017 july 2015 torrevieja outlook

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Edition NÂş 17 July 2015

Virgen del Carmen - Seamen's Fiesta - Cox - Novelda - Hitchcock Healthy Hols - Torre Catering College - Stupid Sayings - Stay Cool, man - Mindfulness - Hot cars - Ars Creatio 10 - Dr. Gregorio MaraĂąon - Silk Train - Calas Blancas park - Forest Fires Orihuela fiestas - Salt Lake trips - Beach boys - Green Cross Golden Lottery - 61 Habaneras - Victor Garcia

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July is full of fiestas in Spain, but possibly the most important on the coast is that of the Virgen del Carmen on 16th July. For a few days fishermen tend to concentrate on enjoying themselves along with their families and friends. Mary, under this title, is the recognised patron saint of Spanish seamen including the Spanish navy whose galleons used to have her image on the prow of galleons.

This fiesta combines religious and secular celebrations including mritime processions carrying the image on a specified boat that is accompanied by the sirens of other vessels in the harbour of most Mediteranean towns on the Spanish mainland. Torrevieja fishermen hold a wide variety of events including paellas, competitions for children and adults, which includes the cuca単a, which is a greasy pole placed over the water and youngsters try to reach the end without falling into the water. Crowds turn out for the procession from the Inmaculada church in the town centre to the fishermen's wharf where the statue is placed on board a fishing boat ususally, then caried around the harbour amid a lot of music and fireworks.

Children also have many games and competitons organised for their amusement.

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A tradition is the cuca単a marinera, a greasy pole competition where youngsters try to reach the flag at the end of the pole, but inevitably fall into the water where dinghies are awaiting to pluck them out of the sea.

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Fiesta queens have an important role in every fiesta and here we also have girls in traditional Torrevieja fisherwomen clothes.

The Virgen del Carmen statue, from la Inmaculada church, is manhandled on board ship for the tour round the harbour and the grand finale of fireworks. Denia, Santa Pola, and most other coastal towns have similar events. Foto credits: Javier Torregrosa

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Cox - the exception

by Dave Stewart

The inland agricultural town of Cox also celebrates the feast of The Virgen del Carmen on 16th July. Much of the fruit we buy in Torrevieja comes from this small Vega Baja town that nestles at the feet of the Sierra de Callosa mountain range. The town has around 7,000 inhabitants and is located near Callosa del Segura and Orihuela in Alicante Province.

There are several notable buildings such as the Santa Barbara Castle built in 1466 by Juan Ruiz Davalos on a dominating hilltop, destroyed during the Civil War and was restored at the end of the 20th century. Originally it was an Islamic farmhouse until captured in the Reconquest. Like most fortifications it is on a hill and has rather a steep pathway up to it. If you want to visit you have to have permission from the local police and require identification such as IDcard or passport.

I would advise going in the morning as its a sleepy aormi@icloud.com

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town during la siesta. There are two interesting churches – St, John the Baptist built in a neoclassic baroque style between 1744 and 1788 on the site of a previous church which had in turn been built upon the site of a mezquita. The Santuario de Nuestra Señora del Carmen was raised in 1621 by the Carmelite Order in place of a medieval hermitage dedicated to Our Lady of Virtues.

This contains all the images used in the Holy Week processions.

There is also a windmill, El Molino, in el Barrio district where the original Christian population was located. There is an interesting Glorieta Garden where a Carmelites convent used to be and which has two hundred year old pine trees and many palm trees.

The two weeks prior to this date are full of processions and parades by the Moors and Christian groups. Cox has seven groups – Moros Coines, Comparsa Lues, Zingaros de Arad, Peña, El Borrego, Pirates del Caribe, Tropical and Estudiantes. Each year this fiesta becomes more and more extravagant and is a good opportunity for the visitor to catch another aspect of Spain’s rich heritage and culture. Watch out for the battle as the castle is conquered in the Toma del castillo.

There is the traditional flower offering to the Virgen del Carmen at the Santuario de Nuestra Patrona; a bull run; a giant paella for everyone to taste; plus a Gran Desfile- a parade with all the fiestas Queens and Damas de Honor that often incorporates beauty queens from other nearby towns.

Of significance on the religious side there is the singing of ‘Canto de la Aurora’ followed aormi@icloud.com

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by a joyful bell-ringing session awakening of the town. Then there are a series of Masses all morning with homage to the town’s elderly people. Youngsters have pop concerts and dances organised featuring top entertainers.

Nature trail

Being at the foot of a mountain there are obviously good walking routes, climbing and rappeling available. The Municipal Natural area " The Pilarica - Sierra de Callosa " with 143.44 ha, is located on the southeast slope of the Sierra de Callosa, part of the Betic system. This mountain is an impressive limestone mass, characterized by the ruggedness of its terrain with high cliffs and deep ravines, which rises abruptly in the middle of the vast plain of the Vega Baja del Segura, reaching its highest point at Pico del Aguila ( 572 m) from where the magnificent surroundings can be seen.

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In this magnificent recreational area there are about 10 barbecues, two toilets, a small botanical garden, a nature classroom, a playground, a campground and several picnic areas with wooden tables, all under incredible vegetation that casts an unbelievable shade.

There are also 5 cottages that the town makes available to those requesting it for the night. For this it is necessary to obtain permission beforehand.

Also in the vicinity there are many climbing routes that lead away from the site.

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Moors and Christians Fight Friendly Battles

by Dave Stewart

Mary Magdalen is the patron saint of Novelda and her feastday is the reason for a full week of festivities in the town. This takes place on the weekend prior to the 20th July.

A romeria pilgrimage has been held in the town since 1866 on 20th July when the image of the saint is carried from its normal home of the Santuario de la Mola to the town’s church of San Pedro. The statue carries bunches of grapes in her arms, symbolic of the work of this agricultural town. Fruit is an important element in the fiestas and on the day it is customary to eat melon in the open-air ‘almuerzo’. Her actual feastday is on the 22nd July and the statue remains in the town centre until the first Monday of August, when it is once more ceremoniously carried back to the sanctuary.

These fiestas began in 1866. The people prayed that the rampant cholera of that era in Spain would by-pass the town. There were no cases of this dreadful disease in Novelda and this was attributed to the intercession of the saint.

The origins of the Moors and Christians fiesta go back to the reconquest of Jaime I of Aragon when a hermitage dedicated to Mary Magdalene was built in the Castillo de La Mola. The present sanctuary was built in the beginning of the 20th century and the saint is now officially proclaimed a joint Mayoress of the town since 1970. aormi@icloud.com

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Moors and Christians are an important part of the Novelda’s fiestas. The first time that they were associated with the romeria was in 1860, but the present comparsas of Moors & Christians were instituted in 1970 when two groups were formed. Most events during the fiestas begin around 21.30 during weekdays and throughout the day at the weekends.

The fiestas begin with the ‘Bajada’ of the saint’s image at the sanctuary of the Castillo de la Mola where a group of nuns of the Dominican Oblates live all year round. This is a popular place for baptisms, communions, weddings etc.

On the last day of the fiestas (15th July to beginning of August) the saint’s image is returned to the sanctuary.

During the week there are many events organised including pop concerts, a day for the elderly, sports and, of course, the Moors & Christians.

Of course at other times of the year the town has other celebrations such as the carnival in February, followed by Semana Santa processions and from May through to September different districts hold their own parties, the first being the 1st of May in the Cruz area as that is the Holy Cross feast usually with lots of flower arrangements.

Novelda is renowned for its marble so a visit to local places of interest reflect this.

There are several interesting local monuments, especially the sanctuary of Mary Magdalen, El Castillo de La Mola, the Centro Cultural Gómez-Tortosa, the Casa Museo Modernista, Sociedad Cultural Casino de Novelda, or the parish church Parroquia Arciprestal de San Pedro or the Museo de Arqueología and interesting Belen (Christmas cribs) museum.

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For wine buffs..

Novelda is in a well known wine growing area of the Alicante province and a local company, Sicilia SL, has launched a draught wine and opened a large room able to cope with culinary professionals, eager to taste past and future products, or fans interested in discovering or expanding their knowledge in the exciting world of wine.

