Costa Cálida Chronicle - Costa Calida Chronicle

Transcription

Costa
Cálida
Chronicle
The Longest Established
hed
FREE Magazine
in Murcia
www.costacalidachronicle.com
Issue: 4 Volume: XII
In association with Costa Cálida International Radio and www.angloINFO.com
Date: March 2012
Please tell our customers where you saw their advertisement in the Costa Cálida Chronicle
To place an advertisement with us please see page 5 or contact Teresa 619 199 407
email: costacalidachronicle@gmail.com
Page 1
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ACAM Development
Mark Stocks, Vice President of ACAM
has been busy setting up many ways of
introducing ACAM to the rest of Europe.
For the next 2 months we are asking
people to share their love for the arts.
Via the magic of Facebook, ACAM invite
everyone to share their opinions on the
people or places that inspire them. It could
be an artist, a musician, a special place or
a performer that influences your creativity
in any way. This is open to everyone to
share their thoughts and collectively learn
of creative people that we may not know
about and inspire others.
Go to Facebook; Arts & Cultural Association
page and post your comments.
You can follow ACAM on Facebook, twitter
@ACAM_MURCIA and on google+
Search Arts & Cultural Association of
Murcia / ACAM.
Email acam.murcia@yahoo.com
ACAM’s very first AGM took place at the
Camposol Business Centre On Friday 3rd
February. A fantastic mix of members
from Murcia Dance, George Thompson
Community Art Classes and Mazarrón
Festival de Baile contributed to the AGM.
From young children to parents, and
volunteers to students, on behalf of ACAM
project managers and ACAM board, we
would like to say a huge thank-you for your
time and continued support. Special thanks
also goes to Luis Canavos for guiding us
through the legal areas within the delivery
of ACAM’s aims and objectives.
It was great to have some children’s and
young people’s input into a meeting that
will shape the quality activities delivered
locally for the young. In addition to this it
was great to have parent representatives
and students from ACAM’s Arts & Cultural
projects, giving their advice and opinions
to strengthen the foundations of ACAM.
Key decisions made include the change of
ACAM’s office address. ACAM projects
will now fund a virtual office space at the
Camposol Business Centre, Sector A. It’s
been a very busy couple of months for
ACAM projects. Both Murcia Dance and
George Thompson Art Classes are now
running their projects at different venues.
Murcia Dance
Murcia Dance now delivers their children’s
programme at the Sensol Hotel Dance
Studio. The children from the age of 3 up
to 13 years are loving it at the new venue.
It’s spacious, light, mirrored, lovely views
and the flooring is perfect for dance. This
term the children will be working towards
their Annual Performance and Presentation
which will take place in May.
They will also be training in the Professional
of Teachers (PTD) Hip Hop syllabus with
the view of taking the UK Council for
Dance in Education accredited exams from
January 2013. Murcia Dance Principal,
Louise Bremner, is the Spanish Coordinator
for the PTD in Spain.
related to the childrens’ programme. With
this support ZUMBA members are giving
a little bit back to the community and
providing needed quality activities for the
young on Camposol.
George Thompson Community Art
Classes
George Thompson delivers his Art Classes
to adults at Cañadas del Romero Casa
Cultura Community Building. George’s
students also appreciate the new building
which is light and has beautiful views
that stimulate a creative and artistic
environment to work in.
Mazarrón Festival de Baile 2012
Mazarrón Festival de Baile has finalised its
2012 dates. It will run from Saturday 23rdMonday 25th June. Already 4 schools have
registered with 60 entries. This fantastic
event raises the profile and quality of
dance throughout the Costas, and, brings
many new people to the Mazarrón area.
150 dancers from Almeria to Alicante, with
their family and friends, are expected to
attend this event which is now in its third
year.
Pilar Garica Language and Community
Classes
ACAM would like to welcome a new
project member, Pilar Garcia Language
and Cultural Activities. Pilar is actively
working at securing links with schools and
the Mazarron Council, not only to run a
programme of funded language classes
but also other ACAM projects.
For more information about getting involved in ACAM and accessing its projects
please telephone Louise Bremner 655 421
120.
Murcia Dance also run ZUMBA classes for
adults. The programme is also non-profit
making and currently subsidises expenses
Page 4
Contact Us:
We would like to welcome the following
new advertisers to The Costa Calìda
Chronicle.
New Advertisers
Liberty Seguros
Asesoria Alonso
J K Entertainment (Xfactor)
The Tropicana Bar/Café
And we would like to welcome back the
following advertisers:
Antonio Hernandez (Spanish Teacher)
Clinica Veterinaria (Puerto De Mazarrón &
Camposol)
MSC Insurance
D & G Garden Furniture
Helping Hands
SPECIAL PAGES
Camposol
Mar Menor
Northwest Murcia
What to Do
ADVERTORIAL
Alley Palais
Decklid
Furniture Plus
CHARITIES
ACASA
ADAPT
Age Concern
Andrea’s Charity
Easy Horse Care
Galgos del Sol
GO maD
HAH Mar Menor
HELP Mar Menor
JJ’s
MABS Mar Menor
MABS Mazarrón
MAMAS
MARA
Mazarrón Lions
Noah’s ARC
PALS
Pets in Spain
RAD
Red Cross
EDUCATION
Antonio’s Phrases
Jane Cronin
ENTERTAINMENT
Classic Artistes/Albums
Cloud Nine
The Market Tavern
Kennelly’s Bar Camposol
Quicksave Camposol
Tuxedo Limo´s
Delmonte Cat Hotel
A note to all contributors and
advertisers
When sending in adverts, reports and
articles, could you please remember that
the Costa Cálida Chronicle covers the
whole of the Costa Cálida from Mazarrón
and the Mar Menor, right the way up
to Northwest Murcia.
It is therefore
important that you mention where a
business is, so that readers that are not
local to that particular establishment
have some idea where it is in case they
would like to visit. This is also important
for businesses to make it clear in their
publicity how far they are prepared to
travel as sometimes it does not make
sense to do business in a particular area.
This means that if a bar is in Puerto de
Mazarrón, there is no point in putting ‘the
Port’ and if a bar is in Los Alcazares or
Camposol, please put where it is, in the
report. Readers often contact us asking
where a particular event is being held, as
in the report it just gives the name of the
bar or restaurant.
Many thanks.
From all the team at
The Costa Calìda Chronicle.
Contents Page
39-43
65-69
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81-84
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10
24
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52/53
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CHILDREN
Chatterbox
FOOD/DRINK
Herb of the Month
Ma Millbank
Wine of the Month
GROUPS
ACAM
Animal Welfare
Evolutionists
Welcome
HEALTH
Alternative Therapy
FAST
No Smoking Day
INFORMATION
Ask Jennifer
British Consulate
Bullfighting Demo
Business Directory
Camposol A Clean-up
Camposol B Gardening
Camposol C Greenfingers
Carthaginians & Romans
Classified Ads
CRA
Dear Editor
Distribution Points
Fiestas Camposol
Foreign Language
General Info/Ad Prices
International Women’s Day
Las Fallas
Life in Spain
Mazarrón News
Northwest Murcia
Paramount
72
51
12
80
4
46
22,32
55
73
40
77
58
7
44
96/97
42
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43
30/31
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39
32
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28/29
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20
To place a business advert please contact
Teresa Hicks
To discuss editorial content and articles
please contact Patti Benn
To discuss advert changes please contact
Jo Wrench
If you would like to place an advertisement
or write an article to be included in the
Costa Cálida Chronicle, then please send
it to:
Costa Cálida Chronicle S.L.
28 Calle Jara
Centro Commercial Sector B
Camposol
30875 Murcia
Email: costacalidachronicle@gmail.
com
Web: www.costacalidachronicle.com
To our advertisers. Please note we
have had some recent issues with
email.
If you have sent an email to
the CCC and NOT received any
acknowledgement then you can
assume that we have not received it.
In line with our customer service policy
we always reply to every email even it it
is just a short note to say “got it”.
Spanish News
St Patrick’s Day
Subscriptions
Teresa’s Travels
LEISURE
Astrology
Author Review
Gardening
Hiking in Moratalla
Puzzle Page
Puzzle Solutions
TV News
NEST Walks
Northwest Murcia
WARM
PROPERTY
Housing Update
Property Matters
RELIGION
Beacon of Light
Mass in English
Men of Vision
Olive Branch
St Nicholas Church
Wellspring
SPORT
Golf Tips
Fuente Old Guard
Los Amigos
Mar Menor Golf
Mazarrón Bowls
Rugby Totana
SAMM
Supermoto
Vuelta de Murcia
59
54
94
35
Dear Readers
We seemed to have survived the really
bad weather experienced through much
of Spain and of course the UK. Let’s hope
that this a good sign of things to come
in the business sector for the rest of the
year. Whilst we are still in the midst of
a recession it is good to see that there
are still businesses opening and changing
hands in the area. We would like to wish
Furniture Plus every success with their
move from Purias down to The Puerto
De Mazarron, and we would like to wish
Neil and Ana every success with their
take-over of the Tropicana Bar up on
Camposol sector A.
Camposol Office - 968 970 680
Teresa Hicks - Sales & Marketing
- 619 199 407
Patti Benn - Editor - 646 005 017
Jo Wrench - Graphic Design and
Publishing - 646 610 080
Bob Benn - Finance - 620 582 654
Martine
Shindler
Customer
Services - 968 970 680
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Page 5
Friday 30th March - Cave Walk Meet El Berro car park 10.30am
Another very easy, social, non-sporty
walk, like all NEST walks, with the
opportunity to see some caves in the
heart of Sierra Espuña! Of course it
doesn’t mean any ‘caving’ (!) It is
simply an opportunity to see some caves
from the outside, or if you do feel like
venturing in a bit more, bring a torch.
Bring binoculars and cameras, as the
views everywhere will be spectacular
and there may be wildlife opportunities,
as Sierra Espuña is home to eagles,
including the Golden Eagle with its
massive wingspan,
Arrui (from the
Atlas Mountains in Morocco – handsome
unforgettably
beautiful
animals!)
squirrels, foxes, wild boar etc. NEST is
about socialising, meeting new people,
making friends and having happy times
out together in beautiful surroundings,
so you may also want to take photos of
each other too!
Remember you need to book first,
either by phone or text message
to 679002147 or by email to
natureespunatrails@gmail.com
as
places are limited. Please supply full
names of each person coming along
with Spanish contact phone numbers in
case of last minute changes, then wait
until you’ve had confirmation back that
you’re booked in. Unfortunately people
can’t just turn up as there’s a limit and
restaurants need booking in advance.
The walk is 5€ and at this restaurant
the (optional) 4 course meal of salad,
starter, main course, dessert, including
one drink and *also coffee * is 9€. Most
people love to come for the meal which
is a very sociable happy occasion! There
are driving directions and a lot more
information including videos and photos
on the website at
http://www.nestwalks.info. If you
join the mailing list on the website,
you’ll hear about new walks or changes
before anyone else, and not everything
is always in magazines because things
can change after printing deadlines etc.
Dogs on leads are also very welcome
on all NEST walks, although restaurant
arrangements can make it awkward
depending where we’re eating and if
we’re outside or inside. Please always
check first. The meal is always optional,
so the walk by itself is always possible
with a dog.
Looking forward to seeing you all!
Bring some water, sensible footwear,
cameras, binoculars and of course most
importantly, a smile!
We usually follow a walk with a
scrumptious meal at an authentic
Spanish restaurant. In this case it will
be at a beautiful restaurant in a scenic
spot in Sierra Espuña where we often
see wild boar and their young, with a
bit of luck. When we do, it makes our
day! There are videos and photos on
the NEST website of the wild boar, but
there’s nothing like the real experience
and being there seeing them with your
own eyes really close up.
Page 6
British Consul discusses property issues
in Catral with residents and Valencian
Authorities
that the Valencian Regional Government will
continue to work with the local councils in
Catral and Lliber towards a solution.
On 25th and 26th January Paul Rodwell, the
British Consul in Alicante, and Alexandra
Brown, property advisor at the British
Embassy, met with Catral residents and the
Valencian authorities to discuss planning
issues in the region.
Paul Rodwell said: “I am pleased that the local
and regional authorities are starting to work
together to address these issues although we
realise there is still a lot of work to be done.
We will continue to engage with the Valencian
authorities on these issues whenever we can
and advise British nationals on what action
they can take if they are affected by property
problems”.
They first met with a small group of
Catral residents in order to get a better
understanding of the issues, which was
followed by a meeting with the Mayor of
Catral and the town planning team to discuss
the way forward. The Town Hall confirmed
that they are keen to resolve the planning
problems and are working on a special plan
to enable the majority of properties to be
regularised and to access utilities. They hope
to have further news on this by the end of
February and will communicate developments
to residents.
British nationals considering buying a property
in Spain or experiencing property problems
are strongly urged to read the wealth of advice
on the property section of the UKinSpain
website, available at http://ukinspain.fco.
gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/
living-in-spain/property-in-spain/.
Paul and Alexandra then met with Isabel
Bonig Trigueros, the Regional Minister for
Infrastructure, Planning and the Environment,
and her team to discuss property issues in the
region, focusing on Catral and Lliber, amongst
other areas.
The Consellera emphasised
“MY OLD MAN SAID FOLLOW THE VAN”
Furniture Plus is on the move and re-locating
from Purias to the old Don Bricolaje shop above
Mercadona at the Piramid Center, Puerto de
Mazarrón.
Chris and Roy are really looking forward to this
new challenge in their business enabling them
to be closer to many of their customers and in
an area which is up and coming once again.
Furniture Plus is an established business of 8
years and has a good professional reputation
with an excellent customer service record. Chris
& Roy were the first to open an English shop
in Aguilas 8 years ago and have built up their
business by selling from one item to complete
furniture packages. They have adapted with
the trends over the years and once again they
are moving to keep up with new trends since
the recession of the last few years.
Chris & Roy from Furniture Plus look forward
to meeting old and new customers in their new
shop in Puerto de Mazarrón.
Mobile 678083491
See our advert on the back page.
Page 7
St Nicholas Ecumenical Church
Calle Sobrija 2248
Sector D20 Camposol
By Rev Len Eaton MBE
www.stnicholaschurchspain.com
Wednesday 22nd February was a very
important day in the Church calendar
and particularly here at St Nicholas, as in
addition to celebrating Ash Wednesday,
the first day of Lent, we also held our
Annual General Meeting.
Now we are into Lent and I receive many
questions asking what Lent is all about.
Many see it as a time for “giving up things”,
but they often do not know why this is. In the
first few centuries of the Christian Church,
new converts were normally baptized at
Easter time. In order to be ready for this
event they passed through a season of
solemn preparation and instruction. The
whole Christian Community wanted to
join with them in this, so the forty days
before Easter became what is called in
English “Lent”. Its name comes from
an Old English word for “Spring”, and the
forty days commemorate the forty days
that Jesus spent in the Wilderness being
tempted by the Devil.
Shrove Tuesday, (Pancake Day), the
day before Ash Wednesday, used to
be the time to eat up all the rich food
before fasting and to have sins forgiven,
or “shriven”.
Shriven is another Old
English word meaning to hear confessions.
Remembering that the Bible tells us to
“repent in dust and ashes”, the first day of
Lent is called Ash Wednesday when, in
some Churches, ashes are placed on the
forehead of worshippers in the shape of a
cross. Such a service is held at St Nicholas
annually. We did not, however, change our
altar cloth to sack cloth as practiced still
today in some Churches! So may I wish
you all a disciplined Lenten period as we
look forward to that Glorious Easter Day,
8th April, when we celebrate the risen Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Sunday 11th
Holy Communion
10.30am
German Service
4.00pm
(Mothering Sunday)
Sunday 18th
Morning Prayer
10.30am
Sunday 25th
Holy Communion
10.30am
German Service
4.00pm
All services take place at Calle Sobrija
2248, D20 Camposol, where a warm
welcome awaits you. Services offered by
the Church are Wedding Blessings, Holy
Baptism, Confirmation and Funerals.
We have a Pastoral Service throughout the
year, people who listen, talk and are there
to help anyone who is sick or in need. The
Pastoral care is absolutely confidential.
For any of the Church Services offered,
or other information, please call Rev
Len Eaton on 968138952, Rev Deacon
Maureen Kent on 636099679, or Rev Bro
Konrad 679927268
Services for March 2012
Sunday 4th
Songs of Praise
10.30am
“Giving things up for Lent” is training
in self-discipline, but it is not a bargain
seeking a reward and self righteousness
must be avoided.
Our Lent discipline
should
include
something
positive;
spending time in prayer and Bible reading,
joining study groups and extra services, or
doing something to help others who are in
need. Donating the money saved when
forgoing the bar of chocolate or glass of
wine to charity is one way of doing that.
Page 8
Page 9
Association News:
‘Verde’ the association’s second hand shop
needs to relocate. We are looking for a new
store front rental anywhere in the inland
area of Murcia, (Bullas, Mula, Alhama de
Murcia, Camposol or surrounding areas).
All proceeds earned, minus operating
expenses goes to the maintenance and
care of the animals in our refuge. If anyone
out there knows of an inexpensive rental
or can donate a space, your help would be
very much appreciated. The animals would
also be grateful as well.
Please contact us on 655027676 or email
us at info@verdemurcia.com
Other News:
www.olivebranchfellowship.com
Rudy and Noelia, the two kittens rescued An Evangelical, lively and friendly place
on Christmas Day, which were featured to discover the love of Jesus.
in last month’s issue of the Costa Cálida
Chronicle, have found their forever home.
Rags, the pure breed German Shepherd,
who was also featured has also been
adopted. He was a special dog. He needed
6 months to regain his health and over
500€ was spent by donations made to the
RAD Animal Association for his recovery.
All three animals are adjusting well to their
new environment.
If you are interested in adopting your
forever friend, please visit our website at
www.verdemurcia.com
Watching the Six Nations Rugby recently
I wondered at the history of Swing Low
Sweet chariot sung by English supporters?
Some songs are like that are they not? The
tune and probably the first verse sticks in
your head and you find yourself singing or
humming it quite at random. Many songs we
remember relate to a particular time in our
life and on hearing, or singing them, bring
back memories. Some hymns are like that
as well and the words can have a profound
effect on us. Think of, for example Amazing
Grace, written by the former slave trader
John Newton. “Amazing Grace! How sweet
the sound that saved a wretch like me”,
or Charles Wesley’s hymns “Jesus lover of
my soul” or “And can it be..”. Unforgettable
words reflecting a personal encounter with
God. When I became a Christian, the song
of the moment was “Things are different
now, something happened to me, when
I gave my life to Jesus..” Of course some
of us are better at singing than others, but
that doesn’t usually stop us! God loves us to
sing as He designed us to; along with birds,
whales and dolphins I believe! The Bible tells
us that there will be lots of opportunities to
sing in heaven, so get some practice in, but
make sure you are going there! Jesus said “I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No-one
can come to the Father except through me.”
Our Sunday morning service is at the
Community Centre on Camposol ‘B’
starts at 10.30am each week and offers
a variety of music and styles, both
traditional and modern. You are invited
to join us.
Page 10
Page 11
By Sara Millbank
The great British breakfast would not be
complete without the good old English
sausage, and how could we eat toad in the
hole without a banger or two? When buying
sausages at the supermarket or butchers in
England, the choice was usually very simple,
Cumberland, Lincolnshire, Pork and Beef
or with bits of herbs in them, but here in
Spain the sausage is very different, although
perhaps born the same way.
In the Beginning
Sausages started way back when people
had their own pig in the garden and could
not afford to throw any of the animals away.
The sausages were usually homemade, and
were intended to last the whole year. The
raw pork was hand chopped, mixed with
back fat and spices, then stuffed into casings
(made from the pigs gut). The more meat
in the sausage, the less fat content and the
sweeter the meat.
Regions
Some sausages included extra ingredients
like onions and rice and regional variations
such as nuts from the strong Moorish
presence. Garlic showed it came from the
south or west (although over use was found
to turn the sausage rancid) and Salamanca
sausage has a strong presence of cereal.
There are also sausages made with beef and
vegetables as well as venison.
How Sausages are Made
The mixture for Spanish sausages is stuffed
into the casings, which vary in size and shape
depending on the sausage and ingredients,
unlike the British sausage, which tends to be
the much the same shape. The sausages are
then hung on strings in a cool place and will
lose as much as 35 per cent of their weight if
left for a full year. Smoked sausages can also
be found in Spain, but these tend to swell
with cooking and are better eaten raw. Many
dried sausages can also be eaten raw, but
this is not always the case. Sausages tend
to be classed by their colour and so we have
provided some guidance below.
Black Sausage
Also know as blood puddings or Morcillas
and similar to British black puddings as they
are made with the fresh blood of the newly
slaughtered pig. Once they are made, they
are boiled to keep the freshness and then
dried for storage. They are always cooked
before eating and come mainly from Seville
and Ronda and are found in links or rings.
Northern variations are flavoured with
aniseed and cloves, and can be fattened with
either onions or rice as mentioned before.
Burgos Morcillas contain pine nuts and is
usually eaten raw and found as tapas. The
Valencian blood puddings are sometimes
very spicy and are made with cumin and
cinnamon. Botifarra is the black sausage
from the east of the country and is made in
links or rings and is always cooked, mainly
grilled or fried.
Red Sausage
Apart from in Catalonia, red sausage is
made with paprika to give it its colouring and
flavour. Chorizos are named after choricero
chilli and there are over 50 different regional
varieties, but two main ones. Red Chorizos
are made in links, contain ground-minced
meat and are mottled with fat. They can be
boiled or fried and the longer varieties are
usually sweeter than the small round ones,
which are hot and spicy. The knobbly garlic
red sausage is found mainly in central Spain
and is used mainly for stews and soups. The
second type of Chorizo is cured and much
longer and fatter than the first red sausage.
These are served as tapas, sliced thinly and
eaten with bread or added to salads and
may be marbled or chopped. Variations of
Chorizo include the Pamplona variety, which
resembles salami because of its orange
coloured fat. Another is the Chistorra, which
is typically Basque and is a narrow cigarshaped sausage with a mix of pork and beef.
Also widely used in Andalusia is the Morcon
sausage, which is made from marinated loin
and shoulder and looks like a hand grenade.
The Murcians have a larger version of this
Morcon.
Lomo Embuchado (or cinta)
This looks like a sausage, but is actually the
spinal loin muscle. It is marinated in paprika
and garlic and sometimes oregano and
nutmeg and is dried for two to six months. It
is expensive and has a delicate flavour so it
is quiet a treat, but not to be confused with
sausages.
White Sausages
Sausages that are neither black nor red are
classed as ‘white sausages’ although they
may not have a white appearance. Fuet is a
Catalonian sausage containing white pepper
and sugar and is usually sold in double
lengths. It is long and thin so dries very fast
and can be extremely chewy. Salchichon
is a typical white sausage and comes in
rings and strings and is usually powdered
on the outside, which gives it the ‘blanco’
appearance. They tend to be dry, like salami
and laced with peppercorns. Longaniza is
the name used for a variety of sausages
and is often the ones you see hanging up in
hanks. Short lengths are used for cooking,
as these tend to be hard, bland and fatty
while the larger coils are hung to dry and
sliced and eaten with bread. White blancas
or botifarras are the brother of the black
ones and are made in Catalonia. These fresh
sausages are usually grilled or boiled and
are often eaten with beans.
Of course don`t forget the embutidos, which
is fresh sausage similar to our British one
and very popular all over Spain. They are
made everywhere and can be bought in
any supermarket. So next time you are
out shopping, why not look at the sausage
section and try some of the wonderful
sausages on your door step.
Page 12
WHY ADOPT A DOG WITH LEISHMANIA?
We in our very small animal rescue
association have a number of dogs with
Leishmania because people are worried
about adopting what they perceive as a
‘sick animal’. Please read this and if you are
thinking of adopting a dog don’t be put off
by the word LEISHMANIA.
When we first came to live in Spain in 2004
with our 3 much loved German Shepherds,
we thought we had it all. However in 2007
we lost our first German Shepherd to a
lethal bite from something unknown to us.
Some 6 month later our second German
Shepherd took very ill and went off her legs
- not unusual for an 11 year old GSD. We
learned after about 6 weeks of treating her
for hip displacer that she had Leishmania
and could not be saved. Our third dog
died 6 weeks later of what we think was a
broken heart. We knew nothing about this
Leishmania, only that our vet told us there
was no real cure. There were treatments
that could be expensive and could damage
the liver and kidney of the animal being
treated.
Through all of this and after having 9 strays
put on our land, we started to volunteer for
a small local animal rescue association in
Mula. It was being run by just a few loyal
and dedicated members who were working
hard to try and save injured and abandoned
animals. We soon got very involved, and
as time went by re-homed all of our strays
some of which had Leishmania.
This
prompted me to research this illness, how
it affected the animals and what could be
done about it. The treatment now can be
inexpensive for a dog with healthy liver and
kidney function and follow-on treatment is
indeed very cheap and can be purchased in
the local farmacia.
Leishmania
Leishmaniasis is a disease transmitted by
the bite of an infected sand fly, single-celled
parasitic protozoan (genus Leishmania,
phylum Kinetoplastida) that spends part of
its life cycle in the gut of a sand fly. The
sand fly (mosquito) is active between the
hours of dusk and dawn, so any animal
sleeping outside is at risk of being bitten.
How does Leishmania affect the
animals that have contracted it?
Leishmania can affect the skin of a dog,
or it can affect the glands. Whether a dog
has “Skin Leish or Gland Leish” it is very
easily treatable providing it is caught soon
enough and the kidney and liver function
are not affected. A course of injections with
a drug called Glucantime can be prescribed
by the vet and this has proved to be a
very popular and successful treatment.
This treatment is then followed by a tablet
called Alopurinol which is very inexpensive.
Out of the 14 case studies that I conducted
through 3 different vets, at least 6 of the
dogs tested negative after a period of 6
months.
The others have low reading
results and live a full and normal life. If
the dog shows signs of liver and kidney
function reduction, the vet can prescribe
a drug called Milteforan. This is a more
expensive treatment which is given in liquid
form and then also followed by Alopurinol.
Some dogs may need to take Alopurinol for
the rest of their lives and some for only the
summer months. We recently sent a dog
with Leishmania to the UK and following
his treatment with Glucantime he will take
Alopurinol for 6 months. Within one month
of finishing his injections, he gained 7
kilos in weight and is now a very healthy
wonderful family pet that will live a long life
with his new adopted family and even with
Leishmania.
You can purchase a special collar for your
dogs which will help to deter the sand fly
from biting the dog and it is about 95 %
effective and all dogs who sleep outside
should wear one during the sand fly season.
After reading this and if you are thinking
about adopting a family pet, please
consider one of the dogs who are left
behind in the rescue associations because
of Leishmania. You will find that in an
association like MARA, the initial treatments
will have been carried out and the dog
stabilized with Alopurinol and will be ready
to live a normal life in a loving family home
and may need to take a small pill daily.
Some dogs with Leishmania lived to reach
the grand old age of 16 with 9 of those
years as a “Leish dog”
Marion Royston
For more information on Berty or any
other MARA dog, please call Marion on
968979865 or 628811187 or Keith on
628811188.
The MARA shop is desperately short of
items to sell in the shop in Mula. If anyone
has anything that they could donate, please
contact Marion on 628811187. Thank you.
Page 13
Berty a German Shepherd cross of approx
16 months. When he was found, he tested
positive for Leishmania. He has finished
is treatment of Milteforan and his test last
week gave a negative result. Berty needs
a home with someone who has the time
to spend training him. He is a lovely boy
looking for his forever home.
This month we set out for three walks, the
first being led by Ken and Sandra, who reported as follows:
The weather was kind to us; dry and sunny
and the walk attracted 24 happy walkers.
Our route in the Cehegin area took us on
a figure of eight course through field and
forest, on roads and tracks, and with lots of
undulations. There were a few nice views
from time to time to catch the eye. On our
return we retired to La Lonja Restaurante
for a delicious menu del dia and much conversation.
– the Fire Lookout at Collado de Linuesa
– and so we donned rain hats, jackets
and gloves and set off just as it started to
drizzle! Stopping on the gentle ascent at
various places where the views can be appreciated properly, we encountered more
clouds of mist. The final 500 metres were
the steepest part. Recuperating from the
effort, we had a picnic and appreciated
views to the west, north and east, where
the sunshine was warming the plain of
Cagitán to Almorchón,
The second walk took place in the La Encarnación area, but unfortunately after just
a few kilometres into the walk we came
across a huge wire fence. The whole area
has recently been fenced off for hunting
purposes, but our leader on the day was
blissfully aware of this until she led the
group into it! After much discussion and
head scratching we found an alternative
route and then went to a local restaurant
for lunch.
Our third walk of the month was led by
Jessica who arranged a 13 km walk to
the north side of the Sierra de Ricote. A
group of 26 intrepid Spanish and British
people started from a parking area. Dark
clouds were hanging over the destination
The Sierra del Oro, the Campo de Ricote,
Blanca and Abarán. Although the moisture
had reduced visibility on the way up, the
intriguing glimpses of scenery were enough
to forget the weather. The shorter (and
therefore steeper) descent is the prettiest
part of the walk and we arrived back at our
cars in lovely sunshine and high spirits. It
had been a wonderful opportunity to forge
new friendships and despite the weather, a
lovely walk.
Many thanks to all the leaders. If you are
interested in joining a walk similar to the
ones described above then please contact
warm2005@gmail.com for further information.
