037 march torrevieja outlook

Torrevieja Outlook

Nº 37- March 2016

037 March 2017 March Calendar – Fiestas and Fallas – UNESCO citation – Valencia visit – ABC cooking in Valencia – Denmark sunshine – Bookshelf Black Elk – Torrevieja sites – Father’s Day, cats & lilies – 150 anniversary of Casino – You’re Wanted for Holy Week – Your Health in hospitals – Torrevieja Quironsalud and Torrevieja University Hospital – Professional Restaurant Training – Lighthouse Exhibition – Pedro Lorca Pensioners donate – ExpoTorrevieja – European Residents ProjectNew routes – Paddy O’Hara – Carnival Heads – What’s On.

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MARCH FIESTAS IN THE ALICANTE PROVINCE

1st March

The fiesta of the Miracle of the Tear is held in Muchamiel (Milagro de la Lágrima) The miracle of the tears.

8th March Procession in Muchamiel.

17th March St. Patrick celebrations in Cabo Roig and Lorca.

19th - 29th The Moors & Christian parades in the district of Villafranqueza in Alicante are held.

19th March Fallas de San José are held in Valencia, Benidorm, Calpe, Dénia and Pego. They begin on the 15th but the cremà is held on the 19th.

21st March Almoradi holds a San Emigdio remembrance service of the 1829 earthquake.

22nd March Callosa del Segura hold the 30th edition of the Old Rag Dolls place in front doors of houses held on first Wednesday of Lent.

26th March UK Mothering Sunday On the Wednesday which falls in the middle of Lent the Festa del Nanos is held in Cocentaina.

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Benidorm and many other towns have Fallas and their presentation will depend largely on funding as the smaller the town the less likely of a grand display, but fun still the same.

FALLAS These fiestas are well-known internationally as the most spectacular and important are held in Valencia city with the crema on the 19th March or around 700 fallas.

Other places that celebrate with fallas are: Alicante city, Denia, Calpe, Guardamar del Segura, Pego and Benidorm.

Also further afield in Castellon Province - Burriana, Vall d’Uixo, Peùiscola and Viver.

In the Murcia region Mazzaron has fallas, th only one in the region. aormi@icloud.com

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Images of fallas in various towns in past years.

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In the Valencia area you have - Valencia city, Albalat, Alboraya, Alcasser, Algemesi, Algenet, Azira, Benaguasil, Benifaio, Betera, BuĂąol, Catarroja, Dos Aguas, Gandia, Manises, Oliva, Ontenient, Otos, Paterna, Picassent, Puzol, Sagunto, Silla, Sueca, Tavernes de la Valldigna, Torrent, Utiel, Xativa among others.

Fallas start out with imagination and suggestions from the relevant commission, then a drawing based on costings, then approval of the relevant commission before each minot is started. This takes a team of artists working together so that the various pieces come together on site.

While this is going on there is a lot of work for each commission of each falla.

Falla queens have to be elected - both adult and infant, dresses designed and material chosen. These beautiful dresses have certain rules of what accoutrements are allowed to be worn. For the ladies it is worth paying a visit to the few shops that provide the lovely material for the dresses. Each queen will be accompanied by a male escort suitably dressed in traditional waistcoat and britches. A presentation gala of the various queens is held in the theatre and can be seen on Spanish television.

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There is a main commission that will oversee the choice of judges, what design will be chosen for the flowering robes of the Virgen and, therefore, what color of flowers to be used by each falla in the two-day procession. Each falla will be given a position in the procession and the queens and others will be dressed in the traditional Valencian style dresses with their beautiful patterns and embroidered headgear.

Over the week the fallas, on almost every corner of the city, are the centre of attention, especially ensuring that no lout sets fire to a fall beforehand as has happened in recent years. In the evenings each falla becomes a street party and everyone is invited and the queens are in attendance. For the queens it is a great privilege to be chosen to represent their area and they are normally quite happy to have their photograph taken if asked. All the fallas will have a bar and music.

An important element for each falla is the support they receive from businesses and beer companies will have a large part to play with subsequent advertising, especially in the street lighting.

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This year Raquel Alario Bernabé is the adult falla queen for the city and the infant queen is 11 year old Mª Parejo Pérez. Both also have a court of lovely maidens.

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The Fiestas of Valencia are steeped in as much history as the city is. A wonderful place to visit, with so many beautiful ancient and modern buildings. It is built on the banks of the River Turia which was flooded in 1957 and diverted; the remaining river bed has been turned into a series of gardens and sports facilities.

THIS YEAR IS A SPECIAL YEAR FOR THE VALENCIA FALLAS AS THEY HAVE BEEN DECLARED AS PART OF THE HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

BY UNESCO. These are held in the week leading up to March 19th. The origin of the Fallas goes back to the 15th century, when city carpenters would clean out their workshops in the spring and celebrate their patron saint's day - St Joseph a carpenter - by lighting bonfires in the streets the cremà, burning up all their refuse. Soon, many began decorating these piles of wood; gradually giving them shape and form.

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Today, over 350 Fallas are burnt in the streets on the night of March 18th. These impressive creations begin appearing in the streets on March 15th with shapes satirizing politicians, social or cultural events. Around 1870, popular festivities such as Carnival and the Fallas were actively repressed. This pressure gave rise to a movement that defended typical traditions in 1885, with the creation of a magazine, “La Traca”, which nominated the best Fallas. This led to competition between neighbours and gave rise to artistic fallas, which maintained their critical spirit combined with an aesthetic appeal.

In 1901, the Town Hall of Valencia itself granted municipal prizes to the best fallas.

This marked the beginning of the union between the people and political power, as the festivity made giant leaps in what concerns its numbers, its structure and its organisation.

In 1929, the first contest of signboards to promote the festivities was held, and the Fallas Week was created in 1932. During these years, the Fallas became the main festivity in the Valencia Region, with over 700 large and small fallas being burnt in Valencia alone.keep in mind that, during these days, you can also enjoy the expositions in the Valencia Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) and the San Pío V Museum of Fine Arts, visit the City of Arts and Sciences and even discover the seafaring soul of the city by enjoying a fine paella after the mascletà. aormi@icloud.com

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On March 15th, the plantà (assembly of the monuments)begins, and every falla is in place on the 16th at eight in the morning, for a total of over 700 monuments, some of which are 25 metres high. Art and satire are intertwined in the monuments erected during the fallas week, from March 12 to 19, on each corner of the city’s streets, as caricatures of social and political life. There is so much to see and do including visiting the Ninot Exposition, the plantà, to participate in the Parade of the Kingdom, to enjoy artificial fire castles, bullfights, the offering of flowers to the Virgin and the Nit del Foc are but a few of the dates you can’t miss during the fallas, along with the cremà, the final apotheosis of the festivities. As a presage of spring, the Fallas are enjoyed in the streets due to the good weather, and because the entire city is closed to traffic. The sound of festive music and the smell of gunpowder and flowers accompany another typically Valencian aroma: that of buñuelos (sweet fritters). It is traditional to stroll through the streets of the city looking at the fallas while enjoying a delicious chocolate with bunyols de carabassa (sweet pumpkin fritters). From March 1st in Valencia, everybody can come and see the mascletà, a symphony of noise, at the Town Hall square, at 2 PM. The mascletà is a show meant to amaze your ears.

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Often famous people, especially politicians feature as a not with a suitable wording. This year the previous mayor of Valencia will not be in attendance as she died suddenly in Madrid late last year. She has appeared in the past as a ninot. About 800 ninots (dolls in humanoid form)will be submitted to the popular vote to be spared from the flames on the Nuevo Centro square in the city of Valencia.The Exposición del Ninot, the traditional introduction to the Fallas festivity held on the Nuevo Centro square in the city of Valencia, hosts all of the figures, or ninots that will compete to be saved from the flames through a popular pardon. This display, with over 800 ninots in the adult and children’s categories, will be open until March 14.

As it has become traditional, the ninots on display participate in a popular show whose result hinges on a popular vote to decide which figure or group of figures will be saved from the Cremà on the night of March 19 and will be included in the collection of the Museo Fallero, where they can be admired by visitors to the city of Valencia.

This display, in which a ninot from each falla in Valencia is shown, has been held since 1934. Regino Mas, a famous Fallas aormi@icloud.com

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artist and a member of the Association of Fallas Artist, was the promoter of the idea to offer a pardon from the fire, inspiring the first Exposición del Ninot, held on the 13th and 14th of that year, normally in the bottom floors of the Central Market. Iaia i Neta, agroup by Vicente Bendito and the Comisión Plaza del Mercado (Marketplace Commision) commission, was the first officially pardoned group.

The next year, 1935, the Cabalgata del Ninot, a parade by disguised Falleros (Makers of Fallas - fallas artists) accompanying the ninot to the exhibition, was created. This way of performing the parade was maintained until 1953, when it took up its current form, according to the official program of the Fallas festivities.

Don’t miss the Nit del Foc, a spectacular fireworks castle launched at the Paseo de la Alameda on March 18, at 01:30 AM. But every day, every falla will have a mascletá of fireworks and there is a competition for this.