This winemaker has an enthusiastic and professional team; its "Between wines and vineyards" offers alternatives for a good part of the day or the whole day, visiting crops, the winery and other facilities, discovering the secrets of wine and their methods of preparation, learning to taste and taste their wines and enjoying the cuisine of the region.

Within the range of wines from the cellar we can find white as Azal or Lord of the Sirera, red and Lizana, Heretat de Cesilia and Ad Gaude. Cesilia and sweet pink news, Aledua and Cardinal Alvarez, in different forms, along with other exclusive quality products.

2006 Ad Gaude Heretat Crianza MUNDUS VINI 2011 Casa Sicilia S.L., Novelda -Alicante (Spain) a Red wine using grapes of Monastrell, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot Vintage:Â 2006

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Bookshelf

by Pat Hynd

Alfred Hitchcock book

One thing about late night tv is its possible to see old classic black and white films such as that of the 1956 “The Wrong Man”, starring a very young Henry Fonda, the lovely Vera Miles, an equally young suave lawyer by Anthony Quayle. The True Story of a musician of the famous book, “Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero” by Maxwell Anderson, and later in the magazine article, "A Case of Identity" (Life magazine, June 29, 1953) by Herbert Brean. Surprisingly it was one of Alfred Hitchcok’s films and although it lacked the terror and suspense of later films, it still managed to portray the terrible consequences of how easy it is for innocent people to be wrongly accused. In this instance the bass player of the band at the famous Stork Club who, after a visit to his insurance club trying to raise a loan on his life insurance, is falsely accused of robbing the insurance company on two occasions. This leads to his wife having a deep depression that lands her in a special hospital for two years and the husband in prison. A real nightmare for the whole family, including the two small children. Fortunately a detective connects the robberies with another arrested man who looks surprisingly like Balestrero.

As the master of suspense says, “Life is often stranger than fiction,” and in this case of mistaken identity could happen to anyone.

Which brings me onto the reason for this article, which is a fairly new book

by Peter Ackroyd of “Alfred Hitchcock” published by Chatto & Windus. The author does not trudge through his films, but offers a wonderfully witty and engaging account of the man and his movies.

He concentrates on the man as an artist whose idea was to “make the spectator suffer”.

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Hitchock had a rather poetic approach to his ideas and how to formulate it into an engaging performance that dragged in the audience as he gradually increased the suspense using music and colour, including black and white, to heighten the experience. He once said that his approach was to keep the audience involved: “how do you apply glue to the seats of the audience?”

He started out in silent movies writing speech cards and through his contacts with the studios learned about the techniques of film making, especially working with director Michael Balcon.

The one person who really had a sway on him was Alma Reville, an editor whom he eventually married and became a co-scriptwriter with him.

He went with her to Germany in 1924 and saw how the German directors had complete control from the budget, directing, filming and final editing. This became his aim, which he successfully achieved making him one of the highest paid film-makers in the industry.

Hitch, as he preferred to be called, rigourously controlled the press's portrait of himself, drawing certain carefully-selected childhood anecdotes into full focus, blurring all others out.

A couple of times I visited his old school at Stamford Hill in London Saint Ignatius, which is now in Enfield and still run by the Jesuit order. They certainly made an impression on the young lad; drawing on his experiences as he said, “They used to terrify me to death, with everything, and now I’m getting my own back by terrifying other people.” My teacher friend suggested I pretend to be an inspector and as the lesson was religious studies I barked out a few easy questions (and answers) and could easily imagine Hitchcock squirming in his seat.

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Unquestionably the greatest filmmaker to emerge from these islands, Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema, which would be utterly different without him. His flair was for narrative, cruelly withholding crucial information (from

his characters and from viewers) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else. He carefully prepared Vera Miles to succeed his leading lady Grace Kelly, but as he commented, “she had the bad taste to get pregnant”.

Alfred Hitchock is well known for his Cameo appearances in most of his films and a guessing game was - which personage was he in each film. In “The Wrong Man” he appears only in silhouette, just before the credits at the beginning of the film, where he tells a darkened studio that the story is true; a style he used in a tv mystery and suspense series.

Peter Ackroyd's new account of his life wrests the director's chair back from the master of control and discovers what lurks just out of sight, in the corner of the shot.

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Healthy holidays

by Dave Stewart

A personal hatred of mine is statistics.

Having conducted surveys, and interpreted them, I know that numbers can be adjusted to suit the cause. You can see this with newspaper headlines as sensational newspapers shout out things like, “23% unemployed” while another will say, “77% of workforce employed”.

One recent survey that has irked me (and others) is one commissioned by a bureau of lawyers who mostly make their money by pursuing accident claims on part of clients. In this instance they have targeted holidaymakers abroad with claims to get them some money from travel agents, hotels, etc. because they have had “food poisoning”.

“A quarter of Brits have been struck down with food poisoning while on holiday, with more than half admitting they now avoid foreign food when they are abroad for fear of falling ill” is the claim of Slater & Gordon. “Spain, Turkey and Egypt topped the list of dodgy destinations which have left holidaymakers hitting the bathroom more often than the Beach”.

Codswallop is what I say, but not sure if you can eat it.

Spain particularly is well known for its Mediterranean diet and if visitors eat in Spanish restaurants they will learn to appreciate good healthy food. A simple indicator is - are the Spanish eating in them? But how many British visitors have you seen who like to go into pubs and restaurants because they are run by expat Brits.

2,000 holidaymakers were surveyed and a spokesman for the lawyers admitted that the majority of foreign travellers have had a happy and healthy time abroad. He goes on to say that thousands of people unfortunate enough to have holidays ruined by food aormi@icloud.com

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poisoning and even life styles altered... and helped out to make claims by their company.

There seems to be more cases of food poisoning on board cruise liners reported in newspapers, but this hasn’t been included in the survey as far as I know.

Hygiene is paramount in any kitchen, but especially here in Spain where it can get hot and, therefore, more likely food can go bad. One of the scariest short training films I remember from my early training years in catering was the journey of a fly hovering over various foods and alighting on waste, then carrying on spreading its little packages en route. Ever since then I have learned to respect the simple flexible fly swat, which has to be almost 100% efficient (without any survey being taken).

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Its common sense to have a look around a restaurant to see if you fancy it, but at the same time always look for cleanliness and it’s a good idea to have a look in the toilets as often this gives an indication of the standard. If not satisfied you can always leave. In Spain you always have the option to ask for the official complaints form, which every restaurant, supermarket and most businesses are expected to have. Sometimes its referred to as a book, but is really only a form and nowadays sometimes in an electronic system - hoja de reclamaciones, libro de reclamaciones. It is a type of administrative complaints system and the regional Administration is notified and tries to arbitrate between the two parties rather than go the whole hog to the courts. It’s there to help the consumer, but also give the suppliers of whatever article a bit of leeway to deal with problems.

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Going back to the survey it says that the top ten places for getting sick abroad are:1. Spain 2. Turkey 3. Egypt 4. Greece 5. France 6. Italy 7. America 8. India 9. Morocco 10. Thailand My mind boggles that Spain tops the league whereas Morocco is much further down. I would imagine that the 2,000 interviewed already had had food poisoning and were trying to get money out of someone and as aormi@icloud.com

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more people make Spain their destination, then more of the surveyed group would be among that lot.

How many of you expats have returned home for a visit to UK and experienced some sort of tummy upset? All water is not the same and our inner systems tend to adapt to the local water we usually drink. So when faced with another one, which may have health products added for our teeth etc., the stomach can’t cope with the local bugs. I know it’s happened to me in Glasgow where the people swear that they have the best water in the world at Loch Katrine. There again in Spain most people drink bottled water anyway, even though municipal supplies are fairly safe, and a lot of people have their own filtered system.

I would think that there was more chance of me having food poisoning eating haggis and curry sauce than a good paella.

