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Golf Lovers - Don’t Miss Out
AEG516 - Extraordinary Villa in Alhaurín el Grande €995,000
This magnificent villa is set in 10,000m2 of the most remarkable &
beautifully landscaped gardens you can imagine. Prime location,
327m2 built, private, fabulous pool, bar, terraced surrounds.
Spectacular views. All services connected incl. town water, landline
tel & satellite TV.
Like this? Then checkout ADT252 on our website
AEG517 - Alhaurin El Grande
€180,000
An absolute bargain! This fabulous 2 bed, 2 bath golf apartment has wonderful views over the course,
the communal pool & the mountains. A great investment property, fully furnished, never been used. Hot
& cold aircon plus an alarm entry system. Plenty of storage: utility room, built in wardrobes, underground
storage & private, secure parking.
Like this? Then checkout AEG423 on our website
EDC431 - Country Homes in Cartama Estacion €350,000
Lovely country home with guest acc located in a quiet cul-de-sac
with easy access. 3 to 4 beds, 3 baths, 2 lounges & 2 kitchens.
Plus outbuilding for additional storage, registered on the deeds.
Externally there is a 1.5m deep swimming pool plus an outside
kitchen area that includes a built-in barbeque.
Like this? Then checkout CNN366 on our website
Spacious and Private
AEG476 - Immaculate Property in Alhaurin el Grande €699,000
Stylish main home, guest acc, stables, paddock and now an extra
4,000m2 of land on a separate escritura make this a really sought
after property. The pool and gardens are wonderful as are the views.
All services connected, easy access & in reach of all amenities.
Like this? Then checkout ALA392 on our website
ESE342 - El Sexmo
ADT141 - Bargain Villa in Alhaurin de la Torre
€420,000
A SENSIBLE OFFER WILL BE ACCEPTED! Fabulous home,
pool, views plus great location. Call now to view and see for yourself. Would make a great cattery if you want a business. 15 minutes to the airport, beaches, golf courses & much more.
Like this? Then checkout MAQ412 on our website
€367,500
Beautifully presented country home with a sun terrace on the second level & set in 2,500m2 of land. 3
beds with a/c (you could possibly make a 4th bed above), 3 baths (2 ensuite). Externally there is a
wonderful, private 8m x 4m swimming pool with terraced surround plus a brick built storeroom. Great
views & access via new tarmac road.
Like this? Then checkout CAR415 on our website
contents
issue
36
costa culture
6
Cover story
Semana Santa
by Mike Wilkinson
costa getaways
10
6
Fuengirola
costa companies
16
Local Business Spotlight
costa lifestyle
26
27
28
29
30
32
38
Mens Stuff
Hot Head...
Helen Johnson
Triathlon’s
What Men Want
What Women Want
Beauty Tips
New beauty rules...
Health article
Men’s Health
Health news
How to survive a heart attack
when alone...
costa homes
46
50
54
Interiors
Is your house sick?
Or are you sick of your house?
Handy Home Tips
Cover story
Spring Fever
by Simon Hill
62
58
Obtaing a Mortgage in Spain
costa stuff
60
61
62
64
66
68
70
Animal Health
Spiritual Thought
Cover story
An Elegant Family
by Erny Harrison
Costa Cuisine
Strange But True & Challenge
Bytes and Pieces
Showbiz Whispers /
Movie Review
guide to the costa
72
Bars and Restaurants
54
Hello and
welcome...
Hello and Welcome to issue 36 of Costa Life Magazine and
already spring is nearly upon us. I hope you enjoyed the rain in
February! Much needed it has to be said and at least here in
Spain we get it all in one go. Easter is very early this year as you
know and by the time you are reading this Mother’s Day will
have come and gone. It is also Spanish Mothers Day on the 8th
March. Remember that the Spanish Easter Holiday will be the
Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd of March.
We are looking forward to Costa Life Magazine’s 4th birthday in
May and www.guidetothecosta.com is 5 years old in
September. We are working very hard on this site and also on
the magazine website. Don’t forget you can always check out
the magazine online usually about the 27th of the month, a
week or so before it hits the streets. Check it out on
www.costalifemagazine.com. If you have never seen it before
simply click on the front cover of the magazine on the home
page and then use your icon to double click in the right hand corner of each page and the pages
will turn. If you are a visitor here this means that even when you go back home you can still read
your favourite magazine every month. We are currently converting all our back issue so
eventually you will be able to read every issue of Costa Life online.
Editor
Sharon Holdsworth
Consulting Editor
Harvey Mann
Design and Production
David Philliskirk
Advertising Sales
Ronan Holdsworth
IT Advisor
Dave Howard of Alphashare
Web Master
Mike Wilkinson
We are the only magazine in Andalucia with this facility.
It’s funny how things work out, www.guideothecosta.com was started in September 2003 before
the magazine and was put on the back burner when the magazine was launched. But over the
last year the guide has started to rear its head and is certainly growing to be a main part of our
business and has great potential with the amount of internet marketing people are doing these
days. We are currently working on a new data base and will be filling it with content over the next
few months.
And despite the fact that the guide has been, up until 10 months ago, untouched we are now
receiving over 12,000 unique visitors per month so with the magazine website and the magazine
itself Costa Life Media are reaching approx 25,000 people every month. This figure will increase
over the next few months and throughout 2008 we will be continuing to develop the guide and
the magazine to be the best on the coast. Our aim by the end of the year is to be reaching
50,000 people per month.
I have to say that when we turned the radio off last year and merged the magazines we thought
it was the right thing to do at the time but all the same it was very painful. Now six months on
we KNOW it was the correct decision and life is much easier. We are getting more positive
feedback on the magazine than ever before and we appreciate it very much.
Thank you. See you in April.
Contributors
Linda Christie
Peter Harrison
Simon Hill
Helen Johnson
Paula Monaghan
Jan Morley
Dr J.S. Nicolas
Cruella Parsons
Annette Riggall
Russell Vaughn
Mike Wilkinson
Company Director
Ronan Holdsworth
Partner
Barrie Shearman
Images courtesy of
Costa del Sol Tourist Board
JumpFotoArt.com
951 272 693
PR Shots
Deposito Legal MA-0054-2004
For Information on distribution points,
sales or any other enquiries call
952 492 250*, 600 713 028 or
email: [email protected]
or visit our website
www.costalifemagazine.com
*new contact number
Reproduction of this magazine in whole or
part without the written permission of the
publishers is strictly prohibited. The views
expressed by contributors and advertisers
are not necessarily those of the publishers.
Although every care is taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information and the
advertisements contained within this
magazine, the publishers can accept no
liability.
Produced by and part of the
HOLDSWORTH SHEARMAN MEDIA GROUP
952 492 250
[email protected]
PROPERTY OF THE MONTH
MACP 346
850,000€
€
An excellent opportunity to purchases this great 702m2 property
in a fantastic location for tourists in Alora.
This large property offers a total of 9 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 3
toilets, lounge, kitchen, commercial kitchen, bar, restaurant,
terraces. Furnished.
The ground floor
Consists of a fully fitted bar, restaurant, commercial kitchen, dry
store, walk-in fridge, walk-in freezer, 2 toilets (one with disabled
facilities), air conditioning, 3phase electricity, external sun
canopy’s, ample parking with option to rent a 120 square meter
area for outdoor bar/restaurant terrace.
Info:
The Property is near completion of a total refurbishment including
re wired, re plumbed and re drained. It offers a great business
opportunity for one or more families and is in an excellent position
with the advantage of direct trains to Malaga close by.
The First Floor
Consists of 8 private studio apartments with individual door
access onto a communal walkway. Each studio has a bathroom
with shower facility. Terminated drain and water connections
have been provided for the addition of kitchens (if required).
All studios have views to front and rear, ceiling fans, individual
electric circuits, furnished and ready for use.
There is an outdoor terrace (26 sq meters) with barbeque for
studio tenant’s use.
The Top Floor
Consists of a one bedroom Penthouse apartment with 360
degree views, lounge with mini bar, open plan kitchen, bathroom
with sunken bath & shower, private access to 100 sq meter
terrace with barbeque, 7 seated Jacuzzi, outside toilet & utility
room.
There is a big demand for a small hotel or B&B in this area as
people come and stay here for activities such as, walking, cycling,
bird watching, fishing, rock climbing, horse tracking and many
more. A great commercial and residential property.
FROM ONLY 65,000€
€
Studios, Apartments & Penthouses at
unbelievable prices
New Luxury studios, apartments and penthouses completely
finished for sale located in the best part of Alhaurin town next
to all amenities. The studios/Apartments have all been
finished to a very high standard, with marble floors, solid oak
doors, beautiful kitchens and bathrooms, air/com; some have
charming court yards with water features or great terraces.
Classy affordable accommodation.
MACP-444
Coin
695,000 €
€
BUILD; 300m2 PLOTS; 8000m2 BEDS; 4 BATHS; 4
A great private Finca unusually shaped and partially stone
clad was previously two Finca, now reformed into one, with
the appropriate amended Escritura's. The property is fully
fenced with electric gates, grand drive lined with palm trees,
Yucca trees and mature shrubs. The land is good for horses,
kennels; mobile homes etc., there are four separate plots of
land, three previously used for grazing with a small plot behind
the well house suitable for stabling or such like. A beautiful
rustic, spacious Finca that is extremely cosy and comfortable.
Bank valuation of over 900,000 Euros.
MACP-442
Malaga / Pizarra
595,000€
€
Build: 225m2, Plot: 3000m2, Beds: 4, Baths: 3
A superb country property on a private plot with the best
view you could wish for. This traditional designed Spanish
property is very spacious with bundles of character and
many special features. A delightful garden to be enjoyed
with a lovely private casita for guests or letting, the pool
area is gorgeous with a Jacuzzi looking over the beautiful
county side. A charismatic property with much potential.
MACP-451
ALHAURIN EL GRANDE
349,000€
€
BUILD; 85M2 PLOT; 1,096M2 BEDS; 3 BATHS; 2
An absolutely beautiful country property which is of modern
design and top class quality through out. The villa is very
spacious, light, and has a great pool, out side kitchen/BBQ
area and is perfectly located to Alhaurin and Coin town
centre. Ready to move in and enjoy no work needed at all.
MACP-440
Alhaurin El Grande
300,000€
€
399,000€
€
BUILD; 135M2 PLOT; 2,750M2 BEDS; 4 BATHS; 3
A lovely modern country property, only 5 minutes from
Lauro golf and 5 minutes drives to Alhaurin el Grande town.
This house is very spacious, with a great out side private
pool that looks over the garden with mature trees and
pleasant views. The villa is fully fenced, electric gates and
in a peaceful location.
MACP-335
Monda
349,000 €
€
BUILD; 170M2 PLOT; 233M2 BEDS; 4 BATHS; 3, KITCHENS: 2
BUILD; 123M2, APARTMENT 55 M2 PLOT; 1,500M2
BEDS; 3, COULD BE MORE, BATHS; 2
A perfect villa in excellent condition. This villa is finished to
very high standard, is very roomy, and has a great pool area
and fantastic views. There is also the option of having a one
bedroom apartment for guests or to rent as an extra in come.
This property is great value for money and is very close to all
amenities.
MACP-435
SOLE AGENT
Alhaurin el Grande
MACP-400
ALHAURIN EL GRANDE
349,000€
€
131 sq m build plus 62 sq m outbuildings 2/3 bedroom
A fully fenced plot with a great a garden full of flowers. The
main house at present has two bedrooms but was once a
three bed and can easily be turned back. There is the
option of converting the outbuilding into more
accommodation or left as it is now a big work room.
This lovely house is situated on the ONLY urbanization in Monda,
which has about 24 houses all of different design, which makes
this property very unique. Monda is a beautiful and pleasant place
to be. The house itself is split into two levels each with 2 bedrooms
and a kitchen; very spacious and has great views over the
countryside the village and Monda castle. There is a lovely garden
and terrace area easy to manage and again a nice area to enjoy
the gorgeous views. A short drive from the Marbella Gun and
Country club, and only 15 minutes to Marbella and 20 minute to
Malaga airport. An exceptional property.
MACP-424
Guaro
640,000 €€
Build 180 sq m Plot 12,000 sq m Beds 3 plus I guest accommodation
Fantastic country villa with feature split level open plan living
room and separate dining room. 3 bedrooms with a superb
self contained one bedroom guest cottage in separate
building. Full central heating plus air con. This villa is well
located in Guaro, but is near enough to the town to enjoy its
typically Spanish atmosphere. Guaro's "Luna Mora"
celebrations in September are world renowned and form a
major attraction in the area. Excellent south facing pool
covered BBQ area and fabulous views across the surrounding
area from its dominant hilltop position.
MACP-261
COIN
450,000€
€
BUILD; 148M2 PLOT; 600M2 BEDS; 3 BATHS; 2
A great opportunity to purchase this beautiful villa in a great
location. It has a very light and airy feel to the property with
an open ST floor hallway over looking the main entrance and
a wood burning fire place. Situated on the very popular
urbanization, it is ideally located for Malaga airport and
Marbella only 30mins away. Beautiful original cortijo, unique
in the area, must be seen to be believed.
MATH-447
Alhaurin el Grande
299,000€
€
BUILD; 118.62 PLOT; 133.49M2 BEDS; 2/3 BATHS; 2/HALF
A stunning property on Alhaurin Golf course. This beautiful
immaculate semi detached town house really does stand out
from the rest; it is gorgeously decorated right through to high
standards and is situated in a lovely part of the golf course.
The property although very serious has the opportunity of
easily closing in the top roof terrace making it into a 3 bed
room house which will add to its value. There are 2 terraces,
a balcony, communal gardens and a great pool to enjoy. A
truly adorable property perfectly ready to move straight in.
MACP-450
COIN
283,000€
€
BUILD; 104m2 PLOT; 1200m2 BEDS; 2 BATHS; 2
A charming sensibly priced country villa in a very quiet and
peaceful location. This villa is newly built and is 6 km out of
Coin in the campo.
This is a 2 bedroom property with one en suite bathroom plus
a family bathroom. Large lounge with log burner. Car Port
ample parking. 8 x 4 pool and terraces.
Written By:
Mike Wilkinson
[email protected]
’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, ‘‘If you want to get ahead
get a hat’’. I’d infer that it’s more of a play on words than
constructive life-advice but, even so, what it doesn’t mention
is that you need to make sure that it’s the right hat. ‘‘You can’t
judge a book by its cover,’’ they say (‘they’ presumably being the ones
who know) but people will judge you by your hat. That’s because certain
hats mean certain things and your choice of headgear sends out
messages of social status to those around you. A bowler hat, for example,
would tell everybody that you’re a city gent, whereas a flat cap would put
you up in the Yorkshire Dales and a beret would make you a garlic-eating
surrender-monkey from across the Channel. A mortarboard would
suggest that you’re an intellectual; a dunce’s cap will tell everybody that
you’re not. So, as you can see, each hat has its own distinct meaning. But
there’s one hat that can have several quite conflicting meanings,
depending on its environment. It’s a hat that can sometimes signify nasty
evilness and, at other times, mean friendly cheerfulness… one that can
remind you of a drunken night out on one hand, and racist bigotry on the
other… one that can bring you shame and one that commands respect. I
am talking, of course, about the ubiquitous tall, pointy hat.
We are first introduced to the tall, pointy hat at a very early age, when our
parents tucked us up in bed and read fairy tales of evil, warty witches with
bubbling cauldrons full of various bits of forest wildlife, flying on
broomsticks, wearing tall, black pointy hats. Then we discover pointy hats
worn by friendly, cheerful garden gnomes, that flop over in a friendly,
cheerful way (the hats, that is, not the gnomes) and clowns in comical
conical hats, like Marcel Marceau, or David Bowie in that video where
he’s running away from a bulldozer. At school we learn of the dunce’s cap
and the shame associated with it, and then of the magical world of
wizards where the pointy hat is, by far, the most important element of a
wizard’s garb… the taller and pointier the better. Later on in life we learn
that the tall pointy hat once instilled the utmost fear in people when worn
by the KKK where it represented violent racism and bigotry. But the
strangest of all things is that the exact same headgear worn in Spain
means the total opposite.
I have to admit that I was slightly shocked the first time I encountered the
KKK leading a long and solemn procession through the streets of
Fuengirola one April morn. ‘‘What's going on?’’ I thought to myself.
‘‘Semana Santa - Holy Week - Spanish Easter celebrations,’’ was the
answer - absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with racial issues in 1950s
Mississippi, and so very different from the way Easter is celebrated in the
UK. You can’t celebrate Easter without chocolate eggs filled with
chocolates, or fluffy yellow Easter chicks, or hollow chocolate Easter
bunnies (of the apocalypse or otherwise). How can we
celebrate Easter without our traditional icons? Well, Spain
sees Easter a bit differently, and their icons are a lot more
powerful than a Cadbury’s Cream Egg®.
It is a well known fact, principally to those who know this
fact well, that Spain is a deeply religious country where it
is estimated that 98% of the population is Catholic. To the
Spanish, Easter is a solemnly religious time when Jesus
was betrayed by Judas, captured by the Romans in the
Garden of Gethsemane, crucified to death by Pontius Pilot
and then, three days later, rose from the dead as the
scriptures had foretold and ascended into heaven where
he is seated at the right hand of
the Father and will come again in
glory to judge the living and the
dead, and his kingdom will have no
end. Quite an eventful week, really,
that slowly uncovers a story of sad
betrayal, solemn and painful death
and, finally, a celebration of the
resurrection and a new beginning.
The Spanish re-enact these events
throughout Semana Santa, almost
to the letter, feeling all the pain and
the grief and then the joy as the
week progresses, just as it may
have progressed some two
thousand years ago. And, solemn
as the proceedings may be, they are executed with the same style and
grandiosity and music and colour that is synonymous with any of Spain's
other celebrations, especially in Andalucía.
Each town and city celebrates Semana Santa in its own particular way,
with their own programmes and highlights, but the central theme is the
same. Lavish processions are organised by religious brotherhoods
(hermandades or cofradias) which are associations of clergymen and
faithful members of the parish. The brotherhoods are a medieval
tradition, some dating back as far as the 15th century that have survived
to the present day, and they dedicate themselves to one particular scene
in the events of Easter Week, for example the burial of Christ, the taking
of Christ's body off the cross, the flogging of Christ by Roman soldiers,
the judgement of Christ by Pilate, etc. Each brotherhood has its own
specific colours, emblem, standard and imagen. The imogen is the
centerpiece of their procession, a statue or carving of Jesus or the Virgin
Mary, often very large and heavy, which depicts their chosen scene and
is carried around the city streets on a float (or paso) for hours on end
during the festival by some twenty to thirty members of the brotherhood.