Page 14
The cold has been slow to arrive this winter,
but in the end, we had strong winds for this
tour. The route started near The Casicas
del Portal at 7 degrees below zero and
with a breeze that substantially increased
the feeling of cold, but the weather didn’t
deter the participants of this tour, but gave
them the opportunity to enjoy the “impact
winter”.
them
endemic,
who inhabit this
place?
We reached the height of a large juniper
tree, showing the purple berries that
the blackbirds eat. We thought about
breakfast here, but we were at 1,200
meters altitude and again we noted the
icy wind. We continued the walk in search
of the Cave of Lobera, a curious cave
formed from a pressure tube, whose name
suggests interesting passages of natural
history. The cave also has served recently
as a pen for cattle and their walls with
engraved markings remind us that it had
previously served as a refuge for men of
the “Paleolítico”.
From here we
returned,
this
time uphill, so it
was little harder
than usual. As
it’s
a
hillside
we decided to
abandon the path
and followed a
goat path that
led to another
well
preserved
staircase. This lead us to the vicinity of
the Portal del Casicas again and from there
to our cars, again the icy wind in our faces,
but with the satisfaction that we enjoyed a
field day that will take a long time to forget.
We then turned our steps back into the
ravine towards Hondares after traveling
a narrow path that winds through old,
abandoned
orchards,
exploring
the
openings that allowed us a peek to the
bottom of the ravine, at which point we
passed a large excursion of more than
65 walkers. We went down to the socalled “Poza de las Tortugas”, where
we contemplated the enormous icicles
hanging from the waterfall, ice sculptures
on the rocks and plants and the frozen
pond. What will happen to the turtles and
aquatic macro-invertebrates, some of
A small group went to eat a wonderful steak
and sauce in Restaurant Rosales. Back in
Moratalla, we decided to stop at the Risca
Reservoir and to our surprise we found
that almost 50% of its surface was frozen.
Despite this, waterfowl were still there
and a pair of lapwings. A little later, at the
bridge of La Tercia, we found enormous
stalactites of ice, some with genuine icy
plumes that made us stop and take many
photos.
We descended to Barranco de Hondares
by some monumental steps. The rocks
which we walked through were the best
example to show that the former Straits
Norbético started here, before the
existence of the Strait of Gibraltar. We
passed the ruins of the farmhouse that
was thriving in Hondares, with plenty of
water and large areas of land devoted to
farming. We crossed the creek to the right
leaving a curious layer of very white sand
and headed to Las Lomas. Although we
walked out of the wind, no clothing was
removed with the thermometer still at the
0 ° C mark.
Page 15
Like much of Spain at this time of year,
the blossom, especially the almond blossom is absolutely beautiful. Those people
who live on the coast really should take
advantage of the organised walks in the
area that show some of the amazing scenery. NEST (Nature Espuña Trails), WARM
(Walkers Around the Region Murcia) and
Espuña Adventure are three of the local walking groups that organise various
walks, as do some of the Tourist Offices.
At weekends especially, you can see many
people either taking a leisurely stroll, or a
more energetic walk and the Spanish are
very aware of the benefits of walking to
keep fit.
It is good to see that two of the local tourist offices in Northwest Murcia are sending
us information about events in the area.
We offer to print as much information as
possible from these offices, but up until now Santi from the Cehegin office has
been the only person who realises that this
service can only encourage people to support local events. We live in a stunning
part of Murcia and there is a lot going on if
only we knew about it!
“EL NOROESTE SE COME”
10 February to 1 April, sees the gastronomic route “EL NOROESTE SE COME”. This
route gives everyone the opportunity to
meet up with others and taste the cuisine of Northwest Murcia in participating
establishments, whilst visiting the various
municipalities of this district. The idea is
to bring the popular cuisine of the Northwest Region of Murcia to lovers of good
food whilst learning about typical products
of this region.
A large number of restauranteurs are supporting this project, which offers visitors a
taste of local cuisine and an insight into
local customs and people. It hopefully will
encourage the development of this region.
Those who wish to participate in the “EL
NOROESTE SE COME” will be given the
opportunity to win bottles of wine valued
at €1,300 courtesy of OJ Bullas. To participate it’s necessary to complete the
route in six of the gourmet restaurants on
offer, which hopefully will delight diners.
When you have visited any of the participating places, make sure you get the card
signed by the establishment and take it,
when completed, to any of the Northwest
Murcia Tourist Boards.
Municipalities where you can find participating places in this gastronomic route are:
Moratalla: La Moncloa, El Cortijo, Mirador
de la Plaza, El Pipiolo, Tau Chen, y Montebenamor
Bullas: Molino de Abajo, Avenida, Borrego,
Mesón Las Tinajas y Asador del Noroeste
Calasparra: Don Gómez IV y Centro
Caravaca: El Rincón de Paco, Aixa, Salones Castillo de la Cruz, Torreón de las
Fuentes, La Esquina de Buenos Aires, Paladar, Fuentes del Marqués, El Templete, El
Casón de Los Reyes y Molino del Río
Mula: Hotel Alcázar y El Casino
More information can be found at www.
elnoroestesecome.com
CEHEGÍN SCENE
On the last Sunday of every month from
October to June in the “Plaza del Castillo”
the highest point in the old town of Cehegin (Casco Antiguo) there is a craft market
known as “El Mesoncico”. There you will
find more than 50 craftsmen of the area
with stalls displaying such products as
cured meats, hams, pottery, cakes, wines,
cheeses, etc. Each of the monthly markets
has a different theme showing traditional
and local crafts. You will be able to taste
and enjoy the foods and products most
typical to this area.
On Sunday the 25th of March preparations begin for Easter week. At the Artisan Market you can enjoy potage of cod
and meatballs accompanied by our great
wines. This Sunday also sees the end of
the 4th Tapas Route in Cehegín.
Massed National Bands of Drums and
Cornets from many places in Spain will
be playing during the day throughout the
streets of Cehegín.
Free parking is available at the Marble
Technology Centre situated in Carretera
Murcia, approached from the West. A free
bus service is operated to the market place
every 20 minutes.
FREE NATURE WALKS
Cehegin provides a variety of landscapes
which include woods, mountains, hills,
sloping valleys, scrubland and streams.
These natural habitats host flora and fauna
of special interest which provide a priceless tourist and educational resource.
These walks take place on the last Saturday of each month. They are designed for
people of all ages who enjoy hiking at fairly
easy levels which makes them accessible
for the whole family. The tourist walks are
free and start at 9.00am and are between
4 and 9km, and will take between 2 to 3
hours.
On the 24th of March our walk takes us to
Peña Rubia, the nearest mountain to Cehegín which is rich in historical and archaeological interest. We will be able to visit
the cave paintings with a guide. The walk
will take approximately 3 hours, over 4km.
Please contact Cehegin Tourist Office to reserve a place.
CAR BOOT SALE IN CEHEGÍN
This will be on Sunday the 22nd APRIL
and is taking place in the square beside
the old railway station in the Vía Verde,
just two minutes from Mercadona. There
is plenty of room for parking and Stalls
will be provided by the Town hall free
of charge for the trial run. Anyone interested in booking a stall contact the Cehegín Tourist Office. All are welcome.
Every weekend you can visit the Ecological Park which is open to visitors from
10am until 6.00pm at weekends. Everybody is welcome. For visits during the
week however, a reservation is required by
telephone to 696775783.
If there are any further enquiries please
contact the Cehegin Tourist Office on
968723550 or visit our tourist website
www.turismocehegin.es
Santiago Leo
Cehegin Tourist Office
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Writing on a Sunday morning in midFebruary, “it aint arf cold” here in Southern
Spain – well cold for us residents, but even
colder back in the UK! It is one of my favourite
times of the year, with the fields awash with
the white and pink almond blossom – just a
real wonder of nature. Driving between La
Pinilla and Las Palas the other day one of
the fields was so heavy in blossom that it
looked as though the trees would collapse
under the weight! Just wonderful. I hope
this cold snap does not destroy the almond
crop - even the dog’s water was frozen over!
Please remember that we are away the
first 3 weeks in March (first holiday of
more than a week in 13 years!) – No installs/
quotes etc, but “emergencies” should be
covered!
TV NEWS
We still have not got our hands on a REAL
TV digibox to test – the FREESAT system
with the possibility to add sports and SKY
entertainment by the month. I understand
they are having some issues with the
software in the boxes. It will come!
SKY
Having gained half the FORMULA I races, they
are about to launch a dedicated F1 channel
to show them and loads of repeats I expect.
It will come on your system automatically if
you subscribe to SKY Sports, but remember
the races can all be watched on Spanish TV
for free. Couple up your UK digibox to your
audio system and you can get a commentary
in English from Radio 5 Live. Contact us if
you want more details.
Astra SES (the operator of the satellites
we get our TV from) is to launch ASTRA F
later this year at 28.2€ so that even more
capacity for the UK market will be available.
What that means for viewing in Southern
Spain is unknown. There are lots of rumours
flying round the bars about losing all UK TV.
Rainbow Satellites don’t believe that will
happen, but changes may come and we may
lose some channels, but don’t panic at this
stage! There is usually a solution to the
problems they throw at us and with Brussels
getting involved in opening the broadcasting
availability throughout the EEC it may just
get easier to watch.
That’s it for this month. Next month’s space
may be used as a bit of a holiday blog from
Rainbow Satellites, but we won’t bore you
with hundreds of photos!
Article
sponsored
by
RAINBOW
SATELLITES, for all your TV needs in the
Murcia region of Spain. Contact Alan or
Matt, emails preferred, rainbowsats@
gmail.com or call (0034) 686358475 for
free friendly advice from the experts. Our
website www.rainbowsats.org has some
good basic info on TV in Spain especially for
any newcomers.
Those of you with HUMAX FREESAT boxes
may be interested in “BOXOFFICE365”,
a beta trial of films on demand. There is
a choice of 28 films – some a bit old and
certainly not the latest movies! – with 7 of
them changing each week so that over a 4
week period there is a completely new library.
It costs £4.99 a month, but there is no “tie
in” and you can cancel at any time. Your box
needs to be connected to the internet router,
either with a lead from box to router, or using
“powerline adaptors” (as I do and we can
help with if you are stuck) and then you can
watch any of the 28 films as many times as
you want. Delivery is over the internet, not
the satellite dish, so be careful not to exceed
your download limits if your server restricts
you and the sign-up says you need a speed
of at least 2M, but I am on a rural telefonica
line with only 1M and have watched a couple
of the films with no problems. Go to channel
907 or www.freesat.co.uk/boxoffice365
or www.tv.bibc.com/register for all the
information. You can see this week’s film
availability without subscribing. The system
does not seem to mind a Spanish IP address
as ITVPLAYER doesn’t (channel 903) – great
for catching up missed programmes on ITV
– but BBCiplayer (channel 901) does not like
you in Spain, but we are solving that one!
Page 19
by Tina Tait
Although there has been a slight delay at
the notary in the signing for the purchase
of the land to build Paramount Park,
PREMURSA, the promotional company
which is purchasing the land and in charge
of construction, continues to be optimistic.
PREMURSA has been granted exclusive
licensing rights to construct and operate
the theme park for a 30 year extendible
period. 1.8 million square metres of land is
being sold at the cost of 15.8 million euros.
The actual Theme Park will be 774,777m²
and the rest of the land, approximately
1.03 million m², is allocated for the
‘Lifestyle Centre’ featuring 7 hotels,
several restaurants, bars, nightclubs,
a business district, an auditorium and
convention centre.
The original signing date, of 6th
February, was rescheduled to 7th
March. Apparently, the delay of the
purchase was due to the seller missing
documentation at the time of signing.
Delays of this nature are quite normal
in Spain and was, to some degree,
expected, although there was much
speculation that there were bigger
problems prior to the announcement
of the rescheduling. Jesus Samper,
head of the project, stated, “The first
brick of Paramount will be laid no later
than April or May 2012 and the park will
open along with the ‘Lifestyle Centre’
in Easter 2015.” The Townhall of Alhama
de Murcia is continuing to process the
licensing permits for the park. Officials are
waiting for an environmental impact report
before finalising, but the Townhall does
not anticipate any further setbacks. Once
the notary sale is completed, Paramount
Park will be moving ahead from the ‘draft
phase’ into the ‘detail phase’ of the project.
Jesus Samper, president of PREMURSA and
owner of Real Murcia Football Team, and
Santa Monica Financial (which is providing
the capital for the project), recently
travelled to Hollywood, California, to hold
meetings with Paramount executives
overseeing the project in Spain. The
meetings were necessary to evaluate its
progress and to outline what was dubbed
the ‘road show’ which is planned to be
launched in September. A feasibility report,
which was concluded to be favourable by
Paramount, will be sent internationally to
all the major business centres, along with
the visual presentation. The feasibility
report went into detailed analysis on
communication networks, the present and
future hotel capacity in the Murcia region,
regional tourism development plans and
funding, the state of the golf courses,
cruise ship docking in Cartagena, and the
progress of the new Corvera International
Airport and AVE fast train. The ‘road show’
is the presentation that will hopefully
attract the investors needed to further
fund the project. Reports indicate that the
amount needed to be raised to complete
the entire project is about a billion euros,
and many still remain sceptical. Chris
Mercer, a real estate developer in the area,
stated “Some have been sceptical about
Murcia’s grand plans, understandable
given the economic climate, however, the
Mayor has reiterated the importance of the
project in guaranteeing work to a whole
generation of young people growing up in
Alhama de Murcia.”
Alhama de Murcia is also planning to
expand its infrastructure in the community,
building new schools, medical institutions,
roads, and sports facilities to accommodate
the 8400 residential homes that will be
situated alongside the theme park.
Several other municipalities nearby
are already preparing for the influx in
tourism and the benefits of Paramount
Park being so close by. Mazarrón has
upgraded its promenade and marina,
and a beach front promenade in
Bolnuevo is now under construction.
Pliego has begun restoring the castle
which rests high above what now is a
sleepy little town.
The future economic impact of
the project could make up 2%
of the Region’s gross domestic
product (GDP). With the possibility
of economic growth, the creation
of some 22,600 construction and
operational jobs, the area hopes to attract
upwards of 3 million tourists each year
from around the world. A lot is at stake
as the pressure mounts to complete the
‘draft phase’ and start construction this
spring of 2012. One thing is certain, Murcia
is changing and the eyes of the world are
now watching.
Be sure to read the next issue of the Costa
Cálida Chronicle for continued updates.
Please
Please tell
tell our
our customers
customers where
where you
you saw
saw their
their advertisement
advertisement in
in the
the Costa
Costa Cálida
Cálida Chronicle
Chronicle
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place an
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advertisement with
with us
us please
please see
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or contact
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email:
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Page 21
When clients contact agents with a country
house to sell, we often find ourselves
explaining that the market has changed
quite dramatically in the last 3 or 4
years and it is unusual now for a buyer
to be looking for a country house. Most
clients now want urbanisations and newer
properties. These figures below, bear out
what we are seeing and it proves that
duplex’s and apartments are in greater
demand now than in 2008.
In the last six months of 2008 30% of
clients were looking for a country property.
The figure has dropped in the last six
months of 2011 to 21%. 13% of clients
were looking for apartments in 2008
whereas in 2011 the number had risen to
23% - almost double.
People’s spending potential has also
changed (not sure you need me to tell
you?).
In 2008, 43% of clients were
searching for property between 50,000150,000€. In 2010, 59% of clients were
searching in this category. Again, in 2008,
32% of clients were looking for property
between 150,000€-250,000€. The same
period in 2010 has dropped to just 18%. I
guess this is something we all understand
in this economic climate, but sometimes
it’s good to see it in black and white to
really understand the shift in the market
(Murcia Region - kyero.com Jan 2012).
I guess that all sounds a bit gloomy, but in
January 2012 we saw the highest amount
of enquiries since March 2011. Maybe
things are improving?
As I write this, we are still awaiting the
latest announcement on the Paramount
Themed Park due in Alhama.
We are always looking for properties on
Mazarrón Country Club and Puerto de
Mazarrón, so if you have a property to sell,
please contact us.
For more information on buying or selling
property contact
Jennie or Sue at Best of Spanish email
info@bestofspanish.com or telephone
(0034) 635434651 or 646692471
We had a well supported walk in bright
sunshine on Sat 21st January; 31 walkers
in all and 6 well behaved dogs. The walk
was arranged by the Almeria members
of our group and we met at La Frontera
Restaurante in Pozo del Esparto. We started
off along the ¨paseo¨ to Cala Paniza where
one of our group gave us a potted history
of this lovely bay and its first inhabitants
who built houses during the Franco era. It
was then across a main road and up into
the hills to a viewing point with superb
coastal views up to Aguilas and beyond
before descending to the sea and lunch at
La Venta Restaurante in San Juan de las
Torreros.
A discussion was held at the end of lunch on
the effects of religion on, or in education.
The March walk will be in the Lebor area
of Totana and details can be found via our
website:
bolnuevo.com
Rhian and John Blakey
The Evolutionists of Almeria and Murcia
Tel 968599437
Page 22
Page 23
The Red Cross donates toys to MAZARRÓN CENTRE EARLYCHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
Councilor
for
Social
Policy
highlights the great value as a therapeutic
tool
of
donated
material.
The Red Cross has donated to Mazarrón a
number of toys to the Centre for Child Development and Early Intervention (CDIAT)
under the Town Council of Mazarrón, thanks
to the efforts undertaken by the entity’s president, Carmen Navarro. Navarro,
who knows the operation of the Centre
and the importance of these objects for
the development of children who attend it,
stressed “It is important to have a wide and
varied collection of objects and toys that
facilitate individual play, socialising and
leisure
activities
among
children.”
Councilor
for
Social
Policy,
Equality and Health, Maria Martinez, explained
“To have these toys is important for
both children and professionals, and the
latter found toys and games a key
tool in therapeutic intervention because
child motivation and enjoyment acquire a relevant role in these sessions.”
M.O.V.E. is exciting, interdenominational,
Christian men’s organisation which held
its first conference in Puerto Mazarron on
the Costa Cálida five years ago, in 2007.
It is headed by Richard Hewes, who has
a holiday home near Mazarrón. Richard
is a frequent visitor, and has a great affection for the area and its people. For
many years it had been on his heart to
Those attending the Early Childhood
see an organisation specifically for ChrisCentre include children aged 0 to 6
tian men in this beautiful part of Spain.
years. In CDIAT, games and toys are essential elements for carrying out intervention programmes with children The aim of M.O.V.E. is to draw togethwith developmental disorders or risk fac- er Christian men from all Church backtors. The Department of Social Policy and grounds for friendship and fellowship, so
Equality wanted to thank the selfless ef- that we can encourage each other, and
forts The Red Cross is continuously mak- draw on each other’s experiences, and so
ing; the latest example of this being the create strong bonds between the many
different Churches in our area, and ultidonation of these toys.
mately far beyond. It is our aim to draw
men together and provide an opportunity
for them to fellowship with a wide cross
section of fellow believers. Another vitally important aim of the organisation is to
give men who are not yet Christians an opportunity to come to know the Lord Jesus.
The highlight of the year is always the
M.O.V.E. conference, which is usually held
in March. Previous conferences have been
held in Puerto de Mazarrón, with people
travelling from as far afield as Madrid, the
UK and Ireland. We have had many gifted
speakers and worship leaders, all very well
known in Christian circles, and all those
who have been fortunate enough to be
there have been deeply touched by the experience. This year, 2012, the conference
will be held on Saturday 10th. March, at the
Hotel Lo Monte in Pilar De Horadada, just
15 minutes from San Javier airport. This is
part of our declared policy of drawing men
from different churches and different areas.
Our main speaker this year will be Jeff Lucas. Jeff is the author of 18 books which
have been translated into French, Italian,
Korean, Dutch, Spanish and German. Jeff
has a light hearted and humorous manner whilst at the same time being able to
bring home the serious side of his subject.
Our music is always an important part of the
conference, and this year will be provided
by Noel Richards. Noel is an inspirational
worship leader and a gifted singer/song
writer. He has written many well known and
popular Christian songs. This will be a great
opportunity to come along and be inspired.
The M.O.V.E. conference is a lively, friendly, fun event with a deep
purpose. Come along and have a
good time. It may change your life.
For more information visit www.menofvisionespana.com or telephone Duncan on (0034) 607 382 033
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
CONCERT IN MAZARRÓN
On Saturday 3rd February, the musical association “Maestro Eugenio Calderon”, under the direction of Alejandro Castañeda
Martínez, staged the first concert of the
series “Family Concert: musical stories for
all ages.” The concert featured was “The
Threepenny Opera,” a peculiar work whose
characters belong to the underworld, with
music alternating and mixing classical
with popular rhythms, cabaret and jazz.
In the coldest day this winter, 200 people
of all ages and nations gathered in the
sports hall of the Institute “Philip II” in
Mazarrón and enjoyed 50 minutes of the
music of German composer Kurt Weill
and history of the famous character Macki
“the Razor” created by Bertolt Brecht.
The music, masterfully played by the youth
of the band, alternated with the Macki story, and the narrator, Juan Pedro Navarro,
made the concert more enjoyable and
fun with his great sense of humour. He
also made the audience hum Macki’s ballad “The Knife” and told a story that began
with a beggar singing the ballad of Macki,
the role played by Juan Antonio Garcia.
The musicians, dressed in coats against
the cold, gave magnificent concert soloists
highlighting the roles of trombone, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet and flute. The Music Association “Master Eugenio Calderon”
made sure everyone enjoyed the concert
and thanked all the contributors - City Hall,
IES”Philip II” Theatre Group I.E.S. “Domingo Valdivieso” and the media for their
contribution.
the construction of a new sports hall for the
town to be located on school premises No.
3 Puerto de Mazarrón. This was announced
on 27 January by the First Deputy Mayor
and Councillor for Planning and Infrastructure, Francisco Garcia.This approval takes
another step towards achieving this sports
infrastructure, the contract being awarded
to the company GUIFERSOL SA.
As explained by Francisco Garcia, “The
government team continues to work to
provide this municipality with a new and
better infrastructure, not forgetting to address issues that have been dragging on
for years.” In addition, the Board of Governors approved the Corporate Training
Programme Job Placement General Agreement Protocol (PROFEIL). As explained by
the First Deputy Mayor, “The municipality
of Mazarrón has a wide range of training
courses of a very different kind thanks to
agreements between associations, foundations and local authorities that have
been funded to develop such courses “.
Francisco Garcia explained “What is intended is that those companies that are
benefiting from free training for their employees are committed to hiring the unemployed that are registered with the local
employment centre of Mazarrón Town Hall,
thus the government team is working to
support the city’s unemployed seeking a
job, by providing access to the labour market.”
of the dance studio “Terpsichore” which
opened the procession with elaborate
choreography. Behind them marched
a large group of children and residents
who joined the free parade and a
quintet of musketeers representing the
Senior Centre in Puerto de Mazarrón.
The parade was also attended by the
Mayor of Mazarron, Ginés Campillo, and
the council of Celebration, Isidro Coy.
Ginés Campillo felt “enormously pleased”
with the conclusion of this first show,
“which is the starting point for this being
a regular feature in Puerto de Mazarrón.”
The Carnival celebrations in Mazarrón also
hosted the election of “Miss” and “Mister”
which was held at the sports hall “La
Aceña”. After an exciting part where the
candidates showed their best on stage,
the judges announced the “Child Musa”
Carmen Maria Mendez Martinez, who
represented the AMPA “The Cañadica”. The
“Child Muso” was Bartolomé Child Muso
Iglesias, representative of the rock “Nitro”.
CITY HALL TO START CONSTRUCTION
OF A SPORTS HALL IN PUERTO DE
MAZARRÓN
The Local Government Committee has approved the necessary documentation for
THE CARNIVAL COMES TO PUERTO
DE MAZARRÓN WITH A PARADE
On the morning of 19 February, the
seafront of Puerto de Mazarrón was filled
with people who did not want to miss the
carnival parade. Dozens of people enjoyed
the performance of the young members
The decision was very difficult because
the other candidates, Mia Louise Stokes,
Miriam Hernandez Vera and Bartholomew
Raja Raja, also carried out some brilliant
performances that thrilled the crowd at
the sports hall. It was also very moving as
the appointment of the year was awarded
to Juan Sanchez Garcia, better known as
“Juan de la Artisana” , who was pleasantly
surprised because his family had managed to
hide that he would receive this recognition.
Two women completed the evening
show. The star of the Senior Gala was
Lorena Lopez Diaz, Musa Carnival 2012
and representative of the rock “Caño del
Molino”, sporting a spectacular fantasy
called “The Eternal Fire of the Volcano
Page 28
DESPITE THE COLD ATHLETES COMPLETE A SUCCESSFUL HALF MARATHON
Over 300 runners gathered in Mazarrón
on Sunday 5th February to participate in
the First Half Marathon “Bahia de Mazarron” which proved to be a new sporting success, as did the first fun run last
October, both of which were organized
by the “Club Deportivo Bahia de Mazarron” with the assistance of the Ayuntamiento. The 21kms took place along the
coast from El Alamillo to Mazarrón and
Bolnuevo, passing through Puerto de Mazarrón, La Isla, Bahia and Playagrande.
Although the morning started cold and
windy it changed to be a good morning. The overall winner was Antonio Manuel
Diaz Rodriguez’s club “Mobel Sport Lorca”,
whilst Helena Herrero Gomez, an independent participant took first place in the female category. Both received, in addition
to a trophy, a ham delivered by the Mayor
of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo, and the president of the organizing club, Peter Lorite.
The race was completed without any incidents and was an organizational success thanks to the good work of the Red
Cross, Local Police, Civil Protection, Municipal Emergency Services (EMS) and “9
and ½ Cycling Club”, who recorded individual’s times by Conchip. Thanks also go
to the sponsors including “Frutas Arias
Mazarrón” who set up a booth where runners were provided with fruit and juices.
The 1st Senior Man was Antonio M. Diaz,
while 2nd and 3rd place were taken by
Juan Francisco Carrillo and Francisco Javier Andreu, both of “Eliocroca Sports
Association.” In the Senior Women’s category, Miriam Alvarez of the “Triathlon
Club Guadalajara” came 1st, 2nd was Mari
Ángeles Hernández and 3rd Laura Villar from “Club Athletics Don Quixote.”
The Veterans “A” podium was made up of
athletes Antonio Sanchez of “Marathon
Cartagena”, Javier Ojados, of “Club Deportivo Runtriton Decathlon” and Diego Perez of
the “ADEliocroca “. The Veterans “A” female
category Champion was Helena Smith, followed by runners-up Mercedes Merino of
“Mandarache-Cartagena” and Maria Dolores Oliva of “Club Athletics Huércal-Overa.
Of Veterans “B”, the winner was independent athlete Graham Baxter. 2nd place
was Lucas Garcia of “AD Eliocroca “and
3rd place was José Roberto Gonzaga, also
an independent runner. Two women competed in the Veterans category “B”, the
1st being Mari Carmen Lopez, of “Marathon Cartagena” and Mari Carmen Sevilla.
Finally in Veterans “C” the winner was Michael Martin, of “Marathon Cartagena”,
while in 2nd and 3rd place were Olavi Reijo
Peura and Honkanen, both belonging to
“Finland Athletics Club Torrevieja”. It was
also identified that the top two local athletes were Francisco Javier Lopez and Victoria Machota. Both received a fruit basket courtesy of “Frutas Mazarrón Arias.”
All runners received a gift bag for participating in this event “created with the
aim becoming one of the major regional
events “, as highlighted by the Mayor Ginés Campillo . It has certainly been a great
event and athletes came not only from all
parts of Murcia, but also the neighbouring
communities of Andalucia, Valencia and
Castilla La Mancha and even the town of
Getafe in Madrid.
XXII Edition of “MAZARRÓN DAY TO
DAY”
This year work will revolve around the
440th anniversary
Mazarrón’s citizenship, of both the young
and adults, are asked to share one more
year in the “Mazarrón Day by Day” organized by the People’s University (UPM) and
has now opened its deadline for submission of papers, for which one can compete
in 6 different subjects. These are Poetry,
Short Story, Writing, Photography, Comics,
and Drawing and Painting. The competition
is divided into 25 categories ranging from
primary school courses to adults.
The presentation was made by the Mayor
of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo, and the director of the UPM, Jose Maria Lopez Ballesta, who have encouraged participation
and stressed that this year the works
should refer to the celebration of 440
years of independence in the municipality, although the actual theme can be of
the students’ choosing. They can participate actively in this celebration and artistically capture the learning from the
E-Books on the history of Mazarrón, edited and presented by the City Council.
Tours around Mazarrón
Wild Coast
Saturdays, 4.00pm
Departure:
La
Oasis,
Bolnuevo
We leave the esplanade next to La Oasis
and Erosions of Bolnuevo. We cross paths
in the Sierra de Las Moreras (Special
Protection Area for ravines) and descend
to the Beach Grua and return via Punabela.
Visit to the mines of Mazarrón
Sundays, 10.00am
Departure: Repsol petrol station in
Mazarrón Town
We start every trip via car from the
station and leave vehicles parked at
the entrance to the mine. We walk from
the old mining facilities to the volcanoes
of San Cristobal and Los Perules.
Other trips
Hot
Springs
El
Saladillo
Visit to the Hermitage of San Juan
in El Alamillo, down to the water
reservoir by foot, seeing a display
of
horses
and
flamenco
dance.
Cape Tiñoso, Isla Plana and La Azohia
A very peculiar and interesting tour
through the Bay of Mazarrón, visiting the
old guns at Tiñoso military fortification,
the Tower of Santa Elena in La Azohia and
Los Baños de la Marrana in Isla Plana.