The survey does make some sensible recommendations: Before you travel 1. Ensure that you have comprehensive travel insurance with adequate medical cover and make a note of any helpline numbers on the policy.

2. If travelling in Europe, obtain a free European Health Insurance Card.

3. Pack basic medication in case you become ill while away.

If you do fall ill while on holiday 1. Seek medical attention immediately and inform your travel rep or hotel manager.

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2. Keep any documentation – including receipts for treatment and incident report forms – and make a note or take a photograph of any hygiene concerns which could have led to you becoming ill.

3. If the illness is severe enough for you to consider making a claim, check to see if other people in the resort have been affected and ask for their details On return to the UK make an appointment to see your GP and report the illness to your tour operator.

The report makes no mention of the over 280,000 annual food poisioning cases in Britain attributed to the Campylobacter bug whose symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach pains and cramps, fever, and generally feeling unwell. Recommendations includes do not wash chicken, but cook it well, as this bug uses the water splashes to go onto other surfaces and transmit disease.

If you have diarrhoea then it is recommended here in Spain to drink plenty of water as you dehydrate very quickly, especially suero obtainable from chemists. But do let them know that it is for drinking as suero of another type is used for washing eyes. Try to avoid taking tablets that dry you up as it were.

Doctors hate these medications as although they work, the diarrhoea may be caused by something more sinister than a gippy tummy (from the word Egypt). If staying in an hotel the management can send for a doctor, as it is in their interests that no one becomes seriously ill or dies in their rooms. If you do have to see a private doctor then ensure you get receipts for any treatment or medication so that you can reclaim from your travel insurance.

When one considers that once again this year Spain's Cellar de Can Roca restaurant has been nominated as best restaurant in the world and there are always several more amongst the top fifty ones. The awards committee said, “Crucially, this is a restaurant that has never forgotten its humble roots, its sense of familial warmth, or the need to serve remarkably delicious dishes and outstanding wines.” Something that could be said of many Spanish restaurants.

Methinks this particular survey is very loaded so that the lawyers can get a lot more customers looking to make a killing from their holidays, and I don’t mean their health.

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Torrevieja Catering College

by Pat Hynd

Ongoing from the previous article there are many marvellous Hotel and Catering colleges in Spain that are producing highly trained professionals in ever sphere of the tourist industry from receptionists to chefs. The above photo shows the recent batch of Torrevieja cooks ready to start full time employment in time for the summer season.

Since October last year until the end of July, approximately two hundred unemployed have received minimal training of a hundred hours, and more than half of these, those who have obtained a professional Servef certification .

The professional school of catering of Torrevieja is located near the Habaneras commercial centre and is a centre for many initiatives in the tourist industry, such as tapas routes, wine tastings etc.

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The July deadlines are open to enroll for the courses to be offered from September, including those with certifications of Servef (both level 1 and level 2), as are the cooking course of 810 hours. These include bar services, restaurant and basic cooking courses.

There are several courses of "Basic training in food hygiene, food handling and management of allergens".

There are also language courses such as English and German, concentrating on tourist needs (50 hours). Several courses of "Basic training in food hygiene, food handling and management of allergens."

It should be remembered that all courses taught in Torrevieja CDT, are free, financed by the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Tourism.

To enroll in courses for unemployed more details are on Web http://www.cdt.gva.es .

The documentation you require is a photocopy of the DNI or NIE, and DARDE Servef, as a job seeker.

For any questions you can ask on the phone 965 722 600, on Facebook at CdT Torrevieja and on Twitter @Torrevieja CdTTorrevieja.

Fotos: courtesy of Objectivo Torrevieja

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I have heard some people saying similar things to these

THESE ARE ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED VACATIONS" FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS:

BY

"THOMAS

COOK

1. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."

2. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."

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3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish."

4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."

5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."

6. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow."

7. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallartato to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time -- this should be banned."

8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."

9. "Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no eggslicer in the drawers."

10. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

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11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."

12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."

13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."

14. "The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the resort.' We're trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service."

15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."

16. "We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning."

17. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

18. "I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes."

19. "My fiancĂŠe and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

BE AWARE ...

THEY WALK AMONG US and THEY VOTE! AND POSSIBLY ARE YOUR NEIGHBOURS! aormi@icloud.com

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Stay Cool Man

by Dave Stewart

July is usually our hottest month and it is important for our health to keep our bodies cool - and NO that’s not a photo of me. Heat stroke is very common and often become ill or even die because people dehydrate. So drink plenty of water, not just when you feel thirsty.

Most Spanish homes are built to keep you cool, with tiled floors for example. But do not walk about in bare feet as this soon leads to bronchitis. One Spanish doctor told me that this is a common coughing complaint among British residents and who tend to walk about on cold tiles in their bare feet.

There are several types of air cooling systems, from the humble fan to high tech air conditioning units. All very good, but these too can have side effects, especially for those who are sensitive to allergies as the nasal passages can dry up.

Be creative. Come up with methods to stop hot air from entering the room. For instance, point a fan toward the windows, or place a bowl full of ice or very cold water in front of the fan to cool the air further. A damp sheet placed over the window also helps.

Its an excellent idea to cover your windows with mesh to keep out mosquitoes and other bugs, and makes it possible to leave windows open.

Wear light pajamas, though you can also sleep naked if you like. It’s a question of preference. Over half of people who sleep naked are happier in their relationship with their partner! Surprise, surprise.

Or maybe better sleep alone. It’s the best thing to stay cool. Sleeping alongside someone else increases your body temperature and makes the bedclothes cling. One Spanish lady who was late opening her shop told me that "the sheets stuck to my body"; I wasn't too sure exactly how to take that.

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Apply compresses dipped in lukewarm water on parts of the body most sensitive to heat, such as the neck, elbows, ankles and the backs of the knees. The contact with cool water has a refrigerating effect that triggers a narrowing of the blood vessels, heating up the skin. In turn, the heat cools you down as a result of the difference in the surrounding temperature. Chemists often have giveaway cool packs that you put in the freezer, then using a small facecloth to wrap it up, you can place it against your skin.

Shower in warm water to reduce your body temperature. This is a good tip for feeling fresh and clean. Many people say that, even though the shock of a cold shower produces an instant feeling of coolness, it reactivates your body and energy consumption, which makes you feel the heat more quickly afterwards than if you had showed in warm water.

Also, be sure to keep your feet cool as heat enters the body here. Washing them before you turn in for the night or try sleeping with them outside the bed are two good tips.

Eat salad for evening dinner. Avoid big meals and hot dishes such as stews, soups and roast chicken. These force the body to produce more heat in order to digest them. A yoghurt, salad or that Spanish summer favorite, cold gazpacho, are perfect for summer nights. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water, the body uses it to get rid of heat.

Turn off all lights and electronic gadgets completely. Putting them on standby is not enough: they go on using energy and giving off heat, – between five and 10 percent of what they would use when switched on.

If you are lucky to have a swimming pool, obviously make good use of that, even if it is just sitting with your feet dangling in the water, or even sleep by the pool.

BUT DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

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Mindfulness

by Pat Hynd

There are several English words that have found their way into the Spanish language - STOP and bullying; now one of the latest is ‘Mindfulness’ with groups appearing in various places, including Torrevieja.

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Mindfulness is gaining a growing popularity as a practice in Western daily life and although based on teachings of Buddhism has no religious connotations. Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people suffering from a variety of psychological conditions.

Studies show that mindfulness meditation has several mental health benefits, such as bringing about reductions in depression, anxiety and stress.

Mindfulness meditation also appears to be effective in treating substance-use disorders. It focuses the human brain on what is being sensed at each moment, instead of on its normal rumination on the past or on the future. It is a system that is now being taught in many American schools as an aid to children’s studies.

Mindfulness has been taught in prisons, reducing hostility and mood disturbance among inmates, and improving their selfesteem. Imagination is a powerful and creative human faculty.

Ancient thinkers likened the imagination to a wax tablet. It is malleable.

So what are we talking about? Mindfulness means maintaining a momentby-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. It is being hailed in secular society as a science trying to blot out any religious intentions. But anyone who has done religious meditation will easily recognise the same effects and styles of concentration.

