consulates across mainland Spain say
they are receiving regular reports of roadside
robbery occurring along the coast between
Barcelona and Alicante, across Andalucia in
the south and in the Madrid region. Consular
staff estimate that 1 in 20 of all emergency
passports issued last year as a result of theft
were following motorway robberies.
The Passport Office took over the processing of all applications from British nationals
A new video produced by the Foreign Office
- ‘Don’t let thieves drive you to distrac-
tion’ - shows real-life footage of some of
the most common tactics. Highway robbers
flag their victim down by indicating there is
a problem with their vehicle, then one gets
out to distract the occupants’ attention, whilst
an unseen accomplice robs passports, money
and other valuables before the gang makes a
fast getaway.
In a second case, the robber tricks a victim
into thinking they have a problem with their
parked vehicle, whilst another opens the door
and removes valuables. Other tricks include
throwing something that creates a sudden
noise, or puncturing a tyre at a roadside rest
stop.
Will Middleton, consular regional director for
Spain, warns “Distraction is the most common
technique used by highway robbers in Spain.
They will try to worry you about the state of
your vehicle and then whilst they point out
the supposed problem, an accomplice is robbing you. Be wary of anyone attempting to
stop you when you are driving, or trying to
point out a problem or offering assistance.
They may not be the Good Samaritan they
appear to be. If someone points out a supposed problem whilst you are on the road,
keep going until you reach a service area. If
you have to stop, make sure one person stays
in the vehicle. Keep valuables out of sight and
out of reach. If you do notice a problem with
your vehicle, call your emergency breakdown
service for help.
We are working with the Spanish police to
alert British visitors to how these gangs work,
so that holidaymakers can avoid becoming
victims. Police statistics indicate that these
robberies are largely non-violent. However,
falling victim to this kind of theft can be distressing and costly.”
Top tips to avoid highway robbers ruining
your holiday:
On the road
·
Be wary of people flagging you down
·
If you have a problem with your vehicle,
call your emergency breakdown service
·
Keep valuables out of sight and out
of reach
When you stop
·
Park your vehicle in sight
·
Take your valuables with you
·
Watch out for tampering
Page 102
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Costa Cálida Chronicle - Costa Calida Chronicle

Transcription

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