Visiting Mazarrón Cemeteries
Cemeteries and Puerto de Mazarrón
We visit cemeteries and Puerto de
Mazarrón. Mazarrón boasts the funeral
buildings of special interest in the
port with lots of history of Mazarron.
Excursions 2012
Phone reservations: 627 61 94 55.
Organized by: Southeast Tours &
Advertising Inc.
Anyone residing in Mazarrón, as well
as those that somehow are linked to
Mazarrón, can compete and each participant may submit up to 3 works up to
30 March. The students should present
the work preferably in their respective
schools, while adults have to take them
to the Universidad Popular or send them
under the title XXII Consursos y Premios
“Mazarrón Dia a Dia”, to Constitution Avenue, 65 CP 30870 - Mazarrón (Murcia).
Mauna Loa.” The Muse performed his
best on stage and opened the Senior
Parade later that day in Mazarrón. The
other youngster who also shined was the
Queen of the Festival, Maria de los Angeles
Izquierdo Alarcon, who made the opening
speech, encouraging people to enjoy the
whole event.
There is a prize of 200€ for the adult categories and 50€ towards school supplies for
the younger ones. The awards ceremony
will be held on April 20 and an exhibition
of the entries will take place in the Universidad Popular between 20 and 29 April.
The Mayor of Mazarrón, Ginés Campillo,
shared with Ballesta Lopez the idea of
“spending 5 minutes for the soul and creativity” through participation in this contest and has called the contest “smart”
because, by involving the centres, “It encourages children to take an interest in
participating in the activities of the municipality.”
Page 29
I as
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The Carthaginians
Cartagena, although an important city,
seems today to live under the shadow of
its larger neighbour Murcia City. However,
while Murcia City was founded in 825 AD,
Cartagena was a significant settlement
over 1000 years earlier and was one of
Spain’s foremost cities in Roman times.
There are traces of human settlement in the
Cartagena area long before this.
Hominoids left traces in the Victoria Cave
which is situated within the Cartagena
administrative area, some 1.3 million years
ago!
In the Middle Palaeolithic (Stone
Age), from about 35,000 years ago, human
occupation of caves and rocky shelters in
the area such as the Cueva de los Avilones
took place. What, however, seems a little
surprising, is that, although there are
remains of some settlements around the
coast in the intervening years, when the
Argaric culture began to flower in south east
Spain around 3,500 years ago (for example
the small “town” at La Bastida near Totana),
there appears to have been little activity
in the immediate area of Cartagena.
Even when the Phoenicians began to trade
increasingly with this part of Spain from
around 800 BC, Cartagena seems initially
to have been bypassed, although there have
been notable finds off the coast in shipwrecks
of Phoenician vessels carting jewels, wine,
pottery, metals and other objects, and there
is the suggestion of a Phoenician settlement
around Escombreras.
None of this gives any indication of the
remarkable story about to unfold in what is
now Cartagena, and there is even another
great mystery before we arrive at that time,
related to refugees from the lost city of
Atlantis and it is not all quite as fanciful as this
might initially make you think! What is clear
is that there was a remarkable civilisation
which grew up in southern Spain around
the first millennium BC – that of Tartessos.
Both the origins and precise location of
the civilisation are unclear, although many
hold it developed from native roots and
that it extended somewhere in the Huelva
(its capital?), Cadiz, Seville area. Greek
historians referred to it covering much of
south Spain and including many towns and
villages. Plato appears to have related it
to the disaster of the lost city of Atlantis
somewhere near present day Gibraltar, but
what is clear, is that such a civilisation did
exist (there are many historical references
including several in the Bible) and that it was
wealthy, based upon its mineral resources,
prospering as a result of its trade with the
Carthaginians and Phoenicians.
What is the relevance to Cartagena?
Simply that one German archaeologist
held that one of the principal cities of the
Tartessos Confederation and its principal
trading port, Mastia, was no other than
present day Cartagena. Certainly, there is
no doubt that, in the 5th and 6th Centuries
BC, the area around Cartagena prospered
as a result of its mining riches (especially
lead and silver) with the Phoenicians and
Carthaginians both having an influence.
But, more than this? Perhaps unlikely.
At this point, we move from conjecture and
uncertainty into better known territory. In
241 BC one of the two great Mediterranean
powers of the time, Carthage, lost
territories including Sicily, to the other
force, the Romans, at the end of what
was known as the First Punic War. The
Carthaginian civilisation was centred on
Carthage near the present day Tunis in
North Africa and was probably founded by
Phoenician colonists from the Lebanon. In
any event, in an attempt to compensate
for their territorial losses to the Romans,
and to pay the heavy tributes demanded
by Rome, Carthage began to look from its
North African base at the mineral rich and
agriculturally fertile lands of Southern Spain
as suitable areas into which to expand. The
Carthaginian general Amilcar Barca landed
at Cadiz in 237 BC to begin this process.
With him was his young son, one Hannibal
Barca.
Colonies were established with
army veterans or others coming from North
Africa. Although Amilcar died in battle in
228 BC, he was succeeded by his son-inlaw, Asdrubal Barca, who founded the city
of Qart-Hadast on the site of Cartagena
around this time.
Qart-Hadast, which
means “new town” is said to have been the
first city project in South East Spain with a
true political and administrative structure
allowing domination of the surrounding
area, especially those rich silver mines so
important to the Carthaginians continuing
war efforts, including against Rome.
Indeed, Cartagena became the centre for
military and commercial operations in the
south east peninsula as well as the winter
quarters for Carthaginian troops fighting the
Romans and seeking to extend the Spanish
lands. In a very real sense, the city became
the capital of a new state in the Iberian
Peninsula. It was defended by a wall (two
parallel constructions with a six metre gap
and cross walls and buildings between them)
and public buildings were constructed. One
writer has said that, within 20 years it had
a population of 15 – 20,000, a forum, an
acropolis, several temples and a whole host
of other buildings. The city had a large
workforce, with construction, shipbuilding,
agriculture, esparto working, mineral
mining and refining, and salt production
all to be found. Remnants of roads, house
structures and the old city walls have been
discovered in Cartagena with the Punic
Wall Museum (the word “punic” meant
Carthaginian in Latin), in calle San Diego,
one of the attractions well worth visiting to
see, in particular, the impressive remains
of that 3rd Century BC wall which were only
discovered in 1989.
Asdrubal was a shrewd operator, building a
palace in Qart-Hadast and ensuring he kept
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email:
as good relations as possible with the native
Iberians.
Unfortunately, his supremacy
was short lived and, in 221 BC, he was
assassinated by an Iberian slave apparently
seeking revenge for the crucifixion of a
native leader. Hannibal took up the reins.
Hannibal had sworn eternal enmity to the
Romans and did not delay in showing his
hatred for them. He broke the Treaty of
the Ebro (which delineated areas of Roman
and Carthaginian influence in Spain) taking
the town of Sagunto and beginning what
was known as the Second Punic War. This
also led to that most famous of all exploits,
when, in 218 BC, he left Qart-Hadast with, it
is said, 28,000 infantry, 6000 cavalry and 36
elephants with the intention of surprising the
Romans in Italy. He and his army crossed
the river Ebro, the Pyrenees and the Alps
with, initially, tremendous success against
the Romans.
is commemorated in several days of
marvellous fiesta each year in the second
half of September. Encampments of Romans
and Carthaginians are set up in the city and
the whole place takes on a quite remarkable
air. There is a remarkable Roman Circus
which can be enjoyed – the year we went
to it in the Cartagena Football Ground there
seemed to be everything from chariot races
to battles and even a dancing bear. The
final battle between the Carthaginians and
Romans is quite something with seemingly
hundreds of suitably dressed individuals
(even cavalry) involved. With all of this
and the magnificent parades, no wonder
this particular fiesta is regarded of national
importance in Spain.
Article by Clive and Rosie Palmer, who have
written several guide books on towns and
regions in Murcia. These can be seen at,
and obtained from, www.lulu.com, or
contact clive.palmer5@btinternet.com.
Copies of some of the books may also be
available from the Best Wishes shop in the
Camposol Urbanización.
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Unsurprisingly, the Romans felt somewhat
threatened by this energetic Carthaginian
general, Hannibal, and saw Qart-Hadast as
a key target. In an attempt to cut Hannibal’s
supply lines, two Roman generals and troops
were sent to the south of Spain. Initially,
things did not look good and both were killed
in the Battle of Ilurco in 211 BC. However,
the following year, under the command of the
son of one of the dead leaders, the Romans
headed for Qart-Hadast and, after several
days of siege and by using a weak point in
the defences, the city fell in 209 BC to one
Publio Escipión (or Publius Scipio), who, it is
said by one historian, had at his command,
after landing in Tarragona, some 25,000
infantry, 2500 cavalry and a fleet of 36 ships
– a vastly superior force to that defending
Qart-Hadast,
although
reinforcements
(perhaps like today’s cheque in the post!)
were apparently expected at any time. The
loot obtained by the Romans (including gold,
silver, wheat, barley, armaments, ships and
a large number of prisoners) shows just how
important the town had been as a logistic
and economic centre for the Carthaginians.
Today, all this early history from the founding
of Qart-Hadast by Asdrubal to the final battle
between the Romans and Carthaginians,
Please
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31
Page
ge 3
1
Dear Editor
I have just returned from my yearly visit
back to see family in the UK. Normally we
fly from Alicante, but this time managed
to get a flight from San Javier, Murcia,
so then it was who do we use for car
parking??? After searching through the
Costa Cálida Chronicle, we decided on
using PARK & FLY MURCIA. We booked
on line they replied almost straight away
with our quote for 8 days which was 34€
- bargain!!
and left the keys with him. We were then
taken to the airport and were told upon
our return our car would be waiting for us
outside. One week later we returned and
yes you’ve guessed it, there was our car
waiting outside. We were handed the keys
and off we went. To our surprise, our car
had been cleaned!! What a bonus as it was
rather dirty!!
Excellent service and we would certainly
use them again.
Mel Catchpole
We arrived at the car park (easily found
by the bright pink signs). A sign on the
door said “We are just taking customers to
airport and will return in 5 mins”. 5 mins
later a young guy arrived, confirmed our
details, checked our car over to confirm
any bumps scratches etc. We paid our 34€
RELIGIOUS
BELIEF
HINDERS
CIVILISATION
Religion, in its many differing forms,
either denies or destroys all the hard-won
attainments embodied in science. There is
no evidence that it supports or encourages
morality in societies and the wars between
its factions have led to centuries of horrific
conflict and cruelty. It is founded upon “blind
faith” and cannot substantiate any of the
spiritual powers it invokes believers to trust in
and worship. Although it has been a starting
point for philosophy, history, cosmology
and the study of human ethics and social
behaviour, its simplistic tenets have been
rendered obsolete by the development of
scientific evidence. There is not space here to
outline all the important, still accumulating,
scientific findings concerning the origins of
the universe and the development of life on
Earth but suffice to say that religious faith
and science can no longer be rendered as
compatible bedfellows, the former based
upon fiction and superstition, the latter upon
verifiable evidence.
Religion is man-made so hence different gods
and practices proliferate, and unsurprisingly,
those who created them cannot agree among
themselves what their prophets and gurus
actually said or meant and yet each of their
leaders purports to know everything. They
assert the existence of a god that designed
and created the cosmos and everything in it
including human beings; this god is interested
in our behaviour and thoughts, he demands
from us obedience in worship, diet, social
and sexual behaviour and ultimately decides
what our fate is when we die. Religions cling
arrogantly to the belief that they know all this
even as they war against each other and fail
to produce one scrap of evidence to support
their case for a spiritual existence. Their
certainties belong to the infancy of our species
and has seriously hindered the development
of a stable world and open-minded enquiry.
In the face of hostility from organised religions
and dogma, science is providing important
and verifiable evidence about the origin of the
universe, the evolution of life on our planet
and the subsequent development of mammals
including human beings. It is offering us the
opportunity of increased understanding of the
world we live in, (including how oppressive
regimes sustain themselves by using religious
belief) and most importantly enabling us to
lead happy, ethical lives by promoting our
own meanings and enlightenment.
The Evolutionists of Almeria and Murcia
Further information from the website www.
bolnuevo.com/social
By Richard Ward taperleg@hotmail.com
Page 32
Entorno Grafico
Page 33
Spring Greens!
The weather should be starting to warm up
a little when you read this, and that will be
both a blessing and a curse! March and April
tend to be the wetter months here on the
Costa Cálida, and normally the rains seem
to delight in making an appearance in Easter
week, whenever that may fall, so now is a
good time to cast a critical eye over your
garden area and terraces, and make sure
that the outside areas are tidy for the start
of the coming rental season.
Property owners on our regular management
packages have no worries, as we have been
keeping on top of all those sneaky little
weeds throughout the Winter, but if you
have not cast a glance around your garden
since last year, then you and your next
guests could be in for a bit of a shock!
Even gardens with membranes and gravel
need regular maintenance, and it is always
better to maintain “little and often” than
to tackle a jungle on an annual basis! So
get your property checked, and make sure
that regular garden maintenance appears
on your list of things to arrange for 2012.
After all, kerb appeal applies just as much
to rental properties as it does to those for
sale, and an untidy garden implies a lack of
general care and maintenance that potential
clients may find off putting. The Spring
warmth and wetter weather makes those
weeds grow like wildfire, so tackle them
now, before the garden looks like something
from the Invasion of the Spanish Triffids!
Liz Edmiston runs OwnersAway Property
Rentals & Management offering a full
range of rental management services
to property owners on the Costa Calída.
Contact Liz on 691977107 or info@
ownersaway.com for more information
or visit the website www.ownersaway.
com to view the full range of properties
and services.
Page 34
On 1st February Kevin and I celebrated 20
years of marriage which I am actually quite
proud of. As it was a weekday we decided
to just have a nice meal and then celebrate
it properly later on. We chose Chez Zoe
as it is one of our favourites and she
certainly did not let us down and opened
the restaurant especially for us. We preordered Moules Marinières for a starter
which, Zoe will always do with a day’s
notice, and followed up with a wonderful
steak, and some superb French wine. It
was a wonderful evening and we were
soon joined by other diners who helped us
celebrate. Thanks Zoe!
They say you are never too old to learn,
so I decided to try a makeup lesson with
MABS GOES
HEAD
TO
HEAD AGAIN
MABS Mazarrón
team
enjoyed
another fabulous
fundraising
Fun Night at
Alley Palais, Camposol on January 25th,
raising a magnificent total of 1700€ for the
cancer charity. A quiz, raffle and game of
‘Play Your Cards Right’ raised 276€, but
the majority of cash was raised by the
splendid effort
of just one
person, Terri
Nardone, who
decided to do
a
sponsored
head shave as
a thank you
to MABS for
all their hard
work.
“Terri
is
a
volunteer in the MABS Mazarrón charity shop and she also knits like crazy for
MABS! She has done a head shave before in the UK and the amount she has
raised this time is just unbelievable” said
Zue Burgess, MABS Co-ordinator for the
area.
Lindsey at Jane’s Salon. I am very glad
that I did. I have not changed the way I
put on makeup for years and there are
some really clever tricks and tips that I
now know and am still experimenting with.
I found that I was hopelessly out of date
with the wide range of makeup products
now on offer, so I will be returning for a
follow-up session in a few weeks.
I finally managed to get to the now famous
Los Amigos Gala Dinner held at the Hotel
La Cumbre in Puerto De Mazarron. This is
one of the best nights out I have had since
being in Spain. It is rare to get the chance
to dress up here, so I leapt at the chance.
The evening was extremely well organised
and very entertaining and whether you are
a football fan or not, it was a wonderful
evening. The food and service was also
excellent. Thanks also to Lyndsey from
The Beauty Palace for putting my hair
up for the night. It took less than half an
one at our
Spring Ball
on 24 March
at the Costa
Costa Hotel
in Mazarrón”.
MABS Mazarrón is a
registered
c h a r i t y
(No. 7261)
offering
help and support to local people of all
nationalities who have been diagnosed
with or are being treated for cancer.
If you or someone you know would
hour and she achieved a style that I never
thought was possible. I am already looking
forward to the Gala Dinner next year.
We decided to spend Valentine’s Night
this year at the re-opening of Alley
Palais, which now has a Bistro as well
as a diner and we were not disappointed.
Antoine has to be one of the top chefs in
the area and he calmly and professionally
served up over 50 excellent meals on the
opening night. The entrecote steak was
probably the best I have ever had in Spain
and the dessert was amazing and all for
only €15. The Bistro has a very varied
menu and includes some very tempting
sounding dishes including burritos and ribs
with several different sauces, so I will be
returning soon.
Oh well, back to the diet now!
More next month
Teresa
like
some
confidential
help or support call our
HELPLINE620
422
410
or
visit their website:
www.
mabsmurcia.
com
Photographer:
Stan Laird
It’s been a bumper fundraising time for
MABS Mazarrón, starting with the New
Year’s Day Swim by the Market Tavern,
where they recently collected a cheque for
830€. “We’re so lucky to have such great
support in the Mazarrón area” commented
Zue “and we look forward to seeing every-
Why is it that as soon as I decide to go
on a diet, the social scene takes off and
suddenly every invitation is food and drink
related!?
Page
Page35
35
There’s only one thing worse than not
being able to speak the language when
you live in a foreign country, and that’s
speaking it badly! I have an affliction that
I think many language students have at
some point: using the wrong word at inappropriate times. If I’m honest I have
this affliction in English too. Blurting out
the first thing that comes into my head,
without censor, has gotten me into some
funny scrapes.
Recently we were at our local Spanish village fiesta and were happy to be invited
to eat lunch with some neighbours. When
we got there our fellow guests included
the choir and the vicar. I understand
some people have a reasonable fear of
spiders, snakes or clowns (!), but my personal fear is of men dressed in frocks who
think they hear the voice of God, like to
eat his body and drink his blood.
The vicar smiled and waved me over:
“Come and sit here, right next to me,” and
he patted the ratty bench. I looked behind
me hoping he was talking to someone
else, but no, he was beckoning me. Now
don’t get me wrong, he’s a lovely man,
smiley, friendly and about a foot shorter
than I am, and I’m sure I’d win in an arm
wrestling contest. But, my interest in religion is minimal and my irrational fear of
vicars is huge.
One of my tricks to learn Spanish is to
copy what other people are saying and
repeat it back. For example if a Spanish
friend says, “Would you like some ham?”
instead of just saying, “Yes please,” I
would say, “Yes please, I would like some
ham.”
This technique has caused me loads of
trouble in the past. Especially as I think
all the scuba diving has blocked up my
ears and I quite often hear the wrong
thing. For example, the words for scared
(miedo) and s**t (mierda) sound remarkably similar to me. Telling our horse riding instructor that my fellow Brit riding
companion is s**t didn’t really help her
confidence!
I also have an insatiable urge to say the
wrong thing at inappropriate times - take
for example some years ago in a previous life when I was on stage in front of
100 or so insurance salesmen (99% of
them were men), explaining the virtues
of the internet, when I froze and forgot
what I was saying. After an interminably
long pause I blurted out, “You can buy
breast implants on the internet!” Well, it
got their attention.
look like a monk? And if he’s calling me
an angel, then a biblical response is required. No?
However, he pursed his lips and slid along
the bench in the opposite direction. I’d
obviously said the wrong thing, again.
Later, after a frosty lunch I asked my husband what I’d done wrong. I was indignant that I hadn’t meant to offend him.
It transpired that instead of calling him a
monk (monje) I had inadvertently called
him a monkey (mono).
Debs Jenkins is a
British writer, living in Spain, with
2 dogs, 6 cats,
5 chickens and a
horse - she loves
scuba diving, writing, horse riding,
boats & painting.
She’s the author
of Going Native In
Murcia, the only
English
language
dedicated guide to
the Murcia region.
Buy it at www.amazon.co.uk or
www.NativeSpain.com
So, my little vicar is smiling beatifically up
at me, waiting for my grateful response,
and I reply in Spanish: “You have beautiful hair too, it’s very grey. You look like
a monk.” I thought that given the circumstances he’d be very happy with my
response; surely any vicar would love to
I slowly walked towards him, hoping my
husband would see my predicament and
come to assist me. No such luck, I was
on my own.
“You have beautiful hair. It’s so light and
luminous. You look like an angel,” was his
opening gambit. Smooth talker or what?
Page 36
In 2010 three friends discovered a
common unity - their belief in Spiritualism.
They shared a desire to open a meeting
place where like-minded people could
join together to share and further their
knowledge of life after death - The Spirit
World. Then in 2011, after talking to
other friends who shared the same beliefs,
they began the mammoth task of finding
a suitable place to hold their meetings. A
medium from a neighbouring Spiritualist
Centre, Robert McLernon, held a fund
raising event at the Bali Hi to raise funds
for a local Centre.
After months of searching, they discovered
the Old School House at Cañadas del
Romero and felt that this would be the place
for them. Another fund raising event in aid
of the Centre was held on 21st September
by medium David Darnborough.
Life does not end at the grave,
Eternal love to you they gave,
They’re never very far from you,
So very close in all you do.
So why not pop along and see,
And join us for a cup of tea?
If you would like on a Wednesday night,
Come to our Centre - The Beacon of
Light
We hold our weekly meetings every
Wednesday evening at 7.00-8.30pm
For further information please call
620877326 or visit our website http://
beaconoflightmurcia.webs.com/
After many hours of preparing, their dream
was realised when, on 28th September,
their Centre - The Beacon of Light officially opened with a service conducted
by Robert McLernon. The centre has gone
from strength to strength, incorporating
workshops, fundraising events and private
readings which are accommodated by the
visiting mediums.
In January, the Centre was proud to bring
International Clairvoyant Spiritual Psychic
Medium, Oscar Villegas, from England.
During his visit, Oscar held a fund raising
Evening of Clairvoyance at the Bali Hi,
two workshops at the Centre, as well as
taking the Wednesday service, private
readings and finding time to take a service
at the Acacia Centre in Los Molinas. This
was very successful and we look forward to
welcoming Oscar back later this year.
The Centre held another workshop in
February and has a busy calendar planned,
including a workshop in March and a fund
raising event and workshop and private
readings in April with International Medium
- Barbara Almond.
The Centre continues to grow daily and
we feel very excited about the prospects
ahead.
To those we have met and those we have
yet to meet - a warm welcome is assured
at the Beacon of Light Spiritual Centre.
Do you seek a special place?
The welcome’s warm, a friendly face,
Do you need a place to go?
When you feel good or you feel low.
Do you want to know some more?
For when we exit Earth Plane’s door,
Healing you can get from there,
Given with lots of loving care.
Mediums travel from afar,
Some by ‘plane and some by car,
Messages of hope to bring,
From loved ones as we proudly sing.
Page 37
As
we
continue
our journey
through the
S p a n i s h
alphabet,
we are now
arriving
at
our
fourth
vowel - the
letter O. The
O sound is
made
with
the lips nicely rounded and protruding,
with the mouth as open and hollow as
possible. This is quite distinct from the
English O many of us say. Actually we
have two ways of dealing with O in English.
For example, if you have a standard or
southern English accent, listen to yourself
saying the English O sound slowly and
clearly, for example in the word “judo”.
The more you slow it down, the more
you will hear your voice moving through
a range of sounds to make up the one O.
The activity is accompanied by a changing
of the shape of the mouth as we move
through the sound. This is a very English
way of dealing with vowel sounds and one
of the reasons why our pronunciation is
so difficult for other nationalities to imitate
exactly. This English O is described by
linguists as a “diphthong”, which means
a double sound. In contrast, the Spanish
vowels only consist of a single sound.
Diphthongs also exist in Spanish, but
have to be written with two letters. Our
other O is uttered at the back of the throat
and is short and clipped, as in “hot”. The
Spanish O is not exactly like this either. It
is in fact closer to the way we say “au” in
the word “automatic”, than to our usual O
sound. Also, if you have a Scottish, Welsh
or northern English accent your O is much
closer to the Spanish O. I am generalizing
somewhat about accents
hopefully you get the point.
here,
but
O is a letter that is commonly found at
the end of Spanish words as it is the most
typical ending of masculine nouns and
adjectives as well as at least two verb
forms. It is also the ending of common
words like “yo” (I), “lo” (it - amongst
other meanings), “esto” (this/this one),
“eso” (that/that one) and four of the basic
numbers. One of the biggest giveaways
that we are foreigners speaking Spanish
(apart from more obvious ones which
I won’t go into) is our tendency to turn
all these O endings into diphthongs, that
and our general inability to do anything
sensible with the letter R.
Now here are some of our words of
common ancestry beginning with the letter
O which have managed to retain the same
meanings in both English and Spanish.
“Oasis” (oasis) notice how very different
this word sounds with the Spanish vowels,
“obediente”
(obedient),
“obeso”
(obese),
“obligación”
(obligation),
“obscene”
(obscene),
“observer”
(observe), “ofender” (offend), “oficial”
(official) , “opera” (opera) , “opción”
(option), “opinion” (opinión), “origen”
(origin), “orquesta” (orchestra).
One word that is commonly used and
definitely has a different meaning
in both languages is “occasion” and
likewise therefore “occasional”. The noun
“ocasion” has a greater sense of “chance”
or “opportunity” than the English word.
Therefore “ocasional” means “by chance”
or “accidental” and not “occasional” in the
strictly English sense. We can express
the English idea of “occasional” or
“occasionally” with “de vez en cuando”
(from time to time). In English we might
say “I have the occasional cigarette” the
Spanish would probably express this with
“Fumo de vez en cuando”. (Literally:
I smoke from time to time). If you come
across something that is described as “de
ocasión” this means second hand, as in
the sign “coches de ocasión” that you
sometimes see advertised at the side of
roads. Another “false friend”, or as I prefer
to say “estranged cousin” is the word
“ordinario” which has more of a sense of
“common” and “vulgar” than the everyday
English meaning. A word that is a little
unexpected in meaning is “oficio” which
means job or profession, and has nothing
to do with offices. So if we ask “¿Cuál es
su oficio?” we mean “What is your job?”
As ever the letter O brings up some
interesting words to talk about. Let’s take
for example the verb “oír” meaning “to
hear”. The Spanish language is full of
word families and “oír” generates a few
related words, notably “oído” meaning
“hearing” and also “the hearing part of the
ear” as opposed to “oreja” which refers
to the visible part of the ear. One part of
the verb “oír” which often stands alone
as an expression heard in noisy public
places is “oiga”. This is actually a polite
imperative; in other words, an order given
to someone in a formal way, so therefore
literally translates as “hear!” or “hear
me!”, although we would say in the same
circumstances “Excuse me!” in a fairly loud
or commanding way. Many English people
dislike the word because it sounds like our
English “Oy!” but actually has nothing to
do with that whatsoever.
One final word beginning with O which
happens to be one of my favourites is
“ojalá”. This is a word of Arabic origin,
like many words in Spanish, and it
means “if only” (as it contains the word
“ala” it would probably be translated
more accurately as: “if only God would
grant this wish”). It makes a great
one-word response to statements like
“Aren’t you the person who lives in that
huge mansion over there?” or “Didn’t
you say your husband was a rock star?”
And so to our sayings containing O words
and I have two for you which contain words
already mentioned. Here’s the first: “La
ocasión hace al ladrón” “Opportunity
makes the thief” - a highly debatable point
expressing a rather pessimistic view of
human nature. A slightly more optimistic
saying is: “No hay oficio malo” “There’s
no bad job”, which means that all jobs are
worthy of respect, even the apparently
fatuous activity of writing endless reams
about letters of the alphabet.
Jane Cronin, Spanish classes and talks.
www.janecronin.eu
Tel: 968 18 32 58.
Try working out the Wordsearch on page
62 using words beginning with the letter
O.
Page 38
After seeking information regarding
Camposol developer MASA’s seeming
inactivity in completing Sector A at a
time when the expected adoption by
the Mazarrón administration was fast
approaching, we were surprised at some
of the disclosures that were made by a
council representative.
It was then disclosed that the cost of
the necessary work to complete the
urbanization is not as we believed being
paid by MASA, but by the council from
the performance guarantee/bond; “MASA
has no money’” being quoted. How &
when the present administration gained
access to this money was not revealed,
but the amount was stated as being
approximately four million euros. The
allocation of this amount was said to be,
Sector A, 160,000€, Sector B, 260,000€,
Sector C, 748,000€ and Sector D,
2,840,000€.
fifteen million euros that had been
expressed by the very same source of this
new information in June of last year.
As well as many questions and concerns
arising from these findings, there will
also be some degree of disappointment
in that what appears to be contrary
to the councils stated policy of open
government, the CRA have to probe for
information that should be more readily
offered.
Website: www.cracamposol.com
Email: info@cracamposol.com
While this may far exceed the available
guarantee sums that had previously been
put forward by former Mayor Blaya and
his team, it is far short of the required
The first revelation was to hear that
Sector A would be accepted for adoption
prior to its satisfactory completion; this
being totally at variance with both what
we have been led to believe would happen
and what we understand is necessary to
meet legal requirements. Apparently the
reason given for this situation is to allow
MASA to carry out the required remedial
work to the roads on Sectors A and B at
the same time and this would result in a
more cost-effective option by reducing the
surfacing contractor & their equipment to
one visit. However, this does not explain
why MASA are absent rather than simply
continuing to progress onto Sector B.
When this point was made, the reply was
rather vague, but did seem to suggest
that it revolved around financial issues.