So some of the things to note are: - Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you’re feeling intense emotions.

- Notice—really notice—what you’re sensing in a given moment, the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.

-Recognize that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative thought patterns.

-Tune into your body’s physical sensations, from the water hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body rests in your office chair.

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A few suggested exercises that are promoted are:The ‘body scan’, where you focus your attention along your body, from the toes to the top of your head, trying to be aware and accepting of whatever you sense in these body parts, without controlling or changing those feelings.

The ‘raisin exercise’, where you slowly use all of your senses, one after another, to observe a raisin in great detail, from the way it feels in your hand to the way its taste bursts on your tongue. This exercise is intended to help you focus on the present moment, and can be tried with different foods or even hugging a tree.

A Positive Loving-kindness meditation, which involves extending feelings of compassion toward people, starting with yourself then branching out to someone close to you, then to an acquaintance, then to someone giving you a hard time, then finally to all beings everywhere. This just shadows what Jesus said "Love God, love your neighbour as you love yourself." Each step leads to another and you can't love other people if you don't apprciate and love yourself and what you do.

But this should also be ongoing making one realise other people and the interdependence we all have on each other.

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The relationship between psychology and religion historically has been tense and characterised by suspicion, with some famous psychologists claiming that religion is essentially pathological, while others have been more optimistic. But religion is a complex, multidimensional construct of varied forms and functions, which makes researching this relationship problematic.

If you subscribe to the philosopher Thomas Hobbes’ view of life as “nasty, brutish, and short”—as many people do—you’d naturally expect humans to live a pretty miserable existence. But many studies from around the world have suggested that, on average, humans’ default emotional state is to be pretty happy, regardless of their life circumstances—a phenomenon researchers call “positive mood offset.” Many missionaries and social volunteers comment on how happy are the poor people among whom they work as they own so little that any small thing is hugely appreciated, even if it is only a kind word or a smile..and it is contagious.

One of the advocates of mindfulness was Anthony de Mello, well known for his spiritual insights and comments. As an Indian Jesuit priest he was well aware of spiritual exercises and was trained as a psychotherapist and he developed a reputation as an extraordinarily perceptive spiritual guide and counsellor. He had had done a retreat with S.N.Goenka, a Burmese meditation teacher who had developed a modern version of this ancient practice the Theravada Buddhist

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tradition of Vipassana or ‘Insight’ meditation. He went on to write a very successful book “Sadhana – A Way To God.” “In order to settle down to pray”, he said, “just listen to the sounds around you, or feel the sensations on the back of your hands, or watch the rhythm of your breathing. The aim is to enter into the present moment, to attend to the here and now. Once mindful of what is given to consciousness you begin to settle, and really listen. The result is an expanded sensitivity to the world of experience, that allows the Buddhist to see things as they really are, a wisdom that leads to insight and enlightenment”.

Tony intended the Buddhist mindfulness exercises as no more than an introduction to prayer, a preparation which would build up the right dispositions for listening to the Word of God. After his death Father de Mello’s writings were investigated by the Vatican as being of a suspicious nature,

Science should do more than help us understand human behavior and emotion in the abstract; it should be applied toward improving people’s personal, public and professional lives.

For those who live in the Orihuela Costa area Marta Deuñas can be contacted at the centre in calle Alambra, 12, local 3, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa as she holds sessions there. Or phone (+34) 656 310 902 She can also be found on Facebook.

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but his ideas continue to be developed in Christian thinking.

We all need a sacred space of our own where we can spend an hour, a day, a week or more just for ourselves. Many

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One of the specialists of Mindfulness in Torrevieja is psychologist Marta Dueñas who is highly qualified in various fields including educational guidance for parents and children, helping them develop their abilities. Marta has higher qualifications in financial administration, with side interests such as photography, diving, travel and astronomy. Currently she is working at the Hospital of Torrevieja in the finance department. She holds classes, mainly based on mindfulness and emotional intelligence, not only for groups of individuals, but at corporate level for companies, Higher Education Institutes, schools, companies and group lessons. She speaks Spanish and English

Marta Dueñas General Health Physchologist Master in Education Tel: 628 577 225 http://madumi5.blogspot.com.es/p/ presentacion.html Mindfulnesstorrevieja@gmail.com

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forget that Jesus came from the Middle East and was steeped in many of the practices from there.

The New Testament is full of references to his need to get away from the crowds and spend some time on his own in prayer and reflection.

Anxiety is an all-too-common affliction in modern Britain.

Mindfulness, sometimes also called “present-centredness”, can help us enjoy the world more and understand ourselves better.’ This advice comes from the NHS patient leaflet on 'Mindfulness for mental wellbeing'. The summary teaches some simple practices as a therapeutic technique. These help the practitioner to focus awareness on the present moment, to be alert to physical signs of stress and to acknowledge and accept (with some degree of calmness) feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations as events rather than definitions of reality or oneself. Savouring the present moment and bringing our imaginations and memories to bear are the key themes.

Paul Gilbert’s The Compassionate Mind says: “In societies that encourage us to compete with each other... research has found that developing kindness and compassion for ourselves and each other... promotes physical and mental health.”

Mindfulness precisely is not offered as a religious meditation, but as a therapeutic technique. Christian meditation by contrast is about

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being still and listening in order to welcome a presence.

We are never too old to learn and these types of meditative exercises can have a fruitful and positive influence on our lives even in retirement in sunny Spain.

Beginnings and endings are interdependent, co-inherent, say the Buddhists.

Throughout, the contemplative Silence, which allows Word to live and genuinely be heard, is a task for young and old alike.

There’s evidence that old people do indeed think about the ‘meaning of life’; it would be surprising if they did not. ‘Grey wisdom’ is not a fullness of anything but, more exactly, the readiness to face mortality and the inevitable tragedy of a life which is rarely fulfilled as one dreamed it would be all those years before.

From my point of view, and this is personal, if you listen to the words of Jesus when he was asked by the rich young man what to do to obtain eternal happiness he got the reply to go and sell all that he had and love God, love himself and his neighbour as he would love himself. Recognising there is a greater force than oneself is a first step. This is harnessed with self awareness and self appreciation, then you can look outward at your neighbour and see the good traits in her or him.

The attributes of gratitude, altruism, compassion, empathy and forgiveness are all suggested benefits from Mindfulness and these are easily recognised as Christian virtues. Happiness and altruism are intertwined—doing good is an essential ingredient to being happy, and happiness helps spur kindness and generosity.

Staff of Entremares Clinic in Torrevieja enjoying an introductory session to Mindfulness with Marta Dueñas

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HOT CARS

by Andy Ormiston No, I’m not going to talk about motorcars that whizz around racing. Rather about a warning to pay attention when unloading your car that you haven’t left anything, or anyone, behind.

A few video clips on the Internet have emphasised how important it is NOT to leave a baby or animal in the car in the heat of the sun, even for a few minutes. One of these is a spoof by a famous Jewish chef who places a pizza in a car in the sun and half an hour later collects it - duly cooked and still sizzling. He actually baked it in an oven, but was underlining how hot a car can become in the Mediterranean summer sun and imagining what would have occurred if the pizza had been a baby.

Too often we hear about a tragedy by a distraught parent in a hurry to get on and do something, often to be on time for work, but have forgotten that there is a child still in the back seat of the car who should have been dropped off in the nursery or school. It’s a tragedy for the parent who must bear the loss for the rest of their life, but a real tragedy for a child who has been baked and dehydrated inside a locked car.

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If you ever see this happening, including an animal, don’t be shy about intervening and if the parent doesn’t realise the mistake then call a cop or if in a supermarket car park, then a security guard.

To help matters do use a windscreen sun shield. Another suggestion is invest in a couple of small solar fans that can be attached to the inside of the car and when the sun hits them they spin and turn the air a little at least. You can also buy baseball style caps with solar fans, but these can be heavy with the batteries. Last month we mentioned solar film, which can also be used on car windows increasing the security and, depending on the type, help keep the interior cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

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Many years ago one of the driving Spanish associations in Torrevieja for organising concerts, fiestas, events etc. was the Diana Group or Target group. They used to have a clubhouse in Avenida Diego Ramirez Pastor and played an important part in the carnival, theatre etc. of the town.