And every day at 14:00 the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is packed with people anxious to experience the thunderous mascletá, a gunpowder display whose decibel levels make the pavement tremble. There are bullfights, and flower offerings to Our Lady of the Forsaken, that convert the Basilica into an authentic tapestry of flowers, and the Plaza de la Virgen into a garden.

At night come the colourful fireworks displays that reach their highpoint on March 18th, "night of fire".

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The two-day flower procession is n emotional experience as whole families turn out dressed in traditional costumes carrying flowers.

These are carried to the plaza where a framework of the Virgin Mary is set up and g r a d u a l l y, according to a prearranged plan, the flowers are put not he framework and gradually a tapestry of flowers appears clothing the framework in a cloak and dress.

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The following is an approximate program but do check out the Valencia city tourist office for up to date information.

Last Sunday of February 26 February At 07.30 hours: Children’sdespertà.

At 07.40 hours: Classic Despertà, followed by a fallas-style breakfast offered to all participants.

At 12.00 hours: Entry of the bands.

At 13.45 hours: All the participant bands will perform the pasodoble (Folk dance) “El Fallero” in unison.

At 14.00 hours: Mascletà at the Town Hall Square.

At 19.30 hours and near the Torres de Serranos: Street entertainment shows.

At 20.00 hours: Crida, the Fallera Mayor de Valencia (Greater Fallera of Valencia), along with heir Court of Honour, the Fallera Mayor Infantil(Greater Children’s Fallera) and the civil authorities, invite everybody to enjoy the coming festivities. At the end of the same there will be light and colour pyrotechnic effects, followed by the floral offerings at the Real Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Helpless).

From March 1 to 19 Every day at 14:00 hours: Mascletà at the Town Hall square which is packed with people enjoying the atmosphere and the smell of gunpowder. SO NOT TAKE ANY PETS AS THEY WILL BE FRIGHTENED BY THE NOISE At 00:00 hours (on Saturdays prior to March 15-19): nighttime Mascletà at the Town Hall square.

First Sunday of March At 17:00 hours: Ninot parade (starting at Glorieta and ending at Xàtiva street).

Mascletà at the end of the same.

March 14 At 15:00 hours: Closure of the children’s Ninot display.

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At 18.00 hours: Reading of the popular verdict and proclamation of the pardoned children’s Ninot and of the best ninots in the section.

At 18.15 hours: Collection of the children’s ninots by the Children’s fallas commissions of Valencia.

March 15 At 08:00 hours: Plantà of children’s fallas.

At 17.00 hours: Closure of the Ninot display.

At 18.00 hours: Reading of the popular verdict and proclamation of the pardoned Ninot Indultado and of the best ninots in the section.

At 18.15 hours: Collection of the ninots by the fallas commissions.

At 00:00 hours: Artificial fire castles at the Paseo de La Alameda (between the Las Flores bridge and Exposición bridge) by Pirotecnia Hermanos Caballe.

March 16 At 08:00 hours: Plantà of all the Fallas.

At 16.30 hours: Reparto de Premios de Fallas Infantiles.

At 01:00 hours: Artificial fire castle at Paseo de La Alameda (between the Las Flores bridge and Exposición bridge).

March 17 At 09:30 hours: Granting of the Fallas Prizes on the stand in front of the Town Hall.

From 15:30 hours: Offering of flowers to the Virgen de los Desamparados.

At 01:00 hours: Artificial fire castles at the Paseo de La Alameda (between the Las Flores bridge and Exposición bridge).

March 18 aormi@icloud.com

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At 11:00 hours: Homage to poet Maximiliano Thous at the intersection between Sagunto street and Maximiliano Thous street. After the ceremony, a mascletà is held.

At 12:00 hours: Homage to Maestro Serrano at Reino de Valencia avenue.

From 15:30 hours: Offering of flowers to the Virgen de los Desamparados.

A la 01:30 hours: Nit del foc (Fire Night) at the Paseo de la Alameda.

March 19 At 11:00 hours: Offering of flowers by the Greater Falleras of Valencia and their courts of honour to the image of the Patriarch at San José bridge. A Mascletà is held afterwards.

At 12:00 hours: Solemn Mass in honour of Saint Joseph at the Cathedral of Valencia, offered by the Central Commission of Fallas and the Artistic Carpenters’ Guild.

At 19:00 hours: Fire parade.

At 22:00 hours: Cremà of the children’s fallas.

At 22.30 hours: Cremà of the children’s falla that won first prize in the special section.

At 23:00 hours: Cremà of the Town Hall children’s falla.

At 00:00 hours: Cremà of all the fallas in Valencia.

At 00.30 hours: Cremà of the falla that won first prize in the special section.

At 01:00 hours: Fireworks display at the Town Hall square and Cremà of the official Town Hall Square falla.

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Fallas at night

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You need to visit Valencia in order to experience first-hand how centuries-old traditions coexist with modernity.

It is a well-known fact that Valencia is unique during the day and at night, and nowadays, the capital of the river of Turia provides another dimension. There’s a myriad of attractions and things to do in Valencia, which now has a series of exciting infrastructures like the City of Arts and Sciences, or the Príncipe Felipe Museum, which are of course linked with culture. Do not forget to visit the extraordinarily beautiful Saint Mary’s Cathedral of Valencia, and get to know its history, as well as its different architectural elements.

One of the most famous products of Spain is the porcelain figures of Lladró that creates all its figurines in the City of Porcelain, located in Tavernes Blanques (Valencia). The first buildings were opened in 1969 and with the company’s global expansion they were enlarged to reach 100,000 sq. feet.

If you want to get in touch with nature during your stay (apart from beaches), one of the most interesting places to visit in Valencia is definitely La Albufera Natural Park. Situated about 10 kilometres south of the city, this rich and biodiverse natural reserve spans a surface of 21 hectares, and has the biggest lagoon in Spain. Rice is grown here and nearby you will find some of the best places where you can sample typical rice dishes of Valencia, particularly Paella.

Culture: Valencia has so much to offer, as it is also a university city there is plenty going on music, painting, sculpture, theatre, fashion, cinema and fiestas. The best performances and concerts take place during the Feria in July. The latest film releases can be enjoyed at the International Festival of Youth Cinema and screenings at the Filmoteca Valenciana, and classical music can be heard by all thanks to festivals such as Música Antigua and the Ensems International Festival of Contemporary Music. aormi@icloud.com

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Trump, Rajoy, Puig, Rita and other politicians feature among the hundreds of ninots in the exposition

Saved from the flames this year

Catwalk shows at el Carmen, exhibitions at the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (or the IVAM by its Spanish acronym) and the San Pío V Museum of Fine Arts, or ballet recitals at the Valencia Dance Festival are also on offer for everyone to enjoy.

Nearby during the year we have the Arenal Sound in Burriana, the Low Festival in Benidorm, the FIB or Rototom Festival in Benicàssim are the most well-known events of every summer, but they are not the only ones.

There are many more different events but nevertheless significant that are held throughout the year. This is the case of the Volvo Ocean Race, the MotoGP Grand Prix at the Circuit of Valencia or Valencia Open 500, sporting events that delight the audience and fans.

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Valencia has innumerable museums and places of interest for visitors.

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

This leisure space bases its activity on three great thematic areas: Art, Science and Nature.

Thus, with the aim of educating in an entertaining way, in the 350,000 m2 of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Queen Sofia Arts Centre) the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (Prince Philip Science Museum), L'Oceanogràfic, L'Hemisfèric and L'Umbracle are brought together.

The City of the Arts and Sciences in its entirety has been designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, in collaboration with Félix Candela, thus achieving one of his greatest works, both due to the architectural features and its beauty.

The City of the Arts and Sciences has a restaurant as well as thematic shops in the different areas. Within this visit the L'Oceanogràfic underwater restaurant, the walls of which are made up of a great aquarium, is to be highlighted.

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It is as spectacular on the inside as on the outside. With five floors and a surface area of 42,000 m2, the Science Museum is constructed via a complicated play of platforms, and covered by two great roofs at a height of more than 40 metres. It is conceived as a didactic space in which the visitor can experiment through his/her own senses. Moreover, due to its dynamic nature, most of the space is devoted to temporary exhibitions. The Museum is also the venue for great cultural and scientific events.

L’Umbracle This is the portico of the entrance to the City of the Arts and Sciences, a free access green area of some 7,000 square metres, 320 metres long and 60 metres wide. Within it houses El Paseo de las Esculturas (The Sculptures' Walk), an art gallery out in the open air with sculptures by contemporary sculptors, such as Miquel Navarro or Yoko Ono. Moreover, it also houses a great variety of plants of different species chosen due to their shape and colour that vary throughout the seasons of the year.

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Ágora The Agora of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia is a versatile and multifunctional area which can accommodate different events such as conferences, conventions, concerts or performances. Over the last years, it has hosted the tennis tournament Valencia Open 500, one of the major international sporting events, and the Campus Party, among other events.