Some of theses statues date back to the 16th and 17th century and were
carved by superb craftsmen of the time. Irrespective of size, each float
represents the pride and enthusiasm of every Andaluz who will spend the
entire night, from dusk ’til dawn, accompanying them in solemn
reverence.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, and people flock to the
streets to worship their chosen imogen in a tradition whose pagan origins
still show. Certain floats demand extra reverence as certain
brotherhoods are favoured in the miracle-working abilities of the effigies.
To the accompaniment of beautiful pieces of music, many having been
composed specifically for Semana Santa by leading musicians of the day,
the floats are led around the city by Los Nazarenos, the sinister-looking
guys with the tall, pointy hats. They carry candles and banners, wear
tunics, an antifaz (the piece of cloth covering the faces of the nazarenos)
and a capirote (the cardboard cone inside the antifaz, keeping it upright
on the head). The hats are worn only for three days - from Holy Thursday
to Holy Saturday - and are a symbol of mourning for the Passions of
Christ. They are not worn before Thursday since Christ had not been
captured yet, and they are taken off on Sunday in the joy of Resurrection.
The float may carry an image of Christ, of the Virgin or a Mystery (a set of
images which represent a scene from the Passion of Christ). The first
float in the procession is normally El Paso del Cristo. It is carried by the
costaleros, some 20 to 30 strong men, normally from the brotherhood,
who go almost unseen under the float, and bear its heavy weight
throughout the day, taking directions from the capataz through the many
narrow streets of the town, and followed by Los Penitentes. The
Penitents are the members of the fraternity who perform the authentic
act of penitence, carrying a wooden cross, sometimes two, and
frequently walking barefoot the whole distance of the procession. In
many cases this is still done as an act of fulfilment of a promise to Christ.
Penitents are dressed like the Nazarenos, but they don’t have a capirote,
which leaves the upper part of the antifaz hanging backwards.
El Paso Palio is the float which carries La Virgen, also called La Dolorosa
(the hurt), La Amargura (the bitterness), or a trifle more optimistically, La
Esperanza (the hope). For most Spanish people this is the most
important part of the procession. People often wait for hours at a
strategic location to see ‘their’ Virgen pass by that particular spot.
Depending on the size of the town, there can be quite a few Virgins, each
one different, unique and special, although for the visiting foreigner they
may all seem the same (but don’t go round saying that to the local
people). This is because, unlike the floats of Christ that carry different
representations, the floats of the Virgen all represent the same moment
in the biblical history; the Holy Mother crying for the death of her son.
This one scene has many different representations, though we foreigners
probably wouldn’t notice. One important element that changes is El
Manto, huge pieces of rich fabrics delicately embroidered and flowing
from the statue of the Virgen over a hard support covering the back of the
float. The float itself has a canopy, supported by twelve ornate poles
called Varales, decorated with works of gold and silver. These poles are
connected rather loosely, so that the characteristic swaying movement of
the Costaleros can be transmitted to the float.
To the visiting tourist, the processions during Semana Santa are typically
colourful and extravagant entertainments. To the devout Spaniard they
are emotionally moving experiences which are confessed upon, cried
upon, laughed out loud upon, adored, touched and kissed as they
meander through the streets - a moving spectacle of reverence,
penitence and faith that my fickle pen could never portray with any
accuracy. But you don’t need to understand what’s going on to enjoy, and
to be quite frank, of the 98% of Spaniards that are reputedly Catholic,
more than half of them are not practising Catholics, so to them it’s just
another week of holidays…
I’ll drink to that!
FUENGIROLA
8 costa life
FUENGIROLA
The professional
company with
the personal
touch for...
LA545:
Miraflores:Frontline
beach
apartment with stunning sea views! This
top floor apartment is in excellent condition.
All rooms are spacious and bright! This
property is situated in the very well
maintained community of Miraflores playa
and has lovely gardens, a pool and great
restaurant. There is parking inside the
community. This apartment is fully
furnished! The property is also near
Miraflores Golf. Great opportunity!
...all aspects of
selling or renting
your property
Nick and Rita of Fuengirola Real Estate are proud to announce the
opening of their brand new office in Calle España 29, near the town
centre and situated close to the Paseo Maritmo. Having moved from
their former premises next to the Salon Varietes, due to rebuilding
works, the company has relocated until they will move back into their
purpose built new office in 2009. This move also coincides with
Fuengirola Real Estate S.L. celebrating their 10th anniversary.
Price: 470,000 Euros
LA541: Fuengirola:Excellent townhouse in
Puebla Lucia with sunny 40m2 private
patio. This property consists of 3
bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a brand new
modern-design kitchen and a spacious
living/dining area with fireplace. This
property is ideal for permanent living or as
an investment. Puebla Lucia is the most
beautiful residencial area in Fuengirola with
its beautiful gardens and pools. Unique
opportunity!!!
Price: 695,000 Euros
LA531:Tolox:Unique opportunity to buy
three two bedroom apartments and a
bar for this special price! All apartments
have a lovely view to the countryside.
There is a roofterrace. Ideal for someone
who is looking for a home and an
income!!!
So whether you are buying or selling, renting
or looking to rent out your property then
why not call into our office for a friendly
chat or alternatively ring call us on 952 479
749 and we can come round and discuss your
particular requirements with you in the
comfort of your own home
29 C/ ESPANA,
29640 FUENGIROLA, MÁLAGA
TEL: (+34) 952 479 749 · FAX: 952 478 662
[email protected]
www.fuengirolarealestate.com
Price: 299,000 Euros
LA530: Calahonda: Excellent 3
bedroom townhouse with magnificent
views to the sea and garden. This
property has a southwest orientation and
has a covered terrace by the living room,
a terrace by the master bedroom and a
roofterrace. The community offers a
lovely garden and pool. Great
opportunity!
Price: 359,000 Euros
LA546: Monda: This charming villa with
independent guest accommodation is
only a 15 minutes drive to Marbella .
This property consists in total of 4
bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens and
a good size and bright living room. From
the patio and pool area you can enjoy
the beautiful views to the countryside,
mountains and the castle of Monda.
Price: 499,000 Euros
LA527: Mijas Costa:Frontline golf
apartment with magnificent views to the
golf, sea and mountains. This property is
situated in a gated quality residence with
lovely gardens, a heated indoor and
outdoor pool. The apartment consists of
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a fitted
kitchen and a living room leading to a
spacious covered terrace. There is also
a private underground parking. Great
opportunity! Ideal holiday home!
Price: 299,000 Euros
Avda. Jesus Santos Rein, 17, Local 6, 29640 Fuengirola
Tel: (+34) 952 664 217 Fax: (+34) 952 580 589
www.losarcos.net E-mail: [email protected]
costa life 9
>> costaGETAWAYS
I
n January we wrote a piece on the history of Calahonda and had
a great response from our readers. It’s always interesting to look
at the history of places and to see how they came about and also
how they have developed. This month we are looking at Fuengirola. Just
like Calahonda, Fuengirola is part of my own Spanish history. Back in
1982 on my first holiday abroad it was Fuengirola bus station that I
remember. I was sitting outside in the blazing heat waiting like hundreds
of other people to get on the bus to my destination. We waited ages and
if I’d have had the money I would have treated the lads to a taxi to
Calahonda, but didn’t or did I? Maybe I just made the decision my money
was for beer and we would wait! The bus station is in the same place
today which is a surprise due to the expansion of the town although the
rumour factory has it that it may be moving to a bigger location.
My memories of Fuengirola are few. I remember coming into town one
night after being stood up by Donald Pleasance’s daughter. I made my
way to The Britannia (the only place I remember from that time which is
still here) to find the lads. They weren’t there and I had to pay for a taxi
back on my own. Serves me right for dumping the lads for some rich
actor’s daughter who ended up leaving me high and dry anyway, but it’s
all right, I am over it now.
Now, just to digress a little, I was talking to Nick and Rita at Fuengirola
Real Estate about this piece and my history with Fuengirola and what do
you know! He had a date with her once way back then also. In fact, it was
the same year. Maybe it was the same night and he is the one
responsible for me looking like an idiot waiting on my own in the Black
Cat in Calahonda with no mates and no date. Well, win some lose some
I always say. She obviously wasn’t good enough for me!
Just like Calahonda, fate had its hand in my return to Fuengirola and six
months after arriving on the Costa del Sol in 2002 we were running our
Battle of Fuengirola in Warsaw museum
Britannia Pub, est 1979
own bar/restaurant around the corner from the Britannia in Fish Alley,
twenty yards away from the Aroma Restaurant. The owner, John Kelly,
arrived here in that same year of 1982 and, unlike me, came to watch
the World Cup and ended up staying whereas yours truly went back
home. He used to own a night club with the aforementioned Nick from
Fuengirola Real Estate and they are now both clients of Costa Life
Magazine. Now you might think that this story is just a downright
unashamed lie in order to give two of our clients a plug but I promise you
it is all true.
Anyway, back to the history of the town.
Fuengirola itself is located between Mijas Costa and Benalmadena and
covers an area of nearly 11 km2. Its boundaries include the Arroyo del
Jardín stream in the northeast, the Fuengirola River in the southeast,
mountains in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the town
of Mijas in the west. It became an independent municipality in 1953 but
its history goes much further back.
Pharmacy, Church Square
Like most of the Iberian peninsula in general and the Costa del Sol in
particular, Phoenicians, possibly Tartessians, Romans, Visigoths, and
Arabs all set up residence in the area now known as Fuengirola before
Catholic Christians arrived.
The foothills of the mountain range behind the town to the south are the
site of an Arab castle, which contains remains of an early Ibero-punic or
Phoenician settlement, later occupied by the Romans, which became a
town known by them as Suel. Suel was identified by the Roman historian,
Pomponius Mela, as one of the towns of the coast, and was cited by Pliny
in the first century AD as a fortified town or oppidum. A later historian,
Ptolemy, identified it during the second century as being located in the
region of the bastulo-penos or Phoenicians.
The inscription on the pedestal of a statue found near the castle
mentions Suel as being a Roman ‘municipium’. A funeral urn found in the
same area has an inscription containing the word ‘Suelitana’. Roman
baths were discovered in 1961 and, close by, the remains of a Roman
villa containing two sculptures, one of which is the well known ‘Venus of
Fuengirola’ which is exhibited in the town’s museum. A series of
architectural components, probably transported from the Mijas quarry
during the Roman era, were discovered in Los Boliches in 1984. These
have now been mounted to form a temple entrance, and can be seen on
the promenade at Los Boliches.
Roman baths, a villa, and the aforementioned statue of Venus have all
been found here. It was a tidal wave, pirates, or destruction by the
Visigoths that made Fuengirola ‘disappear’ from the historical record
during the early Middle Ages. Later the Moors settled in the area, building
a castle, updating the area's name to Suhayl, which then consisted of
Pharmacy, Church Square today
various villages dependent on agriculture. Suhayl became a fairly large
settlement, and included a fair amount of farmland and small villages.
Most of the area was however used as pasture for the Moorish rulers’
camels. The Moorish presence was consolidated from the 8th century
onwards, and evidence of their settlements is the burial ground
discovered near the hot springs at Torreblanca. It was from this period
that we get the name Sohail, a bastardisation of the Latin Suel. The
castle was destroyed in a Viking raid in 858 AD and the people took
refuge in Mijas.
It was not until the 10th century that the Cordoba leader, Abderramán III,
reconstructed the fortress and rebuilt the urban centre, and it then
remained in Moorish hands until captured by the Christians in 1485.
The historian Temboury described Suhayl as a pretty and sophisticated
town, the home of eminent writers who added its name to theirs - the
most well known being the great poet As-Sohaili, who wrote a few verses
about his native land, expressing his concern at the destruction of his
birthplace.
The insecurity related to the Christian ‘re-conquest’ of Spain changed
Suhayl’s fortunes and it was left deserted and in ruins after it was
captured by the Catholic kings’ army in 1485. The Christians renamed it
Font-Girola after the stream at the foot of the hill upon which stood the
castle.
An attempt to repopulate the site with 30 people failed, and in 1511 it
was registered as uninhabited, apart from the fortress
and a watchtower. Land originally set aside for
Fuengirola was reallocated to Mijas. After the Turkish
>>
Sohail Castle today
FUENGIROLA
TONI’S
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Huge range of cards and gifts, all ages, all
occasions, invites, relations etc
CRAFTERS CORNER
All you need for making your own cards
Demos coming shortly
Offex mail point for letters and parcels to UK,
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On main street to Paseo, opp Las Rampas, near Sur office
Mon - Fri 10 - 6.30pm Sat 10 - 2.30pm Call 679 017 127
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for as little as
Gymnasium
fully equipped gym with both fixed and
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professional instructor available
only gym open at 8 am
Classes
over 56 fitness classes every week
step aerobics, aerobics, yoga, bums & tums,
latest reebok decks
new from Finland “gym stick”
suitable all ages
pilates room with pilates reformer beds
individual spin bike room with 40 bikes
individual aerobics and exercise room
with sprung floor
Goshin Ju Jitsu plus Capoeira
Facilities
120 €
fully air conditioned - lockers
high powered showers - hair dryers
mens & womens saunas - jacuzzi
sun beds
costa life 13
>> costaGETAWAYS
Battle of Fuengirola by Keith Rocco
and Moroccan pirates stopped their local activities, the town was slowly
but surely repopulated basing its economy on fishing, agriculture, and
trade.
During the 17th century, a new urban settlement developed opposite the
original site, once the threat from Turkish and Moroccan pirates had
disappeared. At the beginning of the 18th century an inn was opened
near the beach, offering accommodation to travelers, muleteers and
seafarers. A few huts were built nearby, forming a small village.
The Battle of Fuengirola took place in the area during the Peninsular War.
On October 15 1810 approximately 200 Polish soldiers of the Duchy of
Warsaw defeated a mixed British-Spanish force numbering some 3,000
soldiers under Lord Blayney. Andrew Thomas Blayney, 11th Baron of
Blayney was a veteran of Irish, Dutch, Italian, Egyptian and Indian
campaigns and a participant of the siege of Malta. He sailed from
Gibraltar toward Fuengirola which was defended by Poles, about whom he
had very low opinion saying that ‘‘little dependence could be placed’’on
them. The 150-165 Poles in Fuengirola were commanded by Officer
Mlokosiewicz.
Blayney’s troops landed at noon and marched northeast along the shore
towards the old castle. At 1 pm ‘‘a large group of Spanish guerrillas’’
attacked the Poles, captured their cattle and killed and wounded two
Polish guards. Approximately 40 Poles grabbed their muskets and ran out
after the Spaniards. But when Mlokosiewicz saw British warships he
recalled the pursuers. The British and Spanish infantry, after the initial
show of force, deployed on the hills and Blayney demanded immediate
surrender. Officer Mlokosiewicz’s eyes flashed defiance and he bluntly
responded: ‘‘Come and take it!’’
130 Polish infantry ran up the slope where the British battery were. The
Poles were joined by 11 French dragoons and attacked 1,060 Brits. They
routed the entire British battalion and captured 40 as prisoners including
Late 50s the Post Office, Calle España
Blayney and his adjutant. They then loaded the British cannons with
British ammunition and bombarded the Brits on the beach and at sea.
The aloof Lord Blayney was shocked and the ensuing battle resulted in a
victory for the Poles. General Sebastiani de la Porta who commanded all
French and Polish forces around Málaga arrived at Fuengirola on October
16th and showered the Poles with praise. Mlokosiewicz was awarded with
Legion d'Honneur. Blayney’s saber is today in Poland, in the city of
Krakow. In Warsaw, in the Museum of Army, there is a picture depicting
the heroic defence of Fuengirola. Blayney described the Poles,‘‘The scene
that presented itself at this moment can never be effaced from my
memory: both [Polish] officers and soldiers had all the appearance of
those desperate banditti described in romances; their long mustachios,
their faces blackened by smoke and gunpowder, and their bloody and
torn clothes, giving to their whole appearance a degree of indescribable
ferocity.’’ Blayney fought to the end before he was knocked to the ground
and taken prisoner. The Poles wanted to kill him but Frenchman Frederic
Petit saved him. The Poles brought their prisoners, including Blayney, to
the castle. Blayney had to step on the castle wall and signal to the ships
to cease fire. So he did without any hesitation and the warships sailed
away.
During Blayney’s long incarceration, the 2nd Earl of Caledon looked after
his financial, domestic and political affairs and, on his return, Blayney
was given a seat in parliament. Blayney died on 8th April 1832 and was
succeeded by his son Cadwallader, the 12th and last lord.
(For more info go to
http://www.napolun.com/mirror/web2.airmail.net/napoleon/Fuengirola.htm)
The castle was reconstructed again in the 18th century with the aim of
fighting smugglers in the area, and from then on the town became an
important supply centre for ships sailing towards the Straits of Gibraltar.
In May 1841 Fuengirola was detached from Mijas. At that time its
inhabitants were mainly engaged in fishing, agriculture and trading with
the ships that dropped anchor in the bay. Another story about the origins
of the town’s name is that it comes from a Genoa ship called a ‘‘girona’’,
that frequently made harbour here, trading in groceries (boliches). Thus
the name Los Boliches formerly separate from but now forming part of
the same urban area as Fuengirola.
For over a century, fishing and agriculture remained the main activities.
In 1822 the people of Fuengirola applied to the authorities in Málaga to
be given independence from Mijas. They made their application on the
basis of Fuengirola having a population of 1,000 inhabitants (the
minimum legal requirement for setting up a separate municipality) and
with an economy based on fishing and the port. The census of 1,000 was
disputed by the Mijas Town Hall, who declared there were less than 500.
However, later in 1841 the authorities accepted the division and
Fuengirola gained its independence, a mayor was elected and a Town Hall
was built. The way the boundaries were laid out at this time has always
been a bone of contention with the people of Fuengirola, who feel that
they were short-changed in terms of land allocation. Throughout the 19th
and 20th centuries and during further growth and expansion of
Fuengirola, this problem has come up time and time again when new
Post Office, Calle España today
costaGETAWAYS >>
Maxis Travel Agency Paseo
projects are mooted. It became a municipality in its own right in 1953.
It was only in the 1960s that Fuengirola entered a new phase, becoming
a leading tourist centre.
Since then Fuengirola has grown and grown. In the last few years
Fuengirola has boomed, particularly in the commercial sector. When we
arrived on the coast in 2002 there was only Dunnes block on the other
side of the N340 and a hotel but, since then, another hotel, the Myramar
Centre and Centro Commercial Miramar have gone up. Corte Ingles has
opened up and there is more development going up behind the Miramar.