Another Spanish Group that organises a terrific amount of cultural activities celebrates its tenth anniversary this year - Ars Creatio, celebrated with a gala on 7th June. Actually this was the sixth gala of this type organised by the Ars Creatio.

The show underscored how much has been going on throughout the association’s short, but intense history. The aim has always been to value the CULTURE idea, which has grown to bring together more than 450 members-collaborators. One of the first items Ars Creatio started was a highly professional Internet cultural magazine published quarterly, the most recent being Nº 38. This has been an outlet to spread information about all the many other varied activities they do in Torrevieja. Among them have been conferences by well-known personalities of science, discussing a wide range of subjects and opinions, often with particular emphasis on the sea that has been a bloodline for Torrevieja over the past few hundred years. Manuel Tevar, a founder member, was also behind the SpanishEnglish book about the submarine in the harbour, the Delfin.

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Theatrical representations of classics, as well as readings of the same, have been supplemented by historical recreations that are backed by extensive research of documents.

Then there have been galas in which adults and children collaborate with a great deal of colour, noise, music, dance, singing and fun. Everyone at Ars Creatio has been involved in a disinterested manner, collaborating selflessly. This cooperation has been an important aspect, ensuring that young people become more aware of the arts as being fun subjects and not for the hoi polloi.

ARS CREATIO merge music, poetry, literature, science, history and a high content of friendship, something that all the members of the association have valued highly. This could be the analysis of reality and reflection on an association in its ten years of existence that opened a new era for culture in the city.

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Two founding members of Ars Creatio are husband and wife team journalist and presenter Encarna Hernandez Torregrosa and Miguel Tevar (foto on left)

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ARS CREATIO was born with the desire to be an entity that promoted and complemented the cultural activity in Torrevieja, without putting limits to its dissemination, bringing together those who feel the same concerns, putting constant cultural outreach, which earned in 2014 first prize offered by the Cultural Society Casino of Torrevieja as an official recognition of this work. After ten years of history, Ars Creatio has become a fundamental support for Torrevejense culture.

The person who officially opened the gala of its tenth anniversary was Dr. Ana Belen Roper Lara , Professor of Nutrition at the University Miguel Hernรกndez . Her scientific activity combines with the Outreach focused on nutrition, which is why she has been recently awarded along with her research team, by the European Federation of Physiology. Ana Belen specified that Ars Creatio, unlike other associations include culture as known in its entirety, without forgetting that science is also part of the culture of peoples Afterwards the awards were handed for Culture to Dr. Vicente Micol, Professor and Vice Chancellor of International Relations at the UMH. Another recognition was made to Maria Luisa Molina, a member of Ars Creatio and head of the Science Week in the association. The theatre was full for the spectacular and varied show.

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Life Connections - Avenida Dr. Gregorio Marañon

by Andy Ormiston

I suspect that many readers will be aware how their life has crossed at sometime with others whom they have met here in Spain. There are several instances in my life that this has happened.

When I lived in London there was an association of good Spanish ladies in London, rather like HELP, who helped Spanish-speaking girls in many ways with their personal problems of living in a foreign country. Among this group of ladies was Mabel Burns, who attended my marriage to my Spanish wife. Mabel is short for Mary Isabel whose father was the famous Dr. Gregorio Marañon who had fled abroad to England after the civil war. Mabel married a prominent journalist Tom Burns, founder of the publishing house of Burns, Oates and Washington, and one time editor of the weekly TABLET. Their son, Jimmy, a fan of Barcelona F.C., is also a writer, an expert about Spain and Latín America, including a book about his favourite team. Jimmy has also written about his father who was a spy working at the British Embassy during WWII (Papa Spy). His previous books include "The Land That Lost Its Heroes", winner of the Somerset Maugham prize for non-fiction, "Papa Spy", "Barca", "When Beckham went to Spain", "Beyond the Silver River", and the internationally acclaimed "Hand Of God: The Life Of Diego Maradona". His recent book, "La Roja", a history of Spanish national football, was published by Simon and Schuster in the UK and Nation Books in the US in May 2012.

Jimmy's brother kept the Spanish name of Marañon. Jimmy’s latest book, "Francis: Pope of Good Promise", the story of Pope Francis I’s first year in office, was published by Constable & Robinson in 2015.

Gregorio Marañon was born on May 19, 1887, in Madrid, where he also died on March 27, 1960. He had three sons and a daughter. Although a highly trained doctor, he was also interested in history and politics, falling foul of the dictator Primo de la Riviera, travelled

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with King Alfonso XIII and was in the Second Republic government for a short time before he became disillusioned. It was in his house that monarchists and republicans hammered out a compromise that led to the handover from monarchy to republic. A supporter of the Second Republic, Gregorio Marañon had fled Spain before in 1932 in the first flood of massacres against those of a Catholic persuasion. From a very early age he learned several foreign languages and was an avid reader, hence he came in contact with the intellectual circles of the time and cultivated a close friendship with Perez Galdos, Menendez-Pelayo, Ortega y Gasset, Pio Baroja, Unamuno, Lerroux among several outstanding and eminent figures of the famous Generation of '14. In Medical School he had great teachers such as Santiago Ramon y Cajal and was a foreign corresponding member of the British Medical Association.

Previously he had been imprisoned for a month and fined 100,000 pesetas for involvement in a plot to oust General Primo de Rivera. From 1939 he lived in Paris with frequent lecture tours abroad in Argentina especially, and wrote several books during this period. He returned to Madrid in 1942 to work in the Provincial Hospital that now bears his name. As a physician he was ahead of his time. He wrote a number of technical books on sex, and popularized the subject in "Three Essays on Sex Life". He was also a respected historian, having written biographies of two Spanish historical figures, Olivares and Antonio Pérez, and of the Swiss writer Henri Frédéric Amiel, who has left a famous Intimate Diary, which Marañón used to study the problem of timidity.

He

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The Madrid metro station, located on the square bearing the same name, on the Paseo de la Castellana, has installed two giant murals in memory of Gregorio Maranon . combined his interest in history and biology in The Biological Ideas of Father Feij贸, an eighteenth-century Spanish Benedictine of encyclopedic knowledge who was ahead of his time in the field of biology and largely misunderstood. Dr. Maranon specialized in endocrinology and became professor of the specialty in the Complutense University in Madrid, later he founded the Institute of Medical Pathology and the Department of Experimental Endocrinology.

As I said at the outset people's paths cross and another example of this is that it was not until his daughter Mabel died in London, and her son Jimmy wrote an obituary, that my wife realized that Mabel's father was the famous doctor whom her mother should have consulted, but she died before being able travel to her appointment in Madrid leaving her four year old daughter to travel to Barcelona to join other family members.

Torrevieja is only one town with a street dedicated to this great man, here it is an Avenue that up to the late 1980's (when the by-pass was constructed and hopefully will be widened soon) was the main road between Alicante and Cartagena.

Avenida Dr. Gregorio Mara帽on is currently being renovated.

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The Silk Train

by Dave Stewart

The Peking Express is a popular Spanish television reality show in which chosen couples are given tasks to complete as they travel to the forbidden city. Its not a surprise as so much trade is done with China as illustrated by so many Chinese low cost shops and the tax benefits to their owners. But another venture is The Silk Train that shows that China is aiming for Europe.

In the past the Silk Road was a main thriving route for traders between East and West, including characters like Marco Polo and his family. An innovation last December was when a Chinese freight train travelled 13,000 kilometres across eight countries arriving in Madrid station on 9th December. It took 21 days setting off from the Eastern China town of Yiwu on 18th November, toot-tooting its way through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France, and then Spain.