Page 39
Alley Palais Grand Re-opening Night
14th February
We are delighted to welcome our new top
chef Antoine to Alley Palais. The Opening
Night of the new Alley Palais Bistro
was a huge success. For those who have
not visited us lately we have also now
redecorated the restaurant and it looks
fabulous.
During the day Alley Palais still has the
diner which is open from 11.00am until
6pm, serving burgers, wraps, breakfasts,
chicken, fish and lots more. The evening
Bistro hours are from 7pm until 11.00pm.
Antoine has designed a fabulous new
and tasty menu which has something
for everyone. This includes some very
international dishes including, steaks, fish,
a wide range of pasta dishes and some
speciality ribs and burritos. There is also
a mouth watering choice of home made
desserts.
Beware of being Charged for Medical
Services
“An organisation that provides Private
Ambulance care at a cost has been
touting for business on Camposol. They
have recently made allegations against
FAST (FIRST AID SUPPORT TEAM
Camposol) that are proven to be totally
false and mischievous, in our view, to
allow them to charge for additional medical
back up, therefore FAST are seeking legal
advice on the matter.”
This of course in no way affects, our
dedication to our role of “Making Camposol
Safer For All!”
In order to maintain and enhance this
unique service here in Camposol and
indeed Spain, FAST need more “Volunteer
Responders” urgently to ensure that we
can provide a 24/7 365 day a year service
without asking too much of our Responders
who currently work 1 or 2 shifts per month.
“FAST is a totally free organisation trained
by Cruz Roja in First Aid and DAN Europe
to Murcian Approved and Certificated
standards in Oxygen Administration and
Defibrillation and is also a registered
Associacion (Charity) who provides First
Aid Support until the professionals arrive
and who provide back up support to the
residents of Camposol.”
The question we must ask ourselves is
“Why is a company out to discredit a
charity organisation that has successfully
provided help to 88 Camposol residents
in their hour of need????” Answer:
so they can charge the people of
Camposol what we provide free!!!!
If you would like to sample the new Alley
Palais Bistro on Camposol B Commercial
Centre, please do not hesitate to call on
968978869. We will be delighted to see
you.
place at the
Community
C e n t r e ,
Camposol
to
enable
practice with
the essential
equipment
we use such
as
Oxygen,
Defibrillators,
Bandaging,
M a n u a l
H a n d l i n g
H e i m l i c h
manoeuver to
name but a
few.
If think you have what it takes to be
FAST Responder, why not call Kaz
Moore on 626823081 or Glen Ford on
634313572 or message us on Facebook
at fast camposol Mazarron Murcia or email
fastcamposol@hotmail.com for
at
more information.
This is now escalating to 2 or 3 shifts per
month. Full training is given via Cruz Roja,
DAN Europe and we also provide regular
twice monthly training meetings that take
Page 40
Page 41
Working together to make Camposol
look great!
Spring will soon be with us! Whilst
we are all looking forward to the arrival
of spring, along with it comes the need to
keep our community areas looking great.
Soon the rapidly growing weeds will be
trying to take control of the road edges
and footpaths. Hopefully we will also see
a healthy spurt in growth of the hundreds
of shrubs that we have planted to line the
edges of some of our roads.
Currently we are working to complete the
pruning and spraying of all of the Palm
Trees in the Sector and many thanks to
those who have been assisting in this
thorny task.
There is much that still needs to be done:
The work that we have already carried
out needs ongoing maintenance and there
I don’t believe it! I know that I am getting
more like Victor Meldrew every day, but
I really can’t understand why anyone
would want to cause deliberate damage to
something that we have worked so hard
to provide. The picnic bench and table
in the park have both been vandalised.
We now have lighting in the park, which
makes it pleasant and safe for people to
walk their dogs in the evening, and also
provides a meeting place for the younger
people on Camposol A.
I am happy
that they are able to make use of the
picnic furniture, which makes it doubly
frustrating that some of them should
choose to destroy it. This furniture was
are more projects that we would like to
start. In order to continue to function
we do need support – financial and
physical. Unfortunately our numbers have
depleted over the past year, so please, if
you are able to help out in any way and
give up a bit of time, we would love to
hear from you. B Sector is the one part
of the urbanisation which is used by just
about everyone on Camposol and we do
welcome the help that we get occasionally
from other groups.
Poligono Reps Required. We are hoping
soon to become a Legally Registered
Group, as other sector groups have
already done. Reps are still needed for
B20 and B22.
Fund Raising. Because there are so
many organised functions being held at
peak holiday times we have decided to
hold our next function a little later this
placed for the benefit of all. Some of our
group will attempt to repair it. Let’s hope
that these idiots will learn to appreciate it.
Apart from having lights in the park
now, most of the street lights are now
working and I am told that they will all
be on soon. Other repairs are also being
carried out, including some of the holes
in the roads, and some of our streets
are now being cleaned by the council. It
seems that everything is moving ahead in
preparation for the Council to take over
from Masa. We were very pleased to have
Beryl Holland attend our regular monthly
meeting and explain the current position,
year as follows:
Late May Fun Night – On Friday 25th
May we are holding a DISCO Nite with a
meal of Bangers and Mash or Beef burgers
at the Golf Club. Details will be available
shortly and tickets will be 10€. All proceeds
go to community garden needs.
Monthly Meetings. We hold a planning
meeting on the last Tuesday of each month
16.00-17.00hrs in Trevi’s Function Room.
Please show up and give your support.
Join in and discuss how we can continue
to improve our sector.
Weekly Working Party. Meets each
Tuesday 9-10/11ish. Usually in front of
the commercial centre unless otherwise
arranged. Please just turn up and help.
Information: Please contact:
Sandy:
968986030
Helen/Glyn:
968199506 Roger: 968199502
helping our group to work with the A
Sector Committee to improve Camposol A
Beryl explained that a Neighbourhood
Association would be formed to liaise
with the council which should help with
communications. The council intend to
continue with street cleaning, although our
group may still need to clean certain areas,
including the commercial area, which
suffers more than most from litter. Our
group were very pleased with this news,
as it gives us more time to concentrate
on the garden areas. The state of the
bins was discussed. Beryl has already
obtained a promise from the Council to
replace the bins that have been damaged
by vandals.
We also discussed the
proposed play area which could be situated
between the top car park and the health
centre. Our group thought that it would
be a very useful addition to the facilities
available to our visitors and residents.
Gravel placement on the area opposite the
health centre continues, thanks to the hard
work of our volunteers, and soon roses and
other plants will be planted there, which
should make this area a second park for
us to enjoy. We are waiting for more news
on the play area. More plants and gravel
are also being added to our first park, and
the Memorial Garden. I look forward to
the start of Spring, when much of our work
should spring back into life. As always,
more volunteers are needed.
Please
contact us if you care about where you live.
David Senior Peake
Page 42
As part of ongoing maintenance the corner
of Calles Ibiscum/Retama (entrance
to pig farm track) is now cleared and
retained by kerbs preventing mud landslip
during heavy rain. This was requested by
residents asking for solutions to driving on
It’s March already and the Camposol
Fiesta is now only four months away.
The weekend of 16/17th of June is
shaping up to be a memorable time
for Camposolers and their friends and
Spanish neighbours. Bands are now
being booked, acts resourced, fireworks
and paella are ordered and the whole
event is coming together steadily.
What can I do to help you ask yourself?
Quite a lot really. We have some great
functions coming up and by just attending
you will be making a great contribution
towards the fiesta.
The COACH TRIP to the chocolate
factory is fully booked, but we have a
reserve list which is growing weekly. If
you still fancy this trip, please let me
know and if we have enough names we
will put on a second coach.
the wrong side around a dangerous corner.
It will remain temporarily closed while
adding ramps making the junction safe.
Residents and visitors driving over the
Rambla during heavy rain will be grateful
that a drainpipe has been concreted into
the kerbside to cope with excess water.
The difference is remarkable - no longer
a queue edging through the torrent! Our
current project is the ‘Welcome’ feature on
Avenida de los Covachos including a bench
and planting. Please contact us within the
next month if you’ve any work you’d like
tackling as all streets on ‘C’ will have been
weeded at least once by then. We’d like
to keep them tidy so we ask, if you have
a pet, please clear up after it and keep ‘C’
a pleasant place to stroll around? Thanks.
Our scheme is now being fiscally
registered, currently having 145 members
paying €15 per quarter - a small price
to pay. Greenfingers have made a
vast difference to our streets - repairs,
gravelled verges, dustbins off roads, many
plants established. Volunteers are only
undertaking this until the council takes
‘C’ over. It’s lovely to walk around pretty
areas no longer overgrown, though some
of the work was backbreaking! If you’d
like to become a member, taking part in
keeping ‘C’ one of the nicest areas, contact
Bernard or your local representative (still
looking for representatives for C1, C3 and
C6).
For
further
information
about
http://www.
Greenfingers
visit
greenfingersgardenandsocialgroup.
com/
over 200€ to date and this will make
a great difference as the bills start
to come in. LOOK OUT FOR THE CAR
COMPETITION TICKETS on sale from
1st March.
Business Meeting for all traders
interested in the fiestas weekend, to be
held in Trevi Bar, Camposol B on March
21st at 3pm.
Please remember it’s Your Fiesta make it happen!
Best regards
Dickie Davies
Chairman Fiestas Camposol
Our workers are again out clearing streets
during the coldest February I remember!
If they’re in your area, please offer your
support: spare cash in buckets, even hot
drinks and biccies are appreciated! We’re
always looking for volunteers – even if you
aren’t resident, just holidaying here, you’re
welcome - we offer bacon/sausage sarnies
every Wednesday as incentive! Contact
Bernard, 626513842. If you’re unable to
offer physical work but can donate raffle
prizes or plants, we’d love to hear from
you; no offer’s too small!
TREASURE HUNT on Sunday 15th April
at 7.50€ inc a meal. A great afternoon
out and a chance to visit places you may
not have been before. You never know
you may even get to the end in daylight.
Another first for us! We are holding
a ROCK ‘N ROLL Dance at Mariano’s
Restaurant, Camposol A on Friday 27th
April. Lots of dancing guaranteed to a top
class act. Priced at only 5€ or 10€ with
a chicken and chips meal, what are you
waiting for?
Tickets are on sale either from our stall
on the Camposol Thursday market or by
phoning Dickie on 968199967.
Lastly a huge thanks to everyone who
has so far purchased raffle tickets
from our market stall. We have raised
Please
Please tell
tell our
our customers
customers where
where you
you saw
saw their
their advertisement
advertisement in
in the
the Costa
Costa Cálida
Cálida Chronicle
Chronicle
Page 43
Going to a Bullfight demonstration was
not something I ever expected I would
be doing. I got up in the morning with
a feeling that was a mixture of fear (of
what I may see), pride that I was doing
something that may make a difference
in the future, and sickened that I was
going to be so close to something that I
hate and abhor and have pushed to the
corners of my mind.
I set off with my two dear friends and for
all of us this was a first time experience.
On entering the Ricote valley in
Murcia, I could only see beauty in the
surroundings, the landscape is stunning
but sadly for us it was overshadowed by
the thought of what was going to take
place later in the day. When we arrived
in the village itself, it was buzzing with
excitement, just like any fiesta day in
a pretty Spanish country village. The
villagers and the visitors from Murcia
were dressed up in their Sunday best;
lots of reds and purples, the colours
they like to wear to signify a Bullfight.
I still could not believe that anything
awful was happening. Everyone was
animated and happy, but it didn’t feel
right and I felt like an alien
We stopped by in a bar for a little Dutch
courage and here my Spanish friend
overheard insults about us.
It was
obvious we were not there for the bull
fight; we must have been conspicuous
in our protesting manner without even
realizing it. I was starting to understand
that many of these people were not
particularly well educated and something
which I believe is part of the problem.
We talked to some Spanish men, who
told us how for 4 years the bulls are
treated like kings, so they are bred
and cared for, only to be killed cruelly
and without dignity!! How can this be
justified, to be treated like a King and
then cut down for people’s blood lust
and entertainment? It makes no sense
and the excuse is that this is art and
part of Spanish culture. It is significant
to note that bull fighting is banned now
in some of the more enlightened and
well educated cities, such as Barcelona
and Catalonia.
On arriving at the front of the bull ring,
we were met by the other protesters. I
strained my ears to hear what was being
said by the leader and understood that he
told us to stay peaceful and not be upset
or drawn into challenging comments
and insults. He talked to the Guardia
who agreed to protect us. I felt quite
afraid that we even needed protecting!
We were only there to protest about the
violence towards an innocent animal. It
is the bulls that needed protecting not
us surely??? I must admit that after
my initial fears, I felt very safe as the
Guardia genuinely seemed to care about
us.
Once we started I was infused with the
enthusiasm of the protestors. These
young people stood their ground and
bravely chanted to the crowd. At one
point a woman and her 5 children turned
back and it was very emotional as we
cheered and clapped and cried and the
lady thanked us and
nodded gratefully.
Our chant at that
moment
was,
“Is this how you
educate
your
children?”
died. I would have given anything to
have talked to those children’s parents
and ask them if they were proud of
the way they were bringing up their
children. In contrast I comforted one of
the youngest activists there, 16yr old
Laura who was absolutely distraught. I
told her she was special and enlightened
and that her generation when they are
my age will hopefully not see any more
spectacles of cruelty such as this and
that she should be proud to be so brave
and making a difference.
I truly believe that there will be a change
as there were many people outside
the bullring who looked disgusted and
listened intently to us; in fact strangely
enough they seemed more interested in
us than what was happening inside the
bullring. There were many insults to us,
which were proudly responded to with
intelligence and integrity. Although at
the beginning I felt a sense of energy
and enthusiasm for the cause, at the end
I felt a sense of depression and despair.
The emotions of the activists went from
strong and valiant to sad and defeated;
not because they had lost, but because
of the sad and cruel death of 6 proud
strong creatures. It was a sad day…
No Al Matrato de Animales, helped
me to understand more about the many
cruelties to animals in Spain and more
about the bullfighting culture. Why does
Bullfighting still continue in the modern
world? Why it is so necessary to get it
stopped?
I had my first introduction to a
demonstration, an anti-Bullfight demo
and it definitely will not be my last.
Come on Spain! This is the modern
world. Torture of an innocent animal is
not the way to educate your children.
Vivienne Wharton
My biggest shock
was that some of
the children in the
bullring took great
delight in taunting
us and shouting to
us each time a bull
Page 44
To
To place
place an
an advertisement
advertisement with
with us
us please
please see
see page
page 5
5 or
or contact
contact Teresa
Teresa 619
619 199
199 407
407
Page 45
Back in December when my business was
quiet and after rescuing yet another stray
dog that I did not know what to do with, I
decided I should start thinking about what
could be done about this awful situation of
abandoned dogs and the neglect and fate
that befalls many Spanish hunting dogs,
Galgos and Podencos.
Being a Facebook user, I decided to set up
a group, putting some feelers out to see
who else had the same thoughts as me.
So Animal Welfare Support Murcia –
AWSM was set up. I started looking around
for others who were involved in animal
welfare, not just charities, but individuals
and I was truly amazed to find, not only
many people already doing something, but
a huge amount of Spanish, especially young
intelligent and well educated people, have
already formed groups making a difference.
Since the conception of AWSM on Facebook,
we have helped a lady who had hit hard
times, to get her beloved dog home to the UK
with her. We have helped rescue abandoned
dogs through networking and talking. We
have helped individuals who were unable to
home their rescued dogs and also we have
been able to accumulate many good ideas to
help the situation long term.
On Facebook there is a great network of
people all over Europe and internationally
who spend much of their time networking
to release dogs from Perreras, where the
conditions are comparable to prison camps
where the poor dogs have dates on their
heads of when they will be sacrificed. Friends
of these Perreras daily send out photos and
appeals to get them freed and many of them
are being rescued, fostered and put in safe
places until they can be homed permanently.
The power of networking like this has been a
miracle for these dogs and now I would like
to set up a website where this can happen
more effectively and with more structure.
We are working on education in the schools
for young children, giving them information
regarding improving animal care. Murcia is
one of the worst regions for animal neglect
in Spain and the recent downturn in the
economy has affected things more than ever.
These problems have to be acknowledged
and dealt with to make this a better place to
live for animal loving ex-pats and the many
Spanish people that feel the same as us.
We need to fight for animal rights and show
the government and local town halls how, if
Murcia is a better place for animals, it will be
a better place for the residents and visiting
tourists.
If you want to join us and support and help,
then please go to Facebook group Animal
Welfare Support Murcia – AWSM.
If you want to help the death row dogs
by networking, or donating to help their
release, go to URGENT dogs in need of help
now ACTIN - Animal Care Treatment
International Network.
Vivienne Wharton
Page 46
Christian Humanitarian Aid Charity
in the Mazarrón & Surrounding area
This is the prompting that Started
our MAD Journey….
Matthew 25 v 35-36 “When I was
Hungry you fed me, when I was
Thirsty you gave me a drink, when
I needed Clothes you clothed me,
when I was a Stranger you invited
me in, when I ……….……” God fills
in the missing gaps.
GO maD declares that In God we
Trust for the evidence of God’s
presence far outweighs the proof of
His absence.
to sleep in; others do not. Want to see
for yourself? Come and join us on our
Outreach Work, visiting homes, giving
out aid, shopping and bagging up kilos of
food, or finding items from the ´Wanted
List´. There is so much more than our
Shop – come behind the scenes and see
the Truth!
Call Outreach on 634357137 if you
would like to be part of this MAD team,
even if for a day.
We were approached by a local
supermarket to collect their daily ´waste
food´; fruit/veg, split bags of flour etc,
baguettes, yogurts, desserts. WOW
so many provisions, every day is like
Christmas! We never know what we will
receive.
Have you time on your hands? Consider
volunteering in our Mazarrón Shop on
Fridays - we hope to open soon, but need
your help.
We take so much for granted. Many of
us have cupboards full of food and beds
When we share our Outreach Work,
people respond saying they had no idea
… so we reveal a little:
For the past year we have visited every
home of those who came for help to
assess their needs, covering Mazarrón,
Puerto de Mazarrón, Cañada de Gallego
(inc´d Pastrana) and Ramonete. We
operate 4 ‘Aid Days’ a month and
purchase food for every one of our 160
clients registered. This amounts to aprx
2,250€ per month. One ‘client’ could be
a home of 14, another 6 or just 2. We
maintain a client ´Wanted List´ for items
such as clothes, shoes, furniture, blankets
and special items such as paint, school
books and prams! We were asked to
assist with finances towards the renewal
of 4 children’s passports, which would
enable their parents to obtain financial
assistance from local government offices.
.
A single mother and her 6yr old son, live
in free accommodation without water,
electricity and little else. Thanks to your
kind donations, we blessed them with
everyday items. A family of 9 awaits
eviction from their rental property, and
others we know are soon to have their
houses re-possessed.
Without family
to accommodate them, where will they
go? A man living in his car has health
needs. 5 young men live under plastic,
trying to find their fortune in Europe. We
hear constantly that after two years of
´no work´ and the finish of government
financial help, many are now worried as
to how they will support their families.
When we ask what else can we do to
help, the answer is simple - “Find us
WORK”. Women ask for cleaning jobs
and men for building or gardening work.
We tell them constantly “We have 100´s
asking the same”.
Page 47
From Country and
Genuine Auction!
Western
to
a
February saw a lot of activity for Age
Concern. 24th Feb saw a Music Evening at
Mariano’s, Camposol with the Brady Bunch,
led by Phil and accompanied by the Mervyn
Booth Disco. You need a lot of energy to
dance country and line! 1st February was
the usual Monthly Social at the Cultural
Centre, Sector B Camposol. These meetings
are free and last two hours, providing
everyone with the chance to chat and
catch up with friends whilst taking in some
interesting topic. 1st Feb also saw a 90th
birthday with Gwen being presented with a
cake. The Menu del Dia, costing 10€ was
at a Spanish Restaurant, La Barraca and
provided a very different menu from the
Chinese Da Fu Hau in January.
February 3rd saw the Age Concern
Auction which was a great success and
will be repeated at bi-monthly intervals. It
is strange that there is no auction house in
Mazarrón and really this is only the second
attempt to establish an auction in the area.
With over 150 items being auctioned off
there was some fierce bidding on some
lots. Auctions really are a bit tricky, nearly
everything sold including many of the items
which had reserves on them. All of the
items could be viewed from 10.00-12.00pm
in the back of Mariano’s, with larger items
on the patio, including beds, armchairs,
tools, a tenor saxophone, ornaments, and
a variety of electrical goods all. It was a
lively afternoon with Rod the auctioneer
moving on as fast as he could. Some items
took several minutes of haggling, with
three or four people bidding for the same
item. Approximately 100 people packed
into the back room and many put in bids.
Sellers had dug into attics and storerooms
and eager bidders looked for bargains.
Age Concern has indicated that it will run
these as regular events, perhaps every two
months.
Social Events:
Wed 7th March, Talking Shop Afternoon
starting at 1.30pm at the Cultural Centre,
Camposol B.
Friday 16th March, Coach Trip to Murcia
starting from Puerto de Mazarrón, Mazarrón
Country Club and Camposol, 10€. Last
chance for the sales!
Wed 28th March Menu del Dia at Mazarrón
Country Club Restaurant. 1.30pm. 10€ with
live entertainment.
Fri April 13th Age Concern Spring Ball,
18€ with the Beagles & four course carvery
meal at the Sensol Golf Club, Camposol.
Tickets can be purchased from Salud Bar,
Camposol B on a Friday morning, in the
Bar Peyma just by the tourist information
bandstand on a Thursday morning, or from
the main Age Concern office, 968970687
Calle Retama No 29, on Camposol C5 (turn
right after bridge and follow road round) on
Mon, Wed and Fri mornings, 10.00-2.00pm.
Spanish phrases
Hernandez
provided
by
Antonio
Visiting the Doctor
socorro “help” (but only when it’s an emergency)
me duele la cabeza “I have a headache”, but just adding parts of
the body to me duele you can say “I have a
pain on .....”
repetir mi receta por favour –
“repeat my prescription please”
estoy regular “I am so so”
necesito mas pastillas “I need more tablets” (necesito means “I
need” - just adding what you need at the
end you can express yourself saying what
you need)
no funciona “It’s not working”
We also say - “no
va” “It’s not going.
It’s not working”
tengo cita “I have an appointment” We also say - tengo
hora - “I have an hour” because many years
ago the doctors appointment was one hour
per family! The whole family used to go to
visit the doctors at least once a month.
Page 48
Page 49
URGENT REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
AND DONATIONS
Galgos del Sol is in urgent need
for assistance in rescuing some 70
galgos and puppies that were found
in appalling conditions in Murcia.
Although some have been already rescued
by other animal shelters in a massive
rescue mission, there are still many dogs
in need of rescue and a good home. If
none is found, these remaining dogs face
being put to sleep. Pictures of the dogs
in need of a home are too disturbing to
be printed in this magazine as many
were found malnourished and in need of
veterinary care.
La Fortaleza Animal Rescue in Murcia
alerted Galgos del Sol of the plight of
these dogs and alongside Andrea’s Animal
Rescue, The Henrietta Foundation of
Fuente Alhamo, Galgosconnectionspain in
Germany and Denia Dogs of Germany, a
massive rescue mission swung into action
immediately.
Time is against the completion of
this rescue mission. If anyone can help
with regards to adopting, fostering or
providing any assistance with regards to
this rescue mission, please contact Tina
Solera at galgosdelsol@hotmail.com. If
you would like to make a donation, please
contact Tina Solera directly at the same
email address.
Together we can make a huge difference
to these dogs!
JORDAN – to Belgium
SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS.
It is a policy of Galgos del Sol to try and
find permanent homes for all its rescued
dogs and provide necessary veterinary
care for those in need. With support,
Galgos Del Sol has successfully re-homed
several dogs abroad. Wishing them “Bon
Voyage” and a happy future, Galgos del
Sol would like to thank those who helped
in the re-homing of the following Galgos.
SUZIE- to Belgium
GUAPITA AND PEDRO TO THE UK
TRINITY RELAXING IN HER NEW
HOME IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
CAN YOU HELP?
If you would like to help Galgos Del
Sol in rescue missions, fostering, fund
raising or even just walking the dogs on
the beach, please contact Tina Solera at:
galgosdelsol@hotmail.com or visit the
website at: www.galgosdelsol.es
Page 50
Anise is also called aniseed. This aromatic
flowering plant is native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its
flavour resembles that of liquorice, fennel,
and tarragon. The Anise plant can grow to
3ft with a white flower. The fruit develops
into a pod and it is this that is referred to as
aniseed. Anise is used to flavour both food
and drink with a powerful liquorice taste. To
get the best flavour from your Anise, buy it
as fresh as possible as it can lose its flavour
quite quickly.
Mass in English is celebrated every
Saturday at the Catholic chapel at Pastrana,
approximately 10km from Mazarrón
Schedule of Masses:
Saturday at 4:30pm
Schedule of Confession:
Saturday from 3:45-4:25pm also on
request
Bible Study:
1st and 3rd Sunday at 4:30pm
Fr. Carlos Prats mobile 628 824 555
Fr. Octavio Carpena mobile 676 219 445
www.pastranaonline.com
ST. JOSEPH
Anise leaves are more delicate than the
seeds, and are excellent cooked or raw.
They can be used to season salads, soups,
cream cheese, fish, vegetables and tea. The
fruits can flavour cakes, breads, salads,
soups, vegetables, fish and poultry. The
Anise roots are used to make wine. In Indian cooking, Anise can be an ingredient in
curry powders and garam masala. It is also
chewed to freshen the breath. In Asia, Star
Anise flavours pork, chicken, duck, rice,
coffee and tea. It is also one of the ingredients in Chinese “five-spice powder.”
What
we
know about
J o s e p h
c o m e s
from
Holy
Scripture,
the
Bible
i t s e l f .
Joseph, the
husband of
Mary and the
foster father
of Jesus, was
from Royal
lineage. His
genealogy
is that he was a descendant of David, the
greatest king of Israel. When the angel
who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets
him as “son of David” a royal title uses also
for Jesus.
carrying, Joseph immediately and without
question or concern, took Mary as his wife.
When the angel came again to tell
Joseph that his family was in danger, he
immediately left everything he owned, and
fled to a strange country with his young
wife Mary and the baby Jesus. He waited
in Egypt without question until the angel
told him it was safe to go back.
We know that Joseph loved Jesus. His
one concern was for the safety of this
child entrusted to him. Not only did he
leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon
his return settled in the obscure town of
Nazareth out of fear for his life. We also
know that Joseph treated Jesus as his
own son, for over and over the people of
Nazareth say of Jesus, “Is this not the
son of Joseph?”
God the Father made a wise and wonderful
decision to name Mary as the Mother of our
Lord Jesus Christ and he named Joseph as
the earthly father of Jesus.
It is sad that we don’t know more about
Joseph, when and where he was born,
how he spent his days, when and how he
died, but Scripture has left us with the
most important knowledge: who he was –
“a righteous man”
We know that Joseph was a carpenter, a
If used as a herbal tea, Anise can have a working man, for the sceptical Nazarenes
tonic effect on the nervous system and di- ask about Jesus, “Is this not the carpenter’s
gestive system.
son?”
We know that he was a man of
faith, obedient to whatever God asked of
The Anise seeds can be ground and used in him without knowing the outcome. When
various sweets, the most popular one being the angel came to him in a dream and told
aniseed balls. It is also used in the Greek him the truth about the child Mary was
drinks Ouzo and Raki. Although it appears
clear, once water is added to these drinks,
the solution becomes cloudy.
There are various medicinal uses for Anise:
The seed wasteth and consumeth winde
And is good against belching and
Upbraidings of the stomacke
Alaieth gripings of the belly
Provoketh urine gently
Maketh abundance of milke
And stirreth up bodily lust
It staieth the laske, diarrhea
And also the white flux in women
John Gerard: The Herball 1597
Anise can be used to treat menstrual
cramps among other medical conditions
and the essential oil has also been known
to have been used as an insecticide against
head-lice and mites. It was also used as an
antiseptic during the American Civil War, although it was later discovered to cause high
levels of toxicity in the blood, so its use was
discontinued.
Page 51
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, R&B, disco, adult
contemporary, and show tunes. Founded
in Detroit, Michigan as The Four Aims, lead
singer Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, a
cousin of singer Jackie Wilson) and group
mates Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Renaldo
“Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, having gone from 1953 until 1997 without a
single change in personnel.
Among a number of groups who helped
define the Motown Sound of the 1960’s,
including
The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The
Temptations, and The Supremes, the
Four Tops were notable for having Stubbs,
a baritone, as their lead singer. Most groups
of the time were fronted by a tenor.
In 1964, Motown’s main songwriting/
production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland created a complete instrumental track
without any idea of what to do with it. They
decided to craft the song as a more mainstream pop song for the Four Tops, and
proceeded to create “Baby I Need Your
Loving” from the lyric-less instrumental
track. Upon its mid-1964 release, “Baby I
Need Your Loving” made it to number 11
on the United States Billboard pop charts.
However, the song proved to be much more
popular on trend-setting radio stations in key
U.S. markets; “Baby I Need Your Loving”
was a strong top 10 hit on both WMCA in
New York, and WKNR in Detroit—stations
listened to by radio people all over the country because these stations broke new artists
and songs. After the single’s success The
Tops were pulled away from their jazz material and began recording more material in
the vein of “Baby I Need Your Loving.”
The first follow-up single, “Without the
One You Love (Life’s Not Worth While)”,
missed both the pop and R&B Top 40 charts
by only thirty positions, but the next single
“Ask the Lonely”, released early in 1965,
was a Top 30 pop hit and a Top Ten R&B hit,
and the from there, The Tops’ fortunes began to improve.
