The Cabrera Courier

The Cabrera Courier
The Cortijo Cabrera periodical
MAY 2013
YEAR 21
OUR VOYAGE SOUTH (Part One)
Issue No.68
By: Chantal & David Reed,
with introduction by Malcolm Kaye
The talk given by Malcolm, Chantal & David was held at Riad Cabrera Restaurant on
Thursday 2nd May at 7.30pm. The notices sent to our email accounts and in the post
rooms promised a special evening..... and it was and more! The meal, the music, the
talk and the excellent company was completed with an auction offering a half day
cruise on the luxurious yacht Seaclusion - a Dufour 405 GL. Gordon Husband
successfully outbid everyone else (via proxy) which raised the sum of 210 Euros.
This figure was later met by Richard Gardner, so the total collected from the Auction
was 420 €, less expenses, brought the total donated to the Cabrera Fiesta to 330 €
The evening began with a few "copas" (drinks) on the terrace, before moving inside.
The meal was 2 courses & delicious and at a very reasonable price. We were
entertained whilst we ate by Pedro Clemente and his Classical Spanish guitar– just
wonderful. After finishing the meal and the last chords of Pedro's guitar died away, we
settled down for the talk. Malcolm Kaye started with the introduction:“There’s something about a long sea crossings in a sailing yacht that’s fascinating.
Perhaps it’s the combination of romance and danger that’s the attraction? Chantal &
David took on the Bay of Biscay as part of their voyage from Portsmouth to Garrucha
in their new yacht Seaclusion”.
Malcolm then went on to say:- “Before we start the talk about Chantal and David’s voyage, I’d like to say a few words of
introduction, particularly for the ´non-sailors´ amongst us. I know Chantal and David are very modest when they talk about the
voyage, but I can assure you that this was a serious and potentially dangerous undertaking which required considerable knowledge
and sailing skills, lots of planning and preparation but most importantly - great courage.
Their route involved departing from the south coast of England into the English Channel – one of the busiest shipping lanes in the
world! - then crossing the notorious Bay of Biscay, before following the Portuguese coast and entering the Straits of Gibraltar –
another extremely busy route used by all shipping headed for the Suez Canal. Then finally sailing through the calmer, warmer
waters of the Mediterranean to reach their destination, in Garrucha. A journey of over 1,000 nautical miles in a 12 metre sailing
boat that makes an average speed of about 5 knots. That means a minimum of 200 hours sailing if you went non-stop in a straight
line! Of course a sailing boat can’t always go in a straight line because it’s totally dependent upon the direction and strength of
the wind. However this is a minor issue when you consider some of the other challenges facing sailors on this voyage.
Other Shipping
I’ve already mentioned that the English Channel and the Straits of Gibraltar are two of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. All
kinds of vessels are using them; fishing boats large and small, military vessels, car ferries, cruise ships, oil tankers, container ships
and some of these can be huge and moving very fast. Oil tankers can be up to 400 metres long! Some of the ferries are going at
20-25 knots! As you can imagine these big guys take a long time to slow down, or change direction. Chantal and David’s boat is
a mere 12 metres long – a dwarf amongst these giants!! There are ´rules of the road´ at sea and
basically every skipper has a responsibility to avoid collisions and in theory, power should give
way to sail. But that all depends on whether the power vessel has seen you! Unfortunately a 12
metre boat is a very small dot on the radar of a super tanker.
Night Sailing
If you are concerned about the risk of collisions during the day, just imagine how hazardous it is at
night. You are in complete darkness, all you will see are the lights of other vessels. They may be
lit up like Christmas trees if they’re passenger cruise ships or just be showing the minimum
navigation lights. You need to quickly assess how big they are, what direction they are travelling
in and whether you are on a collision course or not. If you are the vessel with ´right of way´ you
shouldn’t alter course, otherwise that will confuse the skipper of the other vessel. But it takes a lot
of courage to hold your course expecting one of these big guys to alter course – especially when
you don’t even know whether he’s seen you or not”!
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 ……….….
1
EDITORIAL:
CABRERA LAWN BOWLING CLUB
Welcome to the Cabrera Courier and our first issue. We feel
very privileged to be handed the Cabrera Courier in its 21st
year and this will be the 68th issue. We hope we do it proud!
AL ANDALUCE GARDENS TURRE
Firstly we would like to say a Big Thank You to Tony
Whittaker for all his hard work for the Cabrera Courier over
the last 4 years and for his help in passing over the Courier to
us both. We would also like to thank the many people who
have supported and contributed to the magazine over the last
20 years making the Courier what it is today.
www.cabreralbc.com
Club Captain 634 322 210
Contact Us and Directions available on website
We have decided not to charge a subscription this year as we
will be producing the majority of the Cabrera Courier in an
electronic format. We will still, however, produce hard
copies for those not familiar with computers and/or the
internet.
For the first issue we have decided not to charge for adverts,
but in future issues a nominal fee will be charged to
advertisers of approximately 3 Euros per advertisement. The
advertisements will be for businesses, clubs etc., that we
believe will be of interest to Cabrera Residents.
(Please note adverts for charities and nonprofit making Clubs
will be free of charge)
We anticipate that the income generated from these
advertisements will cover the expense of printing hard copies
etc. The Cabrera Courier is non-profit making, if however
we should find that we have made a surplus, this would be
donated to a worthy charity or cause designated by our
readers.
Our aim is to promote a “harmonious” Cabrera. The Courier
will be used to promote this very unique place called Cortijo
Cabrera for the benefit of all Cabrera residents and friends.
We have invited people, from all walks of life, to write
articles that will be of interest to us in Cabrera, and our
neighbours. We also hope you will like our small section of
light hearted relief.
We have had a very enthusiastic response from the
community and we must thank all the contributors for their
articles. Unfortunately we have not been able to print all the
articles in this edition, but instead we will include them in the
next edition.
If you have had an event that we have missed and/or have an
event coming up and you like to include it in our next issue
please do not hesitate to contact us.
We would also like to send our gratitude and thanks to Jo
Chambers & Pamela Kaye for their advice and proof reading
talents.
We hope you enjoy the Cabrera Courier
If you have anything that you would like to contribute to the
Cabrera Courier please do not hesitate to contact us on email.
Also if you know of anyone else that may like to receive The
Cabrera Courier then please ask them to contact us at the
email address below.
VIDA CABRERA
Largest Selection of Villas, apartments
and townhouses for Rent
Margaret Arnup & Richard Gardner.
EDITORS - The Cabrera Courier
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.vidacabrera.com
2
THE JOY OF ART
By: Eileen Ward.
I have often heard people say that they would love to paint, but
have no talent and are not artistic. As with most hobbies, one can
learn and, with the help of a good teacher, the results can be very
rewarding. Art can be such a joy and, with greater knowledge,
brings a deeper appreciation of professional artists when browsing
around an exhibition.
I have painted for around eleven years, and during that time, have
had several art teachers, some better than others, and all using
different teaching methods. If you are considering pursuing this
hobby it is useful to find a class that suits you by offering the
opportunity to achieve your personal ambitions. Some classes
allow you to paint whatever subject you choose, and to learn as
you go along. I prefer a more structured course where you start
with basics and learn about perspective, colours and painting
techniques in a progressive way and which enables you to meet
and enjoy the demands of more challenging subjects.
THE CABRERA CAR RALLY 2013.
By: Pamela Kaye.
“Just make sure that you don’t win”, they all said. It was April
2012 and our team: Robert Uzzell, Anthony Rackham, Malcolm
and I, were well aware that the winning team would be next year’s
rally organisers.
As with all pursuits, whether it is golf, tennis, ornithology,
photography, etc., art becomes more satisfying if you learn the
rules and practice.
Unfortunately, our competitive spirit overcame our inclination to
avoid work, and we won. However, we shouldered the burden of
responsibility for 2013 with the good humour that a glass of wine
and lunch in the sunshine can bring.
Within quite a short time, it is amazing what can be achieved and
to paint a picture you are happy with is so exciting and
worthwhile. Experimenting with colours, mixing them on the
canvas instead of the palette, using fingers or a palette knife
instead of a brush, among other things, can bring life and vibrancy
to the most mundane subject. Nevertheless, there will be times
when a painting is disappointing, but there will always be
something that you are happy with and these can be incorporated
in future paintings. No painting is a disaster.