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Hemisfèric A Planetarium, a Laserium and an IMAX Cinema all in just one building; L'Hemisfèric was conceived as a great human eye, open to the world above a 24,000 m2 lake. As an eye it has a semi-spherical pupil, below which is situated the projection hall, eyelids and eyelashes, which move thanks to a singular work of engineering. The L'Hemisfèric programme changes every season and brings together shows, conferences and threedimensional IMAX films.

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Bioparc Valencia Bioparc is the space for animals that the city of Valencia has situated in the park called Parque de Cabecera, to the north of the garden of the old course of the River Turia.

Bioparc takes over from the Valencia Zoo that was, for many years, in the Royal Gardens (Viveros Gardens).

Bioparc Valencia is a singular zoological park created according to the concept of zoo-immersion, which seeks to immerse the visitor in a meticulous recreation of natural habitats. The animals, plants and landscape make up a whole that invites the public to discover the complexity of the natural ecosystems. The first phase is devoted to Africa and it is planned for it to be extended to include South East Asia and the Neotropics.

A recreation of the savannah, antelopes, giraffes and rhinoceroses, lions on rocky vantage points, dens of hyenas and warthogs, the density of the equatorial forest with gorillas, buffalos and leopards or also elephants, hippopotami, crocodiles and coloured fish, these are some of the many attractions of this natural tourist space.

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Turia gardens Years ago Valencia city was prone to flooding when the River Turia overflowed after heavy rains. A few decades ago it was decided to divert eh course of the river. The result was the city had a long wide area running right through the city centre that was redesigned for recreational purposes of all types. The gardens are crowned by 18 bridges from different eras and architectural styles. Notable historic bridges of San JosĂŠ (S. XVII), Serranos (XVI century), Trinity (XV century), Real (XVI century) and the Mar (XVI century); and the most recent: the Bridge of the Exhibition, the 9 d'Octubre, the Flower or the l'Assut d'Or; designed by Santiago Calatrava; the Arts, together with the IVAM, Norman Foster; or the Guardian Angel, Arturo Piera.

These gardens have provided a green lung for the citizens who are proud of the final work achieved for this nine kilometer green zone. Turia Gardens are an ideal route for runners, cyclists, families and nature lovers. Several planners and landscape artists designed the different sections of the channel, reproducing the ancient river landscape and creating a unique journey populated by palms and orange trees, fountains and pine trees, aromatic plants and roses, pools, sports courts for several activities. aormi@icloud.com

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Spanish Cooking - Valencia

by Pat Hynd

Valencia’s gastronomy is based on natural products that are at the origin of the so-called Mediterranean diet, a healthy cuisine simply prepared using fresh products. For this reason, the local countryside and the sea are the main providers for Valencia recipes; pride of place goes to the “paella”, which can be of meat, shellfish or mixed, holding pride of place on the menu, but always rice (although you can get fideuás or noodles, but that is different.

Rice is very versatile used in a majority of typical dishes, prepared in a wide variety of ways from rice in the oven (al horno), “a banda”, prepared with fish, or also black rice done in squid’s ink, in which it is served. Fish is the main item in many typical recipes such as “all i pebre”, a dish of eels seasoned with garlic and pepper, or “fideuà”, made of noodles in fish and shellfish broth.

Valencia also offers a wide variety of sweetmeats which, for the most part, are based on cereals and nuts as inherited from the previous Moorish culture. To be tried are the “rosegons”, the “arrop i talladetes”, or the pastries made of the extract of a kind of sweet potato called a boniato and “cabello de angel” or “angel’s hair”, made from the extract of a type of local melon. These are popular at Christmas time.

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As for produce to be drunk, a wine list exists with a guarantee of origin whose texture and taste have already carried its fame beyond Valencia’ s borders. A glass can also be filled with “Valencia water”, a mixed drink of orange juice and sparkling wine which adds a delicious touch to Valencia’s gastronomy.

Paella is the greatest symbol of Valencian cuisine and probably Spanish gastronomy as well, famed throughout the world. Its origin, like all humble dishes, comes from the combination of ingredients readily and cheaply available to families, especially from the Valencian countryside, which provided fresh vegetables. It was also common for families to raise their own chickens and breed rabbits, and so given the abundance in which rice crops are grown in La Albufera, the result is this authentic Valencian dish named after the pan in which it is cooked.

Fresh vegetables including various types of beans re used in paella

Paella Ingredients: 400 gr. Rabbit, 700 gr. Chicken, 300 gr. Green beans, 100 gr.

Tavella, 200 gr. broad beans, 1 ripe tomato, 400 gr. Rice, D.O.Valencia, 8 spoonfuls of oil, a pinch of paprika, saffron and salt.

Feel free to use what ever ingredients you have at hand.

Heat a paella dish and add the oil, aormi@icloud.com

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Tavella

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once this is hot add the meat cut up into pieces, fry it well and then add the green beans, the broad beans and the tavella. Continue to lightly fry this for about eight minutes and then add the grated tomato, when this is fried add the paprika and, without letting it burn, add water up to the rim of the dish. Leave it to cook for 30 minutes and add salt to taste. When the this broth reaches boiling again add the rice and spread it round the dish, add the saffron and leave it to cook for a further 17 minutes. Always leave it to rest for some minutes before serving with suitable garnishing such as lemon slices.

There is a fear now that rice contains arsenic. Arsenic is in the soil and can attach itself for rice grains, but if you wash rice before cooking then thee is little chance of being poisoned, and indeed you would need to eat a lot of rice daily for that to happen.

The roots of Valencian gastronomy can be found mainly in the sea and the vegetable garden, making it possible to enjoy dishes such as gazpacho marinero, which combines the deepest flavours from a land bathed by the Mediterranean. This is completely different from the more common gazpacho andaluz the cold tomato based soup.

Ingredients gazpacho marinero, 1 kg. small rock fish, 4 cubes of swordfish, 2 ripe tomatoes, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 100 gr. onion, 8 mussels, 8 clams, 4 scampi, 4 red shrimp, ñora (dried red pepper), 1 teaspoonful of pebrella (wild thyme), 100 gr. flour, 25 gr. yeast, salt, olive oil.

To make the pasta base for the gazpacho, tip the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and half the yeast, then add the water and mix well to form the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and after an hour mix the other half of the yeast in water and add to the mixture. Let the dough stand for 8 hours. After this make walnut-sized balls and flatten them out with a rolling pin. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 160º.

Prepare the stock using the morralla, or small fish. Fry the dried red pepper in a frying pan and then crush it in a mortar together with the raw garlic. Add the raw grated tomato and reserve. Tip the finely grated onion into the oil used to fry the pepper. aormi@icloud.com

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When soft, add the fish and shellfish. After a few minutes, when the mussels and clams have opened, add the crushed garlic, pepper and tomato mixture. Pour in the strained fish stock and the wild thyme and season to taste. Leave to boil for 5 minutes and then add the gazpacho pasta, well broken up into pieces. The dish should have a sauce of reasonable consistency, neither too thick nor too thin.

lleta is the most representative dish of the mountainous areas of Alicante and inland Valencia. It is a juicy stew, but one of the most refined versions found anywhere in Spain, hence its recognition on a national scale. Its intense perfumed flavour is provided by cured sausage and once the fat has been removed, it achieves a point of sublime excellence.

Ingredients: 1/4 pork ribs, 1/4 pork ear, 1 pig trotter, 150 gr. white beans, 150 gr. pinto beans, 150 gr. flour, 2 blood sausages, 2 carrots, 2 turnips, 4 cardoons, 1 sweet potato, 2 chard leaves, salt, olive oil.

Leave the beans to soak overnight on the day before. Wash and cut the vegetables. Place all the ingredients in a pot with water and season to taste. Boil over a low heat for two and a half hours. About three minutes before turning off the heat, peel the skin off the blood sausage, chop it up and sprinkle it over the stew so that it blends in.

Helado de turrón (Nougat ice cream) The province of Alicante is the land of summer ice cream and wintertime nougat par excellence. If we combine these two delicacies we get one of the most delicious desserts you could ever try, especially during the warm summer months. The typical soft turron Nougat, with denomination of origin in Jijona and Alicante, is a delicious sweet typically eaten at Christmas and just as wonderful as an ice cream in summer.

Use a knife to slice up the soft turrón. Mix it with the milk, sugar and cream to obtain a paste, neither too soft nor too hard. Leave to stand for over five hours. Tip into an ice-cream dish and freeze until it has the desired consistency. aormi@icloud.com

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White wines, red wines, rosés and sweet wines come from three officially recognised denominations of origin areas - Alicante, UtielRequena and Valencia - to which the winegrowing areas of Beniarrés, north of Alicante, and Sant Mateu, in Castellón province, can be added.

Using monastrell and tempranillo grapes, as well as cabernet-sauvignon, merlot and syrah have been added, Alicante province manages to achieve very straightforward, fruity wines with medium bodies and outstanding tannin levels. There is a famous Alejandría muscatel wine, some very pleasing white wines, either dry or sweet, and fragrant fruity wines.

Modern sweet muscatels from La Marina Alta are the pride of the district.