After scoring their first number 1 hit the
often-recorded and revived “I Can’t Help
Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” in
June 1965, The Four Tops began a long
series of successful hit singles. Among
the first wave of these hits were the Top
10 “It’s the Same Old Song”, “Something About You”, “Shake Me, Wake
Me (When It’s Over)”, and “Loving You
is Sweeter Than Ever”. The Four Tops
records often represented the epitome of
the Motown Sound: simple distinctive melodies and rhymes, call-and-response lyrics,
and the musical contributions of The Funk
Brothers. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote
most of Levi Stubbs’ vocals in a tenor
range, near the top of his range, in order to
get a sense of strained urgency in his gospel preacher-inspired leads. In addition,
H-D-H used additional background vocals
from female background vocalists The Andantes on many of these songs, to add a
high end to the low-voiced harmony of The
Tops, with “Loving You Is Sweeter than
Ever” being one of the few exceptions.....
August 1966 brought the release of The
Four Tops’ all-time biggest hit, and one
of the most popular Motown songs ever,
“Reach Out I’ll Be There”, which hit
number 1 on the US pop charts and soon
became The Tops’ signature song. It was
almost immediately followed by the similar sounding “Standing in the Shadows
of Love”; its depictions of heartbreak reflected the polar opposite of the optimism
expressed in “Reach Out”. It was another
Top 10 hit for The Tops.
The Top 10 U.S. hit “Bernadette” centred
round a man’s all-consuming obsession
with his lover, continued The Four Tops’
successful run into April 1967, followed by
the Top 20 hits “7-Rooms of Gloom”, and
“You Keep Running Away”. By now, The
Tops were the most successful male Motown
act in the United Kingdom (in the United
States, they were second to The Temptations), and began experimenting with more
mainstream pop hits. They scored hits with
their versions of Tim Hardin’s “If I Were
a Carpenter” in late 1967 (mid-1968 in the
U.S.) and the Left Banke’s “Walk Away
Renée” in early 1968. These singles and
the original “I’m In a Different World”
were their last hits produced by HollandDozier-Holland, who left Motown in 1967
after disputes with Berry Gordy over royalties and ownership of company shares.
Without
Holland-Dozier-Holland,
the
quality of The Four Tops’ output, like
that of most of Motown, began to decline,
and hits became less frequent. The group
worked with a wide array of Motown producers during the late-1960s, including
Ivy Hunter, Nicholas Ashford & Valerie
Simpson, Norman Whitfield, and Johnny Bristol, without significant chart success.
The Tops’ first major hit in a long time
came in the form of 1970’s “It’s All in the
Page 52
Game”, a pop Top 30/R&B Top Ten hit produced by Frank Wilson. Wilson and The
Tops began working on a number of innovative tracks and albums together, echoing Whitfield’s psychedelic soul work with
The Temptations. Their 1970 album Still
Waters Run Deep was an early ancestor
to the concept album. It also served as an
inspiration for Marvin Gaye’s 1971 classic
album What’s Going On, the title track of
which was co-written by The Tops’ Obie
Benson.
In addition to their own albums, The
Tops were paired with The Supremes,
who had just replaced lead singer Diana
Ross with Jean Terrell, for a series of albums billed under the joint title The Magnificent Seven: The Magnificent Seven in
1970, and The Return of the Magnificent
Seven and Dynamite! In 1971. While the
albums themselves did not do well on the
charts, The Magnificent Seven featured
a Top 20 version of Ike & Tina Turner’s
“River Deep - Mountain High”, produced
by Ashford & Simpson.
The 1971 single “A Simple Game” featured backing vocals from members of The
Moody Blues. The song did not fare well on
the U.S. charts, but reached number 3 on
the UK charts.
After similar releases in the Motown “Definitive DVD” series on The Miracles, The
Temptations, The Supremes, and Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops’ Motown Definitive DVD, “Reach Out,” was finally released on November 11, 2008.
The Four Tops received The Grammy
Lifetime Achievement Award as part of
the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Along
with The Temptations, The Four Tops
were and are still my favourite Motown artists. Their songs are timeless classics which
will be played, listened to and loved by people for many more years to come.
You can listen to Mark Davies on Costa
Cálida International Radio on Mon, Wed
and Fri evenings 7.00-9.00pm and Thursday
afternoon 4.15-6.30pm.
Mark Davies.
In the late-1980’s, The Four Tops focused
on touring and live performances, only recording one album, 1995’s Christmas Here
With You, released on Motown. On June 20,
1997, 59-year-old Lawrence Payton died as
a result of liver cancer, after singing for 44
years with The Four Tops who, unlike many
Motown groups, never had a single lineup
change until then. At first, Levi Stubbs,
Obie Benson, and Duke Fakir toured as
a trio called The Tops. In 1998 they recruited former Temptation Theo Peoples to join
the act to restore the group to a quartet. By
the turn of the century, Stubbs had become
ill from cancer; Ronnie McNair was recruited to fill in the Lawrence Payton position,
and Peoples stepped into Stubbs’ shoes
as lead singer (Stubbs died on October 17,
2008, at his home in Detroit).
The Four Tops were featured in several
television specials during this time, including Motown 45, and several by PBS, including a 50th anniversary concert dedicated to
the group (available on DVD). The concert
turned out to be bittersweet; it featured a
brief appearance of the wheelchair-bound
Levi Stubbs, and a memorial to Lawrence
Payton, announced by Obie Benson. Benson appeared on one more PBS special and
died on July 1, 2005, from lung cancer.
The final PBS special, titled Motown: The
Early Years, featured a message of Benson’s passing following the credits. Lawrence Payton’s son Roquel (real name
Lawrence Payton, Jr.) replaced Benson as
the new bass (Roquel could be seen in the
pledge break interviews of Motown: The
Early Years). Theo Peoples left the group
recently as well and was replaced by Spike
Deleon. The group was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990,
and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in
1999. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked them number 79 on their list of
the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In
2005, The Four Tops were inducted into
the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall
of Fame. In 2009, the group’s first big hit,
“Baby I Need Your Loving”, was voted
a Legendary Michigan Song. The group’s
first number 1 hit, “I Can’t Help Myself”,
was voted a Legendary Michigan Song in
2011.
Page 53
Although everyone knows St Patrick is
the National Saint of Ireland, the history
of St Patrick is not so well known.
17th March is when St Patrick’s Day
is celebrated throughout the world, but
mostly in Ireland. This day has been a
religious holiday in Ireland since early in
the 17th century and became a National
Holiday in Ireland in 1903. There are
often parades to celebrate this special
day which signifies the end of Lent,
during which there have been restrictions
on eating and drinking alcohol. The day
is generally characterised by attending
Church and the wearing of green,
especially shamrocks, the national
flower of Ireland. Many bars and
restaurants celebrate St Patrick’s Day
with special menus and Irish-influenced
entertainment.
Little is known of St Patrick’s early life,
although it is known that he was born
in Roman Britain in the 4th century,
to a wealthy family. His father and
grandfather were deacons in the Church.
At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped
by Irish raiders and taken captive to
Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was
held somewhere on the west coast of
Ireland, possibly Mayo. According to
his Confession, he was told by God in a
dream to flee from captivity to the coast,
where he would board a ship and return
to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly
joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and
studied to be a priest.
It is believed that St Patrick was called
back to Ireland as a bishop. According
to Irish folklore, one of his teaching
methods included using the threeleafed shamrock to explain the Christian
doctrine of the Trinity. The colour
associated with St Patrick was originally
blue, but over the years this changed to
green and the phrase “the wearing of
the green” meant wearing a shamrock
somewhere on one’s clothing.
St Patrick died on 17 March 461, and
according to tradition, was buried at
Downpatrick, Ireland. Although there
were other more successful missions to
Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured
as the principal champion of Irish
Christianity and is held in esteem in the
Irish Church.
There are various sporting events to
celebrate St Patrick’s Day:
•
The All-Ireland Club Football and AllIreland Club Hurling championships
finals are held annually in Croke
Park on St Patrick’s
Day.
•
The
St.
Patrick’s Day Test
is an international
rugby
league
tournament that is
played between the
USA and Ireland.
The
competition
was first started in
1995 and is usually
held on or around
17 March to
de
with
coincide
St.
Patrick’s
Day.
•
The
Leinster
S c h o o l s
Rugby
Senior
C u p ,
Munster
ls Rugby
Schools
Seniorr Cup and
Ulster Schools
Seniorr Cup
held
are
Saint
on
k’s
Patrick’s
Day.
Connacht
The
Schools Rugby
Senior Cup is held on the weekend
before Saint Patrick’s Day.
In Great Britain, to celebrate St Patrick’s
Day, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
used to present bowls of shamrock flown
over from Ireland to members of the
Irish Guards who still wear shamrock on
this day. Horse racing at the Cheltenham
Festival attracts large numbers of Irish
people along with residents of Britain and
this usually coincides with St Patrick’s
Day. Birmingham holds the largest St
Patrick’s Day parade in Britain with a
massive city centre parade and London
has an annual St Patrick’s Day parade
on weekends around the 17th, usually
in Trafalgar Square. In 2008 the water
in the Trafalgar Square fountains was
dyed green. Liverpool has the highest
proportion of residents of Irish ancestry
of any English city which has led to a longstanding celebration on St Patrick’s
Day in terms of music, cultural events
and the parade. Manchester hosts a twoweek Irish festival in the weeks prior to
St Patrick’s Day. The festival includes
an Irish Market and parades.
Page 54
Hi there from Bob again with this month’s
Welcome report. Have you noticed the
blossom on the trees as you’ve driven through
the campo? It’s a sure sign that Spring is well
on the way, and with it, some warmer weather.
Mind you, we’ve been lucky really, haven’t we?
It’s been a tad cold, but none of those subzero temperatures that they’ve had all over
northern Europe. It makes me feel cold just
watching it on the telly and I immediately
have to go and stand in front of the fire to get
warm. No, I don’t really – just kidding.
The January Dance on 18th featured three
fabulous artistes, Shirelle, Pat Martin and
Jimmy Mac, the Saviours of Soul. They all
appeared separately first, doing their own
speciality, and later all together. Needless to
say, the dance floor was full straight away,
and stayed that way “All Night Long” (no, that
wasn’t one of the songs they did, but it may
well have been). Let’s hope they come back
soon.
Tickets on sale:
Ladies’ Evening 7th March, with stalls selling
jewellery, cards, etc, and a fashion show and
prize bingo. Martin Ross will be entertaining,
and I’ve asked Fran to make notes as I won’t
be there! They won’t let me in! Ladies only!
Just €3.
March 14th Dance, with a welcome return of
Kevin Tyler, and also J. J. Soulman. Only €9
and €5 for chicken and chips.
You can still enter the Treasure Hunt on
Sunday March 25th at €7. This is always
good fun, and ends with a buffet at the final
destination, wherever that may be!
There are only a few tickets still available for
the April 18th Dance with ‘Cliff-As-If’, the
only Cliff Tribute endorsed by the great man
himself. Also appearing will be ‘Hank Marvin’
and ‘Buddy Holly’. Just €10 and €5 for pork
escalope and chips.
The Annual Petanca Competition is on
28th March for members only at €7, to include
prizes and a meal at Trevi Bar, Camposol B.
Tickets for Race Night at Trevi Bar, Camposol
B are just €3, in aid of MABS.
The next Welcome Meeting is on 3rd of March,
when tickets will be on sale for the May 23rd
Dance featuring comedian and musician Alan
Wallace. €9 only and €5 for lamb chop and
chips and also tickets for the Summer Ball
at Hotel Pinito de Oro on June 20th at 29€, to
include champagne reception, 6 course meal,
all drinks and entertainment.
Names are now being taken for our Annual
Trip to Benidorm on15th October, for 3
nights, 4 days half board at the Hotel Helios
just 130€ and also for the first time we are
going away for a Christmas Break, staying
at the same hotel 5 nights ,4 days full board
including gala lunch on Christmas Day 220€.
For more details ring Rosemary
Dates for the Book/Jigsaw Swap Club are
March 6th and 20th, at the ICA Clinic, Camposol.
Phone Jo on 669457985 for details.
Fun Petanca is on the last Wednesday of each
month, but please note that on March 28th it’s
members only. Call Les on 968131880 for
more information.
Welcome is open to everybody. There is no
membership – just come along and meet
old friends and new. Further details and for
tickets, phone Rosemary on 620105179, or
e-mail rosemarybeak@hotmail.com, or
visit www.welcomegroupspain.com.
The February Dance, on St Valentine’s Day,
saw for the first time in our area, a fantastic
singer, Dan Davy and everybody’s favourite,
the lovely Christine.
We all danced the
night away to some
nice romantic songs,
and I even caught
one or two couples
having a crafty kiss!
Well, it’s only once
a year, so why not.
Another great night
and many thanks to all the helpers who made
the night so successful.
Page 55
Deckid Auto Services, run and managed
by David and Diane Stapelton have moved to
bigger premises making it their second move
in just 18 months.
In July 2010 David and Diane set up Decklid
Auto Services just outside Mazarrón Town,
but in less than 9 months they had to take on
the adjacent workshop unit just to keep up
with demand for their services; and then in
February 2012 they moved again to an even
bigger workshop just across the compound.
purpose-built
workbench
area
for
the
more
specialised
processes
and a well
equipped
office.
Dave
left
school at just
16 to train
full time as a
mechanic and
has
never
looked back
and now has
over 18 years
experience and it shows. Diane manages all
aspects of the important paper work and
runs an efficient office, leaving Dave free to
manage all the mechanical aspects of the
business and this team is as hard to beat for
efficiency as just about any business could
be.
Decklid Auto Services also offer a growing
range of other products such as batteries,
lights, windscreen wipers etc. The latest
product offering is the “Diesel Head”. If you
have ever accidentally put diesel instead
of petrol into a vehicle, then this really is a
“must have” product. For only €35 this can
prevent the potentially horrendous cost of
making this all too easy mistake.
We wish Decklid all the best for their future.
Registered Charity Nº 8.714/1ª
JJ’s Puppy Rescue Association has been a
Spanish Registered Charity since March 2007
with a Management Committee, Association
Members, Volunteer Helpers and Foster Carers.
Over the past
four years JJ’s
has
rescued
over
300
abandoned
puppies
and
cared for them
until
new
homes
were
found in the
local area and in other parts of Europe. This
could not have been achieved without the
support and generosity of public donations and
the help of local people who care for many of
the rescued puppies in foster homes until they
can be found new homes with a caring owner.
JJ’s
Puppy
R e s c u e
Association
has over 40
puppies
and
dogs in need of
a loving home.
The
cost
of
the necessary
veterinary care
to bring our rescued puppies back to good
health, their vaccinations, neutering and kennel
accommodation all requires a great deal of fund
raising. For this we are dependant upon public
support and generosity.
We would like to thank everyone who attended
the Blues Brothers at Mariano’s, Camposol
and to all those who donated raffle prizes. An
impressive 631.90€ was raised for JJ’s.
The main reason for this new move is that
the unit is not only much larger, but has the
additional height needed for Decklid Auto
Services to offer an even wider range of
services to just about any make and model
of vehicle. The new unit also has a superb,
We
have
a
Charity
Shop
in Puerto de
Mazarrón which
is
located
near the Arbol
Supermarket.
The
Charity
Shop is staffed
entirely
by
volunteers and we really need all the public help
we can get. Any unwanted furniture, electrical
goods, clothes, household items, bric-a-brac,
books, DVD’s and videos that can be sold in our
charity shop or table top sales to raise funds
will be gratefully received. We can arrange for
donated items to be collected by one of our
Association Members. We would like a special
mention to Steve and Chris from Bar La Peña/
La Marina for all the items they donated to JJ’s
Shop. We need volunteer helpers who can give
some of their free time to work in our Charity
Shop so if you would like to help come in and
have a chat with the staff.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR COLLECTION
OF DONATED ITEMS GIVE ONE OF OUR
COMMITTEE MEMBERS A CALL
TONY 618034921 - JOHN 617004959 –
RICHARD 699243370 or call at our Charity
Shop in Puerto de Mazarrón
W e D o I t A l l 4T h e P u p p i e s .
Page 56
Page 57
2012 has been described as the Year
of Change and with it may come both
pleasant and unpleasant decisions we will
all have to make and endure. This month,
I will be answering questions on FEAR. The
acronym for F.E.A.R is “Fantasized or false
Experiences Appearing Real. Fear can
either be a physical state in which there
is a “real” threat and it can also be a state
of mind that creates “perceived danger”
which is usually accompanied by feelings
of anxiety, stress and negative emotions.
Either way, it is an unpleasant experience
for anyone. However, thinking constantly
of fear actually escalates the problem and
can in the long term become a “comfort
zone” unconsciously. Hence, why some
people are often described as having
negative personas. Perceived fear in the
long term can also lead to chronic stress
and ultimately, the root cause of illnesses.
The best way to combat perceived fear is
to face it head-on. Best- selling author,
Susan Jeffers describes it succinctly in her
book, “Feel the fear and do it anyway”.
Easier said than done perhaps, but with
the recession, many of us are faced with
difficult decisions in our life. Dwelling or
procrastinating on reaching a decision
actually makes the situation worse, so
now is the time to review your options
realistically and decide on a course of
action, unpleasant though it may seem to
some but at least you will have a life plan
for action.
Dear Jennifer,
With the recession and our diminishing
pensions, my husband and I have had
to change our lifestyles to cope. This
has not been a pleasant experience as
we have now had to cut back on our
social life and cruises that we enjoyed
for the last 10 years. Our financial
outlook is bleak and now we may have
to return to the UK, which we are not
looking forward to. Our children, in
the UK, want us to live with them in
Somerset, but this will mean losing
our independence as a couple. I know
others are in a similar position but
the bleakness of our situation is now
making me ill. I can’t sleep, eat and
am taking prescription medication to
curb my anxieties. Please help! – Jane
of Roldan.
Dear Jane,
No-one has escaped the recession
unscathed and your predicament is one
that many expats in Spain face. However,
thinking about the unpleasantness of the
situation and of what lies ahead is actually
making you feel anxious and stressed.
In life, we all have to make such difficult
decisions and the best way forward is to
get on with it. You will find that it is the
procrastination to making a decision that
is actually making the situation worse.
Review your options realistically, make
a decision and follow through with it for
now. You never know, in the process, your
circumstances may change for the better
and then you can choose another life path.
- Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
My daughter is 21 years old and we
have lived in Spain for 15 years. Last
week, she informed me that she is
returning to the UK to look for a job.
She has been finding it difficult to
find a job locally and the thought of
her leaving us is stressful. We have
a close relationship and I can’t stop
worrying about her. After all, the job
market is the UK is equally bleak.
What if she does not succeed! As a
mum, I worry and I can’t help it. –
Mary of Mazarron.
Dear Mary,
As a mum myself, I know how you feel. My
daughters live in the UK and just like you,
I worry about them constantly. However,
there comes a point in both our lives when
we have to let our children find their own
life paths. Many mums describe what you
are feeling as the “empty nest syndrome”
and feelings of despair, worry, concern are
common, but so are feelings of loneliness
and emptiness. As an adult, your daughter
has the right to decide her life path for
herself and perhaps it is also time for you
to fill the void with a better social life,
friends and laughter. Don’t get me wrong,
for as mums we will never stop worrying
about our children no matter how old
they are, but we have to learn to trust
in their decisions and provide them with
whatever moral support they may need.
Your daughter may have her own concerns
and contributing to it will not make it any
easier for her as well.-Jennifer
Jennifer Rahman is a life coach and holistic
therapist. If you have any questions or
concerns, please forward these to Jennifer
Jennifer@lifemaxxinternational.
at:
com. Jennifer respects your privacy and
will anonymise all responses published on
this page. No details are sold or shared
with any third party.
Page 58
Merino depicts the general wearing a green
uniform and dark sunglasses crouching
slightly inside the fridge, which is decorated
with a white and red design similar to the
Coca-Cola logo.
Merino said his piece “Always Franco” is
meant to be a comment on how the former dictator, who ruled from the end of the
Spanish Civil War in 1939 until his death
in 1975, continues to make headlines in
Spain.
“It represents the idea that in Spain people are keeping the image of Franco alive.
We don’t stop talking about him, debating
about him. A fridge is where things are kept
alive and fresh,” he said.
The sculpture has turned out to be one of
the most sought-after exhibits by visitors to
the five-day fair, which features works from
215 art galleries in 29 countries.
“There are people who really like it, others
who can’t stand it. Spain is very divided on
the topic of the dictatorship,” said Merino,
who was born just months before Franco
died at the age of 82.
Educational Reforms will mean Three
Years of Sixth Form
If the latest educational reforms are
passed, secondary education (ESO) will be
reduced from four years to three, and sixth
form studies (Bachillerato) and professional
training (FP) would be increased to three.
There are also plans to replace ‘Educación
para la Ciudadanía’ (EpC - citizenship studies) with “civic and constitutional” studies.
The final year of secondary education - up
to the age of 16 - will “orientate” students
towards either vocational training “continuing” studies towards the ‘Bachillerato’,
a system that the new Education Minister,
José Ignacio Wert, believes will make pupils
better prepared and reduce the numbers of
pupils leaving school prematurely.
With regards to vocational or professional
training, the minister defended the “German dual system”, whereby students learn
on the job, thus increasing their chances of
being employed after their training ends an “attractive” alternative for those wishing to enter the labour market and one that
stimulates entrepreneurial skills. Companies and trade unions will be involved in the
reform process.
With regard to the ‘citizenship studies’ the
new curriculum will be “free” of all ideological questions and indoctrination and focusing wholly in the workings of a democratic
society and Spanish and European institutions.
The minister also made mention of the
enormous investment in education thus far,
but said it was “not enough” in view of the
fact that the results of Spanish students
are “way behind” OECD averages. With regard to bilingualism, Wert announced his
intention to meet with leaders of the autonomous communities and to change their
focus from studying English to “studying in
English”, promoting the teaching of the language from primary school onwards.
He also added that Spanish universities
were in need of a “huge reformist boost”
in order to improve results, comparing the
0.7% financing of state universities in Spain
with the EU average of 1.2%.
Second Wave of Arrests in Valencia
as Students Continue their Protests
At least six people have been arrested and
nine people injured (five of them police officers) in Valencia during a march organised to demand freedom for the students
arrested during earlier protests.
Protestors also demanded the resignation
of the government’s representative in the
Valencian Community, Paula Sánchez de
León, for the “disproportionate” police intervention against a group of pupils at the
Lluis Vives College in the city. Protestors
caused disturbances in several of Valencia’s
central thoroughfares, forcing the closure of
Calle Xátiva, Calle Colón and then Gran Via
de Germanías. There were a number of violent clashes between students and the police, with the protestors upturning rubbish
bins around the city centre streets. At least
one person was taken to hospital. Several
others were attended to by the emergency
services.
The students protesting said they were acting as a “sign of solidarity” with their colleagues who are still being held by police.
Eight of the ten young people arrested in
the protest were held by the authorities
with two being released.
US marine exploration company, Odyssey,
at the centre of the ‘stolen treasure’ controversy with Spain, has presented a claim
with a court in Florida demanding that the
Spanish government pay them 412,000
dollars (just over 313,000€), to cover the
cost of storing and transporting the more
than 500,000 gold and silver coins that it
has been ordered to return to Spain.
The Spanish government has made it clear
that, “Odyssey should bear the costs” since
they were the ones who took the treasure
unlawfully from the ‘Nuestra Señora de las
Mercedes’ in the first place. A federal judge
will make a decision as to whether the cost
of storing and preserving the coins - what
it terms as ‘custodia legis’ - and the cost of
returning the 17 tonnes of coins to Spain
will be carried by Odyssey or by the Spanish state.
The Tampa-based company will be presenting a document issued by the court that
names Odyssey as the “substitute custodian for the sunken vessel until such time as
a new order is issued”, and will be reminding the judge that they “recovered the cargo from the depths of the Atlantic at their
own expense”.
“Because of mistakes in this case,” the motion continues, “the reality is that the recovery (of the treasure) has worked to the
benefit of Spain,” although the Spanish defence lawyers argue that the treasure “was
removed from the bottom of the Atlantic
and transported (to the USA) without authorisation”.
Odyssey claims to have spent over 400,000
dollars on the ‘custodia legis’ to Numismatic
Guranty Corporation (NGC), the company
contracted by Odyssey to “conserve the
cargo” of coins and other items, valued at
over 500 million dollars (almost 380 million
euros). Since November 3rd 2011, NGC
has been keeping the cargo safe in a secret
location, to which the Spanish government
will be granted access.
So far, the US court has not supported Odyssey’s cause, either at regional or national
level.
Sánchez de León has
called a meeting of
representatives
of
all the political parties in the regional
parliament: PP, PSPV,
EU and Compromís,
to analyse the proliferation of “unplanned
rallies”.
Odyssey Demands
300,000€ for Storing Stolen Treasure
Page 59
Franco in a Fridge at Madrid Art Fair
A sculpture of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco inside a fridge sparked controversy when it went on show at the ARCO
art fair in Madrid yesterday. The sculpture,
made of resin, silicon and human hair, is entitled “Forever Franco” and was created by
Spanish artist Eugenio Merino, who caused
similar controversy at the fair in 2009 with
a sculpture depicting British artist Damien
Hirst shooting himself in the head.
REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR
GARDEN BY PROPAGATING YOUR
OWN PLANTS - IT’S FUN AND OFTEN
NOT DIFFICULT
By Clodagh and Dick Handscombe
Practical Authors and Gardeners living in
Spain for twenty five years
The self propagation of plants is an
economic way of producing new plants
and can be an interesting and fascinating
hobby, whether living in a house or
apartment. Luckily the warmer Spanish
climate makes some propagations easier
than it was in Northern Europe and in
many areas without a greenhouse. Much
of our garden was planted from our own
plants raised from cuttings or seeds
from our own or friend’s gardens. The
cost of buying each plant from a garden
centre would have been astronomic and
we have some plants that are often not
readily available.
This month we therefore review a
number of practical ways of propagating
and indicate what can be produced with
relative ease by each method.
SPLITTING OF MATURE ROOT BALLS.
The easiest propagating method is to
split large root clumps in the autumn
or spring. This can be done with a wide
range of perennials including herbs such
as chives and marjoram, vegetables such
as asparagus, bulbs such as agapanthus
and tulbaghias, flowering plants such as
rudbekias, coreopsis, chrysanthemums
and gazanias. Often pots of the latter
are already root bound when purchased
from a garden centre and of a size too
large for edging borders. We therefore
immediately carefully remove the plant
from its pot and prise the roots apart
to produce up to a dozen or more good
plantlets from a single purchased plant.
Normally the several new plants will be
immediately planted out in the garden
although small plantlets can be grown on
in pots before planting out.
ROOT CUTTINGS.
New plants of herbs such as mint and
ginger and rhizomes such as irises can
be produced by cutting off and planting
up a short length of a healthy strong root
without the need for any top growth.
LEAF CUTTINGS.
Pot plants such as epiphyllum, echeveria
and streptocarpus can be easily raised
this way. Remove any healthy young leaf
and pin the leaf down on the surface of
the soil in a plant pot or sink one edge of
the leaf into the soil.
STEM CUTTINGS.
This is probably the most popular method
used by both amateur gardeners and
commercial growers for the reproduction
of shrubs. Try it with oleanders, roses,
grape vines, bougainvilleas, solanums,
lantanas, hibiscus, begonias and many
succulents. The cuttings can be rooted
by planting up in pots or directly into a
flower bed or special nursery corner of
the garden. Rooting can be stimulated by
dipping the cut ends of cuttings in rooting
powder before inserting them into the
potting compost.
For roses a useful Spanish trick is to cut
a two centimetre slit in the end of each
cutting and then inserting a dried sweet
corn seed in the slit before planting the
cutting.
REMOVING RUNNERS OR BABY
PLANTS.
Some plants develop runners with small
rooted plants on the ends. Strawberries,
raspberries, spider plants and aloes are
easily multiplied in this way.
LAYERING.
Many ground cover plants and shrubs
with low branches can be multiplied in
this way. Just peg a branch to the ground
and cover the pegged area under a heap
of earth for six months. When there is a
good root ball cut off the rooted branch
and plant up.
AIR LAYERING.
This slightly more difficult method can be
easily used to produce new rubber tree or
solandra plants. Make a slit in a healthy
branch and then seal it within a plastic
sleeve of dampened moss or potting
compost. When a good root ball has
developed, cut through the branch below
and plant up the new plant.
GRAFTING.
Many fruit trees, roses and acacias are
produced in this way. A cutting of the
desired cultivar is inserted into cuts in
a suitable host rootstock just before the
sap rises in the spring. Unfortunately
the several methods involved require a
little practice, but at the second or third
attempt you may create an orange tree
that also has branches of lemons and
grapefruits.
PROBLEMS THAT CAN OCCUR.
Although most of the above methods are
easy for any keen gardener, there are a
number of potential problems. However
the following actions can minimise them:
Firstly, stem and leaf cuttings
inserted in pots of compost can dry
out. The best way of preventing this is
to place a pot of cuttings inside a clear or
semi-opaque plastic bag and then blow
the bag up and seal. The cuttings can be
left in this microclimate until strong new
growth is observed.
Secondly, cuttings can rot off.
The chance and extent of this can be
minimised by washing and sterilising
plant pots, sterilising the potting compost
on a tray in an oven, adding sand or fine
grit to the potting compost to achieve
good drainage, adding a few drops of a
fungicide to the watering can or spray
before watering cuttings when first
planted and when subsequently required.