And so it was, that on the sunny morning of Saturday 13th April,
we waved off eleven carloads of intrepid explorers from the Arch.
This year, in order to raise more funds, it had been decided to host
the traditional post-rally lunch ourselves and, thanks to the
experience, hard work and goodwill of Shirley and Tony, we were
able to hold it at the Ranch – which doubled as the finishing line
of the rally.
I very much hope that if you have ever considered pursuing art as
a pastime, or even a career, you will start now and begin to
experience the happiness and fulfilment it can bring.
All hands had been at work for a couple of days already –
preparing lunch for 60 hungry adventurers is no mean feat – and
the tables were pretty much groaning by our deadline of half past
twelve. We’d imagined that the keenest teams would be back by
then – but we hadn’t bargained for the enticements offered by the
bars en route. One o’clock came and went, half past – and then
two o’clock, and still no sign of anyone..... until a small cloud of
dust appeared at the bend in the road – was it? Could it be? Yes, it
was! We should have known that, with his experience of overland
exploration, Gerry Hughes would be first home.
If there are any budding artists out there who would like more
information, I shall be delighted to hear from them.
Eileen Ward
One by one they returned, dusty but triumphant, ready for the
sumptuous repast and a glass or two of something.
After lunch, we read out the answers to the clues, and the winners
were announced, medals were presented, and speeches were made.
This year’s victors were led by John Lewis from Cortijo Grande.
John and Lesley are from Stroud in Gloucestershire, and have
good friends in Cabrera. Their friends from Devon made up the
winning team. We’re hoping that John will accept the traditional
challenge and organise next year’s rally, and it would be splendid
if we could once again hold the lunch at the Ranch as it seemed to
be a huge success. We raised 550€ for the Fiesta but, more
importantly, it was a splendid day of good sport and great
companionship – and that’s what we’re best at in Cabrera.
Roll on Cabrera Rally 2014!!
3
OUR VOYAGE SOUTH
Boatman
Crossing the Bay of Biscay....
Too many times I've sailed with a 4 day+ weather window only to
get clobbered just past Ushant... (northern western tip of France)
Its not a long trip but treat it like an ocean crossing...
Be well practiced and set up for heavy weather and MOB (man
overboard) procedure...
It could be like a mill pond... but it can also be
the Washing machine from hell...
especially in a Sou-Easter... get away from the continental shelf
asap...
keep out of the Bay as much as possible...
Continued from Page 1.............
Night Sailing
Night sailing also creates a further set of challenges because you
need to devise a watch system where you always have at least one
or ideally two crew members sailing the boat. So when do you get
to sleep, you might ask? A good question and Chantal will tell
you about how they handled it when they were short handed.
The Weather and Biscay
What I’ve mentioned so far are by no means the most serious
issues for this voyage. Any sailor will tell you that the most
hazardous issue facing yachtsmen during their crossing of the Bay
of Biscay is the weather. The crossing of Biscay is feared by
many yachtsmen due to its legendary reputation, which developed
in the days of the traditional square riggers which frequently got
stuck because they couldn’t sail close enough to the wind to make
any headway. Today modern yachts with their efficient designs
can sail much closer to the wind so they don’t expect to have this
problem. However, the 550 nautical mile stretch between
Plymouth and Cape Finisterre remains one of the most dangerous
crossings in the world. The Bay of Biscay is a wide concave
sweep of water that stretches from the western coast of France and
along the northern coast of Spain. The prevailing winds sweep in
from the Atlantic and stormy waters are driven onto the
continental shelf and against the 310 mile shoreline. This means
that some the most violent weather and sea conditions can blow
up almost at any time of the year. All the books say it’s important
to get across Biscay before the middle of August to avoid the
storms of the autumn, with June and July being the best months to
cross.
West is Best...
JimB
The 'offshore' route. Needs a 5 day weather window. Rare as hen's
teeth!
How strong are your boat and crew? That'll probably decide
things for you . .
Maxiswede
Crossing the Bay of Biscay during the winter is not for us
'pleasure sailors'. Having had a few days to contemplate your
question I remembered the following story:
A Swedish sailor, named Ulf Peterson with his yacht 'Suzie II' left
Gothenburg some 20 years ago for the Canary Islands. This was a
very experienced sailor who’d done over 50,000 sea miles
including a circumnavigation.
He got badly hammered on his way across Biscay. Among other
things he was rolled a full 360 degrees at least once, had to be in
the ice-cold water for hours undertaking repairs to keep his boat
afloat. It made him stay in Las Palmas for three(!) long years
before he eventually regained the courage to leave.
A high price to pay, both emotionally and financially, even for the
adventurous sailor, don't you agree???
So it was with all this in mind, Chantal and David were back in
England testing their new yacht. Chantal was obviously doing
lots of homework and posted a few questions on one of the sailing
forum blogs on the internet. I’d like to read you her question and
some of the answers that I’m sure didn’t help to calm the nerves at
all!
The final story is from a skipper called Stephen – skipper of the
yacht Nausikka, he said;
I don't want to scare anybody but Biscay is an area in which we
should exercise extreme caution. Sure the Bay can be benign in
summer and in winter too but I remember, when I was third
officer on an 80,000 ton bulk carrier being slammed by a
hurricane in Biscay. We were fully loaded with coal so the ship
had a draft of about 20 feet and we were thus in a very
comfortable condition. Suddenly an enormous wave hit us
carrying away the port lifeboat which was three decks above the
waterline. The wave rolled up the main deck and carried away a
steel cable duct, rolling it up like the lid on a sardine tin.
Forum Blogs on the Internet:Chantal
Sailing from the UK to Portugal, Across the Bay of Biscay
We are taking delivery of our new Dufour 405GL in April next
year, so excited... and are planning to sail her with a total of 4 on
board, to the Med in June.
The question is which is the best/easiest route... I would welcome
any thoughts from those who have done it,...
That was in September 1976. IMHO very few yachts would have
survived that wave and we were lucky in that little further damage
was done.
Dockhead
The big challenge for crossing the English Channel is ship traffic
– it has the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
He then gives some technical advice about taking bearings on
passing ships, then adds:
It can be hairy with sometimes two, three, or even four dangerous
ship contacts at one time. Don't assume that ships will alter
course for you, if they are the give-way vessel in a crossing
encounter. They often do not. That is why it is really important to
track them closely and understand if they are turning, or not. If
they do alter course, you need to be aware of it, so you don't turn
into each other -- something which happens from time to time,
with sometimes tragic consequences!
My advice is certainly to cross Biscay but to keep a very good eye
on the weather.
So with those thoughts in mind Chantal and David were making
their plans. I’d like to pass you across to David now who will talk
about their preparations for the voyage.
TO BE CONTINUED ............ PART TWO IN THE NEXT
EDITION OF THE CABRERA COURIER
4
OPENING OF THE ARCH BAR
CABRERA OPEN GARDENS
By: Sheila Golding.
All residents of Cabrera received a notification that the Bar near
the Cabrera Arch has re-opened under the ownership of Jose Jerez.
Mr. Jerez gives a warm welcome and an invitation to residents and
their friends to come along to the arch tapas bar. This is great
news for the community of Cabrera that the arch bar will remain.
It is sad that this fun event has closed and should anyone else wish
to resurrect it I would be glad to help if needed
In the meantime, there was a float of 435 Euros left over from the
previous accounts. As there is not to be an opening this year, I
have given the funds to MACS ´Mojácar Area Cancer Support´
Charity, and the receipt for this transaction is on display in the
post room for all to see.
However I could not write this without thanking Claudio, who ran
the arch bar for many years and made many friends here. I’m sure
I am not alone when saying that I will miss Claudio’s famous fillet
steaks that were so popular as well as the rest of his menu and not
forgetting the scones and of course the beautiful classical music as
well!!
Claudio has a passion for life, food, music & Cabrera and that
came across in his work. Well done Claudio and we all wish you
success in your next venture, we will miss you.
And of course we wish continued Good Luck & success to the
Arch Bar.