Another quality Alicante wine is called Fondillon, a typical old white wine with a high alcohol content, rich and red in its early stages but turning amber following barrel maturation, made from grapes drenched by the sun and held up on cane supports, some of which are also ideal as dessert grapes.

In Utiel-Requena, where the red bobal grape thrives in the company of tempranillo and other "improvers" (cabernet-sauvignon and merlot), increasingly attractive reds and ross are being obtained. The rosés are balanced and fresh, with an agreeable flavour, and the reds have medium full bodies, savoury and elegant with all the characteristics of the finest Spanish wines.

Also noteworthy are the wines produced in the 66 municipalities in the Valencia denomination of origin, an area encompassing four sub-zones - Alto Turia, Clariano, Moscatel de Valencia and Valentino - with a Mediterranean climate enjoying variable sea influences, giving rise to highly appreciated whites, rosés and reds exported throughout Europe. These quality wines enjoy increasing recognition, and combine well with recipes from the Land of Valencia.

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THERE IS A VALENCIA TOURIST CARD AVAILABLE THAT GIVES UNLIMITED TRAVEL ON VALENCIA TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND DISCOUNTED ACCESS TO MUSEUMS AND OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST. THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF CARDS, DEPENDING ON LENGTH OF STAY AND EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL FREE FOR A SHORT VISIT. CONTACT DETAIALS ONLINE - http://www.valenciatouristcard.com/es/ compra-online OR atencionalvisitante@turisvalencia.es

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We all come to Spain largely because of the weather and sunshine. Each year there is a drive by the Spanish medical profession to warn about the effects of too much sunshine and being unprotected from its rays.

The Danish Cancer Society is asking the people of five popular holiday destinations to remind travellers from Denmark to protect themselves against the sun.

The fact is that Danes, and other Scandinavians, have one of the world’s highest rates of melanoma in the world. This is due to their fair skin and too many hours lying in the sun. Remember that suncream shields only act for a short time and have to be renewed about every half hour.

So the Danish appeal should be on behalf of everyone.

Denmark has 19.2 cases per 100,000 people annually – slightly higher than its Scandinavian neighbours – and compared to 14.6 in the UK, 11.4 in Germany and Italy, 10.2 in France and 6.9 in Spain.

Read more at http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/denmark-appeals-kindnessforeigners-save-its-citizens-skin-cancer/1423111#WPsGsJRUH2wwgjS7.99

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Bookshelf - Black Elk

by Pat Hynd

One of the controversial newsworthy events is the Trump decision to overturn Obama’s decision to block the Dakota Access Pipeline. Now the pipeline can go ahead on its 1,172-mile-long journey that takes it across North and South Dakota as well as Iowa, including close to disputed territory sacred to the American Indians of various tribes. The pipeline from the Bakken shale oil fields has been controversial regarding its necessity, and potential impact on the environment. A number of Native Americans in Iowa and the Dakotas have opposed the pipeline, including the Meskwaki and several Sioux tribal nations.

Greenpeace and a group of more than 160 scientists dedicated to conservation and preservation of threatened natural resources and endangered species have spoken out against the pipeline.

The Standing Rock Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux tribes have also stated their opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline on the grounds that the pipeline and its construction threatens the tribe's "way of life, [their] water, people, and land" The decision to aormi@icloud.com

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reroute the pipeline closer to the reservation was described by Jesse Jackson and other critics as "environmental racism”. Article 32 of the U.N’s 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which says that governments must “obtain … free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project” affecting indigenous communities.

That article of the declaration also states that governments “shall provide effective mechanisms for just and fair redress for any such activities.”

Citing the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux and 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, two treaties ratified by the U.S. Senate that recognize the Sioux's national sovereignty, Dave Archambault told the Council that "the oil companies and the government of the United States have failed to respect our sovereign rights."

Many Sioux tribes say that the pipeline threatens the Tribe’s environmental and economic well-being, and would damage and destroy sites of great historic, religious, and cultural significance. Protests at pipeline construction sites in North Dakota began in the spring of 2016 and drew indigenous people, calling themselves water protectors and land defenders, from throughout North America as well as many other supporters, creating the largest gathering of Native Americans in the past hundred years.

The book we are looking at today offers some insights into what the Indians see as their Rights as an indigenous people and is Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux.

“Black Elk Speaks” is hailed as a spiritual classic, this inspirational and unfailingly powerful story reveals the life and visions of the Lakota healer, Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950), and the tragic history of his Sioux people during the epic closing decades of the Old West. In 1930, the aging Black Elk met a kindred spirit, the famed poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) on the Pine Ridge aormi@icloud.com

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Reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota elder chose Neihardt to share his visions and life with.

The true ordeal of the Teton Lakota, the warrior tribe that whipped the U.S. Cavalry in several notable fights in the 1870s, began after the shooting stopped. Worse than the persistent hunger was the federal effort to “civilize” the Indians by stages into hat-and trouser-wearing farmers with one wife, Christian first names, fixed last names and children who learned English in school. But the authorities had one aim above all others—to end the ancient practice of smoking a traditional pipe with a mixture of tobacco and the inner bark of the red willow before calling out to the ultimate power behind all things addressed by Lakota as Tunkashila. The Lakota resisted all of these changes, but clung to nothing more tenaciously than the pipe.

Outlawed for the next 50 years were the sun dance, traditional medicine, use of a sweat lodge for purification, plural marriages and dispersal of personal property at death in a ceremony known as a giveaway. Officials intended to extinguish every aspect of Indian culture root and branch, starting with native languages.

The Oglala holy man and healer known as Black Elk once said that Lakota used tunkashila, which means grandfather, as a sign of respect and intimacy. The word, with the accent on the second syllable, is not the name of God, who has no name in traditional Lakota religion but is simply described as Wakan Tanka, translated by convention into English as Great Spirit. But wakan is a heavily freighted word. It means spirit in the sense of immaterial, large, eternal and everywhere, but it also means ancient, unknowable, mysterious and powerful.

At the heart of it is an account of the religious crisis faced by the Lakota people and of the charge placed upon Black Elk personally by the Six Grandfathers in a dream

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when he was nine years old, to restore the sacred hoop of life and the flowering tree at its centre.

Black Elk described all of it in a non-stop, three-week interview with Neihardt. Black Elk had a season with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in Europe 1887. After missing the boat home, he lived in France for a year, falling in love and fathering a child.

About Black Elk’s life after the massacre at Wounded Knee Neihardt had almost nothing to say. The holy man’s Catholic daughter, Lucy Looks Twice, and his Jesuit friends were hurt and angry to find not a single word about Black Elk’s 25 years as a catechist and winner of souls—at least 400 conversions, according to one of the Jesuits he worked with. Near the end of their time together, Neihardt asked Black Elk why he had turned his back on his own religion to join “a white church.”

Neihardt’s teenage daughter Hilda was present and later described the old man’s response.

“Black Elk thought for a moment or two,” she wrote, “then he replied quite simply, ‘Because my children have to live in this world.’”

Sorting out what Black Elk believed is difficult. The available evidence suggests that at the end of his life he returned to his beliefs at the beginning. Near the end, he told his daughter Lucy and other family members, “The only thing I really believe is the pipe religion.” We know that Bill Cody and his Indians in full warpaint attended Mass in Manchester cathedral. Black Elk’s son, Ben, was equally devoted to “the pipe” but considered himself to be a Christian, too. In 1969, after decades spent trying to clarify what he was, Ben told a roomful of school children, “Today it has all merged together, and I feel that I live the one life now.” What Black Elk taught his people was to depend instead on something harder to take away than guns, the trust that prayers in their own language, delivered in their own way, would reach the god they addressed as Tunkashila.

So the Dakota pipeline is a great spiritual as well as environmental challenge for the new administration.

The book is available on internet but a free PDF copy can be found at Black Elk Speaks stuff.samassaveneessa.info/docs/BlackElkSpeaks.pdf aormi@icloud.com

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Father’s Day, cats and lilies

by Pat Hynd

Father’s Day in Spain is a public Holiday, the feast of Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ and falls on 19th March which is why the Fallas are held then. Often he is depicted with a tall white lily in his hand, as a sign of purity, meaning he kept his hands of Mary.

Lily flowers are magnificent plants that command attention wherever they are planted. With 8,000 or so varieties, lilies parade an endless range of colours, shapes, and heights. True lilies belong to the genus Lilium and grow from plump, scaly bulbs. Of the nine divisions of classification, Asiatic and Oriental are the most popular with gardeners. A lot of flowering bulbs, and lilies, are native to the Mediterranean area so they will do well climate-wise, however under soil bugs and slugs can eat the bulbs when they are dormant. Consider keeping them in pots and lift and store after the leaves have died back.

There are lilies of almost every colour, with the exception of blue. They vary from the pure whites of the St. Joseph lily and Madonna lily, through many pastel shades, pinks, purples, yellows and oranges, to the deep crimson of the popular hybrid ‘Paprika’.

Many of the flowers have streaks or spots, in a variety of bright colours, which appear on a cream or white background.