Los Pacos has blossomed with probably too many blocks of apartments
and a much needed connection to the N340. The Sohail Castle remained
an abandoned ruin until renovations began in 1995. In 2000 the interior
of the castle was completely renovated and the Sohail castle began to
host festivals and concerts throughout the summer. Additional
landscaping was completed in 2002 and the castle is now one of the
highlights of Fuengirola's cultural and historical scene. For me Fuengirola
is developing into one of the most popular towns on the coast. It is
certainly becoming more cosmopolitan and is very popular with the older
generation because of its flat terrain. The amount of money spent on the
town over the last ten years has turned it from a dated tourist destination
to a chic and sought after area. The main streets and the paseo are
becoming more and more attractive. Property prices are still more
competitive than many other parts of the coast and I believe Fuengirola
will continue to grow and will surprise everybody in a few years and
become one of the most popular towns on the coast. It has always been
regarded as the poorer brother to places like Marbella but this could be
to its advantage as regards keeping property prices down, for the time
being at least. Things change as we all know and, with the demise of
Marbella in recent years, the coast is looking for a new ‘‘belle of the
Costa’’. If the continuous rumours of the port development ever came to
pass (these rumours were around when we arrived in 2002) Fuengirola
could become the place to be on the Costa del Sol. Fuengirola
now offers all the facilities to be expected of a major tourist
centre: hotels, restaurants, bars, discotheques, sports clubs, a
yacht harbour, and 7 km of broad beaches along a promenade
extending east and west from the town.
Miramar shopping centre
1972 the then Prince Juan Carlos opens the paseo
Of the approximately 60,000 inhabitants registered in the municipality,
25% come from other countries, mainly European (England, Ireland,
Scotland, Finland and Sweden, among others), and also from Morocco
and Argentina. In the summer especially the town plays host to throngs
of visitors, both Spanish and foreign, but particularly the British.
Whatever the future holds for this surprisingly historic town, Fuengirola I
believe is to become one of the most prominent towns on the Costa del
Sol.
Thanks to Rita and Nick from Fuengirola Real Estate for use of their
photos in this piece.
Fuengirola beach front
costa life 15
Local
Business
Spotlight
At Costa Life we dedicate more
space to business editorial than any
other publication on the coast. It is
important to us to introduce to you
information about our new clients
and remind you on a regular basis
about existing ones. We are a free
magazine and we only exist because
of our clients and we therefore feel
it right to dedicate a section of the
magazine to promoting to you, our
readers, the people, both new and
old, who make Costa Life possible.
If you need to make use of the
services or products promoted in
this section or indeed throughout
this issue please let our clients
know that you have seen them in
Costa Life Magazine.
Thank You.
17
La Garganta
Restaurant
22
18
23
20
24
21
25
costa COMPANIES >>
La Garganta Restaurant
La Garganta restaurant in the beautiful
area of El Chorro is now under new
management.
English couple Tony & Peggy Kennedy
have taken over the management and are
working hard to bring a more
cosmopolitan feel to this already
successful Spanish restaurant. They are
gradually introducing a new menu so
along side the traditional Spanish dishes
such as Rabbit & Chorizo in wine and
Paella, you will also find Hungarian
Goulash and Filete De Stroganoff.
There is now a Menu del Dia, a delicious 3 course meal with a drink for
only 8.50€.
From 2pm until 7pm there will be a snack menu available with all the old
favorites such as Chilli Con Carne, Steak & Kidney Pie, Lasagna and
several types of burgers. There is also an extensive choice of Tapas. If you
can’t find anything to suit on the menu, just ask and if possible they will
find you what you want.
Of course who could forget dessert, there is a dessert trolley to make your
eyes water. All home made, choose from delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding,
Light Profiteroles, Yummy Fruit Crumble, or Nan’s Apple Pie and Custard.
Or for the gourmets amongst you, try the a la carte menu in the new
Candlelight Room where such delights as Steak Diane and Chicken
Digonaise, will be served. Delicious fish dishes such as Swordfish, trout
or Langoustines cooked to perfection and again the dessert trolley, here
you will find such delicacies as Mango Mille Fueille and Hazlenut Torte.
Fresh seasonal vegetables will accompany all main dishes.
La
Garganta ,
Fernando, as a boy,
used to deliver
water and food up
the mountain on a
donkey to the stars
and crew whilst they
were filming. Rooms
start from 50€ a
night for a double.
Or really push the
boat out and stay in
the deluxe rooms
with double Jacuzzis
at 150€ per night.
Around the gorge
you will find what
remains of the
Camino Del Rey (the
Kings walk). This
was built for the
crew who worked on
the dam, to walk
from one side to the
other. In 1921 king Alfonso XIII used it to walk around the gorge and view
it in all it’s glory, when he came to open the dam system known as
Embalse del Conde de Guadalhorce at the Ardales lakes (that’s how it git
its name), only a ten minute drive away. These lakes will amaze you,
formed to supply the city of Malaga with a water supply in 1920, they
have brought to the area a tranquil setting to envy the lakes of Cumbria
in England. The cool clear water is a joy to swim in. So bring your
swimsuits and book a night for dinner and a stay over at the beautiful
hotel La Garganta and experience the peace and quiet of the Spanish
mountains.
Keep an eye out for the many special dining experiences planned
throughout the year, which will be advertised in this magazine.
La Garganta carry an extensive wine list from the good quality house wine
at 12.50€ per bottle to such wines as Pesquera Reserva at 50€ per
bottle to please the most discerning wine buffs amongst you. La
Garganta now also have a cocktail menu and speciality coffees. The new
staff are trained to make you welcome and your dining experience a
pleasant one.
In the more clement weather there are four terraces to choose from,
where the views will take your breath away. El Chorro is famous the world
over for it’s mountains and 300m gorge. Watch eagles soar past, there is
a peaceful stillness in El Chorro, which seems to wend it’s way into your
heart and soul. The native Spanish here are most welcoming to
foreigners, the problem is if
you come here you may
never want to leave!!
Attached to La Garganta
restaurant is the beautiful
hotel La Garganta, where
you may like to book one of
the delightfully styled rooms
and enjoy a few days
exploring the area and this
fascinating tiny village
where Frank Sinatra filmed
the final scenes of the film
Von
Ryan’s
Express.
According to village gossip
he drank in the bar La
Garganta years before it
became a restaurant and
the owner of the now Hotel
costa life 17
>> costa COMPANIES
We are happy to be in Costa Life Magazine again to tell you
about our news in Cocina Invita Showroom in La Cala de Mijas.
We have now introduced Easy Touch.
Easy Touch is the new electric drawer system for your kitchen.
Easy Touch is a brand new system for your drawers or pull-outs.
With a slight touch on the front of the drawer, it will open itself.
Easy Touch is a very practical accessory that can be used on
every model of doors.
With Easy Touch it is quite easy to open the drawers or pull out
with just your knee.
Easy Touch gives you control, so now you can open the drawers
in the plinth with your feet if you want.
This is why we call it Easy Touch.
Another new product issue is our high gloss painted kitchens. If
you by accident get a scratch on one of the doors, it is
extremely easy to repair due to the special type of paint the
factory is using. We can polish the doors, exactly like on a car.
As a Kitchen company we
have been growing rapidly
and af ter nearly four
years we have a great
team here in La Cala. We
now have three dedicated
and fully experienced
advisors to give you as a
client, a truly personal
ser vice and we aim to
combine creative design
with functionality. We
want
you
to
feel
comfortable so you can
tell us exactly what you
expect from us and of
18 costa life
course your new kitchen
with our focus on your
needs to create a personal
touch just for you and your
family. A room you would
like to stay in. Today, the
kitchen has become more
than just a ‘‘cooking
facility’’; it is the focal
place and meeting place
for the entire family.
We always like to make a
personal visit to your home
to obtain the best plan for
your new kitchen and we
like
to
study
the
atmosphere where the kitchen is going to ‘‘land and stand’’ for
many years to come.
Fitting is a very important issue for us also, especially here on
the coast and our aim is to keep our clients happy by ensuring
the installation is completed right first time and for the lifetime
of the kitchen. Our new competent fitter Michael Mortensen who is a fully trained carpenter from Denmark is doing a great
job with Peter (director of the company). They know all the
traps, finer points and details of fitting a kitchen in a
professional way.
Cocina Invita stands for high
quality
in
paint,
hinges,
functions, fitting, design, trends
and especially a ver y high
service.
Call us today for your free
consultation
or
visit
our
showroom in La Cala de Mijas
opposite Supersol.
>> costa COMPANIES
RUGS - When you walk into Costa-Carpet,
you will notice that you have come to the
right place if you are looking for widest
selection of rugs and carpets! There is
amazing collection of rugs at reasonable
prices and in many different styles between modern and traditional timeless
rugs. The designs and colours of our
collections are popular today; we have a
lot of fashionable products like shaggy pile
and very hard natural materials too, like
paper yarn and sisal. These traditional
woollen rugs do not look old-fashioned,
they are coloured with light and soft
colours! If you are looking for a more
colourful rug, there is a good selection of hand-knotted oriental carpets
too.
NEW COLLECTION! Now you will find a good selection of oriental rugs
from Iran at excellent prices. Example; a unique hand-knotted rug 100cm
x 200cm costs only 199 euros and the big ones example; 200cm x
300cm costs 798 euros! The material is 100% wool. The rugs are in very
warm colours - usually deep reds and terracotta's.
FITTED CARPETS & LAMINATES - Costa-Carpet has professional team
for fitted carpets and all type of wood floors as well. They have all well
known brands like Tarkett,
Victoria Carpets, Lano, QuickStep and they offer all types of
materials, carpet squares and
British under lays too!
of the doors is named Kirena
and has a good website and
you will get many new ideas by
visiting
www.kirena.com.
Example; after changing new
doors on your bedroom
wardrobe, the room can look
totally new. The room can feel
bigger too; because sliding
doors needs less space than if
you have had open doors
before.
You can hear the quality too the doors move very silently and
one more inspired characteristic,
the doors have a ‘‘no jump’’ system
and stay in the rail.
Costa-Carpet has a full design
and installation service of
Kirena products too. They
will take away all your old
product and their carpenter will
fit the new products to complete the perfect
installation
WHERE IT IS? Costa-Carpet is in a great location on Carretera de Mijas
(the main road from Fuengirola to Mijas Pueblo, on your left side from
Fuengirola, between Imperial furniture and Centro-Idea), an area where
many people come to shop for furniture and other home products.
In the shop there are some
samples of the most favourite
carpets… but as they say, it is
better to see different samples at
the place where the carpet is coming
from. In fact, lighting and colours of
walls and other decoration at your home
is very a important point to consider,
when you are choosing just the right
colour for your floors. The team of
Costa-Carpet will help you to choose the
right material and the colour; they will
bring the samples to your home if
necessary, measure up and estimate
the installation work at the same time. This service and quotation is free
without any obligation!
WARDROBES
RUGS
(And I can say the installers works very quickly, if they have the right
material in stock, it could be installed in just a few days)
WARDROBES & SLIDING DOORS - Costa-Carpet's custom-made sliding
doors and wardrobes are a beautiful product. There is a huge collection
of different materials and colours that
can be used for the doors. The doors
are very high-quality, made in Finland.
The producer
CARPETS
LAMINATES
www.costa-carpet.com
Mon to Sat 9:30-13:30
Ctra. de Mijas km. 4
Tel. 952 473 328
20 costa life
Mon,Wed to Fri 16:00-19:00
costa COMPANIES >>
husband and their two children.
Anna has an eye for flowers and
decoration, and with her good
taste and style, the shop is
always beautiful and inspiring.
Anna will always give you
excellent advice on flowers,
plants and decoration.
Flor Valentin is a small flowering oasis which lies on the road between
Fuengirola and Mijas. Behind the Scandinavian shopping centre Centro
Idea, in the parking space, you will find a small garden centre with
everything from seedlings to big, old olive trees, various fruit trees and
palm trees. Pots and planters in all sizes, colours and shapes.
Sphagnum, fertilizers, wood shavings. Fountains, interior plants, cut
flowers, bouquets, decorations, candles, lanterns and much, much
more……
The style in Flor Valentin is rustic,
with a twist of French bohemia.
Everything is presented in a cosy
and homely atmosphere, with
personal advice and service. For
weekdays and special holidays,
there is always a large selection
of pot plants, flowers and
decorative arrangements. Gift
wrapping is a special art at Flor
Valentin. Beautiful bags, cellophane and tissue paper as well as tasteful
ribbons, make the experience extra unique when you want to give a nice
present or just spoil yourself.
They fetch inspiration at trade fairs in England, Denmark, Germany and
Holland, and most of their products are imported from these countries.
Janne has just returned from Germany, where she visited a large flower
trade fair, where all the newest within flowers and pot plants was
represented. She also stopped over in Denmark, where she bought home
design articles for the spring and summer.
Easter is upon us and this should be celebrated. Come and get
inspiration for a stylish Easter table, or buy a basket decorated with
flowers and small nests with eggs for a lovely hostess present, Easter
bouquets, various bulb plants in lovely pots or plants to be transplanted
into the garden on your days off this Easter.
On the 24th of March 2008, the shop has 1 year’s anniversary. This will
be celebrated with special offers, coffee and cakes on Saturday 22nd
March from 10 AM to 2 PM. We look forward to seeing both old and new
customers.
Apart from a personal service, we also offer garden and terrace designs.
Janne Valentin Lassen, owner of the shop, is Danish and has lived in
Spain for 15 years. Until November 2006, she worked with her Danish
husband at a big flower horticultural centre in Coín, where they were
responsible for the daily running.
It was during an Interrail trip in 1992 that Janne Valentin Lassen and her
boyfriend Benny Hansen were presented with the idea of moving to
Spain. During a stop off on the Costa del Sol, they visited a Norwegianowned horticultural centre in Coín which Benny, who is a horticulturist,
had heard about in Denmark, and here the owners offered them a job.
During the train trip back up through Spain, they discussed their future
and when they reached Nice in France, they sent a ‘‘yes we are
interested’’ postcard to the horticultural centre. Eight months later they
were unpacking their suitcases in Coín, ready to give their new life a go
for a year. One year followed the other, and today - 15 years later - they
are part of the locals of Coín. They have also had two children, both born
and brought up in Spain.
The children go to an
international school, and
are trilingual. Benny still
works at the horticultural
centre, but after 14 years in
the flower business, Janne
felt that she was ready to
make her dream come true
and, on the 24th of March
2007, she opened her own
small garden centre. Here
she thrives with all ‘‘her’’
flowers on weekdays from
11 AM to 6 PM and
Saturdays from 10 AM to 2
PM.
Apart from Janne, you may
also be assisted by Anna,
who is Swedish and has
lived in Spain for 12 years
together with her Finnish
costa life 21
>> costa COMPANIES
If you are heading towards
Marbella turn off the main road
at km198. When you reach the
roundabout turn left down the
hill. 20 metres down on the right
take the service rd. Continue
down. On your RHS is a furniture
shop with a tunnel at the side.
Go through the tunnel, our car
park and offices are on your left.
Fortress Security
Here to help since 1987
There are not many companies on the Costa del Sol who have been in
business for more than twenty years but Fortress security in Calahonda
this year can lay claim to that title. Established in 1987 by Ian Fortress
Security can confidently claim to have a solid reputation for providing an
excellent service and high quality products. They have literally thousands
of satisfied clients and continue today to serve the ex-pat communities
along the coast, providing them with cost effective means of securing
their properties.
If you are heading towards
Fuengirola turn off the main
road at km198 onto a slip road
running parallel to the main
road. At the bus stop turn right
down the hill. Follow this road to the roundabout. When you reach the
roundabout turn left down the hill. 20 metres down on the right take the
service road. Continue down. On
your RHS is a furniture shop with
a tunnel at the side. Go through
the tunnel, our car park and
offices are on your left.
They will gladly visit your home to provide a free no obligation security
survey
Other services
Need a terrace retiling or a wall building?
Need concrete columns for those new gates?
Need Rendering, plastering, tiling?
Need a banister rail, front door repairing, kitchen units?
Need someone to hold a set of keys?
Need free advice about almost any subject under the sun?
Need cleaners following major works?
Need a quick makeover for your property?
Just ask Fortress
For more information about Fortress Security visit their website
to see the extensive range of products and services on
offer. Whatever your needs you're in safe hands
with Fortress Security.
Where are they
They are situated in the heart of the Costa del Sol
at Calahonda. Their offices and showroom are
just 1 minute from the main
coast road (N340).
22 costa life
CU RITY S
S SE
PA
S
E
I
R
ESTABLISHED 1987 N S
T
R
.
.L
Five days a week Fortress’s fleet of modern and fully equipped vehicles
travel the length of the coast and inland to Alhaurin, Coin and other
areas. They can provide references from over 20 years in business here
on the coast. After 20 years they are known far and wide for their
professionalism and caring attitude. If they can help, they will. If they
can’t they will know someone who will. They are still small enough to care
and yet large enough to cope.
FO
Their multi-skilled, security conscious team has an extensive knowledge
of all security products as well as possessing excellent skills in their own
trades. The list of their services and the products they can provide is
endless but includes scissor gates, rejas, drive gates, gate automation,
garden gates, railings, persianas, toldos, aluminium windows and doors,
security doors, garage doors, lock changes, secondary locking, intruder
alarms, electrical, welding, joinery, building, painting and plumbing
works.
All steelwork, grills, gates, fences, stairways.
Balconies, scissor gates, garage doors,
security blinds (manual/automatic)
Persianas, toldos, security doors
Garage doors up and over - sectional
Gate automation systems for all requirements
Garage door motors
Aluminium windows and doors
Air conditioning - singles - splits-ducting
All major credit cards taken
Phone 952 931 128 or 952 933 234
Email [email protected]
www.fortresssecurityspain.com
costa COMPANIES >>
help lots and lots of people to
reduce or take away pain in
especially back, knees and feet.
A very satisfied MBT Client
wrote to MBT United Kingdom
(www.swissmasai.com): Once
the MBTs were on my feet, I knew
I had to have them. They are the most
wonderful thing for my 3 times cut into spine. They take away all my
spinal pain from walking. (…)
The MBT shoe - your natural painkiller!
Do you walk a lot? Do you have
pain in your back, feet, joint or
knee? Do you want a more
upright posture? Then try a
pair of MBT shoes and
explore a new way of walking
with less pain and a much more
active body!
The MBT shoe is one of the newest products with in the area of lifestyle,
wellness and active life, yet it has already proven its right to exist in this
field. It is beeing used all over the world by young and elderly, people who
suffered from pain, by fitness orientated people and by stars like
Madonna and professionel golfpalyers like Suzann Pettersen from
Norway. It has also been valuated on several tv-stations world wide and
found very useful and effective.
The human body is not designed for constant
walking on even ground. In doing so, the
steps become unnaturally long
and a passive posture is
created. With conventional
shoes the steps fall almost
uncontrollably onto the ground and
the whole body receives shocks, leading to poor
posture, blockages, tension and weak muscles.
Here on the Western side of Málaga, people who are curious about the
MBTs have a selection of not just 1 but 2 Specialized MBT shops which
both caries the full range of models and sizes.