CABRERA FIESTA 2013
Micaela & Peter Dale pictured here joined us this year for Skiing
for this first time
THE CABRERA SKI CLUB
By: Tracey Mason
We would like to introduce ourselves – Tracey and Bob Mason;
we have a property in El Pinar. Unfortunately, we still have to do
the ‘work thing’ so are frequent visitors to Spain but currently
only on short term visits.
It’s nearly that time of year again! Please see the announcement
below regarding this year’s fiesta
The date of this year's Fiesta is, Saturday, 29th June.
We have visited Cabrera on several occasions since we have
owned our property and we consider ourselves very fortunate to
have discovered and be introduced to the Cabrera Tennis Club; we
have been members of the Tennis Club since February 2012.
This year promises to be as good, if not better than last year.
Once again we will have the official opening of the Fiesta,
crowning of the Queen of Cabrera, lots of musicians, University
musicians, La Tuna, Band de Turre, Charanga, vintage cars,
horses, tapas bars, flamenco dancing, ballet dancing and dance
display by ProDanza, Mojácar – pictured above. Bicycle race with
the La Cinta Ladies, some who will be from Turre and other
neighbouring villages and of course Cabrera Ladies dressed in
Spanish attire, the postre competition at Los Pastores, Los
Moralicos with their stall, a fashion show by Donna´s Boutique,
Tarot Card reading and lots, lots more.
Margaret and Richard have been our mainstay of communication
in keeping us up to date with tennis news and events as well as
skiing info. Unfortunately, we missed out on the skiing trips in
2012 but were determined to book a place this year.
We were fortunate enough to be booked on Richard’s trip to the
Sierra Nevada in January. We have not been skiing for six or
seven seasons so we were really excited about getting back on
skis.
This is just a short list of activities; a full list of events and times
will be displayed on completion of the poster and notifications.
Last but not least we finish the day/night with a big band.
Richard organised transport for us and Derek and Jean were kind
enough to give us a lift for the duration of the trip. Derek and
Jean gave us a warm welcome and were wonderful hosts.
This year we are seeking the support of everyone to make an
effort to dress Spanish style to add to the atmosphere of the day.
There were eight of us booked on the trip and we were introduced
to Shirley and Steve en route at the morning coffee stop. We were
introduced to Billy and Dave later in the day.
We booked into the hotel and paid for our ski passes. Bob had
some ‘mickey taking’ as 2013 is his retirement year and he was
5
We skied all morning and then went
Picture of Billy 
to base camp for lunch. Bob had kept
Jean company for part of the morning
and had gone off for a gentle ski,
Richard and Margaret were enjoying
a lazy lunch and Shirley and Steve
had gone down to the village to have
an explore – that left Derek and I to
hit the slopes again – we enjoyed a
wonderful afternoon’s skiing and
although neither of us wanted to
admit it – we had skied our legs out
by the latter part of the afternoon –
we headed back to the village and
returned our skis.
Meeting up with Jean and Bob we headed to the car and started
our journey back to home – it is so surreal to think that the ski
slopes are just two and a half hours away from our villages – we
are so lucky.
able to take advantage of his first experience of OAP Discount –
discount on his ski pass!!
We all headed off to the resort as Shirley and Steve (newbies to
skiing) had a lesson booked at midday and Richard wanted to
make sure that everyone had got skis and boots and Shirley and
Steve needed to be at Ski School ready for their lesson.
We went straight up to the slopes, the sky was clear and blue and
the sun was shining, couldn’t have asked for better weather to
introduce us to our first experience of the Sierra Nevada.
Bob and I went off to explore our new skiing playground and had
a wonderful afternoon’s skiing. We were very pleasantly
surprised with the amount of skiing there is to be had in the Sierra
Nevada as well as the difficulty of the runs. After not having
skied for several seasons, Bob and I were thoroughly ‘pooped’
after our afternoon’s skiing. We were grateful to ski to base at the
end of the afternoon and head back to the hotel for a well earned
rest and of course, a cool glass or two of beer!
Bob and I had the most wonderful trip
We stayed at the Hotel el Guerra which is on the road to the ski
resort. The hotel was very comfortable, good value for money and
had a plentiful supply of hot water for bath and showers, which is
always welcome after a hard day’s skiing.
We would like to thank everyone on the trip for making us feel
welcome and it being an extremely enjoyable trip. A special
thank you goes to Richard and Margaret for their invitation and
organisation together with Margaret’s many ‘spreadsheets’.
Another special thank you goes to Derek and Jean for being good
enough to let us travel with them.
We all met for dinner and ate in the hotel dining room; we
selected a varying and sometimes surprising array of meals from
the menu. Shirley was very pleased with herself, for despite
receiving a bit of ribbing for ordering pizza as a starter and ham,
egg and chips to follow, she had one of the best looking meals on
the table. I like to try and embrace Spanish food and ended up
with a plate of breadcrumbs. I was very envious of Shirley’s
pizza!!
We hope that now we have had our first experience of the magic
of the Sierra Nevada, we hope to return many more times.
After a relaxing very sociable evening meal Bob and I said
goodnight to all and retired – I slept like a stone but unfortunately,
Bob suffered with cramp during the night. The hotel Breakfast
was very good, plenty of choice and as much as you could eat, so
a substantial breakfast was a great start for a full day’s skiing
ahead.
We all headed off to the resort, we wanted to be early to get the
best of the day and Shirley and Steve also had an early lesson.
Bob decided that he would collect his skis but would take it easy
today and ski as and when he wanted as he did not want to cramp
up again. Jean spectates and ‘people watches’ during the day so at
least she will have some company this morning.
Joke: Memory Clinic?
Two elderly couples were enjoying friendly conversation when
one of the men asked the other,” Fred, how was the memory clinic
you went to last month?”
The weather was wonderful once again, beautiful clear blue sky
and brilliant sunshine. The slopes looked fabulous and pristine.
Derek, Richard, Margaret and I set out for the morning’s skiing.
The slopes were very quiet and we almost had the slopes to
ourselves. The sun hadn’t come round to most of the snow yet
and we encountered crisp, icy snow on our first slope.
“Outstanding,” Fred replied. “They taught us all the latest
psychological techniques: visualization, association, etc. It was
great.”
“That’s great! And what was the name of the clinic?”
Richard took the lead as Ski Guide and he took us around the
slopes. Margaret dropped down to the Ski School mid morning as
she had booked a lesson and Richard, Derek and I continued our
ski tour.
Fred went blank. He thought and thought, but couldn’t remember.
Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, “What do you
call that flower with the long stem and thorns?”
We were able to ski all of the slopes as the weather was very good
and all of the lifts were open, including the ‘T Bar’ which takes
you up to the highest slopes. I have to say, we could not have had
more perfect weather – Bob and my sun burnt face and ‘Panda
Eyes’ were testament to that!!
“You mean a rose?”
“Yes, that’s it!” He turned to his wife, “Rose, what was the name
of that memory clinic?”
6
OVER THE NET.
The winners of the Open
Tournament were Mike
Bear & Julie Oliver,
Runners up were Keith
Sharpe & Ann English,
Third place was Dave
Ward & Janet Dimmock,
and fourth place was Gerry
Hughes & Dorie Egelstaff.
By: Margaret Arnup
The Annual General Meeting traditionally is
held on the same day, same week in the
same month of every year – So this year
that meant Thursday 14th March. The meeting was introduced by
Derek Luckie our President and he covered things that we had
achieved over the last year, such as the closed competition in
March 2012.
Improvements which had taken place over the past year included
new bins for sand, the additional enclosed notice board and the
painted steps gate and railings. In addition, the green tennis wall is
about to be repaired and painted.
Special thanks to Dave
Ward who flew out from
the UK to compete and
also special thanks to the
Library for use of their
facilities for our AGM and
Dorie
Eglestaff,
who
kindly gave up her house
for our Tournament Lunch.
Also a big Thank You was given to Gerry Hughes for his
continuing help with keeping the court clean.
You don’t have to be a member to play and everyone is welcome.
For more information on how to play please contact us.
During the summer we used a key system, instead of the normal
code system, which was successful in stopping our court from
being abused, so we plan to keep this system in place for the
forthcoming months; July & August.