Thirdly, don’t be tempted to plant
new plants too early. Be patient and
wait until there are signs of a good root
ball and the weather has warmed up in
the spring. Then harden them off for a
few days in the sun before finally planting
in the garden or in pots.
FROM SEED.
Lastly, one can propagate from seed,
either from packets of seed or from seed
saved from plants in your garden. The
advantages include being able to tap into
specialist seed catalogues that include
many seeds of varieties of plants rarely
available from nurseries, or in the case of
vegetables, heritage or heirloom seeds no
longer or never available commercially.
Unfortunately growing from seeds is a
topic too long for this column. However
it is thoroughly covered in Section 6.13of
our book ‘Your Garden in Spain –
Planning, Planting and Maintenance’
and Sections 4.12 and 4.13 of ‘Growing
Healthy Vegetables in Spain’.
These books can be obtained via high
street and internet bookshops.
If
you
order
from
www.
you
will
gardeninginspain.com
receive
a
free
copy of ‘Living
Well from our
Mediterranean
Garden’.
©Clodagh and Dick
Handscombe
February 2012.
Page 60
Page 61
Suduko
Wordsearch
Do-Able
Translate the English words below into Spanish
Difficult
OBJECT
WAVE (SEA)
BUILDING WORK
ELM
GOOSE
NAVEL
SECONDHAND
ELEVEN
EIGHTY
OPPOSITE
OCTOBER
TO PRAY
TO HIDE
COMPUTER
HATE
TO MILK
WEST
GOLD
OFFER
NETTLE
BUTTON HOLE
CATERPILLAR
EAR
SHEEP
EYE
Answers on page 92
Monthly Quiz
March Quiz Questions
on the February 2012
Costa Cálida Chronicle
1.
2.
3.
Who claims you “put your
computer
in
professional
hands”?
Why
would
you
email:
peaky55@gmail.com?
Who specialize exclusively
in construction of swimming
4.
5.
6.
pools?
Where can you “spend your
lunchtimes or evenings in
their beautifully restored dining rooms, overlooking their
poolside terrace and gardens?
Who offering “three ways to
make more of your money”?
What was special about February 3rd ?
7.
Who was talking about a perfect egg?
8. What do 1908, 1948 and
2012 have in common?
9. Where would you find the
nests of the Processionary
Caterpillars?
10. Who wrote Travels of an Everyday Man?
Page 62
Offence is a real trap and we are all capable of taking the bait. We daily have
the opportunity to be offended by others,
but we have a choice to take the bait or
to leave the trap alone. We can, through
offence, see ourselves as the victims and
then something else happens which compounds the already bad situation we find
ourselves in. Two other real traps then
present themselves and they are Un-forgiveness and Bitterness. I once read that
if we are bitter about someone, this state
slowly eats away at our spirit; carrying bitterness in our lives was also described as
like carrying battery acid around in a polystyrene cup - very soon, the bottom will
drop out of our cup!! So, as you can see,
offence can be the gateway to a downward spiral in the way that we relate to
others; then we protect ourselves by holding back from life’s opportunities so that
we never get offended again... our world
has suddenly begun to shrink! Every time
we let offence affect us, our lives become
smaller; we do not speak to the offender
again, we avoid contact with them, we
duck and dive every time we see the person who upset us - what a way to live! It
does not have to be this way.
fended, we can still choose not to take the
offence bait. Our lives are full of choices
and today in this article I want to challenge
you to choose to Forgive.
When we have an understanding of the
power of forgiveness, it dramatically
changes the way we react to offence and
we can more easily make the choice of not
taking the bait that seems to present itself
so often in our lives.
God offers forgiveness to every one of us,
no matter what we have done. His love
for us, His creation, has never diminished
and will never fade. So many times I have
heard people say ‘God can’t love me and if
you knew about the life I have lived, you
would understand why’. Nothing is further away from the truth! Because man
rejected His love, He sent His Son to provide a way to renew that loving relationship with Him; but the world rejected Him
also. I am so glad that God never gets offended with us, however many times we
bait the trap, and I am so thankful that His
forgiveness is Unconditional.
Find out more about God’s unconditional
love at Wellspring Victory Church
*****************************
The fifth Men of Vision España conference is to be held on Saturday 10 March at
Hotel lo Monte, Pilar de la Horadada. The
guest speaker is international author and
speaker Jeff Lucas and the worship will be
led by Noel Richards. This will be a great
time for any man interested in hearing the
good news of Jesus Christ. More information at www.menofvisionespana.com
or telephone Duncan on 6073820333
While shopping one day in a local supermarket, I overheard part of a conversation
between two ladies talking in the opposite
isle; it was only a snippet, but what was
said brought real sadness into my heart.
One said to the other, ‘Have you seen anything of Alice [made up name], lately?’
The other lady responded, ‘No, and I don’t
******* care if I ever see her again, after
what she said about me – I’ll show her that
I don’t need her… who needs friends like
that!!’
Even if we have been genuinely mistreated
g
and feel that we have the right
to be of-
Page 63
Page 64
Marion, Nina and John from TAABS
were pleased to present the cheque to
Sue Weeding on behalf of the 15 strong
singing troupe; a result of their hard work
fundraising over the Christmas period.
They performed at Easy Horse Care’s
Christmas Carol Service in December
and were honoured and privileged to be
invited to sing at the Orihuela Cathedral
on request of the Ayuntamiento, “We did
15 shows in December,” explains Treasurer
Marion, “and we support many charities
throughout the year. In October we gave
115€ to the Royal British Legion and 115€
to EMAUS and 100€ to DEBRA in November
and December and we are pleased to now
donate to Easy Horse Care.”
Sue explains that it costs a 25€ a week to
care for a horse at the Centre and that’s
before any vets bills or unexpected extras,
so every donation makes a big difference
and TAABS are delighted to be able to
help. They have raised tens of thousands
of euros since forming around 10 years
and raise the money through their own
monthly subscription fees and events.
their stories. Visitors can also enjoy a light
lunch or light refreshments available in the
café garden, and all proceeds go towards
the support of the Centre.
www.
For
more
information
visit
easyhorsecare.net or call Sue on 652
021 980.
The team at Easy Horse Care are also
grateful for all donations being made to the
charity shops; Charity’s Boutique situated
at the Centre itself, run by volunteer Chris
and the stores in both Quesada and La
Siesta, but a plea is being made for more
items of clothing and bric-a-brac to be
given to the Quesada store as stocks are
running low. Any items of good quality can
be dropped off at the shop or the Centre
itself.
Anybody can make a difference to Easy
Horse Care Rescue Centre by sponsoring
one of the horses for as little as 5€ per
month by contacting the Centre directly.
Throughout the winter they have open days
on Sundays and Wednesdays from 1-4pm
where they have guided tours and visitors
can meet the horses and donkeys and hear
TAABS Donate from Easy Horse Care
Four horses at the Easy Horse Care
Rescue Centre will be happily fed and
sheltered for another week. That’s thanks
to the 100€ that was generously donated
from the Torrevieja Amateur Association of
Ballard Singers.
Page 65
2011 was a busy year for Help MMM
and the following are some of our
successes during the past two years;
SAMARITANOS - At the beginning of
November 2011 Joan and Brian donated on
behalf of HELP MMM 18 packets of nappies
to the Samaritanos, San Pedro del Pinatar,
for which they were thanked publicly. At
our general meetings a raffle is held to
raise money for nappies, which are donated
twice a year at the ADAPT meeting.
JET 2 - HELP MMM are very grateful
for the assistance we receive from JET 2
airline. Goods left on airplanes are kept
for three months and then donated to
charity. For some time now JET 2 has been
donating them to our charity, and as a
result we are able to assist others. The last
donation from them included spectacles
which we passed on through the opticians
in Dos Mares to needy people in third world
countries and a pushchair and good quality
clothes which we gave to the Samaritanos,
San Pedro del Pinatar who look after local
poor people.
DOLL’S HOUSE PRESENTATION - “Muy
bonito” was the verdict of the nurses in
the Children’s Cancer ward at the Arrixaca
Hospital in Murcia when presented with a
doll´s house and farmyard for the young
patients on 23rd December 2010 made by
our President Elaine Dale and her husband
Brian. Members of HELP contributed to the
cost and the farmyard was stocked with
animals and a tractor and the doll´s house
was fully furnished.
President Elaine Dale standing on the left
with the nurses
HOSPITAL VISITORS - Hospital visiting is
such a necessary service for people alone in
hospital in a strange country, and is carried
out by our volunteer teams who visit Los
Arcos hospital twice weekly. At present
they are able to visit other hospitals only on
an emergency basis. Only the other week
Thelma Manning, who organises the roster,
reported that the hospital visitors saw 14
patients, the most they have ever seen in a
week. The hospital visitors don’t blow their
own trumpets about all the good work they
do. Hospital visitors offer assistance in
resolving problems and providing patients
with magazines, books (including talking
books) or just have a chat. They can also
put people in contact with the hospital’s
social services for assistance with social,
medical, economic and family problems.
10TH ANNIVERSARY
This year is our tenth anniversary and the
year kicked off with our dinner dance on
24th February at the Roblemar Restaurant.
IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE
It is hoped to set up a support group early
for people who are depressed, bereaved or
feeling isolated and need someone to talk
to over a cup of tea. A number of people
have already turned to us for help in this
way.
CAN YOU HELP HELP?
We urgently need WINTER clothing and
BRIC-A-BRAC for our stall at the LOOP
(Autocine) Sunday market. Please, have
a look in your wardrobes, drawers, garden
sheds and under your beds for suitable
items, including furniture, TVs, bikes.
Why not ask your friends, they might
be de-cluttering? If you are unable to
bring the items to the Office behind the
Deutsche Bank in Los Alcazares or to the
Autocine, please contact Bernard, who
will make arrangements for collection.
Tel 968134355 or 659751611, or email
grannychips@hotmail.com
DONATION
TO
AFACMUR
the
Association of Parents of Children with
Cancer of the Murcia Region. The photo
shows the presentation by Elaine Dale of a
cheque for €2500 to the Vice President of
AFACMUR, Mr. Mariano Fernandez Garcia.
HELP regularly offer financial help to “Good
Causes “ and this year members of HELP
recommended that AFACMUR were the
chosen beneficiary of money raised by the
Cancer Support Group. The donation was
much appreciated and enabled AFACMUR to
continue with their work in supporting the
families of children afflicted with cancer
by providing psychological support for the
children and the families and support for
treatment and activities both in hospital
and at their centre.
Maggie, Mariano, Elaine, Pat
and Jane Cronin
HEADPHONES AND CASSETTE PLAYERS
NEEDED
Talking Books.
The service for supplying talking books to
the public has been dormant for the last
year, but it will be starting up again now
that the library and administration have
been updated. At present we have a list of
128 books and 6 cassette players. Initially
the service will be available for patients in
hospital and, if it proves popular, we shall
extend the service to the wider public.
Headphones plus cassette players are
needed to play help us provide this service.
Please dig out any headphones that you
may have and are not using, like the ones
that are issued on commercial flights or
guided tours. Don’t just leave them stored
in cupboards, Donate them to HELP MMM
and we can make good use of them. We
hope to be able to have a delivery service
for people, who can’t get out of the house
or are sight-impaired and would like to
listen to a book on tape.
Money raised at the stall enables HELP
MMM to carry on with their good work
loaning out wheelchairs and other disability
aids, and offering help in many other ways
in the local community.
We hope to expand our service to the
Mazarrón area and launch an initiative
called “LISTENING EAR” but more about
these in the future.
Page 66
‘Connecting
Girls,
Inspiring
Futures’
has
been
announced
as the 2012
theme
for
International Woman’s
Day,
which takes
place
on
March 8.
“If every International Women’s Day
event held in 2012 includes girls in some
way, then thousands of minds will be inspired globally.”
vides a designated opportunity to lobby,
raise awareness, educate or celebrate.
Whether feminism, pay inequality, women’s voting issues, peace, politics, health,
business, work, religion, science, technology, the arts or any other aspect – IWD is
an all-encompassing day that is open to all
groups to address it as they choose. IWD
is a day that reminds the world not to be
complacent about gender equality.
If you have any event planned for International Women’s Day, email us at
costacalidachronicle@gmail.com and
we will put it on the Costa Cálida Chronicle blog.
International
Women’s Day is a
tremendously important day. This globally recognised annual day represents
the gender inequalities of the past. It
serves to bring focus
to the gender issues
of today, and it also
sets a gender agenda
and momentum for
the future. IWD pro-
Events are held all over the world throughout the month of March to honour women
for their social, economic and political accomplishments. More than 100 countries
take part in these festivities, showing the
world that women are a great influence
in each country’s history. International
Women’s Day has become a national holiday in countries such as Russia, Afghanistan and Zambia and in other countries
there are events throughout March making people aware of the success of women
throughout the world, but also the plight
of many women, even in this day and age.
Dr Stone, women’s campaigner and founder of www.internationalwomensday.
com said “The theme ‘Connecting Girls,
Inspiring Futures’ is a call to action. It encourages organisations and groups around
the world to think carefully about key messages for the women of tomorrow and to
share these messages in a positive way to
impact the minds and aspirations of girls.
The goal for International Women’s
Day 2012 is that every IWD event around
the world will involve, educate and inspire
girls in some way. A successful outcome
would be that because of IWD 2012, girls
around the world are more inspired to
reach their full potential and enjoy equal
and fulfilling futures.
Page 67
AMAZING HELP FOR HAH HELP AT
HOME
“The amount of help we are being given
is unbelievable” said HAH founder Lesley
Eburne, when she and some of the HAH
volunteers went up to La Manga Club
International Ladies’ Coffee Morning last
Wednesday to receive a cheque for 500€
from their treasurer Val Ashton and past
President Breega Gregory.
Lynda , Val, Lesley, Breega, Carole Duff
and Celia Ryan
The money had been collected for them
as a thank you for the help given to
residents at the club. Lesley and Lynda
Christopher, (Clinical lead) gave a short
talk on how HAH helped people in their
homes, and how important it was to raise
funds to provide this free service. Lynda
added “We are delighted to be able to help
so many people who are struggling to
cope, need some help or advice, or just to
provide a friendly face to help the family,
and we are so grateful to the ‘Ladies’ for
choosing to support us”. The volunteers
then spent a very enjoyable hour chatting
with the ladies and discussing the many
and varied ways that funds are raised,
and how these are put to such good use
within HAH.
APICOCO SUPPORT HAH HELP AT
HOME
The sun shone last Thursday, when HAH
volunteers went to an ‘Afternoon Tea’
party hosted by Clair and Mike from Bar
Apicoco in Playa Honda. More than 50
people came along to enjoy chef Katie’s
freshly made cakes, and a fantastic
flower
arranging
demonstration
by
HAH’s own volunteer, Pam Hankinson.
Elaine Woodward, another volunteer also
showed her skill, and brought along some
beautiful tiles that she had decorated by
hand. There was a fantastic display of
jewellery to buy, and a demonstration of
the new Wingz (as seen on Dragons Den).
Clair and friends had already started a
raffle, and the flower arrangements were
added to the prizes. The afternoon raised
an amazing 180€. Celia Ryan (HAH)
thanked Clair, Mike and friends, for
their support and hard work, the friends
who donated raffle prizes, and the loyal
customers who turned up in support.
there, and we cannot thank them enough
for their care and attention.” Lynda still
calls in regularly to see Iris as they have
become great friends, and Lynda said “
I look forward to seeing Iris, as in spite
of her problems, she is a great character,
and such a happy lady.” Jackie thanked
Lynda for all she and HAH had done for
her Mum, and although the service is free,
insisted on making a donation to continue
this excellent work in the community.
THIS IS WHAT HAH HELP AT HOME IS
ABOUT-- HELPING PEOPLE
Last week HAH Clinical lead, Lynda
Christopher went along to the Residencia
de Mayores y centro de Estancia Diurna,
El Palmeral del Mar Menor to visit one of
HAH’s oldest clients, Iris Everett, 92 years
of age. Having arrived in Spain over a
year ago from her home in the UK, Iris
came over to be with her daughter Jackie
Sutherland. Shortly after her arrival, HAH
was asked to attend to continue treatment
on Iris’s legs. Daughter Jackie said “ Mum
has had this same problem for over 2
years, and nothing has worked, but Lynda
came along and worked so hard, and
managed to clear this up very quickly, she
really worked miracles. Unfortunately, due
to Mum’s health, she is now living at the
Residencia, but she absolutely loves being
L – r. Lynda Christopher (Clinical Lead
HAH) with 92 years young Iris,
and her daughter Jackie
For further information,, visit our website
www.helpathome.es or to join our team
of volunteers, contact Lesley on 968 134
978 or email helpathomespain@gmail.
com.
Page 68
A GREAT START TO THE YEAR
MABS Murcia Volunteers were back
at Iceland Overseas in San Javier to collect a cheque for 6,656€ which was raised
throughout 2011, with various events at the
Iceland Overseas store. Manager, Russell,
and his staff have confirmed that MABS
Murcia is their nominated charity for 2012.
“We’re really looking forward to working
with everyone at MABS again. Their volunteers are game for anything and are a great
help when they’re packing customers’ shopping” said Russell.
the MABS website to make sure that you
don’t miss out on the fun.
Photographer: Geoff Bell
LA MANGA PADS UP FOR MABS MURCIA
MABS Cancer Support Group has been
selected by La Manga Cricket Club as
their charity for 2012. The Club will hold
several events during the year, with the
main one being their 20/20 cricket, held
in September. This annual competition will
be hosted at La Manga Club and features
teams from the UK, Spain, Ireland and Belgium, accompanied by a number of sporting celebrities and is sponsored by the UK
based Ideal Group.
“We’re over the moon that La Manga
Cricket Club has nominated our charity for
2012” commented MABS Murcia Director,
Lyn Baines. “They are particularly keen on
the fact that we are a local charity and that
all funds raised in Murcia remain here to
help those affected by cancer.”
Iceland staff and MABS volunteers
La Manga Cricket Club Team
MABS Murcia is a registered charity (No.
7261) offering help and support to local
people of all nationalities who have been
diagnosed with or are being treated for cancer. If you or someone you know would like
some confidential help or support call our
HELPLINE693 275 779 or visit their website: www.mabsmurcia.com
MABS Fundraising Co-ordinator, Janet
Bell, and her team are now busy working
with Iceland Overseas on new events for
this year, so keep checking the press and
La Manga Cricket Club plays their home
games at the La Manga Club Resort in the
Costa Cálida area of South East Spain. Their
first team is Spanish Costa League Champions and holders of the La Manga 20/20 Trophy and they now have a 2nd eleven who play
in the Costa Blanca Development League.
The Club’s patrons are Baroness Rachael
Heyhoe Flint OBE and Mike Gatting OBE.
They are always keen to welcome touring
sides looking for pre-season training games
or winter sunshine and hosted teams from
Belgium, Norway, Australia, France and the
UK as well as hosting The Lady Taverners
20/20 and Spain v MCC.
Please tell
tell our
our customers
customers where
where you
you saw
saw their
their advertisement
advertisement in
in the
the Costa
Costa Cálida
Cálida Chronicle
Chronicle
Please
To place
place an
an advertisement
advertisement with
with us
us please
please see
see page
page 5
5 or
or contact
contact Teresa
Teresa 619
619 199
199 407
407
To
email:
Page 69
Sebastian Faulks was born on 20th April
1953 in Donnington, Berks. He went to
school at Elstree School, Reading and
Wellington College, Berkshire before
studying English at Emmanuel College
Cambridge. He became a full-time writer
in 1991 and worked as a journalist. Faulks
married Veronica in 1989. They have two
sons, William and Arthur, and one daughter,
Holly. He was awarded the CBE in 2002.
Faulks’ French trilogy, The Girl at the
Lion d’Or, Birdsong and Charlotte
Gray (1989-1997), established him in
the front rank of British novelists. Faulks
was selected by the estate of the late
007-author, Ian Flemming, to write the
follow-up Bond novels. Faulks’ name was
not revealed to the public until July 2007,
when a publishing date for the work was
officially announced, along with its title.
Birdsong: This novel tells of a man called
Stephen Wraysford at different stages of
his life, both before and during World War I.
The novel came 13th in a 2003 BBC survey
called the ‘Big Read’ which aimed to find
Britain’s favourite book. It has also been
adapted three times under the same title
for radio, the stage and television.
A Week in December was published
in 2009 and is set in London. The book
begins with an elaborate seating plan at
a dinner party. The reader is introduced
to John Veals, a hedge fund trader who
is arguably the most important character.
He is a ruthless businessman, whose
immense fortune seems to have become
meaningless. He is more interested in the
chase, the challenge of acquiring more and
more capital. As he embarks on one of the
riskiest deals of his life, his family is about
to be torn apart. But does he even care?
Devil May Care
was awarded the
2009 British Book
Award for Popular
Fiction. The book
is set in the 1960s,
beginning with a
ritual
execution
in the outskirts of
Paris which starts
a chain of events
designed to lead to
global catastrophe.
A
narcotics
tide
threatens to lethally
engulf Britain, a British airliner disappears
in Iraqi airspace, and the thunder of war
echoes throughout the Middle East. Bond
is requested by ‘M’ to investigate a man
named Gorner and his bodyguard, Chagrin.
Bond is warned that his performance will be
monitored and that a new agent is waiting
in the wings, if his actions go awry. This
book is the first novel to focus on the adult
James Bond, as conceived by Fleming,
since 2002.
A small but hardy group of ADAPT members
enjoyed
a
ramble
through
the
beautiful Calblanque area on Saturday 18th
February. The weather was kind to us as
we set off from the spectacular Portman
Bay, climbing up into the pine forests.
After a gentle walk through overhanging
trees and wild flowers, we met the old Roman
Road which cuts across this historic mining
landscape. The Roman Road, which is now
a well marked path with wooden bridges,
took us back to our starting point by the
bay. The walk left us all with the desire to
go back and explore more of this stunning
area of natural beauty and history.
The
Rambling
Group
is
part
of
the ADAPT Association which meets in
the Hogar de Pensionistas, San Pedro del
Pinatar, on the first Saturday of the month
at 10am.
For more information visit
www.adaptsanpedro.eu
Page 70
Page 71
Hi, it’s Shannon here again and I am
going to tell you about a trip to the beach
with Bri and Mo. As you know Mum home
educates us and every Friday afternoon
Brian and Maureen take us out. This gives
Mum and Dad a bit of time to themselves
and gives us a time away from the house
and the chance to see and do other things.
It works really well as we love being with
Bri and Mo. The afternoon I am going to
talk about began with a packed lunch in
the car and a drive to the beach. After
we had eaten, Connor and I went rock
climbing. Bri has a tiny camera that he
usually has fastened on the front of his
model airplane. He brought it with him
and came rock climbing with it to film us.
Hello again, it is me, Connor, back with
exciting news about life! This time I am
going to write about being at home. As
you know the weather is getting colder,
so we are spending more time in the
house playing board games and doing
school work. It is still sunny, but not hot.
Nathan and I have attached a rope to the
go-kart we made last year and fastened
the other end to Nathan’s bike. We spend
a lot of time pulling each other round the
garden and up and down the road past
our house. It is really good fun and we
can get it up to quite fast speeds now.
School is getting more interesting as we
learn new things and study for our GCSE
exams next year. We are learning about
the Second World War and USA during the
Wall Street Crash in History and I find that
very interesting, but I have to say that
my favourite lesson is pottery because we
Hi, Nathan here. As I am writing this we
have just ended a fairly quiet month, so
there is not much to talk about, but it is
my turn and I am going to tell you about
the Burns’ Lunch we had at our house at
the end of January. It was a Sunday and
Mum had prepared all sorts of things for
us all to do. After Church in the Cultural
Centre on Camposol B, everyone came
back to our house. We had our kilts on to
help the atmosphere feel more Scottish.
The result was surprisingly good as the
camera really is very small.
can relax and make things and have fun
all at the same time.
Our cattery, Cat-A-Tonic, is going well.
We are getting to know our regular cats.
Some of them are with us for a long time
and Dad brings them into the house in
Once we were home, Dad connected the
computer to the load speakers so all the
music could be heard. We had a video of
a piper for Mum to carry the Haggis into
the room. Mum then ‘killed’ the Haggis,
reciting the Haggis poem written by
Robbie Burns. She does it very well. Then
everyone helped themselves to haggis
and tatties. I think most people liked it
as it was all eaten! Mum played a film
of Ben, my brother, playing his bagpipes
and then we recited Robbie Burns’ poems.
Connor, Gary and I went outside with
David because Connor wanted to show
them how good he was on the pogo stick.
It was very funny because every time
Connor jumped up and down his kilt flew
up and down. David and Gary couldn’t
stop laughing. Even Connor laughed and
that made it all funnier. Connor is very
good on the pogo stick, so he jumped up
and down for ages. I thought Gary was
going to explode with laughing.
We were all thirsty by then, so Bri
suggested we looked for a bar and have a
drink. We found one near a park. Nathan
and Connor went to mess about in the park
and Brian took his little camera along to
film them. I stayed with Mo on the beach.
We had a good time together, stroking the
cat that was there and collecting different
coloured pebbles.. The time went by very
quickly and it was soon time to return to
their house on Camposol. Once there I
read my book while the boys played on
the computer until it was time to go home.
We always have a good time on Fridays
and I am sure Mum and Dad appreciate
the break as well.
the evenings; one at a time though. This
is so that they do not forget what people
are and become shy of us. It is nice to
have a cat in the house to play with at
night. They go back to their own pens for
the night time though, and Dad brings a
different one in the next night. We only do
this if the owners say we can of course.
We have done a lot of rearranging in the
house. I got a new bed because we were
given a new double bed that went into
Matt’s room to make it more comfortable
for visiting couples. We gave Simon,
the pig, a better place to be by putting
more gravel down to soak up the rain and
giving him a patio area to lie on out of the
damp ground.
As you can see, we have been quite busy
even though we have not really gone
anywhere. That is our life in Spain.
poems, ate the food and listened to
the music. Mum played a DVD of The
Alexander Brothers singing at Sterling
Castle. There were more than 30 people
at our Burns’ afternoon and we were
raising funds for Operation Smile as well.
It was a good day, even though we had
to do all the washing up when everyone
had gone!
It was a very good day. Everyone read
Page 72
Page 73
Welcome, and what a start to the New
Year! I know I keep saying it, but our
main aim is the care for donkeys, however,
another charity ‘Galgos Del Sol’ who
we have worked with before, received
information that there was a man in Isla
Plana who had a total of seventy six, yes
76, Galgos living at his house, and that he
had been denounced and told that he must
remove them straight away. The following
day, together with Tina of Galgos del Sol
and representatives of another dog charity
from Cartagena, we went to the house and
removed around 30 of these poor Galgos.
The rear garden was a mass of sheds and
lean-tos and everywhere I looked there
was a dog on a short chain. The worst ones
were at the rear of the house in a small
compound measuring about 3 metres by
2 metres and although these dogs were
loose, they had not been cleaned out since
God was a lad, and they were extremely
thin with malnutrition and very frightened
and some were injured.
Over the next few days wow we were busy!
They were all vet-checked and their injuries
treated, blood tested, then injected and
passported. Two days later we received
word and he released a few more!! All of
them have been homed abroad and are
just awaiting formalities. However, we
have just been told that another 21 must
be removed by this coming weekend,
so another weekend of worries begins.
Although it has been hard, it is satisfying to
know that these dogs will be with their new
owners by the time you read this article.
Emily another Galgo arrived at her new
home in Holland - a tearful goodbye from
me at Alicante airport. You can see her
arrival on our face book page - not a
dry eye in the house. Good luck to our
beautiful Emily xx
For those of you that have internet, we
are on Facebook where all the information
about these rescues can be found. Finally,
I would like to thank Tina for having the
confidence in our ability as a charity to help
with the rescue.
Join us on Facebook, check our website,
or visit me in the car park on Sector B,
Camposol on a Monday morning for a
chat and to drop off your unwanted items.
Please take a look at the dogs we have for
adoption this month.
Adios, Andrea.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
ACASA- The National Casework Service of
Age Concern España - are actively looking
for volunteers to help publicise the vital
work done by our caseworkers. There are
hundreds of ways you can get involved and
help raise funds for ACASA but two of the
most popular are the Pub Quiz and the Big
Brew Up. If you think your local pub or café
would be interested in holding an event then
please email CCM@ageconcern-espana.
org for your free fundraising pack and to
register the event.
ACASA has two client bases – people over
the age of 50, and those of any age who
serve or used to serve in the British Armed
Forces, and their families, as ACASA does
the work of SSAFA Forces Help in Spain.
Contact 902 00 38 38 or info@ageconcern-espana.org for further information:
website www.acespana.org
ACASA - Official Partner of The British Embassy in Spain, AGE UK, and SSAFA Forces
Help.
Page 74
This article has been written and compiled
by Body and Mind Therapist, Drew Ryder
BSc. Psychol. Hons, IIHHT, MICHT, ThAT.
PAIN
Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous
system.
It can be physiological, or psychological.
Pain can be dull, it can be sharp.
It can be acute it can be chronic.
Pain can be short lived or last for ages.
It can nag at you, stab at you, annoy you,
cause you to ache, to feel nauseous, it can at
times be debilitating.
identified and acted upon, pain usually goes
away. If it doesn´t, then it usually comes
under the `chronic category´. Chronic pain
whilst it can be debilitating, at times can
ordinarily `be managed´. Fortunately, there
are many ways to treat pain and treatment
varies depending on the cause of pain.