No silk on this train though as it had 30 containers of toys and other goods in time for the Kings arrival in early January. It did the return trip with a load of Spanish goods such as Spanish wine, Olive oil and hams. It was a test run to check the viability of regular trains between the two countries, as already there are similar routes between China and Germany, connecting Chongqing with Duisburg, and Beijing with Hamburg.The maps of the two Silk Roads drive home the enormous scale of the project: the Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road combined will create a massive loop linking three continents.

On last December 9th, aormi@icloud.com

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the Chinese freight train, dubbed Yixin'ou, completed a journey of epic proportions: more than 13,000 kilometers, snaking across eight countries and lasting a total of 21 days, making it the longest continuous train ride in the world.

China’s currency, the renminbi, is becoming more widely used in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Thailand.

The train set off from Yiwu in eastern China on November 18, chugging its way through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France, before ending its journey in Spain's capital, Madrid. From economic exchanges, China hopes to gain closer cultural and political ties with each of the countries along the Silk Road — resulting in a new model of “mutual respect and mutual trust.”

Spanish Minister of Public Works and Transport Ana Pastor called the journey "a major milestone for the rail industry." The trip was a test run to gauge the possibility of establishing regular service between China and Spain to boost bilateral trade.

Madrid Mayor Ana Botella Serrano dubbed it the "Silk Road of the 21st century."

Separately, China has announced another $46bn investment plan, which will centre on an economic corridor from Kashgar in the Chinese region of Xinjiang to Gwadar in Pakistan.

Gwadar is located on the Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan, a province in south-west Pakistan which is wracked by a decade-old separatist insurgency. Pakistani officials say most projects will reach completion in between one and three years, although some infrastructure projects could take from 10 to 15 years. For the Chinese, the relationship has a geo-strategic significance. Another plan is a canal across Latin America, but is meeting opposition from environmentalists. aormi@icloud.com

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The African Union headquarters in Ethiopia - a $200m (ÂŁ127m) gift from China The corridor through Gwadar gives them their shortest access to the Middle East and Africa, where hundreds of Chinese firms, that employ tens of thousands of Chinese workers, are involved in development work. Possibly China could also be trying to find alternative trade routes to by-pass the Malacca straits, presently the only maritime route China can use to access the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

China has funded many projects throughout Africa, particularly sports stadiums and railway links, but none has been higher profile than the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia - a $200m (ÂŁ127m) gift from China which dominates the Addis Ababa skyline and is testament to the growing economic ties between China and Africa. Trade between the two has increased more than six-fold during the past decade.

Although some military may be sceptical about all this activity, I am sure Marco Polo would be happy with the entente between China and non Eastern countries.

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Outlookis in Calas Blancas urbanisation where streets bear the name of 017 july 2015 The Torrevieja Park of Europe London, Dublin and other famous cities. It was a popular location for British buyers in the 1980's and Gabby's Bar was the centre, with a large communal swimming pool. The park has a central feature of a hermitage, still under construction, which is being built by private donations by the Rocio groups of Torrevieja. Behind the terra-cotta building is a large play area for basketball, hockey etc. plus petanca court. A children's area with swings is popular and a good car parking area. It is a gathering place for dog owners as there is a pi-can amid an abundance and variety of trees and bushes with plenty of grass.

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Forest Fires by Jenny Dodd Of all the European countries, Spain is the one which suffers most from forest fires. There are various reasons for this. A study made by the University of Alcalรก (Madrid) indicated that between 1968 and 2010 the abandonment of agricultural land and the higher temperatures which now occur have contributed to this. Frequent and ever increasing drought also contributes to the problem. Global warming is now playing a part in this phenomenon.

The change in crops has also had an effect. Traditional crops and traditional land use were more effective at controlling the situation, but now large scale farming has changed the pattern of cropping. In addition due to the financial crisis the budget for fire fighting has been reduced.

Every day, day after day from June onwards the news programmes show huge areas on fire and the fire fighters struggling to extinguish the flames. Due to difficult terrain in the mountains this is often a very arduous and dangerous task and on occasions members of the fire fighters have been killed when the wind has swung round and trapped them. If they can approach in vehicles and on foot they do so, and water carrying helicopters work continually to try to contain and kill the flames.

The devastation of the many National and Natural Parks is dreadful to see on the news. When the fires are finally extinguished the land is blackened and shrivelled and sometimes the bones of animals which have perished can be seen, when they could not escape. Occasionally houses too are destroyed, leaving the occupants without a roof and having lost all of their possessions. Many householders are evacuated every aormi@icloud.com

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year, when fire approaches their property, and are cared for in schools or sports halls.

The damage to the environment and the animal life is incalculable, since it takes years for new forest areas to generate.

The biggest danger to areas at risk is human begins. Lack of thought and carelessness creates many problems.

One of the common causes is cigarette ends carelessly tossed away, out of cars, when they can be blown into the bushes. Barbeques in the countryside in picnic areas are usually prohibited from June onwards, as are camp fires in the forests. Any infringement of the rules now incurs hefty fines, and occasionally a prison sentence, if a fire has been started due to this.

One fire was started by tourists letting go Chinese lanterns to float into the air. Once some tourists lit up a barbeque in the forest without due thought, unaware of the danger. As well as this, there are arsonists who get a thrill out of seeing forests burn and often set fires in several places one after another to cause the maximum inconvenience to the fire fighters.

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Jenny Dodd is a volunteer member of Rutas y Caminos at the La Mata parkland, among other things she does. She is well aware of the need to take fire prevention precautions . La Mata park has had many trees planted in the last decade adding a great attraction to the area permitting an increase in wildlife. It is imperative that all of us be aware of the dangers to the environment and to the lives of others.

The emergency for fire in Spain is still

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It is now prohibited to burn agricultural waste.

TV news programmes have already started to talk about the risks this year and to discuss the ways in which they could be prevented to some extent. In one area 4 buffalos have been given the task of eating all the loose vegetation; some places use sheep to keep down the growth. Fire breaks too are being made in forests so that the fires cannot jump into the next area of forest.

Following the dry winter we have had and the hotter than usual spring, the risk of fire this year is very real. The MOD has 3000 staff on hand and air force and army helicopters ready to go into action at any time. In some places property owners have been requested to keep their land clear of debris and old vegetation.

The best we can all do on a personal level is to try to consider any action which would trigger off any incident all too easily.

Teach our youngsters to respect the environment and be aware of fire risk

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Orihuela Moors & Christians

12 - 18 July D陋 Maria Vidal Angeles Guevara has been elected the prestigious part of these fiestas known as la Armengola in the Moors and Christians " Santas Justa and Rufina" Orihuela 2015 .

The Legend Lives On

Tradition says that the governor of Orihuela, Benzaddon,resided in the citadel. Nearby in the Arrabal Roche, Pedro Armengol lived with his wife and daughters. The wife was a nurse of the children of the governor, which meant she had free access to the Fortress. Local Mudejar planned to knife the Christian residents, set for July 16.

Benzadd贸n decided to exempt the mother and family from the slaughter of the Christians.

A plan was hatched by the family and two young men, Ruidoms and Juan de ARNUM, were dressed in the clothing of the daughters and with the couple appeared in the citadel, attacking and killing the guards. It was that day preceding the feast of Saints Justa and Rufina, highly revered by local Mozarabs, Spanish martyrs. The wife of Pedro, Armengola, fought valiently and the tower was crowned with the cross at its highest battlement. The death of the governor, and the subsequent the fall of the castle into the hands of Christians and the news that

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the El Salvador army of King Don Jaime prevented the Moorish implementation of the planned slaughter.

The continuous tradition of the Orihuela is that the feast of the liberation of the city from the hands of Muslims should be always commemorated on July 17.

On the eve, lights are switched between the ruined castle walls and, the next day, the Municipal Corporation and clubs under the banner of the city to attend a solemn face and packed-religious function in the parish of Saints Justa and Rufina. There the council

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and other citizens hear each year of birth officiating the portentous feat of the courageous woman of Pedro Armengol.

Programme: Saturday, 4th July 20,30 h. En el Teatro Circo: ACTO DE EXALTACIÓN FESTERA, - Official presentation banners of the comparsas

of

the

- D. Fernando López López will give the pregon or opening speech.