Derek Luckie, President –
Margaret Arnup, Treasurer Cabrera Club de Tenis.
The accounts showed a healthy profit, and any surplus as always
goes towards further investment such as the eventual re-surfacing
of the tennis court, however for the time being it was the general
opinion that the court carpet surface is acceptable for our level of
play.
CABRERA LIBRARY.
On 17th May we said our goodbyes to Tom and Lilleri, who had
set up our wonderful tennis court. They are sadly missed.
Tel (0034) 610 314 792
Tel (0034) 647 901 478,
The Cabrera Library is just a few yards up the hill from the
Cabrera Arch. It is manned by volunteers and houses an excellent
selection of fiction and non-fiction books, which are available for
loan.
Traditionally after the AGM we have our annual AGM dinner,
which this year fell to Derek Luckie & Margaret Sprake to
organise, unfortunately as many members had other things
organised there were not sufficient members available so therefore
it was cancelled, but we hope next year there will be a better turn
out and support for our local restaurant Los Pastores.
Opening
Hours:
12:00 – 14:00
Tuesdays
Mike Bear, the clubs Tennis Coach, also successfully runs the
Tony Carter Memorial Tournament. The tournament gets us all
playing more tennis with and against different opponents. The
Tony Carter Memorial Plaque 2012 went to joint lady winners
Glenis Meeks and myself, Margaret Arnup. The men´s winner
was again Luis Pereira.
15:00 – 17:00
Thursdays
Recently Mike has introduced a mixed coaching session followed
by coffee each Monday from 10am until 11am at a cost of 5€ to
include coffee. This has been very well received by members and
anyone is welcome to join in.
Joke: The food that causes the
most grief!
Traditionally the first Sunday after our AGM, we hold our Annual
Open Tournament which is organised by Richard and I. So with
sufficient numbers it took place on Sunday 17th March. We must
have had all types of weather that day and I prayed that the rain
would keep at bay, however at one point we had teams playing in
their plastic rain jackets and wet weather gear. Luckily we only
had light rain and the heavier downpour held off. A great day was
had by all. The sun came out just in time for our traditional lunch
of pizza, salad and drinks which, thanks to the help of Carol
Redding, Carole Quirke, Micaela & Peter Dale & Dorie Egelstaff,
was a great success –
Oh and of course to the great waitering skills of Luis Pereira :)
“The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed
most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful. Soft drinks
corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG.
High fat diets can be destructive, and none of us realizes the longterm harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. But there is
one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will,
eat it.
A Doctor at a health conference said
Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief
and suffering for years after eating it?”
After several seconds of silence, a 70-year-old man sitting in the
front row raised his hand, and softly said, “Wedding Cake.”
7
CABRERA PETANCA
GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCES IN
AND AROUND MOJACAR
The Casa Mac Trophy.
By: David Watkins
By: Mike Gould
It is a fact that eating
out in the locality
produces mixed results.
The North European
demands for chips,
hamburgers and fizzy
drinks has confused the
culinary skills of local
dishes, which must have abounded before the advent of mass
tourism, to the extent that it is the exception rather than the rule to
find a good restaurant which regularly produces simple well
cooked dishes consistently and at realistic prices.
Cabrera Petanca always starts the Year
with the Casa Mac Trophy Competition, sponsored by
Lyndy & Chas Mant. This year it was held on the second of
January 2013 – This was the eighth year and each year the number
of players grows.
Depending on the weather it consists of 4 to 5 games of 30
minutes and the idea is to score as many points in each game as
possible. You never know until the day with who you will be
playing, so it’s the luck of the draw, which means everybody has a
chance of winning. This year thirty players turned up giving us ten
teams of three, after each game each team moves pitches to play
someone new, and at the end the score cards are collected and the
game scores are totalled. So no-one really knows who the
overall winner is until the dinner in Los Pastores that evening.
Cabrera and Cortijo Grande seemed to have bucked the trend, and
in these recessionary times have managed to hang onto four very
good restaurants. I am told a fifth one is in the making but sadly
that will simply replace the recent demise of one which
consistently produced the finest steaks one could eat anywhere. A
loss; but I am reliably told that every effort is being made to
resolve this temporary blip.
This year the weather was chilly to say the least and after an hour
of play everyone was ready for a coffee or a beer, so a quick
refreshment break was taken with two more games after before
hitting the warmth of Los Pastores
It was therefore of interest to visit and be asked to write about one
of the four. Casa Los Pinos is situated along the narrowest bit of
road near the golf course in Cortijo Grande – A most
unprepossessing position. From the outside the restaurant looks
like a bar, but inside it is an artistic delight.
The dinner in the evening held was a great success, fine food,
wine and company and Lyndy and Chas holding out until the end
to announce the winners of this year’s Casa Mac trophy. They
were Anne and the two Davids´ team. Well done to them, and in
last place and winners of the Rusty
Ball was Keith and Margaret with grandson Toby.
The owner chef is a lovely lady from the Dominican Republic,
who continued her education by completing a degree in journalism
at Madrid University. She then practiced her skills in that
cosmopolitan capital for five years. Tiring of the pressures of a
reporter’s life she sought refuge in Milan where she developed her
artistic bent and trained to be a painter. All along she told me she
had a passion for cooking, which she was only able to practice
intermittently, until, because of the cut and thrust of life and
relationships, she was able to indulge her passion professionally.
Cabrera Petanca raised 150 Euros, which has been donated to the
Cabrera Community Fund, thanks to everyone who took part.
Cabrera Petanca meets twice a week. This year the Summer times
are:- 7.00pm from Wednesday 1st May & Saturday 4th May until
we change to The Winter time of 11.00am from Wednesday 4th
September & Saturday 7th September.
She has run Casa Los Pinos for five years and during that time
according to friends has consistently produced simple well cooked
food. So it was with high expectations that we visited her
restaurant. Josepha, as she is called, gave us a very warm
welcome and seated us in the main room, surrounded by her own
pictures and an eclectic range of books piled round the room. She
explained that they belong to her sometime helper, Nicholas.
Hope to see you then.
CABRERA LAWN
BOWLS CLUB
By: Brian Saunders
There is also an outside area used during the summer. We were
immediately offered the menu and a wine list but were assured
that the house wine was very drinkable, and so it proved. The
menu consisted of a limited number of simple dishes, always a
good sign. We both chose melon and prosciutto ham, for starters,
followed by steak pie and halibut as main courses.
If you are new to the area or thinking of
moving to Spain, CABRERA LAWN BOWLS CLUB is a good
place to meet people that have knowledge of the area, places to
go, places to see and where to avoid. Come along and make new
friends and find a new pastime. Don’t worry if you’ve never
played the game before and
don’t know what it’s about.
We have coaches that can get
you started with “3 free
lessons”.
Contact the Club Captain /
Brian Saunders on Tel.
(0034) 634 322 210 or via our
website
–
www.cabreralbc.com
The wine arrived decanted, a nice touch, together with warm
crusty bread and alioli. The wine is drunk in large goblets,
enhancing the quality of ordinary wine and the table was dressed
with damask napkins, adding a touch of style, and having the
effect of making us feel special. The starters arrived and we both
agreed that they were very good indeed and we confirmed this
agreement with the main courses. We rounded off the meal with
fruit crumble which was lovely. The bill was a reasonable 44
Euros, and she even complimented this by offering us a digestive.
We had had a most enjoyable evening.
Casa Los Pinos is Open every evening from 7pm except Sundays
and bookings can be made on (0034) 619 136 877
8
AN INTRODUCTION
CARDS
TO
TAROT
Get accustomed to handling the cards, and study all of them in
detail, so that you become familiar with them. Meditate with a
different card each day.
By: Chrissie Cremore
The manner in which you store your Tarot Cards is a cause of
great debate. Some like to protect them against negative energies
by wrapping them in a piece of purple silk and storing them in a
wooden box or a special Tarot Card bag. But – I have never found
that by keeping them altogether in one bag has caused me any
problems…I actually feel that they need to be together. But before
a reading – I will put my energy into them and charge them with
crystals. However, I do keep my “special” pack in a wonderful
Indian silk bag.