Pain may be felt in one area of the body such
asthe head, stomach, arm, leg or back; or, in
the case of flu or fibromyalgia it can be felt
all over. One thing for sure is that it usually
hurts!
Consider chronic back pain for instance;
chronic back pain can limit your everyday
activities and make it difficult to do every
day mundane tasks or even to work. It can
therefore also affect how involved you are
with friends, family members and fellow
workers as they may have to do more than
their usual share of daily tasks, especially
when you cannot do the things you normally
do. This can cause unwanted feelings of
frustration within you because you cannot do
what you used to do; resentment because
you resent others being able to do more
than you can, and this ultimately, can lead
to stress.
Pain can be divided into two main categories
of which there are sub-categories.
Pain is either chronic or acute.
Pain that lasts a long time is called chronic,
and pain that resolves quickly is called acute.
Pain can also be useful however, in that
it can be helpful in diagnosing a problem.
Without pain, it is possible to seriously hurt
yourself without knowing it.
Without pain it is possible that you might
not realise you have a medical problem that
needs treatment.
These feelings and emotions can (and often
do) aggravate or worsen your back pain.
Why? Because of the mind-body relationship.
They work together – they are inextricably
linked. The way your mind controls your
Continual pain can cause depression or
make existing depression worse and not
surprisingly, depression can also make any
pain worse.Even mild depression can affect
how well you can manage your pain and stay
active. There is a belief that behind every
physiological problem there is a psychological
cause or issue. A Mind and Body Therapist
with an eclectic mix of both psychological
and `hands on´tools in a therapy toolbox,
assistance with managing or even eradicating
your pain can be achieved.
If you are in pain or think you may be
depressed, or if you are having a hard time
controlling your emotions, it is best to get
help sooner rather than later. If your pain is
the result of an accident or emotional trauma,
research has shown that some people are not
able to fully deal with their pain until they
deal with the emotional stress that their
accident or trauma caused.
Once the reason for the pain has been
For example, a lot of pain relief can be
obtained by medications such as analgesics,
and sometimes surgery which is either
helpful or necessary. Another way to treat
pain is through the use of the mind.
thoughts and attitudes influences the way
your body controls your pain. Both the pain
itself, and /or the fear of pain, can cause you
to avoid both physical and social activities.
Over time this leads to less physical strength
and weaker social relationships. It can also
cause more lack of functioning and more
pain and so the cycle continues. This can
lead to depression which is very common
among people who have chronic back pain
for instance.
Page 75
Iron Man
OK, I have a confession to make! Not only do
I really hate ironing, I’m also quite possibly
the world’s worst at this annoying but
necessary task. My husband learnt years
ago that unless he wanted to walk round
looking as if he had slept in his clothes, it
was better to bite the bullet and press all
his own stuff, so a familiar sight in our home
is Stuart ironing a pile of laundry, meaning
that we all look respectable enough when
we leave the house!
At last I might have found a solution to the
problem - if I hate ironing so much, then I
need to make it easier! My old leaky iron
finally gave up the ghost last week, and this
time I have replaced it with a real beast of
a machine. Not just an iron, but a “Steam
Centre System”, says the box. At 80€, I
almost expected that it would operate itself!
I can´t see that it makes ironing any more
pleasurable, but this thing shoots out more
steam than the Flying Scotsman and at least
for once the chore is over and done with
before I give in to boredom and frustration.
It won´t just be me that appreciates this
marvellous new iron; Iron Man will return
at the weekend to find, for once, a pile
of neatly pressed clothes hanging in his
wardrobe!
Well, not quite, but it is spookily intelligent.
Plug it in and leave it, it will beep to tell me
when I can start. Get distracted and leave
the ironing board, and in under 3 minutes
it will be cool, having turned itself off for
safety reasons. If the device does not move
for 3 seconds, the “eco-intelligent” steam
system shuts down, saving power and
water.
Liz Edmiston runs OwnersAway Property
Rentals & Management offering a full
range of services to property owners on the
Costa Calída. Contact Liz on 691977107
or info@ownersaway.com for more
information or visit the website www.
ownersaway.com to view the full range
of properties and services.
Can We Help You and Your Pet?
Have you provided a home for an animal
from a rescue centre or shelter for a stray
dog or cat?
Are you worried about the patter of tiny
paws in the future (if not at your house
maybe at your neighbours?)
We are here to help you; we can provide
financial assistance towards the cost of
spaying or castrating your new pet and
also with those unexpected vet bills, if
funds are available.
Please contact us if you need help:Tel 666186037 or call at the shop
Email
mazarronanimalmedi-aid@
hotmail.com
as clothes, bric-a-brac, cds/dvds and
electrical goods.
You can donate at the shop, Mon to Sat
10.00 till 2.00. (Take the third left after
Barclays Bank on your way into Puerto de
Mazarrón)
no longer needed why not try selling them
on our 50/50 scheme. We will collect the
items from your house (free of charge) and
display them in the shop until sold. You will
then receive 50% of the selling price with
the remainder going to the charity.
Don’t Forget our Drop-Off Point
Every Tuesday we are on Camposol B
Sector car park 10.00-1.00pm opposite
the petrol station.
We will take any saleable items no matter
how large or small. You might not need it,
but we can sell it to raise money in order
to help other people with the medical
expenses for their cats and dogs
Your Trash is our Treasure
To do this we need your donations and
would be grateful for any items such
Turn Your Unwanted Furniture Into
Cash
If you have large items of furniture that are
A Lady who Needs a Home
This is a dog we call ‘Lady’. She was a
stray in our village, but we felt we had to
rescue her and with the help of MAMAS
and other kind people, we have had her
spayed and injected against Rabies etc.
She has also been tested for Leishmaniasis
and is clear. She has a wonderful nature
and in a short space of time has adapted to
living indoors with our own two small dogs.
Unfortunately we do not have outside
space and therefore feel that she needs a
home with some land or large garden. She
is approx one year old and would make
someone a lovely pet. She is good with
children and at the age she is now, will
learn quickly. She walks on a lead and is
very affectionate.
In the past I have even been tempted to
use our professional laundry service for
OwnersAway, but the lovely lady who
so carefully presses and prepares all
the bedding and linens once gave me a
quote, and given the rate at which my kids
go through clothes, I would have been
bankrupt in a week.
For more Information
MAMAS or:
please
contact
Phil or Chris in La Pinilla
Tel: 628209548
Page 76
This article has been written by Mark
Phoenix, Hypnotherapist on the Costa
Blanca, Costa Cálida, and Costa Almeria.
Mark can be found at the Dental Care,
Camposol B every Friday
Are you a smoker? Well read on you might
be surprised…
It’s National No Smoking Day on 14th
March, so why not decide now is the time
to kick that habit. Almost every, day for the
last 16 years, as a Hypnotherapist, when I
have helped people to stop smoking, I am
never surprised when I ask a client “What
do you believe is in a cigarette?” they often
reply “Nicotine, Tobacco and Tar”. They are
all surprised when I give them the answer.
Are you ready for the truth?
There are over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke. While these ingredients are approved as additives for foods, they were not
tested by burning them, and it is the burning of many of these substances which is
dangerous.
The list of 599
additives approved by our
G o ve r n m e n t s
for use in the
manufacture
of cigarettes is
something every smoker should see. Submitted by the
five major American cigarette companies
to the Dept. of Health and Human Services
in April of 1994, this list of ingredients had
long been kept a secret.
Over 4000 chemical compounds are created by burning a cigarette – 69 of those
chemicals are known to cause cancer. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen
cyanides and ammonia are all present in
cigarette smoke. 43 known carcinogens are
in mainstream smoke, side stream smoke
or both.
It’s chilling to think about not only how
smokers poison themselves, but what others are exposed to by breathing in the
second-hand smoke. The next time you’re
missing your old pal the cigarette, take a
good long look at this list and see them for
what they are: a delivery system for toxic
chemical and carcinogens.
What about Nicotine Replacement or
the electronic cigarettes?
I bet you were not aware that Nicotine is
a natural insecticide which drop for drop is
3 times as poisonous as arsenic (which is
also in your ciggie). A number of these other
cigarette replacements actually have nicotine in them. Granted they may not have a
lot of the other chemicals in them, but why
have any at all?
Through specialist Hypnotherapy Suggestions you can stop smoking in only 30 minutes of Hypnotherapy, so why not stop Today!
Page 77
In the past few weeks we have received
notification of the passing away of a
number of our supporters. Over the years
we have got to know and enjoy these
friends and our thoughts and prayers are
with their families.
Always striving to bring you the best in
events and entertaining, PALS have a
few announcements to make that due to
circumstances beyond their control some
dates have been changed and something
new added.
Check with us to see if there are any places
left for the 3 Night Full Board at the
Hotel Helios in Benidorm at an incredible
125€ including transport. This must be
one of the best offers this year; leaving on
March 20th
This year’s Summer Ball will be known
and celebrated as the Jubilee Ball. Ten
years ago PALS put on their first Summer
Ball in honour of her majesty’s Golden
anniversary. Now, 10 years later we have
an even more fantastic event to honour;
a Diamond Anniversary. We have booked
the John Lindo Trio to provide the musical
entertainment, so book your tickets for a
night at the Costa Costa Hotel, Mazarrón
on June 3rd for an incredible 27.50€ to
include food, drink and dancing. There will
be coaches if demand is sufficient at 7€.
With a new band The Doghouse Blues
Band, PALS are holding a Good Friday
Dance on April 6th at the Golf Club,
Camposol. Tickets 5€ or 12.50€ to include
meal with fixed price drinks.
PALS have added another BBQ to cater
for the summer visitors, so in addition to
the 1st May and 12th October events there
will be an evening Beach BBQ on Friday
29th June from 6pm on Bolnuevo beach,
still priced at13€. If you have not been to
one of our BBQs then book early because
this is superb value with food and drink
included. We welcome children and would
remind you to bring chairs and tables.
We still have few places left for the
Mojacar/Bedar Trip with lunch included
Buddy is one of
the dogs from
IPA and is looking for a new
home. He is approx 1 year old
and looks like a
small Podenco
cross Labrador.
He was a little
shy at first, but
now loves noth-
ing more than getting cuddles. He
is good with other dogs and cats
and is vaccinated
and chipped. Call:
654027748
This Black Lab
cross is quite timid
but very appealing. He was from
at 25€ on 18th April, but places are strictly
limited.
Why not splash out on October 20th for
a 7 night/8 day fully inclusive Cruise to
Malta, Sicily, Naples, Sardinia and
Palma from 600€ per person including
transport?
Tickets available at Trevi Bar, Camposol
B Saturdays 11-1.30pm or in the Port at
Saralaras on Wednesdays 1 .30-3pm or
call 626460465
CAFÉ News
The next concert is booked at the Playa
Grande Hotel, Puerto de Mazarrón and
already the bands are clamouring to
be included. This year there will be few
changes to ensure that the afternoon and
evening provide a constant and memorable
day in what is the 6th Concert to raise
money for the additional new ambulance.
40000€ is in the pot and we really want to
get this soon, so make a date in your diary.
Any questions call 626460465.
a litter of 5 abandoned puppies brought
into the vets and put up for adoption many
weeks ago. 4 were quickly adopted and it’s
hard to understand why he has not been
adopted yet as he is adorable. He is now 5
months old. Call: 966725975
Dolly
and
Molly
are
sisters and
are
now
about
7
m o n t h s
old.
They
are German
Shepherd
cross
and
are really desperate for their own homes.
They are very friendly and are vaccinated.
Call: 659274573
Mimi is a
lovely
tortoiseshell
about
18
months old,
spayed and
vaccinated.
She is a little
bit shy on
first
meeting but will
make a very loving pet. Call: 966719272
To view more animals for adoption go
to: www.petsinspain.com
If you would like to advertise an animal email: info@petsinspain.info
Page 78
Page 79
Coo
Cook
books for
tex
text books
Par
Parents of children at
sch
school here in Spain
w
will not need to
be reminded of
th
h
the
prohibitive
cos
cost of purchasing
the required school textbooks necessary
each year for their child’s education under
the Spanish educational system. With the
current economic climate, it is becoming
more difficult each year for parents to facilitate what should be a child’s automatic
right – that of a decent and comprehensive education! Applying to all children of
school age – regardless of their ethnic origins – many experience extreme difficulties simply because their parents are not
in a position to provide the wherewithal to
purchase the text books that they so badly
need!
The Lions Club of Mazo
arrón Bahía want to
help to ease this situation by providing
local schools with a
number of complete
sets of appropriate
text books for the ex-clusive use of those
students whose parents cannot afford
to buy them. They
would be held and controlled by
t h e
individual schools – not the students – so
that they remain available for use by successive years of students until such time
as the school’s curriculum changes.
In order to achieve sufficient funding for
this venture, Mazarrón Lions are in the
process of compiling, collating and printing
a specially designed ‘Lions Cookbook’,
printed in English and Spanish. The proceeds from these sales will be used exclusively for their ‘Cook Books for Text
Books’ initiative. To help allay some of
the costs involved in the printing, the Lions
are actively looking for sponsors and people who wish to advertise their businesses
in the finished book
Produced in colour, in A5 ‘landscape’ format, with English and Spanish translations on opposite pages – and capable
of ‘standing’ on the cooking preparation
area – the cook books will soon be available from many different outlets such as
‘Best Wishes’, ‘The English Butchers’, and
many, many more, at the bargain price of
just €10 each.
If you’d like to become more involved by
sponsoring this initiative, placing an advertisement, feel that you’d like to help,
or simply want to know more please contact Lion Gina Barker on 968978810 or
630217885
Wine of the Month is
sponsored by
Le Gourmet,
Puerto de Mazarrón
This white Chardonnay
is really good value at €
5.40 and will compliment
most meals.
The red wine Antonin
2009 was selected by
Robert Parker, the famous
American
and
worldwide wine critical. This wine was mentioned in the 2012 Wine
Hachette in France at
€9.80. Price in the Chateau in France is €10.00.
Page 80
Wellbeing Clinic/Calida Caring Agency @
Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo
2nd Hand Goods to Buy/Sell/Help at Home
@ Brenda’s Boutique,Estrella de Mar,
Los Urrutias,10.00-1.00pm
Watch Your Weight Club, 2€ to MABS @
Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo, 10.30am
Yoga with Marí Carmen @
Bolnuevo, 10.00am
Slimming Club @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A, 11.00am
Andrea’s Animal Rescue, Shop Collection
@ Car Park, Camposol B, 11.30-1.30pm
GO mad Available for Donations @
Cultural Centre, Camposol B
Costa Calida Radio (Pto), 3.00-5.00pm
Children’s Modern Theatre Dance/Louise
@ Sensol Hotel, Camposol C, 5.00-6.30pm, 8+
Zumba for Adults/Louise @
Sensol Hotel, Camposol C, 7.30-8.25pm
Fun Music Quiz @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B, 8.00pm
Every Tue
Pensionista Day 1€ discount @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A
Weekly “B” Clean Working Party @
Camposol B, 9.00am
MAMAS Collection/Book Stall @
Camposol B Car Park, 10.00-1.00pm
“Pick/Try/Choose/Buy/Donate” @
MABS Murcia NE 10.30-12.00pm
Apts Maruja, Baños de Fortuna,
Dance Fitness to Music/Annette @
Hotel Sensol, Camposol C, 11.00am
Poker Night @
Alley Palais, Camposol B
Every Wed
Gardening Group Clean Up @
Camposol C, 9.00am
Bridge, New Players Welcome @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B, 9.45am
Yoga with Marí Carmen @
Bolnuevo, 10.00am
@ Brenda’s Boutique,Estrella de Mar,
Age Concern booking events etc @
Cultural Centre, Camposol B, 10.00-12.00pm
Art Workshop/MABS MMM @
Cafe Golf, San Javier, 11.00am
PALS for booking events etc @
Saralara’s, Pto de Mazarron, 1.00-3.00pm
Creative Writing Group/Annette @
Camposol, 2.00-3.30pm
Book/DVD Club/Help at Home @
La Zona Bar, Los Narejos. 2.30-4.30pm
Fish and Chip Night @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A, 6.50€
Quiz with Kev @
Mens’ Darts In the Evening @
Beacon of Light Spiritual Centre Weekly
Meeting @
Cañadas del Romero Social Club, 7.00-8.30pm
Karaoke/Disco with Lisa B @
Alley Palais, Camposol B, 9.00pm
“Happy Dinner”, Buy 2 Meals and pay for 1
Amapola Restaurante, Bolnuevo
Every Thu
Camposol Market @
Camposol A
Wellbeing Clinic/Calida Caring Agency @
Dental Care, Camposol B, 10.00-4.00pm
Alternative Thursdays
“Pick/Try/Choose/Buy/Donate” @
MABS Murcia NE 10.30-12.00pm
Apts Maruja, Baños de Fortuna
Slimming Club @
Tel’s Bar, Camposol B, 11-1.30pm
“Latin Beats”/Annette @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B, 11.30-12.30pm
Hotel Sensol, Camposol C, 11.30-12.25pm
Andrea’s Animal Rescue Collection Point
@ Mazarrón Country Club Bar, 11.30-1.00pm
“Mini Movers” Creative Dance/Drama/
Louise @
Hotel Sensol, Camposol C, 3.00-3.45pm, 3-5
years
Modern Movers Dance/Louise @
Hotel Sensol, Camposol C, 4.00-4.45pm, 5-8
years
“Street Dance”/Louise @
Hotel Sensol, Camposol C, 5.00-6.00pm, 8+
Karaoke with Bernie Mac @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A, 9.00pm
Ladies’ Darts in the evening @
Every Mon
Page 81
Every Fri
Book Sale/MABS Murcia MM @
The Arches Bar, 10.00-1.00pm
@ Brenda’s Boutique, Estrella de Mar,
Trevi Bar, Camposol B, 11-1.30pm
Dance and Drama/Louise 8-12 yrs @
Cultural Centre, Camposol B, 11.30am
Every Sat
Bridge, New Players Welcome @
Book Sale/Bric-a-Brac. Noah’s ARC @
Camposol B, 10.00-2.00pm
@Brenda’s Boutique, Estrella de Mar,
Book Stall. Camposol A Gardening Group
@ Car Park Camposol A. 10.30-12.30pm
Lions Bahia Mazarrón booking events etc
@ Outside Kennelly’s, Camposol B
11.00-1.00pm
Age Concern booking events etc @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B 11.00-1.00pm
GoMad Available for Donations @
Cultural Centre, Camposol B
Costa Calida Radio (Pto), 12.30-2.00pm
10 pin Bowling, Camposol C Garden
Group @ Totana, 4.00pm
Mark Phoenix Hypnotheraphy @
Dental Care, Camposol B
Fish & Chips 5€ @
New Royal, Pto de Mazarrón
Fish & Chips & Live Music @
Hacienda del Álamo Clubhouse, 12€
Bingo @
Steak Night, 19.95€ for 2 @
The Spaniard, Hacienda del Álamo
Fish and Chip Night @
Bar La Manchica, La Manchica
Fresh Fish Night, 3 Courses @
Don Ricardo’s, Pto de Mazarrón, 10€
Karaoke with Eddie B @
The Steak Out, Camposol B, 8.45pm
Disco @
Alley Palais, Camposol B, 9.00pm-3.00am
Live Entertainment @
3 course Saturday Special @
Karaoke/Disco with Bernie Mac @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B. 9.00pm–late
Every Sun
MARCH
Thursday 1
Car Boot Sale, 8.30am @
Cañadas del Romero Social Centre
Car Boot Sale, 9.00-2.00pm @
El Romero, Cuevas de Reyllo
HELP MMM Car Boot @
Autocine, Los Narejos
Sunday Lunch @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A, from 4.50€
Sunday Roast @
The Steak Out, Camposol B, 7.95€
Sunday Roast (lunchtime & evening) @
Sunday Roast @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B
Sunday Roast @
Karaoke/Disco with Bernie Mac @
Trevi Bar, Camposol B, From 7.00pm
Fun Quiz @
St David’s Day
“40’s Night”/Help MMM @
Lodosol, San Pedro, 7.00pm, 9€ inc meal
Friday 2
Outdoor Market Stall/MABS Murcia NW @
Calle Segura, Calasparra, 9.00am-1.00pm
Trip to Jalon Valley-Help MMM/Friendship
Group @
23€ inc lunch
Cálida Country Music Club Night (CAFË)
@ La Molata, Cañadas de Alhama, 8.00pm
Lenny Mitchell, Cod & Chips Avail 6€ @
Saturday 3
Adapt Meeting @
Pensionista Club, San Pedro, 10.30am
“Welcome” Meeting @
Mariano’s, Camposol A, 2.00pm
Car Treasure Hunt/MABS MMM @
Time Out, San Javier, 2.00pm, 5€
Steve Dale @
Karen Noble @
Las Torres, Pto de Mazarrón
St David’s Music Night @
Clubhouse, Hacienda Golf Resort
Martin Ross @
Tuesday 6
Book Swap/“Welcome” @
ICA Med Centre, Camposol B, 10.00-12.00pm
Knitting Club (UK Wool Shop) @
Volunteer’s Meeting/Help at Home @
The Arches, Los Narejos, 11.45am
Friendly Game of Crib/”Welcome” @
Mariano’s, Camposol A, 7.30pm, 1€
Friends & Buddies Evening
Games Night/Camposol C Garden Group @
Sensol Golf Club, 7.30pm, 5€
Wednesday 7 Ladies’ Fair, Handbags/shoes etc @
Jane’s Salon, Bolnuevo, 11.00-3.00pm
Volunteers Meeting/MABS MMM @
Las Claras, Los Narejos, 11.00am
“Talking Shop” Social/Age Concern
Cultural Centre, Camposol B, 1.30-3.30pm
Page 82
Friday 9
Indoor Market/fashion/bling/DVD’s etc @
Indoor Market @
Kennelly’s, Camposol B
Booksale/MABS Mazarrón
Camposol B Commercial Centre, 9.00-1.00pm
Fun quiz/Steve Tucker, Cod & Chips Avail
6€ @
Saturday 10
Monday 12
Tuesday 13
Market with clothing/jewellery/shoes etc
@ Las Torres, Pto de Mazarrón,
11.00-3.00pm
Clifford Jay & Julia @
The CAS Band @
Super Saturday Sale
A Time for a Change. Tel 968 136 501
Commonwealth Day
Guided Walk & 4 course meal/drinks
Hotel Mariposa, Gebas, 12€
Sunday 18
Mothering Sunday
Mother’s Day 3 Course Lunch @
Cat’s Bar, Camposol A, 14€
Mothering Sunday Lunch - ESAMD 1.30pm
Trevi Bar, Camposol B
Monday 19
San Jose
Mazarrón
Tuesday 20
First Day of Spring
Book Swap/“Welcome” @
ICA Med Centre, Camposol B, 10.00-12.00pm
3 Night Trip to Benidorm/PALS @
Full board, inc market day, 125€ pp
Ebony/Ivory Ladies Lunch Club/MABS
MMM @
Diamante’s Restaurant, El Mojon, 1.30pm, 10€
Cat´s Bar, Camposol A, 8.00pm
Wednesday 21World Poetry Day
World Down’s Syndrome Day
Meeting for Traders interested in a stall at
Camposol Fiestas @
Steve the Spit @
Thursday 22
ChariTEA/MABS MMM
Come and talk in English with Spanish Students
San Javier Language School. 4.00pm, 2.50€
“Wyrd Sisters” by Cloud 9 Drama @
La Molata Social Centre, 5€
Friday 23
Christine, Fish & Chips Avail 6€ @
Fashion Show/GO maD
Contact 634321161
Grand Auction
A Time for a Change, Tel 968 136 501
Saturday 24
4km Guided walk around Pena Rubia
Visiting cave paintings- Cehegin
CAS Band @
AGM/Help MMM @
Las Claras, Los Narejos, 12.00pm
Wednesday 14No Smoking Day
SAMM Monthly Meeting @
Las Claras, Los Narejos, 11.00am
Volunteer Meeting/MABS Murcia NW @
Hotel Argos, 5.00pm
”Welcome” Dance/Kevin Tyler & JJ
Soulman @
Friday 16
Booksale/MABS Mazarron
Camposol B Commercial Centre, 9.00-1.00pm
Outdoor Market Stall/MABS Murcia NW @
Calle Segura, Calasparra, 9.00-1.00pm
Share & Care Group/MABS MMM @
MABS Cancer Centre, San Javier, 11.00am
Coach Trip to Murcia/Age Concern
Coaches 10€
Full Circle, Cod & Chips Avail 6€ @
Cálida Country Music Club Night/Cactus
Jack (CAFË) @
La Molata, Cañadas de Alhama, 8.00pm
Casa de Cultura, Bullas, 5€
Saturday 17
St Patrick’s Day
Valencia Day Trip to see “Las Fallas”
Dragontours, Camposol A, 29€
Robbie France Tribute & Benefit Concert @
Las Torres, Pto de Mazarrón,
12.30-6.30pm, 5€
Red Strokes @
Las Torres, Pto de Mazarrón. 9.30pm
St Patrick’s Music Night @
St Patrick’s Day Party/Lions Mazarrón @
Bali Hi, Camposol B, 7.30pm, 3€
La Molata Social Centre, 5€
Live Entertainment/Guiness Offer
Thursday 8
Lions Meeting @
Cultural Centre, Camposol B, 5.00pm
“Ladies’ Evening/“Welcome” @
International Womens’ Day
Race Night/Help at Home @
Si Bar, La Manga Club
Page 83
Dog Hourse Blues @
Spring Ball/MABS Mazarrón @
Hotel Costa Costa, Mazarrón, 7.30pm, 27.50€
Variety Night/Help MMM @
Roda Community Hall, 7.00pm, 5€
Sunday 25
British Summer Time (clocks go forward)
Artisan Market/taste cod/meatballs/wine
Drums & Cornets/Plaza del Castillo, Cehegin,
10.00am
Annual Treasure Hunt/“Welcome”7€
Buffet and prizes
3 Course Mother’s Day Lunch @
Steak Out, Camposol B, 9.95€
Don Ricardo’s, P’to de Mazarrón, 10€
3 Course Mothers Day Lunch @
Market Tavern, Pto de Mazarrón, 12€
Leonardo’s, Pto de Mazarrón, 20€
Mother’s Day Lunchtime Special @
Sevillana’s Social Meeting
Asturias Restaurant
Monday 26
Guided Walk & 4 course meal/drinks
Hotel Mariposa, Gebas, 12€
Valor Chocolate Factory/Show Caves
Busot & Turron Factory/Fiestas Camposol
26€ inc. fish and chip lunch
Variety Show/Pets in Spain/Paws Animal
Rescue
Los Rosales Restaurant, Guardamar, 7.30, 5€
(10€ inc meal)
Tuesday 27
Volunteers’ Meeting/MABS Mazarron
Monthly “B” Clean Meeting @
Auction/Help at Home @
La Zona
Menu del Dia/Age Concern/entertainment
Mazarrón Country Club Restaurant, 1.30pm,
10€
Launch of “X Factor” @
Camposol Golf Club, Camposol C, 8.00pm, 5€
Thursday 29
Taste of Asia “Tasting” Menu @
Friday 30
Indoor Market/fashion/bling/DVD’s etc @
Indoor Market @
Cave Walk/NEST, €5,menu del dia 9€
Meet El Berro Car Park, 10.30am
Table Top Sale/GO maD
Camposol B, 10.00-2.00pm
Booksale/MABS Murcia NW @
Trevol Bar, Tierra del Sol, 11.00-2.00pm
Friendship Meeting/Beetle Drive/Lunch/
Help MMM @
Lui’s Lounge,Camping Encima,Los Alcazares,
Noon 7€
”Jigsaw” Bereavement Group/MABS
Mazarrón @
Lenny Mitchell @
Hotel Mariposa, Gebas
John Sloman, Cod & Chips Avail 6€ @
Saturday 31
“Welcome” Meeting @
Mariano’s, Camposol A, 2.00pm
Northern Soul @
Martin Ross @
APRIL
Sunday 1
Monday 2
Wednesday 28Annual Petanca Competition/”Welcome”
@ Mariano’s, Camposol A, 1.00pm
Tuesday 3
New Ownership Grand Opening @
Tropicana Bar, Camposol A, 1.00pm
Launch of Menu del Dia, 2 courses &
drink 5.50€
Tropicana Bar, Camposol A
Friday 6
Tori, Cod & Chips Avail 6€ @
Good Friday Dance/PALS @
Sensol Golf Club, Camposol C, 5€
(12.50€ inc meal)
Saturday 7
Easter Fayre/FAST @
Mariano’s, Camposol A, 11.00-3.00pm
Suzie G @
Steve the Spit (top drag artist) @
Steak Out, Camposol B, 5€
Colour coding guide:
Entertainment and special menu nights are Red
Markets,exhibitions,leisure,activities and meetings are
purple
Charity and non profit making organisations are green
National events are orange
Fiestas are pink
Important dates are blue
Page 84
Las
Fallas
in
Valencia
just has to
be one of the
best, craziest
and
most
Spanish of all
the fiestas in
Spain. From
the
night
of the 15th
March, when
the ‘ninots’,
huge wooden
structures
are “planted”
throughout
the city, until
the night of fire “Nit de Foc” on March 19th,
when they are all burnt down, there is a 24
hour a day fiesta going on.
offering to the Virgen – a huge wooden
structure which by the end of the day is full
of fresh bouquets.