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Not For Cat Lovers: ALL parts of the lily plant are toxic to cats -To stand a chance of surviving cats must be taken to the vet immediately if you suspect your cat has eaten any part of a lily plant - Mortality is high if treatment is not initiated within 18hrs of exposure -Symptoms can start within 2-6hrs of eating the plant. These are vomiting, refusing food, lethargy. Kidney failure can start 24-72hrs later If you have cats, especially indoor cats, our advice would be to avoid having any Lillies at home.

Valued for thousands of years, lilies are among the most varied of plants in their colour, size, and flowering time, and also in the conditions in which they will grow. One of the oldest of all cultivated flowers, the lily has been cherished since the days of the earliest civilisations.

Dating as far back as 1580 B.C., when images of lilies were discovered in a villa in Crete, these majestic flowers have long held a role in ancient mythology. Derived from the Greek word "leiron," (generally assumed to refer to the white Madonna lily), the lily was so revered by the Greeks that they believed it sprouted from the milk of Hera, the queen of the gods. Lilies are known to be the May birth flower, and the 30th wedding anniversary flower.

While white lilies symbolize chastity and virtue other varieties were popular and they brought with them additional meanings and symbolism as well. Peruvian lilies, or alstroemeria, represent friendship and devotion, white stargazer lilies express sympathy and pink stargazer lilies represent wealth and prosperity.

Symbolizing humility and devotion, lilies are the 30th anniversary flower - while lilies of the valley are the 2nd wedding anniversary flower.

As the flowers most often associated with funerals, lilies symbolize that the soul of the departed has received restored innocence after death.

The lily also hold masculine qualities as the Greeks held the lily as a symbol of high eroticism and sexuality (the long pistil of the flower suggesting a phallus and the pollen symbolizing fertility). aormi@icloud.com

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Old wives' tales suggest telling the sex of an unborn child by using a rose and a lily. All one need do is approach an expectant mother with a lily in one hand and a rose in the other. If the mother chooses the rose, it will be a girl. If she picks the lily, it will be a boy (again, referring to the long pistil as a masculine feature).

The flowering season ranges from spring to autumn. One of the earliest species is Lilium pyrenaicum, from the Pyrenees, a liardy greenish‑yellow Turk’s cap lily with purple spots. Unfortunately it has a rather overpowering smell at close quarters, as do a few other species, including Lilium martagon, and is better planted well away from paths.

These heavy lily perfumes are pleasant when they are not too strong.

One lily that does have a very pleasant, sweet scent is Lilium cernuum, which is pale pink with red‑purple spots, and flowers during the summer months.

One of the latest to flower is Lilium tigrinum (Tiger lily) from Japan, which has orange Turk’s cap flowers flecked with black.

Many lilies do best in full sun, but some need partial shade, such as Lilium superbum and the ‘Paisley Strain’ — so named because of their multi-colouring, which resembles the pattern on a Paisley shawl. All prefer their roots cool, so they need ferns or other low growing plants to shade the base of the stem.

Instead of planting them in the bed, they can be grown in individual pots and then be planted — in their pots — when they are ready to flower.

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150 Years of Culture

by Andy Ormiston

As our cover photos shows the Cultural Casino of Torrevieja celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and there will be many events. One of these more recently was a dedicated to the music remembered by today’s members with pieces form the 1960’s to the 1990’s.

On 12th June 1873 the Cartagena local government was dismissed and a new Committee for Public Good, fronted by Antonio Galvez Arce inaugurated the Canton of Murcia. The fleet at anchor in Cartagena’s port, was taken over – the metal clad frigates Numancia, Victoria, Tetuan, Méndez Núñez; the wooden vessels Almansa and Ferolana and the steamships Fernando el Católico and Vigilante. They sailed up the coast to bring the success of the canton to Alicante and towns in between. Numancia was a famous warship named after the legendary battle to the death of the Iberian people of Numancia and the Torrevieja Casino was originally named after this battleship.

On the 19th July, 1873 the Torrevieja town hall was occupied by Republicans presided over by Dña. Concha Boracino Calderón making it the first town in Valenccian region to proclaim independence. The republicans quickly realised that a aormi@icloud.com

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town of 9,000 inhabitants could not go it alone, even though people from Relleu, near Villajoyosa, said they were with them. So a group of representatives, led by José Solano Huertas an official de la Marina Mercante, were sent to link up with the Murcia republicans who had proclaimed independence on 12th July . In fact the socalled canton was short lived and the town was once again put under the central government.

It indicates how there was a faction with strong republican or anti-monarchy feelings.

In their beginnings the casinos, in general, were public rooms of music and dance. In this form they appeared in England in the 18th century, extending into the middle 19th century, in reality being a club that developed into a place of games and betting. One of the first popular ones was in Belgium where games were introduced in 1763. Probably the best known one is Montecarlo founded in 1861, but in our area others were founded such as the Casino in Alicante (1839), Murcia (1847), Cartagena (1861), Alcoy (1868), Almoradí (1882), Orihuela (1887), Novelda (1888).

What today is called " Cultural Society of Torrevieja's Casino ", was founded on January 1, 1867 under the name of " Torrevieja's Casino " taking, a few months later

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the name of " Casino de Numancia ". It was located in the Vista Alegre, opposite the sea, in the same place where it is today. The object was to promote social relations, to provide recreation and entertainment to the members, with an emphasis on morality, good habits and forms of a good education; and, when the funds permitted it, acts of domiciliary welfare.

Later timbers from shipwrecks were used in the ceilings. On February 12, 1882, the rules were revised. Then on May 11, 1884, in presence of an impressive crowd, the railroad came to Torrevieja, with a procession of important persons among them was the prime minister, Cánovas del Castillo . On his arrival to the station, the crowd waved handkerchiefs cheering the authorities. The Casino Numantia organised a greeting with tables decorated with fragrant flowers and champagne, liquors and sweets to give to the guests. Torrevieja behaved as an educated people, in spite of the crisis that it was enduring with many workers without work. This was the first of many eminent guests who visited the Torrevieja Casino. A commission of ladies made a speech asking for a subsidy for the rebuilding of the rebuilding of the destroyed church. Cánovas, in the name of the Government, offered 5.000 duros, which was gratefully acknowledged.

When it was founded in 1867, there were seventy members whose monthly subscription was just over 200 escudos, then by the following year it had increased to 90 members. During the first two years of life of the Casino didn’t have a library but subscribed to a few newspapers,

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In its initial phase it had two storeys, the lower one having a large salon that included two other rooms, kitchen and storeroom with a separate entrance and the second floor had a large lounge area a dining room and several other bedrooms rooms.

In 1867 it was bought outright for 26.250 pesetas by the society and declared free of any debts by 31 May in 1888 and according to the title deeds measured 379,27 square metres. By the summer of 1888 the Casino had built up a reputation among visitors to the popular spas opposite for its ice cream and langoustines.

It was later redesigned in a modernist style majestically reigning over the harbour and promenade. It boasted a well-stocked library, and a lovely marble staircase to the upper storey where there is a games room and billiards for members only. There were two pianos initially and there is still a well maintained piano used regularly by international pianists, playing solo or in concert. In the main salon Murcian artist Inocencio Medina Vera’s four paintings representing the four seasons decorates the walls. There are innumerable art exhibitions each year and the casino has a huge collection of paintings, some decorating every wall and others still in storage because they have had so many donated. There is an excellent balcony with marvellous sea views. The Casino, flanked by the Victoria Hotel and Cafe Espana, was the hub for the cultural life of the town and around 1901 the Arab room was decorated in the neo-Nazarene style, and has become one of the few architectural jewels of Torrevieja.

In those years at the tend of the 19th Century the Casino proved to be a centre for all sorts of social and cultural activities with dancing (to live music of course),

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The Casino is a private cultural centre of Torrevieja that permits many groups of dancers, chorus, individuals to perform and artists to exhibit their works as well as authors to present their books

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informative talks, soirees, competitions of all sorts and has hosted the introduction of young musicians and other artistes.

The Arabic lounge of the Casino of style neo-nazarine, was constructed to beginning of the 20th century. The terrace that already appears in the photographies of 1915 was constructed later than the rest of the building. The front-door grating was the work of the engravers Francisco Tuso and Juan Balaguer. The principal lounge of the ground floor has a surface of 100 square meters, being the elegant part of the casino and always used for the more important fiestas such as the New Year’s Eve dance , masked balls of carnival, operetta, conferences, literary presentations. In space under the staircase is a sculpture of a goddess dressed to the Greek fashion.