The Tarot is a pack of mysterious
cards which are related to our
ordinary modern playing cards and
are often said to be their ancestors.
Card games were played with them
and still are, here and there in
Europe, but they are now far more
widely used in fortune-telling and
for mystical and magical purposes.
All sorts of theories and legends
have gathered round the cards, because of their puzzling but
enticing symbolism and the uncertainty of their origin. It has been
said that they came from China, India or Persia or that they were
brought to the West by the gypsies, or by returning Crusaders or
by the Arab invaders of Sicily or Spain and of course Europe. The
oldest surviving Tarot Cards were painted in Italy in the 15th
Century for the Colleoni Family.
The Tarot works through synchronicity – in other words, the
random patterns in which the cards seem to fall are part of a
greater pattern within the cosmic scheme of things. Many people
can’t see a way out of their problems because they do not have an
alternative point of reference from which they can begin to see
clearly what choices they do have. Tarot reading can be a starting
point for many. One does not need to possess a special gift in
order to read the cards. By working with the cards though you will
bring out your psychic potential, and activate it far more than you
can imagine at this time. You should definitely not use the little
booklets which accompany each new Tarot deck. They are
sometimes written in a very negative light.
The Tarot consists of 78 cards, which are divided into two
sections: The Major and Minor Arcana. Together, they describe
virtually every experience we are likely to meet in life, such as
birth and death, marriage and separation, beginnings and endings,
friendship and hate, prosperity and impoverishment. The standard
modern Tarot pack has four suits: Swords, Cups, Coins and
Wands. The Tarot however, unlike a regular pack of playing cards
has fourteen cards in each suit instead of thirteen. There are 4
Court cards, the King, Queen, Knight and Page – and the
numbered cards from 10 down to the Ace. But the main difference
between a Tarot pack and an ordinary one is that the Tarot has 22
extra cards – The Major Arcana; which have their own names and
numbers. Every card in the pack has a different meaning and when
placed either the correct way up or reversed, this then determines
the outcome of the reading. It is by combining them in a spread
that one can suggest solutions to problems and show the factors
that may help or hinder the querent.
I strongly recommend the Rider-Waite pack for learning purposes
which were designed by the esotericist Arthur Edward Waite who
collaborated with a young artist Pamela Colman Smith, who
designed according to his instructions and first published in 1910.
WILD CABRERA
By: Graham Meeks
THE MAJOR ARCANA comprise of 22 cards which are always
illustrated, and which describe a person’s path through life. With
all the stages that are encountered along the way, this can be
viewed as a journey of initiation or self-discovery. The
illustrations on each card include symbols that expand on the
meaning of that particular card and act as triggers to your
subconscious prompting interpretations that go much deeper than
the surface messages. As you become more proficient with The
Tarot, and more confident about using it, you will be delighted by
the increasing depth and richness of your readings.
The swallows seem a little late this year, they have been in Cortijo
Grande whizzing round the golf course for a couple of weeks now
just clearing the grass by a few inches. They must be picking up
the insects that the golfers disturb on their way around the course.
THE MINOR ARCANA consists of 56 cards, divided into four
suits of 14 cards each. CUPS (water/hearts), WANDS (fire/clubs),
SWORDS (air/spades) and PENTACLES (earth/diamonds). The
Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards, divided into 4 suits of 14 cards
each.
There was no sign of the bee eaters
when we left on the 16th March, they
usually arrive about a month after the
swallows so they will not be too far
away by Easter. I think they are all
waiting for the land to warm up as it
has been a little cooler and quite
windy this March, although the winter
felt generally warmer. Dick Bird will
either confirm or deny that with his
excellent report.
I’m reliably informed that they have
now arrived.
The Tarot is not nearly as frightening or daunting as it can seem if
you have never read them before. It is easy to be alarmed by the
prospect of learning the meanings of all the cards in the deck, and
even more sobering to think that you then have to put them
together to make a coherent reading. But all this comes with
practice. What is important is to get a feel for the cards and take
your time with them. Gradually, they will become friends and you
will have an instinctive understanding of what each one means.
9
I was very disappointed to see that one of the beech martins had
been hit by a car in Cabrera. I have only seen one pair of them
once before, in all the eleven years we have lived out here, I do
know several have been seen over the years but very rarely, it
would be really sad if it was one of a breeding pair.
ABSENT FRIENDS
PHIL CHRISTMAS
Geoff and Glenis told me that
they had seen a tortoise on one of
their walks in early march. It
must have been those few warm
days that woke the tortoise; I
wonder if he went back to bed
when that cold wind came.
It is with great sadness that we heard in January of this year of
the untimely passing of Phil Christmas.
Phil was a lovely man who always helped the community of
Cabrera. He will be missed. Our deepest sympathies go to
Phil´s family.
Just before we came back to the
UK a couple of weeks ago I was admiring the wonderful view we
have across to the snow capped Sierra Nevada, in fact on that day
all the hills around in the distance - Los Filabres and Santa Maria
had a dusting of snow; just beautiful to see. Anyway at that
moment I noticed a fox sat at the road junction across from the
house, I think he was admiring the view; I called Trish to come
and have a look at him. He seemed very relaxed and after about
five minutes decided he had seen enough of us, turned around and
strolled down the road towards the onion tower as we know it.
OUR FRIEND
MIA DAVIES-WOODS
Sadly, our dear friend Mia passed away on the afternoon of
Thursday18th April.
They seem a little smaller than the English fox probably due to the
lack of food that’s available at certain times of the year, also they
have quite a drab coat; a beige/grey (is that a colour ?) if you can
imagine that; definitely not the rich rusty red of the English fox.
I do worry about the pair of red legged partridge that we have
close by that have managed to rear at least half of their brood for
the last couple of years.
Mia was a true Cabreran, and it was typical of her wish to be
involved with, and work for the community, that in spite of her
struggle with illness she was helping at the Car Rally on
Saturday 13th April, “on the gate”, seeing people in, just a few
days before she left us. She was also a valued regular writer for
the Cabrera Courier; and to say we will all miss her is an
understatement. Our thoughts are with her husband Barry &
her family.
Are the good people of Cabrera aware that there is a small
population of hares down towards Cortijo Grande? I have seen
several in the past whilst I was running down that road but
recently when we were on the way to the airport, it was still quite
dark, we picked one up in the headlights. He must have run for
two hundred meters along the middle of the road, he thought it
was great me lighting the road up for him. Finally I got a bit fed
up as we had a plane to catch and decided to switch off the
headlight for a few seconds, when I turned them back on the hare
was just disappearing through the brush. In size he was probably a
third again as large as a rabbit and you can´t miss those tall erect
ears.
She will be very much missed and fondly remembered.
CABRERA BODEGA VISIT APRIL
2013
By: Jo Chambers.
Last year we missed the visit to Fuente Victoria near Fondon in
the Alpujarras as we were not in Spain at the time, however the
consensus of opinion from everyone that went was “You missed a
good ‘un”. When another trip was organised this year slightly
earlier in April we signed up.
The rabbit population seems to be on the increase which is good
news for the eagles that seem to be circulating on our side of the
mountain for a change, which is brilliant. I wonder how many
generations of eagles there have been in the time we have been
coming to Cabrera, which must be about twenty five years I am
sure. Not many generations, possibly three or four as I feel that the
two major fires we have had must have taken their toll with the
young birds.
The day started from the arch at 10.30am and a group of 30 set off
on the coach. This was certainly of great benefit as wine tasting
with copious quaffing complementing a good typical Spanish
lunch is not conducive to driving home.
One morning last Autumn we had
a spectacular view of the eagles
down the back road towards the
second bridge from Cabrera. On
the pylons on our left sat three of
the eagles; fortunately I always
carry my binoculars in the car so
we stopped. It was wonderful to
see the birds sat still and be able to
admire their magnificent plumage.
They seemed quite content and
just flew from one pylon to the
next like they were in a giant aviary flying from perch to perch.
The day included a visit to Laujar, the capital town of the Almeria
or eastern Alpujarras, and a stop at El Nacimiento close by which
was a picturesque picnic area where there is a confluence of rivers
running off the Sierra Nevada.