And furthermore for the first time since the birth of the MBT a whole new
collection of MBTs will arrived in one month. The new collection consists
of 12 new models , so by the middle of April the total selection of MBT
will consists of at least 18 models which all to be found in the specialized
MBT shops.
In MBT SHOP CRISTINA in Fuengirola
and MBT SHOP MARBELLA we look
forward to help you experience the
MBTs and explore what MBT can offer
you! For enquiries and directions please
phone us on 952 462 444 or check out
our website www.mbtmarbella.com
Super Size vs Super Skinny
Gillian McKieth used the mbt footwear
in the channel four program…
A posse of girls from Portsmouth walked
off the pounds and the inches whilst
wearing this footwear.
Gillian McKieth
To counteract this effect the body must be stimulated to balance itself
and trough that active the body´s supporting muscle system, and this is
exactly what MBT physiological footwear does.
Due to a unique curved sole, MBT transforms flat, hard surface into
natural, uneven surface, simulating the walking action of our barefoot
ancestors. The curved sole creates a natural instability underfoot, which
stimulates and exercises the body’s supporting muscles system to
balance and keep an upright posture. Balancing means that the muscles
are working instead of overloading joints plus encourages active
musculature. Through the action of a tension interchange of the muscles,
MBT become shock absorbers for the joints and through this the body
experiences release of tension, relaxation and improved circulation.
Wearing MBT physiological footwear is like walking barefoot on springy
moss or a sandy beach - very comfortable on the one hand, but also a
challenge for the whole body.
Because every step is a small
workout for the whole body. An
active muscles system holds
and helps the skelet meaning
the bones which helps
reducing pain in the body.
All in all both when standing and
walking, there are several benefits in using MBT:
Activates neglected muscles
Reduces stress on knee and hip joints
Help with back, hip, leg and foot problems
Improves posture and gait
Tones and shapes the body
Help with joint, muscle ligament & tendon injuries
The first MBT shoe was produced in 1998 and launced in Swizerland
continuing to Germany and Austria during 1999. Since then the MBT has
costa life 23
>> costa COMPANIES
OFFEX EASIMAIL Spains Largest English
Speaking Courier and Postal Service.
For many Ex Pats living and working in Spain the
sending and receiving of Letters and Parcels
can be an experience that is frustrating and
often unreliable.
In the event we are lucky enough to have a local
Post Office, the opening hours are often
extremely limited and the queues excessive.
In areas where deliveries are available, items
are often left at non secure locations,and signed for items are often
returned to sender without any notification.
Offex have been providing a secure,reliable and cost effective Postal
Service in Spain for the past 5 years.
Offex currently offer services in Andalucia, Alicante, Murcia and
Valencia Provinces, via a Network of conveniently located Mailpoints.
The location of Offex Mailpoints can be found on website
www.offexspain.com .
Business users can arrange regular collections from their premises.
Easimail offer the following services from Spain via the Royal Mail.
UK 1st and 2nd Class Post
UK and International Recorded
Delivery
Worldwide Airmail
Special Delivery
Airsure
Standard Parcels
All letters and parcels sent via the
Royal Mail are flown Daily from Malaga
and Alicante on British Airways Scheduled Flights
and delivered directly into the Royal Mail Sorting Office by
Offex Staff based at London Gatwick Airport.
Offex also have services for mail from the UK to Spain offering a
secure and fast Delivery service for Letters and Parcels.
Other Offex Services.
Passport and Visa Service
Offex offer a daily service to the British and Irish Consulates in Madrid
for Passport Renewals ensuring that your documentation arrives
safely.
British Residents Applications are checked prior despatch to ensure
that forms are completed correctly, photographs meet UK
Government Bio- Metric guidelines, and all the required
documentation is included.
We also Deliver and Collect Visa Applications to a number of Foreign
Embassies.
Express Parcels
A trackable Parcel Service for
both
delivery
and
collection of Parcels to
and from the UK.
International Air Courier
A worldwide Courier Service.
Unnacompanied Baggage
Avoid carrying luggage to and from the
24 costa life
Airport when travelling to Spain, Offex
collect from any address in the
UK and deliver direct to
your Home or Hotel in
Spain.
When you are ready to return
to the UK we will collect and
deliver back to the UK.
To contact Offex Call 952577816
or email [email protected].
costa COMPANIES >>
MAGNETIC TRAINING ACADEMY (SolNail Supplies) offers specialised
training in all aspects of nail technology. Magnetic are Europes most
complete nail care company which includes Acrylic, Gel and Fibreglass
extensions, of course they also supply what can only be called one of the
largest range of nail art accessories, as well as manicure and pedicure
products and of course not forgetting their wide range of colours in nail
polishes (which do not contain formaldehyde). The excellent value for
money has made Magnetic the favourite brand for 1000s of nail
technicians throughout the
world, and their clients are safe
in the knowledge that Magnetic
products do not require a primer
and therefore are much kinder to
their own natural nails. We are
also proud that we can say that
none of our products have been
tested on any animals. The
Magnetic training courses cover
all aspects of nail enhancements
and students can be safe in the
knowledge that after training
their
certificate
will
be
recognised in over 35 different
countries in the world. All
students can also be assured
that Sol Nails know most of the
pitfalls in the industry as they
have their own salon : The Nail &
Beauty Salon : just around the
corner from the shop and
academy. Jill opened the salon some 4 years ago after having taught
beauty at a local beauty college and in that somewhat short amount of
time the salon has grown to be Arroyo´s premier English salon The salon
offers not only all nail extensions but manicures ,pedicures ,waxing and
facials, and now has the services of a first class hair stylist who is
particularly skilled in both colours and cutting. The academy also offers
courses in applying hair extensions. Jill who is the main educator for
Magnetic and is without doubt one of the leading experts in the field of
nail extensions and her nail art is to die for with many of her clients
travelling from England and Ireland specially to have their hands and feet
cared for.
Sol Nail Supplies also supply the range of Buttercup uniforms which are
known throughout the beauty industry for their
quality.
On February 25th Sol Nail Supplies
are pleased to say they started to
provide both the products and
training in the Lycon Waxing
system favoured by the
likes
of
Victoria
Beckham,
Sienna
Miller and Minnie
Driver. also be
prepared they
have launched
MiniKINI the
bikini line dye
for matching
‘‘collars
&
cuffs’’ (this is
also good for mens chest
hair and beards to
hide the Grey) Sol
Nail Supplies are
the
only
a p p r o v e d
trainers
for
these products
and application
in Spain.
So for
the best in
Nail
Training
look no further than Sol Nails
and for that top to toe
makeover then The Nail &
Beauty + Hairdressing in
Arroyo de la Miel should be
where you head for where Jill
and Ron will gladly offer all the
help and advice that you
need.
New year new career
Train to be a fully qualified Nail Technician with
Europe’s most complete nail care company. We
teach all types of nail extentions including
manicure, pedicure and nail art.
Acrylic, gel
airbrushing.
and
fiberglass
training
and
Call 952 560 051 or 607 586 894 for more
information
www.solnailsupplies.com
Arroyo’s Premier
English Salon
No 1 in Nail &
Beauty Treatments
The Nail and Beauty Salon & Hair Styling
For all aspects of Hair, Nail and
Beauty treatments inc: Manicures,
Facials, Real Thai Massage &
Waxing. We use all the latest
quality products.
Tel 952 442 270 or 670 695 860
C/ San Antonio, Centro Comercial San Juan, Arroyo de la Miel
Near Farmacia opposite train station
costa life 25
>> costa LIFESTYLE
Hot head…
Not only are hot-ttempered men more likely to end up with heart disease, but the conventional wisdom about
blowing off steam is wrong. A decade-llong study found that men prone to intense anger and feelings of
depression showed significant increases in levels of a protein called C3 (number is lower case) which
contributes to coronary heart disease. Studies show that most forms of venting are actually harmful,
anger venting results in more anger, not less; a better way to get rid of anger (and therefore C3 levels)
is to take deep breaths and relax.
Top 10 women 2008…
Taken from www.askmen.com
8 Rihanna
10 Adriana Lima
7 Jessica Biel
9 Marisa Miller
5 Jessica Alba
3 Kate Beckinsale
6 Scarlett Johansson
1 Katherine
Heigl
from
Greys Anatomy,
Knocked up, and
the chick flick
27 Dresses
4 Eva Mendes
2 Alessandra
Ambrosio
Inspirational Quote…
Many men go fishing all their lives not
knowing it is not fish they are after.
26 costa life
If women ruled the world…
>>
TRIATHLON’S
I discovered cycling at a very young age, as I was lucky enough to have fit
and adventurous parents who enjoyed a variety of endurance sports. But
it wasn’t until relatively recently that I got the triathlon bug!
Triathlon has become a very
popular sport in Spain. In fact a
look
at
the
web
page
www.triatloandalucia.org will show
just how many events are
available.
Triathlon consists of 3 sports, a
swim, bike and run, in that order;
with varying distances. The sprint
Triathlon is 750m swim, 20k bike
and 5k run. A great event for
beginners. Then at the other end of
the spectrum is the Iron Man
distance. A 4km open water swim,
180km bike followed by a 42km
marathon! The ultimate for
athletes.
The weather and sea conditions
here on the south coast are ideal
for training, and the mountainous landscape and the many tracks
enables us to explore and discover some great cycling and running
routes.
So even with a basic fitness level, a positive attitude and a dedication to
training, will enable most, to undertake the training necessary to
compete in a short distance Triathlon.
The list of equipment needed is
not too long. For the swim you will
need a good quality triatrhlon wet
suit, a triathlon suit, goggles and
swimming cap.
Swimming in open water is
completely
different
from
swimming in a pool. Just like riding
a bike in a spinning class is
completely different out on the
roads! A competitive swim a
straight line, to a distance,
compensating for the current and
watching out for other swimmers,
will be quiet difficult at first, but
will get easier the more you
practice in similar conditions.
Leaving the water after the swim section,
there is a short run to the transition area,
this is were the bikes are racked up ready
for the cycle. Triathletes are usually quiet
busy during this run, removing swimming
cap & goggles and undoing the wet suit,
ready to remove completely when they
locate their bikes.
The equipment needed for the bike
section includes a bike, cycle hat, and
shoes. The trickiest part of this transition
is putting sports socks onto wet feet!!
The cycling section usually account for
50% of the finishing time. So this should
account for a similar percentage of your
training time. The key to becoming a better cyclist is the amount of Km’s
cycled, which will in turn increase lung power and leg power. The bike is
a fairly complex machine, so getting to know your bike, your cycle
position, when to shift gears etc, all come with experience and practice.
Bike nutrition is very important. Keeping your energy levels at a constant,
while cycling will give you greater strength on the run section. Gels &
nutrition bars are easy to digest whilst cycling.
The end of the cycle will mean re-racking the bike and changing into
running shoes. As the triathlete will probably not be functioning at his
best now, tying shoe laces will probably be the last thing he wants to do
- so it is a good idea to invest in a pair of elastic shoe laces that are
already tied so it’s a case of simply slipping the shoes on & go.
So onto the run! Due to the intense high impact nature of running, bodies
simply cannot handle as much running training as swimming and cycling.
It is far more likely to incur over use injuries from running than from the
other 2 disciplines. With triathlons the run takes place when the triathlete
is in a fatigued state, immediately following at least 45 minutes, or
possibly 9 hours or more of racing in the previous 2 sports. This is why it
is necessary to use brick workouts in training. A brick workout comprises
a bike ride followed immediately by a run; this is a type of workout that is
unique to triathlon.
Whilst putting a triathlon training plan together, it is also important to
include stretching to keep good flexibility, and also core workouts and
weight training to give strength. So if you are inspired to have a go at a
triathlon, or just to learn a bit more, most towns now have their own
triathlon club, where you can get help and inspiration from a wide age
range of members.
My next challenge is the Lanzarote Iron man in May. So I may see you
there…….!!
Helen Johnson - Personal Fitness Trainer & Nutritionist - 617 453 550 - [email protected]
costa life 27
Benetton
>> costa LIFESTYLE
>> Get shirty...
Pink cotton shirt
H&M
Dark grey with
white collar shirt
H&M
Grey single
breasted suit
H&M
Pale blue
granddad
shirt
H&M
Red nylon
hooded jacket
with fashion
white piped
seams
Burton
men
want
>> The casual choice...
>> Look the
business...
Straight fit,
black
coated
denim
Jean
Burton
Grey Okinawa print T-shirt.
Burton
Silver leather
pointed shoes
Topman
28 costa life
Store Locator A to Z
Silver/grey floral
design tie
Topman
Light grey single
breasted suit
jacket in pin dot
fabric and light
grey slim fitting
suit trousers
Topman
Benetton www.benetton.com Fuengirola. Burton www.burton.co.uk Gibraltar
Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.com Miramar and La Cañada. H&M www.hm.com La Cañada.
The body shop www.thebodyshop.com La Cañada. Topman www.topman.co.uk La Cañada.
costa LIFESTYLE >>
>> Dress to impress…
>> Turn back time…
Mix and match
ditsy dress
Dorothy Perkins
Wise Woman for mature skin range
Wise Woman Vitality Serum,
Regenerating Day Cream
and Luxury Cleanser.
The Body Shop
Black dolly
shoes with
buckle
Dorothy
Perkins
Pink beaded
cluster ring
Dorothy
Perkins
Black across
the body hand bag
Dorothy Perkins
women
want
>> Step out in
style…
Black and
white
dress
H&M
Black and white
wedge shoe
H&M
>> Stand out in
a crowd…
Suede high heel
shoes with open
toe
Benetton
Patent-coated handbag
with jacquard pattern and
eco-leather details
Benetton
Woollen pin-striped
jacket with
waistband
Benetton
Black patent heart
handbag
H&M
Woollen short-sleeved
dress with ribbed
woollen bodice and
loop stitch skirt
Benetton
Benetton
costa life 29
>> costa LIFESTYLE
New beauty rules…
As minimal and matte skin is in, cheeks need a flash of colour in order
to keep the look healthy.
Invest in Mineral make-up. Mineral make-up is great for sensitive skins.
Free of chemicals, dyes or irritants normally found in modern make-up,
their fine ingredients actually care for the skin.
Bold and bushy eyebrows are the latest must-have accessory as sported on
all the models. But they still need to stay in shape with a regular plucking
routine, just make sure you follow the natural shape of your brow and pluck any
strays that fall above and below this.
Straightening irons have been swapped for the 80’s hair tool of choice - the crimper. Seen on
locks at major fashion shows like Mulberry and Burberry, crimps were worn in sections on straight
styles - either left alone or brushed through. To get the look, straighten hair first, take a few sections
and crimp the mid-lengths to the ends.
Proto-col…
Collagen for skin, hair and nails
Collogen is the glue that holds our bodies together. It is the most abundant structural protein in the body and
accounts for some 76% of the skin, muscles and connective tissue. It is therefore one of the bodies vital
components. Consequently there is a shortfall of some 30% by the age of 45. Proper collagen balance in the
body is highly desirable and crucial, if your looks and facial structure are to be maintained.
Every night, in the first 90 minutes of sleep, the body normally creates collagen to be used in the repair
process this is known as the alfa cycle. The 100% Pure Collagen supplement, feeds your body with the
important nutrition required. It holds the key to healthy skin as it provides the skin's strength,
resilience and firmness. Collagen builds scar tissue to assist in healing damaged skin. Also for
those of us who do repetitive exercise, joint pain is a common occurrence and it only gets
worse as we age. One way to combat this is by increasing your body's supply of collagen.
Collagen is the body’s most abundant natural protein. Collagen may keep your skin
youthful in appearance and also help plump out those fine lines and wrinkles when
used on a regular basis.
You can purchase Proto-col at Kiss hair and Beauty in Fuengirola 952 666 787.
Star
beauty
secret…
Pam Anderson fights
puffy
eyes
with
potatoes! Put a fresh
slice of potato over
each of your eyes; lie
down for a couple
minutes, and voila!
Wide-awake eyes.
30 costa life
Jennifer Aniston loves her collagen based anti -aging fix
(News of the world)
Beauty Quote…
Everything has its beauty, but
not everyone sees it.
costa LIFESTYLE >>
Community Mental Health Team
Wound Care Clinic
Health Assessments
Weight Management
Dyslexia Assessments
Alternative Therapist
Counseling service
Hypertension management
Care Coordination Centre
Well Women's Clinic
Men's Health Clinic
Asthma Clinic
Diabetes Management
Vaccination Clinics
Nutrition
A Nurse led service providing an
innovative and holistic approach to
healthcare that brings the values and
practices of a British Health Centre to the
Costa del Sol, enabling you to access a
service that is familiar
Tel: 952 83 57 76
www.clinicamedicare.com
Located in Elviria, nr Marbella.
Next to Barclays Bank (Just off the N340 Coast
Road, direction Marbella)
A Touch Of Beauty
Top to toe treatments for Men
and Women
Including manicures, pedicures,
waxing, eyebrow tints, eyelash
extentions, spray tanning and
semi permanent make up
Spa rooms with
treatments to
soothe body, mind and spirit
Including hot stone therapy,
anti cellulite massage,
chocolate wraps, full luxury
pearl treatments and
aromatherapy massages.
Go on, pamper yourself, you’re worth it
Gift vouchers also available
All of our treatments carried out by experienced,
fully qualified therapists
Open Mon - Fri 10am - 7pm
Sat 10am - 3pm
952 939 829 for appointments
and more information
C Plantas Baja, Terreno,101, Uno Urb,
Sitio de Calahonda, The old Caixa Bank
costa life 31
I
t’s a fact that men are generally more scared about having regular
health checks than women: we tend to leave things and put them to
one side when it comes to having health checks on a regular basis.
So when I was asked by Clinica Medicare in Elviria to partake in an
annual check-u
up I was willing but I have to say a little anxious. I am not
sure why because it has been a goal of mine to get into the habit of a
regular yearly check-u
up of my overall health particularly since I turned 40
up
years of age. In fact I am 43 this month and have never had a check-u
which in some respects is a good thing as regards not being ill but a bad
thing in a preventative way. I have never been an ill person as it were and
tend to just get on with things but we have to face the fact that as we get
older we need to take a closer look at our health.
It’s only my opinion but I think that up to the age of 30-35 you can pretty
much get away with most abuse because you are young enough to cope.
For example, research says that if you smoke and give up by the time you
are 35, within ten years your lungs could possibly be as good as though
you had never smoked.
Now of course that isn’t to say that you can just smoke your head off till
you are 35 and then quit. It’s a bad habit and can kill at any age but that
kind of recovery is an indication of the fantastic ability of the human body
to heal itself.