Many important people have passed through the Doors of the Csino including the

poet and philospher Ramón de Campoamor and the politician Emilio Castelar Ripoll in the second half of the 19th Century. Then there was the writier Vicente Blasco Ibánez in 1897, the poet Salvador Rueda in 1911, D. Juan Aparicio, Diego Ramírez Pastor, Tico Medina, Alfonso Usía, governors, professors, composers, bankers, ambassadors, admirals D. Juan Carlos Muñoz Delgado, D. Fernando Poole de Pérez Pardo the politician Luis Diez Guirao de Revenga. The Casino’s main salon aormi@icloud.com

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is named Giralda as the present king’s grandfather the Duke of Borbon, Don Juan de Borbon y Battenberg, was a frequent visitor to the town and granted the title of Royal (Real) to the nautical club. His yacht, the “Giralda”, was converted to a Navy training ship after his death. He visited the Marina International and one of its quays bears this name. The “Giralda” visited Torrevieja harbour in 1992 during the fiestas of the Virgen del Carmen, the image passed the yacht to the sound of the typical gun salute.

At the time of the Spanish Civil War 1936 – 39, the Casino was more or less confiscated by the Republican Popular Front to be used for military use on 26 July, 1936, and the society became redundant for the time being. It was used as stables and troops lived there, as well as confiscating other houses in the town.

After the war in 1939 the Casino Cultural Society was revived and gradually recuperated the building and its social and cultural programmes. Fund raisers collected for repairs for damage sustained during the Civil War. A ten year long government in 1943 loan was arranged, amounting to 154,900 pesetas with a 4% interest, which was agreed that would cancel the 1928 mortgage

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In 1940 the State set up its own charitable organization ‘Auxilio Social Español’ which had the blessing of Pope Pius XII on 6th August 1941. This organization set up what were basically food kitchens in the Torrevieja Casino to feed children under the age of 14. The authorities supplied the necessary provisions, but the youngsters who served in these Torrevieja kitchens also raised funds, by collecting outside the church and Casino, the cinema or the football ground.

The principal hotel at this time was the Victoria next to the Casino and there was a tavern, the posada del Parejo that also accommodated other visitors.

At present the Casino is open to everyone and the citizens attend the majority of the cultural acts, enjoy a drink or tapa in the terrace in front of the building, or a meal inside. A hint is do not sit at the tables by the windows as they are “reserved” for some of the older ladies of the Casino society. More information about membership at http:// casinodetorrevieja.com aormi@icloud.com

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Do You Feel Wanted?

Do You Feel Wanted?

Well you are not only wanted but needed to help the International Costaleros who support the Torrevieja Holy Week processions by carrying the float dedicated to Jesus in the Garden of Olives.

This is the 13th year that foreigners as a group have joined the cofradias each year and they have built up an enviable reputation for their decorum and pride when carrying the float. This year there is a special call for volunteers of all nationalities to sign up as many of the original group are no longer with us here.

The paso, as it is called because it is one step at a time, requires around 100 men and is seen as a great privilege to be involved as it is unique in Spain because of its international supporters. Those who have carried the paso in the past will testify that it is a unique experience that they remember for the rest of their lives and the spirit of companionship carries not through the year.

If you are able and willing contact David McLachlan on 865 667 937 or 966 700 056 who is able to fill in the details. Or go along to see what it is all about at the first meeting on Thursday 2nd March at 7.30 in the Semana Santa Museum, which is located in the Primavera area behind the Chinese restaurant on Avenida Baleares. This provides opportunities for new recruits

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to take part and they of course need to be taught the unique marching steps which when properly carried out actually help ensure the weight is evenly distributed and more manageable. This first meeting though is simply a meeting for the registration of those who are going to continue carrying the paso this year and to welcome any new prospective members. There are a few other weekly meetings so that everyone can learn the steps and positions.

Press Officer Paul Mutter would also like existing members who are not going to be able to walk this year to bring their green tunic to the first meeting or contact him at 671 218 285. The International cofradia takes part in two processions on the Monday and Friday of Holy Week. These processions are considered to be of Special Tourist Interest and thousands of people line there streets to watch and always the international paso gets a loud cheer as their efforts are appreciated by all.

You will be warmly welcomed.

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Your Health, Sir or Madam

by Dave Stewart

Fifteen years ago the Torrevieja Neighbourhood Association raised over 32,000 signatures addressed to both the mayor of Torrevieja and the Generalitat de Valencia, pleading for a hospital in Torrevieja. For example, Juana Andres Nieto (pictured) accosted people on the promenade, in shops and in the street to sign and emphasized the need for a hospital in a town such as Torrevieja that could reach almost half a million people in the summertime. The mayor of the time, for political reasons, declared that there was no suitable land available.

However, when a private health company proposed building a modern hospital in the town, which could also have an affiliation to the public sector to treat the public in some cases and in accident and emergency situations, suitable land was found with views over the salt lakes and close to the main N332 road. A condition was that it should be built within two years, which happened. It was originally named San Jaime Hospital as an honour to the first director whose name was Jaime.

A few years later it was decided to built a public hospital that would be managed by the private sector. Now this public hospital has received garlands for so many things, including its pioneering Florence system for recording information and disseminating it to clinics in the local Department 22. It was named after a local doctor, Manuel Gea, and is now a University Hospital.

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Today the private hospital is known as the hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja and is the best private health centre of the Valencian Community, according to the index of the Institute Coordinates, which places the University Hospital Foundation Jiménez Díaz, of the Group Quirónsalud, as the best Hospital of Spain. This private group of hospitals continues to grow, not only in numbers, but in the degree of excellence and treatment of patients.

The Oncología department of the Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja has built up a reputation as one of the best centres fighting against cancer in Europe. It has a team of more than 30 professionals of the first level that offers attention, integral and individualized, to the cancer patient from the first diagnosis, with the most advanced technology and diverse pioneering programmes of treatment.

The hospital has technologies of diagnosis and treatment of the ultimate generation: radiotherapy intraoperatoria (Mobetrón), three ultrasound scanners, linear accelerator, PET-TAC, two TAC, magnetic resonance of 1.5 teslas, gammacámara, digital mammography, a room of conventional digital radiology, digital ortopantografo, density metre, laser equipment for refractive ocular surgery, among other modern technological investigative and treatments equipment.

Because of the high technology patients benefit from an accurate and effective surgery, which in many cases, shortens hospital stays. Apart from its excellent cancer department the hospital is known for its treatment of aormi@icloud.com

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cardiovascular diseases and neurosurgery. The Neuro-rehabilitation Unit has a high level of care, specialising in diagnosing and rehabilitating patients who have neurological disorders, such as acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury and dementia.

Treatment involves family members of the patients who are made aware of what is involved in neurosurgery treatment. Three-dimensional technology is also in use in a system of Augmented Reality mixing virtual images and real images. This technology has training purposes for patients as it helps their understanding. The latest technology and treatments are used in the Spinal Unit, Intensive Care Unit, Nuclear Medicine etc. This is a technology that increases the accuracy in treating injuries, minimising risks and avoiding further interventions.

The Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja presented recently the latest treatment of breast cancer with radiotherapy intraoperatoria (RIO) in surgery that reduces the sessions of external irradiation. The treatment in patients with precocious cancer of breast, which is a one-step therapy, allows in a single surgical operation the extirpation of the tumor, the irradiation and the reconstruction oncoplástica of the breast, external radiotherapy. Doctor Rosa Maria Cañón, in charge of the Unit of Oncology Radioterápica of the Oncology at the Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja, explained that " the procedure in operating room of the irradiation aormi@icloud.com

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A large reception area adjoins a cafeteria and the chapel, with access to the day clinics and lifts to other parts of the building. takes 30 minutes, which avoids 25 or 30 sessions of external irradiation of the more conventional treatments ". The RIO is a technology of high precision avoiding the unnecessary irradiation of the healthy surrounding area. RIO in conjunction with Mobetron accelerator (the only one in Spain) permits a variety of tumors to be treated. AFECANCER association has a presence in the hospital.

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Thousands of people with private health care or whose country has an agreement with the private sector use the services of the hospital. In some instances patients in the public sector are sent for specialised treatment.

Although well known for its Oncology department the hospital treats all the usual illnesses and each patient has his/her own room with toilet.

There is a busy Day Clinic dealing with traumology, cardiology, othoromogy There is cafeteria and chapel on the ground floor.

Last Christmas the hospital extended its hospitality to some of the numerous clubs and associations by holding the Ist International Meeting Quirรณnsalud Christmas High Tea and over about a hundred people intermingled and exchanged ideas and enjoyed the festive season.

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Valencia Health Department 22

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Torrevieja University Hospital

by Dave Stewart

Torrevieja's University Hospital celebrates its tenth anniversary of the inauguration on November 21, 2006. In this period of time, Torrevieja's Hospital has managed to consolidate personnel, technological advances, work systems in administration staff and received innumerable garlands and prizes for its excellence quality and related to the access both to surgical interventions and to consultations.

Torrevieja Hospital is a public hospital with a private administration by Ribera Salud group at the moment and an affinity to the Elche Vinalopo Hospital. The Valencia Health Department 22 was born out of the Torrevieja Hospital. The hospital became a centre of 24 clinics in various towns from Pilar de la Horadada to Guardamar del Segura and including inland to Rojales and San Miguel de las Salinas. Several of these clinics have specialised facilities, both in equipment and doctors, which means that many patients do not need to travel to the hospital to be attended to. aormi@icloud.com

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The Consultas Externas is the section that deals daily with specialized consultants and leads to the Day Only Surgery The La Loma Clinic is also open 24 hours with an emergency section. It is worth noting that there is a large free car park and a taxi rank at the hospital and some bus routes include a stop there.