John and Nita Bailey had arranged this well organised trip for the
second year, and there was great attention to detail and a very
informative write up of the area, its history and the Bodega; in
order that we could more fully appreciate the day. I found this of
great interest and John has very kindly forwarded his research for
inclusion in this edition of the Courier.
10
Muslim population was tolerated by the terms of the Treaty of
Granada.
The region is one of great natural beauty. Because of a warm
southerly climate combined with a reliable supply of water for
irrigation from the rivers running off the Sierra Nevada, the
valleys of the western Alpujarras are among the most fertile in
Spain, though the steepness of the terrain means that they can only
be cultivated in small fields, so that many modern agricultural
techniques are impractical. They contain a rich abundance of fruit
trees, especially grape vines, oranges, lemons, persimmon, figs
and almonds. The eastern Alpujarras, in the province of Almeria
and the area of our visit are more arid, but still highly attractive.
In 1499, Queen Isabella decreed that all Muslims must convert to
Christianity or leave Spain; she had many Arabic books burned in
Byazien Square in Granada. This led to a rebellion in Granada
(1499–1501), so the Muslims violated the terms of the Treaty of
Granada, and were thus forced to choose between conversion to
Christianity or exile. In 1502 Queen Isabella rescinded official
toleration of Islam in all of the Kingdom of Castile, although the
Kingdom of Aragon continued to tolerate its large Muslim
population until 1526.
The
Bodega
Fuente
Victoria
has
been
established for approx 8
years
and
Segundo
Ramirez and his syndicate
took it over approx 4 years
ago. The bodega benefits
from the services of an
experienced wine maker
who produces Almeriense
wines some of which are unique to Spain. The grapes that grow
here are Tempranillo, Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet and
Vigiriejo a little known grape variety.
Spanish Muslims officially ceased to exist, and the converted
Catholic people of Muslim ancestry were known as Moriscos.
Many Moriscos continued to speak Arabic and Berber and to wear
Moorish clothing. Despite their public conversion, the Moriscos
were held in suspicion by the existing Christians of Spain, who
considered them insincere converts and secret Muslims.
By order of the Spanish crown two Moorish families were
required to remain in each village in order to demonstrate the
workings of the terracing and irrigation systems on which the
district's agriculture depends to the new inhabitants, introduced
from other parts of Spain. The problems with the Moriscos did not
disappear and eventually the entire Morisco population of Spain
was expelled to North Africa in 1609, an event which seriously
damaged the economy of the region.
The Vigiriejo white wine is from an ancient Phoenician grape and
is produced only here in the Alpujarras and in Gran Canarias.
Similarly Syrah wine production is rare in Spain with the majority
of red wines produced from the Tempranillo grape. After hearing
glowing reports of the Vigiriejo white wine, I was looking forward
to sampling it. Unfortunately this wine will not be ready for
tasting until May. Production at Fuente Victoria is approximately
300,000 bottles of wine annually.
Philip's new harsh approach sparked the outbreak of armed
rebellion in the former Kingdom of Granada. The revolt was
planned by Ferag ben Ferag, descended from the royal house of
Granada, and Diego Lopez Ben Abu. They carefully estimated the
feelings of the people of the Alpujarras, where the best stand
could be made against the Spanish forces, solicited aid from the
kings of North Africa, and persuaded local bandits to embrace
their cause.
Apparently white wine is more difficult to produce as it requires
refrigeration in the process. Last year they had to discard 10,000
litres of white wine when the cooling process failed. Only
traditional natural minerals are used to protect the vines, no
chemical pesticides or fertilizers, hence they are classed as
“Organic wines”.
On Christmas Eve of 1568, Monfies and Moriscos of Granada, the
Alpujarras, and elsewhere secretly assembled at the Vale de
Lecrin. They repudiated Christianity, and proclaimed Aben
Humeya (born Fernando de Valor) as their ruler and heir of the
Caliphate of Cordoba. The insurrection took the form of guerrilla
warfare with military and economic support from Algeria. Aben
Humeya was assassinated in 1569, and replaced by Aben Aboo.
For more information on the Bodega go to the web site: http://www.bodegafuentevictoria.com
A bit of History of the Alpujarras region and the Moors
To suppress the revolt, Philip sent his half-brother John of Austria
with a large force of Spanish and Italian troops. The rebels,
despite their number (which increased from 4,000 in 1569 to
25,000 in 1570, including Berber and Turkish mercenaries), soon
lost their gains, made a last stand during which Abén Aboo was
killed by his followers in a cave at Berchules, and were defeated
by 1571.
Locals to the area tell of a nearby site of one of the last battles
with the Moors which resulted in a massacre. They probably refer
to the Morisco Revolt (1568−1571), also known as War of Las
Alpujarras or Revolt of Las Alpujarras, which was a rebellion
against the Crown of Castile by the remaining Muslim converts to
Christianity from the Kingdom of Granada. The Last King of
Granada Boabdil el Chico (1460 - 1527) spent some time in this
area after being expelled from Granada by Isabella of Castile.
Upon leaving he shed many tears and hence the famous taunt from
his mother that every Spaniard remembers to this day: -
Ok, I don’t want anyone to
say that we were only
there to drink the wine!!!
Well perhaps we were but
it was certainly fascinating
to take a tour of the wine
production in
Fuente
Victoria and to learn a
little of the history of this
beautiful region of Spain
was an added bonus.
“Do not cry like a woman for that you could not defend like a
man”.
In the wake of the Reconquista most of the Moors continued to
live in Spain. They became known as Mudejares, and until the
16th century were granted religious freedom, albeit subject to
some legal discrimination. The Kingdom of Granada, the last
Muslim-ruled state in Spain, was defeated in 1492, and the
Our thanks go to John and Nita for all their hard work.
11
SAINT GEORGE’S DAY / SANT
JORDI
OUR CHINA EXPEDITION 2012
(Part One)
By: Margaret Arnup.
By: Tony Whittaker.
La Rambla on Saint George’s Day
We were approaching our 50th wedding anniversary and we
wanted to be somewhere on the day that we had never been to
before and perhaps would not visit again. We were offered several
options most of which involved travelling to places with blue
skies, sandy beaches, white houses, palm trees and a local
population who spoke Spanish. So the decision was a trip to
China.
It was by chance that we
found
ourselves
in
Barcelona on 23rd April
this year and were
puzzled why there were
so many people about on
the streets of Barcelona,
even more than usual if
you can imagine! There were flower stalls every 100 yards selling
red roses and 100’s of book stalls and flags everywhere. We
could not walk like the previous days, but could only shuffle our
feet to move, as there were so many people! We had to take
ourselves off the main streets and walk on what we thought would
be quieter streets, but these were still busy, but a little less busy, at
least we could take proper steps now.
There was quite a bit of planning but eventually on 6th of
December, we found ourselves at Heathrow Airport ready for an
evening departure to Beijing. We were feeling both excited and a
little apprehensive about our forthcoming adventure. As we
entered the concourse of terminal five, we were greeted by The
Royal London Philharmonic Orchestra and a small group of
singers who were playing and singing Christmas Carols which
made for a very jolly start. We departed at five o’clock and we
then entered cloud and that was our last sight of England. We flew
British Airways cattle class which was quite comfortable and the
moving map kept me occupied throughout. By the time we were
on finals for Beijing Capital airport (the largest in the world) it
was daylight. I was looking for the great wall but I didn’t see it.
The topography is so rugged and mountainous that I’m not
surprised. It is said that you can see the great wall from the moon
but I now doubt it.
We kept saying something’s going on and it took us at least 30
minutes to work out what it was, and then it dawned on us. St.
George is also the Patron Saint of Barcelona.
St. George’s Day is celebrated in Christian countries which
include England, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia,
Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the
Republic of Macedonia. Cities include Moscow in
Russia, Genova in
Italy, Ljubljana in
Slovenia, Beirut in
Lebanon, Qormi and Victoria in Malta and many others. It is also
celebrated in the Old Crown of Aragon in Spain—
Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, and Majorca.
We were met by our guide, a young man named Eric, there were
six of us in the group and we were taken to our hotel by minibus
to rest for the afternoon. The hotel was of a very high standard.