- Glosa del Pregón de Fiestas, pronunciado por D. Atanasio Die Marín.

- Officials nominated - Christian Ambassador: D. Dámaso Antonio Aparicio García (Contrabandista) - Moor Ambassador: D. Ricardo Pérez Zambrana (Moros Realista).

-Alcalde del Castillo Festero: D. Marcelino Asuar Belda.

-Armengola 2015: Da Ángeles Vidal Guevara.

-Festeros de Honor: D. Miguel Huertas Hernández, Da. Carmen Navarro Rodríguez, D. Rafael García Cuenca y D. Antonio Ballester Beltran.

At the end of this social event there will be

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dinner/reception in honor of the Armengola, Christian and Moro 2014 Ambassadors and Honorary Appointments .

SUNDAY, 12th July -19,30 h. Starting from la Glorieta de Gabriel Miró - The Parade of Banners, Translation and procession of the images of SS. Santas Justa and Rufina from the parish church to the Cathedral and a floral offering made there.

TUESDAY 14 July - 21’00 h. The Great Parade and later the inauguration of the various Kabilas and hedquareters of the the warriors plus a verbena of eating and drinking and music.

- 23:00h The Moors take possession of the castle.

Followed by the verbenas in the Kabilas.

WEDNESDAY 16 July -11’30 h. In the palmeral the positioning of the Oriol.

Representación de las Fiestas de la Reconquista.

21:00h The Great Retreat parade Followed by the verbenas in the Kabilas.

THURSDAY, 16 July - 21’00 h. The Childrens Parade - 23,30 h In la Plaza del Ayuntamiento a concentration of the Armengola, the ambassadors, the organising body, and the exposing of the Oriol Banner from the Casa Consistorial balcony.

Followed by the verbenas in the Kabilas.

FRIDAY 17 July "DCCLXXIII ANIVERSARIO DE LA RECONQUISTA" - 9,30h. from Town Hall the translation of the Glorious Oriol to the Cathedral.

-10,00 h. from the cathedral a Solemn Procession of the two saints and the Oriol to the parish church dedicated to the saints. .

-10,30 h. Solemn Massin this church.

-11,30 h. Parade of the Oriol with the assistance of all the comparsas

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-21:00 h. Starting at the Calvo Sotelo,

Paseo de

The Powder Battle of the Moors & Christians with lots of gunfire.

-22,30 h., at the Gabriel Miró

la Glorieta de

Taking of the castle by the Moors, then the representaiton of the pact with Teodomiro, followed by the taking of the castle by the Christian bands.8 -23’30 h. in Ayuntamiento

la

Plaza

del

A concentration of all the groups and the retiral of the Oriol from the balcony of the Casa Consistorial, followed once more by more verbenas in the kabilas.

FRIDAY, 17th July -21’30 h. The Solemn Parade and Christian entrance with the Banners and Boato of the Asociación, "Armengola 2015" y Escort.

-Afterwards the verbenas in the Kabilas.

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CHRISTIAN GROUPS Contrabandistas - Caballeros del Rey Fernando - Caballeros Templarios - Caballeros de Tadmir - Caballeros del Oriol- Piratas Bucaneros - Caballeros de Santiago Seguidores de Arun y Ruidoms

MOORS Moros Realistas - Moros Beduinos - Moros Almorávides - Moros Viejos de AbénMohor - Moros Nazaríes de Abén-Humeya - Moros Musulmanes . Escorpiones Moros Almohábenos - Moros Negros Egipcios - Moros J'Alhamed - Moros Abdelazíes ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPARSAS, MOST HAVE SEVERAL FILAS OR FILES OF WARRIORS WHO DRESS DIFFERENTLY SO THERE IS A VARIETY OF COSTUMES. The idea of not only offering flowers but food for the needy of the town is a sign of our times, but also shows a great sense of solidarity.

Awards are given for the best files on both sides, not only for the costumes, but for the comportment and flamboyance.

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In the Vista Alegre Exhibition Hall there is an exposition of paintings by Russian painters

Andrey Kriukov, Irina Kriukova, Anna King and Yuriy Tolstov. The exhibition is on until the 5th July and offers a variety of style of painting as well as crafts. Photos only provide an idea of the work as it is better to see them in the flesh so to speak.

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Some photos of Torrevieja salt lake as the little tourist train trips have been cancelled. aormi@icloud.com

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Beach Boys..and girls

by Andy Ormiston

One of my favourite NGOs is undoubtedly the Cruz Roja, or Red Cross. Its members work at local level, but interact at regional and international disasters. Torrevieja is fortunate to have a very efficient and active team that works in various spheres of activities, not merely beach service, but very involved in social services that include teaching, elderly and housebound, tele-assistance, food banks.

On Saturday June 20 the Prevention Service, Surveillance and Rescue in Playas de Torrevieja swung into action. They have been doing this for a number of years, but this year because of the interventional complaint by a member of the, then opposition, the beach safety was put out to tender and a private company with a low estimate, awarded the Easter period contract. Frankly, it was not very successful. An example, a friend cut himself on a wastepaper bin and was bleeding and trotted off to the post that was nearby.

The young man was obviously out of his depth and had trouble finding a plaster for it.

Fortunately as it is near the 24-hour chemist a the Playa del Cura, he was able to go there and they looked after him. Not good enough methinks. So it was relief that the Red Cross has once again been contracted to man the beaches as they have a full backup service of ambulances and a central control system that coordinates any incidences.

Torrevieja Red

Cross (965 71 18 18)

112 all emergencies

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The service for this year includes monitoring of Torrevieja coastal area for three months, divided into two periods, season average (from 20 to 28 June and from August 31 to September 20) and high season (June 29 to August 30). The beaches of Torrevieja have 26 points lookout towers and lifeguards in the summer and 9 manned first aid posts for curing and general first aid care.

There are 75 qualified lifeguards serving on the beaches of Torrevieja from 11:00 to 19:00.The Torrevieja beaches (Cala Piteras, Naufragos, la Cura, the artifical Pools off Juan

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Aparicio promenade, Los Locos, Cabo Cervera and La Mata). Councillor Francisco Moreno announced that the summer budget for the beaches in 2015 amounts to 435,000 euros (approved by council on Wednesday June 10) and includes monitoring the Torrevieja coastal area which is divided in 3 monthly two-terms:- medium season (from 20 to 28 June and from August 31 to September 20) and high season (June 29 to August 30), every day of the week from 11:00 to 19:00 hours.

Red Cross (965 71 18 18)

Francisco Moreno highlighted the extraordinary result that has been given for several years, including the toilet service for the disabled, with an average of 15 services a day; toilets are located on the beaches of the Naufragos, Los Locos and the artificial bathing pools of Paseo Juan Aparicio, or those who want can phone Red Cross (965 71 18 18) who assist those with mobility problems to use the toilets. Once they are finished they are taken back to their places free of charge. This service has been in high demand not only for residents and tourists aormi@icloud.com

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in Torrevieja, but also by disabled people in other nearby locations that do not have a toilet Point.

In addition, two rescue watercraft are deployed at strategic points, with immediate response times to emergency calls off Torrevieja coast. There is an ambulance bought largely by donations from the British community that bears the COASTRIDER logo. It boasts an Ambulance Basic Life Support (BLS) equipped with semi-automatic defibrillator, respirator, continuous monitor, oxygen therapy, immobilization, etc. There is a Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV) equipped with semi-automatic defibrillator, ventilator and oxygen. Another former ambulance also bought by the expatriates is used as a people carrier and bears the ARC logo.

Location bracelets for children and seniors may be obtained at aid stations located on the beaches. These bracelets have an unique and unrepeatable number linked to data from parents/carers in the case of rescuers finding a lost child, they may be located easily.

The president of the local Red Cross says that he is content and proud that once again the Cruz Roja will man the beaches and support the many visitors we have in Torrevieja.

Near the end of the season there is normally a race among the Red Cross lifeguards from La Mata to Torrevieja.