One of the principal aims of the management is the early resolution of the problems of health. Nowadays, in Torrevieja's University Hospital, the average delay to receive surgery be is 32 days, as opposed to the average 127 of the rest of the Valencian region, according to the last information published by the own Conselleria. " It is the responsibility of all that we offer quality attention " explains Jose David Zafrilla, Deputy manager to Management, who has announced that the commitment of accessibility for is to take the average surgical delay below 35 days and make the average waiting for consultation less than 25 days.

Among the information available of the hospital’s activity, more than 167,000 interventions with CMA's rate (surgery that does not need revenue) of 70 %. With regard to the consultations, almost 3 million appointments have been registered in the hospital. On the other hand, a total of almost 2 million emergencies have been attended to among all the points of urgencies of the Department, with an average time of waiting of 35 minutes. One patient told us that he was amazed as his wife had a nasty fall and cut her head against the fridge and he took her to the aormi@icloud.com

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Latest technology reduces surgery and risks

hospital expecting to wait several hours but was attended to and out of the hospital in 40 minutes clutching a report. As for the area of paediatric area nearly 13.000 births have been registered since the opening of the hospital centre. To help patients a few years ago births can actually be registered in the hospital during the working week that saves the new parents a lot of hassle going to the registry office. As for the diagnostic testing, over 1.850.000 radiological tests, 10.000 tests hemodynamic and 200.000 of pathological anatomy are notable. No figures were available for blood tests but that must run into millions.

Torrevieja's Hospital was born as response from a need of good sanitary attention in a zone with a high volume of population that more than doubles in the summertime with visitors from many parts of the world.

But the hospital also has been introducing improvements for the professionals. It is now a teaching centre of MIR with enhances the prestige, quality and formation. The hospital staff has working conditions agreed with the social representatives of trade unions who have a collective agreement. There is also a crèche for staff with small children.

The 22 Area has over 1,100 staff. The administration staff is supportive of 36 departments including most types of surgery, with corresponding unit of anaesthesia, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinal, digestive and internal medicine. The nephrology department has its own separate entrance and block at the end of the building dealing with an average of 100 weekly patients receiving dialysis. The eye department is one of the busiest with aormi@icloud.com

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Dialysis unit deals with about 100 patients weekly although many more patients attend for consultation and check ups. surgeons using the latest technology and performing hundreds of eyecataract operations every year as well as other interventions. There is a busy oncology section that cooperates with the local AEEC cancer association who provide a back up team for home visits as well as volunteers for visiting in hospital. They have an office in the mornings where psychologist Javier Murcia meets patients and family and arranges support. Maria’s Pink Ladies can also be found in this office, which doubles up in the afternoons as a chaplain’s office, and there is a chapel on the lower level.

One of the busiest departments is the department dealing with minor surgery that does not require a stay in the hospital, so that patients are in and out on the same day.

Another busy unit is the laboratory responsible for hundreds of analyses of blood, urine, tissues etc. that are taken in the hospital and also in the other scattered clinics. A very large and technical section is that of radiology although the technology is much more than with the latest scanning equipment.

Possibly the busiest area is that of Urgencias or Emergency and Accident.

Here patients are registered, passed on to a doctor or nurse who diagnoses them and decides how urgent their treatment is. Normally there is a aormi@icloud.com

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Urgencias operate 24 hours, 365 days

waiting period until ushered into the main area of boxes where doctors and nurses will see them, maybe treat them depending on what is required, keep them in for observation. Attached is a huge room with around 60 beds and divided into several sections, but all visible to the nurses table. Here they maybe treated until discharged or until a room in the main hospital is available. This area has a separate space for cases that may be contagious.

Before the hospital was constructed, ambulances were mostly the work of the Red Cross and a few from a Benidorm registered company. These had to be paid for by the patient, often before being taken to a clinic or other hospital. Hospitals were as far afield as Alicante, Orihuela, Elche or even to the military hospital at San Javier. The Quiron Hospital has its own ambulances. Nowadays there is a large fleet of ambulances of various types attached to Torrevieja Hospital and the clinics. These include SAMU ambulances that have a team consisting of doctor, nurse and qualified first aider as driver. The SAMU is for urgent cases only. Then there is another type of ambulance with a couple of personnel who can deal with most aormi@icloud.com

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A large fleet of different types of ambulance service operates at the hospital and linking to the daily clinics in towns. The above is for ferrying patients to appointments for treatment. domestic call outs, such as an elderly person falling. The staff of these ambulances has the ability to call in a doctor if they consider a patient requires it. A larger section is the transporters, that is the ambulances who take patients to and from appointments for treatment.

Another section, mostly of nurses, does home visits in aftercare of patients who have been operated on. These are not only in the hospital but at most clinics.

Obviously we have missed out some departments or we would be writing a book – pharmacy, rheumatology, neurology, dermatology, Diabetes, gynecology, urology and rehabilitation among others.

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary Torrevieja's University Hospital a celebration was held in the small theatre at the end of the main hospital building that is used for seminars, talks and celebrations such as this one.

The idea was to honour patients such as the mother of the first baby born,

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Computerised systems are used extensively in the hospital and clinics including the introduction of an App to assist in non-smoking

or associations that support the hospital works such as AEEC, Charity for Charities, or the Jehovah Witnesses. A special mention was for the family of Doctor M. García Gea after whom the hospital is dedicated. This was one of the principal doctors of Torrevieja in the early and mid 20th century who cared for the small population of Torrevieja. His was not just a profession, but a vocation, even turning out to visit patients in the night emergencies.

The FLORENCE computer system enables GP doctors to be up-to date withe their patient’s progress at hospital and in the clinic. It is possible for them to view on their own screens blood and other analysis, x-rays, consultant’s reports etc. Patients can reserve their own appointments or check and change current ones via internet. If a patient is ingressed, or during an operation, or in a room or in emergency the family have a code whereby they can keep track of progress. In emergencies patients can see online the waiting times for emergencies at the hospital and in their nearest clinic.

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Professional Restaurant Training

by Pat Hynd

Torrevieja is a tourist town and one area of prime important is the fact that tourists eat. But they don’t just want to eat anything and their tastes will vary whether they want to sample typical Spanish cuisine, Italian, Chinese, pizzas etc. At the end of the day how they are treated and served as well as the presentation and taste of the food will bring them back to the same restaurant. There is nothing so demeaning as being thrown a meal in front of you, because the waiter doesn’t expect to see you again so couldn’t care less.

Various classes related to the hotel and hotel industry have been offered in Torrevieja since 2000 and these led to the introduction of a purpose built training school. At the end of 2005 Torrevieja inaugurated the Centre of Torrevieja's Tourism (CdT) constructed in a plot of 12.000 squares and with an investment of 12 million

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Euros at the expense of the Generalitat of Valencian Community. It is a low building almost opposite the Habaneras shopping centre.

The CdT Centre is one of the most modern in the Valencian region and can cater for 1,000 pupils in several sectors of tourism. Pupils come from all over the southern Alicante area and taught skills related to tourism such as cooking, waiting, or administration and even sessions of classes for the elderly who live alone and on a budget. Classes even include on how to prepare for a job interview. There are courses for those currently employed and those unemployed who want to learn more about catering techniques. Most of the classes are free thanks to funding from the EU. The CdT has 5 classrooms of theory and general formation, 2 classrooms of computer science, 1 classroom of simulation of working in companies, 1 classroom of the selection and tasting of wines as oenology is an up and coming aspect of modern tourism.

It is not just theory that is taught but practical work as well. There are two kitchens, pastry kitchen classroom, demonstration kitchen and restaurant that is a classroom for both cooking and waiting and the service of drinks.

There is also the aspect of administration, buying and storing of goods and there are 11 large fridges as well as an area for disposal of garbage.

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There are also gardens where students can grow various types of vegetables and herbs so that what is used in their training is fresh.

Computing skills are a must in modern hostelry and hotels and these are taught with facilities for videoconferences. There is a network of virtual campuses connected with the Valencian Tourist industry - Campus Virtual CdT that permits a lot of interaction, social chats, forums etc. This interact s with other centres in Alicante, Valencia, Castellon, Benidorm and Gandia.

CdT e-formaciรณn is an online service of a Learning Management System enabling individuals to an adequate formation with tutorials. There is sufficient parking space for about an hundred staff and pupils in Torrevieja CdT. The catering training school has been involved in s e v e r a l enterprises in To r r e v i e j a including tapas routes, raising the standards f o r t h e enjoyment of tourists and residents. aormi@icloud.com

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The University of Alicante in Torrevieja, in collaboration with the councillors of Culture and Sport of Torrevieja, have organized an exhibition of architectural projects, " Beacons of Nature. Mediterranean 2050. EcoMonumentos 2.0" that can be visited in the Eras de la Sal from February 19, when it will be inaugurated at 12 a.m., and goes on until March 4.