I suppose we men think that we are a little indestructible and that ‘‘it can
never happen to me’’ but the reality is that it can, and in today’s world of
preventative medicine and awareness it seems a bit daft that we don’t
take advantage of the
many tests we can take to
see what may be ahead of
us in later life and then
adopt ways of hopefully
preventing any illnesses or
problems we may face as we
get older. For myself I think I
am quite healthy: I exercise
three or four times a week, I eat
healthily, fresh veg, white meats,
fish, fruit, etc and avoid processed
foods and ready made meals like
the plague. McDonalds or Burger
King happen once in a blue moon
and I have recently quite
aggressively cut back on alcohol intake. It hasn’t
always been that way, as I am sure it is with many of you. I think as you
get older you get more sensible and change the way you eat, generally
that is. If you don’t then the reality is that you stand the chance of
reducing your life expectancy by eating the wrong foods, too much
alcohol, no exercise and of course smoking.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those people who examine every new
fad and to be honest I would rather adopt a commonsense attitude
towards what I eat. I love food!! If you followed all the ‘latest trends and
research’ from week to week you would be eating one thing this week
because ‘the experts’ say it is good for you and the
next week they say it would be bad for you.
My philosophy is eat fresh food and stay away from
tinned and processed foods. Avoid lots of
red meats and also make sure you
exercise. Keep your alcohol
intake to a minimum and
DON’T SMOKE!
The check-up test
itself lasts about an
hour
and
the
ladies,
Lorraine
and Lisa, will make
you very welcome.
I hate needles but
the girls held my
hand and I didn’t cry
much!
And,
remember guys, the
costa LIFESTYLE >>
prostate test is now a
BLOOD TEST - there’s no
internal exam so now
there is no excuse. The
test
includes
the
following: weight check,
blood pressure, body
mass index score, urine
test for diabetes, ECG for
a heart check and, as
already mentioned, a
much favoured and
preferred blood test for
your prostate! Following
the tests, the nurse Lisa
will have a 10-15 minute
conversation about your
lifestyle, ie what do you
eat, do you exercise,
alcohol intake etc, and
from this information she
will give you some tips on
improving your eating
habits and gently point
out to you any areas that
she sees may become a problem in the future or even any that might be
a problem now. Having this test once a year can be an invaluable way of
highlighting areas that you may think you are all right in but in fact need
addressing.
Overall I was fine: the main one for the prostate was clear and fine. My
body mass index was a little high and she suggested that I need to lose
a few pounds which I was aware of and have addressed by getting back
into my regular fitness regime.
My cholesterol was 6.5 which she said was slightly high so I have cut out
the cheese and eggs and started drinking green tea which is supposed
to be great for high cholesterol. Porridge is claimed to be fantastic for
helping to reduce cholesterol but I can’t eat it so I am going to have to
give that one a miss: sorry, hate the stuff!!
My urine, heart and blood pressure were all fine although my blood
pressure was a bit low at 110 over 80 which she said is preferable if
you exercise and it’s better to be low than high. So it wasn’t an all
clear as it were and I have to say I thought it would be, but I suppose
that is the problem. We always think we are okay and don’t want to
face the possibility that as we get older we may face a few
health issues and have to address a few things. I do
love cheese and have to be honest that in the last few
months have started to eat more than I should. I
also have been eating more eggs and I kill for
mayonnaise! So it begs the question why was I
surprised that my cholesterol was a bit high?
The truth is we are not invincible and cannot
eat drink and be merry without paying a
price, especially as we get older and our
body changes. The good
thing is that all of the
above are
reversible and
you can
instantly make a difference. I drank green tea for about two weeks after
the check up, cut out all dairy and eggs (apart from skimmed milk in my
smoothies) and then went back for another blood test and my cholesterol
came back at 5.8 which is a great improvement in two weeks. I also lost
8lbs in weight, my blood pressure came in at normal so within two weeks
I was able to affect quite a dramatic change and only because I went to
have the check up.
Nobody is indestructible and
as we get older we need
to take more care and
look after ourselves
more. Commonsense
determines
that
prevention is always
better than cure
and, with these
facilities available,
we men should take
advantage of them.
After all, what can we
do without our health?
Thanks to David, Lorraine and
Lisa at Clinica Medicare in
Elviria for my check up. For more
information call them on 952 835
776.
‘‘In truth, men are far
more likely to look
after their cars than
their own bodies and,
whereas car MOTs are
required by law, there is
no such equivalent for
the driver. Women
see their doctor
twice as often as
men and invariably
much sooner in the course
of any given condition.’’
>> costa LIFESTYLE
Intercostal Neuralgia
I
ntercostal neuralgia is the medical term for an inflammation of one or
more nerves which are lying beneath every single rib. These nerves are
exiting the thoracic spinal column and follow each rib along to the front
of the chest ending either at the sternum or in a small area at the lower
end of the sternum called solar plexus. This nerve inflammation can
cause a permanent dull ache between the shoulder blades or follow the
course of one or more of the ribs. On certain occasions or movements
this pain can turn into a very sharp pain. Often enough the patient is even
complaining of sharp pain on taking a deep breath or coughing. Especially
when this sharp chest pain affects the left side of the chest, physicians
can easily be misled to the wrong diagnosis of a heart attack. Fortunately,
a quickly performed ECG (electrocardiogram) and a blood test can easily
exclude any heart problem.
Although the term intercostal neuralgia is not well known in non-medical
professions, and even some physicians do not exactly know what it
means, it is not a rare medical condition. But it is certainly a condition
that is very often seen and treated by orthopaedic surgeons.
This very localized inflammation usually starts without any apparent
reason. If the patient is asked they frequently answer that they cannot
recall any accident, fall or any other trauma triggering the inflammation.
They often enough do not even remember exactly when the pain started.
But if they recall any trauma it is usually a sudden movement such as a
rotation of the upper body combined with flexion, like bending over to pick
something out of the car boot. Or something simple such as lifting a child
up. Theoretically, these movements can cause a minimal displacement of
the rib within its joint to the thoracic vertebra, so small that even x-rays
would not show it. As the nerve is closely attached to the surface beneath
the rib it gets under tension when this rib is not properly aligned with its
joint to the spinal column.
On these occasions the pain is described as very sudden and sharp, like
‘someone stuck a knife into my back’. This pain starts on one side of the
A very common cause of back and chest pain
thoracic spinal column and radiates around the chest to the front and
usually gets worse on taking a deep breath. It might deteriorate on
coughing. Many patients complain also about pain at night waking them
up or just not being able to get comfortable.
Superficial creams or gels do not work as a treatment. Also antiinflammatory medication as tablets usually does not alleviate the pain.
The theory is that the inflamed nerve starts to swell as a reaction to the
inflammation and then is simply too big and suffers compression when
passing through the tight area beneath the rib. The treatment with the
highest chance of improvement of the symptoms is the direct infiltration
(injection) with some local anaesthetic and cortisone. This infiltration
should be done by an experienced orthopaedic surgeon because the
needle has to be directed at the inferior surface of the rib, with the lung
being only a few millimetres away. This sounds like the injection might be
painful, and as a matter of fact it is uncomfortable because the
orthopaedic surgeon has to try to directly hit the inflamed nerve next to
the joint between the rib and the vertebra. In the moment of doing the
injection this may be uncomfortable, but due to the local anaesthetic this
pain would disappear within less than a minute.
The injected cortisone would decrease the inflammation and therefore
the swelling of the nerve. Once the inflammation is successfully treated
another medical examination by the orthopaedic surgeon can then
determine whether there is still a mechanical problem such as a
misaligned rib joint. Re-alignment might be indicated using a chiropractic
manipulation or osteopathic technique. This is a very simple and effective
treatment option.
For any further questions regarding bursitis or any other bone,
joint or soft tissue problem, please go to
www.clinica-sandalf.com or ring 952 57 77 66
Mr Alf Neuhaus
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Col. No: 9.220
Sandra Vincenti
UK Chartered Physiotherapist Col. No: 682
Treatment of Arthritis & Rheumatism
Joint Replacements - hip,knee,ankle,shoulder
Hip Resurfacing
Advanced Cartilage Repair
Keyhole Surgery
Hand and Foot Surgery
Accidents & Fractures
Bone density measuring available
X-ray Facilities - Diagnostic Ultrasound
Back and Neck Problems - sciatica,whiplash,etc.
Rehabilitation - post op,post injury
Emergency Accidents dealt with
(ambulance service available 24hr per day)
Travel insurance & International insurance claims welcome
24HR EMERGENCY SERVICE - TEL:656 313 293
Tel: 952 577 766 - E-mail: [email protected]
www.clinica-sandalf.com
C./ Pepa Guerra Valdenebros, 29631 Benalmadena behind Tivoli World Arroyo
34 costa life
‘‘I can recommend Paula Monaghan whole-heartedly.
She and her team have always been very responsive,
reliable and best of all, the furniture she has selected for my
apartment, is nice, fits the space properly, and helps
make my apartment more rentable.
I will continue to use Paula’s services as I add additional
furnishings, to keep the ‘‘look’’ consistent, but more importantly
because of the quality work she and her team have provided.’’
Kevin Platz
Cologne, Germany
>> costa LIFESTYLE
How to survive a heart attack when alone…
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating
improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and Very vigorously. A deep breath
should be taken before each cough, deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside
the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without stopping until help arrives, or until
the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keeps the blood
circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. Heart attack victims
can then get to a hospital.
Food for
sex…
Food is love, food is
comfort and food is also
sex. Certain foods can
light up your lovemaking
Microwave popcorn - 20-25
calories per cup, and you can
make it in two minutes or
less.
Cutting caffeine may help control diabetes…
Omega-3 fatty acids found
in
fish,
can
improve
cardiovascular health and
reduce the risk for depression;
they are also pluses for the libido.
So if you’re looking after your heart you’ll
also have better blood flow and more sensation below.
Foods to eat…
Almonds and walnuts,
Salmon, cod and halibut.
Antioxidant-rich produce, including tomatoes, red peppers, garlic,
spinach, broccoli, berries and red grapes.
Another good source is dark chocolate.
Load up your plate with lean, bright, beautiful foods and you’ll have a
dynamic sex life.
Walk your way to
weight loss...
Walking can help people lose weight,
especially if they use a pedometer to make
sure they are going far enough. People who
added 20 to 40 minutes of walking a day
lost a small but steady amount of weight;
increasing physical activity reduces the risk
of cardiovascular problems, lowers blood
pressure and helps dieters maintain lean
muscle tissue when they are dieting.
38 costa life
Healthy snack tip…
Researchers studied a small group of people with established type 2
diabetes who drank at least two cups of coffee everyday, and who were
trying to manage their disease through diet, exercise and oral
medications, but no insulin. Scientists used new technology, a tiny
glucose monitor embedded under their abdominal skin to continuously
monitor sugar levels over a 72-hour period.
Participants took capsules containing caffeine equal to about four cups
of coffee on one day and then identical capsules that contained a
placebo on another day.
The researchers found that when the participants consumed caffeine,
their average daily sugar levels went up eight percent. Caffeine also
exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals.
Top tip…
Just hum …Daily humming is a
good way to increase
ventilation in the sinuses.
This charming villa is located in the sought after area of Calahonda situated in a cluster of villas all
with their own private gardens and access is via a private road. The property benefits from many
features including 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms, an off road garage, sea views, communal pool, large
private garden, spacious lounge and much more. The villa is in a very good condition and viewing is
highly recommended due to its location and privacy.
Plot size 1035m2 built size 180m2
Interior: fireplace, fitted kitchen,
fully furnished, marble floors (total),
satellite TV, storage, and telephone.
External water tap, double glazing,
gated community, alarm system
and close to amenities.
Price 675,000 Euros
Please contact 600 713 028
>> costa HOMES
Spring Raid
Horse and rider cross country
endurance competition
will take place at the farm of
Snr Rafeal Berdaguer,Cortigo Los Frailes, Coin
Saturday 19th April
Please contact for further information
David or Betsy Borthwick on
670053421 or 670053422
Email : David Borthwick
[[email protected]]
44 costa life
costa HOMES >>
A .C.E.
C ORTIN AS S.C.
CURTAINS, BEDSPREADS, CUSHIONS,
LOOSE COVERS, HEADBOARDS, PELMETS,
SWAGS AND TAILS ALL MADE TO MEASURE.
We stock a wide range of poles and rails
at reasonable prices
Miraflores
Golf
Now
Here
gata
C/A
Now relocated to
bigger premises
Bunkers
Bar
Driving
Range
Open
cor
N340
“We Do It So You Don't Have To”
Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Saturday and evenings by appointment
Calle Agata Miraflores, 29649 Mijas Costa
Tel 951 273 242 Mob 645 082 560 [email protected]
costa life 45
>> costa HOMES
This month Interior Designer Paula
Monaghan, of Paula Monaghan Interiors gives
you her significant ideas to help with selling,
improving or de-cluttering your property.
B
efore you leap to the easy and perhaps rash option of
simply reducing the price of your house, it may be
beneficial to first consider home staging to increase the
value of your home.
Just because you like your home doesn’t mean everybody else
will. Taste is a very personal thing, and those animal print
armchairs that are so close to your heart might not be everyone's
cup of tea! A house might be lovely in terms of its architecture
and design, but unsuitable décor and furnishing can let a
property down and discourage potential buyers.
If you want your house to sell, it will need to be clean, tidy and
uncluttered. Simply kicking the rubbish under the bed and
throwing some cushions about before potential buyers come to
visit the property will not be enough to really impress them.
Making a house look appealing can be a very difficult task; it
takes time and creativity, neither of which everybody has.
However much style you think you might possess, there is a
difference between a house that looks nice to be living in, and
one that looks nice to move into. Visitors may think your place
looks very ‘homely’ and ‘lived in’, but that doesn’t mean they will
want to live in it themselves. Potential buyers need to be able to
imagine themselves living in the property. In the same way that
people always complain about food never looking as good in
reality as in the pictures, it is very disappointing for house hunters
to arrive at a property only to find it doesn’t meet their
expectations.
Create a neutral, light and appealing atmosphere inside the
house. House seekers will be looking for clean, well presented
properties, and also need to be able to imagine themselves living
in the house. This means the property needs to be
depersonalised. Taste, as everybody knows, is an extremely
individual thing, and if someone looks at your house and is
confronted with anything too unique or personal, it is unlikely they
will have the courage to buy the house and attempt to create their
own individual environment. Make sure the exterior of your
house is presentable, because of course, first impressions are
critical.
Another crucial element in presenting a house is ensuring a
property looks spacious.
Anyone who has ever bought or rented a property will know how
valuable space is, and there is a refined art to making a place
look bigger than it actually is (which, though sneaky, is exactly
what you will be wanting to do if you want to impress house
hunters). Use of mirrors, the larger the better, and for maximum
44 costa life
Colour can make
buyers
feel
‘Welcomed’, ‘Excited’,
‘ R e l a x e d ’ ,
‘Comfortable’ but it
can also make viewers
feel
‘Unwelcome’,
‘Uncomfor table’,
‘Cold’, ‘Anxious’.
effect, flush the mirror with a corner, or position mirrors opposite each
other to create the illusion of space. Repaint and use rugs and lamps,
preferably projecting towards the ceiling to create several distinct visual
spaces within one room. The importance of creating an impression of
openness cannot be underestimated.
Wallpaper is used to create a statement panel down the edge of one
wall. Hung in the hall it gives dramatic impact to what would otherwise
be an uninspiring space. Mix plain and patterned wallpaper to help the
transition between areas in an open space. Say it loud! Small spaces
offer an opportunity to experiment with bolder designs. Most wallpaper
companies create collections with colours and patterns that are
designed to work with one another, so stick to one collection and the
scheme will naturally come together. Texture is a big trend, and where
better to have touchy-feely wallpaper than in the bedroom? This amazing
paper gives an impression of tactile hide.
For this reason it is
vitally important to get
your choice of colours
right when staging a
property
to
sell.
Choosing a colour to
repaint a single room
or potentially the
whole house can be
tough.
Unlike
furniture, lamps, art
and
accessories,
which
can
be
positioned and then
repositioned
until
things look right,
painting a room in the wrong colour is both expensive and time
consuming. Create a mood board from your favourite magazines and
pictures to give you inspiration.
Be it styling or staging you can actually add thousands of pounds to your
property and achieve a quick sale or just create a new look.
Images supplied by Paula Monaghan and P R Shots.
Before
Can’t afford a major revamp? You can still give your living room a fresh
new feel with a bit of rearranging and a few clever buys. Swap the coffee
table for side tables. Easy to move, and taking up less space than a
coffee table, a neat modern table will make the room appear larger.
Paint one wall. A single 2.5 litre tin of paint is usually enough to cover
most walls, so this is a cheap and easy way to give the whole room a lift
- and go for spring shades for a really fresh feel. Update your sofa. Even
well-used sofas can be revived and given a new look if you cover them
in bright sumptuous scatter cushions.
The end result is to make
your home look open,
depersonalised,
and
suitable for a wider variety
of tastes. Using an interior
company will, of course,
not guarantee a sale, but
you will be giving yourself
the best possible chance,
and it could be the most
suitable resort if you need
to sell a property quickly
and you are lacking in
time.
After
Through my experience
I’ve encountered many
occasions when properties
failed to sell for their
highest potential figure or
else languished on the
property books for months
because
the
colour
schemes in the properties
were putting off the
buyers.
Before
After
costa life 47
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Solar energy system for hot water,
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We also install and supply ventilation and extraction
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Our Qualifications are your safety
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company no RI - 30414// 29/122 - 29/69
For Spanish helpline call 952 176 235 For English helpline call 650 016 019
E-mail: [email protected]
>> costa HOMES
Ant Repellant…
Baking soda …
To keep ants out of the
house, find where the ants are
entering the house and sprinkle a
barrier of cinnamon or any type
of ground pepper to block their
way. The spices are too hot for
the ants to cross.
Make a mixture of 1/4 cup of, baking soda 1/2 cup of white
vinegar, and 1 gallon of hot water to clean grease and grime, as
well as deodorise.
White appliance surfaces: mix 1/4 cup of baking soda with a few
cups of warm water to wash the outside surface of white
appliances. Rinse it clean after 15 minutes to remove yellowing of
the appliances.
Put some baking soda onto the bottom of the rubbish bin before
replacing the plastic liner to eliminate odours.
Top tip…
Removing nail varnish from
leather sofa do not use nail
varnish remover use
cellotape…it works no
marks and no fading.
Shoe odour can be eliminated by sprinkling baking soda or dry,
powdered herbs, such as chamomile, in the shoes each evening.
Make sure that the powder reaches the very inside tips of the
shoes.
To remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell
persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture.
Bathroom shower curtain…
To stop the bottom of your shower curtain from becoming discoloured or mouldy, coat it with baby
oil. If it is too late, then to remove the mildew from the shower curtains scrub with a paste of
bicarbonate of soda and water. Then rinse in plenty of clean water.