At approximately
6
pm,
near
the
“Serrano
Towers”,
there
is
a
planned
hot-air balloon
exhibition
and
“air
baptism”
for the Queen of
the Fiestas, ‘La
Fallera Mayor’.
So, come along – sign up with Dragontours
for this unique fiesta – only 29€!
For more information email
info@dragontours.net
Dragontours will be running a coach to
Valencia on Saturday March 17th, to enjoy
a full day in this lovely city and plenty of
time to take
a
look
at
the “fallas”,
t h e s e
enormous
statues built
of
wood
according to
extremely
detailed
p l a n s .
They
are
crafted
by
neighbourhood
organizations
(grupos
falleros) and take nearly a year to
complete. Most depict well-known persons,
be they actors or politicians or television
personalities and the themes are invariably
critical or satirical.
The Dragontours’ trip departs very early
in the morning and gives everyone time to
admire the many ‘fallas’, and to experience
the ‘mascletá’, a ground-shaking 15 minute
fire-cracker/fire-works
display
which
begins at 2 pm sharp in front of the town
hall of Valencia.
In the afternoon there are parades
throughout the city, especially with the
‘fallera’ groups dressed in spectacular
traditional finery on their way to the flower
Page 85
Playing in
the Wind by
David Gay
PGA
Professional.
For the past
few
weeks
here in Murcia the wind
has
been
extremely
strong and
I have been
playing and
watching
golfers play
in extremely windy conditions. These players are not of a professional caliber, but
they do have something in common: they
must learn how to control their golf ball in
the wind.
Here are a few things you’ll need to know
about playing in the wind.
This lowers your center of gravity and
helps to maintain a solid base into the
ground (not too wide as this restricts the
hip turn).
1. Take more club - Your normal “150
yard” club isn’t going to go that far when
hitting into the wind, but down-wind you
could take a less club and the same distance.
4. Shorten your swing - The longer your
swing, the more chance you have of overswinging and having balance problems. By
keeping the back-swing and especially the
follow-through shorter, you’ll have more
control and will be able to strike the ball
more solidly.
2.
Swing
easier
The harder
you try and
hit the golf
ball,
the
more
spin
you impart
on it (lots of
spin greatly
reduces the
distance you
can hit the
ball into the
wind). The
more spin,
the more the wind affects the shot (increased side spin affects the shape of the
ball flight), also the strong winds we have
had in Murcia can easily
blow you off
balance.
5. Let the golf ball “ride the wind” This one is a source of controversy. Some
players like to try and “work” the ball into
the wind, which straightens out the flight,
but almost all great wind players let the
ball ride the wind. If it’s blowing right to
left then they will hit a shot that goes in
the direction of the wind.
Playing in strong winds will also exaggerate any faults you may have in your swing,
so if you have tried all of the above, maybe
a small change in technique might be in
order.
For more information on lessons or
club repairs you can find David at
Roda Golf Course on contact on 6700
83939 email: davidgaypga@mac.com
3.
Take
a
wider
stance
The wind can
move
you
around and
affect
your
balance. To
counteract
that, widen
your stance.
Page 86
CYCLING TOUR OF MURCIA
Photos copyright: Martin Rutherford
the 3rd and 4th March, and would like information about the start times/finish and
route details, you too can either check the
website www.vueltaciclistamurcia.com.
I will be continuing to watch for further details, so if you want to follow the race over
For updates, or phone me on 696809527.
Martin Rutherford.
This year the exciting sports event, La Vuelta de Murcia, starts on 3 March and as last
year is only 2 days of racing due to the economic climate. Hopefully when things improve, it will soon be back to its normal five
day format. Unfortunately, I’m unable to
give full details of the route, as at the time
of going to press there is no information
available either from the website or from
the Murcian Cycling Federation!
Page 87
Golf Resort La Peraleja near Sucina played
host to the Old Guard for its January
Stapleford Competition.
tees is via a tunnel under a road and villas.
The Overall Winner and Division Two
Winner was society Treasurer Derek
Hayward with a Stapleford score of 30
points. Howard Wright’s score of 24 points
secured his Overall Runner-Up and
Division Three Winner place and Peter
Court came third and won Division One
with 23 points.
Overall Runner-Up and Division Three
Winner Howard Wright collects his ‘rewards’
from the Captain.
Members gather on the first tee
(Not sure what Martin Hill is doing to
Howard from behind!)
Manager, Jaunfra had offered a great
green fee deal with buggy which proved
to be very welcome on this long, Seve
Ballesteros designed course.
La Peraleja is an interesting and testing
course and on the day was a little too
difficult for our members to return good
scores. Sadly, areas of some of the
fairways were patchy and heavily sanded
in places due to salt contaminated water
getting into the irrigation system. Some of
the greens had been heavily sanded, but
in the main they ran true. Despite the low
scores, most members enjoyed the golfing
experience and the society is set to return
in April when hopefully the grass on the
fairways will be longer and it will not be its
dormant, winter oatmeal colour.
Set amid a seemingly deserted urbanization,
La Peraleja boasts a modernistic clubhouse
which has panoramic views over the
course from the second floor restaurant
and terrace. Access to the first and tenth
Thank you La Peraleja for making us so
welcome.
Peter Court anticipates another two shots
cut from his handicap.
Phil Carter was Nearest the Pin at the
short par three sixteenth and Ian Murphy
won Nearest the Pin 2nd Shot at the par
four eleventh hole. Many thanks to Juanfra
for donating the voucher prizes.
Gavin Elbourne secured
Plonker Award.
the
Forthcoming
29 March
26 April
31 May
14 June
-
Events:
ditto at Altorreal
ditto at La Peraleja
ditto to be confirmed
Captain’s Day at Aguilon
If anyone is interested in joining the golf
society or want to find out more (lady
members always welcome) please contact
the Secretary Bob Daffon Tel: 968598540
or email: chrisandbobinspain@hotmail.
com
monthly
The 2011 Singles Match Play was
concluded on the day with Dave May
beating Captain Barry Martin 3 and1. Well
done Dave and you will get the trophy next
month!
The Two’s Competition was not won
so the money raised was donated to the
Captain’s Charity.
Page 88
Friday 10th Feb Mazarrón “Miners” were
ready and waiting at their home ground
to play the Quesada “Swifts”, but unfortunately some of the Swifts flew in the wrong
direction. After some considerable time involving telephone navigations and a rescue
party the wanderers arrived, but because
of the considerable time lost, as per the
rules, Quesada conceded the match giving Mazarrón a win of 60 shots to 0 and
14 points. Mazarrón “Miners” are now
at the top of the CBBA league, but they
are not complacent as they still have three
more matches to play and some very
good clubs on their heels.
The next match for the Mazarron “Miners” was on 24th Feb away to Lemon Tree
“Leopards” at Vistabella.
A belated congratulations
go to two of
our members
Dave Green
(Club
Captain)
and
Jim Tarrant
(Competition
Secretary) for their
b r i l l i a n t
achievement
on
winning
the
Men’s
Pairs in the
Bowls Federation 2011 Championships held at Indalo in
December last year.
Mazarrón Bowls Club would also like to
take this opportunity to say well done to
two former Mazarrón BC members, father
& son, Brian & Brian Robertson who have
both been accepted to play for the Spanish
International bowls team and now play at
San Miguel BC.
If you would like to come and join us
at Mazarrón Bowls Club and need
to know more try our website mazarronbowlsclub.webs.com or Tel Club
Captain 637461038 or Club Secretary 968131619
Report by Wendy Reynolds
Lasse Juel Trophy Competition
25 January 2012
Mar Menor Golf Society held their
January 2012 Lasse Juel Trophy
Competition at their Mar Menor village (exPolaris world) home course. The excellent
playing conditions attracted over 50 players
and good scores were recorder by a number
of players. David Thear secured his first
major competion win with a storming 45
stableford points to achieve the Overall
Winner’s position, Runner-up position
was awarded to Ralph Grant, 3rd Place went
to Philip Richardson and 4th Position to
Brian Hamilton.
Martin Ball and David Thear hit the jackpot
by sharing the roll-over 2 ball from last
week’s competition. It is believed that the 2
ball prize money was so great that security
staff were employed to escort these 2
gentlemen home!
Lasse Juel (right side) presenting the overall
Winner’s Trophy to David Thear.
To obtain full details of competition scores,
recent competitions and future events,
please refer to www.masterscoreboard.
co.uk/marmenorgolfsociety
Mar Menor Golf Society play competition
golf every Wednesday. New Members
and Guests are welcome
Page 89
Photographs copyright: Mark Stocks
www.vistasdemurcia.com
The father of
world
singing
s u p e r s t a r,
Robbie Williams,
was a surprise
guest
when
Los
Amigos
de
Mazarrón
FC held its third Annual Gala Evening and
Dinner in support of Mazarrón Football
Club at the Hotel la Cumbre, Puerto de
Mazarrón on Wednesday, 8th February.
Peter Williams, who was an entertainer
in his own right under the stage name
of Pete Conway, was a New Faces winner
back in 1973 and finished in third place,
behind comedian Les Dennis in the 1974
All Winners Show.
In glittering surroundings, guests enjoyed
a fabulous evening which included a four
course meal and entertainment from
the guest speaker, Duncan McKenzie,
comedian Justin Sane and local duo, the
Beagles. The event, which was a complete
sell-out, was jointly sponsored by New
Images Hair & Beauty Salon and Nail Bar of
Camposol and Ibex Insurance of Puerto de
Mazarrón. In addition to Duncan McKenzie,
former England International Tony Currie
and Everton and Manchester United central
defender, Mark Higgins were special
guests, along with the Mayor of Mazarrón,
Gines Campillo Mendez, the Mayoress of El
Saladillo, Kelly Ensor, the Sports Councillor,
Andres Valera Hernandez and the President
of Mazarrón FC, Jose Rodriguez.
Well known singer, Karen Noble, who
worked with Duncan McKenzie entertaining
British troops in the Falklands also popped
in to surprise Duncan on the night.
The evening also included an auction
of football memorabilia which included
an autographed Real Madrid shirt and a
limited edition framed photograph of Eric
Cantona scoring the winning goal in the
1996 FA Cup Final between Manchester
United and Liverpool, signed by the great
man himself.
Over €3,000 was raised on the night and
Los Amigos de Mazarrón would like to
thank everyone who helped to make the
evening such a huge success including
sponsors New Images and Ibex Insurance,
VIP guests Paul Higgins, Steve Tucker
and their guests, TJ’s Bar Camposol,
Don Ricardo’s Bar & Restaurant, Puerto
de Mazarrón, Melissa and John from The
Salon, Camposol, Bill Davis, Ian Barron
and Richard Haselgrove and last but not
least Belen, Manuel and all the staff at
Hotel la Cumbre.
hot buffet prepared by Rick, was also
attended by Robbie’s Dad, Pete Williams
together with the joint sponsors of the
event, New Images Hair & Beauty Salon
and Nail Bar of Camposol and Ibex
Insurance of Puerto de Mazarrón and other
guests who had purchased VIP tickets for
the event.
Duncan McKenzie spent four days in
Mazarrón, the first time he had visited the
area, and was rarely without his camera on
his early morning walks which took him all
around the Bays of Mazarron. Along with
Tony Currie, who attended the Los Amigos
functions for the second year running with
his wife Elizabeth, Duncan also played in
the Los Amigos Golf Society’s monthly
competition at Hacienda del Alamo and
both thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Mazarrón games are normally played on
Sundays with varying kick off times. Full
details of all games, both home and away,
are announced on the Tuesday before
the weekend on which the game is to
be played and advertised on the Costa
Calida Chronicle Blogspot, on our website
www.losamigosdemazarron.es
and
on posters at various points throughout
Camposol and Mazarrón.
Provisional fixtures for March 2012:Sunday 4th March
Jumilla CD (AWAY)
Sunday 11th March
SC Aguileno (HOME)
Sunday 25th March
CD Bullense (AWAY)
Sunday 1st April
FC Pinatar (HOME)
Admission to home games is just €5.
Los Amigos de Mazarrón FC organise
coaches to all away games at a cost of
€7. Coach tickets can be purchased at our
weekly meetings.
Rick and Claire Daibell hosted a VIP
Reception at their Don Ricardo’s Bar
and Restaurant, Puerto de Mazarrón, on
Monday 6th February to welcome former
footballers Duncan McKenzie, Tony Currie
and Mark Higgins to Mazarrón.
The Reception, which included a fabulous
If you are interested in football and
would like to take part in Los Amigos de
Mazarrón FC activities, please join us
for our weekly meetings, every Thursday
at the Trevi Bar, Sector B Camposol at 4
pm. Membership of Los Amigos is just
€10 and all funds raised are in support of
Mazarrón Football Club. You can also
take part in our very successful Key in
the Box Competition with the cash prize
often rising to €1000, a great gamble for
just €1.
Page 90
SAMM, a friendly bunch of mixed
Nationalities but mostly British, runs a
programme of Race Days throughout the
Spring and Autumn from the “CAR Infanta
Cristina” Los Narejos, just south of St.
Javier airport. They use the British RYA
Portsmouth Yardstick handicap system to
race a mixed fleet of dinghies, catamarans
and small day boats. A cruiser class could
be included given sufficient interest.
You
do
not
need
previous
r a c i n g
experience
as many of
the current
competitors
did not sail
before they
came
to
Spain
and
the entry fee is a very modest 5€ per
person per race day; the money being
used to run and maintain the support boat.
If you do not have your own boat come
along and have a chat to us as we are
always looking for new members.
Why not come and join in the fun?
For more information go to
sailingmarmenor.com/racing
telephone Terry on 968956056.
www.
or
A “Round the Island” warm up race opens
the Spring Series on Sunday 18th March
with racing then every alternate Sunday
till the end of June.
The Supermotoland Team has been busy
building up their new bikes for the 2012
race season. With the Spanish Championship race calendar and regulations being
released late, the team has had to make
some drastic changes to be as competitive
as possible with the new technical regulations that allow 4 stroke engines up to
750cc.
Catalan Championship Dates:
Round 1 – 25th March – Osona
Round 2 – 8th April – Mora d’Ebre
Round 3 – 17th June – Lleida – Street circuit race
Round 4 – 28th July – Alcarras, Lleida –
Night Race
Round 5 – 16th September – Mora d’Ebre
Round 6 – 21st October – Osona
Round 7 – 4th November – Alcarras
The Supermotoland Team’s two riders,
Anthony and Mat Ford-Dunn have been
training hard for 2012 and will continue to
release their training videos and race report videos on the Supermotoland YouTube channel that can be viewed on the
team’s website www.supermotoland.
com
Valencian Championship Dates:
Round 1 – 25th March – Albaida
Round 2 – 3rd June – Oliva
Round 3 – 16th September – Villareal
Round 4 – 25th November – Villena
The Supermotoland Team will be racing
their own SML480 Supermoto bikes in the
Spanish Championship. The new bikes are
built and developed at the team’s Murcian
development facility in Bullas. The SML480
features an upgraded engine, suspension
and chassis,with further upgrades to be
added throughout the year as they are released from development.
The Spanish Championship starts on April
29th at Villena, Alicante, but the Supermotoland Team will be racing before then at
the Catalan Championship in Osona on the
25th March. It’s currently a race against
time to have the new SML480’s built and
tested prior to the first round of the Catalan Championship, but the team are used
to working under pressure and are confident of producing a very competitive bike
for the start of the season.
Spanish Championship Dates:
Round 1 – 29th April – Villena, Alicante
Round 2 – 17th June – Lleida – Street circuit race
Round 3 – 8th July – Villarcayo, Burgos
Round 4 – 28th July – Alcarras, Lleida –
Night race
Round 5 – 28th October – Albaida, Valencia
Page 91
Fancy a Bit of Racing - As nice as it is
sailing around the Mar Menor, why not
take your sailing experience to the next
level by racing your boat?
Please limit all reports to 300 words.
We reserve the right to amend all articles
for publication.
We will include inserts and flyers provided
by you at a cost of 10 cents per flyer, max
size A5.
CLASSIFIEDS ARE AVAILABLE FREE
FOR ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF 500€
OR FOR WANTED/LOST ITEMS, FOR
NON-COMMERCIAL
ENTERPRISES
ONLY. CARS AND BOATS ARE NOT
INCLUDED FOR FREE. Max 20 words. Max
3 classifieds
How to Place a Classified Ad
Please go to www.costacalidachronicle.
com and click on classified, or email
costacalidachronicle@gmail.com or phone
968 970 680 between 10-2pm
All adverts must be paid for before 15th
of the month prior to publication. Please
make cheques payable to Costa Calída
Chronicle S.L. (Minimum amount for
cheques is 50€). The closing date for
adverts is the 15th of the month prior
to publication. If you would like to meet
someone to discuss your advert then
please contact Teresa on 619 199 407 to
arrange an appointment, or visit Teresa
in the mornings in CHM / Costa
Cálida Chronicle Office (inside Nicky G
Translation Services), Camposol Sector B.
February 2012 Quiz Answers
1.
Who fits flue less gas fires?
CHM
2.
What does Philip Dawe offer you?
Chiropodist service’s
3.
Who had their first walk on the
11th of January?
WARM
4.
Who claims to have the best
prices in town?
BEEP.
5.
When is paramount studios
theme park expected to start
being built?
Early March 2012
6.
Who held sales of sales last
month?
UK Supplies Direct
7.
Who claims to provide the “The
best service at the best price”?
If you wish to design your own advert,
please send through a hard copy and a
copy on disk (please label the disk with
your name and telephone number), if
possible. Please use Microsoft Word or
save advert as JPEG file (300 dpi). Please
do NOT send in adverts in Powerpoint
as they are not good enough quality
for printing.
DUE TO PROBLEMS OPENING FILES ON
FLOPPY DISK, WE WOULD ASK THAT
ALL ADVERTS ARE EITHER EMAILED
OR SENT IN ON CDS. WE ACCEPT NO
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADVERTS THAT
HAVE TO BE SCANNED IN.
Petroalhama
8.
What do Colin and Mark offer
you?
All types of building work
9.
Who wrote the Horse Whisper?
Nicholas Evans
10.
The next production by Cloud
Nine Drama is?
Wyrd Sisters
DISCLAIMER
Whilst the CCC are happy to accept monthly reports from the various organizations in the area, the articles printed are not
necessarily the opinions of the editor or publisher and the contents should be viewed as a guideline only. Professional
advice should be sought to cover any information printed therein. Advertisements and reports are not formally endorsed
by the CCC. We cannot accept responsibility for advertisers’ works, service or goods. The publishers endeavour to
ensure the contents are correct, but cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions.
Page 92
Page 93
All our advertisers have current copies of Costa Cálida Chronicle,
and other outlets are planned.
If you have any problems obtaining a copy, please call Patti on 646 005 017.
If you would like to buy a subscription for the Costa Cálida Chronicle to guarantee your monthly copy of the magazine, please fill in
the form below and hand it in to the Costa Cálida Chronicle office on Camposol or Cosas y Cosas in Cehegin, or send it to Costa
Cálida Chronicle SL, 28 Calle Jara, Centro Commercial Sector B,
Camposol, 30875, Murcia, or go to the website www.costacalidachronicle.com
Name:
............................................................
Address:
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
Email:
............................................................
Telephone:
............................................................
Price for 6 months to UK:
Price for 6 months in Spain:
Other countries:
Reserved copies (per month)
In Costa Cálida Office, Camposol or
€36
€18
POA
€1
Cosas y Cosas, Cehegin
Method of Payment
Paypal (€3 extra) - costacalidachronicle@yahoo.es
Bank Transfer: 3058 0206 91 2720017764
Page 94
Page 95
Accommodation:
Hotel La Mariposa
- 968 631 008
Accountants:
Asesoria Alonso
Silvente
- 968 592 032
- 968 332 058
Airport Parking:
Park and Fly
Seguro Parking
- 616 064 224
- 622 062 115
Banking & Finance
Kennedy Financial Services
- 678 035 992
Lloyds Bank International - 902 024 365
Bars, Cafés & Restaurants:
Alley Palais
- 968
Amapola Restaurante
-660
Cafeteria Plaza
- 968
Cat’s Bar
- 666
Chez Zoe
- 676
Don Ricardo’s
- 968
Hacienda del Alamo Golf - 968
Hotel La Mariposa
- 968
Kennelly’s
- 686
Le Gourmet
- 968
Las Torres
- 607
Leonardo’s
- 628
Liz’s Cafe
- 696
Restaurant La Marina
- 619
The Market Tavern
- 968
The New Royal
- 968
The Steak Out
- 968
Trevi Bar & Restaurant
- 669
Tropicana Bar/Cafè
- 645
Builders:
CM Constructions
Fuente Building Services
JD Construction
Tony’s Building Services
-
659
696
630
647
978
328
705
188
691
155
070
631
341
154
013
682
724
500
154
595
199
026
657
159
744
269
119
869
092
406
353
324
887
066
008
749
315
423
303
123
555
588
864
192
544
094
948
982
994
952
Building Services:
Inside Out
P&P Services
Sallu Plastics (Salglaze)
Woodworks Direct
VIP Services
-
Butchers:
Big Breakfast Butchers
- 968 170 553
Carpentry:
Philip Carpenter / Joiner
- 680 443 219
608
659
968
649
650
716
732
978
540
893
111
962
836
016
607
Car Hire:
Bolnuevo Cars
F&C Rent a Car
Tuxedo Limousines
- 968 150 979
- 968 199 156
- 618 315 933
Cars & Transport:
P&P Services
Specialist Vehicles SL
- 659 732 962
- 968 146 158
Chimney Sweeps:
Home from Home Chimney Sweep
- 660 478 881
Tony Chimney Sweep
- 646 438 694
Chiropodists:
Chiropody - Philip Dawe
Cleaning Services:
Helping Hands
Limpieza Rosa
Clothes Shops:
Legs & Co.
- 968 150 244
-675 865 636
- 619 199 407
- 660 792 513
Computer Accessories:
Shop at Camposol Computers
- 968 154 477
Computer Repairs & Sales:
Camposol Computers
- 968 199 191
Loco PC
- 968 971 893
Shop at Camposol Computers
- 968 154 477
Dentist:
Dental Care
Olivier Houdusse
- 968 199 111
- 968 153 645
Education:
Antonio Hernandez
Creative Writing
Let’s Talk Spanish
- 680 753 819
- 649 647 467
- 630 939 626
Electricians:
CHM Meters
Louis Harris
- 646 965 082
- 619 712 821
Entertainment
J K Entertainment (X factor)- 632 277 858
Funeral Plans:
ASSSA
The Funeral Director
- 968 153 396
– 650 631 719
Furniture:
DFS
Furniture Plus
Time for a Change
- 968 334 194
- 968 482 456
- 968 136 501
Garden Centres
Jardilar 2003
The Tree Surgeon
- 669 565 402
- 650 911 755
Hairdressing:
Jane’s Salon
- 968
The Beauty Palace
-968
The Salon – Melissa & Tanya
- 691
The Salon 2
- 686
Health & Beauty:
Anti-Ageing Clinic
The Beauty Palace
Calida Care Agency
Drew Ryder Therapist
Freedom Mobility
Fuschia Beauty Clinic
Jane’s Salon
Mark Phoenix
Rosies Toesies
Sacred Hearts
The Salon
Shape & Tone
-
691
968
968
660
638
630
968
654
639
650
691
661
158 433
971 828
916 717
354 232
916
971
150
326
893
439
158
202
171
796
916
002
717
828
658
194
357
480
433
996
835
579
717
648
Heating and Aircon:
Camposol Heating & Maintenance
- 968 199 184
Calida Gas & Oil
- 659 761 771
Louis Harris
- 619 712 821
Home Furnishings:
Curtain Call
- 616 240 171
Yorkshire Linen (Puerto) - 968 595 946
Yorkshire Linen San Javier - 968 193 912
Insurance:
ASSSA
Ibex Insurance
Nash Warren
MSC Insure
Liberty Seguros
- 968
- 968
- 968
- 968
-902
153
595
156
429
100
396
945
583
129
070
Page 96
- 968 978 869
- 968 199 191
Kennels and Catteries:
Casa Abril
Catatonic
Colina Kennels
Delmonte
El Carro Kennels
-
Laundrettes:
Rainbow Laundrette
- 634 309 603
661
646
639
968
620
076
705
012
168
582
459
403
342
711
654
Legal Services:
Asesoria Alonso
-968 592 032
Nicky G Translation Services
- 968 199 245
P&P Services
- 659 732 962
Professional and Legal Solutions
- 968 595 826
Silvente Accountant/lawyer
- 968 332 058
Locksmiths:
ADS Locksmith
- 600 255 250
Mechanics:
Colair
Decklid Auto Services
English Garage Services
Eurotyre
Ford Marcosta
Ken Sherwood Mechanic
López Milan
Mobile Car Mechanic
Neumáticos El Ceña
-
Metalwork:
Eriks
- 636 050 008
Mobility Products:
Freedom Mobility
- 638 893 357
Outdoor Catering:
Pig Out
The Roving Diner
- 644 569 693
- 699 223 112
Outdoor Living:
D&G Garden Furniture
Furniture Plus
626
626
968
968
968
679
968
666
968
796
678
743
424
424
646
429
161
422
149
840
350
605
636
859
216
129
015
- 968 334 773
- 968 482 456
Painting and Decorating:
Decor 8
Interior Elegance
RJB Décor Painting
Trevor Smith
-
968 163 336
968 482 456
699 044 742
968 163 298
Plumbers:
Apache 24/7 Plumbing Services
- 968 970 614
Camposol Heating & Maintenance
- 968 199 184
Calida Gas & Oil
- 659 761 771
Printing & Design:
Mister Print
- 638 893 357
Property Maintenance:
Trevor Smith
- 968 163 298
Property Management:
La Manga 4 U
- 0044 7921 351298
Owners Away
- 691 977 107
Sensol Golf Villa Rentals - 968 970 614
Property Sales:
Another World Properties
Best of Spanish
Fuente Alamo Real Estate
Old Farmhouses
Sensol Golf Sales
-
968
635
968
968
968
592
434
598
159
970
679
651
173
264
614
Removals:
Advance Moves
- 968
Dainton’s
- 653
Go Direct
- 634
Lord’s Removals and Storage
- 608
Mar Menor Removals
- 968
061 872
564 298
Retail Outlets:
Kitchens Plus 1
Kennelly’s Sale
Quicksave
T J Electricals
Vial Carpinterias Murcia
-
968
663
968
868
968
184
083
199
181
864
235
811
860
121
816
Services:
B P Oil
Compusurf
Healthy H20
No More Mould
-
626
968
968
672
091
970
437
795
885
666
270
574
Solar Power:
Freesol
Solar Directa
- 659 232 507
- 659 315 130
Spas & Hottubs:
Eurospas
- 650 722 905
Sport & leisure:
Alley Palais
- 968
Costa Cálida Radio
- 902
Dance Zone
- 649
Horse riding META
- 636
Hotel La Mariposa
- 968
Murcia Dance - Zumba Classes
- 655
Yogamayga
- 968
Swimming Pool Cleaning &
Maintenance:
Alpha Pools
- 968
Jorge Pools
- 674
Köhn Pool Service
- 968
Watermaid
- 646
654 667
529 243
347 914
978
903
647
172
631
869
783
467
198
008
421 120
150 755
971
168
138
705
824
000
638
088
Internet Cafés
Alley Palais
Camposol Computers
Translation:
Carlos’ Interpreting Services
- 630 187 041
Nicky G Translation Services
- 968 199 245
P&P Services
- 659 732 962
Travel Agents:
Viajes Dragontours
- 968 199 021
TV & Satellite:
CTV Aerial & Satellite Systems
- 600
ISS
- 655
LocoSat
- 968
T J Electricals
- 868
YPM Satellites
- 628
218
480
971
181
234
046
543
893
121
045
Veterinary Clinics:
Veterinary Clinic Maskota
Emerg
Clinica Veterinaria Puerto
Emerg
597
378
153
466
929
473
931
553
-
968
619
968
608
Page 97
FOR SALE
Set of 3 or 5 pictures 200€ each set.
Samsung wave s8500 Spanish orange
mobile. 100€ without sim card
Pick up Murcia area.
Tel 630055148
1.35m satellite dish with quad L.N.B. (4
outputs) & fittings for post mounting. 75€
Tel 618896957 or 699707954
ANIMALS
Baby female goat, born 17th Dec. Ready
for new home. Very friendly. Beautiful
black & White markings.
Tel 646005017
BUSINESS
Focgrup Woodburning Fire. Can be seen
working now, available April. €1350
new, €299 ono.
Tel 662418683
GROUP INFORMATION
Steel Framed Bunk Beds/mattresses/
top covers/matching cushions. Exc con.
€200 ono.
One retractable awning 3.5mtrs. €150
ono.
Tel 968970681 or 677829434
Total Gym/ Pilates machine as seen on
TV. For men & women of all ages and
abilities. Easy to store and erect. Buyer
collects. Camposol
Tel 677792329
Travel cot with extra mattress. Good
condition. 20€
Tel 664527322
CLASSIFIED ARE AVAILABLE FREE
FOR ITEMS UNDER 500€ OR FOR
WANTED/LOST ITEMS, FOR NONCOMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES ONLY
AND EXCLUDING VEHICLES AND
BOATS. Maximum 20 words and 3
classifieds per customer.
How to Place a Classified Advert
Please go to www.costacalidachronicle.
com and click on classified or email
costacalidachronicle@gmail.com or call
968 970 680 between 10.2pm MonFri809 527 or 966 260 700.
Page 98
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Costa Cálida Chronicle - Costa Calida Chronicle

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