Complementary to the exhibition will be local Latin Vela boats.

The Eras de la Sal will house a sample of lighthouses they will receive the sample of beacons that have been made by the students of the Architecture degree course on the the subject of Architectural Projects. Between 540 beacons that exist in the Mediterranean they have chosen 14, which will be presented in the exhibition.

Each of the lighthouses will be accompanied by a chronogram and its history will be shown from different perspectives, political and cultural.

The exhibition can be visited from 11:00 to 14.00 h and of 15:30 to 18:00 and you can find, among others, reproductions of beacons of countries as France, Malta, Turkey, Spain or Albania.

The exhibition will be completed by a day of Latin Vela sailing classes that will take place on Sunday, the 26th of February on 11 a.m. in the same enclosure of the exhibition. Anyone interested in registering for this activity can do it at http: // torreviejaua.eventbrite.es/. aormi@icloud.com

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Spanish Fathers’ Day falls on 19th March each year.

So don't forget the old man.

Then on 26th March we have UK Mothering Sunday aormi@icloud.com

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We often read about the British donating towards local charitable groups. So it was nice to read about Spanish pensioners who live it up in the calle Pedro Lorca club who donated 1,200 euros each to four local organizations on 15 February. They raise this money amongst themselves playing bingo and holding raffles.

The children’s association Apannee was represented by Isi Albaladejo; Afecáncer by president Maria Luisa Martínez. " Reach Out Your Hands ", Elisabeth Thompson gratefully received the donation and finally, and finally the AEEC cancer association by president, Manoli Flores.

The Pedro Lorca club is vey active and frequently hold dances with live music and on Tuesdays and Fridays hold their games sessions that raised this almost five thousand euros.

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Do you enjoy the finer things in life? Have a penchant for improving your quality of life while living on the Costa Blanca, Then we have what you need – and want. Join us on March 11 & March 12, 2017 for the premier of Expo Torrevieja at the beautiful Salones Costa Bahia, adjacent to Torre del Moro, in La Mata, Torreveja.

Expo Torrevieja is an innovative concept in lifestyle events. Taking place in one location, in the heart of the community where you shop, dine and socialize, will be gathered a collection of products and services that unequivocally define “quality of life and luxury living”.

A tapestry of products and services spanning the scale from the large: luxury and vintage automobiles, to those on a more modest scale: solar energy, telecommunications, contemporary fine art, fashion and design, fine wines and the most innovative in home décor and technology. Discover all these finer things of life at Expo Torrevieja. The possibilities are endless and the rewards – priceless.

Hours of ExpoTorrevieja are 10:00am to 3:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday March 11 & March 12, 2017. Admission and parking are free. Bring your sense of discovery and appreciation of the exquisite!

Wallets and purses are a requisite as all items and services are available for purchase!

Expo Torrevieja

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European Residents Project

One of the biggest problems the British community is facing is the growing number of elderly people living alone and with very limited means. There is need for a concerted effort to find a solution that can help them so that their final years can be faced with dignity. Associations need to share information and their efforts and involve more professionalism. Loneliness is a massive issue for people in later life.

THE RED Cross – Cruz Roja in Spain – is reaching out to the expat community with a new scheme to support British people living on the Costa Blanca.

The charity and the British Embassy launched the European Residents Project and the Red Cross will act as a coordinator and bridge between the many charities and associations.

Pedro Dominguez is at the helm of scheme and is based at the Red Cross headquarters in Alicante; his first task is letting the community know what resources are available.

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“The goal is to let the British community know the Red Cross is here and we can help them with everything they need; we will try our best to help,” he said.

“And something that is very important is we are trying to get English speakers to join us as volunteers to make it to reach out to the British community.

“We are also trying to build a network between the British organisations and the Red Cross.”

The plan is to be able to help an aging British community and combat the danger of residents becoming alone and isolated as they get older.

Pedro said the Red Cross was able to help after being called by HELP in Benidorm and after contacting Age Concern were able to provide an electronic bed for a stroke victim.

And it has also led to a new action plan between the Red Cross and HELP Vega Baja which will be based in Guardamar.

“And so far it looks like the networking is working very well,” added Pedro. “Sometimes individuals find it difficult to contact social services here in Spain and the resources they offer; again we can help.”

“I am quite excited and happy because I can already see the very positive response from the British community. I am holding meetings every week and the relationship between the Red Cross and the charity and associations is getting better and stronger.

“It helps because of the very high profile of the Red Cross, everyone knows who we are.”

Pedro said the British Consulate was keen to promote the Red Cross´ panic button service to older residents; which could help save lives in emergencies.

“If you call an ambulance there are a lot of questions to be answered – and in Spanish,” he said.

“If you press the button, the first thing that happens is you get a call from the call centre; they know your address, your health situation, age, everything.

“The call comes and if you don’t answer, we call the next of kin, the police or an ambulance. Basically it means if you are at risk, everything happens quickly and it makes people feel more secure.” The Red Cross charges 25 Euros a month for a service offering peace of mind; however, they are also supplied free if recommended by social services.

And there is even a mobile phone ‘app’ that allows people to use as a panic button; again helping them stay independent. “It can be used by victims of domestic violence, people who are pregnant and at risk of a miscarriage.”

And there is also a proximity belt to be worn by people suffering dementia. Free for over 65s it is fitted by a carer each day and can be worn if the wearer leaves the house, or local streets.

In the coming weeks Pedro is hosting meetings at Red Cross buildings throughout Valencia to make sure the community knows what is on offer.

AGE CONCERN also operates a LIFELINE system 966 786 887. aormi@icloud.com

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Ryanair has started two services to Aberdeen (ABZ) this week, linking the Scottish city to its bases in Malaga (AGP) and Alicante (ALC), with the former beginning on 8 February and the latter on 9 February. Both will be flown twice-weekly by the airline’s 737-800 fleet, with Malaga operated on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while Alicante will be served on Thursdays and Sundays. Neither route faces any direct competition. Aberdeen is a new destination for Ryanair (well, sort of). It used to serve the airport from Dublin and Liverpool, with its last service being from the Irish capital on 28 October 2011. Carol Benzie, MD of Aberdeen Airport, said: “We’ve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Ryanair to the airport since we announced these fantastic new routes last July and I’m delighted to welcome the airline back to the north-east after a six-year hiatus.” Services between Aberdeen and Faro will begin in May. In June another new route will be Leeds.

easyJet has commenced two new services from its third largest operation London - Luton (LTN) – behind bigger bases at London Gatwick and Geneva, according to OAG schedule data for week commencing 9 February. Started on 11 February, the LCC commenced three times weekly services on the 1,376 kilometre link to Valencia (VLC), The Spanish airport is already served by the airline from London Gatwick. Two days later it began four times weekly operations to Marseille (MRS) an airport that the carrier already serves from seven other airports. Both routes are operated by easyJet’s 156-seat A319 fleet and neither faces any direct competition. This summer the carrier will serve some 57 destinations non-stop from Luton, where the airline still has its corporate headquarters.

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“Young man,” says the Judge, looking sternly at the defendant. “It’s alcohol and alcohol alone that is responsible for your present sorry state.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that,” replied Paddy, with a sigh of relief.

“Everybody else keeps telling me it’s my fault.”

“Darling”, says Paddy to his wife. “I’ve invited a friend home for supper.”

“Are you mad? The house is a mess, I didn’t go shopping, all the dishes are dirty, and I don’t feel very much like cooking a fancy meal.” “I know all that,” murmurs Paddy. “Then why did you invite a friend for supper?” “Because he’s thinking about getting married.”

Paddy said to Mick, “When I die I want my last words to be: ‘I left one million euros under the…”

An elderly Irishman bought s fancy red sports car to recapture his youth and was belting along at 120 mph. Then he saw a police car behind him blue lights flashing. “I’m too old for this shit,” he thought so he pulled over. The policeman said, “Sir, my shift ends in 10 minutes so if you can give me a good reason why you were speeding, I’ll let you go.” The old man said “Years ago my wife ran off with a policeman. I thought you were bringing her back.”

“That’ll do,” said the policeman putting his book away.

MURPHY’S LAW ON LIFE: Some days you’re the bird.

Some days you’re the statue.

Irish researchers have discovered that while giving birth, sone wives experience pain so intense that it’s almost as bad as when a man has a slight cold.

IRISH ADVICE - Always keep several GET WELL cards the shelf. Unexpected guests will think you’ve been unwell and unable to clean.

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Every year Torrevieja carnival is more spectacular with fantastic colorful costumes.

These photos by Joaquin Carrion underline the wonderful headgear . as well as face and body painting achieved.

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TAO, The Samurai of the Drum Fecha: 15 de marzo de 2017 Dónde: Auditorio del Conservatorio Internacional de Música Dirección: Partida La Loma, s/n Horarios: 21 h Precios: De 10 a 25 euros Venta anticipada: Instant Ticket (www.instanticket.es, 902 444 300, terminales Banco Sabadell)

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Fashion Fair 22 - 23 March Alicante Ferial Institution near Airport

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