George Foreman
Grills…
After removing the cooked food
from the grill, place a paper towel
soaked in water on each of the 2
cooking surfaces. Unplug the
appliance, allow it to sit for 5-30 minutes
(while you eat), then use the paper towels
to effortlessly wipe out the grease and food
particles.
Creaking doors and stuck keys…
Take a normal lead pencil (it’s not actually lead, its graphite) and go over
all the joints in your hinges. Work the door back and forward a few times
and repeat the whole process. The graphite in the pencil lubricates the
brass or iron without corroding it. Graphite is dry and as such it won’t
promote rust.
Cleaning Soiled Shirt Collars…
Take a small paintbrush and brush hair shampoo into soiled shirt
collars before washing. Shampoo is made to dissolve body oils.
This also works for ‘sticky’ keys as well. Work the pencil over the grooves
in the key and gently inside the key hole as well (but really gently - you
don’t want to break off the tip of the pencil in the lock). Then work the
key in and out of the lock a few times, and gingerly work the lock with the
key.
50 costa life
costa HOMES >>
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Friendly free advice always available
Open 8am to 4pm Tel 952 591 053
www.splashmijas.moonfruit.com
[email protected]
We are situated at the entrance to
Urb. Dona Pilar, next to the Octagon Bar
& just off the Careterra de Mijas
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Tel.: 951 310 111
Mobile: 651 111 005
www.drainandleak.com
costa life 51
Written by
Simon Hill
Buddleia Officinalis
n last year’s March issue, I enthused about the wonderful
spring flowers that this year have again begun to brighten the
countryside. This year’s show of Paperwhite Narcissi (Narcissus
papyraceus) now almost over, has been particularly abundant. In our area
at least this plant seems to be on the increase, probably because it does
well on neglected agricultural land, such as along the valley of the
Guadalhorce where traditional citrus cultivation is giving way to other land
uses.
I
Unfortunately many of the most beautiful spring wild flowers are
becoming less common. Last year I was saying how much at risk much of
the native flora was. I can’t help but be more pessimistic a year later. You
only have to look around to see the increasing damage to the landscape
being caused by unsympathetic farming methods and by development.
The damage is now extending ever further inland from the coast. So I ask
all of you to find the time to take a trip in the Andalucian countryside, the
fields, hillsides and mountains, to enjoy our beautiful spring weather, and
to appreciate the wonderful show of wild flowers to be seen over the next
three months! Only a major change in public opinion can prevent further
serious degradation of our natural environment. Your voice could help to
stop yet another unnecessary golf course and residential complex from
disfiguring yet another beautiful hilltop!
In the garden, spring flowers are starting to appear. From my windows I
can see a fine clump of Iboza riparia with its wonderful plumes of pink
flowers. This shrub is really easy to grow, up to 2 metres, with large limegreen leaves in summer and it can make do with little water. It flowers
spectacularly in February/March and surely deserves to be more widely
grown. Nearby is a shrubbery containing a fine specimen of Lygos raetam,
a beautiful Broom with sweetly scented white flowers; easy to grow, very
attractive to bees and a flower arranger’s dream. You can still sometimes
see this plant in its natural habitat on coastal sand dunes along the Costa
del Sol and in Southern Portugal. Another wonderful shrub in my garden
is Cassia artemisiodes with delicate blue-grey, ferny foliage and longlasting clusters of rich gold flowers. This provides a great contrast to a
large clump of Justicia adhatoda, now just at the beginning of its long
Narcissus Papyraceus
Iboza Riparia
costa HOMES >>
Acanthus
flowering period, which has
many erect 2 metre stems with
large leaves that terminate in
multiple heads of white flowers
like those of Acanthus (Bear's
Breeches) and is very attractive
to those huge and spectacular,
but totally harmless, black bees.
The resemblance of the flowers
to Acanthus is not accidental;
they belong to the same plant
family. Acanthus mollis is a
herbaceous plant with extremely
ornamental glossy green leaves,
flowering in late spring before
dying back into summer
dormancy. It is another native
plant that deserves a place in
most Mediterranean gardens.
I have two Buddleias flowering now. Buddleia officinalis has masses of
mauve/pink flower clusters with an extremely powerful honey scent that
attract many spring butterflies, in particular Red Admirals that have just
emerged from hibernation. A word of warning: this plant may cause hayfever problems for a few people. Buddleia madagascarensis is a splendid
shrub with a lax, scrambling habit, grey foliage and magnificent arching
spikes of orange-yellow flowers. It looks particularly good growing
amongst other shubs. In my garden it grows up and through a small tree,
Callistemon viminalis, also in full flower, which has weeping branches
bearing crimson bottlebrush flowers.
All over the garden daffodils and narcissi are coming into flower. When
you buy daffodils as bulbs to naturalise in the garden, remember that
many of the varieties that are grown in northern Europe may not succeed
here. This is because our winters are not cold enough. Those varieties of
narcissus that have southern European wild species in their ancestry are
usually good, for example the varieties Tête-à-tête, Hawera and
Avalanche.
When I refer to spring fever, I mean the feverish state of enthusiasm,
albeit sometimes only temporary, which afflicts those with gardens at
about this time of year. After the gloomy days of winter (not so many this
year), we eventually build up a sufficient head of steam to get going on
some irritating but necessary tasks such as cutting back shrubs, tidying
and weeding beds and applying mulches. The very mild winter we have
just experienced seems to have stimulated extra-luxuriant growth of all
the worst types of weeds. Reaching for the glyphosate bottle
(Sp:glifosato, an excellent, relatively non-toxic, all-purpose weed killer) is
a solution in some cases, but probably not in a flower border filled with
rare and precious plants!
Weeding or clearing the beds inevitably leads to the appearance of gaps
where something has died. A replacement is needed; let’s ‘go down the
garden centre’! Garden centres have proliferated in the last few years and
it is not difficult to find one. The problem is that these are now hard times
for the garden centres. Like estate agents, many opened up to cater for
the property boom but this is now over and purses are reluctant to open.
Most of these places are
little better than retail
outlets, full of high-priced
gimmicks and garden
ornaments but woefully
short of interesting plants
for the discerning gardener.
What plants they do have in
stock are often raised on an
industrial scale in peat
compost in greenhouses as
far
away
as
the
Netherlands. Such plants
tend to survive poorly when
planted out into the rigours
of the Andalucian climate.
Buddleja
Madagascariensis
Callisteman Vimunalis
This is a big problem for me.
I try to design gardens that
mimic nature, that largely
look after themselves with
only a little routine
maintenance.
These
gardens have nothing in
common
with
the
hackneyed tropical garden
look which we can see all
along the Costa with its
limited range of plants and
its need for lots of water.
Unfortunately for me it is
incredibly difficult to get the
plants I need. Local
nurseries (Sp: viveros) that
are actually interested in
supplying clients like me
can be counted on the fingers of half a hand, and I am forced to order
from specialist nurseries in France or even further away. Few of us
appreciate that much of what we buy in the local viveros is the
horticultural equivalent of factory-farmed chicken! This is in spite of the
fact that our climate is ideal for outdoor commercial production of a huge
range of wonderful garden plants well adapted to local conditions. Only if
we, the public, make it clear to vivero owners what we really want to buy
will there be any change.
To finish on a more upbeat note, I was recently given by different friends
two bulbs of a species from South Africa, Veltheimia capensis .
Interestingly these two bulbs were the offspring, and grand offspring, of
a single plant brought to Spain from London some twenty years ago. Its
native habitat is stony mountain fields in the Cape Peninsula where it
enjoys a Mediterranean climate - just as it does here, now making a fine
show in pots of sandy compost on my windowsill! Such horticultural gems
are out there to be found and cherished - so there is hope for us
gardeners yet!
For further details, advice or if you have any gardening questions, contact
him at: [email protected].
Veltheimia Capensis
Cassia Artemisioides
Justicia Adhatoda
>> costa PROPERTY
La Cortijada
Probably the best project in Sitio de Calahonda. 2 bed. 2 baths. Furnished.
112m2 built. QUALITY.
Price 225.000€
€
Jardines de Calahonda
2 beds. 2 baths apartment. Furnished. Located in the greenest area of the
urbanisation.109m2 built. Walking distance to beach. Quiet area.
€
Price 215.000€
Charming Country Cottage
(Álora)
Old Town house (habitable)
(Casarabonela)
House Under Construction
(Casarabonela)
Built: 160 m²
Land: 10.000 m²
Restored cottage located in
beautiful country side · 3 beds.
Pool · Own well · SAT · Views
Kitchen-dining & living room
very spacious · Wooden ceiling
Priced to sell quickly 325.000 €
€
Built: 80 m²
Land: 40 m²
Old Town house in excellent
condition with 2 beds. · Close
to centre, but very quiet
location ( no traffic ) · ff/kitchen
Roof terrace · Priced to sell
quickly.
76.000 €
€
Built: 135 m²
Land: 13.000 m²
Magnificent views · 3,5 km from
village · Inter´l neighbourhood
Own well · Electricity · Property
with great potential · Price
dramatically reduced….
now only…. 130.000 €
€
Calahonda
TOP FLOOR CORNER with lift. 2 bed. 1 brand new bath, marble floors,
double glazing. 97,05m2 built. Furnished. Walking distance to beach.
Price 165.000€
€
Reality Exceeds Imagination
(Álora)
Altos de Calahonda
Brand new 2 bed. 2 bath. 92,15m2 built. Never has been used.
Unfurnished. Seaviews.
Price 189.500€
€
56 costa life
Built: 420 m²
Land: 60.000 m²
Authentic, old farmhouse,
renovated with great care w. a
further 2 new buildings · Central
heating Pool ( 12 x 8 ) · Tennis
court In all 6 beds. TV + DVD ·
Aircon. A dream of garden ·
Ample terraces ‘‘Must be
viewed’’ … 1.595.000 €€
costa PROPERTY >>
specializing in
Fincas
Country Villas
Townhouses
Cortijos
Ruins
Plots
952 498 454
mobile: 609 454 409
tel:
[email protected]
www.aloraproperties.com
AP236: A nicely renovated house situated close to Alora town,
set on 25,000 m2 of land. The house offers 3 bedrooms, lounge,
kitchen, bathroom, a separate shower room and laundry room
together with wooden ceilings. 140m2 built with ample space to
have a swimming pool. Beautiful views from this property. Water
and electricity connected.
AP474: Rustic style country house on a plot of 16,000m2 in the
area known as Las Angosturas close to El Chorro and only 15
minutes from Alora. The house currently offers one bedroom with
en-suite bathroom, lounge /American style kitchen, bathroom
and porch. 80 m2 built. The property has wooden ceilings, doors
and windows and is only 500 mts from the main road with good
access. Mains water and electricity.
PRICE: 255,000€
€
PRICE: 198,330€
€
AP192: A recently renovated
pretty 2 level townhouse in a
quiet street of Alora. On the
ground floor there is a sitting
room, lounge and kitchen
together with a pretty patio with
the bathroom off this. On the
upper floor there is a large
landing, 1 good sized bedroom
and a terrace with beautiful views
of Alora. Good access with street
parking available. The property
has mains water and electricity.
This townhouse offers very good
value for money.
PRICE: 105,000€
€
Plaza Fuente Arriba s/n
Alora
AP442: A tastefully decorated finca located on the outskirts of Alora
with 17,000m2 of land with olive, almond and 30 varieties of fruit
tree. The property is double glazed throughout and offers a lounge
with wood burning stove, a dining room, kitchen and a pantry, 3/4
bedrooms and a good sized bathroom.100m2 built. There is also a
large terrace offering many sunny and shady entertaining areas, a
store, good sized garage and a wood store which could easily be
converted into further living accommodation. There is a well, mains
water and a 6,000litre water deposit, electricity and the possibility of
having a phone line installed. This property offers any buyer a great
opportunity to own a beautiful finca with stunning views.
PRICE: WAS 241,500€
€ NOW 215,000€
€
RESTORED CORTIJO WITH GUEST COTTAGE
& SWIMMING POOL - MONTEFRIO, GRANADA
Beautifully restored, tradtional cortijo with 5 double bedrooms plus
seperate 3 bedroom cottage and swimming pool. - Well presented
throughout with lots of character and many original features.
MAIN HOUSE: 5 Double bedrooms (some with beamed ceilings),
Fitted & tiled bathrooms, Lounge has fireplace with log burner
installed, & Andalucian style kitchen / diner.
COTTAGE: 3 Double bedrooms (2 with patio doors to gardens & pool
area), Lounge has fireplace with log burner installed, Fitted & tiled
bathroom. Stone floors throughout.
OUTBUILDINGS: Second fitted & tiled kitchen / diner with fireplace, Pool side fitted & tiled
bathroom, Plus 3 outbuildings which could convert for further accommodation / workshop /
garage etc.
OUTSIDE: Swimming pool with terrace area, flat fenced gardens with
numerous fruit trees (including fig, olive & nispero), shaded courtyard area,
private entrance with double gates, road access.
POSITION: Peaceful, coutryside location with country & mountain views
Sale Price: 249,000 €
Phone: 627 834 839
www.acefm.info
costa life 57
>> costa HOMES
Obtaining a Mortgage
In Spain
W
ho offers mortgages?
a margin over EURIBOR generally EURIBOR
+0.75% to 1.5% but individual circumstances
can dictate higher or lower rates. Fixed rate
mortgages are available at slightly higher
interest rates. Some lenders offer a lower Start
up interest rates for the first year or part
interest only mortgages, ideally suited for
funding new construction.
Mortgages are available from most
High street Spanish banks and saving
banks[Caja] and International lenders in
Gibraltar.
Most Developers will have a loan scheme in
place on ‘off-plan’ purchases, but you need to
be aware that these are only available on
completion and will not cover any stage
payments i.e. normally 30% deposit.
Resale properties are also sometimes offered
for sale with a mortgage in place that can be
easily transferred.
How often will interest rates be
reviewed?
Usually once a year, fixed rate mortgages are
available at higher interest rates.
What is the maximum repayment
period?
What is the cost of arranging a
mortgage?
Mostly commonly, 15 or 20 years, but up to
35 years can be arranged.
The cost of a Spanish mortgage varies greatly
from lender to lender and also from broker to
broker. Generally you should allow between 23% of the purchase price of the property.
What information will the bank
require:
Why is it so expensive?
The up-front costs on a Spanish loan are much
higher than in the UK for a number of reasons.
Firstly the Bank itself will charge an
arrangement fee ranging from .75% - 2% of the
loan depending on the loan to value and the
complexity. The higher fees are generally
charged for ‘non-status’ lending or bridging
finance and for a normal mortgage you should
not pay more than 1.25%
There is also mortgage tax of 1% of the value
of the loan and 1% of the interest due to be
accrued over the term of the loan e.g. on a loan
of €100,000 over 25 years at 3.5% the total
interest payable is approx. €50,990 making
the tax payable €1000 + €509.90
As a Spanish mortgage is attached to the
property and not the owner it has its own title
deed. You will have to pay for the deed to be
produced and also land registry and notary
fees. The cost of this varies from area to area
and on the value of the property.
Valuation fees vary depending on the value of
the property and the valuation company but
start at about €200 for a small apartment.
Lastly you have the services of a mortgage
broker and again this can vary tremendously.
Some charge nothing and just rely on the
commission the banks pay them whilst others
charge up to 1.5% of the loan. It is
recommended that a broker is used if income
is hard to prove as they will know which lenders
are the most flexible and can save valuable
time.
The break-even point for a Spanish loan as
opposed to a UK loan or remortgage is
approximately 5 years, so if you are
considering paying the loan off in full before
that time you need to think long and hard
about which way to proceed as it may be
cheaper to raise the funds at home.
58 costa life
How much can I borrow?
As general guide a non resident will be able to
borrow 70%-80% of the valuation of a property,
whilst residents can borrow up to 100% of the
valuation. The key to obtaining the maximum
mortgage offer is in achieving the maximum
valuation, which is the job of the Tasador
[valuer]. Most Banks will accept valuations
from 1 or 2 Tasadors whilst a few employ their
own.
Your income is the other determining factor
and the monthly repayments have to be
covered by up to 40% of your NET salary, but
most banks will only accept 35%
Land purchase is limited to 60% of valuation by
most lenders, as is lending on ‘Finca Rustica’
property.
If you already own land and want to build then
construction loans are an option. The bank will
lend up to 70% of the projected completed
value which in most cases will be more than
enough to cover 100% of the build cost.
Which Currency should
I borrow in?
Mortgages are available in most major
currencies. You should be aware that if you
borrow in a currency that does not have a fixed
value against the euro, currency fluctuations
could make your borrowing more expensive or
less expensive depending on whether your
chosen currency weakens or strengthens
against the euro.
What Interest rate will I pay?
Interest rates again will depend on the
currency you choose to borrow. Interest rates
for mortgages in euros are based on the
European Inter Bank Overnight Rate, or
EURIBOR for short, which has largely takeover
from the older MIBOR. The lenders rate will be
Banks vary in the amount of information that
they require, but in general the more you can
provide the easier the loan is to procure. Ideally
the following would be good
If you are employed:
Last 3 wage /salary slips.
Latest P60.
Last 6 months bank statements.
Reference letter from your employer confirming
date of employment, proof of income and
position and prospects within the company
Bank reference (The lender may have to apply
for this themselves depending on who you
bank with)
Some lenders require an experion credit check
to be carried out
Copy of passport/residencia.
If you are self employed:
Last 2 years tax returns.
Copies of accounts for the last 2/3 years
Chartered accountants copy report, confirming
your annual personal drawings from the
company
Copy of your passport/residencia
6 months personal bank statements
Bank reference letter
You will also need:
In relation to a specific property, the nota
simple from the property registry, offer letter or
sales purchase contract.
If you are applying for a construction loan then
you must provide the Escritura for the land. The
plans stamped by the College of Architects and
a 10 year building guarantee.
An NIE number from the local police station,
which you or your lawyer can arrange.
You will also need to open a Spanish bank
account and it is advisable to use the same
bank as your mortgage is with.
costa HOMES >>
Specialist Property Management and Rentals company.
We cover from Benalmadena to Sotogrande.
Professional property management including:
Weekly Inspections Maintenance Issues Cleaning & Laundry Service Fiscal Affairs For all your
insurance needs,
do it the right way.
Motor insurance for UK
and Spanish plates, home and contents, health
insurance, pet, travel and commercial insurance.
Established on the coast for over 7 years
We take the hassle out of owning a property in Spain
A one stop shop for all your property needs.
Specialists in long term rentals
High success rate at renting properties out long term.
Check out our long term web site on www.spmrentals.net
We also cater for owners who wish to do
holiday rentals in their properties.
Check out our holiday web site on
www.spmrentals.eu.com
SPM Rentals S.C.
Call now 952 961 047 mob 610 791 097
[email protected]
thousands of satisfied customers
Situated next to lidl supermarket in
calahonda or arrange cover by
calling
952 934 963 or go on line
at www.rightwaysl.com.