Surprisingly, there was an excellent Christmas Grotto outside the
lifts. In the evening we were taken out for dinner at a local
restaurant after which early to bed to recover from the journey.
In Barcelona La Diada de Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day), also
known as El día de la Rosa (The Day of the Rose) or El día del
Libre (The Day of the Book) is a Catalan holiday held on 23
April, with similarities to Valentine's Day and some unique twists
that reflect the antiquity of the celebrations. The main event is the
exchange of gifts between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues.
Historically, men gave women roses, (I’ve since read that it also
used to be a tradition in England for one to wear a red rose in
one's lapel, though this is no longer widely practised.)
The following morning after breakfast, we were picked up by our
guide for the day’s excursions. The first trip was to Tiananmen
Square, which is vast and is famous as the place in which
Chairman Mao proclaimed the Peoples Republic of China in 1949.
It also contains The Great Hall of the people, the Monument to
Heroes, The entrance to The Forbidden City and the Temple of
Heaven. Also, the national flag which is raised every day at
sunrise and lowered at sunset and there is a special detachment of
soldiers based in The Forbidden City just to perform this
ceremony each day.
So as well as men giving women roses in Barcelona, women gave
men a book to celebrate the occasion—"a rose for love and a book
forever." In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also
customary. Roses have been associated with this day since
medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent tradition
originating in 1923, when a bookseller started to promote the
holiday as a way to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths
of Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April
1616. Barcelona is the publishing capital of both Catalan and
Spanish languages and the combination of love and literacy was
quickly adopted.
The weather was very cold, clear blue skies, minus eight with a
stiff breeze and wind chill making it even colder. The Forbidden
City is equally vast and everything is painted red and gold. These
In Barcelona's most visited street, La Rambla, and all over
Catalonia, thousands of stands of roses and makeshift bookstalls
are hastily set up for the occasion. By the end of the day, some
four million roses and 800,000 books will have been purchased.
Most women will carry a rose in hand, and half of the total yearly
book sales in Catalonia take place on this occasion. The many
street performers and musicians just added to the atmosphere. We
had a great time and it was so nice to see such a huge celebration.
12
When we arrived at the lounge there was an A380 Airbus (the
very big one) on the ramp and we wondered if it could possibly be
ours, it wasn’t. Ours was an A320 Airbus, the types you might get
from Spain to England however, seats were numbered ABC on the
port side and JKL on the starboard side. We didn’t ask why. The
flight was about an hour and fifty minutes, was on time and very
comfortable. We had heard some horror stories about internal
flights but this was perfect.
colours are considered lucky and only the Emperor was allowed to
use them, every other building outside has to be a dull grey colour
and a great many older buildings still are.
In the afternoon we visited a Teahouse and had the opportunity to
sample various teas. After an explanation of how tea should be
made we had the opportunity to purchase some, it’s much cheaper
in Mercadona, but it was worth doing. In the evening we were
taken to a restaurant for a Peking Duck Dinner which was
excellent. I asked our guide when did Peking become Beijing and
why. Apparently, Peking is the Japanese name for the city and
Beijing is Chinese. He likened the relationship between China and
Japan to England and France, sometime enemies, never really
friends.
We were met at the airport by a local guide named Johnny. He
was a very pleasant young man who always wore a baseball cap
and later told us that he is a Buddhist. The airport is about 50km
from the city of Xian so we had quite a long drive. It was obvious
that we were in a different part of the country which was flat and
agricultural although the motorway we were on was excellent. The
weather was odd, quite foggy in parts which was due to pollution
and reminded us a bit of the smog we used to get in England. It is
apparently known locally as Dragons breath. It was dark by the
time we reached the city, the fog had cleared and like all Chinese
cities it was a mass of lights.
The following day, Sunday, dawned bright and clear and we
visited The Great Wall of China. What to say about The Great
Wall? It is breathtaking as it snakes its way over the mountains.
Everyone will have seen pictures of it and will remember that it is
intersected throughout its length by towers in which soldiers used
to live. The towers are all in sight of each other and if one part
was attacked they would light a beacon to warn the other towers.
Apparently it was the fastest means of communication in the
world at that time.
When we arrived we were taken to visit a Mosque, one of the
oldest in China. The walk to it was through narrow streets full of
street markets which were very colourful and full of delicious
smells. Street food is very big in China although we didn’t sample
it. I asked how many Muslims lived in the City and he said about
80,000. That seemed a lot but the total population of Xian is
8,000,000 although you wouldn’t realise that.
The weather was clear and very cold, minus ten. It was a real
effort to get the camera out of your pocket, but very well worth
the visit. After lunch, we went to visit The Olympic Square with
the water cube and the birds nest stadium which was built for the
2008 Olympic Games. Then, after a visit to a Jade factory, on to
the Emperor’s Summer Palace and gardens which are beside
Kunming Lake which was frozen solid. Despite notices in both
Chinese and English advising you not to walk on the ice, a great
many people did, some from one side of the lake to the other,
disappointingly no one fell in. The gardens are stunning and with
the afternoon sun low in the sky and reflecting off the lake it was
like a water colour painting.
Afterwards we were taken to a restaurant to a ´Dumpling´ dinner,
which included a Tang Dynasty Show. The show was full of
music and dance, very colourful, very enjoyable and very Chinese.
It was the birthday of one of the group so we bought a bottle of
wine which was excellent and called Great Wall surprisingly
enough. Xian is a very old walled city and was once the capital of
China.
The following day began with a walk along the top of the city
walls. You could either walk or choose to cycle, we walked but a
younger couple in the group took a tandem and quickly
disappeared into the distance but the chain broke and they had a
long way to push it back. From the wall you got good views of the
city below and there was quite a contrast between the older
buildings and the new high rise, very high rise developments.
Also, people- watching was good; on one side there was a street
market taking place and on the other people doing Ti Chi in the
park. It was an interesting walk and you knew it was quite
different from Beijing, very Chinese.
We went next to a theatre to see an acrobatic show which was
very good but for me the best was the finale. When the curtain
opened there was a large steel mesh globe and suddenly a man
appeared riding a full sized motor cycle, a door was opened and he
rode into the globe and began to ride around inside it. That was
fascinating but one by one five motor cycles and riders entered the
globe and all rode around inside which was amazing because
they did not crash and then one by one they exited the globe, quite
a feat. The following morning we went for a stroll around the area
of our hotel. Beijing is a very big city and although China has a
population equal to one fifth of the world’s population we did not
feel overwhelmed with people.
We then went to see the famous Terracotta Warriors.............
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT EDITION OF THE
CABRERA COURIER ..........
The city has very wide roads and a great deal of traffic.
Everything from vastly over laden pushbikes to the most modern
of vehicles and more buses than you can count. The driving
generally is, to be polite, dangerous and being a pedestrian
hazardous, although there are more than enough road signs,
traffic lights and all, they are only a rough guide and at night
almost no one uses lights.
Beijing is interesting and we only scratched the surface because in
the afternoon we were off to the airport for our internal flight to
the city of Xian, by China Eastern Airways. I couldn’t wait for the
experience. We arrived at Beijing Capital Airport and checked
in. We were surprised to be allocated seats 22 K & L. We
contemplated what possible aircraft type could have these seat
numbers.
13
THOUGHTS FROM THE PERCH
THE CABRERA KITCHEN
These two dishes were served up to me at a dinner party and were
absolutely delicious.
So I was really pleased when Tony Whittaker agreed to give me
the recipes.
You MUST try these and let me know what you think. If anyone
else has a recipe that they would like to send in, please contact me
on email – [email protected]
Hummus
By: Floyd Lloyd.
Hi it´s Floyd again. Sorry but I haven´t been feeling well just
lately, so I haven´t been out as much as I would have liked, but
now I am a bit chirpier I have managed to take a little look as I´ve
been flying by.
It seems Cabrera is getting more and more cyclists and in
February there were even more cyclists to race in the MTB race
which started at the Cabrera Arch, and went to the neighbouring
village of Los Moralicos. It was a sight to see, although a bit
noisy at 7am when people
were gathering, but even
more noisy at 9am when the
race finally started. It
seemed
like
a
great
celebration.

Put 200g of Garbanzos (cooked chickpeas) into a sieve
and drain well.