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The Green Cross of Chemists

by Andy Ormiston

One of the most successful television series in Spain a number of years ago was Farmacia de Guardia which illustrated the central point chemists have in Spanish communities. It was a talk shop, gossip centre but full of warmth and wisdom and lots of humour. The Farmacia de Guardia is a chemist that is open outside normal shopping hours. Therefore, it is on guard to serve the health necessities of those in need, usually at night. Fortunately in Torrevieja we now have several excellent 24hour, open all day, every day chemists in Torrevieja. Most Spanish pharmacies sport a flashing green cross outside.

There are over 47,000 chemists serving in almost 22,000 chemist shops in Spain, according to the College of Pharmacists, which publishes the 24-hour rota list for guardias in each location. Every chemist will also have a notice on the outside listing who is on duty should they happen to be closed, often with a map. So in Spain we are fortunate to have a chemist for every 2,140 inhabitants compared to Denmark, for example that has a chemist for every 17,000 citizens.

Spanish chemists do not just dish out medication, either by prescription or over the counter for cash if appropriate. They offer a wide range of other services such as simple blood analysis of glucose, cholesterol and others, as well as blood pressure and weight, of course. They have regular campaigns of awareness for things such as heart, asthma, allergies, considering that part of their work is prevention through information.

They have a large codex for consultation that gives them an equivalent type of medication for visitors who may have arrived without their own normal prescriptions.

Normally this can be bought and visitors are often surprised how much cheaper some items can be in comparison to what they pay back home. If it is a medication that requires a doctor's prescription they will advise you. It is also advisable that for any medication or consultations receipts be given so that the person can claim on health insurance.

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Most chemists are good at freely giving out information and recommendations, but if they say "see a doctor" then do so as it could be really important. Most chemists will have someone who speaks some English, although I did hear a couple complaining as they went out the door, "You would think they had someone who could speak English". In fact both girls behind the counter could speak English but could not understand the thick accent of the couple.

Chemists obviously stock a wide range of products from babies food to dietary plans, beauty treatments, sun lotions, some appliances. You will find some chemists that also offer a wide range of orthopedic equipment from a walking stick to electric wheelchairs.

Most chemists now stock a variety of homeopathic remedies and Spanish doctors are more likely to approve of patients using some of these than their counterparts in other countries, but the doctor should be told if a patient is using herbal treatment as it could affect some other prescribed medication.

On one of my first visits to Spain, in Barcelona, my wife had a mouth infection and the dentist gave her a prescription that required a daily injection for eight days. There was a chemist round the corner from where we were staying and he duly gave us the needle.

When asked where could we find an ATS nurse or someone qualified to give the injection he told us to go to the next door of apartments and ring the bell for the first floor. So we did so and when we arrived upstairs who opened the door but the same chemist, and he was excellent in stabbing in the medicine. Being over eight days, he offered to visit the house on Sunday morning for that particular injection and I was greatly surprised how cheap was his house call. An ATS is a qualified nurse who normally specializes in giving injections or vaccinations.

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Golden Lottery of Red Cross

23 July 2015

Each year the Spanish Red Cross have a national lottery on 23rd July, 2015, that helps raise funds for the many works that they undertake. The prizes are always big, this year first prize is 3,000,000 Euros, with lots of lesser prizes including last number of the winning ticket. Second prize is one and a half millions of euros, and third main prize is three-quarters of a million euros.

It is commonly known as the Golden Lottery, Sorteo de Oro, and was begun in 1980 with the prizes as gold ingots. It has changed since then with money prizes. Each year a different city is chosen to represent the lottery and this year Alicante has been chosen.

It costs 5 euros and can be bought in most banks as well as online. http://www.cruzroja.es/sorteodeoro/index_.html The pictures on tickets try to show some of the various aspects of solidarity work undertaken by Red Cross professionals and volunteers. One ticket pays for a hygiene kit for someone in crisis, while two tickets pay for a woman’s basic hygiene requirements and six tickets pay for a school bag full of the necessary material for children whose family is in a financial crisis.

Even if you don’t win a cash prize your ticket is still in with a chance of winning on of the three solidarity journeys on offer.

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The highlight of July's cultural programme has to be the 61st Habaneras concerts and chorale competitions and the Beach concert on 17th. An important aspect this year is the Soloists and the finalists will be: Indira Ferrer – Soprano; Mario González – Tenor ; Juan Gallego – Tenor: Juan Carlos Esteve – Bajo; Sebastiá Peris – Barítono ; Mireia Dolç – Soprano; who all come from Valencia, Murcia and Catalauña.

The international choirs will be IMUSI CAPELLA - Philipinas GAUDEAMUS KORALA - Vizcaya (España) GRUPO TUTTO VOCE - Segovia (España) BEIJUNG AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY YOUTH CHOIR - China UPPER AUSTRIAN YOUTH CHOIR - Austria IUVENTUS, FUNDACIÓN SIRENÁICA - Colombia YOUTH CHOIR KIVI - Lituania GRUPO VOCAL KROMATIKA - Guadalajara (España) FEMALE CHOIR CVS - Portugal SOPOT CHAMBER CHOIR CONTINUO - Poland CORO DE CÁMARA ALTERUM COR - Valladolid (España) CORO PICHINCHA - Ecuador CARNIKAVAS MIXED CHOIR - Letonia UNIVERSITY PHILIPPINES MANILA CHORALE, - Filipinas MUSICA LIBERA - Serbia BARUCH BROTHER CHOIR -Serbia

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Some of the choirs taking part in

this year's Habaneras

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A Fiesta of International Tourist Interest Category is that of the Moors & Christians of Villajoyosa from 24 - 31 July. Be sure to visit the chocolate factories/museums if you decide to go.

Another July fiesta is the Bous a la Mar in Denia where the bull is let loose and chases young stalwarts into the sea. Classified as of National Tourist Interest it continues to be a contentious fiesta as animal lovers see it as another item of cruelty as often the bull ends up in the sea and drowns. This coincides with the dates of San Fermin's famous bull runs in Pamplona in the second week of July. aormi@icloud.com

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Local Artist Cutting It Fine

by Dave Stewart

Victor Garcia Villalgordo is a local artist of Torrevieja born in 1976. He is a very accomplished painter and sculptor, specializing in polychrome wood carving sculptures. Between 1990-95 he studied at the school of applied arts of Orihuela specializing in artistic drawing and modeling. In 1995/96 he was an apprentice sculptor in a sculpture workshop of Seville. In 1999 more studies followed at a university course on wood carving.

He has carved innumerable sculptures, not only in Torrevieja, but in many other towns of Spain. He has his own school of art in Torrevieja and each year the students hold a very interesting exhibition of their works.

The Semana Santa processions have been an inspiration for him and many of the commissions have come from cofradias, including that of the Last Supper of Torrevieja with all the twelve Apostles paid for by a Dutch resident, while Victor paid for the figure of Jesus. Another magnificent example of his work is the figure of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the church of that name, where he also painted the various mural paintings depicting aspects of Jesus' life and teachings, with most having some symbolic representation of Torrevieja such as the salt lake.

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Not all his work is religious but often shows a taste for local colour and images. His work can be found in Teruel, Pilar de la Horadada, Rafal, Alicante, Callosa de Segura, Catral, San Miguel de las Salinas, Guardamar, and Aguilas, and others.

In June 2006 he was appointed member of the cultural board of the Municipal Institute of Culture" Joaquin Torregrosa Chapaprieta " and works in association with the Prado Museum.

Currently he is rebuilding the body of of Saint Veronica using cedar wood Por teléfono: 626591730 e-mail: victorgarciavillalgordo@hotmail.com postal address: C/. Clemente Gosálvez, N.º 25 – 03181 Torrevieja (Alicante – ESPAÑA)https://victorgarciaescultor.wordpress.com/trabajos

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Victor Garcia is a Torrevieja artist who is both painter and sculptor with a school of art attached to his studio.

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The Sagrado Corazon church in the plaza Oriente features several of Victor Garcia’s work including statues and paintings that have symbols relating to Torrevieja history and culture.

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