Right Way Insurance ...
insuring you, your
family and your
belongings
the right way
EUINSURANCE DIRECT
All insurance and financial needs in plain English
We cover
Cars, motorbikes, homes
and contents, boats and
life/critical illness
We also offer
Mortgage protection,
Mortgages, private health
plans, travel protection,
savings plans and much more
Also agents for AXA products
We can insure you for less!!
Call now for quote 952 830 843 or 676 098 464
Fax: 951 310 524
Framire Residencial, Local Comercial 6,
Cerrado de Elviria, 29604, Marbella, Malaga
Mansion House
Conveyancing & Legal Services
Mansion House specialises in property conveyancing &
legal services on the coast & inland areas. If you are looking
to buy a property in Spain you need a qualified independent
conveyancer, to ensure that the property you are buying
meets all the necessary legalities.
Our Conveyancing services include in depth background
searches on properties to ensure their legality, assisting
with mortgage applications, arranging surveys and
topographical reports for plot measurements and
boundaries, as well as post-purchase utility bills
change over.
SPECIAL OFFER FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION & 20% REDUCTION IN
CONVEYANCING FEES*
Legal Administration Services:
- NIE numbers/Residencia
60€
- Vehicle registration
130€
- Vehicle name transfers
70€
- Driving License exchange
60€
- E121 Social Security Registration
80€
- Self Employment Registration
150€
- Wills
100€
Professional Interpeting & Translation Services also available
Offices in FUENGIROLA & CARTAMA
Contact our friendly bilingual staff for information
or an appointment on:
Tel. 952 47 28 72 Mobile: 653 172 264
Email: [email protected]
*Normal fees 1% of property price.
All prices exclude state charges & taxes.
Office Hours:
Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 6.00pm
Friday only 9.00am - 2.00pm
costa life 59
>> costaSTUFF
Puppies
Vaccinations
Let’s start out with getting a new puppy in this section and talking about
vaccinations. First question is…
When to vaccinate
The best advice is to call your veterinarian before you pick up that new
member of the family and ask to have the puppy examined as soon after
you become the owner as possible. On your way home from the
breeder/seller is actually a good time to have the pup seen by your
veterinarian, and if you are able to you should bring in a stool sample
from the pup for analysis for worms. During the examination the
veterinarian will look at the pups and medical/vaccination history. If the
breeder has given vaccinations just recently, and your veterinarian is
confident that it was done properly, a recommendation will be made
regarding when to come in for the next booster injection of vaccine. If the
pup is healthy and unvaccinated, your veterinarian will suggest
vaccinating right away. One or more of the vaccines will be administered
and a suggestion made as to when the next visit should be scheduled.
Vaccination schedule
6 weeks of age…give first combination vaccine. (distemper, parvovirus)
9 weeks of age…second vaccine (distemper, parvovirus,hepatitis,
leptospirosis)
12 weeks of age. third combination (distemper,
parvovirus,hepatitis,leptospirosis)
6 months of age… rabies vaccine is given
Why so many?
Good question! The reason is that no one can be sure that the pup will
actually mount a good antibody response to the disease just from one
vaccination. The age of the pup and just how much immunity it has
received from its mother will complicate the probability of protection.
So…if the pup has lots of immunity (called passive immunity) that was
borrowed from the mother during early nursing, this immunity will
actually interfere with the pup’s ability to make its own immunity from
the vaccine challenge. The idea is to get the vaccine into the pup just as
soon as the mother’s passive immunity wears off (now the pup is very
susceptible to sickness if it is exposed to the disease!!) so that the pup
can make more lasting immunity of its own. The precise time when a pup
can respond well to a vaccine is variable… it might occur at 6 weeks of
age or might be 11 weeks. So to be as safe as possible, why not start
vaccinating at 6 weeks and end at 12 weeks? Almost 99 per cent of
puppies will develop a good immune level to the various disease from a
vaccine schedule similar to the one in top.
CAUTION!!
If your puppy has any trouble breathing after a vaccination, or seems
weak, staggers, has pale gums or seems at all unresponsive, get back to
your veterinarian immediately!!!
On very rare occasions any animal or human may have a reaction to a
vaccination. These are just like the reactions that can occur after an
insect sting or medication hypersensitivity. This kind of reaction can be
very serious and life-threatening and thankfully is very uncommon. If
your pup simply seems a little tired or slightly uncomfortable where it
was vaccinated, that is an entirely different and mild response to the
vaccination. If you are not sure that your pup is OK, call your veterinarian
for advice.
60 costa life
A
re you fearful of the future? Afraid of what tomorrow might
bring? Do you worry about what lies ahead around the corner?
Everyone experiences some kind of fear at different stages of life. As
children we may have been afraid of the dark, of the unknown or perhaps
of being bullied at school. As we become adults most of us learn to deal
with those childhood fears but there are still times when fear can hold us
in its grip for one reason or another. Some people struggle with various
phobias which can lead to severe depression or perhaps complete
withdrawal from society. Agoraphobia which is a morbid dread of public
places or open spaces can keep sufferers permanently indoors whereas
claustrophobia is a dread of confined spaces.
Many live in fear of developing a terminal illness and struggle with
continual thoughts which convince them that they have the symptoms of
a dreaded disease. Medical experts generally agree that certain diseases
seem to be brought upon a person through a constant fear of that
particular condition.
Then there is another kind of fear, a fear of people which prevents a
person enjoying a normal social life. A fear of saying the wrong thing,
being thought stupid and feeling inferior can be upsetting at best and
devastating at worst. In fact the emotion of fear in any form can almost
paralyse the sufferer manifesting in the physical body through clammy
hands, a racing heart and a sense of helplessness. Panic attacks are very
common in society today and they can be quite debilitating to the victim.
Perhaps you have a fear of being abandoned in old age and being left
alone to struggle through life. None of us wants to acknowledge that we
are ever fearful but yet it is an emotion in life that we all have to contend
with.
So why so much focus on this emotion you may be asking. Well, there is
a way to deal with it if we are prepared to believe it. We are only frail
humans living on this earth but we have a Creator who desires to be our
Father and share His love with us. God’s Word is full of encouragement
inviting us to ‘‘Fear not’’ over and over again. As David was inspired by
God to write many of the Psalms he poured out his fears and desperation
to the Lord and God gave him the comfort and encouragement he
needed. Reading the Psalms today brings us comfort and help when we
need it.
‘‘Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow
of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place
of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him………….The Lord says, I will
rescue those who love me, I will protect those who trust in my
name…….When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in
trouble……’’ Psalm 91 (NLT)
‘‘God is love…….There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves torment……We love Him because He first loved
us.’’ 1 John 4:16-19 (NKJ)
Annette Riggall
The Evangelical Christian Fellowship
‘‘an oasis where the Word of God is preached and the love of God is
shared.’’
Sundays 4.30pm Iglesia San Miguel, Calahonda
Tel/Fax (0034) 952 46 73 94 E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ecfmijas.com
Pastors Peter and Annette Riggall
>> costa STUFF
eep down I think I am a bird person. Yes, I adore cats and
dogs. Each has its own distinctive personality and of course
you can form a precious bond with them. The only bird that
would come near to this qualification would be a member of the parrot
family or a budgie.
We once looked after an African Grey parrot, and did he talk! It soon
became clear that his owners did not enjoy a happy, well balanced
marriage - at least if their bird’s imitation of their language was anything
to go by!
Amongst my most favourite of birds is the Heron family. We have all seen
them, standing motionless in shallow water, heads held high, balancing
without problems on their stork-like legs.
There are six different species within the heron community:
The cattle egret (Bulbulcus ibis) is probably the most interesting of them.
It derives its name from the cattle on which it - literally - rides, paying for
its ride by getting rid of ticks and fleas in their hosts’ skin: a system that
works satisfactorily with all involved! Egrets are pure white, about 50 cm
in height, with distinctive yellow bills. In the breeding season, which runs
from April until October, they add bright
orange coloured plumes to the top of
their head and on their neck and back.
The egret also feeds on grasshoppers
and beetles and can often be found in
the company of goats and sheep.
His smaller relatives, the little egrets
(egregretta garzetta), stay well clear of
cattle: they prefer to find their prey in
shallow water. Give yourself enough time
to watch this little bird standing
absolutely still in the water and you will
be rewarded by seeing an unusual
Written by
Erny Harrison
hunting technique. The bird stirs the water with its bright yellow feet,
thereby attracting fish. In a split second it will catch its prey, which has no
chance of escaping. Then it returns to its motionless posture, until the
next catch occurs with lightening speed. The little egret is a voracious,
greedy little bird, which will leave the wetland areas for fields and
meadows to hunt for mice and voles; anything that fits its bill!
The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is the largest of the Heron family, standing
90 cm high and with a wingspan of an impressive 150 cm. It is easy to
distinguish this very shy bird from the rest of the species, with its yellow
beak and eyes. The body has a mixture of black, white and bluish grey
feathers with a black crown. In flight they are awesome to look at, with
their neck tucked very closely to their body and with their long legs
stretching out behind as far as they can go.
The mating dance of the grey heron is a wild and awesome affair. The
huge birds, wings fully expanded, will hop around in one direction and
another, without any regular pattern, snapping their bills at each other,
and all the time making ear splitting noises and calls.
Like the other herons they live on platforms in the top of trees. This is
quite an achievement considering the length of their legs. The female is
not productive until she is two or three years old: then she will usually lay
three or four eggs and the fledglings will leave the nest when they’re
about seven weeks old.
The Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) is in height and wingspan similar to
the Grey Heron, but it is a slightly skinnier bird, not as handsome in flight
as the Grey. This is mainly due to the fact that his neck looks rather like
a snake, which he loops up in flight.
The last member of the Heron family is the lesser known Night Heron
(Nycticorax nycticorax). It is one of the smallest of the species and can
easily be distinguished from the other herons by its stocky build and
colouring. The night heron is mainly grey and white but with an
outstanding black saddle. If ever you get close enough to see the ‘white’
of its eyes you will be astounded by their deep red colour. The bird has a
somewhat larger area in which it nestles and lives, stretching from the
usual shallow water and surrounding bushes and trees to fish ponds and
lakes.
An interesting attitude of all Herons is their adaptable life style. They are
solitary birds, preferring to live and hunt on their own. Only in the
breeding season, when the need for security is high to protect the young,
do they become sociable. They will live together in relative peace on their
large platforms and, once they have formed their small colonies, they will
defend their territory to every
invader, even members of their own
breed. It is usually the Little Egret
and the Egret who lose the chance
to become a part of the group. The
Grey Heron will chase them off
without giving it thought. Once the
breeding is over they all go back to
their solitary existence.
Herons are visitors to Spain and the
rest of Europe. They migrate to
Africa from July to September,
returning for breeding in March and
April.
During their stay in this country you
will find them all over Spain and they
are well worth a visit to Doñana
National Park.
costa life 63
>> costaSTUFF
Costa
Cuisine
by Jan Morley of FreezerMor
A beginners guide to Indian cuisine……
‘‘Curry’’ originates from the Tamil word ‘kari’, meaning ‘spiced sauce’,
used to refer to any number of hot, spicy, sauce-based dishes.
Getting started
There are a few bits that make preparing Indian food easier. A sturdy
karahi or wok should be top of your wish-list. Because of its narrow base,
the cooking oil sits in a small pool at the bottom of the pan, which means
you use a lot less fat than you would in a saucepan. If you’re not a dab
hand with a mortar and pestle, use a coffee grinder for grinding spices.
Tip
Browned onion paste, added at the end of cooking to thicken and add
depth of flavour, is a cook's best pal. To make it, finely slice a couple of
onions, lightly salt, and leave on one side for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat
dry with kitchen paper. Deep fry in hot oil until russet brown, before
draining. Tip into a food processor, moisten with hot water, and process
until smooth. Freeze in ice cube trays and use from frozen when making
dishes such as kormas.
Recipes
A beginner’s spice box
Spices are to India what basic stocks, sauces and dressings are to the
West. Whether familiar or exotic, they add warmth, pungency, heat, and
subtlety to dishes.
Garam masala
An aromatic mixture of ground spices used as a base for many Indian
dishes (‘masala’ means spice). The basic ingredients are cumin,
coriander, cardamom, black pepper and cinnamon. The mixture can
include other spices (such as caraway, nutmeg or bay leaves), depending
on whether the dish includes meat, vegetables or fish.
Turmeric
A bright yellow spice that comes from the rhizome of a plant in the ginger
family. Turmeric is often a component of curry powder and gives chutneys
and pickles (such as piccalilli) their distinctive yellow tinge. It has a slight
peppery aroma and a musky taste and is sometimes substituted for the
more expensive saffron because it produces the same bright yellow
colour, but it has a very different flavour.
Cumin
The small, crescent-shaped seeds of a plant called Cuminum cyminum,
which are used as a spice. It has a warm flavour and quite a strong,
pungent aroma.
Curry powder
Packaged curry powder was probably a British invention. Indian cooks
don't use one single spice mixture to flavour all of their dishes. Each dish
will be flavoured with a different mixture of spices, called a masala, which
varies from dish to dish and region to region. However, the curry powder
that you can buy in the UK is usually a mixture of turmeric, chilli powder,
coriander, cumin, ginger and pepper, and can be bought in mild, medium
or hot strengths.
Cooking with spices
Toasting whole spices before grinding
them intensifies the flavours. To toast, or
dry-fry, heat a griddle over a moderate
heat, add the spices, and shake the
pan until you catch a warm, nutty
aroma - it doesn’t take long,
about 30 seconds, then grind
in a pestle and mortar.
There is no single ‘right’ way to cook all Indian dishes, nor is there a single
‘proper’ way to serve an Indian meal, just
experiment and you will find a blend of
spices that is unique to you!
CHICKEN KERALA
Ingredients
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium Spanish onion, sliced
2 green finger-sized chillies, finely
chopped
1 tsp root ginger, peeled and coarsely
grated
2 garlic cloves
¼ tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
500g/1lb 2oz skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
300g/10½oz white potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm (1¾in) cubes
330ml/11½fl oz coconut milk
6-8 curry leaves (optional)
4 shallots, finely sliced (optional)
pinch of garam masala
To serve
Basmati rice, boiled.
Method
1. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a wok and sauté the onion and chillies
for three minutes.
2. Stir in the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, coriander, turmeric and salt.
3. Add the chicken and fry on a low-to-medium heat for eight minutes,
until the chicken is lightly browned.
4. Tip in the tomatoes and potatoes and cook for two minutes.
5. Pour in 100ml (3½fl oz) of the coconut milk and simmer for six minutes.
6. Add the remaining coconut milk with 200ml (7fl oz) of boiling water.
7. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender
and the chicken is cooked.
8. In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and add the curry leaves and
shallots, if using.
9. Fry for a few minutes until golden brown.
10. Serve hot, garnished with fried shallots and curry leaves and basmati
rice.
costaSTUFF >>
g.t. mckenna
THE IRISH FAMILY BUTCHER
finest irish Beef & Bacon
tasty irish cheeses &
gammons
cooked hams
BBQ meats
meat for all occasions
Tel./Fax.: 952 930 351
C.C. Los Jarales 3,
Calahonda km 197
costa life 65
>> costa STUFF
Weird tales…
Thieves stole a gold Rolex
watch worth £40,000 and
had it encrusted with
diamonds for resale.
When it was seized in a
police raid, and returned
to its owner, it was worth
£200,000.
Firemen had to rescue a
25-year-old man from a rubbish chute in a block of flats in Stockholm,
Sweden. He had climbed in to retrieve a favourite old sweater thrown
away by his wife.
A man was locked in a Belgian police cell without food or water for three
days. Arresting officers had forgotten about him.
Three thousand prisoners and ex-prisoners have signed up to use a
website, www.convictsReunited.co.uk set up to help them stay in touch.
An actor who poses with a sword as a gladiator for tourists at the
Colosseum in Rome faces jail after being charged with bearing arms
illegally.
Asylum seekers in Coventry are to be given free driving lessons in a bid
to stop them driving illegally.
Celebrity facts…
Tom Hanks collects
1940’s typewriters.
Tom Cruise once
enrolled in a
seminary to become
a priest but dropped
out after only one
year.
The early stage names
of Sonny and Cher
were ‘‘Cleo and
Caesar’’.
Charlie Chaplin
once won third
prize in a Charlie
Chaplin look-alike
contest.
Singer Mick Jagger
was once a porter at
a mental hospital.
66 costa life
Is your Daddy home…
A boss wondered why one of his most valued employees had not
phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the
main computers, he dialed the employee’s cell phone number and
was greeted with a child’s whisper.
‘‘Hello.’’
‘‘Is your daddy home?’’ he asked.
‘‘Yes,’’ whispered the small voice.
‘‘May I talk with him?’’
The child whispered, ‘‘No.’’
Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked,
‘‘Is you’re Mummy there?’’
‘‘Yes,’’ whispered the small voice.
‘‘May I talk with her?’’
Again the small voice whispered, ‘‘No.’’
Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a
message, the boss asked, ‘‘Is anybody else there?’’
‘‘Yes,’’ whispered the child, ‘‘a policeman.’’
Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee’s home,
the boss asked, ‘‘May I speak with the policeman?’’
‘‘No, he’s busy’’, whispered the child.
‘‘Busy doing what?’’
‘‘Talking to Daddy and Mummy and the Fireman,’’ the whisper
answered.
Growing more worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter
through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked,
‘‘What is that noise?’’
‘‘A helicopter.’’ answered the whispering voice.
‘‘What is going on there?’’ demanded the boss, now truly
apprehensive.
Again, whispering, the child answered, ‘‘The search team just
landed the helicopter.’’
Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked,
‘‘What are they searching for?’’
Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle.
‘‘ME.’’
Celebs say the strangest things…
‘‘I wouldn’t run for president. I wouldn’t want to move to a smaller
house.’’ - Bono, lead singer, U2
‘‘For those of you who haven’t read the book, it’s being published
tomorrow.’’ - David Frost
‘‘People in Portugal, they speak Portuguese don’t they?’’ - Jade
Goody
‘‘You have to treat Paula [Abdul] like a poodle, one that you’ve
rescued from the pound and who needs attention’’ - Simon Cowell
costa STUFF >>
Sudoku answers for Issue 33
5
1
6
3
4
2
5
9
6
2
1
7
4
2
3
8
2
1
4
3
9
9
5
8
The rules of Sudoku:
place a digit from 1-9 in each empty cell, so every row, every
column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9.