When drained, with a mortar and pestle pound
them to a pulp.

Finely grate three cloves of garlic and mix them
into the Garbanzos with a fork.

Stir in six teaspoons of olive oil and add a pinch
of salt, some black pepper and a small squeeze of
fresh lemon juice and mix to a paste.

Place in a suitable dish and top off with a sprinkling
of Pimenton Dulce (sweet Paprika).

Place in the fridge for a couple of hours before
serving.
This recipe is enough for four people. (Usually).
The race was organised in
conjunction
with
the
Association of Residents of
Los Moralicos to celebrate
the day of the Candelaria. It
was to make this a day of
sport and enjoyment in the
beautiful environment of
Sierra Cabrera. I´d heard it
was a 50KM bicycle race,
but I´m sorry I don´t know
who won. 
Karides

A quantity of defrosted raw prawns (depending on how
many people you are catering for)

Tomato sauce - fry chopped onion in butter, add tinned
chopped tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and basil.

Grated cheese, (usually cheddar.)

Half a green pepper chopped.
Make tomato sauce, fry prawns and green pepper, add tomato
sauce, put in a dish, add grated cheese and bake in oven 180C /
350F / Gas 4 until cheese has melted and is bubbling.
Well the sun is certainly warming things up again and I´m sure I
will be out and about a lot more, ready for news for the next
edition.
Signing off, Floyd the Parrot. 
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS
Joke: Hitting the Bottle
May (date to be confirmed) - Fashion Show, with Donna, at Los
Pastores. More information about this popular event shortly.
Sally was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the bottle. During
her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 5-year-old daughter
to answer the phone.
Saturday 29th June - Cabrera Fiesta! Organised by the Fiesta
Committee.
Wednesday 21st August - Classical Concert. Organised by
Claudio
“Mommy can’t come to the phone to talk to you right now. She’s
hitting the bottle.”
Friday 13th September - Dinner Dance at Los Pastores, with live
music from the Opium Buddhas. Organised by Shirley and
Chrissie.
October (date to be confirmed) - Geoff Meeks' Walk.
14
CHRISSIE
ACCURATE TAROT CARD READINGS
PLUS ANGEL MESSAGES AND COSMIC ORDERING
I CAN ALSO OFFER REIKI 2 & NFSH HEALING
I WILL TRAVEL TO YOU – 20 Euros
[email protected] – Mob: 617 773 671
Bar Almazora, Cortijo Grande
Tel: (0034) 950 479 239
Casa Los Pinos (0034) 619 136 877
15
Cabrera Petanca meets twice a
OTHER VILLA RENTAL AGENTS
week. This year the Summer
times are:- 7.00pm from
Wednesday 1st May &
Saturday 4th May.
Contact David Watkins for
More information on E-Mail
[email protected]
Gill Kiff
Bob Hall
Tel: 950 528 175
Tel: 950 168 033
RELAXATION
YOGA
Lynne Hall
Tel: 950 168 033
RANCHO DE CABRERA
(Horse Riding Tony
Tel: 950 956 168
TENNIS
Margaret
Tel: 647 901 478
BRIDGE
Sybil Robson
Tel: 950 982 509
Cortijo Grande Golf Course
The Current 9 hole golf course with its majestic
backdrop of orange groves, almond, fig & olive trees is
truly breathtaking. Watered from an underground
volcanic lake the valley has been an agricultural paradise
for several centuries.
Contact: +34 950 479 176
SPANISH CLASSES
with Lynne Hall
Tel: 950 168 033
FACIAL
Tel: 673 262 793
Kathy Allison
BOWEN TREATMENT
Audrey Gail
Tel: 950 168 027
BABY EQUIPMENT
Gill Kiff
Tel: 950 528 175
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Emergencies (Police, Ambulance, Fire) Tel: 112
Guardia Civil
Tel: 062
Turre Town Hall
Tel: 950 479 011
Junta Office
Tel: 950 528 440
Neighbourhood Watch Lead Co. Tel: 950 982 528
Bar La Montaña
Is a charming
restaurant offering
beautiful
food
located between
Bedar & Lubrin
670 589 788 or
950 398 856.
E-Mail
barlamontana@
hotmail.com
Casa Adelina - Tel: 950 47 91 53
CABRERA WEATHER
Readings taken daily at El Castillico 430m asl. Thermometer facing North
MARCH 2013
DECEMBER 2012
DAY MIN
1
2
2
3
3
3
4
6
5
6
6
5
7
7
MODE
□ □
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
□ ■
■ ■
■ ■
MAX
7
6
8
16
10
10
13
RAIN
MIN
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
JANUARY 2013
MODE
MAX
RAIN
□ □
11
☼☼
10
■ ■
8
□☼
9
☼☼
11
☼☼
11
☼☼
11
MIN
9
11
6
4
5
9
5
FEBRUARY 2013
MODE MAX RAIN
☼☼
15
☼☼
11
☼☼
9
☼☼
8
☼☼
12
☼☼
10
☼☼
8
MIN
4
5
8
8
7
9
11
MODE
☼☼
☼☼
■ ■
■ ■
■ ■
☼☼
■☼►
MAX
9
10
10
8
11
18
16
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
8
6
5
7
6
6
7
11
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
□ □
☼☼
□ □
■ □
10
10
9
8
9
9
12
16
6
5
7
8
6
8
5
5
☼☼
☼ □
□ □
☼☼
☼☼
□☼
☼ #
☼☼
10
11
13
11
12
9
9
11
3
4
3
8
4
3
8
8
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
□ ►□
☼☼
☼ □
☼☼
☼☼
11
8
11
9
8
14
13
13
11
11
8
8
9
7
3
4
☼☼
■ ■
☼□
☼□
□ ■
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
16
17
16
17
18
7
8
11
16
17
18
13
12
11
■ □
■ ■
☼□
17
16
15
8
10
9
■ ■
☼☼
□ □
9
9
12
6
7
8
▓ ☼
□ ■
☼☼
12
14
12
5
9
11
■ ■
■ ■
☼☼
13
20
17
19
20
21
22
23
10
9
9
11
10
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
11
15
16
13
12
12
6
8
4
5
■►■
□ □
☼☼
☼ □
☼☼
7
10
10
8
6
9
8
6
10
8
■ ■
■ ■
☼☼
☼ □
■ □
8
9
12
16
11
9
13mm 11
9
8
11
☼□
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
■ □
16
14
13
18
16
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
10
10
7
6
6
5
7
4
☼☼
■ ■
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
☼ #
13
15
11
10
10
10
10
10
5
7
9
8
8
8
8
10
☼☼
■ □
☼ □
☼ □
☼ □
☼☼
☼☼
☼☼
13
12
16
16
13
11
12
14
3
3
0
2
5
☼☼
☼ □
☼☼
■ ■
■ □
8
8
5
5
8
10
■ □
17
TOTAL MONTHLY
RAINFALL
☼ SUNNY
# HAZE
NIL
□ BROKEN CLOUD
DECEMBER
THIS PERIOD LAST YEAR Warmest
15 (21st)
Monthly Rain
24mm
THIS PERIOD 2002/3
Warmest
19 (18th)
Monthly Rain
5mm
RECORD HOLDERS
Warmest
20 (1995)
FOR THIS PERIOD
Wettest
113mm (2004)
3mm
JANUARY
19 (6th)
73mm
19 (1st)
29mm
21 (1995)
151mm (2010)
25mm
5mm
4mm
1mm
9mm
3mm
■ OVERCAST
RAIN
22mm
►
WINDY
╬ STORM
FEBRUARY
17 (26th)
3mm
16 (28th)
34mm
27 (2001)
194mm (1993)
▓ FOG
MARCH
17 (31st)
54mm
22 (3rd)
31mm
32 (2001)
202mm (2004)
First, may I apologise to all readers and the editor for the incomplete records for the month of March. For the first time since 2001 I was just not
around to make the recordings.
December, for the first time since records began in 1992, was rain free. It was also very pleasant with plenty of sunshine, as was January.
February was non-descript, as it always is, and as usual we were glad to see the back of it.
DICK BIRD
Images of Cabrera