Across
1. Marine mammal (5)
4. Type of crossword (7)
8. Deviation from the rule (7)
9. Fabric (5)
10. Rubbing or clash (8)
11. Woody plant (4)
13. Egyptian statue (6)
14. Creatures (6)
17. Wander (4)
19. Expert on precious stones (8)
22. Decree (5)
23. Inactivity (7)
24. Victory (7)
25. Larceny (5)
Down
1. Dock (5)
2. Get rid of (7)
3. Fastidious (8)
4. Former name of Sri Lanka (6)
5. Shout (4)
6. Male singing voice (5)
7. Admit to (7)
12. Feeling remorse (8)
13. Glut (7)
15. Take aback (7)
16. Social outcast (6)
18. Excuse (5)
20. Helps to raise dough (5)
21. Molecule (4)
Crossword answers for Issue 33
costa life 67
>> costaSTUFF
By Russell Vaughan Mintmicro S.L 951160411
LIGHTWEIGHT LAPTOP CARRIES A PUNCH
At last a powerful laptop which is lightweight, 2.59cm thick, available in 15- and 17inch models and with prices starting at just €1400 this sounds like a must have.
This kitten is a monster. Up to a 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, the latest 802.11n Wifi
built in, crystal clear display, fast NVIDIA graphics, and all the right connections.
One of the thinnest laptop in the world was recently released by APPLE.
What makes the MacBook Pro so mobile is big performance in a portable
package. At just 2.59cm thick and weighting just 2.4 kg and 3.08 kg,
respectively, the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro models are among the thinnest,
lightest notebooks in the world. The footprint of the 15’’ MacBook Pro measures
35.7 × 24.3 cm and it weighs just 2.45kg. (so thin and light!)
As soon as you shut the lid the Macbook it goes to sleep saving battery
life and when you lift the lid the system is instantly back to where you
were last working and this great power management system will allow
you about four hours of use from each charge.
So forgetting the technical spec, which is pretty impressive the Apple MacBook Pro is for people on the move. It’s thin, lightweight and powerful.
Just right for people working away from the office.
PIMP MY PHONE
Not satisfied with the iPhone’s camera? Wish LG’s Viewty had a larger screen? Well, one manufacturer will now make you a
handset to order, built from the chipset upwards, with all the features you want, for an eye-popping price.
Just as Dell Computers revolutionized the computer industry with mass-customized factory-direct PCs in the 1990s, a new
service by zzzPhone delivers factory-direct custom cell phones.
Customization starts with customers choosing
a base model and a custom pattern or colour
for the mobile phone case; standard features
such as a beautiful extra-large touch screen
panel and dual SIM card slots are immediate
standouts. Next, customers may add various
features such as GPS navigation, a second
front-facing camera, and even a flashlight.
Various upgrades are available as well, such
as; 4GB memory, stereo quality speakers, and
even a 5 or 7 mega pixel camera with a high
quality processor. Customers can also select from
a range of accessories such as Bluetooth headsets and hands fee car
kits, and can even have their favourite music and movies pre-installed
at the factory so their new phone is ready to use when it arrives at the
door.
Since zzzPhones are tri-band and unlocked, these phones work with
almost any mobile carrier service worldwide. Simply swap the SIM card
into a zzzPhone and even pair a second SIM card to allow two phone
numbers to be used at the same time on the same phone; especially
useful for international travellers and individuals who want to separate
business from personal phone expenses.
To make this service even more accessible to the public you can
customise your new phone online using Phone builder and see what
your customised phone my look like. You can see the new phone builder
at our website http://www.mintmicro.com and look for the pimp my
phone button.
68 costa life
WIND UP MP3 Player
Trevor Baylis is best known as the
inventor of both the wind up radio
and wind up torch but recently his
genius has been put to good use
again developing the first wind up
multimedia player. Named the
Eco Media Player If you are
concerned by green issues. This
may be the gift for you. Actor
Steven Fry says: ‘‘I love this little
thing. It is robust, clever without
being pleased with itself, useful
and appealing.’’
The Eco Media Player measures 6.35 cm high 11.43cm wide by
3.81cm deep and is designed to be used and is packed with every
imaginable MP3 player feature -- and even some features you might not
expect on an audio device like a wind-up torch (Ideal for camping) it can
also be charged up via USB port on your PC or Laptop. Fully charged,
the eco media player will play around 20 hours of music or around 10
hours of video. A 1.8’’ colour LCD display together 24bit digital audio
processing and state of the art in-ear headphones brings you your
music - any time, any place, anywhere. With or without power!
costa STUFF >>
SEO Services Spain Search Engine Optimization
Want your business website to appear at the top of
Google, Yahoo and MSN? Do you have a website
but nobody knows that it exists?
I am an SEO consultant and can help you to attain
good rankings and increase web traffic to your site
and your sites visibility on the internet.
Call for a free no obligation analysis of your current
search engine placement and websites optimization.
Different packages available to suit all
budgets and requirements.
Websites designed from just €€400 and include
free hosting, domain name and email.
For more information please visit
www.seoservicesspain.com
or call Rob on 0034 617 940 022
costa life 69
>> costa STUFF
Lindsay Lohan as Marilyn Monroe in ‘‘The Last Sitting’’…
In what is likely her greatest role to date, Lindsay Lohan plays Marilyn
Monroe between the sheets, literally, in the new spring fashion issue of
New York magazine. Recreating Monroe's legendary 1962 final photo shoot for Bert Stern with the veteran lensman
himself. When it came to being nude before the camera, ‘‘I was comfortable with it,’’ says Lohan, 21 (Monroe was
36 in 1962, the year she died) - though Lindsay does admit to having done ‘‘250 crunches’’ the night before the
shoot.
The show will go on…
Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell will replace Heath Ledger in the tragic star’s final movie, sharing his remaining
scenes in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. It is believed Depp, Law and Farrell will each portray Tony in different realms of the
fantasy epic. It is not yet known when production will restart on the film, which is still due for release next year. At the time of Ledger’s
death the film’s producers hailed him as ‘‘a great actor, a great friend and a great spirit’’.
The king of pop…
Michael Jackson was dropped from the Grammy Awards after making a series of ridiculous demands. The star was due to
appear on the show to mark the 25th anniversary of the biggest selling album of all time, ‘Thriller’, but according to the New
York Post, his ridiculous demands caused him to be dropped. He wanted an award to be created for him, and presented to
him (an award that nobody will ever get again), he wanted to be introduced by a special honouree and he wanted to be
referred to as ‘‘The King of Pop’’ at least thirty times throughout the course of the show.
Rumor has it Aniston’s found love on the set…
Jennifer Aniston may have found love on the set of her new movie, ‘‘Traveling.’’ An insider tattled to the Daily Mail
that ‘‘everyone on the set is gossiping about something more going on between’’ the actress and co-star Aaron
Eckhart.
>> Atonement
Keira Knightley, James McAvoy
Director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) gives Ian
McEwan’s bestselling novel a sumptuous treatment
for the screen. The story centers around the love story
of highborn Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and
housekeeper’s son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), in
England shortly before World War II. Despite class
differences, they are attracted to each other, and just
as their relationship begins Robbie is tragically forced
away by false accusations from Cecilia’s younger sister
Briony (Saoirse Ronan). She has a crush on Robbie,
too, and after reading a private letter he sent to Cecilia,
then witnessing the first expression of their love, her resentment grows until it leads to
her telling the lie that sends Robbie away. World War II breaks out; Robbie enlists and
is posted to France, Cecilia is a nurse in London, and Briony, now age 18, tries to atone
for her actions--but none of them will be able to get back what they have lost.
>> Michael Clayton
George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson
George Clooney’s performance drives this tense
corporate thriller from Bourne trilogy screenwriter
James Gilroy, who makes his directorial debut
here. Clooney is the eponymous ‘‘hero,’’ a burntout lawyer who cleans up legal messes created by
the clients of a large law firm. When a crisis
materializes in the form of the firm’s top shark
(Tom Wilkinson) suffering an apparent meltdown
while defending a shady chemical company from
lawsuits, Clayton discovers not only a cover-up to deny payments to farmers
injured by the company’s products, but a chance to find some purpose in the
face of his life’s downward spiral.
72 costa life
>> 3.10 To Yuma
Christian Bale, Russell Crowe
Never let it be said that the Western is dead. 3:10 To Yuma is a far different beast,
bringing together two of the most magnetic male
leads in modern day cinema. Christian Bale stars as
the law-enforcing Sheriff, and he’s facing off against
Russell Crowe’s killer. It’s the conflict and sparks
between these two that ignite the film, and make it
well worth seeking out. What director Mangold
realises is that the trick with 3:10 To Yuma (named
after the prison train that Bale’s character seeks to
put Crowe’s on) is to give his stars room to work,
injecting plenty of action and excitement into the mix.
The end result turns out to be a real cut above most of
the current multiplex fodder. If Westerns aren’t usually
your thing, it’s well worth giving this one a try.
>> American Gangster
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe
American Gangster gives the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a reallife Harlem crime lord who built an empire on
Southeast Asian heroin in the 1970s. Running
parallel to Lucas’s somewhat standard story is the
investigation led by a persistent New Jersey cop,
Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Roberts is a more
interesting character than Lucas--too honest for
his own good, unlucky in his personal life--and this
kind of character, easily patronized by others, fits
Crowe like a polyester shirt. It succeeds as a kind
of chewy entertainment, fueled by the presence of
two big stars working their muscles. Both
Washington and Crowe look pretty brawny here.
SIT & GO
ALL SPORTS LOUNGE
Cafe
Is where you’ll find Noel, Mary and John
‘The Fools’ broadcasting all the daily action.
They think it’s all over? Not yet it isn’t!
Excellent home cooked cuisine freshly prepared to order.
Offering traditional all day breakfasts, lunches,
snacks and tapas.
Specializing in all Scandinavian cuisine including
Scandinavian Prawn, Salmon and Meatball dishes.
Open daily from 1pm till Midnight
Internet access - Wi-Fi
Front line - CC Calypso
fredericks
Est 6 yrs
irish Bar
Open 7 days from 10am till 2am
Food served every day 10am till 7pm
Come and enjoy a cup of top grade Columbian
coffee and a slice of Ander's famous Carrot Cake in the
Café or sit in our heated terrace in a warm relaxed
and friendly atmosphere.
Outside catering service available for all occasssions.
Tel :
952 933 365
Extensive menu - all fresh home cooked food
For Orders Or Enquiries Email : [email protected]
Try our special irish sirloin steaks and homemade chips
Open 9am - 6pm Monday - Friday
Open 10am - 5pm Saturday
Closed Sunday
Pool table - darts - sky sports
Karaoke Fri, Sat and Sun from 9pm till 11.45pm
Calle Chorillo, Benalmadena Pueblo
952 568 674
Local 8 Urb Calypso, Calahonda
(Next to the Santander Bank)
Useful numbers & information
>> costa GUIDE
TRANSPORT >>
AIRPORTS
EMERGENCIES
>> LOCAL POLICE
Local Police
Alhaurin el Grande
Alora
Antequera
Arroyo de la Miel
Benalmádena, Málaga,
Marbella & Ronda
Cartama
Coin
Estepona
Fuengirola Local
Fuengirola Municipal
Nerja
Torremolinos
092
952 491 074
952 496 468
952 708 104
952 562 142
092
952 422 211
952 453 267
952 800 243
952 580 900
952 197 090
952 521 545
952 376 000
>> NATIONAL POLICE
National Police
Guardia Civil
Alhaurin el Grande
Alhaurin del la Torre
Alora
Cartama
Coin
080
952 455 020
952 804 483
952 461 046
952 774 349
952 381 414
>> MEDICAL SERVICES
Emergencies
>> AMBULANCE
Fuengirola, Torremolinos,
Málaga & Marbella
902 505 061
>> STATE HOSPITALS
062
952 595 830
952 960 067
952 496 020
952 422 639
952 450 138
Calle Mauricio Moro, Pareta, 22nd Floor,
MÁLAGA.
Open 08:30 - 13:30
Enquiries 952 352 300
MARKET PLACES
MONDAYS >>
Alora, Marbella near the football
stadium
TUESDAYS >>
Benamagosa, Fuengirola (Feria
Ground), Nerja weekly market (Calle
Chaparil)
Benalmadena Parque de la Paloma, La
Cala, Estepona, La Linea, Rincon de
la Victoria
THURSDAY >>
Alhaurin el Grande, Pizara, Frigiliana,
Torremolinos, Velez Malaga, San
Pedro, Torre del Mar
FRIDAY >>
Benalmadena Tivoli Gardens, Casares,
Cartama, Aguamania, ctra Cartama,
Las Chapas
SATURDAY >>
Fuengirola, La Cala, Ojen Pueblo,
Coin, Competa, Puerta Banus near
bullring
SUNDAY >>
Estation de Cartama, Fuengirola near
the mosque, Malaga near the football
stadium, Sabinillas, Estepona,
Sotogrande, Nerja car boot sale
TOURIST INFORMATION
952 410 005
952 491 275
952 495 577
952 702 505
952 422 126
952 453 211
952 442 494
952 802 002
Portillo Customer Service
Direct Line
Algeciras
Alhaurin
Benalmádena
Coin
Estepona
Fuengirola
La Linea
Málaga
Marbella
San Pedro
Torremolinos
902 143 144
956 654 304
952 490 709
952 443 563
952 450 366
952 802 954
952 475 066
952 172 396
953 350 061
952 764 400
952 781 396
952 380 965
TRAIN STATIONS
1619516500
2890330099
2072229633
1383738866
1604230230
1252513500
1132345678
1514721110
Halifax
Lloyds TSB
Mastercard
Nat & Provincial
Nationwide
Natwest
Yorkshire Bank
8457203099
1702364274
1383621166
1274331522
1793543888
1132778899
1132424800
SIZE COMPARISONS >>
Don’t let being unsure about sizes impare your shopping sprees...
Shoes
WEDNESDAY >>
952 441 545
952 802 900
952 471 000
00350 70027
952 327 950
952 774 488
952 476 593
The Coastal Service stops at every major town
between Fuengirola and Málaga from 06:45
and 22:30 from Málaga
902 240 202
Call
LOST/STOLEN
CREDIT CARDS >>
Abbey National
Allied Irish
American Express
Bank of Scotland
Barclays Bank
Diners Club
First Direct
Girobank
TAXIS
Benalmádena
Estepona
Fuengirola
Gibraltar
Málaga
Marbella
Mijas Costa
BUS STATIONS
061
Benalmádena & Fuengirola
Emergencies only
902 505 061
Málaga
951 290 000
Marbella
951 976 669
Torremolinos
952 386 484
Torremolinos (Centro de
Salud) Health Centre
951 924 100
>> BRITISH CONSULATE
Alhaurin de la Torre
Alhaurin el Grande
Alora
Antequera
Cartamar
Coin
Benalmádena
Estepona
Benalmádena,
Málaga & Mijas
Coin
Estepona
Fuengirola
Marbella
Torremolinos
091
>> GUARDIA CIVIL
952 048 844
00350 73026
Malaga
Gibraltar
>> FIRE BRIGADE
SP
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Men’s Wear
UK
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
SP
44
46
48
50/52
54
56
58
UK
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
Men’s Shirts
SP
35
36/37
38
39/40
41
42/43
44
UK
14
14.5
15
15.5
16
16.5
17
Women’s Wear
SP
36
38
40
42
44
46
48
UK
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
>>Spanish Facts
>> Telephone: to make an international call from
Spain, dial 00 and then add the country code (UK
44; USA 1; Australia 61; Canada 1; Irish Republic
353; New Zealand 64) and the rest of the
telephone number minus the first zero if there is
one. To call Spain from abroad, the country code is
00 34.
>> Business hours: the normal opening hours for
shops are Monday to Saturday from around 10am
until about 1.30 / 2pm. After siesta they reopen
from around 5.30pm until 8pm or 9pm. Large
stores usually stay open all day. Most places are
Fuengirola
Gibraltar
Málaga
Marbella
Mijas
Nerja
Torremolinos
952 467 457
0350 774 982
952 213 445
952 771 442
952 485 900
952 521 531
952 374 231
TOWN HALLS
Coin
952 453 020
closed on Sundays.
>> Banks: generally open from 9am to 2pm from
Monday to Friday, and from 9am to midday or 1pm
on Saturday. Hours may vary in summer.
>>Customs allowance- importation from Gibraltar
into Spain
1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22% or 2
litres of wine
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gms tobacco
Goods brought in Gibraltar may only be imported
into spain between 0900 hours and 2100 hours
Estepona
Foreigners Dept
Fuengirola
Gibraltar
Málaga
Marbella
Mijas
Nerja
Torremolinos
952 801 100
952 589 440
952 589 300
0350 774 902
952 135 000
952 761 100
952 485 900
952 548 449
952 379 400
Golf Lovers - Don’t Miss Out
AEG516 - Extraordinary Villa in Alhaurín el Grande €995,000
This magnificent villa is set in 10,000m2 of the most remarkable &
beautifully landscaped gardens you can imagine. Prime location,
327m2 built, private, fabulous pool, bar, terraced surrounds.
Spectacular views. All services connected incl. town water, landline
tel & satellite TV.
Like this? Then checkout ADT252 on our website
AEG517 - Alhaurin El Grande
€180,000
An absolute bargain! This fabulous 2 bed, 2 bath golf apartment has wonderful views over the course,
the communal pool & the mountains. A great investment property, fully furnished, never been used. Hot
& cold aircon plus an alarm entry system. Plenty of storage: utility room, built in wardrobes, underground
storage & private, secure parking.
Like this? Then checkout AEG423 on our website
EDC431 - Country Homes in Cartama Estacion €350,000
Lovely country home with guest acc located in a quiet cul-de-sac
with easy access. 3 to 4 beds, 3 baths, 2 lounges & 2 kitchens.
Plus outbuilding for additional storage, registered on the deeds.
Externally there is a 1.5m deep swimming pool plus an outside
kitchen area that includes a built-in barbeque.
Like this? Then checkout CNN366 on our website
Spacious and Private
AEG476 - Immaculate Property in Alhaurin el Grande €699,000
Stylish main home, guest acc, stables, paddock and now an extra
4,000m2 of land on a separate escritura make this a really sought
after property. The pool and gardens are wonderful as are the views.
All services connected, easy access & in reach of all amenities.
Like this? Then checkout ALA392 on our website
ESE342 - El Sexmo
ADT141 - Bargain Villa in Alhaurin de la Torre
€420,000
A SENSIBLE OFFER WILL BE ACCEPTED! Fabulous home,
pool, views plus great location. Call now to view and see for yourself. Would make a great cattery if you want a business. 15 minutes to the airport, beaches, golf courses & much more.
Like this? Then checkout MAQ412 on our website
€367,500
Beautifully presented country home with a sun terrace on the second level & set in 2,500m2 of land. 3
beds with a/c (you could possibly make a 4th bed above), 3 baths (2 ensuite). Externally there is a
wonderful, private 8m x 4m swimming pool with terraced surround plus a brick built storeroom. Great
views & access via new tarmac road.
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